Overview
The Fuji Finepix A120 is an entry level digital camera. It has three megapixels, but it doesn't have an optical zoom lens. As far as digital cameras go the Fuji Finepix A120 is about the easiest one to use that I tested so far.
It really is a case of opening the box, loading the batteries and memory card and you are ready to take your first pictures. The camera is clearly aimed at anyone looking for a digital camera that will take all the usual holiday snaps and pictures at various social functions such as weddings, parties and family gatherings.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
3
0x
1.5 inches
101.5x50.8x41.5mm
120g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
9cm
No
No
AA
xD Picture
Image Quality
The image quality is very good indeed for a digital camera that costs so little. It's not perfect, but then it would be unfair to expect the Fuji Finepix A120 to be so. Outdoor pictures on bright sunny days come out fine. Colours are reproduced accurately. The probability is that it under these conditions that the camera is likely to be used more often than not.
Not surprisingly the Fuji Finepix A120 does struggle once the light gets poor, especially indoors. It does have a built in flash unit, but with a range of three meters it is not going to illuminate a very large area.
Close up or macro shots were also of a good standard.
Features
Although the Fuji Finepix A120 doesn't have an optical zoom lens it does have a digital zoom facility that can zoom in up to three times. The difference between optical zoom and digital zoom is that using digital zoom can have a slight impact on the overall quality of the image.
The built in flash unit has a range of three meters. You can set the flash to always fire, always be off, let the camera decide whether or not it is required or set it to slow synchro (thi sis often used at night for when you want both the subject and background illuminated). Red eye reduction is also available.
For composing pictures with the Fuji Finepix A120 there is a 1.5" LCD screen. You can also use the viewfinder. The LCD can be used to review images on too. The Fuji Finepix A120 connects to both computers and television sets for you the view your images on larger screen.
Short movies can be recorded. These are recorded at the rate of ten frames per second. Up to four minutes of footage can be shot.
When you want to be in the picture there is a self timer with a ten second delay. For close up or macro photography you can get in as close as nine centimeters.
To make printing a little more straightforward the Fuji Finepix A120 is PictBridge compatible. This means that you can connect it directly to a PictBridge compatible printer and run off prints without the need for a computer.
Once you get to know your camera a little better you can also adjust the white balance. This helps you to take better photos in different lighting conditions.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is what this camera is all about. It is ideal for anyone who is looking for a camera that is easy to operate and you don't have to spend time with the manual before you can get up and running.
There are not many menus that you need to get to grips with, but those that there are (the self timer for example) are easy to use.
Cost
You can pick up a Fuji Finepix A120 for a little over £80. It is one of the cheapest digital cameras that you can find from one of the major manufacturers.
Style
The Fuji Finepix A120 looks like a traditional 35mm point and shoot camera. It is a little too large to slip easily into a shirt pocket, but it is pretty easy to carry around with you.
Batteries / Memory Cards
Power is supplied to the Fuji Finepix A120 by two AA batteries. The good news about cameras that use this type of battery is that you can buy replacements just about anywhere when they run out. If you are planning to use your camera on a regular basis I would recommend that you consider buying a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger. It will save you money in the long term.
Images are stored by the Fuji Finepix A120 on xD Picture cards. A 16mb card is supplied with the camera. This will soon fill up, especially of you are shooting movies. Therefore you are strongly advised to buy a high capacity card along with your camera.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an easy to use digital camera that is at the lower end of the market in terms of price then the Fuji Finepix A120 is certainly well worth your consideration. You won't find many cameras that are as easy to use as this one and you won't find many at a lower price.
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Canon Powershot A4000 IS Rating 84/100
You get quite a lot for your money with the Canon Powershot A4000 IS. If you only plan to make small sized prints or share your photos on the Internet you may not see a great deal of difference between the photos taken with this camera and those taken with other models available at around the same price. What you might notice is that the pictures have a touch more clarity. This is likely to become more evident if you make larger prints. To sum up, if you are looking for a handy compact camera, at a reasonable price, that can cope very well with most photo opportunities this camera is hard to beat.
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Panasonic DMC S5 Rating 84/100
If you are looking for a cheap pocket sized digital camera it is difficult to find one offering better picture quality than the Panasonic Lumix DMC S5. It is such a small camera and very easy to use. It is almost the ideal snapshot camera if you do not want to spend a great deal of money.
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Panasonic DMC S3 Rating 84/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC S3 is an excellent value for money pocket camera. It is very hard to beat when compared alongside its direct rivals. Picture quality and features have an edge over many of its competitors while the rapid response times are also a big plus point. If you are looking for a cheaper compact digital camera then you can’t go far wrong with the Lumix DMC S3.
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Related Pages
Fuji Finepix A120 Review Fuji Finepix A120 Specification Fuji Finepix A120 Sample Images Fuji Digital Cameras
