Fujifilm FinePix Z1

The attack of the slim cams has been in full force ever since Sony introduced the T1 over a year ago. Now Sony, Casio, Nikon, Panasonic, Samsung, and others are lining up to line your pocket. Fujifilm's entry into this competition is the FinePix Z1 ($340,street). With 5MP, 3x optical zoom (36-108mm equivalent), and a 2.5-inch scratch-resistant LCD screen, it's got all the standard features found in the rest of the slim cams. And it's stylish black, slide-me-open-and-turn-me-on front plate adds the requisite touch of individuality. But it's also got a few important features that set it apart from the pack.

Chief among these is the Natural Light scene mode. It turns the flash off, boosts ISO up to the camera's max of 800 to allow for faster shutter speeds, and minimizes noise with a blur filter. And our lab's test results showed that even at ISO 800, noise was only moderately low. Many compact cameras reach an unacceptable rating by ISO 400, some even at 200. So Fuji 's definitely on to something here. At ISO 100, 200, and 400 the Z1's noise was low, and at ISO 64 noise dropped to a very low rating. The blur filter does take a bite out of the camera's resolution, but not a very large one (see test results). And overall, images at ISO 800 look similar to images shot on high ISO film—noticeably grainy, but smoother than most digital compacts.

Fujifilm clocks the startup time as 0.6 sec, and in practice it is basically instant-on. Shutter lag, also pleasantly short, can be cut further by engaging the High-Speed mode in the camera's main menu, which speeds up the time it takes AF to lock on the subject. But, it'll also drain your battery faster. With High-Speed mode off, autofocus was still fast, even in low light.

Despite its small size, the Finepix Z1 is comfortable to hold. And with two-handed operation—each hand pinching the top and bottom—I got a nice, steady grip. A small switch next to the shutter release toggles between movie and still modes, so it's simple to shoot a quick movie clip between photos. Unfortunately, there's no tripod socket. A strange omission for a camera made for low light shooting. If you want to mount it on a tripod, you'll have to use a clamp head. And if you like viewfinders, don't look here. There's only the large LCD screen to frame your shots.

Overall, the Z1 is a good style cam. It looks good and functions well in lower light, so it'll be at home at parties and nightclubs. If Fuji would've included optical image stabilization and a faster lens, this camera would be a no-brainer. As it stands it's still a very good camera for the price.