Film Reviews

For the price, this is a huge step up from my former digicam. I found out about fuji finepix when i was visiting the site: http://megan.scatterbrain.org/notmartha/index.html the photos on that site look like they are taken with a 3,000 dollar camera but they're not, they're taken by a finepix so i bought this one. While i believe LIGHTING IS EVERYTHING in photography, I just can't believe the quality of photos this camera takes, whatever the lighting situation. It's SUPER easy to use and I can use smartcards (which are cheaper than those new type of cards) I love the way you turn it on-- sliding the bar with the little lights on it in the front) It's very tiny! people are amazed how small it is when i bring it out. It's smaller than it looks in the picture. The battery lasts forever and you can charge it in 3 hours by just plugging it into the ac adapter which is SIMPLE!!! USB cable is SIMPLE and i use XP's picture wizard that comes up automatically when i plug the camera in. I've taken some very high fashion shots during a photoshoot with my brother and they came out nearly as good as his nikon which is worth thousands. and i didn't even have the luxury of the flashing light boxes. Overall I'm VERY happy about this camera it was an excellent investment and I did lotsa research at steve's website and decided to go with this one. Soon, I'm going to be posting some cool great pictures that i take with my new camera at my clothing design website curvegirl.com so watch out for that.

I recently purchased the fujifilm F401 camera and I say that my money isn't wasted.

F401 is a compact nice looking piece of work that, for what it is, delivers very good quality pictures. I have printed 24x30 size pictures taken with this camera (setting 4Normal) and they look fine.

I have tested the camera in both outdoors and indoors conditions and it has performed very well. In outdoors conditions I have got excellent results while for indoors although the photos came out nice, I have the impression that the flash is not 100% adequate.

Disadvantages of the camera is that it does not have a focusing illuminator, which makes it impossible to focus in very low light conditions and that it lacks of extensive manual controls which is not usually expected for a camera of this class. When focus fails if the subject is 2-4 meters away the photo comes out ok.

The usb connection and software (finepix viewer) is also well behaved. When the camera is connected with the PC a virtual disk is created on the computer containing the camera photos, like accessing a CD, which makes it easy to use any software you like to see and copy the pictures from camera to PC.

Generally I would rate this camera as 90%.

I have had this camera for almost a year and can't say enough about it. The main point would be the size, it is small enough for me to stick it in a pocket and forget I have it. As a result, I take it to many places I would have never hauled a camera before.

Also, as a digital, I upgraded to a 128M card and can take almost 100 pictures. I have never run the battery out even using the flash extensively. Since I bought it in June 2003, I have taken 2245 pictures! I don't think I took that many pictures my entire life before that. In addition, these pictures are organized on my computer, posted on the web, burned on CDs and sent to parents, and printed using online services at $0.12 ea for 4"x6" prints!

In short, not only do I like the digital aspect, I like the reliability and size of this specific camera. I would recommend it hands down for the people like me, that want more pictures of their friends and family and don't want to spend a fortune on film or carry a cumbersome and delicate camera.

The EOS ELAN 7E is Canon's latest camera to feature their Eye Controlled Focus. Quite simply, Eye Control is the fastest, easiest method of selecting a focus point.

The autofocus tracking speed of the EOS ELAN 7 /7E rivals that of the leading top-of-the-line cameras available today. With a top shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second and fastest in its class 4 fps film advance, the ELAN 7/7E is a prime choice for demanding sports or wildlife photographers. The ELAN 7 and 7E is now smaller and more compact, with controls placed intuitively, in a user-friendly design, for a superior shooting experience. The construction of the camera body is newly reinforced, with strategically placed metal top and front cover plates, for rugged reliability in any environment. And WhisperDrive™ transport brings near silent shooting, when used with Canon's exclusive USM lenses.

I read the previous reviews and agree with most everything. This is a great camera that can be easily used by a beginner but has the features wanted by experienced pros.

The one thing I was disapointed in is that it did not say anywhere, until I already purchased the "E" model and read the manual, that the EYE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK IF YOU WEAR CONATCT LENSES. The "E" model was a waste of money for me due to this and that is the reason I gave this camera 4 out of the 5 stars.

For the record, I have been using this camera for over 2 years now and I shoot mainly nature and people.

The Canon Elan 7E/EOS30 is a fantastic all around camera for beginners/intermediate photographers.

At the time of buying this camera, there was a confusion whether to choose the rebel or the elan 7E. I would very strongly recommend anyone to consider buying the intermediate Elan 7 as compared to the basic rebel. The rebel has a very "plasticky" feel to it and if I remember correctly, there is a single knob to set both the aperture and the shutter speed. Once you move away from shooting it as point and shoot, you will realize that the single knob can get incredibely irritating.

As for the "E" i.e. eye focus, I never really used it too much but am planning to shortly. So you can save some money by getting the Elan 7, if you so wish since the Eye feature is essentially just a gimmick. Now I also wish I had got the date feature, since down the road it might be an useful tool. (say, 40 yrs, from now, you want to know when the picture was taken ;) )

The most wonderful thing about the ELan 7E is that it allows you to grow with it...It offers a whole bunch of features, that I think will take you from a beginning stage (point and shoot) to a more advanced stage (total manual) phase. After shooting over 20 rolls of film and slide, I still find myself reading the manual and noting down some new feature to try out on my next roll.

Small piece of advice for beginners.. I realize now that the money you spend on lenses might be worth almost more than the money you spend on the camera. Coz even the best camera cannot produce a decent picture with a bad lens. I would strongly recommend avoiding the standard lens(28-90mm, I think) that comes bundled with it (even if the total package is cheap). I bought the body separate and then a canon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 lens and I have never regretted the decision. Its a relatively sharp lens at both ends and is always mounted on my camera for shooting almost anything. If you are on a tight budget get the Canon 50 mm 1.8 II which sells in most shops for under $100. I am now slowly saving up for a L series lens.

Besides the usual preset options like portrait,landscape,closeup,sports,night mode,the Elan 7E offers a whole bunch of features that I found really useful. Here are some of them,

1) Depth of field preview button.
2) DEP (depth of field AE) - this really helps if your lens does not have a distance scale (like the 28-105mm). Say for e.g., you need to preset the depth of scale from 0 to infinity, this feature helps you to achieve that effect without the distance scale on your lens.
3) AE lock
4) Exposure compensation - you can set the exposure compensation upto + or - 2 stops in half stop increments and you can do it without taking your eyes of the viewfinder.
5) Auto exposure bracketting - for those really important pictures that you dont want to miss :)
6) bulb exposures - allows you to have as long a exposure as you want. I found this really useful. I hear that some cameras have limitations on how long they can be exposed. (RS - 60E3 shutter release cable is really useful for this)
7) multiple exposures
8) mirror lockup etc etc etc.

The built in flash suffices for all my needs. Lots of people in this website recommend the battery pack, but I would suggest anyone buying this camera to first check it out themselves. I find the grip good enough for me.

All in all, I just love this camera. I have been having great fun for past 2 yrs with it and am confident of having lots more fun for few more years at least and I dont think you will get a better performance for this price...If you have the money, just get it & start shooting !!

Strengths:
1) Solid feel and good looks
2) Enough bells and whistles to keep you curious and interested for quite some time.
3) focussing point selection with seven focussing points (auto or manual)
4) whole bunch of lenses to choose from
5) built in flash
6) Rugged build - have used extensively in real hot weather(AZ) as well as sub zero temperatures (MI)
7)Relatively light and compact.
8)Best price/performance ratio

Weaknesses:
1) I feel an LCD would have been invaluable tool to have during low-lit situations
2)Lack of spot metering - this is one feature I would have loved to use.
3)Auto focus fails to activate when you try to shoot closeups(macros), cloudy landscapes or under low light situations

4) Depth of field preview button is hidden...I have never been able to activate it without taking my eyes off the viewfinder !

I've been using the Finepix 4900 for several months right now and I love the camera's features. I think the one big negative point about this model is the poor battery life. If you use the flash and the LCD display, expect about 40 shots before you get the low battery indicator. I would recommend purchasing a second battery and charger for long trips.

The LCD viewfinder is another problem. The image you get from using the viewfinder isn't very clear in low light situations. My previous digital camera was the Fuji MX-2900 which had an optical viewfinder. If you get a chance to compare an LCD viewfinder to an optical one-you would agree that the optical works better. This also puts another strain on the battery life issue too.

Enough on the negatives. The best part about this camera is the image quality. It's excellent and I love the 6X optical zoom. I would avoid using the digital zoom whenever possible. The lens on this model was the main reason for purchasing this camera.

My partner and I both purchased this camera. It actually produces better resolution (2,400 x 1,800 pixels) than 5.4 MB cameras that cost twice as much. In addition, it has an auto mode that enables my wife to take picutures without the complications of adjusting an SLR. Other features that I like: Electronic View Finder, Auto/Man Focus, Auto/Man/Custom White Balance, Continuous Shooting, 6x optical with 3.75 digital zoom. The resolution is so good, that you can zoom in on the individual pores of a persons face. As a result, it is excellent for medical imaging and I have used it in the operating room with outstanding results. The only thing is that you need either a photo printer or a color laser printer with high resolution to fully appreciate the high quality of these images.

As all of the previous reviewers have stated, the Fuji 4900 is an excellent camera.
Coupled with the Epson Stylus Photo 1280, I have made excellent 16" x 20" prints that look as good or better as film prints.
My Epson Stylus Photo 820 does an excellent job with 8" x 10" prints as well.
The Fuji 4900 is just an excellent camera EXCEPT for the poor battery life. I got tired of the constant need to recharge the NP-80s ( I have 6) so I bought a PowerBank MH-DPB180M battery pack from J&R Electronics and no longer have that problem.

We are constantly amazed at the image quality. It is especially good at macro imaging...it does a little less well in low light...would suggest using tripod for low-light situations.

The size is perfect. When the power is off, it is just a small steel box that fits perfectly in my pocket. There are no worries about scratching the lens or a knob breaking off. GREAT DESIGN!

The pics that we have printed onto paper are truly picture perfect. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a camera that trvels well and has unlimited possibilities!

Our favorite features:
BLACK AND WHITE!
Multiple exposure!
Macro...extreme close ups show amazing detail!
Smart Media (we have three 64 MB cards and can take about 300 photos without downloading to the computer.)
PRICE!

PROS:
This camera has worked as anticipated. With all the buttons and the sliding lens cover, the manual does note that it is extremely sensitive to sand--not a beach camera.

The original battery is still working. I ordered a second one from [store] and it is already weaker than the original. Get original batteries, even if they cost more.

The compact size is definitely a plus. Less conspicuous and it will even fit in a shirt pocket. (a little tightly)

I think it's been dropped a few times with no noticable decrease in performance.

I have a 64Mb and 128Mb in addition to the 16Mb card that was included with the camera and haven't run out of disk space on an outing yet--even on highest resolution.

CONS:
Due to the small lens size, pictures taken at closer ranges (4 feet or less) can be very slightly bowed, or bulge in the middle, as noted when a photo has lots of horizontal lines. This can distort portraits.

Wish I could get closer to images

I bought a FinePix 4800Zoom as a customer return at a local computer store. I feel I got a fabulous bargain!

The feel of the camera is solid and the metal skin really makes it look elegant. I've seen a lot of silver-painted cameras that just look cheap compared to the 4800. The vertical form factor is a bit strange, but it works out very nicely - not a bit awkward and equally easy to operate for small and larger hands.

The image quality really does live up to the 4.3 megapixel claim. It stays crystal clear when blown up several times on the computer screen. 4x6 prints on my HP 952c with premium glossy paper are beautiful. The color rendition is as good as Kodak film, no, actually, I think it is better. Most of my Kodak film printed at Sam's club comes back with very exaggerated reds. The 4800 gives a more balanced, believable color pallette.

The FinePix 4800Zoom has a full array of well thought out features. The cradle arrangement is really convenient. I just open a tiny sliding cover on the bottom, drop the camera into the cradle and punch the power button. Presto! My iMac fires up its own camera software and asks me if I want to download all or some of the pictures. Then it does it all for me. Sweet! The cradle is also the battery charger.

I don't know what is happening to the customer from San Jose, but I certainly get razor sharp, gorgeous pictures with this camera. He/She may be having difficulty with the way the shutter release works. You have to push it and hold it for second, holding the camera still all the while. The picture is actually taken after the initial push. This caused me a little confusion at first. My first shots were sort of out of whack. Once I got the hang of the push-and-hold technique, everything came together nicely.

All in all, I am totally satisfied with the Fujifilm FinePix 4800Zoom. Highly recommended!

I have been looking at this camera for the past few days and then today I look and the price went up $17, that's lame.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that comes with this camera is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to just this one choice. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that usually comes with this camera is an o.k. place to start, but I would recommend getting the Sigma 28-200 Compact Hyperzoom Lens instead---lightweight, good focal range, better construction than the comsumer grade lenses that are usually packaged with this camera. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I have been looking at this camera for the past few days and then today I look and the price went up $17, that's lame.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that comes with this camera is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to just this one choice. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that usually comes with this camera is an o.k. place to start, but I would recommend getting the Sigma 28-200 Compact Hyperzoom Lens instead---lightweight, good focal range, better construction than the comsumer grade lenses that are usually packaged with this camera. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I have been looking at this camera for the past few days and then today I look and the price went up $17, that's lame.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that comes with this camera is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to just this one choice. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that usually comes with this camera is an o.k. place to start, but I would recommend getting the Sigma 28-200 Compact Hyperzoom Lens instead---lightweight, good focal range, better construction than the comsumer grade lenses that are usually packaged with this camera. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I have been looking at this camera for the past few days and then today I look and the price went up $17, that's lame.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that comes with this camera is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to just this one choice. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that usually comes with this camera is an o.k. place to start, but I would recommend getting the Sigma 28-200 Compact Hyperzoom Lens instead---lightweight, good focal range, better construction than the comsumer grade lenses that are usually packaged with this camera. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

i'm in the process of trying to return this camera. This has got to be the worst digi camera available. I haven't been able to get one clear picture indoors or outdoors. There is a delay from when you take the picture until it's actually taken so you'll miss everything. Horrible quality. I can't the get software to work on my mac. All around terrible. Even Fuji can't figure out what the problem is with this horrid camera. Save your money and stay away from this crap.

My husband bought me this camera for Christmas 2003 after I could no longer live with my old Olympus D520 digital camera. Over the years I've settled on features in digital cameras that work for my needs, and this one meets them all. The breakdown:

Pros:
* Sturdy. Early after getting this camera, my cat had a run-in with it where the strap got hooked around his neck, something spooked him and he took off, camera crashing around behind him. I'm pleased to say that both cat and camera lived, and neither were damaged in any way. Hat's off to Fujifilm for making an indestructable digicam!
* Picture quality is excellent. I need a camera with a hefty optical zoom and this one has it. Recently I was able to capture a photo of my friend recieving her diploma... From high up in the bleachers and over 500 feet away from her! The picture is crystal clear, too!
* Good with all lighting conditions. Daylight, low-light, indoor, outdoor, this camera performs well under all conditions.
* Fast recovery period between snap shots. There is between a 2-3 second recovery period between pictures, which is nice. It insures that you're able to get a series of photos fired off in a quick succession, which is great if you're taking pictures of people in action.
* Easy to transfer photos from the camera to my computer. I use a Mac, and this camera works flawlessly with it. The software is basic... I don't use it for major picture editing (that's what Photoshop is for), but the software package will crop and resize, orient, etc.
* Print quality is excellent. I can upload my photos via the net to my photo processing store and they print them out using a high-quality printer on photo paper for 11 cents a print. The prints from this camera are crystal clear and look indistinguishable from ones taken with a film camera.

Cons:
* Size. I thought at first that I wouldn't mind the size of the S3000, but after having had it for several months, I'm starting to bring my crappy Olympus with me places where I don't have the space to haul around a clunky camera. Even though it's a fabulous point-and-shoot camera that comes through time and time again, it's quite a bit bigger than most point-and-shoot digicams which can make it a little awkward to lug around.
* Battery life stinks. The one good thing I can say about my Olympus D520 is that it has great battery life, and this is one area where the S3000 just doesn't impress me. It takes 4 AA batteries and sucks them dry in no time, despite supposedly being more efficient than the previous version.

All in all, I'd have to say that the pros far outweigh the cons with this camera. If you're looking for a sturdy digicam with tons of optical zoom and great print resolution, you can't go wrong with the A3000!

I wouldn't pay so much attention to the first person's review seeing as how that person is rating a digital camera's score based on its video functions.

So, most of you who are shopping for this camera probably are purchasing it as a first time camera (like I did) or possibly a gift for someone else. I've been overly impressed with this camera. It has a very nice macro lens (and mode) that's user friendly. I can easily focus on subjects only 2.5" from my lens. It's great for artistic purposes or if you just need to get the camera close to the subject matter.

I chose this camera over others because it offered a 6x optical zoom which is easily out of the effective range of the flash. This digital camera (like almost all) depends on the flash to maintain focus for the majority of its images. For in-focus distance images (not scenery shots), say like a graduation, you'll need a tripod to obtain images with excellent clarity. Since the flash will be out of range, you'll have to turn it off, but the camera needs to be incredibly still in order to obtain perfect images.

With that said, the camera can do action shots. I'm not too sure why the other person couldn't obtain shots without them being blurred, but I was able to capture images of my friends practicing kickboxing with no motion blur (which even surprised me). Those images were obtained using the flash. Not only that, but I've taken pictures while driving in my car and I captured an image of a van I was driving by and scenery on the side. Doing 70mph pass the trees on the side of the road and getting almost no motion blur, I have trouble seeing as how the reviewer couldn't get pictures of his children running around.

Clarity on images is excellent and grain is almost nonexistent. The camera offers many modes including sports, continuous (two consecutive shots only), night (good night time color, but needs a tripod for sure), landscape (beautiful pictures), portait, and a few others.

This is definitely a good starter camera, and like all cameras to effectively utilize all of the options available, you have to just learn how to use the camera for whatever situation needed. My biggest complaint would have to go to the slow focusing/charging modes. It makes it hard to capture moments when you're having to focus the subject first. However, most cameras I've played with in this price range do not offer much faster, if at all, focus speeds. It's the only camera I've seen with a 6x optical zoom (which is what you want, no digital zoom) under $300, and it also has an adapter ring if you'd ever like to upgrade your range.

As far as the software, it's not anything spectacular but it worked for me. Also, it's easy to use for those not too familiar with computers (slideshows, cd burning, etc.). I'm running on Windows 98, and my computer recognized the camera as a massive storage device as well; however, if you follow the installation process correctly, the software should correct that problem (the manual advises not to connect the camera prior to installing the software).

This film is really good quality, you get crisp and colorful photos in an instant.

However, As many other people have stated, it isn't really worth the extra money for the "sticky" aspect of this film. Save some money and use it to buy more of the regular i-Zone film.

I'm an i-Zone addict. I own three different i-Zone cameras and have taken literally hundreds of i-Zone pictures. But while I'm a big fan of the convenience, size and fun associated with them, I'm not thrilled with the price of the sticky film.

The average price for a 3-pack (which is more economical than the 12-exposure single pack), depends on where you purchase your film and if it's on sale. Typically, the 3-pack will run more. But this price tends to go higher for the sticky film, which I don't think is worth the extra cost. And if you use your i-Zone camera as much as me, then the added cost will really multiply quickly.

The main difference between the two kinds of films is that the sticky film displays a tacky-colored border around it and includes an adhesive-backing, which isn't all that strong. I agree with one of the previous reviewers to save the extra money and manually use tape with the regular 3-pack film.

I'm a serious fan of the i-zone and have been since it was invented, despite it being aimed at people at least fifteen years younger than me, and one of the great things about the pictures it takes is that you can stick them to things. Letters. Postcards. Journals. Foreheads. The sticky film makes this so much easier.

Note that you'll need scissors or a pocket knife to cut off the sides of the film - tearing it by hand is not that easy.