This recently announced compact caught my eye for a variety of reasons...
product site
Some quick specs:
12MP 1/2-inch Super CCD EXR sensor (approx. 5.5x crop factor)
Lens 24-360mm (35mm equivalent) f/3.5-5.3.
Sensor shift image stabilisation
Hybrid contrast AF and phase AF
The biggest one is a new hybrid AF system, where the main sensor also has phase detectors and it works together with contrast detect for the best of both worlds (speed and accuracy). It also has tracking AF which might be handy.
Like the recently announced Sony compacts, this also does the fake-bokeh processing by taking more than one shot at varying focus and using that to somehow fake a shallow DoF.
The usual face detection modes are in there, but one that caught me out is a dog/cat detection mode! Yup, they're bringing in pets too. I wonder how long it will be before duck detection is implemented.
I had to refresh myself on the quite unique Fuji sensor design. The simplest way to imagine it is to take two conventional bayer sensors, offset one slightly and join the lot together. This operates in 3 modes: resolution priority which uses all photosites to generate output pixels. Dynamic range priority operates one set of photosites at a different sensitivity, so you can capture more than you would in one. The conventional equivalent is a two shot exposure bracket, but on the Fuji you're using half the pixels of one shot at each sensitivity. Finally is a pixel binning mode for lower noise. Due to the grouping, same colour photosites are paired so apparently helps control colour noise.
What about the results? There are three samples at the above link. The first one has some fishing gear still life taken at maximum zoom. This looks great at "bigger picture" level. Pixel peeping reveals the compact fuzz and lacks the crispness you get from a DSLR. Still pretty good. Second is a portrait and again big picture is great. Pixel peeping, the fuzziness looks more noticeable, particularly bad in the hair. The third is a field of some plant with yellow flowers and a blue sky, taken at widest angle. The yellow I think looks clipped or at least over processed, and again the detail doesn't stand up to DSLR level pixel peeping.
Overall the claims are the closest thing I've seen yet to what I want in a compact, and I have been looking to replace my Pana FX33 for those times where the Oly E-P1 is still too large. The AF claim is the main swinger for me, the rest is a bonus if it delivers on the claims. The samples are reasonable for a compact, although I would like to see some real samples of the extended dynamic range mode. This will be one to follow I think.
In a quick look, I found one well known UK dealer with pre-order price of £310.
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