The Battery Monster <roar!> (Fuji DX-10)

Member Name: Johndonut

Product:	Fuji DX-10
Date:	24/08/01 (132 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Loads of features, Good quality images

Disadvantages: Transfer times, Batteries

What makes up a top notch digital camera? A screen? Zoom? Room for expansion?

Result! The DX-10 has all of these features, and you can pick one up for as little as £50 nowadays. Pictures can be taken in 640 x 480 and 1024 x 786. Sounds good? Well it ain't!

Although this camera boats all of these fancy features and a low low price, there's one niggling problem with it - batteries. On average, if you use the screen to take each shot you can get through about 20 photos, IF you take them quickly without using the screen for more than a second on each picture. And, to make it worse these aren't your average 20p per pack QD batteries. You'll get these results with a normal pack of Duracells!

On the other hand, the camera does have its good points. The features I've mentioned all work fine, although the zoom is a little modest - only reaching 1.6x magnification. The camera has a basic in built editing system which allows you to perform basic functions - such as sepia, gold, slim, wide and more.

The only other problem with the DX-10, apart from the batteries is the transfer system to the PC. Provided in the box is a serial cable that plugs straight into the camera, and while this is ok for a while you'll soon get sick of the long transfer times. One large image will take over 2 minutes to be transferred to your PC. Ouch.

This problem can be combatted by buying a SmartMedia card reader, or a floppy disk converter. These can be quite pricey, around £40 but it's worth it in the end.

The camera also comes with a 2mb SmartMedia disk, which is enough for about 30 small photos or 12 big ones. Upgrades can be bought anywhere can can reach up to 256megs. This allows you to take literally hundreds of images without transferring to the PC.

The DX-10 is a solid, well built camera which comes with everything you need to get up and running quickly and easily. As mentioned, the only problems with
it are the batteries and the transfer method - but these can be combatted by using a fast SmartMedia card read and some powerful batteries. (Duracell M3 batteries can take 100 pics with the screen on) If you're after a cheap camera and have a good battery charger, it's worth considering!

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