The new Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd
Fujifilm press release:
…it can't wait to see your face
Announcement Date: 13 July 2006
New digital camera combines hardware based Face Detection technology and high ISO sensitivity to stunning effect
Embargo, 13 July 2006
Fujifilm today announces the launch of the FinePix S6500fd digital camera, debuting industry-first hardware based Face Detection technology to enable the camera to recognise faces and optimise settings to get the best photograph in just 0.04 seconds. With Fujifilm's acclaimed sixth generation, six megapixel Super CCD sensor and Real Photo Technology II, class-leading ISO 100-3200 sensitivity and Fujinon 10.7x (28-300mm equivalent) optical zoom lens, the FinePix S6500fd combines the photographic possibilities of a digital SLR with the ease of use of a compact.
Fujifilm expects the FinePix S6500fd to be a popular camera for hobbyist photographers. It will be a powerful, fun tool for people looking to move on from their compact digital camera, but who don't want the restrictions or level of manual input that can be required by a Digital SLR.
Face detection
Photographs of friends and family are among the most popular in day-to-day photography. Yet these are the shots that are hardest to get right because the best photographs are not the posed ones, but those that are unexpected. Previously, face detection concepts have been a slow, software based process, relegating them to a novelty feature rather than a powerful picture-taking tool. The potential delay in 'seeing' a face and optimising settings is not conducive to good people photography. Crucially, Fujifilm has built its Face Detection technology into the FinePix S6500fd's processor, enabling it to identify faces and take a photo within 0.04 seconds.
The FinePix S6500fd's Face Detection uses an algorithm, which recognises eyes and a mouth to lock on to faces in the frame. Coping with up to ten faces in a frame, it optimises settings such as focus and exposure level before taking the photo. Face Detection can identify a face irrespective of its position in the frame or the composition of the shot, and is not confused by spectacles. Furthermore, movement tracking ensures the camera stays locked on the subject until they move out of the frame. All this, combined with split-second accuracy, results in picture-perfect people shots with no need for user intervention.
High sensitivity for precision photography
Alongside Face Detection, the FinePix S6500 features Fujifilm's Real Photo Processor II technology, delivering class-leading ISO 100-3200 sensitivity. Research shows that the majority of photos are taken in low light with the subject in the foreground. These shots can be problematic because of blur, or because the subject is over-exposed by an automatic flash. The high ISO of the FinePix S6500fd means that sharp, focused images can be achieved in low light without the need for a flash, so skin tones look natural and foreground and background exposure remain balanced. When used in conjunction with Face Detection, the result is natural-looking people pictures that appear just as the human eye sees them, even when shot in low light.
The FinePix S6500fd features a Fujinon 10.7x optical zoom lens with twist barrel control to give plenty of scope for precision composition. Because the camera's high ISO sensitivity also combats image blur, the user can even achieve sharp, clean images at the telephoto end of the zoom; perfect for fast-moving sports photography. Its fixed lens also prevents dust collecting on its sensor, another convenience factor versus DSLRs.
For flash photography, the camera features Fujifilm's Intelligent Flash system, which automatically balances flash power output and exposure for both foreground and background. This ensures more natural-looking skin tones and clearer background exposure when using the flash function. In addition, a 'Natural Light & Flash' Dual Shot Mode takes two shots in quick succession, one with flash and one without. These are then displayed side by side for immediate comparison.
The FinePix S6500fd also features a High Speed Shooting Mode with rapid focus and a shutter lag of just 0.035 seconds.
The 2.5" LCD screen and high resolution electronic viewfinder give the user a choice of how to compose and view images. With fourteen special-scene modes, including Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Museum and Party, the FinePix S6500fd ensures users will never miss an opportunity for a great photo. A 30 fps VGA movie mode with sound and manual zoom capability provides an attractive alternative to still photography that can not be incorporated into a digital SLR.
Adrian Clarke, Fujifilm's Director of Photo Products said, "The FinePix S6500fd is aimed at people for whom photography is a hobby. They want to be able to get fantastic images but also want the option of point-and-shoot simplicity on demand. With Face Detection and incredibly high sensitivity, this camera does a particularly good job of photographing the most important subject of them all: people. This model is all about combining absolute convenience with fantastic image potential."
Accessories
The FinePix S6500fd's optional Wide Conversion Lens, WL-FXS6, expands the camera's wide-angle capability without compromising image quality. It allows the extreme angles of view normally only available with changeable lenses on an SLR camera.
Also available is an optional premium leather case. Fujifilm World Travel Adaptor, for charging abroad, and spare Lithium-ion battery, NP-70 make travelling with the FinePix S6500 easy.
The camera comes with shoulder strap, USB and A/V cables, Lens cap and hood and software CDs FinePix Viewer (with RAW File Converter included), ImageMixer VCD2 LE for FinePix and RAW File Converter LE.
FinePix S6500fd features at a glance:
Hardware based Face Detection technology
Sensitivity range of ISO 100-3200 for low-noise photography in all light situations
Super CCD HR VI sensor delivering six million effective pixels
Real Photo Processor II reduces noise and delivers enhanced colour reproduction
Fixed 10.7x (28-300mm equivalent) optical zoom lens with twist barrel control
Intelligent Flash achieves the optimum combination of high sensitivity and natural skin tones
Manual, shutter- and aperture-priority and program exposure modes
Single, continuous and manual focus modes
Jpeg and RAW file formats
High Speed Shooting Mode with a shutter lag of just 0.035 seconds
High resolution 2.5 inch LCD screen with reinforced, scratch-resistant glass
TV-quality VGA movie recording of 30 frames per second with sound
PictBridge™ compatible for direct printing without a PC
Availability & pricing
The FinePix S6500fd will be available from UK retailers in October 2006. Pricing and stockists will be announced nearer to the date of retail launch.*
Contact details for customers
For information about Fujifilm and its products, please visit: www.fujifilm.co.uk or call
0870 084 1310
About Fujifilm
Fujifilm is a global leader in imaging technology, products and services including digital cameras, photofinishing, digital storage and recording media, consumer and professional film, motion picture film, professional video, printing systems, medical imaging, office technology, flat panel displays and graphic arts. The company employs more than 73,000 people worldwide, with 178 subsidiaries stretching across four continents.
Uniquely placed to be a market leader in digital imaging, Fujifilm develops and manufactures its own sensors, lenses and processing technology. In addition to its production plants and R&D operations in Japan, the company has key manufacturing facilities in Europe and the USA for core products such as colour film, colour paper, single use cameras and CTP printing plates, and has further factories in Brazil and China. It has a global turnover in excess of £13 billion.
In the UK, Fujifilm has been supplying the imaging, printing and graphics industries, as well as consumers, professional and enthusiast photographers, with high quality, innovative products and services for over 25 years. Fujifilm UK currently employs more than 450 people and has become one of the country's most popular photographic and imaging brands.
© 2006, Fuji Photo Film (UK) Ltd. Specifications are subject to change.
| Number of effective pixels | 6.3 million pixels |
| CCD sensor | 1/ 1.7-inch Super CCD HR |
| Number of recorded pixels | Still image : 2,848×2,136 / 3,024 x 2,016(3:2 format) / 2,048 X 1,536 / 1,600×1,200 / 640 X 480 pixels Movie : 640 x 480 pixels ( 30 frames/sec.), 320 x 240 pixels ( 30frames/sec.) |
| Storage media | Internal memory (approx. 10MB)/ xD-Picture Card™ ( 16MB - 1 GB ) |
| File format | Still image : JPEG (Exif Ver 2.2 ) CCD-RAW (Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible) Movie : AVI (Motion JPEG ) |
| Lens | Fujinon 10.7 X zoom lens , F 2.8 - 4.9 |
| Lens focal length | f=6.2-66.7mm Equivalent to 28 - 300 mm on a 35 mm camera |
| Focus | Mode : Single-AF , Continuous AF, Manual Focus, One-touch AF(when using Manual focus) AF system : TTL contrast-type , AF-assist illuminator AF frame selection : AF(CENTER), AF(MULTI), AF(AREA) |
| Focus distance | Normal : approx. 40 cm / 1.6 ft. to infinity(W) approx. 2 m / 6.6 ft. to infinity(T) Macro : approx. 10 cm /4.0 in. to 3.0m / 9.8 ft.(W) approx. 90 cm /3.0 ft. to 3.0m / 9.8 ft.(T) |
| Shutter speed | 30 sec. to 1 / 4000 sec. |
| Aperture | F 2.8 F11Up to 13 steps in 1/3 EV increments Manual /Auto selectable |
| Sensitivity | AUTO / Equivalent to ISO 100/200/400/800/1600/3200 |
| Exposure control | 256-zone TTL metering Multi, Spot, Average |
| Exposure modes | Programmed AE(When using P mode : Program shift is enable), Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual exposure |
| White balance | Automatic Manual (Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White) Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light |
| Viewfinder | 0.33 inch low-temperature polysilicon TFT (approx. 115,000 pixels) , approx. 100 % coverage |
| LCD monitor | 2.5 inch Amorphous silicon TFT ( approx.235,000 pixels), approx. 100 % coverage |
| Flash | Auto Effective range (ISO 1600): Wide angle: Approx.0.6 m - 8.3 m / 2.0 ft.- 27.2 ft. Telephoto: Approx.2.0m - 4.6m / 6.6 ft - 15.1 ft. Flash mode : Auto, Red-eye Reduction, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro. Red-eye Reduction + Slow Synchro. |
| Self-timer | Approx.10sec./ 2 sec. delay |
| Video output | NTSC / PAL selectable |
| Digital Interface | USB 2.0 High-Speed |
| Power source | 4 AA type alkaline batteries (included)/4 AA type Ni-MH rechargeable batteries (optional) or AC power adapter AC-5VX(optional) |
| Dimensions | 130.9 (W) X 97.5 (H) X 128.0 (D) mm / 5.2 (W) X 3.8 (H) X 5.0 (D) in. |
| Weight | Approx.600 g / 21.2 oz.(excluding batteries and xD-Picture Card ) |
| Digital zoom | Approx 2x |
| Shooting modes | Normal : Auto, Picture Stabilization, Scene Position ,Macro, Movie, Continuous, SP: Natural Light, Natural & Flash, Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Museum, Party, Flower, Close-up, Text Continuous : 1.Top-3 ( max.2.2 frames/sec., up to 3 frames) 2.Final-3 ( max.2.2 frames/sec., up to 3 frames) 3.Long-period (max.0.7frame/sec. Up to memory card size) |
| Colour modes | B&W / CHROME / STANDARD |
| Movie recording | 640 x 480 pixels, 30 frames/sec. 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames/sec. With monaural sound, AVI format (Motion JPEG) |
| Voice Memo | Up to 30 sec. WAV format |
| Playback functions | Single frame, 9 Multi-frame, Sorting by date, Image rotate, Post shot Assist window (3 frames), Voice Memo, Trimming, Automatic playback |
| Accessories included |
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| Optional accessories |
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Number of images / recording time on xD-Picture Card™:
| Number of images / recording time | ||||||||
| Modes S6000 fd | Still image | Movie | ||||||
| Number of recorded pixels | 2848 x 2136 6F | 2848x 2136 6N | 3024 x 2016 ( 3:2 format ) | 2048 x 1536 | 1600 x 1200 | 640 x 480 | 640 x 480 | 320 x 240 |
| Internal Memory (approx.10MB) | 3 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 15 | 77 | Approx. 8 sec. | Approx. 16 sec. |
| DPC-16(16 MB) | 5 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 25 | 122 | Approx. 13 sec. | Approx. 26 sec. |
| DPC-32(32 MB) | 10 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 50 | 247 | Approx. 27 sec. | Approx. 54 sec. |
| DPC-64(64 MB) | 21 | 42 | 42 | 81 | 101 | 497 | Approx. 55 sec.. | Approx. 109 sec. |
| DPC-128(128 MB) | 42 | 84 | 84 | 162 | 204 | 997 | Approx. 111 sec. | Approx. 219 sec. |
| DPC-256(256 MB) | 85 | 169 | 169 | 325 | 409 | 1,997 | Approx. 223 sec. | Approx. 7.3 min. |
| DPC-512(512 MB) | 170 | 339 | 339 | 651 | 818 | 3,993 | Approx. 7.4 min. | Approx. 14.6 min. |
| DPC-M1GB(1 GB) | 341 | 680 | 680 | 1,305 | 1,639 | 7,995 | Approx. 14.9 min. | Approx. 29.3 min. |
