Mississauga, ON – Fujifilm today announces the FinePix F70EXR, the Company’s first model in the growing compact long-zoom sector. It boasts three critical improvements on current models; New EXR imaging technology, a Fujinon 10x Optical Zoom lens and all within a compact design.

By introducing its award-winning EXR technology into the FinePix F70EXR, Fujifilm has made a significant improvement in image quality against other models. The Fujinon 10x Optical Zoom lens, developed in conjunction with the Super CCD EXR sensor, produces crisp, high resolution results throughout the focal range, from 27mm wide-angle all the way to 270mm telephoto. The smart, sleek design, at only 22.7mm thin, ensures the Finepix F70EXR is both convenient and functional.

Super CCD EXR Technology

Introduced earlier this year with the FinePix F200EXR, this radical new approach to sensor technology has generated numerous positive reviews and awards. Modelling the EXR sensor on the human eye, for the first time the user can change the behaviour of the sensor according to the scene to the photographed. When the light is strong and even, the sensor will switch to HR (High Resolution) mode to ensure every small detail is recorded. When light is strong but contrasty, the sensor will switch to DR (Wide Dynamic Range) mode to get the optimal balance between highlight and shadows. Lastly, in low light the sensor will switch to SN (High Sensitivity and Low Noise) mode, to ensure clean noise-free pictures even in the darkest conditions.

EXR Modes

A fantastic addition to the FinePix F70EXR, EXR Auto takes the guesswork out of setting the camera by doing everything for you. EXR Auto is essentially a very sophisticated set of program modes. The camera will automatically switch the sensor to HR, SN or DR mode depending on the lighting conditions of the scene as well as automatically detect 6 different types of scenes - Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Backlit Portrait, Night, and Night Portrait. The camera will recognize the scene and optimise focus, colour balance, exposure, flash and sensitivity. Users of the FinePix F70EXR will rely heavily on EXR Auto for their general photography, letting the camera ‘do all the hard work’ and leaving the photographer free to concentrate on getting the best shot possible.

The FinePix F70EXR is fitted with the same EXR Priority modes as its more premium F and S sister cameras (F200EXR and S200EXR). Users can choose to default to High Resolution Priority (HR), High ISO & Low Noise Priority (SN) or D-Range Priority (DR) (up to 800%) for consistent shooting (for instance, always choosing ‘best dynamic range’ whatever the lighting conditions).

Super Slim 10x Zoom Fujinon Lens

Fujifilm opted for a sleek, thin design, almost the same thickness as current 5x zoom models. The 22.7mm-thin metal body features a high-gloss finish for astounding good looks. Long zoom compacts depend heavily on the quality of the optics, so no expense has been spared to provide the FinePix F70EXR with the sharpest, clearest Fujinon 10x zoom lens. The lens of F70EXR features Super EBC Coating - the original coating system of Fujinon lenses that keeps ghosting and flare to a minimum, promising optimal picture quality. At the same time, the newly designed, complex aspheric lens and original lens unit promises minimum color aberration.

Pro Focus Mode / Pro Low-light Mode

Typically, one of the ways to distinguish ‘DSLR’ photography from ‘compact’ photography has been the use of ‘wide aperture’ to create mood and depth in a picture. These ‘professional’ shots are now possible on the FinePix F70EXR, which uses Pro Focus Mode to combine 2 or 3 burst shots together. Through complex digital imaging technology, a crisp shot of the subject is created against a defocused background and foreground. Ideal for portraiture, nature photography or any subject which needs ‘lifting’ from its background, the FinePix F70EXR Pro Focus Mode provides professional looking results not typically found in a compact, non-DSLR camera, at the touch of a button.

Meanwhile, Pro Low-light Mode is applied to solving the problems of noisy low light shots when using the full 10x optical zoom. With current cameras, it is possible to achieve relatively blur-free low light shots using high ISO and CCD shift (or optical image) stabilization. But this comes at a cost, as the ISO 1600 setting will invariably produce distracting and ugly noise and this is very hard to achieve when shooting at the maximum focal length (i.e. full zoom).

Once switched to Pro Low-light Mode, the camera will shoot multiple high sensitivity images using Pixel Fusion Technology *1 in quick succession. All of the images are then overlapped to create one image with extremely low noise.

Load Your FinePix F70EXR with Film …

Similar to other high-end FinePix models, the FinePix F70EXR offers 5 different film ‘modes’ to allow the photographer full creative expression to explore a variety of pre-set colour and contrast modes designed around Fujifilm’s most famous film emulsions. The modes are: Velvia/Vivid (for dramatic full saturation colour), PROVIA/Standard (for classic ‘neutral’ photography), ASTIA/Soft (for gentle, low contrast portraiture and soft, fine, smooth tonality), Sepia (for antique, warm tones) and Black & White (for dramatic monotones). In the Velvia and Astia modes, the dynamic range can now be set to 800% to improve highlight detail yet further.

New ‘Super Intelligent’ Flash

The FinePix F70EXR offers a radically improved flash control system which efficiently controls the level of flash for a given exposure to produce beautifully balanced flash illumination across the foreground and background. Gone are the ugly washout shots where the subject is overpowered by the flash and the background is dark and underexposed. Super Intelligent Flash is most useful in macro photography where the contrast between subject and background can be especially challenging, but is also effective for night and backlit photography.

New High Contrast LCD

The FinePix F70EXR is fitted with an improved high contrast 230k dot 2.7” LCD. The high contrast LCD is a considerable benefit in bright light. The High Contrast LCD means that the camera can be pitched at various shooting angles to enable framing of awkward shots. Viewable 160 degrees in both vertically and horizontally, the LCD is bright and clear for beautiful rendition of shots in playback.

Dual Image Stabilization

Long zoom cameras need Image Stabilization more than any other compact camera, due to frequent hand shake and subject movement in low light and at full telephoto range. The FinePix F70EXR reduces blur to a minimum by deploying Picture Stabilization to automatically increase shutter speeds to freeze action, and CCD Image Stabilization to counteract the problems of handshake. By cleverly combining these two Image Stabilization technologies, blur is reduced to an absolute minimum.

Face Detection 3.0 and Automatic Red-eye Removal

To provide perfectly exposed and focussed portrait shots, the FinePix F70EXR is fitted with Fujifilm’s latest Face Detection technology which is able to track up to 10 faces simultaneously, at 360 degree angles to the camera. The system instantly corrects red-eye and then saves both the original and the corrected image file automatically.

The FinePix F70EXR is expected to be available to Canadian consumers in September 2009 at a suggested retail price of $299.99. The camera will be offered in GunMetal with a 2 Year Canadian Manufacturer’s Warranty.

Summary of the FinePix F70EXR Specifications:

* Super CCD EXR 10 Megapixel switchable sensor
* EXR Priority Modes and EXR Auto Modes
* Fujinon 10x optical zoom (27mm - 270mm)
* 2.7”, 230k dot High Contrast LCD Monitor
* Wide Dynamic Range up to 800%
* Ultra High sensitivity in low light (up to ISO 12800 at 3 MP Resolution)
* Face Detection 3.0 with Automatic Red-eye Removal
* Dual Image Stabilization (ISO and CCD Shift)
* Pro Focus Mode / Pro Low-light Mode
* High Speed Continuous Shooting of 5 fps up to 12 frames (3 megapixel)
* Full Manual Control
* 5 Film Simulation Modes
* Super Intelligent Flash
* Movie Mode with sound (640 x 480, 30 fps)
* 230 shot battery life (with included NP-50 Li battery)
* Accepts SD/SDHC Memory Cards
* 2 Year Canadian Manufacturer’s warranty