New Gear: Fujifilm Announces Tough FinePix XP200, Superzoom FinePix S8400W

Fujifilm has added two new cameras to its compact lineup: the FinePix XP200 to battle the elements, and the FinePix S8400W for when you need some zoom. Both of these have wi-fi units built in so that you can easily transfer your images out, and are due on shelves in May of this year.

The FinePix XP200 is Fujiilm’s most recent offering in the world of tough cameras. Every year, the waterproofing on these things seems to get more and more effective, and the XP200 can be used down 50 feet below the surface. It can also handle temperatures down to 14°F, and drops of up to 6.6 feet, not to mention being dustproof. It features a 1/2.3-inch 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, sensor based image stabilization, and a maximum ISO of 6400. The lens is a 5x, 28-140mm equivalent, and the camera has a 3.0-inch, 920K-dot LCD. The large and gnarled design should make it easier to grip through gloves, and there’s a dedicated burst button to quickly move to high-speed capture at 10fps. The XP200 will have a list price of $350 when it debuts in May.

The FinePix S8400W brings a long lens, wi-fi connectivity, and is powered by AA-batteries, which is handy if you’re wandering around the streets of Delhi, trying to figure out how to recharge your camera. The lens on the S8400W is a 44x 24-1056mm equivalent, with a maximum aperture range of f/2.9-6.5, and 17 elements in 12 groups. It uses a 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor, with ISOs up to 12,800, and a maximum shooting speed of 10fps at full resolution. If you’re willing to take a size hit, you can get 60fps at 1280×960, or 120fps at 640×480. As with many ultrazoom cameras, the S8400W has an electronic viewfinder, this time with 201,000-dots, and it has PASM manual controls. No word if the thing shoots RAW, though. Expect it on shelves in May for $300.