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Fujifilm's MX-1700 Wins Excellence in Imaging Award

LAS VEGAS- -- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. has received a 2000 "Excellence In Imaging" Award in the Entry-Level Digital Camera category at DigitalFocus 2000 for its MX-1700 ZOOM, the world's smallest megapixel digital camera with a 3x aspherical zoom lens. In addition, its MX-2700 ZOOM, the world's smallest digital camera with a 2.3 million-pixel resolution, will be named a finalist in the Mid-Range Digital Camera category. This year's award is co-sponsored by Popular Science Magazine.

DigitalFocus is presenting the 3rd Annual "Excellence In Imaging" Awards, just prior to the DigitalFocus 2000 media event in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Feb. 2. The highly coveted awards, which honor the best in digital imaging technologies for 1999, are judged by the editors of DigitalFocus and co-sponsored by Popular Science, the world's largest science and technology magazine. Awards are presented for Entry-Level, Mid-Range, Prosumer and Professional cameras.

"Fujifilm's MX-1700 marries the appeal of a small, lightweight, sexy camera with the practicality of a zoom lens and megapixel resolution," said Chris O'Malley, Editor, DigitalFocus. "That artful combination makes the MX-1700 one of the finest digital cameras we've seen to date."

The MX-1700 ZOOM is the first digital camera of its kind to have an all-glass aspherical zoom lens. Previously used in higher end lens applications, Fujifilm manufactures the MX-1700 ZOOM's aspherical lens via a newly developed glass injection mold process that allows the company to mass produce the lens, making aspherical lens manufacture efficient and economically viable for consumer digital cameras. With this specially developed aspherical zoom lens, the MX-1700 ZOOM delivers pin-point image sharpness and improved optical quality while eliminating aberrations, vignetting and light fall-off -- benefits any shutterbug enjoys.

Sporting dimensions of 3.1" (w) x 4.75" (h) x 1.25" (d), Fujifilm's MX-1700 ZOOM is roughly the size of a deck of playing cards, easily fitting in shirt pockets or pocket books. It records high-resolution images at 1280 x 1024 or 640 x 480 resolution, and the 3x aspherical zoom lens delivers 35mm equivalent of 35-114mm coverage.

"Fujifilm pioneered the pocket-size, high-resolution digital camera so it should come as no surprise that we were the first to have a camera of this size and quality with a 3x optical zoom lens," said Darin Pepple, Product Manager, Consumer Markets, Digital Imaging Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. "And with the development of the MX-1700 ZOOM's aspherical zoom lens, Fujifilm has once again broken a design barrier that was once thought impossible, further demonstrating our research and manufacturing capabilities as well as our commitment to digital imaging innovation."

Equipped with both a precision, 2-inch polysilicon color LCD monitor with 130,000 pixels and optical viewfinder, the MX-1700 ZOOM, with its built-in automatic flash with slow sync mode, is ideal for indoor and outdoor image capture and viewing, even at night. It also sports a framing guide that can be viewed on screen for group and portrait shots using the "rule of third" guidelines.

In addition, a Manual Mode allows users to adjust the white balance settings and select the exposure compensation. With the camera's new white balance system, color accuracy is dramatically improved even under harsh lighting, so color images appear sharp and vibrant.

For added versatility, the camera features automatic playback with up to 4X digital zoom, a digital 2X telephoto mode so users can zero in on areas within the picture and, with the multi-frame playback, nine images can be viewed all at once on the LCD. Unlike other digital cameras on the market today, speed has been gained without the need for internal memory buffers, making the MX-1700 ZOOM ready to use as soon as it is turned on. By combining the speed of a newly designed on-board 100Mhz image processor with Fujifilm's original CCD preamplification technology, the MX-1700 ZOOM processes an image in less than three seconds.

Like Fujifilm's other MX-series digital cameras, the MX-1700 ZOOM model records images to postage-size SmartMediaTM cards. Depending on the image compression selected (fine, normal or basic), the MX-1700 ZOOM can record 11, 23 and up to 44 images respectively on its bundled 8MB SmartMediaTM card in 1280 x 1024 resolution. When its images are printed at 300 dpi, the MX-1700 ZOOM produces album-quality 4 x 6-inch snapshots. And, with the built-in Digital Print Order Format (DPOF), attaching print ordering instructions to image files is made easy. It also comes bundled with Adobe PhotoDeluxe® 3.0 Home Edition software to personalize pictures.

Now available at mass-market retailers, photo specialty shops, consumer electronics stores and web retailers, the Fujifilm MX-1700 ZOOM carries a suggested retail price of $599.

Since its introduction last year, the award-winning Fujifilm MX-2700 ZOOM has been lauded by industry followers and cited by the Digital Imaging Marketing Association as "a product of high quality and a major influence in the future of digital imaging." The camera has also garnered several awards to date, including the Digital Imaging Marketing Association's Innovative Digital Product Award for a consumer point-and-shoot digital camera.

Fujifilm helped create a new category for digital cameras, having been the first to introduce and market a consumer digital camera with more than two million pixels. The MX-2700 ZOOM features a 35mm equivalent lens with macro capability and carries an impressive 1800 x 1200 resolution, boasting one of the highest pixel counts on the market today (2.3 million), a key ingredient in producing clear and colorful images for printing.

Depending on the image compression selected (fine, normal or basic), the MX-2700 ZOOM can record 8, 17 and up to 35 images respectively on the bundled 8MB SmartMediaTM card in 1800 x 1200 mode and, similarly, 47, 90 and up to 142 images in 640 x 480 mode. When its images are printed at 300 dpi, the MX-2700 ZOOM produces impressive 4 x 6-inch snapshots, while at 150 dpi it delivers eye-catching 8 x 12-inch enlargements. The camera comes bundled with Adobe PhotoDeluxe® 3.0 Home Edition.

Sporting a high-grade, high tech-looking aluminum alloy body, the pocket-size MX-2700 ZOOM is the most stylish camera in its class. Weighing a slight 8.5 ounces and measuring a sleek 3.1 (w) x 3.8 (h) x 1.3 (d) inches, the MX-2700 ZOOM fits easily into a car's glove compartment, a briefcase or a pocket book.

Equipped with both a precision, 2-inch polysilicon color LCD monitor with 130,000 pixels and optical viewfinder, the MX-2700 ZOOM, with its built-in flash, is ideal for indoor and outdoor image capture and viewing. In addition, a Manual Mode allows users to adjust the white balance settings and select the exposure compensation. The camera features automatic playback, a digital 2.5X telephoto mode so users can zero in on areas within the picture and, with the multi-frame playback, nine images can be viewed all at once on the LCD, for added versatility. Like Fujifilm's other MX-series digital cameras, the MX-2700 ZOOM model records images to postage-size SmartMediaTM cards.

Available at photo specialty shops, consumer electronics stores, office superstores and through mail order catalogs at a retail price of $699, the stylish MX-2700 ZOOM fits in a shirt pocket, yet is big on resolution and simplicity.

Designed for long-lasting use, both the MX-1700 ZOOM and the MX-2700 ZOOM use a rechargeable lithium ion battery that can take up to 250 shots when the liquid crystal display is turned off, and 80 shots when it is turned on. For computer connection, the cameras come packaged with video output and serial ports. For even faster computer access to digital images, an optional image memory card reader (SM-R1) transfers files through a USB port. Serial cables and data transfer hardware, such as floppy disk and PC card adapters, are also available.

The rechargeable lithium ion battery is environmentally friendly as well as economical. An AC Adapter is included to recharge the long-life battery while it is in the camera. An optional Quick Charger is also available to ensure that the MX-1700 ZOOM and MX-2700 ZOOM will be ready for the next opportunity.

For more information on Fujifilm's full line of digital imaging products visit the company Web site at www.fujifilm.com or call 1-800-800-FUJI.

About Fujifilm Digital Imaging

As the first manufacturer to offer a digital camera with removable storage media and the developer of the world's smallest megapixel digital camera with an all-glass aspherical zoom lens, Fujifilm is a recognized innovator of high-quality, high-performance digital imaging products. With a breadth of line that includes products for image capture, storage and output, Fujifilm offers a host of end-to-end imaging solutions, letting the user evolve from picture taker to picture maker within minutes.

What sets Fujifilm digital imaging products apart is the technology that goes into each and every product. Fujifilm is one of only a handful of marketers that both designs and manufactures the key capture elements of a digital camera -- the lens, CCD and image processing mechanisms. This total control ensures strict adherence to design specifications which, in turn, allows for clear, crisp images of pleasing color.