Fujifilm FinePix S7000

Value (7.0)
The Fuji FinePix S7000’s price falls right in the middle of SLR and point-and-shoot, much like its style and design. For US $559, you are making quite an investment, but there are a lot of features and control that comes along with this camera – and, more importantly, room to grow. If coming from a point-and-shoot perspective, it’s hard to complain about the price when so much is offered by one camera. It’s not as advanced as a digital SLR, but you’re not paying SLR prices either. I would venture to say that you are getting a fair deal for this camera’s suggested price.

Comparisons
Fuji FinePix S602 Zoom
The Fuji FinePix S7000 is similar to the earlier Fuji FinePix S602 Pro Zoom model in many ways, but does include some significant improvements. The newest feature is the shift from the Super CCD III sensor on the S602 to the Super CCD IV HR (high resolution) image sensor. Their size and features are very comparable, which would make a transition between the models easy. The most significant difference is the doubling of megapixels, jumping from the S602 (3.3 million) to the S7000 (6.3 million), which has a causal effect on the price jump to $559 for the newer model. Fuji has made a number of different minor changes, such as boosting the zoom, strengthening the resolution of the LCD, extending the flash range, and improving the storage capabilities.

Konica Minolta DiMage A1
A digital camera with comparable style, size, and features to the Fuji FinePix S7000 is the Konica Minolta DiMage A1. Measuring 4.61 x 3.35 x 4.47 inches (69.03 inches³) and weighing 19.8 oz, the DiMage A1 is slightly larger and heavier than the S7000. Although these two cameras have competitive features, there are some areas in which they differ. When first out on the market, the DiMage A1 was in the $700 category, but has dropped to around $550. The Fuji FinePix S7000 offers more megapixels (6.3 compared to the A1’s 5.0), a better Movie mode frame rate (30 fps vs. 24 fps), and faster shooting speeds (3.3 fps compared to 2.8 fps). However, the Konica Minolta DiMage A1 has some advantages over the Fuji FinePix S7000 as well. It offers a wider angle (28mm compared to 35mm), better ISO range including 100 ISO with no reduced resolution at higher ISO speeds (as occurs with the S7000 at 800), a much higher top shutter speed of 1/16000 compared to the S7000’s 1/10000 capabilities, and a better zoom lens with 7x optical zoom. Although the DiMage A1 is clearly a stronger camera for sports images, the Fuji FinePix has a competitive edge in other areas.

Nikon Coolpix 5700
Another digital camera that falls into the area between SLR and point-and-shoot is the Nikon Coolpix 5700. With a similar SLR-like design, the 5700 has an overall smaller volume of 51.6 inches³ (measuring 4.3 x 3.0 x 4.0 in) and lighter weight (16.9 oz) than both the Fuji and Minolta discussed above. However, it is missing a few key features. The Nikon Coolpix 5700 has a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second, its LCD screen is only 1.5" with a meager 110,000 pixels (as opposed to 1.8"), and its Movie mode only captures 15 fps. The 5.0 megapixel Coolpix 5700 does had a distinct advantage over the previous two digital cameras with its impressive 8x optical zoom Nikkor lens. It also has extremely long shutter speed capability and can shoot images in bulb more for up to 5 minutes, compared to the 15 second limit of the Fuji FinePix S7000. When the Coolpix 5700 first came out, it retailed in the $700 range, but can now be found for as little as $450-$500.

 Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters - The Fuji FinePix S7000 is not a brainless digital camera. Although it has modes in which you can have the camera do the thinking for you, there are too many options available to put it in this category.

Budget Consumers - If you’re inching towards advanced photography, but you’re not ready to shell out the cash for an SLR, this might be the right camera for you. It has almost as many features and a similar style, but is a lot nicer on your pocketbook.

Gadget Freaks - I would put the Fuji S7000 into the Gadget freaks category because it has a wealth of options. Many of the features are comparable to a higher-end camera, but it is certainly not of the same caliber as an SLR. Fujifilm puts the S7000 into the "serious" user category, which is one step above sophisticated and one step below professional.

Manual Control Freaks - If you’re a freak about manual controls, you will be comfortable with the Fuji FinePix S7000, but probably not fully satisfied. It gives you competitive features, but when it comes to full control of your camera, nothing compares to a true SLR.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists - Although I wouldn’t actively discourage the purchase of this camera for someone who is serious about photography, I probably wouldn’t suggest it, especially with the race to produce SLRs with smaller bodies and lower prices. There are too many high-end options out there that can surpass this model.