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63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
So Much To Consider (Good & Bad), February 4, 2002
Since most of the time people who read review want to know the bottom line, I'll write that first ... THEN I will tell how I got the conclusion.THE BOTTOM LINE: For the price, you will not find a better camera out there - period. (As of 2/2002) The camera boasts great pictures including great color and superb quality. Plus it has many customizable features that come in handy and can make your pictures look very professional and impressive. There are also different functions for the camera, like movie mode, web-cam mode, and audio recording that are just not options for other cameras (granted you may just want a straight camera). All this in a small package that is quite pleasing to the eye. On the negative side, this is NOT a professional camera. This is also not a standard 35mm camera. There are some inherent drawbacks as a result of each. If you are looking for professional control of a camera, this is not for you. Features such as shutter speed control (something I would really want ... especially on this camera - explained later) are not on this camera. Also, if you are new to the digital world, you really should read as much as you can about the difference between regular and digital photographs (quality, ease in getting the picture you want, delay time, et cetera). The 6800 is a digital camera, which has inherent pluses and minuses, but a great one nonetheless. Now ... how I got there: POSITIVES: - 3.3 Megapixels (MP) which can be interpolated up to what Fuji calls 6 MP. These present very detailed shots with tremendous quality in color. A picture taken in 6 MP mode can be panned, zoomed, and cropped on camera down to a 3.3 MP picture. Thus you can cut a picture and still make unbelievable 5x7 prints out them (by definition of 3.3MP photos; I personally have not needed to print out pictures from a professional yet). - Size. It's so small. I love that it's so small. Fits in a shirt pocket, although a little too deep to not look awkward. I keep it stowed in my inside jacket pocket. You can neither see a protrusion nor feel the weight. - Options/Modes: Movie mode, pc-cam/web-cam, audio recording, multi-shot (max of 5) in addition to presets for night shots, portraits, black and white photos, and landscapes. All very useful and actually used quite often if you are willing to play with the menu. - Control: For the average user, there are more than enough things to tinker with, ISO level (100/200/400), white balance, focus, macro control for close ups, among many others to make shots look how you like. - USB Connection. Nice and fast ... unless you dont have USB. - Smart Media. I have never used Compact Media, but I don't think I ever will. Smart Media offers a lot. If you plan on printing a lot, you can specify the number of prints you want of a picture right after taking the picture so that you dont have to go through all your pictures and specify over and over again how many you want of each. The camera with smart media can also be used as another drive. There are a few other features, but over all I live smart media and much as you can prefer one removable media over another. - 3x Optical Zoom. Very nice since the Digital zoom varies on the quality of print you are taking (no digital zoom for 6 MP pictures). - TV out. Very fun. Nice to be able to immediately show your family pictures on their TV from the day you took the pictures. - Two ways to connect/charge. You can charge/connect to a computer through the USB base. But if you are on the road, there is a USB port and power port right on the side of the camera. The cables from the base can be removed and brought with you for portability. - Price. For the money, you can't get a better camera. NEGATIVES: - The infamous BLUR. This camera has a tendency to blur motion shots in AUTO mode. There are ways to get around it and you can always retake the picture. But for those once in a lifetime moments, it gets annoying (and is the main reason why I gave the camera a 4 as opposed to a perfect 5). It seems using the flash tells the auto shutter speed to use a faster setting (like 1/64 sec as compared to 1/4) because of the increase in light. This could be fixed by a feature which is missing in the camera ... - No Manual Shutter Control. Yes I know most people wouldn't use it. But I'm no professional and I want the shutter control to stop that blur which is such a thorn in my side. - Flash must be opened. If you are trying to take a quick shot, you have to remember to open the flash - it gets annoying, trust me. Flash also deteriorates the battery life and takes time to charge. During this time the LCD screen turns off for a short time ... still a peeve. - No way to set the LCD screen as permenantly on. It must be turned on for each shot - which drains the battery. - Zoom buttons not placed in the most convenient position. You have to train your fingers where to push if you are trying to zoom while using the viewfinder. - Battery life is average to a little short. It seems you must charge this camera after every outing. Although this will be different for each person. I tend to constantly change settings and use flash for the best shot. This obviously drains the battery more so. This is my humble opinion. I tend to be very anal with inspecting and analyzing things, especially electronics. So any negatives I have listed here are the ONLY ones I (and I think anyone else) could find. I researched this camera for over a month before I bought it (would have been longer but I needed it for a trip). If it had manual shutter control, it would be pretty much perfect. Hopefully this helps you with your future purchase. Again I have to say, for it's price, you can't get a better (pocket-sized) camera.
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