Fuji today introduced its first camera to use the newly developed Super CCD image sensor, enabling the camera to deliver 4.3-megapixel resolution, well above the 3-megapixel models now being offered by competitors.
The FinePix 4700 ZOOM, expected to ship in April with a $999 suggested retail price, is bundled with a 16MB SmartMedia card (capable of holding eight 4.3 megapixel images), a 3x zoom lens, and a new electronics package that allows faster shooting and quicker camera boot up.
Fuji reported late last year that it had developed the Super CCD. The Super CCD differs from versions used by other camera manufacturers by having larger photodiodes that are situated on 45-degree angles. This increases light sensitivity and enables the sensor to have a wider dynamic range. Because of these technical improvements the camera does not use software interpolation to reach the 4.3-megapixel resolution, a company spokesman said.
The company intentionally rolled out the camera several days prior to the Photo Marketing Association’s annual event in Las Vegas starting February 3, and not at the show, in order to entice show attendees to visit the company’s booth, the spokesman said.
