New camara question

Looking to purchase a new camara in the $240.00 range and came across a
FUJIFILM S 2000 HD. I like the feel and look of the camara. Uses 4-AA batteries not rechargeable. I asking you camara buffs. Is this a good brand, or should I keep looking. Thanks in advance.

Looks like a nice camera. It's similar in size to my Canon S3IS, which, at a couple of years old, is not as whiz-bang as the Fuji. That camera has a lot of features for the money, and looks like it will serve you well. I will note, though, that I almost never pack my "big" Canon when The Fabled GirlfriendÔäó and I travel, as I find her much-smaller Canon (I forget the model) camera to be much, well, smaller.

Fuji cameras used to have a reputation for being pretty rugged. i don;t know if that's still true of the newer digital models, though. You might see if you can get your mits on one locally to see of the controls work well for your hands.

Good luck.

Page 41 of the December '08 issue of Consumer Reports has Fuji rated as the 4th fewest in need of repair out of 12 in the point and shoot category.



Easy

Outdoor use.

For outdoor use I recommend purchasing a digital with a viewfinder. It makes it much easier to locate and compose your photo outdoors, especially when in the mid-day sun. I recently purchased a Sony DSC-W150 and find it a great all around small camera as well as a good outdoor camera with a viewfinder for use in bright sunlight.

jamesdunn said:

For outdoor use I recommend purchasing a digital with a viewfinder.

Click to expand...

+1

My last camera, I wanted to be AA in order to standardize batteries for camera, mini mag light, etc. My current camera is lithium recharge. The batteries are lighter, smaller, and last much longer than the AA's. I can easily go a week without recharging.
It's a casio, but there are many other Li battery cameras out there.

There are many great cameras in that price range. That is, understanding it is still a compact point and shoot. Personally, in that price range I would recommend going with Canon. I shoot Nikon for all my DSLR photography (after years of Canon) but stick with Canon for the digital point n shoots.

If you check the data on Flickr you will see Canon leads in the most popular brands.

Also, try this site for any research and review you like. It's one of my favorites:

www.dpreview.com

I really like the lithium ion rechargeable batteries most cameras come with these days. As already mentioned they will last and last. When I buy a P&S I always pick up one extra battery. Seldom need it, but then I don't have to pack a charger except for really long trips.

A camera that can use AA or even AAA batteries is a real plus. Rechargeables do a fine job early in life but can leave your camera dead in the water at the worse times. When that happens it is a relief to know that any drugstore or grocery can bail you out with batteries off the shelf.

Re: batteries.

When I first started buying P+S digital cameras way back I used to buy one rechargeable battery pack as the main and then buy a second one to keep charged. At the time this ran about 90 bucks worth of batteries. However, after years shooting press/sports photography it was ingrained in me to always have more batteries than you think you need.

In hindsight, I've wasted money on these batteries. The best example of a waste was losing the spare battery on a beach somewhere because it fell out of the little spare battery pocket on the camera case. Bah.

The new rechargeables are definitely worth it. Forget about worrying about running out of batteries and needing a corner store to help you out. The new battery packs are usually smaller and lighter than the AA option.

All you need to do is make sure your camera is charged. Going out for the day? Charge your battery the night before. The newer ones don't develop the dreaded memory of NiCad batteries of yesteryear. Wondering what the charge level is? Just throw the battery on the charger an hour before you head out. Travelling overnight or longer? Toss the charger (very small) into your bag and charge up each night.

I've adopted this method and have NEVER run out of battery. Yeah, never say never. It just takes a small amount of discipline and I do mean small. About as much discipline as remembering to tie your shoes when you put them on. The advantages of these little batteries far outweigh the AA options.

Conclusion: don't worry about the battery or see it as a detriment. The AA option is not really a concern. Frankly, I would never get a P+S with AA power. Get the camera that works best for you and your budget.

FWIW, and will all due respect to my fellow members, I think AA/AAA batteries and viewfinders are overrated, as evinced by the few cameras that still offer than as an option. I've never used or needed either and have shot tens of thousands of digital images, many on motorcycle trips.

I would second the suggestion to consider looking at Canon's offerings. Having said that, I think Fuji makes a fine product. If you have a good feeling about the camera, it will probably serve you well.

Good luck.

Thank you all. I went with the fujifilm camara. There were many good arguements on both sides. The cannon I looked at was very nice, and my second choice. What swayed me most was the AA batteries. I will be posting soon. Thanks again.

Let's hope you post with some pics from that Fuji camera (even if it did use AAs )

I considered the lens when I bought my Sony Cybershot 5.1 MP with a Carl Zeiss lens and it seems to have provided some difficult to find longevity in a digital product. Comparing shots with more MP's but a lesser lens, it holds it's own. A camera with a better lens is usually priced above the manufacturer’s other offerings and may be a little more than you are looking to spend, but, I've used this thing for over 5 years. Might be worth and extra $50 or so.

Also, +1 on at least 2 sets of rechargeables.

Check out the Refurbished Kodaks on Kodak.com some even come with Carl Zeiss lens Good prices on good cameras and there are some for <100.00 so no worries if damaged.

Try a Panasonic TZ5

I have one of these:This little baby shoots astounding shots!!!!!
I cannot speak highly enough of it.Consumer reports did not rate it as highly as others...They can shove it as far as I am concerned.Case in point,they rated the Samsung A560 1080p 40"LCD as the best of the best for TV's.I bought it,had it for 3 days and took it back.Mediocer picture,and horrible sound.Not worth a fraction of the $1000 I paid for it.

Send me a PM if you want to see pics from it in Maui HI.Great little camera!!!!

Perry

I purchased the FujiFilm-2000 and here are some pictures. I'm still reading up on it. Over a hundred pages and the camara has so many functions.

.

Pretty cool, with the pictures in my documents, I can magnify to where the license plate takes the whole screen and not loose to much resolution.

It's been a year since I purchased my FujiFilm camara. I've posted well over a hundred photo's on this forum. I am glad that I went with a camara that uses AA Batteries instead of a rechargable. I can take many photo's on a set, if I do not use the flash to much, and a few times while camping, I just pop in a new set. All in all I'm very happy with my choice. Later