Fine Pics there! (Fujifilm Finepix A202)

Member Name: firemanspam

Product:	Fujifilm Finepix A202
Date:	02/12/08 (193 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant little camera.

Disadvantages: Getting replaced now.

I have had my camera, the Fujifilm A202, for several years now, and not had one single problem. I think it is the best camera ever - Obviously the next in the range is better, and so are many others made by just about every camera company. My statement means that to me, this camera, has everything I need, I can use it, I understand it, and if it ever breaks, or is stolen, then it can be replaced easily.

I suppose I will have to call this an entry level camera, which is a bit of an insult, it is better than that. It does stills, as well as video (no sound) and you can choose the picture quality, so less pixels means more definition etc. It has a flash of course, plus a threaded hold in the base for a tripod. The LED display is crisp, and displays the date too.

There is even a timer, so you need not be left out of the photo. This camera feels very comfortable in the hand, it is light as well. There is also a "Macro mode" which is for very close up shots, this seems to work very well for very detailed items. I have even taken pictures of hallmarks, so I could blow them up on screen, makes life so much easier. It comes in silver only, mind you it does look nice.

I would replace it with another identical model, however these do not seem to available now, that is the way of things. The camera has stood up to abuse, damp, vibration, accidental knocks etc.

The batteries do not last very long because any camera which has a screen, uses a lot of power. This one has an automatic power saver, so if you do not take a pic, after a few seconds it switches to "Hibernate mode" for want of a better phrase.

I use rechargeable batteries, and always keep a few spare inn my case, so there is no problem. The size of the camera is what I would describe as small, although digital ones are nowadays.

There is no internal memory, you slip in an XD card, not the usual SD one. XD stands for eXtreme Digital.
There are two kinds of these cards, the M and the H type. They have a slightly different method of digitally encoding, but it doesn't concern us, they are completely interchangeable as well as being compatible with each other.
The transfer rate on these cards is about 5mbs per second. They are ready to use, and you don't need to format them like you do for the Tomtom.

The camera came with a 16mb card just to start you off, but I soon got a 64mb one to replace it. These cards are getting cheap now, so it pays to have a couple spare, the idea being that if you run one card empty, you just swap it, this takes seconds. Another advantage is, you could have the need to send some pictures to someone who does not have a computer. All you do is put the XD card into an envelope and post it, they then simply go to the local print shop, and decide which pics they want printing off.

I am not going to bore you with all the spec, for one reason, it is a little out of date, and for another, it will not help anyone make a decision about buying one.
I will mention, that this is a TWO Megapixel camera! I do realise most mobiles have this and more, however the quality is still governed by things like the lens.

You will get an old fashioned instruction book with these cameras, this is good for these days, some companies rely on you downloading them. All instructions are easy to follow, and there are simple pictogrammes too.

I can recommend this simple camera, there are functions you will use, and some you won't, either way, it was a bargain. I can't give you a price, although the more modern models are available everywhere, just be aware of the charge for p&p if buying online.

The camera comes with a wrist strap, and I use an old cheap and nasty large camera case, my case looks like it contains a thirty bob camera, I see many people at air shows and the like, with camera cases the look as if there is a ten grand camera in them, not good idea where there are potential muggers. This case is big enough to hold the camera, XD cards, batteries, instructions etc. This either goes on a strap around my neck, or clips onto my belt, very convenient it is too.

The company has a website with some nice info, plus some nice graphics, see here.:-
www.fujifilm.co.uk

Summary: A very good entry level digital camera.

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