Fujifilm has announced a new long-range surveillance camera that can render a vehicle’s licence plate legible from one kilometre away. Which could be very useful for local law enforcement looking to bolster the coffers via speeding fines on the N3.

The Fujifilm SX800 packs a built-in lens capable of 40x optical zoom, or focal lengths from 20mm to 800mm. It also supports a 1.25x digital zoom, which means an effective maximum focal length of 1,000mm. That’s a metre, if you’re paying attention.

Catch me if you can, Fujifilm

With the announcement of this easy-to-spy-on-your-neighbours camera, Fujifilm has included some test shots that prove its zooming flex.

Other than massive zooming chops, the Fujifilm SX800 features advanced image stabilisation and a fast autofocus system (as quick as 0.3 seconds). It’s also equipped with some nifty de-haze and fog reduction features that can be used to capture clear footage of distant objects in sub-optimal weather.

We don’t know whether SA traffic cops have placed orders for any Fujifilm SX800’s yet but probably not. There’s no word on actual pricing, let alone local availability. It launches globally later this week, on 26 July. After that, it’s probably coming to a cunningly-hidden spot next to a roadside near you.

Source: The Verge