Title : Fuji FinePix 2600 2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
Author : Fujifilm
Release Date : 20010915
Binding : Electronics
Regular Price : $349.99
Amazon.com Price : $Sale
(100
%) VISIT AMAZON.COM'S PAGE
Editorial Reviews : The FinePix 2600 reaffirms Fuji's reputation for producing high-quality, affordable digital point-and-shoot cameras. Like its predecessors, the 2600 is compact, lightweight, fast, and fun to use. The 2600 is competing in one of the most crowded segments in the digital camera market. Virtually every manufacturer is now (as of November 2001) producing a 2-megapixel point-and-shoot with a 3x optical zoom lens, and it's no surprise: these cameras closely resemble their film counterparts in size, shape, and function, and the 1,600 by 1,200 images they capture contain enough detail for 8-by-10-inch prints, more or less matching the quality of most film point-and-shoot cameras.
With so many models to choose from, why pick the 2600? For one thing, Fuji was unusually generous with the accessories. The camera comes with a 16 MB memory card (big enough for 39 pictures at default resolution), plus a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger. In addition, this camera is quicker than most of its competitors. When you turn it on, it's ready to use very quickly, and shutter lag and shot-to-shot performance are also surprising for a camera in its class. Battery life is also good, especially for a camera that uses only two AA batteries.
Of course, not everything about the 2600 is perfect. Its body is made of plastic, and some of the buttons don't feel quite as durable as those on other cameras, though we had no problems with reliability during testing. The sliding clamshell lens cover is a nice touch, but, unlike other cameras, sliding the cover open and closed does not turn the camera on and off--there's a power switch on top for this purpose. As a result, we sometimes found ourselves closing the lens cover and forgetting to turn the camera off. In addition, the camera offers relatively few manual controls: white balance is adjustable, as is exposure compensation, and the flash has five modes, but shutter speed and aperture are both set automatically. The camera also includes a 20-second movie mode, but the movies lack audio. If you're the type of photographer who simply likes to turn the camera on, aim, zoom, and shoot, you'll be thrilled with the simplicity of the design, but if you want more control, this probably isn't the best choice for you.
The FinePix 2600 Zoom is a great value, especially for photographers who love point-and-shoot simplicity. It's affordably priced, simple, and fun to use, includes rechargeable batteries and a charger, and produces crisp images.
Buyer Reviews : This is the first time I have written an on-line review of a product. They have been helpful to me though so hopefully this will assist others in their research as well.
This is a great digital camera for those wanting a point and shoot type that takes fantastic shots. I was stunned by the clarity of the photos in nearly all shooting environments. I have been mainly using the lowest res. setting (VGA)and still find the picture quality superb. I would recommend this setting if you are wanting to get more shots out of the Smart Media card you are using. With the 16MB card that comes with it you can get up to 122 shots using the VGA setting. This is best for e-mail & web pages. As others have mentioned though, you can set for a higher quality and always reduce later for this. If you use the 1M setting (default)you can shoot 49 pix, 2M setting 39. My purchase came with a 64MB card as well. Having a 64MB will give you the following: VGA - 497 shots, 1M - 198 shots, 2M - 159 shots. These are just some guidelines however as the quality size can also be changed from Fine, Normal & Basic. Above counts are at Normal mode.
I am using XP and did not have to download any add'l drivers or updates as an earlier review had mentioned. Perhaps they have updated the included software. Installation was a breeze.
Battery life seems to last quite a while after the first initial use and recharge, even with LCD on. Comes with two batteries & charger. I bought four more though so battery life isn't a problem. I also bought a SmartMedia card reader but I actually took this back. I found that the supplied USB cable works fine. Downloads are fast and really don't seem to put any add'l strain on the batteries.
I have yet to use the movie mode so I can't comment on this. I didn't purchase the camera for this however.
The menu on the LCD is quite easily navigated for any setting changes, picture deletions, etc.
Why only 4 out of 5 stars? Flash. As others have mentioned it is quite brite and does sometimes change flesh tones in auto mode. I have found this to be more of a problem the closer you are to your subject though. Majority of the time the flash actually helps in an indoor environment.
In closing I'll say this. I had also been considering a higher end camera for around $[money]. I found this camera to have many of the same features + a 16MB card included rather than an 8MB. Initially I was a bit hesitant to purchase this camera due to the lower cost. After about two weeks of use I can say I am very pleased with my purchase and would highly recommend it. A great camera for beginners diving into the digital world or even an upgrade from a lower end camera.
(by A Costumer)
Features/Technical Specs : * 2.1 megapixel sensor captures 1,600 x 1,200 images for prints up to 8 x 10 inches * 3x optical zoom lens with autofocus * Included 16 MB SmartMedia card holds 39 pictures at default resolution * Automatically connects to Macs and PCs via USB port * Uses 2 AA batteries (rechargeables included)
