Review: Fujifilm FinePix S700

PC World - Fujifilm's FinePix S700 adds an SLR-style frame to the solid functionality of an advanced point-and-shoot. Its best traits are its long battery life, manual controls, 10X optical zoom and image stabilization -- not a bad combo in a $250 model.

The camera powers up in less than two seconds, and the shutter button responds fairly quickly. It handled close-up shots nicely; I photographed a quarter at a distance of about 2 inches, and the resulting shot looked crisp and clear.

In our lab tests, the 7.1-megapixel S700 earned a high score for color accuracy and an average score for sharpness. Its scores for distortion, however, were subpar. In our battery life tests, the camera's four AA alkaline batteries supported 475 shots -- much better than the average score.

I liked the camera's "Natural Light and Flash" mode shooting option, where the camera captures a pair of consecutive shots -- one without flash and another with flash -- so you can compare which lighting captured the better image. A continuous-shooting mode snaps shots at a resolution of either 7 megapixels (the unit's maximum) or 4 megapixels. This feature worked fine, but it was a bit slow to record.

The S700 has the chops to perform well in most shooting scenarios. You may find the body a bit bulky, though.