Digital-Camera Reviews

I wanted a digital camera to keep my folks and in-laws at bay with regard to frequent demands for pictures of their grand-daughters. The USB connection to the PC and the nice all-around FinePix software that this camera comes with, allows me to do that with no hassles. The software also can e-mail photos directly, and it automatically makes the photos a manageable file size for attachments. So, for example, a 300kb photo will e-mail as a 80kb photo and still retain great quality in the e-mail.

I was also looking for a camera that had decent optical zoom capability because we are often outdoors and I like the flexibility of close-in as well as wide shots. This camera has a very capable 6X optical zoom which I have enjoyed using.

Finally, as any parent of young children knows, it is really difficult to get them to sit still. This camera offers a 60-second video capability, which has often come in handy to capture my kids at play or doing something silly.

I have received a lot of compliments on the camera's images.

Some minor drawbacks - in dark conditions, the camera has trouble picking out images to auto-focus on. I get around this by pointing it a nearby light source that is roughly the same distance to the camera as my subject. In addition, there can be a maddening 1 to 2 second delay in capturing and saving an image. But you learn to live with it - and sometimes what you clicked on is not what you get in the image, but you get used to that, and many times the image you got is better than the original. Also, it is not slim enough to fit in a purse - so it usually goes at my side in a pouch or in a backpack.

Overall an excellent and highly recommended all-around digital camera.

This is my first digicam and I spent a great deal of time researching this camera along with others. I was looking for a camera...I finally settled on the Fuji 2800Z. To date, I am extremely please with my purchase, as I have found this camera to be an excellent value for the money.

Some of the positives of this camera include, a killer 6x Optical Zoom, Sharp and Crisp Pictures, extremely easy to use menu system, 60 second video with audio, and it can double as a webcam. This camera is pretty much a point and shoot camera so if you are looking for a digital camera that has a wide selection of manual settings, look elsewhere as this camera is not for you. You do, however, have control over the white balance, exposure, and flash settings. Other than that, the rest is automatic.

As I mentioned, this is a great little camera, however it is not without a few "flaws". As well noted, this camera has trouble in low light situations, specifically the EVF and LCD. In the few weeks that I have had the camera and the several hundred pictures that I have taken, I have only run into 1 situation where the EVF and LCD were useless. This issue can be worked around and should not be a sticking point for those looking to purchase this camera. I personally like using the EVF as, unlike an optical viewfinder, it shows you "exactly" what is being photographed without distortion. Finally, if you decide to pick up this camera, make sure that you get some rechargeable batteries and a 128mb Smart Media card. You will be set.

In summary, if you are looking for a simple to use, point and shoot camera, with a great zoom, sharp pictures, and a few additional nice features, get this camera. You will be hard pressed to find a better camera for the money!

The FinePix 2800 Zoom is Fujifilm's latest mid-range digital camera. Incorporating a powerful 6x optical zoom lens, the same zooming power as that used on the FinePix 6900 Zoom, the flagship of the FinePix line. The FinePix 2800 Zoom is a highly compact, point-and-shoot model that can make even beginning photographers feel like a pro. The 2-Megapixel CCD imager in concert with Fuji's Advanced Color Technology produces photo-quality 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10-inch prints. The camera's exposure and focusing systems are fully automatic. For those that like to have more control, the Manual mode allows overriding the metering system and using a specific white balance setting.

Audio notes up to 30 seconds in length can be attached to your pictures, you can record up to 60 seconds of motion video with sound, and the FinePix 2800 Zoom can operate as a PC-cam for computer-to-computer video conferencing. Images, movies and sound files transfer to your computer in a flash thanks to the built-in USB connectivity. Picture viewing is simple and fun with the included FinePixViewer software that launches automatically once the pictures are downloaded to the computer.

Features:

Easy to use automatic point-n-shoot camera
Ultra-compact and stylish body
Powerful 6X optical zoom (38-228mm 35mm equivalent)
2.1-million pixel RGB color filter CCD imager
Image sizes of 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960 or 640 x 480
Fujifilm's Advanced Color Technology produces better color with more detail
Records 60 seconds (320 x 240) AVI motion video with audio at 10 frames/sec
30-second audio notes can be attached to pictures
Internet PC-Camera (Webcam) capable
64-Zone TTL metering, Program AE (Exposure comp. available in Manual mode)
Automatic white balance plus 6 presets in Manual
Multi-mode flash (Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Slow-Synchro, Forced, Off)
1.8 inch color TFT LCD Monitor
Color electronic viewfinder
ISO 100 equivalent sensitivity
Powered by standard AA batteries, NiMH recommended

Even with the big 6x optical zoom lens, the FinePix 2800 Zoom is only 3.7 inches (W) x 3.0 inches (H) x 2.8 inches (D) and weighs a scant 9.5 ounces, without batteries. Bundled accessories include a 16MB SmartMedia storage card, four AA Alkaline batteries, shoulder strap and USB and video cables. In addition to Fujifilm's FinePixViewer, other bundled software includes Fujifilm's DP Editor and Adobe PhotoDeluxe 4.0.
-- Steve's Digital Camera Review

As mentioned in other reviews, after about six months, the auto focus feature stopped working. At first, we thought the battery was low or we needed a new card. After purchasing a new battery & new card, still the auto focus will not work! Very frustrating! I feel like we've just thrown our money away & we're stuck with a useless camera.

My wife and I decided to get a digital camera.

Because I'm a techno-head Art Director, not just any camera would do and the price had to be right. Plus, it had to be loaded with enough features to justify the purchase. I really wanted at least a 4.0 mega pixel but after discussing it over with my wife, we figured a 2.0 would do exactly what we wanted:

1. Instant digital gratification.
2. Excellent for e-mail shots and iPhoto.
3. The possibility of printing higher res shots.

It takes great color shots right out of the box. Extremely intuitive. The optical zoom eliminates bitmapping (jaggies) when close-up. And the auto-focus mode is idiot proof. It has 5 flash modes for lots of shooting customization. Macro (close-up 3.9" to 2.6') and self-timer photography add to the host of features. White Balance (for light sources), Exposure Compensation and Movie (no sound video) mode round off this great little camera.

Check out the fujifilm.com sight for a great interactive preview. It's what really sold me. The purchase is up to you from there. The only other option in the same category was an Olympus, but the memory card was only 8mb, as was the Sony which only had its body-style going for it.

Good luck!

Fuji FinePix 2650 is my third digital camera. The first one was KB JamCam (that is sold for [$$$] today) and the second one was Kyocera KZ (that I bought for [$$$] or so). Although I had to pay slightly more this time, the improvement is obvious.

The pictures are crisp and sharp with colors that are smooth and bright. Unlike the previous cameras, I do not need to adjust the brightness or the contrast of each picture using photoshop software. They look beautiful as soon as I upload them into my computer (and even on the camera's LCD display). The flash does not "wash out" the faces; the pictures taken at night look fine, too. The camera has automatic detection of the lighting and also a manual mode that allows one to adjust the "weather" and other parameters. There are also several settings for the flash (on/off/auto/red-eye-remove/night-scene).

Fuji did a great job with power conservation. Two alkaline AA batteries (included) were sufficient to take about 150 pictures (including 50 shots with flash) and several short videos before the "battery low" icon appeared. The power saving features are better than they used to be even though the lens is moving constantly especially when the camera is turned off and on. This motion looks sexy and the sliding cover protecting lens is useful.

Aside from the power switch attached on spring, trigger and the switch between three modes stillpix/view/video, the camera is controlled by three buttons next to display - which I would call "display on/off/grid", "enter" and "escape" - and four arrow keys to browse the menus on the LCD display. The up/down arrow key is put on the same button which is also used to zoom in/out. FinePix 2650 can zoom up to 3 times optically (which is the case that keeps the maximal resolution) and the LCD display shows where the digital zoom - up to 2.5 times - takes over. FinePix 2650 has furthermore the 3-position trigger with the AF/AE lock that allows one to focus on the object which won't be in the center of the picture at the end.

The totally new feature of FinePix 2650 - compared to its predecessor 2600 - is its tiny and cute Fuji XD memory card. The default 16 MB card (included) can be replaced by cards with up to 128 MB (the biggest one costs about 70 dollars). I am afraid that it is such a big memory that the (alkaline) batteries would be gone before I could fill the memory. With 16 MB I can take about 45 pictures at my favorite 1280 x 960 resolution, about 30 pictures at the maximal resolution 1600 x 1200, or about 130 small 640 x 480 images.

The camera has the logo "designed for Windows XP" (which is my OS) and it works without any problems (I believe it also works with all older systems). FinePix 2650 immediately connects to the PC as a "removable disk FinePix E:" in my case. The package contains a manual as well as some extra new photoshop software. The camera can be also connected as a PC camera for videoconferencing.

Generally the videos from FinePix 2650 are sharper than those made with Logitech QuickCam, for example, however I am not satisfied with the behavior of videos in darker environments. The videos (and probably also the image from the "webcam 2650") are too dim and I found even QuickCam better in these situations. The camera also does not focus very well in the dark which makes the pictures a bit fuzzy especially if the flash is not used. There is a lot of space for improvement. However, night video is not the main reason why I bought this camera and therefore I can unequivocably recommend this camera.

After a year of using it, it shuddenly stops retracting the lens, 'focus error'. I still don't know if it can be repaired (I took it to service yesterday), or how much will it cost...

My advise is this: the camera is great, good pictures, easy of use. Think of it as a funny one-year toy.

I was so happy with this camera that I even would consider buying Fujifilm again! At the same time, I feel very dissapointed because I never think that the camera would last so few time!

My wife and I read lots of reviews and talked with several people before buying our camera. We discovered that the biggest problem with digital cameras besides the fact that they all eat alkaline batteries is educating yourself before you buy so you don't get one that you'll regret later. If you are like my wife and I you don't want to do a lot of thinking or reading to get going with taking pictures once you buy. This camera took all of a minute to master the functions and we did that in the store before buying it. It is as simple as pointing and clicking. I am amazed at how good the pictures come out everytime. The 16 mb smart media card that comes with it has proven to be plenty of storage space for us. I upload to the computer every 20 shots and thats a lot of pictures for us. ( We've never been big picture takers til now) For the money this is a best buy. You'll need to call Fuji for the AC adapter because we found out that its hard to find. Like us, you'll notice you put nose prints on the display screen but all that we looked at had this same problem. My HP 1115 photosmart printer and this 2600Zoom Finepix get along great and the quality of the prints are excellent. I haven't had any problmes with the camera matching up to windows 98se on my computer. The camera has a quality feel to it and its small enough that it fits in my wifes purse easily. You won't regret this camera if you purchase it. Its great. The first charge got us over 275 Pictures before needing recharged. You'll want to get an extra set of batteries so you won't have to wait the five hours or so to recharge and you'll have to buy a case, but other than these things and the A/C adapter the camera is pretty much complete with all you'll need. Storing pictures to a floppy is a breeze and to a CD is slightly harder but it can also be done easily. The resolution of the 20 second video mode is a bit disappointing but I found this to be true with all of the digital cameras. I'd truthfully give this Fuji 2600Zoom Finepix camera a 6 star rating if I could, and 10 stars for ease of use. Its awesome through and through. Fuji has a real winner here.

I love this camera. This is my first digital, I've been taking "old fasioned" pictures for quite awhile. I have a Canon A2E and about $1500 in lenses.

This little digital is really handy. It's wonderful for taking pictures of our newborn and posting them immediately to the web, which is a big deal to the grandparents. It's nice to just click away and not worry about the cost (film+processing=alot).

Weaknesses would be a weak flash, past 10ft is pointless. And, what seems like a slow write time, (maybe its all digitals though) sometimes takes 3 or 4 seconds before you can take another picture. I really like my Canon(film) for taking up to 10 shots per second.

Strengths would be it takes really good pictures. The Macro feature is awesome. Great for taking close-up face pictures of the baby. The included software is great for picture organization, poor for editing, but I have photoshop for that. The optical zoom is also handy, sometimes "moving your feet" ruins the shot. Battery life seems good, but we have 2 spare batteries, almost all pictures are taken indoors, and we carry the charger everywhere, so swapping batteries is no big deal.

Tips. Use the viewscreen when using Macro, the eyepiece is deceptive for closeups. Use the highest quality setting always, can always reduce picture size for the web or email.

Very happy with the camera and quality. Perfect for family gatherings and babys.

This was my first digital camera. I had mostly been using a 35mm SLR and occaisionally a compact 35mm previously. I thought it was a great deal, so I joined the digital photography era. I have been extremely satisfied with the camera. For the price, I did not expect it to compare with my SLR. Many of the pictures I have taken, however, are comparable. The quality of the images are truly amazing to me. The auto flash and focus function as well as any compact SLR I have had. Compared to other digital cameras I have been exposed to (family and friends) the camera is quick to boot up and respond to pushing the shutter. The software that comes with it is not perfect, but I found it very easy to use. I am still trying to get an AC adapter for it. I have been using rechargable batteries and they last a reasonable period of time. With a 64MB card, I have taken 177 high quality pictures and down loaded them through the USB cable in about 6 minutes. For those who don't want to spend much for compact 35mm equivalent that is easy to carry and use and can take great pictures, I think this is a good choice.
Since I wrote my original review 8 months ago, I have had a problem with the lens protector continueously shutting the camera down and had to send it for repair. This took over one month and the camera still tends to shut down if the lens protector is moved even slighly. Also, I have noticed that pictures taken in a low light setting (with flash, of course) are frequently out of focus. Pictures taken in bright light are very sharp. I have reduced my rating from 4 to 3 stars.

I found on receiving my camera that I could not download the software on my computer. The model was not one of the choices to choose from that I bought. Therefore, I did'nt use my camera for quit sometime. When the portable printers came out for digital I bought one and started to use my camera. Unfortunately, the color is not what I expected and it seems to have to much red in it. Sometimes I also get red eye even when the eye reduction is on. I haven't used it outdoors yet. Maybe I will get better picture quality then. I would like to try to reach a customer service department so that maybe I could find out what I'm doing wrong, but I haven't had any luck in doing that either. I suggest if you get a digital camera don't wait a long time to use it

I received this camera for Christmas and I think it's great! I bought 4 rechargeable NiMH batteries, a 32 MB card and an ac adapter as recommended by reviews I had read. I was able to start taking pictures as soon as I took the camera out of the box and it took me only about 5 minutes to install the software on my computer and start viewing the pics. My only other experience with digital photography was using two different models of the Sony Mavica. I found my Fuji 2400 Zoom to be much easier to use and the pictures are clearer (although that could just be because I never really figured out how to set the Mavicas properly). I don't have a photo printer at the moment so I don't know what the printed photos look like. Most of the digital images I've taken have been very sharp especially outdoors with good light levels. Nighttime shots are another matter altogether. I have been unsuccessful in taking scenery shots at low light levels. However, I was never able to do this with my point and shoot regular camera. This is not a camera for professional photographers or even aspiring photographers; this is a camera for those who just want to remember their vacations, birthday parties and everyday events. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with this camera, especially since it only costs about ($).

After researching...for various digital cameras..., I decided to go for this fuji finepix 2300. While your excitement will certainly vary according to the price you pay, I reccommend it highly! The size is small enough to fit into one of my tiny purses and yet offers all the accomodations I was looking for:
-built-in flash
-variable resolution (great quality photos)
-red-eye reduction
-self-timer
-nice aesthetics
-lcd view
-usb download port (very fast)
-some memory included (only 8 mb but good for backup)
-accepts rechargeable AA NIMH batteries -clear up close and distance photos
-good color
-snap and shoot capabilities
Now let me elaborate on the pros and cons...
The only real draw backs to this camera remain 1)the somewhat exposed lens and lack of available lens cap and 2)that a zoom lens is not included. One may remedy these slights by simply taking care to protect the lens and adjusting one's distance to the subject accordingly...
Other than that, the camera rocks! I've had great photos and none of the problems I've read reviewers have with other cameras. I'm able to take approximately 40 highest resolution images on a 32 mb card and many, many more on lower resolution which is still pretty clear. The set up is easy...all you do is install the software from a cd-rom, turn on the camera, plug in the usb cord, choose the location where you want the pics on your hard drive using the software (very simple), and the images download in a few seconds (of course it'll take longer if you have a larger memory card and more stored images). It comes with Photo Deluxe so you can alter images if you like (brightness/contrast or size, etc). One of the greatest features of this camera is that it takes rechargeable NIMH (better for the environment, bank account, and busy schedules) AA batteries. I've read about other digital cameras tearing through batteries, but I haven't had this problem--my rechargeable NIMH batteries made it through a couple of weeks. You also have the option of turning off the lcd view to save energy. What's more, some cameras require that you use the manufacturers battery, which is a problem if you need to recharge in the rainforest. With this camera, you can just pop in some new AA batteries (4) and continue with your photo spree. The continuous photo option is fun--it takes up to 9 photos and can be put on self-timer.
The close up option works great--I tested it with some tropical flowers and natural light. If you don't have a good printer or want to blow-up shots, you can send the photos to a printer.
All my friends and family have been highly impressed with the quality of the photos I've emailed them, and it makes for great fun at a party since you can see all the pics immediately!...and delete the one of yourself with your eyes closed...

This camera is inexpensive but still manages to take great pictures. Sure, you could spend a lot more for a camera that is a lot more high-tech, but if you just want a camera to learn on and experiment with or just take fun family snaps, then this camera would be great.

My husband actually won a photo contest with a 5x7 photo taken on an older model of this camera (printed on an HP printer).

Pros: low cost, easy to use, easy to figure out how to take good photos, takes good enough quality photos to replace your film camera (if you're ready for that... I'm not quite there).

Cons: memory card pretty small if you want to take high quality pics (We got a bigger memory card--available on costco.com--so we could take many pictures at high quality settings.), slow upload to your computer using serial cable (we got a SmartMedia drive that hooks up to our USB port and is lightning quick), lower picture quality capability than many (more expensive) cameras on the market, and batteries are used up fairly quickly IF (and only if) you use the display mode to take pictures with (but this isn't necessary at all for good pictures).

These days, most digital cameras really aren't that horrible , and this camera is lightyears better than the super-spendy cameras that were out three years ago. This camera would be great for someone who wants a camera for casual use, or for pictures for their website, or even regular pictures that won't be blown up much larger than 5x7.

We take pictures with abandon now, not worrying about how much film we have left, not worrying if a shot is going to be a throw-away (you can delete it right on the camera, anyway), and we have gotten some truly beautiful and priceless shots just using this camera.

If you're not a professional photographer, why spend thousands when you can get this camera at a great price?

Guys, you can't expect from this camera some super cool things because it is basic 2.1 Mp camera but this is VERY RELIABLE and decent simple camera that has traveled with me ALL ACROSS THE WORLD and never put me down! It takes regular AA batteries and the simple optics provide unexpectedly GOOD pictures. Avoid back lighting and unusual conditions and you will be Ok. I suspect that for the price it it perfect light little camera.

I just purchased this camera about 2 days ago and I am very pleased with it!! The picture quality is the best and it is very easy to use! Actually, I took it out of the box and started taking pictures right away! I did a lot of research before I bought a digital camera and I found out that this one had the features I was looking for (such as zoom, USB upload, high resolution) for a reasonable price! I also found out that if the camera is set to the lower resolution(which has about the same picture quality as the higher resloution) you can get about twice as many photos on the included 4MB smart media card. The only negatives I found in this camera is the LCD monitor is difficult to see, if taking pictures with it, in low light. Also the software was a bit challenging to upload on my PC. Still this is an awesome camera! Buy it you will definetly be surprised & pleased!!

I've had this camera for over 2 years now and haven't had the need to upgrade it. It takes clear pictures and the 3x optical zoom comes in handy. Memory is a steal nowadays. With a 64mb card, I can take ~150 fine pictures. I print photos at around 4" X 6" and they turn out fine. Perhaps I'll upgrade to a camera with a movie mode and tv out capability, but for a beginner that just wants a simple point-and-shoot or someone new to digital photography, I'd recommend the Finepix 1400.

I bought my Fuji Finepix 1400 at [another store](it was the floor model, so it has a couple scratches on the case, but I can live with that). Pros: Good pictures, can be printed as 8x10s with slight pixelation (is that a word?), good color balance, nice features such as manual mode, macro, built in flash and durable lens cover, aesthetically pleasing appearance, Easy to use, FAST, 3x optical zoom, fun to use! light weight and compact, mine came with a free set of NiMH batteries and a charger-I'm not sure if all sets come with that, I was surprised that mine did, but a very welcome suprise...

Cons: LCD washes out in daylight, devours batteries (the alkalines it came with lasted less than 50 shots with the flash and LCD used most of the time), included 4MB card only takes 6 best quality 1280x960 res pictures-I'm going to upgrade to either a 32 or 64MB card, you don't have video out capability, but that's not important to me anyway. The pros certainly outweigh the cons however I read in another review that the USB drivers won't download on Windows ME. That isn't true. I'm running Windows ME on a Dell 4100 with a Pentium 3 and it works just fine.

I thoroughly researched before I bought this camera. I considered the Olympus D460 and D490 and the Finepix 2400. I liked the interface of the Olympus cameras better, but you can't beat the price I paid for the FP 1400--didn't even have to take my chances with an internet shopping site, price was my deciding factor, but the camera is superb. Highly recommended. If I had the money, I would have gotten the Olympus D490, but the Finepix is good for my uses as an alternative to photo albums.

This camera is alot like Apple computers, easy to use for a beginner, alot of options for more experienced people, and most of all great quality for price. i bought this camera mostly, because of the price, right before a vacation hoping it would work out ok. It turned out great.

First off this camera is a great start for people not accustomed to digital cameras. This camera is incedibly easy to use, novices can just use it as a point and click camera, with the camera automatically setting if flash is needed, and other more complicated details, which a more experienced person can set manually. You can take two different sizes of pictures, one normal and one smaller for use on the internet. The camera has 3 quality levels, but to tell the truth the normal is almost just as good as the fine level.

I'm not sure what the other reviewers are talking about but i had no problem loading the pictures. All the hookups are included, and it works on PC and Mac.

The only complaint is the lack of a zoom. On the smaller sized pictues you have a 2x zoom, but that's it.

But overall this is a great, high-quality camera for the price, you can get 2-32 megabyte memory cards with it and still be under the price of many other cameras. This is a great purchase, save you money in the first year, never buy film again.

After a going thru a lot of reviews I finally brought Fuji finepix 1300. The camera is very tiny and can be carried very easily. This is the best camera for the beginners with little knowledge about digital cameras. Compared to other digital cameras coping the images to the computer is made easy through USB. If you are using a XP operating system the computer automatically detects the camera. The camera comes with a 8MB smart media card (Not enough if you take picturs at high resloution --16 photos). The camera is compatible upto 128MB smart media (around 200 pictures)

I am using this camera for the past one year. I have tested in all conditions and it worked great. Its a point and shoot camera and comes handy when you are on vecations. Need to have spare chargable baterries at all times. I will give a A+ to this camera at 1.3 megapixel category.

i read someones review saying that this cammera drainded batteries, not at all i survived 2 weeks with 1 set of batteries, mabey the person never turned the cammera off, when in natural light you cant tell weather the cammera is on or off unless you have the display on beacuse the green on light fades and is hard to see.