Customer Reviews

Fujifilm Finepix A610 6.3MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had been seeking an inexpensive, pocket sized, minimum 6MP camera that used SD memory, and AA batteries, when I spotted Fuji's A610 in a local store. After giving it a quick trial, I ordered one from the good people at Amazon. The Fuji met the parameters, and the low price was the deciding factor. I have not used the camera extensively, but these are my early impressions.

The A610's new Super CCD imager produces very good results in a variety of situations both indoors and outdoors, however it is not ideal for capturing action shots. Color accuracy of the images is excellent, with good saturation and reasonably good resolution for a point and shoot. ISO ranges from 100 to 400, and is selected automatically. The equivalent range of the zoom lens is 39mm to 117mm. Optical zoom is 3X, digital zoom is 6.2X.

The display is used to frame your shots, there is no viewfinder. Being able to see the screen, particularly outdoors, is critical when shooting. When set at higher brightness levels, the display is fairly visible even when used in bright sunlight. If needed, there is a button that bumps that up the brightness in the shooting mode, for about 10 seconds. The focusing point is limited to the center of the display.

The A610 has 17 shooting modes, including some unusual situations like `underwater', `beach', `fireworks', `party' and `snow'. They are accessed through a menu rather than a selector dial, which is very inconvenient. True manual control is not possible in the so-called `manual' mode. The `auto' mode will probably be the default setting for most users. Experiment with the modes, and see which ones produce results you like.

Press the `on' button, and the camera is ready to shoot in about 4 seconds. After taking a photo, the image remains on the display for approximately 3 seconds, then the screen goes blank for 1 to 4 seconds as the image is saved. When the display comes back on, you can take another photo. This cycle usually takes between 5 and 6 seconds. This is fairly long, so if you miss your shot, waiting to take another could become frustrating. Factor in the normal point and shoot shutter lag, and it means that you really need to concentrate, anticipate the action, and make your shot count in critical situations, or when shooting moving subjects.

Reviewing images is best done out of direct light. The resolution on the large 2.5" display is good. You can zoom in and out, and pan, so you should be able to tell if you have nailed the shot. The display screen is slightly recessed into the body, and is susceptible to damage if left unprotected. A protective cover would be a very welcome accessory. The buttons on the back for macro mode, increasing LCD brightness, flash mode control and timer mode, are useful, but a mode selector dial is really missed.

No memory card is provided with the camera, though it does have 10MB of internal memory. The A610 accepts either SD memory cards, or XD picture cards up to 2GB. Fuji recommends Sandisk Extreme III SD cards. I used a different brand, which may have affected the times I measured. While saving photos takes some time, there is virtually no delay when saving movies.

The camera uses two AA batteries. Fuji recommends using either alkaline or NiMH type batteries. Battery life does not seem to be extensive, as the display constantly draws power. Carrying a spare set is recommended. For NiMH batteries, the camera has a feature to discharge batteries that are running low.

A few miscellaneous comments. When in movie mode, you cannot zoom in or out, and sound is not recorded. A `protect all' feature, that enables you to protect all saved images at one time, could be very useful, as individually protecting images is a slow process. The `new' graphic user interface (GUI), looks a lot like my old Finepix 2600Z, except with larger icons. Using Finepix software to download photos from the camera is painfully slow. A program like Photoshop Elements is much faster. An underwater housing is available for the A610 and new Fuji A800, and may make these cameras more attractive buys.

My main cameras are Canon's 20D, 30D and S2 IS. I got the A610 strictly as a utility carry around. Economically priced, it produces quality images in most situations. Being aware of its limitations, you can decide if it will meet your needs. Fuji's A800 is an 8MP, and has additional features, like a mode selector dial, and picture stabilization. For a few dollars more, it may be a better choice as a primary camera.

I've had this camera for about a day now. I've taken shots indoors, outdoors, macro, landscape, good light, low light, and more. This camera performs pretty well. True to the nature of Fuji compacts, it boasts simplicity. Once you've got a pair of batteries in it and have completed a couple initial settings, this camera is ready to point and shoot right out of the box. It's also very quick. You can power it on, autofocus, take a shot, let it record, and then power it off all in a total of roughly 7-8 seconds. Also, one of the reasons I chose to go with this camera is the shutter lag is almost non-existent. If you want a camera that's pretty close to the instantaneous feel of taking snapshots with a film camera, this is about as close as you're going to get in this price range. It has a very "instant capture" feel to it.

Image quality is pretty good. You get what you pay for. I've been impressed with some of the detail I can get in my macro shots. I uploaded a couple examples (the cat and pop can), both of which were taken by hand in indoor lighting. Color and saturation seem to be about right as well. While this camera comes nowhere close to what you can get out of a DSLR or some larger lens point and shoots, for a $100 compact, it's entirely acceptable, and I have no real complaints. And to round out the good features of this camera, it also has a pretty sleek look to it, and is fairly light and compact for its class.

However, this camera isn't perfect. For only $110, it doesn't need to be, hence the five star rating. But it does have a few small detractors. The mechanism for covering the battery/SD card compartment seems a little questionable. It seems a little awkward to close when the batteries are in, and I'm worried that over time it might malfunction because of this. Also, as far as I've been able to tell so far, it appears to lack settings such as black & white and sepia. And if they are there, they're not very easy to find. And finally, the build quality doesn't seem to be anything special. But again, for $110, it doesn't need to be flawless.

Overall, I'd have to say this camera is great value for the money. The almost non-existent shutter lag is a huge plus, the image quality is good, and it performs exactly as it should. It's a quick and easy compact digital camera at an affordable price. If you're looking for the perfect camera, I'd suggest raising your budget and going for something a little better. But if you just want something for casual snapshots, or to compliment your SLR, this Fuji A610 is a fine option.

UPDATE, 1/11/2009: I've had this camera for over a year and a half now, and it's still working perfectly, like the day I bought it.

I am an Army medic currently deployed in Iraq. I purchased this camera to document my time here. Due to the harsh environment, and the rough treatment that equipment tends to endure here, I didn't want to buy an expensive camera that might get demolished quickly. The 6.3 megapixels would be more than enough for the shots I planned to take, and the price was within my intended range. I naturally tend to do a ton of research before buying electronics because I have found that you do in fact "get what you pay for". Fujifilm consistently received high marks in all of the different reviews that I read, so I finally decided on this one.
I have taken hundreds of photos of everything from night operations through a pair of NVG's (night vision goggles)(very cool effect), documentation of wounded, the local populace, macro shots of indigenous flora, and everything in between. I have been greatly impressed with the quality and clarity of this little camera. I have hauled this little guy through some of the nastiest terrain the earth has to offer and have still yet to complain about its performance. I keep it in my pocket in a ziploc bag to protect it. It is simple to use. The interface is not complicated, and there are some different auto settings that compensate for the manual setting being less than robust. The clarity and details the A610 captures are quite sufficient to tell the story of our lives here. If you are looking for magazine grade photos, this camera may not be up your alley, but for the rest of us who just want to document life with some better than average photos, this little guy will more than do the job. I am convinced that I got more than what I paid for with this model.

Not being a skilled photographer, I was looking for a simple digital camera to replace the 3 megapixel freebie I got about 3 years ago. I was heading to Austria & Germany and wanted soemthing nice and easy to use. The price range for digital cameras varies significantly, but knowing myself and what I was going to use it for, I didn't need to spend a fortune. The GREAT thing about the Fuji A610 is that it take pictures quickly and it's very easy to use. Not too many bells and whistles and the quality of the pictures is outstanding IF you have enough light. The camera doe NOT take very good pictures indoors with low light or from far away, but if you're looking for a quality camera at a great price, this Fuji is well worth it. I tried at least a dozen cameras before I decided on this one and all in all I'm very happy with the purchase.

needed to replace my old 3.2 sony cybershot camera for a trip this weekend and tested all of the ones in the $120-$150 range in a couple of stores- downsides are it does lack burst photos and a microphone/audio recording for it's movie functions, but for what I needed it is quite good. very quick snapshots- very good color accuracy (if you use the "museum" settings it has good color accuracy and performs well in lowlight), don't know about very fast action shots- but I shot a bunch of pics of my guinea pig running around like mad and the majority of them came out very clean regardless of me chasing after him with the camera. there may be better choices in the low end price range if you want more features, but so far this was the best I have seen for simply taking pictures.

Easy to use even when you are illiterate in digital cameras. The battery had a much shorter life than I had expected but of course I haven't used a digital camera before so maybe that is normal. I like the zoom factors when I am wanting detailed pictures.

Quick and to the point. If you are looking for a high quality camera that does not take four seconds or more to process your image...this is it!

I liked this digital camera enough, that when I wore out my old one after 3-4 years of use, I bought another one. Camera has wonderful image quality for a 6.3 MP, and is easy to operate and upload images to your computer. Had the camera 4 years, and used it constantly, mostly in outdoor settings, before the LCD became cracked. Was dropped down a hill full of boulders and still kept working, LCD was probably cracked from getting it wet on a different occasion. For a cheap point and shoot, this item has a surprisingly high quality, and often allows for full motion capture. I have taken pics from a moving car that came out well. Takes about 7 seconds to turn on and take a photo, so there will be some delay, before a shot, but is very portable, and a great camera to use for beginners.

This item was purchased in 2008. I own a home based business, and use this camera in my work to take pictures for our catalog, and to identify our inventory. It has performed excellently since the time of purchase, and is in use even now. I am very satisfied with this item, and do highly reccommend it.

This is a nice camera, but I chose it because the right-hand thumb location adds stability, which allowed for single hand usage. I would have liked the red-eye reduction and higher ISO ratings in the A810 model, but I would have lost the thumb rest to a function wheel, which would then require two hand usage. I have a handicapped user and single hand operation is required. It's funny that most modern cameras work to be sleek, but ignore getting a good grip on the unit. The pictures are good, but not as good in low lighting due to the lower ISO rating. Features are nice excluding those I've griped about. I would recommend the A810 model if you don't mind using two hands all the time. If you have kids, single hand operation is useful even for anyone. :)