Fujifilm's hybrid still/video compact — 3MP SuperCCD, 38-76mm zoom, xD and CF slots, Photokina 2002
The FinePix M603 was announced at Photokina 2002 as a 'two in one' device — an upright, brushed-aluminium compact designed to serve as both still camera and mini camcorder. It was a distinctive premium design in Fujifilm's range, sold with a PictureCradle charging dock.
It uses a 3.1-megapixel third-generation SuperCCD sensor recording interpolated stills up to 6 megapixels, with sensitivity up to ISO 1600 equivalent. The lens is a 2x optical zoom equivalent to 38-76mm, and framing relies entirely on the large 2.5in, 118k-pixel LCD — there is no viewfinder. Its headline feature was VGA 640x480 video at 30fps, and uniquely it offers dual card slots: xD-Picture Card and CompactFlash Type II with IBM Microdrive support. Power comes from an NP-60 lithium-ion battery, charged in the supplied cradle.
The M603 appeals today to collectors of unusual early-2000s designs and to CCD-video enthusiasts — its 30fps VGA capture was ahead of most 2002 compacts. In use it is simple, with only white balance, ISO and exposure compensation under manual control, though reviewers disliked the combined optical/digital zoom control.
Condition checks matter on this one: period reviews called the memory-card door very flimsy, so inspect it first. Confirm charging arrangements — the camera was designed around the PictureCradle dock, often missing from used kits — and that an NP-60 battery holds charge; aftermarket cells are available. The CF Type II slot is a practical bonus since CompactFlash is far easier to source than xD.