Film-Camera Reviews

Fuji for some reason puts out useless kits to make money and this one's no different. ...

The case is generic and too big for 2650/A203/A303/A205/A210 etc. The tripod is not useable. The batteries don't hold charge for long. A useless kit and total waste of your time and money (even after rebate or any other offers). Avoid any accessory from Digipower and Fuji kits.

Fuji does have a better fitting leather case but its hard to find in stock anywhere. Brand name NiMH batteries are better found at your local store.

This kit is not worth the money unless you're getting a rebate on it. The camera bag is much bigger than necessary for most cameras and has no way to be attached to a belt. The tripod is tiny, but does do the job. It's only about 4 inches high, no kidding! The best surprise was that the rechargeable batteries were better than advertised, mine shipped with batteries rated at 1950 miliamps. That's the highest rating I've seen for AA batteries! I'm still using my first pair after almost a month of use without recharging.

Needed a case for a 3800 I bought for personal use. Priced buying all the included items seperately from a variety of manufacturers and this was competitive before any rebates are applied (none were offered when I bought). Bag is larger than needed for a 3800, but the space comes in handy for storing the camera with the protective lens cone on and any accessories you want with you (wide angle lens, filters, tripod, etc). I feel comfortable with the protection the case gives my equipment. The tripod is kind of goofy, but most that size are. It has come in handy on several unplanned occations for longer exposure night shots or timed portrates.

I need to get another digital camera for work stuff. I am getting another 3800 and this kit.

Okay okay ... You can get this from several Z-shops sellers, starting at $438 (as of 12-26-03). There are some small errors in the description, which you may clear up for yourself at the Fujifilm.com site. But compare this to the S5000, which you can get new, here, for about $340. And if you hunt diligently, today you can grab it for $296. I am not repeat not talking about some auction sight, either. (Nor in Japan, where I live at the moment, though there is a place here I must check tomorrow just in case. Besides, delayed gratification is not my strong suit.)

The Fujifilm site gives a detailed description of their CCD (Charge Coupled Device) pixel array that to me sounds like the best thing going in what the working class like me can afford. The S602 is Fuji's 3rd generation CCD, the S5000 is their 4th generation. The 602 has 6x optical and 4.4x digital zoom (26.4x), the 5000 had 10x optical and 2.2x digital (22x). If that extra 4.4 turns your head, then shopping for a telephoto is probably something to consider. I find the greater lens power more attractive, and sould give clearer photos, at 22x side by side with the 602 at a comparable setting.

If you want to spend serious $$$ for something that has 5 to 8 megapixels, more power to you. But the S5000 is a better Fuji for less money ... the S602 is really last year's news. My hard earned greenbacks are on the S5000.

I previously owned a Kodak DX3900, and my gripe about that camera was that their were little to no manual controls on the camera. Heck, the lowest shutter speed was 1 second. So.. the next five months I researched loads of cameras. And I finally narrowed it down to a few choices: Minolta 7i, Coolpix 4500, Canon G3, Olympus C-730 .. and the Fuji.

I chose the Fuji.. and here's why:

In simple, the Fuji offered the most of what I want. It has all my manual controls, it has nice focusing controls, it has adequate megapixel count, firm body, compact flash support, nice grip, decent software, good zoom, dual-media drives, superior movie mode ..

The only downfalls to this camera: It's only 3.1 Megapixel, no matter what anyone tells you. But, for me, that was enough. I never print ANYTHING larger than 8 x 10, and if I ever plan to, I can use the interpolated 6 MP mode. AND no auto-focusing assiting lamp. But the manual controls this camera offers more than make up for it.

Do yourself a favor and buy the Fuji. Don't be fooled by what you think you need. Longer zoom isn't that big of a deal. 6x is plenty, any farther and you get camera shake. Megapixel count is excellent for just 3. It's certainly enough for the average consumer. It might look clunky, but it fits snuggly in my purse.

What more reason did you need?

If you like traditional reflex photography and are looking for a digicam this is, in my opinion and after long research, one of the best options. The camera is an upgraded version of the highly popular FinePix 6900 with some of the problems solved: the best electronic viewfinder in the market, AA batteries.

You will have a superb camera with excellent photo quality and also a true 30 fps video camcorder, all in one. It feels like an SLR camera with all the features the enthusiast photographer could expect.

Pros:

- 6X optical zoom lens
- Full manual or automatic controls
- Industry-leading movie mode
- Very good image quality
- Great macro mode
- SmartMedia and CompactFlash Type II slots
- Overall camera operation feels quick
- Support for external flash
- Feels good and solid, nice ergonomic touches
- The best electronic viewfinder
- Good battery life
- Excellent software

Cons (minor problems):

- Poor low light auto focus
- No indication of battery life status. So, always carry battery backup

Conclusion: excellent camera even for professional use.

My husband bought me this camera for Christmas 2003 after I could no longer live with my old Olympus D520 digital camera. Over the years I've settled on features in digital cameras that work for my needs, and this one meets them all. The breakdown:

Pros:
* Sturdy. Early after getting this camera, my cat had a run-in with it where the strap got hooked around his neck, something spooked him and he took off, camera crashing around behind him. I'm pleased to say that both cat and camera lived, and neither were damaged in any way. Hat's off to Fujifilm for making an indestructable digicam!
* Picture quality is excellent. I need a camera with a hefty optical zoom and this one has it. Recently I was able to capture a photo of my friend recieving her diploma... From high up in the bleachers and over 500 feet away from her! The picture is crystal clear, too!
* Good with all lighting conditions. Daylight, low-light, indoor, outdoor, this camera performs well under all conditions.
* Fast recovery period between snap shots. There is between a 2-3 second recovery period between pictures, which is nice. It insures that you're able to get a series of photos fired off in a quick succession, which is great if you're taking pictures of people in action.
* Easy to transfer photos from the camera to my computer. I use a Mac, and this camera works flawlessly with it. The software is basic... I don't use it for major picture editing (that's what Photoshop is for), but the software package will crop and resize, orient, etc.
* Print quality is excellent. I can upload my photos via the net to my photo processing store and they print them out using a high-quality printer on photo paper for 11 cents a print. The prints from this camera are crystal clear and look indistinguishable from ones taken with a film camera.

Cons:
* Size. I thought at first that I wouldn't mind the size of the S3000, but after having had it for several months, I'm starting to bring my crappy Olympus with me places where I don't have the space to haul around a clunky camera. Even though it's a fabulous point-and-shoot camera that comes through time and time again, it's quite a bit bigger than most point-and-shoot digicams which can make it a little awkward to lug around.
* Battery life stinks. The one good thing I can say about my Olympus D520 is that it has great battery life, and this is one area where the S3000 just doesn't impress me. It takes 4 AA batteries and sucks them dry in no time, despite supposedly being more efficient than the previous version.

All in all, I'd have to say that the pros far outweigh the cons with this camera. If you're looking for a sturdy digicam with tons of optical zoom and great print resolution, you can't go wrong with the A3000!

This was our first digital camera and we are very pleased with it. The documentation includes a "quick start" page to get you going right away. After reading it and installing the batteries, we were taking very nice pictures in less than an hour. The camera is lightweight and can easily used with one hand. The controls and menus are easy to use and simple to learn and remember. One small complaint regarding the LCD monitor that can be used in place of the viewfinder. The image in the monitor apprears washed out if you are not looking directly into it. This does not affect the photo image and is a very minor annoyance.

We have taken indoor pictures in a variety of lighting conditions using the built-in flash and every picture has been great. We also went outside on a sunny day and took pictures of a snowman in a blindingly, white, snow covered, yard and the pictures again turned out great. The zoom options are very nice and easy to use. The autofocus feature works great.

Downloading the pictures into the computer is also very easy. The included software installed flawlessly. Then, using the included USB cable, connect the camera to your PCs USB port and turn on the camera. The rest is automatic. The software downloads the pictures from the camera to your computer's hard drive. The program also gives you various option for cropping or other tweaks you may wish to make to improve your pictures.

This is a great digital camera package for the price. Certainly, you can spend a lot more for a lot more camera, for professional applications. But if you are just getting started in digital photography or are looking for a second, better digital camera, to take family or vacation photos or photos around the house, take a look at the the Fuji S3000.

I purchased this camera several months ago, and every time I use it I'm more and more impressed! The photos are amazing! I'm still exploring the different modes (sport,scenic,potrait...). I use rechargeable NiMH batteries and they last a LONG time! I think this camera is a great value for the money. I fought going digital for so long, and now that I own this camera I feel so foolish! The software accompanying the camera is also quite good, although the slideshow function takes a few practice runs. Overall, I think this camera is fabulous, I've recommended it to everyone (my brother-in-law has already purchased one after seeing the photos I e-mailed him!). He is also now an Amazon customer! Buy this camera, you won't be disappointed! I honestly cannot gush enough over the ease of use, and more importantly, the photo quality.

It simplies work like a palm cradle to a palm device. With this cradle, you can simply drop the F601 into it and get the picture out easily (of course movie also do). The accompanying software integrate with this seamlessly and work just fine. In addition to that, using the cradle to charge back the battery should be better (I guess it is much better power managed). The final reason why you should buy this because F601 is designed primary with the cradle so the USB connection is at the bottom, without the cradle you will need to put the DC flat, hoping you won't make a scratch.

While money already goes for the F601, why don't you hesitate to get one. It's simply another palm cradle already attached to your PC and make you get the picture out easily and the equipment better linked.

Hello ALL

Can any one guide me on how to reset the camera????

I have been using Finepix F601 Zoom serial number 2ML26749 around a year and have run into a problem. The Camera now doesnot power up anymore. The last working state before the problem occurred was as follows:

1. Connected the camera to the Picture Cradle .
2. Connected the cradle to Windows XP PC (Home edition) via USB
3. Powered on the Camera
4. Windows Task Manager prompts that a digitalk Camera is connected and display avaible options
5. Select Copy pictures from Camera to HDD
6. After Copying the pictures from the camera to HDD, We shut down the XP leaving the Camera Powered on and in "access via USB" State which was indicated by a USB icon on its display.

After the PC was shut down, the camera couldnot be powered off and hence leaving the only option to remove the camera from cradle and remove the battery manually from its compartment. Ever since I am unable to power the camera unit. I tried to replace the memory and battery but of not use.

Please email at rvinukonda@juniper.net

I started with a Fujifilm MX-700 four years ago as my first digital camera, and I waited until now to upgrade to the F601, which is essentially the 4th generation version of the MX-700. It has the same stylish (even better looking and a bit smaller) aluminum housing, and the features are now an order of magnitude better. The F601 image processing is fast--only about 2-3 seconds between pictures (even at hi-res), and the image quality is excellent. I figured out the camera controls in about 5 minutes without reading the manual at all--they are very intuitive. The full-VGA 15 frame-per-second video capture mode is also great for mini-movies, and you are only limited by the size of your smart card on the movie length. Many other cameras only do quarter-VGA (QVGA) videos with a 30-second limit. Plus, like the other reviewer said, the F601 fits inconspicuously into a front pants pocket, so you can take it anywhere. Caveats: I don't like that the file numbering resets to zero each time you clear the smart card. That makes it difficult to download all of your pictures to the same file folder. Even my MX-700 had an option not to reset the file numbering, so I'm not sure what the Fujifilm engineers were thinking. Also, you have to learn how to hold the camera, because it is easy to block the microphone or the flash or the exposure meter with a finger. Finally, you'll want to fork over the money for an extra battery and a 128 MB smartcard. But those are small quibbles. This is a great camera for beginners and experts alike. I love mine.

After starting with a 1300 - I lucked out and found this camera on another web site - I got the camera AND the charger at an amazing price. It also came with an extra memory card. I love the size - the upright design takes a little getting used to - but I'm getting there. Photos are clear and crisp, the menu is easy to use and figure out. Options abound, and I just don't think I'll ever buy another brand of digital camera. Fuji gets high marks from me for several reasons. Most importantly - they use readily available smart cards - and they stay with them. I can use all my old accessories from my starter cam - the finepix 1300 - which saves a bundle in the long run. I am glad that the battery is lithium - I have heard that it lasts even longer than previous fuji batteries - and I bought a spare on ebay rather cheaply - as a backup. I've only had it a week and I can't say enough about it. I look forward to using it until it's time to upgrade to my third fuji.

I recently purchased the fujifilm F401 camera and I say that my money isn't wasted.

F401 is a compact nice looking piece of work that, for what it is, delivers very good quality pictures. I have printed 24x30 size pictures taken with this camera (setting 4Normal) and they look fine.

I have tested the camera in both outdoors and indoors conditions and it has performed very well. In outdoors conditions I have got excellent results while for indoors although the photos came out nice, I have the impression that the flash is not 100% adequate.

Disadvantages of the camera is that it does not have a focusing illuminator, which makes it impossible to focus in very low light conditions and that it lacks of extensive manual controls which is not usually expected for a camera of this class. When focus fails if the subject is 2-4 meters away the photo comes out ok.

The usb connection and software (finepix viewer) is also well behaved. When the camera is connected with the PC a virtual disk is created on the computer containing the camera photos, like accessing a CD, which makes it easy to use any software you like to see and copy the pictures from camera to PC.

Generally I would rate this camera as 90%.

I received my f401 just in time for the Thanksgiving Holidays. I took over 150 photos and 3 short videos and had tons of room to spare on my 128 card. The photos turned out beautiful. I do believe that the flash is a bit too low for some indoor shots of subjects not close to camera. Now that I know I can work around that problem. I used the suppressed flash and got a good shot of my husband in the dark with Christmas lights behind him. He showed up as well as the lighted decorations abt 20 ft behind him. A tripod is suggested when using this feature or sit the camera down on a good solid surface and line up the shot.
It is very easy to use. The macro has given me some awesome shots.
Be sure and read the manuel and learn the functions...especially the suppressed flash.
My husband is very impressed and he is a 35mm man.
I also got the docking station that is worth it's weight in gold for this camera.
Very, very happy with my Fuji f401!

I have had this camera for almost a year and can't say enough about it. The main point would be the size, it is small enough for me to stick it in a pocket and forget I have it. As a result, I take it to many places I would have never hauled a camera before.

Also, as a digital, I upgraded to a 128M card and can take almost 100 pictures. I have never run the battery out even using the flash extensively. Since I bought it in June 2003, I have taken 2245 pictures! I don't think I took that many pictures my entire life before that. In addition, these pictures are organized on my computer, posted on the web, burned on CDs and sent to parents, and printed using online services at $0.12 ea for 4"x6" prints!

In short, not only do I like the digital aspect, I like the reliability and size of this specific camera. I would recommend it hands down for the people like me, that want more pictures of their friends and family and don't want to spend a fortune on film or carry a cumbersome and delicate camera.

This cradle is an awesome little docking station for this camera. It does everything you could ask from a dock. It charges, it transfers, and it stabilizes. Great overall - I give it an A.