FinePix S9100 faux dSLR

Fujifilm has announced the successor to the FinePix S9000 in the form of the FinePix S9100. Looking for all the world like an dSLR (it’s not), it will nonetheless compete with entry level dSLRs when it ships in September, based on its US$599 price, 10.7x (equivalent 28mm – 300mm) Fujinon optical zoom lens, 9.0 MPX CCD sensor and high light sensitivities (ISO 80-1600).

The camera's high sensitivity range, made possible by Fujifilm's Real Photo Technology, enables FinePix S9100 users to capture images using natural light in a wide variety of lighting conditions. In addition, Fujifilm's Picture Stabilization technology uses the heightened sensitivity of the FinePix S9100 and high-speed shutter settings to reduce blur caused by camera shake and subject movement. This easy-to-access feature is selectable on the mode dial and allows the FinePix S9100 to choose the correct light sensitivity and best-matching shutter speed automatically for the highest quality digital pictures.

Other noteworthy features of the FinePix S9100 include:

i-Flash: Fujifilm's intelligent flash system fine-tunes output for shooting with high sensitivity settings. i-Flash recognizes scene conditions and adjusts flash intensity accordingly to ensure superb results. With i-Flash, subjects in the foreground appear natural and background detail is bright and clear. The difference is especially noticeable in portraits with subjects that exhibit true-to-life skin tones.

Fujinon Lens Technology & Zooming: The FinePix S9100 features a 10.7x wide angle optical zoom with a focal range equivalent of 28mm - 300mm. In Super Macro mode, the FinePix S9100 can focus clearly as close as 0.4-inches, and the overall speed of focusing is much improved over the FinePix S9000. With the addition of a beam assist, the camera will focus automatically in low light conditions.

New Processing Algorithms: Users will notice a difference in the photographs taken by the FinePix S9100. New processing algorithms have led to increased sharpness and greater resolution.

Tilted LCD Screen: The FinePix S9100 has all its angles covered with a tilting 2" LCD, making it easy to frame your shot from a variety of shooting positions. The LCD gain-up control allows viewing of the LCD in bright and low light conditions. The viewfinder is electronic with 235,000 pixel resolution and provides approximately 100% coverage.

HS-V2 Software: The inclusion of Fujifilm's Hyper Utility Software HS-V2 version 3 software enables FinePix S9100 photographers to explore the full potential of the camera's RAW file format. By fully controlling the 18 million pixel RAW file from the FinePix S9100's Super CCD, photographers can enjoy the control and flexibility of working on a "lossless" file format.

Due to ship in September, the FinePix S9100 will sell at a price of $599.