Fujifilm FinePix F601 Zoom
Digital Travel Camera
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LEFT: The F601 Zoom has an optional cradle that charges the battery, transfers images to your computer, connects to a TV, and lets you use the camera as a Webcam.

The camera

Shape. Let's start by eliminating one common misconception: The FinePix F601 Zoom's vertical profile isn't just a fashion statement, and the camera's shape makes sense whether you're taking pictures on the Faubourg St-Honoré or Uncle Zeke's back 40.

By adopting a higher-than-wide shape, Porsche Design cured one of the most annoying shortcomings of small cameras: the difficulty of holding the camera steady during exposure. The F601's vertical case is tall enough so that three fingers can wrap around the camera's body and grip it securely while your index finger rests on the shutter. Your thumb stays on the back, where it can easily operate the on-off switch, the multifunction 4-way control button, and the record-play switch.

In effect, the camera becomes an extension of your arm, reducing camera shake and preventing blurred photos. You can even grip your wrist beneath the camera with your free hand, holding both arms firmly against your torso to create a "bipod."

Construction. The FinePix F601 Zoom feels solid, with a satin-finished body of metal alloy. The flash and lens are retracted into the camera when they aren't in use, and a metal door protects the lens. Even the flip-up door for the lithium-ion battery and SmartMedia memory card looks sturdier than the doors on many cameras.

Accessories. The standard camera kit includes a USB cable, a battery, a 16Mb SmartMedia card, a wrist strap, and a small multivoltage AC adapter with prongs that fold flat for packing. A CD-ROM with FinePix software for Windows or Macintosh is also in the box.

An optional (and inexpensive) cradle lets you charge the camera and download images automatically. You can hook the cradle up to a TV set for viewing images or--with Windows--turn the camera into a Webcam.

Fujifilm also sells a leather belt case for the F601, and I'd recommend buying at least two 128Mb SmartMedia cards. (The included 16Mb card has very little storage capacity; use it as an emergency "reserve tank" when your other cards are full.)

Page 3 - How it works

Photo copyright © Fujifilm. Used by permission.

 

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