Overview
The Fuji Finepix Z700EXR offers more or less complete touch control. Almost all options are selected by touching the 3.5 inch LCD screen. Versions of the Finepix Z700EXR are available in black, silver, red and pink.
At a shade over 20mm wide you should have no problem slipping this camera into most pockets. Looking through the features on offer aside from the touch control options this is a fairly typical point and shoot digital camera.
Why Buy The Fuji Finepix Z700EXR
I found the Finepix Z700EXR to be one of the easiest to use touch controlled digital cameras.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
5x
3.5 inches
98.1 x 59 x 20.3mm
158g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
9cm
Yes
No
Lithium ion
SD / SDHC
Features
Aside from the touch controlled LCD screen there are not that many features that really stand out, but the Finepix Z700EXR does have all you need to produce snapshot photos. The advantage of a limited set of features helps to keep the camera easy to use.
Image stabilisation is provided to help reduce picture blur and to ensure your photos are as sharp as they can be. For people who use social networking sites, such as YouTube and Facebook there is a special mode that makes it easier to upload both still images and video footage. On top of this Fuji have added a picture search facility to help make it easy to find photos you have already taken.
The 12 megapixels on offer, plus the 5x zoom lens are about standard for a camera in this price bracket. The macro mode only allows you to focus from 9cm away from the subject. Therefore if you are looking for lots of close up shots this is not really a strength of the Finepix Z700EXR. One feature I do like is the size of the LCD screen. A 3.5 inch screen like this one can be quite a big advantage over smaller touch controlled screens.
Almost all digital cameras now come with a face detection mode for sharper, better focused portraits. Fuji have included pet detection with the Finepix Z700EXR. To be honest I doubt whether it will make a terrific difference to the quality of your pet photos, but it all helps.
Handling
The Finepix Z700EXR only has two buttons. The first one places the camera in review mode. The second is the shutter button for taking photos. Apart from the zoom ring that runs around the outside of the shutter button all features and settings are accessed through the touch controlled LCD screen.
I like the approach Fuji have taken to the screen. They have placed icons relating to popular options down each side of the screen as well as adding an icon that gives you access to the main menu system. Options on the main screen include shooting mode, flash settings, self timer, macro mode and reviewing images.
When you touch the menu icon you are faced with a further screen of options. These cover settings such as picture quality, white balance. ISO, exposure compensation and the auto focus mode. I found the icons to be a good size and the screen very responsive. With some other touch controlled digital cameras I can find changing settings difficult where I do not get my touch quite perfect. The Finepix Z700EXR seems to be far more forgiving and therefore easier to use.
Once you access the individual features the options are well presented and the screens are very clear. Overall I would say Fuji have created one of the best touch controlled digital cameras when it comes to ease of use.
When it comes to viewing the screen for composing photos I would describe the quality of the LCD screen as good without being one of the best around.
The camera is turned on and off by sliding the lens cover up and down.
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shot 1
There is a serious lack of clarity in this shot. You do not need to blow the photo up very much before areas start to take on a smudged look. This is especially true in the trees. Detail is also lost from the boats where they are hit by glare from the sun.
Outdoor Scenic Shot 2
With less glare to contend with the Finepix Z700EXR does a much better job. The shot is sharper and there is greater clarity in general. This test with the lens zoomed all the way out can be a tough one. For this test, compared with other digital cameras, the Finepix Z700EXR sits somewhere in mid division.
Outdoor Scenic Shot 3
With less glare to contend with the Finepix Z700EXR does a much better job. The shot is sharper and there is greater clarity in general. This test with the lens zoomed all the way out can be a tough one. For this test, compared with other digital cameras, the Finepix Z700EXR sits somewhere in mid division.
Outdoor Building
The Finepix Z700EXR seems to be improving with each shot! Although this picture is not absolutely pin sharp it is a good effort. The focusing system is able to lock onto the building and the shot is noticeably sharper than my earlier test shots taken with this camera.
Outdoor Portrait
With the subject much closer to the lens the camera has little or no problem with focusing. The colours produced by the Finepix Z700EXR in this shot are not as strong as most other cameras manage. Therefore I would like to have seen a bit more pep in the colours.
Indoor Portrait With Flash
I found it difficult to tell the difference between the portrait picture taken with flash and the one taken without flash. This suggests that the flash unit is not all that powerful. Even so I am happy with the result.
Indoor Portrait Without Flash
As with the indoor portrait taken using flash this is an acceptable effort. My feeling is though that this camera will soon need to use flash as lighting deteriorates.
Macro
This is a pleasantly bright photo. Other than that you can see that this camera is not able to get as close in as many digital cameras are able to. Sharpness is about average and there are also signs of purple fringing. There are clearly better pocket cameras out there for close up work.
Colours
The colours produced by this camera are not as strong as lots of digital cameras manage. Although colour strength is clearly a matter of personal taste I like to see more colour in my shots that the Finepix Z700 produces.
Noise
There were times when my photos took on something of a hazy look. This was especially true of the skies in my outdoor test shots. There was also noise showing in my indoor portrait shot.
Picture Quality Summary
I found this camera to be a bit hit and miss when it comes to picture quality. Overall I can say it is no better than average.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.43 seconds
8.9 seconds
0.73 seconds
10.67 seconds
4.32 seconds
Ease of Use
I found this to be one of the easiest touch controlled digital cameras. Every setting is changed via the screen. The menu is easy to read and I found the screen to be very responsive.
Points I Like
Easy to use interface
Where it Could Improve
Slow turn on times - Picture quality could improve
Verdict
There is a lot to like about the handling and ease of use of the Fuji Finepix Z700EXR. I found the touch control interface one of the simplest to use. The problem is that the weak point is the quality of the photos it takes. In most of my tests it performed to an acceptable level as a snapshot camera, but if you are looking for that bit more then there are better options out there.
Where to Buy - Fuji Finepix Z700EXR
Test Shots
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Fuji Finepix Z700EXR Review Fuji Finepix Z700EXR Specification Fuji Finepix Z700EXR Sample Images
Review Date
October 2010
