I'm considering getting a new Digital. Fuji makes a camera called S602. It seems fine and it costs roughly $800.00. It boasts roughly 6MEGA PIXEL recorded, BUT 3megapixel effective. Now I'm confused. If I use this camera will the ccd really give images equivalent to 3Mega pixels or three. If it records 6 wont I still have the same amount of data but simply a larger file. this is what they show at the fuji website. http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/Products.jsp?nav=-2&parent=471517&product=43860757 Features: 3.1 Million Effective Pixel Super CCD 3.3 Million Total Sensor 1/1.7" Super CCD 6.0 Million Output Pixels (2832 x 2128) Fujifilm's New 3rd generation Super CCD System featuring Pixel Data Coupling Technology for Increased sharpness and color with less electronic noise, and new Pixel-Mixing Technology for improved video capture with greater detail. 6X Aspherical Zoom Captures Images with Astonishing Clarity, f/2.8-f/11; 13 steps. (35 - 210mm, 35mm cameras equivalent zoom). Help me please. Any info is greatly appreciated. Bsteph

Have you checked out dpreview.com yet....and compare the models you are considering side by side?

Sure but what give with the 6Megapixel RECORDED as OPPOSED to the 3megapixel EFFECTIVE. Bsteph

And I bet Alpha would know the answer to that one........sorry Brian..I'm really not sure... :~(

If I recall correctly, they're interpolating to get the extra pixels. I can't remember where I read that, but I think it was at http://www.dpreview.com. I don't recall if any comparison was made between letting the camera do it, and doing it in something like photoshop. -daveh

Michelle- No problem. I thought about asking Fuji technical but I figured that would be useless since they came up with that blurb which I pasted above. BTW-How is the Dimage repair going? Daveh- You know that is what I was thinking they were doing. However I was not too sure. On the Fuji site they mention the special lense and it almost seems like they are doing some sort of interpolation then they say they have a resolution of 2832 x 2128 but at the same time they say it captures at an effective resolution of 3.1megapixel. IF they are interpolating I can buy software which functions as good. Of course the total digital zoom of 24X, and a optical zoom of 6 is nothing to sneeze at either. Hmmm. What to do. What to do. I am planning on taking a vacation in a couple of weeks so a nice camera would be a plus. On the otherhand if I decide to simply save my money. I can always use my Pentax auto everything with 38-105 zoom, or the Sony 10X zoom. I just thought if I was considering getting a newer camera. Now would be a good time. Bsteph

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Hi Bsteph, The skinny on the s602, or any fuji super ccd camera has been debated and argued to death, and still remains rather contraversial. DPreview.com is probably the most informative place on the web to learn about it though. I use the predecssor to the s602, the 6900z which also uses a 3 megapixel super ccd yielding 6mp images. The super ccd is an chip made up of octagon sensors, as opposed to the square sensors on traditional image sensors. This means (put simply) there is more contact between actual pixels, meaning it actually gathers MORE information than a regular (3mp)square pixel camera. When the camera shoots, it actually records a 6mp image first, then scales it down to 3.1 afterwords (if you choose the 3mp setting). As far as interpolation is concerned, ALL digital cameras interpolate to obtain their images, that is, they all have to "make up" some information to arrive at a complete image. The fuji just does it differently, not necessarily more/better/worse than any other camera. "post interpolation" - using software like Qimage, or genuine fractals will work of course, but the results are not as good as the images that fuji will produce "out of camera". The actual "effective" resolution of the super ccd lies somewhere between 3 and 5. It does capture more info that most 3, but definately less than a real 5mp camera. But your best bet it to check out DP review.com and either go to the fuji forum, do a search in the forums for super ccd, and definately read the reviews. The reviews post sample images of the camera itself, and compare them to other cameras in the same range so you can judge the results for yourself. And you can check out my gallery, of which 95% was shot using the 6900z, plus my photo diary (check the link). I've had mine since february and so glad I got it. I'be tripped the shutter over 12,000 times so far and it's still going strong (please don't ask me what my success rate is though =)... hope that helps a bit, and is not too confusing. Good luck and take care.

Thanks jhazard and michelle, You two provided a lot of info!!! I appreciate it. Bsteph

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Yo! Besteph, I too was looking at this digi got all excited about it read all the stuff about it then whent in for a test run. :O( It has a digital view finder I am a SLR user and this just tripped me out. This was the thread I posted when looking there might be some stuff there to help. :O)

I'd say i arrived in the nick of time, but that would be a falsity.

You got a point Alpha. Thank you all for your advice. You all are a swell bunch! Bsteph