Fujifilm’s Z-series didn’t get off to a good start with the Z1, which had a sexy body but lots of noise in its pictures and too much shutter lag to be worth its hefty original price tag. After a hiatus of more than a year without a new Z-series digital camera, Fujifilm announced the FinePix Z5fd that carries on the trendy compact legacy but begins a new tradition by including face detection. The new digital camera has a 6-megapixel Super CCD and a 3x optical zoom lens that doesn’t extend from the trim body. Coming in lustrous brushed silver, red wine, and chocolate brown colors, the Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd sweetens the deal with IrSimple wireless communication technology and a Blog mode that shrinks a copy of the picture before sending it wirelessly. The Z5fd will sell for $229 in March.
Note: The model I looked at is considered pre-production, so specifications and menus and even performance could change before its release in March. This first impression is from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
