Easy peesy pictures.
 May 19th, 2005
Advantages:
Very easy to use, lightweight and reliable
Disadvantages:
None really, having to set time, date when changing batteries .
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Picture Quality
Range & Quality of Features
Ease of Use
Durability
Overall Look & Design
Value for Money
more
  craggsy23
About me:
Never seem to get enough hours in the day at the moment, will be back sometime.
Member since:24.04.2005
Reviews:41
Members who trust:20
Review rated by 33 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
This review received a counterstatement by a party concerned
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As my old camera, a Sony had broken, I decided against spending £60 minimum on a repair and instead decided to upgrade my camera and get a better one with more pixels. After taking advice from a helpful sales assistant in Jessops, I decided that the Fujifilm A210 was within my price range and would suit my needs perfectly. Cost:
I bought the camera in May 2004 at a cost of £129.00. Inside the box was a leaflet from Jessops offering their repair protection plan. The cost for a 3 year repair protection plan for digital cameras whether new or old was £30. I decided against this though as I felt it was unnecessary. If it breaks down, it can be as good to spend the money on newer technology products instead.
My Fujifilm A210 digital camera: It is very light and comfortable, weighing only 175 gms. One hand size I call it. Upon opening the box, I found the camera, a 16MB XD picture card, wrist strap, 2 x LR6 AA alakaline batteries, special video cable, cradle adaptor and the USB interface set, which includes the CD rom and USB cable.
There was also the owner's manual and a quick start guide. I was advised with my first camera that using rechargeable batteries would be more efficient, so having got 2 batteries charges, I am ready for off.
Quick start guide: The
quick start guide shows a clear picture of the camera detailing each part of the camera. It goes through each step clearly showing loading the batteries, setting up the camera, how to insert the XD picture card correctly, taking and viewing pictures.
On the reverse side is instructions for viewing images on your PC.
It firstly explains how to install the software, then how to connect your camera to your PC. The instructions are first for windows 98/98SE/ME/2000 and then slightly different instructions for windows XP.
It then goes on to explain how to save and view images.
I found this quick start guide really easy to use and invaluable in the first week or so. I could do all the functions that you will use everyday, very quickly, without having to first study the more in depth owner's manual. First Use or Change of Batteries:
When you first ever turn on the camera or when you have changed the batteries, it as you to set the date. You can do this by following the on screen instructions and is very simple. If you are a bit lazy like me and can't always be bothered, you can opt to ignore by pressing the back button and your camera will then continue without having to set the time and date. Taking Pictures:
You are able to take pictures in 3 different settings of pixels. You can use the maximum 3 million pixels, or change down to 2m, 1m, or 0.3 million pixels.
Assuming that you only have or are using the 16MB XD picture card, the camera will take the following no of pictures with the different pixel options.
3 million
..19 pictures
2 million
..25 pictures
1 million
...33 pictures
0.3 million
...
122 pictures
I have since purchased a 128 MB XD picture card and with the setting on 3 million pixel, I can take 162 pictures before the card is full. You can either look through the small traditional square peep hole to take your pictures or use the much easier screen or monitor. It is a LCD monitor, 1.5" TFT (60,000 pixels) and can be turned off if desired to save battery power.
There are 3 different flash options, a red eye reduction option and the option to use AUTO which will work out if the flash is required or not for itself.
There is also a MACRO option for taking close up photography pictures.
There is a self timer option which is incredibly easy to use. When set, you see a counter from 10 down to 0 before the camera takes the picture allowing you time to get in on the act. When the picture is taken, the camera reverts back to normal usage. Viewing Pictures:
After turning the dial to the centre setting, the last picture you took is the one displayed. You can now view the others in forward or reverse order by pressing the right/left keys to move through all the pictures. You are also able to adjust your pictures on the camera from here. By pressing the zoom in button, you are able to crop your picture and then re-record the new version. When you do re-record the cropped picture, you will notice that the picture has reduced in pixels, but you are always asked if you wish to continue before actually recording the new cropped image. You are also able to move your cropped picture about to re-align the centre getting the image you want in the centre of the frame.
If you want to delete your picture, press the menu button and you are given 3 options : - delete all frames, delete this frame or back to cancel and exit out of the menu options. From here you are also able to move through other menu options including altering the LCD screen brightness, protecting pictures to stop accidental deletion, and DPOF (print options). You are also able to adjust the basic set up options.
More Advanced options: I haven't either felt the need to adjust any of these or I simply don't understand them but here is what else you can basically adjust:-
EV or Exposure compensation
White Balance.
You can also adjust the LCD monitor's brightness.
Movie Mode: You can use this camera to take short ( 60 seconds at the best setting) movies which are transferable to your tv, pc or disc.
In the shooting movies mode, you are able to alter the settings if desired adjust the quality to allow for longer recording time.
Pictures: I have to say, I no longer try to print my own pictures, I usually go to either Boots or Jessops and take my picture card where they print the pictures for me at a cost less than I was spending on ink and paper. I have also found that the pictures are far superior in quality to the ones I was printing in the beginning. Unless you have a really good printer, I would advise this as the best option for getting pictures from your camera.
The main use of my computer as far as my camera, is for storing the images I transfer onto a CD-R disc. I do store some images on my computer which are mainly for my children's sake. I have my screen saver set with a sort of slide show using my stored pictures and also the wall paper on my desktop on monitor. My daughter also uses the pictures occasionally to put into cards for friends and family, bless her, (if only she was paying for the ink to print them all.!!) As the images are in file format JPEG, I find them really easy to work with. The software that came with the camera is easy to use and was easily installed using the quick start guide. I do also use other programs for my pictures as well but I think that the Fujifilm software is easy enough to use.
The biggest use I have from this camera is when I am listing an item on ebay. I take the picture usually at 2 million pixels and then connect my camera to the computer. Without having to save, amend or otherwise, I am able to upload the picture immediately to ebay and when the finished, can disconnect my camera, delete the picture and I'm finished, easy. I have found this camera really easy to use, even my 7 year old daughter can take great pictures with it. If they aren't that great, no problem, when she's not looking, simply delete them off again.
I can't think of anything I don't like about this camera. Perhaps if you didn't have to set the date, year etc each time you changed the batteries, it would be better, but it's nothing really.
These cameras are now getting replaced with even better technology. You can find these cameras second hand in the high street, on ebay and other online places for a lot less than I paid for it. Would I recommend it? Yes I would. If you are looking for a good quality camera that is easy to use, (I won't say idiot proof, but nearly) at a reasonable price that will give you some great pictures, then this may be the camera for you.
Technical Details: Effective pixels - 3.2 million
CCD - ½ . 7 inch 3.4 million square pixels.
LCD screen - 1.5" TFT (60,000 pixels)
File Format - JPEG - Movies - AVI
Lens - Fujinon 3 x Optical zoom lens F3 to F4.8
Focus - Auto focus Normal - 80 cm to infinity
Macro - Approx 10 cm to 1.0 m
Flash - Automatic 3.5 m
Video Output - NTSC/PAL selectable.
Storage Media - XD Picture card
System Requirements: *Factory installed USB port is required.
IBM PC/AT compatible computer
CPU Pentium, 200 MHz or higher
Windows 98/98SE/ 2000/ ME / XP
RAM of 64 MB or more - Windows XP - 128MB of more
140 MB of free hard disk space
CD ROM drive Thanks for taking the time to read this, and good luck if you decide to give it a go. Once you've tried digital cameras, you won't ever want to go back to an old fashioned point and click camera.
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![Fuji FinePix A210 Digital Camera [3MP 3xOptical]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/75185387.jpg)
by (15%):
28.07.2005 01:17
Great detail and thorough!
26.06.2005 22:42
I have a later incarnation of this and it is a great pice of kit..Baz x
13.06.2005 20:19
Great Op~ Rob