Fuji FinePix S7000Fuji's latest electronic SLR offers a larger, 6.3-megapixel CCD that interpolates to 12.3 megapixels - one of the highest resolution consumer models we've tested to date!<<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, SoftwareReview First Posted: 01/16/2004 |
Video Out
The S7000 comes with an A/V (audio and video) cable that allows you to connect the camera to a television set for reviewing images and movies. Since the viewfinder signal in record mode is also routed to the video jack, you can also use a video monitor as an expanded viewfinder for composing shots. A setup menu option offers NTSC and PAL video timing settings.
Power
The S7000 uses four AA-type batteries
for power, and comes with a set of single-use alkaline batteries. As you'd expect,
the increased power capacity provided by high-capacity NiMH AA cells brings
some clear benefits in terms of extended operating times. As always, I strongly
recommend buying a few sets of high-capacity NiMH AA cells and a good charger,
and always keeping a freshly charged set on hand as spares. You can read my
battery test results here,
or see this
article for a review of my favorite charger.
An AC adapter is available as a separate accessory, handy when downloading images or reviewing captured files, essential / mandatory if you plan to use the S7000 as a webcam. An Auto Power Off function shuts off the camera automatically after either two or five minutes of inactivity (adjusted through the Setup menu), but can be disabled if you want to keep the camera ready all the time, at the obvious cost of shorter battery life. The table below details power consumption in various operating modes. (Note that the numbers in this table are based on the use of NiMH AA cells with 1600 mAh capacity, to maintain compatibility with earlier reviews. Actual run times will depend on the capacity of the batteries you use. Modern NiMH cells have true capacities of 2000 mAh or more, so you could see battery life 25% or more higher than shown here.)
| | (@ 5 v) | (1600mAh, 4.8v 4 NiMH Cells) |
| Capture Mode, w/LCD | | |
| Capture Mode, EVF | | |
| Capture Mode, "sleeping" | | |
| Half-pressed shutter w/LCD | | |
| Half-pressed w/EVF | | |
| Memory Write (transient) | | |
| Flash Recharge (transient) | | |
| Image Playback | | |
The S7000 offers very good run time, particularly if you use the latest high-capacity NiMH cells to power it. (Worst-case run time with true 2000 mAh cells would be a bit over 3.3 hours, very good indeed.) I still recommend purchasing a second set of rechargeable batteries, and always keeping one set topped-off via a trickle charger, to avoid the Murphy's Law problem of batteries failing exactly when you most need them. As noted above, see my battery shootout article, for the latest test results of various NiMH cells under actual load conditions.
Included Software
Packaged with the S7000 is a software CD containing Fuji's "Software for FinePix (version 4.1b)," compatible with Windows 98 / 2000 / Me / XP and Macintosh OS 8.6 to OS X. In addition to USB drivers, the software package includes FinePix Viewer for organizing files, and ImageMixer for creating CD albums. There's also a RAW file converter. Windows users can take advantage of the Picture Hello application, which turns the S7000 into a webcam.
Included Hardware
Included in the box are the following items:
- Fuji FinePix S7000 digital camera.
- Neck strap.
- Lens cap with strap and holder.
- A/V cable.
- USB cable.
- Four AA-type alkaline batteries.
- 16MB xD-Picture Card.
- Software CD.
- Instruction manuals and registration information.
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