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Digital Camera Buyer's GuideAn error occurred. Please try later. |
Lately the market has filled with small digital cameras weighing in with megapixel lenses that not too long ago one would pay premium dollar to own. As the medium and lower price point spectrums offer more features and smaller sizes, picking the right digital camera comes down to finding what you need, price points and finally picture quality.
For a point and shoot outdoor camera, Fujifilm’s FinePix A303 offers a 3.2 megapixel lens and a relatively diminutive size. Considering what this camera can do, it manages to perform well, but offers a few quirks that could make it less than perfect.
While the A303 does not have the "wow" factor of the stylish new Nikons, it does offer portability and ease of use. The design and layout of the central wheel in the back for the various settings is logical and somewhat intuitive. Aside from a small LCD screen that makes figuring out what you are actually photographing something of a puzzle, the menus and configurations for settings amount to some of the easier ones I have seen. The enclosed manual is above average as well.
However, two idiosyncracies of the camera can be something of a deal breaker. When using the A303's view finder, the indicator light makes using it a bit problematic. The distractions of having a light in the left hand corner is a bit disconcerting. Another area that needs work is the forced five second delay between shots. If you are accustomed to rapid fire shooting, the five second delay is irritating.
Unlike some cameras that ship with carrying cases, the A303 does not ship with one, which is unfortunate. The back LCD is exposed and can easily become marred with fingerprints. Much like the older Sharp Camcorders that had open LCD’s, without some protection the small screen could become unusable. Since small form factors mean small LCD screens, one does have to adjust to that as a compromise for smaller footprints. On the plus side, the camera has an automatic lens cover, and a small enough form factor to be truly a point and click portable digital unit.
With regards to features, the camera can shoot decent pictures, certainly large enough to print and edit, as well as create small movies. The caveat with the motion picture abilities is that they are brief and you cannot record sound. A number of new digital cameras have started incorporating this feature, but in my mind you are better off with a camcorder rather than having a digital still camera double as a video camera. For some seeking a new unit, this is a selling point. But I feel that it is a feature of somewhat limited use given how short the sequence must be and the fact that there is no sound.
As far as pointing and shooting are concerned, the camera is most proficient in either outdoor settings and when there is a great deal of light indoors as well. Even though the unit comes with a flash, the actual functionality of this feature is dubious. Given that this is a point and shoot digital, you do not have a great deal of control over exposure and other factors governing exposure. The automatic settings for the most part are OK, but they have some limitations that one has to be aware of, or be prepared to compensate for, when using the A303 under less than ideal conditions.
On the plus side, the battery consumption is a bit lower. The A303 runs on two AA batteries and stores photos on the XD picture card. The power consumption is a bit lower than some units I have seen, but the camera ideally should ship with an AC adapter or rechargeable batteries for ease of use.
Even though this is a 3.2 megapixel camera, I have to admit feeling a little let down with the overall camera. While it is within reasonable price points, the difficulties in shooting under low lighting and general "graininess" of the images simply do not make it a stand out. Compared to other cameras I have seen with just 2 Megapixels, the A303 just seems to be average.
Along with my constant complaint of companies not including battery chargers and/or AC adapters for those times when you need to download the pictures to your PC, the A303 ships without those important accessories.
Regarding the enclosed software that comes with the A303, the unit I reviewed did not come with those titles. Actually, the review unit came with no software at all, but the retail version should include some basic editing software titles. Fortunately for Windows XP users, the A303 is plug and play. There were no issues with downloading into XP or using software like Paint Shop Photo Album to arrange photos.
Overall I would have liked to see the A303 ship with more software, aside from the basic enclosed applications, a camera case and an AC adapter. Even if those extras were included , I feel the A303 is an OK digital camera but not a real powerhouse, or a great bargain either. If you can catch the A303 on sale, this unit is not a bad second camera. But as a primary camera it seems a tad lacking compared to so many of the newer, and even smaller, units on the market.
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