Review of the FujiFilm FinePix A700 Digital Camera

I received the Fujifilm FinePix A700 on Christmas 2006 from my husband. He was replacing the FujiFilm FinePix A200 that was over 4 years old and just not performing well for my needs. I have a jewelry website and the A200 was taking blurry pictures and not showing the detail needed to showcase jewelry. I was hoping that the new camera would be just what I needed. The Fujifilm brand of digital cameras were given high marks in all categories by Consumer Reports Magazine and I was happy with the performance and reliability of the A200 over the years I owned it. The price for the FinePix A700 was under $150.00 which made it a great deal, too. I'm not a professional photographer, or an expert on digital cameras, so I'm writing this review in layman's terms.

The FinePix A700 comes equipped with 7.3 mega pixels, great for clear pictures and great detail. It has 18.9X total zoom which breaks down to 3X optical/6.3X digital, another great feature for enhancing detail. There is a 2.4 inch LCD monitor, which is larger than most. A larger monitor allows for better viewing and makes it easy to take pictures of groups of people or landscapes. The camera measures 3.5" across, 2.25" top to bottom and is 1" deep. It weighs a mere 7 ounces including the batteries.

The camera came with an owner's manual, 2 AA batteries, software disc, AV cables and a USB cable. When I first opened the box I immediately started reading the directions and downloading the software. I was surprised to find that the xD-picture card was not included. My first Fujifilm camera included a picture card, and I had expected this camera to be the same. The manual for this new A700 said it wasn't necessary because the camera had "internal memory" that could store images without a card. That is an overstatement. Yes, it can take pictures without the card--approximately 10. At that point you need to download them into your computer and erase what's in the camera. If you plan on purchasing this camera, make sure you get an xD-picture card at the same time so you're not disappointed like I was.

The owner's manual measures 1/4' thick, but if you're planning on using it solely as a camera you probably won't even need to read the instructions. All the buttons are clearly marked on the camera, so you know what's power, what's menu and which button to push to take the picture. It's pretty much point, focus and click. Start by selecting the photography mode: Auto, portrait, landscape, sport, night or manual. Then choose macro (for close up) or flash (used in dark or back lit locations). At that point it's time to take the picture.

Downloading the images to your computer couldn't be easier. Just plug the camera into the USB cable and turn the camera on. It will open a window and take you step by step until all pictures are downloaded. Turn off the camera, unplug it and you're done. The software then allows you to magnify, crop, rotate and much, much more. I've spent hours just playing around with the different options it offers to change and enhance your photographs. You can have professional results using the FinePix software whether you print pictures yourself, email them to your family and friends or to your local store to have them professionally printed.

The Fujifilm FinePix A700 is so much more that a digital camera. It's also a movie camera with a 30 second voice memo. This allows you to shoot a scene while talking into the internal microphone. The AV cables that were included in the box allow you to connect to a TV where the pictures or movie images you took can now be displayed on a wider screen. Everything this camera does is explained in easy to understand detail in the owner's manual.

On a scale from 1 to 10, this camera is a 10. It's easy to use, takes excellent pictures and was a bargain at $139.99. What could be better?