Features:
- 2-megapixel sensor captures 1,600 x 1,200 images for prints at sizes up to 8 x 10 inches
- 6x optical plus 2.5x digital (15x total) autofocus zoom lens
- Included 16 MB Smartmedia card stores 39 images at default resolution
- Automatically connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
- Uses 4 AA batteries (alkalines included)
Description:
The Fuji FinePix 2800 Zoom offers an innovative design, a fantastic 6x optical zoom, and great image quality--all in an incredibly small form. Fuji has clearly departed from many of the usual design cues with the 2800. Most notable is the introduction of the EVF--electronic viewfinder. This replaces the standard optical viewfinder and provides an SLR style experience. The benefits of this are more accurate image composition (as parallax differences between viewfinder and lens are avoided), a better indication of depth of field prior to taking the shot, and improved battery life over using the main LCD monitor. The EVF is not a perfect solution, though, as the panel is not as bright or detailed as its optical counterpart, has no diopter correction for wearers of glasses, and disconcertingly freezes the image while autofocusing. However, the EVF is a useful feature and places the 2800 at the cutting edge of digital camera design. The 2800 is exceptionally easy to use, with manual controls limited to adjusting white balance and exposure compensation. More experienced photographers will miss the ability to fine-tune aperture, shutter speed, ISO settings, etc. The 6x optical zoom is superb and makes an enormous difference to picture quality and ease of composition--it equates to a zoom range of 38-228mm on a standard 35mm camera. Fuji has included a movie mode with sound running at 10 frames per second and at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. Disappointingly, this is limited to 60 seconds of recording time, regardless of the capacity of memory card in use. It also does not make use of the optical zoom, relying instead solely on the digital zoom. Other features include voice captioning and, bizarrely on a camera of this specification, a video conferencing mode enabling you to use it as a Webcam. A notable omission however, is the lack of a video-out socket. As you would expect from Fuji, the 2800 is straightforward to install and includes paper manuals for both the camera and the supplied software--this includes a simple viewer/organizer, QuickTime, Videoimpression, and Adobe Photodeluxe. The 2800 uses four AA alkaline (supplied) or NiMH rechargeable batteries. Fuji recommends avoiding lithium batteries as the heat discharged can damage the camera. --Nick Baxter Pros: - Easy to use, with automated controls
- Very good 6x optical zoom
- Electronic viewfinder (EVF) provides more accurate image composition
- Bonus feature: can be used as a Webcam
Cons: - EVF is still a little buggy
- Movie mode does not allow use of optical zoom, only digital
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