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551 of 553 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Non-Digital Bang for the Buck, October 25, 2001
I've owned this gem for about six months and taken a few hundred pictures with it since then. I'm glad I bought it. Here's the scoop.Pro: 1. It allows you to take 4 x 6, 4 x 7, or 4 x 11.5 sized pictures with a touch of a button. Even more impressively, though, you can CHANGE THE PRINT SIZE after you've already taken the picture! So, you take it in one format, examine it through the large display on back, and then can accept that format, change it to a different format, or delete the picture. It's a great feature when you're out shooting scenes or landscapes, and you want to compare how the picture will look in each style. 2. With the right film (400 and above), this camera has taken solid pictures for me. I've had several folks tell me the quality is professional looking. This was one reason why I chose this camera over a digital camera -- the picture sharpness. For those of you considering digital cameras, remember that all but the most advanced of them won't have the tight pixelization of this cheaper APS camera. 3. The battery is long lasting. I'm on my 400th picture or so and the battery is going strong. 4. This camera uses drop and shoot APS film. APS film, unlike 35 MM, allows for the digitization of your pictures direct from your local processor. I've developed every roll with print pictures and a CD-ROM. I can keep the pictures in an album and e-mail some images from the CD to friends and family far away. The Kodak software (Free with the cd) allows you to manipulate the images, make desktop pictures, and other fun stuff. Also, APS processing gets you a neat one-page sheet with the negatives numbered and shown in miniature in case you want to order reprints. 5. The LCD preview, obviously, makes this camera stand out. It's a clear picture (mostly -- see below), and it is 100% accurate in predicting the size and clarity of the final photo. 6. Advanced features -- the camera has some advanced flash features (low light, portrait mode, etc.) that prove useful in some circumstances. More impressive, though, is that the camera has an auto-flash mode that 'knows' when to use the special features. Neutral 1. The zoom lens isn't as powerful as some other APS cameras, but it does its job. Basically, it allows me to get slighly closer than my eye can see, but you're not going to see a basketball player's eyes if you're shooting from the upper level of the arena. For that, you'd need at 35MM camera with a zoom lens. But, if you're using this camera for ordinary landscapes and close-ups, the lack of a strong telescopic lens doesn't make much of a difference. Cons: 1. The flash is rather weak, and if you're doing a lot of nightime photography, even with fast film, you'd want to get a 35 MM camera that can accomodate a wider range of flashes and lenses. I've had several good scenes not turn out so well, because I overestimated the reach of the flash. 2. The LCD screen is great with photos in daylight or dusk, but does less well with photos in the dark. I've had a few photos look completely blacked out on the screen but then actually come out looking *okay* when they came back from the lab. But, unless a whole bunch of your photos are taken at night, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. Overall: For what you're paying, you're getting a great APS camera with some digital features that takes great pictures, allows you to correct your mistakes, and preview your work. Unless you're a professional photographer, it's hard to beat. I'd definitely buy mine again.
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