Back to the future

Fujifilm have just announced a new camera to be available in March 2011.  Here is a camera for those of us brought up on the likes of a Pentax MX with it's analogue dials and tactile feel but with a large  APS-C sensor of the type you would find in a Digital SLR and an honest to goodness optical viewfinder.

The viewfinder is a actually a hybrid tour de force that gives the best of an optical viewfinder with the benefits of an electronic viewfinder.  This makes the camera unique and in a league of its own.  The lens is a fixed 23mm (35mm equivalent) so those wishing a zoom lens are not on the potential buyer list.  This does, however, allow Fujifilm to optimize the lens, sensor and electronics as a unit to provide the best possible image quality and dynamic range.  Here are the basic specs:

Sensor	• APS-C CMOS sensor • 12.3 million pixels
Movie clips	• 1280 x 720 pixels (HD) • with stereo sound
Lens	• Fujinon lens with Super EBC Coating • F2-F16 • Focal length : 23mm (35mm equivalent) • 9-bladed aperture diaphragm • 10 cm minimum focus • Built-in 3 stop ND filter
Focus	• High-speed contrast AF
ISO sensitivity	• ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 • ISO 6400 (ISO 100 - 12800 in expandable mode)
Shutter speed	• 30 sec. to 1/4000 sec
Exposure Modes	• Programmed AE • Aperture Priority • Shutter-Priority • Manual
Continuous shooting	5 fps
Optical Viewfinder	0.5X magnification with approx. 90% frame coverage
Electronic Viewfinder	Ultrafine 1,440,000-dot LCD
LCD monitor	• 2.8-inch • approx. 460,0000 dots
Storage	SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card
Power	TBC
Weight	TBC
Dimensions	127(W) × 75(H) × 54(D) mm

Suffice to say, I want one.  It will not replace my DSLR outfit, but the X100 will get a lot of use as my travel and event camera where I don't want to lug around an DSLR and lenses.  Of course, I will have to wait till March 2011, but that will give me time to sell of some gear that I don't use in order to underwrite the cost of this new camera. Oh, and about that back to the future remark ...not only is the camera lacking any plastic parts, but even the covering is leather, not some rubberized synthetic.