Expert Camera Reviews

The Fujifilm F31fd inherits its features from its predecessor, the award winning FinePix F30 camera. The Fuji FinePix F31fd is a stylish compact camera with an sharp Face Detection feature. The camera is built with a 6.3 megapixel CCD, 3x optical and 6x digital zoom and Picture Stabilisation mode, the Fuji FinePix F31fd gives a superb performance. At full resolution it has an ISO sensitivity of up to 3200. The camera also comes with some unique Fujifilm technologies such as Intelligent Flash

Strengths of the Fuji F31fd are:

• Built with Real Photo Processor II and new Super CCD HR VI
• Hardware-based Face Detection Technology built-in to the camera’s processor
• Fast response time to shots, 0.01 second shutter lag and 1.5 second start-up time
• Long-life battery which lasts for about 600 shots
• Aperture and shutter priority modes
• Very good response to low-light shooting conditions

Weaknesses are:

• 6.3 megapixel is very little compared to the 8 to 12 megapixels available
• Image qualities are not that sharp

Specifications:
Megapixels – 6.3
Weight (oz.) – 5.5
Optical Zoom – 3x
LCD Size – 2.5 inch
Flash Range (ft) – 2.0 to 21.3 ft
Image stabilizer - Yes
Battery type – Rechargeable NP95 Lithium Ion
Special features – 26 MB built-in memory, xD card compatible, AVI Movie file format, USB 2.0 High Speed, Direct Printing compatible

Summary:
The combination of Fuji’s latest technologies, manual controls and easy functionality makes the Fujifilm FinePix F31fd a promising digital camera for novices and experts. It is a solid, low prices, all-round compact camera for general photography and low-light shooting conditions.

The Fuji Finepix A500 is a 5 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. It has some easy to use features to be found on most basic digital cameras. In terms of price the Finepix A500 finds itself towards the cheaper end of the market. Therefore this camera is likely to appeal to anyone who is on a budget shopping spree. Unfortunately, the camera’s low price comes at a cost in the form of a limited 3X zoom range, a tiny 1.8 inch LCD screen, no manual controls and just 4 scene modes. Beyond 320×240 pixels it has no burst capabilities at all.

Strengths of the A500:

Good quality lens with low distortion and decent sharpness
Simple and easy user interface
Auto white balance handles a wide range of lighting quite well
ISO settings in all modes

Drawbacks:

No Continuous shooting mode
Small, low-resolution LCD screen which is hard to use in daylight
Slow shot-to-shot and playback performance
Contrast is a little high, tends to lose details such as highlight and shadow

Specifications:
Megapixels – 5
Weight (oz.) – 6.0
Optical Zoom – 3x
LCD Size – 1.8 inch
Flash Range (ft) – 2.0 to 10.2 ft
Image stabilizer - No
Battery type – AA (x2)
Special features – Movie mode without sound, PictBridge and DPOF compatible, Macro lens settings, ISO from 100 to 400, Real image optical viewfinder

Summary:
If a low price camera to provide just basic image quality are your only demands, then the Fujifilm FinePix A500 might be the right choice for you. Priced in the $200 list, the A500 offers apparently a good shot for the buck with a solid 5.1-megapixel Super CCD HR image sensor, a 3x optical zoom, some basic scene modes, and the rich color image quality for which Fujifilm is well known.

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The Kodak EasyShare One is the first digital camera to integrate 802.11b wireless (WiFi) connectivity that allows people to share and print their images, lets you email pictures from the camera wirelessly. The camera has a 3X Schneider-Kreuznach optical zoom lens, a huge 3-inch LCD display with touchscreen technology, a 4 Megapixel CCD and comes built-in with 256 MB of memory capable of storing 1500 photos internally. One can print up to 20 x 30″ these images displayed on the large 3″ high-resolution LCD Monitor.

Strengths of the Kodak EasyShare One are:

• WiFi connectivity for uploading images onto the Web wirelessly and send emails directly from the camera
• Print pictures wirelessly
• Excellent shutter response at wide angle settings
• Very large touch sensitivity LCD screen

Weaknesses are:

• Battery life gets drained due to the LCD screen and WiFi
• Flash extremely weak
• Very poor low light performance
• Very slow start-up and shot to shot speed

Specifications:
Megapixels – 4.0
Weight (oz.) – 7.9
Optical Zoom – 3x
LCD Size – 3 inch
Flash Range (ft) – Built-in
Image stabilizer - No
Battery type - Rechargeable Lithium batteries
Special features – 256 MB built-in memory, Wi-Fi Connectivity, Built-in flash with red-eye reduction, 640 x 480 and 30 frames per seconds movies, The camera comes with 2 battery packs

Summary:
If your dreams are to have a camera with Wi-Fi connectivity, the Kodak EasyShare One is designed and indeed a camera for taking pictures easily and sharing them with fun. With a WiFi connection, there’s no need to wait to get home and share the photos. Photos can be printed, emailed and shared over wireless connection with utmost ease.

See current price on Amazon.com.