I'd like to know the same as well. I've also heard rumor about 6-9 months ago that the technology overall was about a year away from vast improvements in CCD technolgy, and we could expect a three-fold resolution increase in the near term. I seem to recall that IBM and/or Oly was involved though...

I would be less concerned about resolution and more interested in the dramatically improved dynamic range claimed by Fuji on their upcoming 4th-gen CCD. That said, however, I think it's important to realize that the implementation may still be rather far away, not to mention the high price tag it will inevitably carry (at least until other manufacturers either purchase the technology from Fuji or develop something similar of their own). All things considered you may be in for a LONG wait before the technology becomes available and affordable as well... I've never had the opportunity to use one but by all accounts the s602 is an excellent camera. I'd go for it!..

I work for a major retailer and I can tell you that the S602 is being moved to clearance. I don't know if that can help your decision, but maybe the wait won't be too much longer. But on another note, you might be able to score a good deal on an S602. We have ours marked down to $599...

A lot of questions but since the matter is a revolving,predictable process (launching new products) relatively easy to answer.Is it worth waiting? From a mere technical point of view-yes. How long it will take? Only people at Fuji do know that exactly. The announcement has been made - my guess is in less than 4 months. If you meant that you brought the exact cash for the current 602z together you wouldn't be able to buy the new one immediately. Or you add. New models are always and mostly significantly more expensive. It's a new technique that Fuji introduces so don't expect a price drop anytime soon after launch...

There's a thread in the DP coupon forum about someone catching a glimpse of the S602 replacement (to be called S7000) at the PMA. Follow the link below: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=4594730..

To add. I just bought mine through amazon for $614 with free shipping. Great deal and a great camera. Looks like it will be in today or tomorrow! I just couldn't wait to get the camera and really don't think the increase in features/technology is worth the wait and the price differential. Enjoy the experience!..

It's my first time on this site, came across it while browsing, Im about to purchase a fuji 602, after many hours of research, and on various sites. Should we wait for that next generation of camera ?

After reading this comment, took me back in time, I have a Nikkormat.

25 years old, with a 1.4 lense, A Work Horse!. But we have come a long way with technology, And my thaughts came to this, Never chase technology, you will never get there, Its happening to fast. My point being, The 602, by all the reviews I have read, one of the best cameras Fuji have ever made, and performs like a more exspensive camera, But Please remember this!, Get up early, go out, take a drink and a sandwich, and use your technology, dont sit at home reading reviews about what is better. My 25 year old camera still performs how it did 25 years ago, and with a uv filter on it, the lense is A1 perfect, I have taken 8 City & Guilds in Photography, and met lots of interesting people whilst achieving a standard that as given me the chance to have cherished letters after my name, and the chance to recieve the award from The Royal Photographic Society Of Great Britain. I have achieved this award, but never applied for the certificate, The point being, even though Im proud of the award, I got it through taking Pictures, the piece of paper comes second, 25 year old camera comes first, and what you do with it, buy one now, leave the computer for one day, go take pictures in the fresh air, it's the most exciting thing in the world, every day is different, and we wont be here forever!...great site will call back......Hope I dident bore you all!..

Hello: I absolutely, completely agree with Pete about enjoying taking pictures. Nowaday, under the multi-million dollar marketing efforts, people, young or old, are more and more concern about Mega-pixil, and all the tech stuff they never heard of( and won't understand at all) And then buy things merely based on the tech sheet and salesman's words. In my opinion, I think no matter how advance the camera is, the only way to capture a good photo is practicing via a basic SLR. No Fency functions, just a basic SLR with or without auto-focus and a basic flash! Only that, people will start to focus on the Photo itself, not the cameras. By the way, I think those digial cameras are way too over priced, $599, $ 699, even $999. Come on, for those price, I can get a really nice SLR with eyes-focuing and a fast F/2 lens.

There are 2 reasons for these problem: 1.Americans are too rich that those camera companies can set whatever prices they like and still sell very well. 2. People are too lazy to learn some basic skills. They just expect the "expensive" camera can do everything for them. Sorry for the long reading..

Well I was always taught that it was the eye behind the camera that made the picture, but I don't think that Yenfu should take the moral high ground here. People with good cameras (including some of the excellent digital cameras) are just as capable as anyone else of making good pictures. For my part, it's important to have fun trying. Brian..

Since when is envy the moral high ground? A simple glance at this and other forums will show that people all over the world are buying digital cameras. And at the same prices we are. While to some extent it is true that it is the photographers vision and skill that makes a picture, if that's all it took, there would have been no market for advancing cameras. We'd all be happy snapping away with our SRT-102s and the like. That he sees many poor digital pictures is undoubtedly a testament to the ease with which pictures can be shared, not the lack of skill of the photographers. It remains a matter of having the right tools for the job at hand.

However, it would still be an awful paintbrush, in any of it's forms, and more relevantly, with a modern nailgun, I can work incredibly much more efficently and productively...

Yenfu - I must disagree with much of your statement, since you state in a uninversal manner. I find digital camera to be a 'miracle'. That may sound extreme, but I tried many times to get into photography when only film cameras were around, but the time between taking a shot and getting feedback was just too lengthy. With digital, I find myself starting to actually enjoy photography(something I never did before with film) and I use digital as mainly a tool, and may save about 1 out of 30 or 40 shots I take, at best. This is becuase I simply try many variations of every shot I can think of, and subsequently LEARN during this process. Having the instantly availabe(and nearly free) feedback to me, IS A MIRACLE.

But your universal application of this statement is simply wrong. I'll stick with my 'overpriced' fuji 602 for the time being. Later I plan to purchase one of those way overpriced DSLR bodies. Isn't that horrible? -Chris..