Digital camera technology is moving on apace and models with multimillion pixel resolutions are now the norm.

Fuji's Finepix M603 Zoom promises to capture photos with resolutions of up to six million pixels - but it's not a 6megapixel camera. Confused? Read on.

All digital cameras rely on charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors - light-sensitive integrated circuits that act as electronic eyes. Fuji's SuperCCD technology employs an unusual pixel 'shape' and a different arrangement of these on the CCD: octagonal light-sensitive cells are laid out honeycomb fashion. Fuji claims this produces digital images with a more 'natural' appearance.

An eminently pocketable camera, the M603's design is a disappointing mix of compact comfort and top-heaviness. The moulded thumb-rest produces a snug fit between index finger and the opposable digit (at least for right-handers).

But the unit's desire to list forward means you risk shaky images with one-handed operation. Fuji has supplied a detachable handgrip, however. While this mars the M603's otherwise sleek appearance, it does a good job of steadying when the other hand is otherwise occupied.

We're not happy about the plastic flap covering the camera's two card slots. If you're likely to interchange the occupants of M603's XD or Microdrive/Compact Flash (CF) II card slots regularly, be aware that the socket cover will be left dangling from the flimsiest hinge. We have similar sentiments about the battery door, which isn't hinged at all.

It's hard to imagine what more Fuji could have done to simplify use of the M603. A large display-cum-viewfinder sits atop a four-direction pad and other controls, and the combination of these is used to navigate on-screen icons and menus.

Within minutes we'd worked out the operation of almost every function without a glance at the manual (which, should you have cause to open it, is very good).

The M603 is both a digital stills snapper and a video camera. Operating as the former, the unit offers a variety of shooting modes and resolutions.The highest-quality setting is 6M Fine, which equates to a resolution of 2,832 x 2,128.

Though the camera captures and stores six million pixels the SuperCCD only has three million light-sensitive elements, and Fuji is careful never to refer to the M603 as a 6megapixel camera.

Though the SuperCCD's resolution-doubling process is not interpolation, the bottom line is that, with steady-handed (or tripod-assisted) operation, the M603 captures some uncommonly fine images.

Zooming deep into these reveals a look apart from that achieved by traditional digital cameras: though it might sound odd, fine details appear less geometric; rounded, even. An acquired taste it might be, but it won us over.

We're less enamoured with the M603's video capability: 30 frames of digital footage per second, at a top resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, with monaural sound also recorded.

While not a replacement for a DV camcorder, it is an unfussy way to grab snippets of video. And with Fuji bundling IBM's 512MB Microdrive on top of a 16MB XD-Picture memory card, those snippets can last nearly eight minutes (or half an hour at the lowest-quality setting).

However, in the presence of all these good points we shouldn't neglect our final moan: the docking cradle is too lightweight. Without the camera in place, the unit is prone to be dragged away by the weight of the USB and power cables that dangle from its right-hand side (an odd choice of location for these fill-me-and-forget-me sockets).

Also, we're not convinced even Fuji's non-professional target market would be keen to sit patiently waiting while the content of a full 512MB Microdrive is drip-fed to the PC over slow old USB - where's the USB2 compatibility?

Specifications

Contact: Fujifilm 020 7586 1477
www.fujifilm.co.uk