Digital Trends

FujiFilm FinePix Z1

August 21st, 2005 | by David J Elrich

Features and Design

The 5-megapixel FinePix Z1 definitely has high style.  Available in black or silver, the all metal construction feels solid, not cheap.  And it should feel substantial for a list price of $399, although we've seen it for around $360 in silver and $330 in black.  (Shopper's note:  FujiFilm has a $30 rebate program going for this one).  I liked the overall design and citified black faceplate.  It's definitely for someone who likes their nightclubs dim and patrons dressed in subtle shades of noir.  The only problem is that they'll have trouble taking good shots in the VIP room unless they use the Natural Light setting!

The Z1 is a svelte .73 inches thick and easily fits in a pocket or purse.  Since it is all metal, it does weigh a bit more (5.2 ounces with memory card and battery) than the competitors.  Hardly hernia material, but it is hefty.  The faceplate has a cool sliding door that acts as the Power On/Off switch.  The camera has a non-protruding 3x optical zoom (a Fujinon lens) with a 36mm-109mm focal range in 35mm terms.  It does have a digital zoom, but we're not fans of this feature and suggest you keep it in the Off position.

The top of camera only has a shutter button and a mode key to change between still images and videos.  An adjustable, 2.5-inch LCD screen (rated 115K pixels) dominates the back of the camera.  By comparison, the $349 Sony DSC-T33 has 230K pixels.  Also found here is a Wide/Telephoto toggle switch, a four-way keypad with Menu/OK button, a dedicated playback key, a FinePix Photo Mode key to change resolution, ISO and overall color quality as well as a trio of indicator lights that tell you if the camera is busy.  The bottom of the camera has the battery and memory card slot and a small jack that's used to set the camera in place on the supplied docking station.  There is no tripod screw hole.  Once in the dock, the batteries will charge and you can transfer images to your computer or watch them on your TV, once you've made the simple connections.  It has a USB 2.0 port for faster downloads. 

The Fujifilm FinePix comes with the usual accessories including a strap, USB and AV cables, lithium ion battery/charger, the docking cradle, software CD-ROM and a woefully undersized 16MB xD Picture Card.  Definitely budget for a 512MB card; the supplied card holds a mere six 5MP Fine shots or thirteen seconds of 640 x 480 pixel video at thirty frames per second.  On a more positive note, the camera is supplied with a nicely done 110-page owner's manual.

The Z1 in Black

Image Courtesy of FujiFilm