The camera's shape is a great example of form following function. And there are plenty of other powerful features fitted specifically to the 4900's unique design. This extra button is evidence of the amount of thought the designers gave to usability and convenience. Zoom is nothing if not convenient. A bit of the best of both worlds.
Zoom are clean, sharp and vivid.
As close as four inches for macro details, or zoomed out to 210mm for long-distance shooting, the 4900 is a great camera for lots of situations. It seems to work, too. But quality image files are made up of much more than simple pixel count. Zoom uses PxGA Image Processing which, when combined with the Super CCD, helps to provide a wider dynamic range and better color rendition. And it allows the photographer to manually adjust those exposures as he or she sees fit.