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Photo Finish
Digital cameras are the latest thing, but is it time to put away your film?
Steve Morgenstern
From the Print Edition:
Raquel Welch, Jul/Aug 01
(continued from page 5)
This 6.1-megapixel camera is a photographic power tool offering sophistication you won't find elsewhere. It can nail five frames in a row at 1.5-second intervals, provides five different exposure modes, eight white-balance settings and even a histogram display (which the pros use to monitor exposure). But all that doesn't mean you have to be Ansel Adams to enjoy using the camera -- the automatic focus and exposure work flawlessly, making it easy to point and shoot at will. There's even a built-in flash for indoor snapshots. The menu system, including both a slim backlit LCD panel and a brilliant 2-inch screen, is surprisingly easy to maneuver considering the range of options at your disposal. And Fuji recently made the FinePix S1 Pro a significantly better value by bundling a 1-gigabyte IBM Microdrive with the camera (valued at about $500), letting you take more than 900 high-resolution digital images without reloading.
$2,999, www.fujifilm.com, 1-800-800-3854
Kodak DC4800
The value leader among 3.1-megapixel cameras, this Kodak model offers a 3x zoom lens (equivalent to a 28-84mm lens on a 35mm SLR) in a compact, comfortable body. Instead of concentrating on professional-level, photo-tweaking features, Kodak stresses practical controls any user will appreciate. For example, you can immediately erase a disappointing shot with just two quick button presses. I especially like the settings that let you switch between normal and saturated color mode (like switching between Kodachrome and Ektachrome film) and, for black-and-white photography, settings that mimic the effect of red and yellow filters. Kodak's done a nice job with the little touches on this camera, too. For example, the motorized zoom lens moves quickly and responsively. The inclusion of a 16-megabyte card instead of the typical 8 megs is another nice touch.
All told, the DC4800 is a pleasure to use, and a lot of camera for the money.
$599, www.kodak.com, 1-800-235-6325
Steve Morgenstern writes on technology issues.
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