Customer Reviews

Fujifilm FinePix 2650 2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

Fuji FinePix 2650 is my third digital camera. The first one was KB JamCam (that is sold for [$$$] today) and the second one was Kyocera KZ (that I bought for [$$$] or so). Although I had to pay slightly more this time, the improvement is obvious.

The pictures are crisp and sharp with colors that are smooth and bright. Unlike the previous cameras, I do not need to adjust the brightness or the contrast of each picture using photoshop software. They look beautiful as soon as I upload them into my computer (and even on the camera's LCD display). The flash does not "wash out" the faces; the pictures taken at night look fine, too. The camera has automatic detection of the lighting and also a manual mode that allows one to adjust the "weather" and other parameters. There are also several settings for the flash (on/off/auto/red-eye-remove/night-scene).

Fuji did a great job with power conservation. Two alkaline AA batteries (included) were sufficient to take about 150 pictures (including 50 shots with flash) and several short videos before the "battery low" icon appeared. The power saving features are better than they used to be even though the lens is moving constantly especially when the camera is turned off and on. This motion looks sexy and the sliding cover protecting lens is useful.

Aside from the power switch attached on spring, trigger and the switch between three modes stillpix/view/video, the camera is controlled by three buttons next to display - which I would call "display on/off/grid", "enter" and "escape" - and four arrow keys to browse the menus on the LCD display. The up/down arrow key is put on the same button which is also used to zoom in/out. FinePix 2650 can zoom up to 3 times optically (which is the case that keeps the maximal resolution) and the LCD display shows where the digital zoom - up to 2.5 times - takes over. FinePix 2650 has furthermore the 3-position trigger with the AF/AE lock that allows one to focus on the object which won't be in the center of the picture at the end.

The totally new feature of FinePix 2650 - compared to its predecessor 2600 - is its tiny and cute Fuji XD memory card. The default 16 MB card (included) can be replaced by cards with up to 128 MB (the biggest one costs about 70 dollars). I am afraid that it is such a big memory that the (alkaline) batteries would be gone before I could fill the memory. With 16 MB I can take about 45 pictures at my favorite 1280 x 960 resolution, about 30 pictures at the maximal resolution 1600 x 1200, or about 130 small 640 x 480 images.

The camera has the logo "designed for Windows XP" (which is my OS) and it works without any problems (I believe it also works with all older systems). FinePix 2650 immediately connects to the PC as a "removable disk FinePix E:" in my case. The package contains a manual as well as some extra new photoshop software. The camera can be also connected as a PC camera for videoconferencing.

Generally the videos from FinePix 2650 are sharper than those made with Logitech QuickCam, for example, however I am not satisfied with the behavior of videos in darker environments. The videos (and probably also the image from the "webcam 2650") are too dim and I found even QuickCam better in these situations. The camera also does not focus very well in the dark which makes the pictures a bit fuzzy especially if the flash is not used. There is a lot of space for improvement. However, night video is not the main reason why I bought this camera and therefore I can unequivocably recommend this camera.

The Fuji FinePix 2650 is an excellent choice for an economical digital camera. For inside shots, it excels at portraits of two or three people but the flash has difficulty illuminating groups as small as half a dozen people. Outside, using natural lighting,I have produced landscape photographs that are breathtaking in their sharpness and true color. Even tricky light settings, such as snow cover, produced pictures that would make a professional proud. The 2 Megapixel photos look good even when printed as 8 x 10's. However, if you like to crop pictures using photo software, you are somewhat limited in what you can achieve without loosing resolution.

I am very satisfied with battery life (especially if you avoid using the LCD to compose pictures). If you are so inclined, a variety of manual settings are available through the LCD display, which are not difficult to master. However, in bright sunlight, the LCD display is difficult if not impossible to read. Used with a tripod, the manual settings provide good opportunities to be creative although the options do not directly simulate the controls of a SLR camera - that requires significantly greater investment in a digital camera.

The lens cover of this remarkably compact camera has a tendency to partially close while composing shots until you figure out the best way to grasp the camera - not a big concern except for the ham fisted. The FinePix Viewer software works well for downloading pictures to the computer but I prefer Photoshop for editing pictures. Many pictures should be "auto level adjusted" with photosoftware to get the best color and brightness, but this is easy to do and is probably required for photos from many kinds of digital cameras.

For the money, this is close to a 5 star camera; however, for those wanting more control over aperature, shutter speed, and "film" speed, a more expensive camera will be required.

As the webmaster of one of Alaska's most popular websites (Alaska Outdoor Journal) I finally decided to bite the bullet and move from scanning film photo prints to going digital for my website photo support. It was a move long overdue but with the rapidly advancing technology it was hard to pick a point in time to BUY (like computers). That has occurred with my purchase of the 2650 after a considerable amount of comparison shopping.

The sole reason for getting the 2650 was for my website support and so I was definitely looking for the best Price vs Features for under my $200 limit. I had decided that 2 megapixels was minimal resolution (1600x1200) to work with and that a very good Macro feature was a must have necessity. I also wanted a true optical zoom in addition to a digital zoom. Lastly, I wanted at least some minimal Manual overrides on some of the settings for giving me some creative flexibility and artistic latitude. That?s a pretty tall order of features in this price range.

Most digital cameras under $200 rarely have an optical zoom so that feature eliminated many brands and models. The FinePix is 3x optical and 2x digital. The macro feature exceeded my expectations...focusing sharp as a tack at 3.9 inches from the subject. With the manual override of the White Balance set for incandescent bulb, I took perfect color-balanced pics of close subjects. Although the minimal f stop is 3.5, I took several photos in a darkened Safeway parking lot with no flash and was impressed with its low light ability down to 1/2 second exposure if you brace the camera or use a tripod. There is also an exposure compensation (EV) override which will allow you to adjust your exposure when the subject is in a bright backlit situation or the backdrop you want to shoot is darker than the foreground. The on-camera menu is VERY easy to use and remember what does what. I commend Fuji for this simple approach. The LCD was very sharp and clear with excellent color quality. The camera uses the latest technology memory chip, the xD Picture Card which is a variant of the SmartMedia technology and apparently this chip uses much less energy and will help conserve battery life. I believe a lot of cameras will be going to this energy saver chip in the near future. The 16mb card that comes with the camera stores 25 highest quality pics down to 122 photos at 640x480 for webpage quality which remains totally impressive. I bought an additional 64mb card which will store 4 times more than the 16mb. I?ll never run out of space for pics. So far the camera appears to be very energy friendly on the Ni MH rechargeable batteries I installed. Ni MH rechargeables are highly recommended...check out the Rayovac ONE hour charger PS4-B which now comes with two power cables...one for wall socket and the other a cigarette lighter plug cable to charge your batteries on the road in your vehicle in one hour. No better value. Go with the Kodak 1850 maH high capacity rechargeable AA Ni MH for longest run time.

The software and camera is MAC and WinPC compatible using the USB port for connecting. The software automatically boots up when the computer senses the camera connection and power on. The program provides minimal editing control of the picture however. You can crop and resize but there is no brightness, color, saturation, etc. to adjust. Most users will have another graphics program they use to do these things anyway, like Photo Shop. You can run a slide show to review the entire camera contents or view pics individually. All the shot details are listed for each pic...f stop, shutter speed, date, time, file quality, etc. There is also a second program that is used to assemble a Photo Gallery collection to burn to CD or DVD and distribute to friends and family. You can also use this program to assemble a video clip gallery to burn to CD or DVD that you have taken with the FinePix 2650. These are pretty low res quality videos at 10 frames per second but you might have fun playing with this feature.

In the under $200 range I would rate this 5 stars. In the 2 megapixel range I would rate this 4 stars. There is a camera that impressed me even more in the 2mp range, the Canon A40 which I compared side by side last night, but its running in the mid-$200 range on Amazon. My friend has it and the software has many additional features and capabilities and the camera is loaded with additional cool onboard things like 15 second time exposure, sepia and b&w settings, etc. and is Mac/PC compatible too. BUT, for the best 2 megapixel entry level camera under $200 I would suggest the Fujifilm FinePix 2650; its a solidly built and very sturdy little camera. My only regret is Amazon dropped the price the day after I bought mine. Its a steal now at the new price.

Good shooting, -KK-

The Fuji finepix 2650 is a great camera for the price.

You will be hard pressed to find another camera with 3x OPTICAL zoom and a video mode for that price. The detail at 2 megapixels is tremendous. You dont need more then 2 megapixels unless your a serious photographer. Two megapixels will print out an 8x10 photo with good quality.

You are able ,in the macro mode, to zoom in for fantastic detailed images. Its no exageration to say you can see the pores in your skin in the Macro mode better then if you were looking in the mirror. You can zoom in on an eye and it will fill your video monitor when loaded to the pc.

It is very easy to use and the 16 megabyte card included is plenty for most people. Just plug the camera in using the included USB connection and they will load up automatically. From there you can use any software to enlarge ,crop or edit in the manner you choice.

Having not owned a digital camera prior to this one its hard to compare battery life however they seem to last plenty long enough for me. I purchased 4 rechargable batteries and a charger so I should not have a problem in that area. The new XD card is supposed to use less battery life then the older style sorage cards.

Only dissapointment would be in the video format. It does not do well in low light situations. If your indoors you will need bright light to get a decent video clip, outdoors in the sun its fine. Hint, you can use windows movie maker which is included with windows XP to join your clips and it also resaves your clip in the WMV format which compresses the video considerably for a much smaller file size with little video quality loss. This is ideal for e-mailing the clips.
I highly recomend this camera for anyone who loves to take pictures, beginners to pros.

I just bought it from amazon.com at a price of [money] dollars, free S/H and a free 32M XD card.
There are some minor disadvantages: poor movies & LCD in low light condition, but it's not primarily for movies & he view finder can be used in the low light condition instead of the LCD.

There are lots of advantages:
- great price for a camera w/ 2MP, 3x optical zoom
- xd card uses less batteries
- great, sharp pictures
- macro mode for close up pictures
- easy to use menu
- SOFTWARE (Imagemixer) TO CREATE SLICESHOW VCD DISK and you can play it on your DVD player. Similare software could cost you 25-40 dollars. You can put several sliceshows in one single CD, each sliceshow can contain thoundsands of pictures. I don't need a photo printer. Just keep the pictures on CDs, watch them on TV, and print some of them at COSTCO only when needed.

My wife and I decided to get a digital camera.

Because I'm a techno-head Art Director, not just any camera would do and the price had to be right. Plus, it had to be loaded with enough features to justify the purchase. I really wanted at least a 4.0 mega pixel but after discussing it over with my wife, we figured a 2.0 would do exactly what we wanted:

1. Instant digital gratification.
2. Excellent for e-mail shots and iPhoto.
3. The possibility of printing higher res shots.

It takes great color shots right out of the box. Extremely intuitive. The optical zoom eliminates bitmapping (jaggies) when close-up. And the auto-focus mode is idiot proof. It has 5 flash modes for lots of shooting customization. Macro (close-up 3.9" to 2.6') and self-timer photography add to the host of features. White Balance (for light sources), Exposure Compensation and Movie (no sound video) mode round off this great little camera.

Check out the fujifilm.com sight for a great interactive preview. It's what really sold me. The purchase is up to you from there. The only other option in the same category was an Olympus, but the memory card was only 8mb, as was the Sony which only had its body-style going for it.

Good luck!

The Fuji FinePix 2650 is the follow-up to their excellent 2600. They've taken a few cost-cutting measures, including shrinking the LCD a bit and excluding some things from the bundled accessories (namely, rechargeable batteries and a charger - you MUST get some NiMH batteries if you own a digital camera).

However, these changes also made the camera lighter and more power-efficient. The new xD card format does have some advantages over the old SmartMedia cards (faster write speeds, higher capacity, smaller, less power consumption), although these advantages are not as useful in a 2MP camera as they would be in a higher-end model. Additionally, the price has been lowered as well.

Therefore, this camera is still an excellent value in this class. 2MP is definitely enough resolution for most people and the picture quality delivered by the 2650 is very good. The 3x optical zoom lens is a nice feature at this price point. It's a great camera for people who are new to digital, since it has automatic modes which make it a pretty foolproof point-and-shoot (only very low light situations give it trouble). It does have some manual adjustments available, but they're pretty limited.

If you want very high resolution or total manual control, look elsewhere, but the average consumer will be totally happy with this camera. It's relatively cheap, easy to use, and you get great results.

I bought this camera for 230$ which included a free 32mb smart card. This camera has very good detail for a 2mp camera. It also has a movie mode, which i used and it was cool, but still does not take the place of a good video recorder.

I once went to mexico and took a picture of a famous place, i also had the same picture in a travel book. When i came home and printed it out on my hp printer, it was picture quality, flawless.

It does however have a tough time with movement. I mostly take picture of pet fish, and they do not move that fast, but i find it very hard. I find myself tweeking each little ajustment to get it just right, and I CAN get a good picture, but it does take a good deal of work to acheaive it.

It has a lot of nice features for under 200$ now, and i would recomend it to anyone who likes to take still photographs.

Note: Many people say the LCD screen is hard to see in the dark, which it is, but if you turn up the lcd brightness to its top setting it is ok.

~hope this helps

After four weeks of looking at Digital Cameras, and geting as much information, I decided to buy a FujiFilm FinePix 2650 Digital Camera. I took it out of the box read the directions, Down loaded the software, and I was taking pictures. I down loaded the pictures,printed them out on photo paper, and they were perfect. What more could any one want from a camera at this price. If you are wondering what amount of pixels to get in a digital camera, the manager of one camera shop told me that for the normal person shooting home photographs and not blowing them up past 8X10 you need no more than the 2650. After using it and down loading pictures, sending them by mail and printing them and everything coming out perfect, there is no other camera needed. I have also wrote a review on Epions.com if you need more information on this camera, and it works perfect with XP.

I finally took the digital plunge and bought the Finepix 2650.
This camera is nearly everything I wanted in a digital camera.
The software loads and works with ease. The pictures are very good even in the lowest resolution. The colors are very natural. The price was affordable. As a place to get started in digital photography this is a good choice. I would suggest resisting the urge to buy a larger picture card with the initial purchase of the camera. I thought about it and am glad I didn't because the 16MB picture card that is included will hold 25 pictures at the highest resolution and 122 at the lowest. Once you download to your computer you can erase the pictures individually or collectively from the card and go on taking pictures. I would wait until you really find you need more picture capacity and instead spend that money on recharchable Ni-MH AA batteries. I bought the Olympus batteries and they work fine. I found a Fugi vinyl camera case. Over all a modest total investment for a camera this good.