The Fuji FinePix 2400 looks and handles like a traditional compact camera, but despite its unpretentious looks, the camera conceals two extremely interesting facilities. The first is its 2.11 megapixel CCD – which means that the 1600×1200 resolution pictures are at least good enough for full-size A4 blow-ups. What’s less obvious from the outside, is the camera’s impressive zoom lens. Get the camera ready for action, by sliding across the panel at the front, and a 3x zoom lens telescopes outwards. The combination of these two principal features marks this camera as something of a bargain at its guide price.
The simple design means that the camera is easy to use. There’s no information panel, so all settings are displayed on the LCD screen. The on-screen information can be seen without the distraction of the image or it can be superimposed. The display, measuring 1.6inches diagonally, is smaller than most.
Using the buttons around the screen you can choose between full auto or manual. But in manual you get a bare minimum of overrides. You can set exposure compensation and make a choice from a good selection of white balance presets, but little else. There’s no way to set the focus manually other than the combined focus and exposure lock and there are no program modes, let alone creative control over aperture and shutter speed. A slow-sync flash setting is available and the flash is activated automatically.
The maximum resolution is 1600×1200 and at the least-compressed of the three JPEG options you can squeeze ten images onto the supplied 8Mb SmartMedia card.
Power is supplied by four AA batteries, which means the camera can keep going for longer than models with a smaller and lighter source. The downside is it makes the camera heavier and costs more to run so a sensible investment for anyone buying this camera would be a set of rechargeable cells and charger. The only connector supplied is a USB cable, which again would mean extra expense if you have a computer that does not have this interface.
Despite minimal creative controls the FinePix 2400 produces great pictures. Although not as detailed as some of the results gained from more expensive cameras with more pixels, this basic model still gives extremely sharp and well-detailed shots, and the zoom ensures you get in close enough not to waste pixels.
Test images
PROS
- Easy to use
- 3x zoom
- Price
CONS
- No manual focus
- Minimal exposure control
- Small LCD screen
Test by Chris George