Fujifilm F700 Zoom Review

The S700 employs a powerful Fujinon f3.5-f3.7, 6.33-63.3mm 10x optical zoom lens, it's equivalent to 38-380mm on a 35mm camera. The aperture range is from F3.5 - F13.6, in 7 1/3EV steps. Fuji includes a nice lens cap to help protect the lens.

The TTL contrast-type auto focus system features Single AF, Continuous AF and Manual focus modes with your choice of AF frame selection: AF (Center), AF(Multi), or AF(Area). The focusing range in wide angle is from 30cm/1.0 ft. to infinity, in telephoto from 1m/3.3 ft. to infinity. The Macro mode covers from 4cm/1.6 in to 3m/9.8 ft. in Wide and 60cm/2.0ft. to 3m/9.8 ft. in Tele. Super Macro mode gets even closer at Approx 1cm /0.4 in. to 1m/3.3 ft.

The automatic popup flash has an effective range in wide angle of approx. 0.5 - 6.2m /1.6 - 20.3 ft and 0.3m - 3m / 1.0 ft - 9.8 ft in Macro mode at ISO AUTO. Flash modes available are: Auto, Red-eye reduction, Forced flash, Suppressed flash, Slow Syncro and Red-eye reduction + Slow Synchro. Flash mode is selected with the right button of the 4-way controller.

The eyelevel finder is a tiny, high-resolution (230,000 pixels) 0.24-inch color LCD with a magnified eyepiece. It is called an Electronic ViewFinder or EVF for short. Unfortunately there is not a dioptric adjustment. It displays all the same information and menus as the large color LCD display. The EVF/LCD button toggles between the two displays.

On the back is a 2.5-inch color TFT LCD monitor for image preview, review and accessing the camera's menus. The Play button enters review or playback mode. The silver and blue "F" (Photo Mode) button is for changing image size/quality, ISO speed and color mode. The 4-way controller lets you navigate menus and select images in playback mode. Press "Left" to toggles the Macro/Super Macro focus on and off and the Flash mode is controlled with the "Right" button. Press "Up" to increase the gamma (brightness) of the LCD or delete images in playback mode, "Down" enables the self-timer. In the center is the MENU/OK button which toggles the Menu on/off . While ON, the menu selections are navigated with the 4-way and the OK button makes selections. The DISP/BACK button is used to escape from menu operations, in Record it controls the amount of information displayed in the LCD monitor. The Exposure compensation can also be used to enable Program Shift, and is to select the Aperture and Shutter speed values in A/S/M modes.

On top of the handgrip is the Power slide switch, and shutter release with the zoom controls mounted around it. They also act as the index and magnify options in playback mode.

Next is the Drive mode button and the Mode Dial with positions for: Auto, Program AE, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, full Manual, Movie, SP1, SP2, Natural Light, Natural Light + Flash and Anti- Blur.

On the left side is the speaker, combination USB 2.0 (Full-speed) and A/V Out port (NTSC or PAL formats) as well as the DC INput jack for an optional AC power adapter.

The S700 is equipped with 27MB of internal memory as well as the first ever xD/SD compatible memory card slot that accepts both xD-Picture and SD cards. See the chart below for Approx. storage capacities.

Power is supplied by four standard AA type batteries, alkaline or NiMH. We highly recommend the use of NiMH rechargeable batteries - they're reusable, more powerful and will save you money in the long run.

Approx. Battery Life