Superb little camera (Fujifilm APS Fotonex 101ix)

Member Name: stephen_logan

Product:	Fujifilm APS Fotonex 101ix
Date:	28/01/02 (131 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: small and light, Not too expensive, Easy to use

Disadvantages: Some parts break easily, No zoom, no real features to speak of

This is a very attractive little camera. It is aesthetically very pleasing, and its rather miniscule size and weight are a distinct bonus as well. It measures up at 3” by 5 ½” which is a nigh on perfect size, as it is no so small that you are constantly loosing it, but it is also small enough to easily fit in you pocket. It doesn’t have all the functions that perhaps the higher priced models use, but it has enough to fit any occasional wannabe photographer. It is an APS camera so there is no fuss involved with changing films, and you have 3 different options for the size of picture you desire.

Size
As has previously been stated this camera is very compact and suitably minuscule in size. At 3” by 5 ½” this isn’t the smallest camera around but it is amicable enough for my personal needs. It is not one of those ridiculously small camera’s which cost a couple of hundred pounds, for the privilege of constantly misplacing it and being unable to find it for a good few months. But there again it also isn’t only comparable to a brick in size, shape, weight and usefulness. Just right in my opinion so it gets top marks of 5/5.

Weight
Using the best in modern technology (the kitchen scales) it weighs about 160 grams or 6 Oz’s, for a piece of high technology that is not too bad. Being so small and light it makes it absolutely no problem to transport anywhere. Because it is once again a good medium weight, being as it is not too heavy and not too light I will give it another top mark of 5/5.

Appearance
A good place to start would be to describe its colour, probably because that is the easiest part; it is a rather metallic silver colour with some black features. The shape is almost a cuboid apart from a rather cumbersome obscure shapely part on the left hand side of the camera. This bulge is presumably created because this is the section where the important things live, includi
ng the battery and film. The other right hand section, which includes the buttons and the lens, is a far more aesthetically pleasing perspective. It has a circular area around the lens, which contrasts beautifully with the otherwise square face. The design is a blend of beauty and practicality so it is pretty faultless in this department as well 5/5.

Build
This camera has just a couple of minor weaknesses and faults. With my camera only 2 distinct problems have occurs; 1, the cover on top of the camera which covers the screen fell of and broke, and 2, the lens cover doesn’t open all the way with a little encouraging tap. Minor problems until you forget about them when they can become major problems, for example you walk around all day taking commemorative photographs only to discover that in fact none at all have come out properly because the lens cover has been left partially open. Extremely frustrating situation let me assure you, however these are the only two problems that I have encountered thus far so I will give it an above average 3/5.

Picture Quality
My pictures have been impeccable so far, flawless quality and because it is an APS camera you get the very helpful choice of size of pictures. There are 3 varying size of picture, there is the classic size which is exactly the same as any usual camera’s picture. There is then a slightly longer option and then there is the full on panoramic option. Superb variation and quality backed up by a flash to allow any user to get those late night pictures. Everything that a novice camera user could want really on the image front, however for more professional users it may seem a little basic especially without any zoom function, so a very good 4/5.

Functions
I have never really used any of these fiddly functions because it just seems a little pointless and time consuming. You can though apparently add the time and date to images and a host of other functions,
which I find to be rather inanimate and useless. No really helpful functions on this camera at all really, perhaps most annoying of all is the distinct lack of a zoom. Not to good in this department I am afraid, it does have a flash and a clear screen telling the user the date and how many pictures they have left, a pretty poor 2/5.

Ease of operation
It is so simple to use that even I was able to fathom how to use it. To take a picture you switch on the camera, using the power button, you select the size of picture you wish to use and then either wait for the flash to warm up or press the big burgundy button. Extremely simple to take pictures but equally simple to change a film or battery. The battery is a pretty standard procedure, but with the APS system film changing is so very simple. You simply wait for the film to wind back open up the section take out the old film and put in the new one, very confusing. It is a very simple piece of technology to master so it gets another well-deserved 5/5

Conclusion
This is an extremely useful piece of equipment; it suits anybody going out to get a camera for the simple purpose to take standard photographs. It may not be suitable for anybody who is looking for a professional camera because it doesn’t have the more complex features necessary to perform a high standard of photography, such as a zoom. It isn’t the cheapest camera on the market at anything above or below £60, but it does represent good value for money when compared to other similar cameras. I love this camera and I don’t expect to be getting rid of it in the near future. An aesthetically pleasing, functional sturdy camera, it will serve most average camera needs.

Summary: