An incredibly compact and slick design makes Fuji's FinePix F402 stand out among other 2.1-megapixel cameras. The slim, brushed-metal case slips easily into a shirt pocket and is durable enough to stand common shocks and bumps. For sheer "wow" factor, the camera's shape and power switch, a front panel slide, is unique and charming.
One reason for the camera's small size is the lack of an optical zoom lens. The F402 instead uses a 3x digital zoom that electronically magnifies the image; however, this could easily be done on a computer when you can choose exactly where to zoom, so the feature isn't entirely useful.
Although the CCD sensor has a resolution of 2.1 megapixels, the camera can achieve 4 megapixels through the use of interpolation (thanks to Fuji's Super CCD), which electronically guesses the details between pixels in order to create a higher-resolution image. The results are decent, but do not match true 4-megapixel sensors. At all of the resolution settings, images come out clean and colorful, but there is some slight artifacting that smudges the details. This may be a problem, especially if you are interested in producing 8-by-10-inch prints.
The automatic settings are effective for most purposes, but the added semimanual controls are fun and useful to play with--especially the ISO film-speed control for capturing fast movement.
The 1.5-inch LCD is bright and clear, but crops the sides a little bit from view, resulting in a saved image that is wider than the one you composed. The menu and buttons are very clearly laid out and are easy to use. The F402 is a beautiful-looking camera that performs very well, but a rather high price keeps it from being a truly great value. --Bao Tran
Pros:
- Impressive slim design
- Well-designed and easily navigable menus
- Availability of selected manual controls
Cons:
- Noticeable image artifacting
- Lack of true optical zoom
Product Description:
Thanks to Fujifilm's 3rd Generation Super CCD technology, the FinePix F402 offers 2.1 million effective pixels, producing 4.0 million recorded pixels. Combined with the high quality Fujinon 39mm (35mm equivalent) lens, this enables the FinePix F402 to produce stunning, beautifully clear images. Furthermore, its prime lens means the camera is remarkably slim - with a depth of just 22mm, it easily fits into any pocket or handbag.Key to the remarkable image quality of the FinePix F402 is Fujifilm's 3rd Generation Super CCD. With this sensor, the LSI processes the brightness and color information from captured images separately, to produce extremely low-noise results. The significant increase in top sensitivity (ISO 800 and 1600 equivalent) is made possible by Pixel Data Coupling, a technology that makes use of the fast processing abilities of the LSI. The ultra-low noise and superb color characteristics mean more authentic color images are delivered - even for skin tones and in low light level.The fast and accurate processing of images, made possible by the 3rd Generation Super CCD, delivers an impressive movie mode, offering 320 x 240 pixel (QVGA) resolution at ten frames per second with sound. In addition, the camera can be used as a webcam for Internet conferencing.The FinePix F402's outstanding quality Super EBC Fujinon prime lens is extremely sharp, delivering crisp, clean images in all situations. Working with the new Super CCD sensor (with its advanced signal processing), the result is exceptional digital image quality, with perfectly exposed, richly detailed, noise-free photographs boasting accurate colors and delicate skin tones. And all of this achieved by a point-and-shoot camera!
Fujifilm FinePix F402 2MP Digital Camera