The latest in the lifestyle category from Fujifilm is the Z3, available in three colours – pink, blue and silver.

Features
With a 6MP Super CCD, the Z3 also boasts a top ISO speed of 1600 for low light photography, making this Fujifilm’s party camera. This is reinforced with a flash system designed to balance background and foreground for enhanced skin tones. The camera can capture two consecutive images – one with, and one without flash – allowing users to choose the preferred one.

Design
We had the pink one, which the ‘laydeez’ found attractive, but in bars and clubs, the artificial lighting just made it look silver. It’s attractive nonetheless, with a sliding lens cover, 2.5inch LCD and easy operation.

Performance
Using the flash slows the camera down, a common problem with compacts. However in other respects it’s speedy, from powering up to recording.

Image Quality
Generally image quality is good for a compact, though we had a few blurred flash shots as the AF struggled to cope in a dark nightclub. The noise is well controlled at ISO 1600, thanks to the same system as that on the Fuji F30.

Value For Money
At the RRP, it is slightly expensive, but it has a reasonable feature set and is well made. Lifestyle cameras always command a slight premium, but street prices of £180 are more realistic.