Fujifilm zooms in on new compact cameras

Fujifilm has unveiled a rash of new digital compact cameras today. Apart from the SLR-like Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd , five compact digital camera models aimed at everyone from snap-happy teens to aspiring pros were announced.

Fujifilm FinePix A920

First up is the Fujifilm FinePix A920 , a 9.3-megapixel camera with a 4x optical zoom and 16 preset shooting modes, including a 'Baby' mode that ensures pics of your sprogs are shot with the utmost quality.

Other key features include Fujifilm's proprietary Real Photo Technology (RPT), which optimises the word of the CCD image sensor, an RPT processor and lens. The latter help produce a picture as close to the original scene as possible. There's also an anti-blur system (handy for sports snaps). And not to forget plus IrSimple - a quaint and rather useless-sounding gizmo that enables you to transfer pictures from one A-series camera to another using infra-red.

The Fujifilm FinePix A920 also includes a 2.7-inch LCD monitor, selectable sensitivity up to ISO 800 and a QVGA video capture mode.

Fujfilm FinePix F480 and F50fd

The 8.2-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix F480 is the latest model in Fujifilm's F-Series digital camera line-up and the follow-up to the F470.

No bigger than a deck of playing cards, the pocket-friendly Fujifilm FinePix F480 is aimed at entry level photographers. It features a digital signal processor for noise reduction and shots can be viewed on the 2.7-inch LCD display. There's also a 4x wide angle optical zoom lens which gives you the equivalent of 28mm-112mm on a 35mm camera.

The Fujifilm FinePix F480 features Picture Stabilisation, 13 scene modes and a movie mode for 30fps QVGA filming. It also has a Mode Dial that provides easy access to the most commonly used shooting modes, including: Auto, Picture Stabilisation, Baby and Movie mode. And it allows one-touch access to the pre-programmed scene modes.

Next up is the 12-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix F50fd compact camera, cramming in dual image stabilisation, upgraded face detection technology, and ISO levels of up to 6400. It features a 7th Generation Super CCD with a 3x optical zoom and a 2.7-inch high-resolution 230,000 pixel wide angle view LCD.

The upgraded face detection technology in the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd can detect up to 10 human faces in a scene in as little as 5/100s of a second. It corrects focus, exposure and white balance automatically, regardless of where the subjects are located within the frame. Anyone turning away from the camera - i.e. featured in profile - will also be recognised by the face detection.

Fujifilm FinePix Z10fd and Z100fd

The Fujfilm FinePix Z10fd is a 7.2-megapixel fashion-lead digital camera housed in a slim and sleek housing. The Z10fd offers a 2.5-inch LCD screen, 3x optical zoom, image stabilisation, face detection tech, red-eye removal and a blog mode.

It'll be available in Wave Blue, Wasabi Green, Hot Pink, Sunset Orange and Midnight Black.

Finally, there's the Fujifilm FinePix Z100fd , an ultra-slim, metal-bodied, high performance 8-megapixel snapper.

Available in four colours - Shell Pink, Satin Silver, Cappuccino Brown, and Tuxedo Black - the Fujifilm FinePix Z100fd is only 19.8mm thick. But it crams in a 5x wide angle optical zoom lens, Fujifilm's Face Detection system, intelligent red-eye removal, ISO1600 and CCD-shift image stabilisation.

It features a high-resolution 2.7-inch, 230,000-pixel LCD screen, which has a reinforced glass coating for scratch-free durability. A new micro thumbnail view (showing 100 shots on one screen) and new control wheel make it super-easy to share and view photos.

All these cameras will go on sale in September. Prices will be announced closer to the release date.