Fujifilm FinePix Z1

I have only had the Finepix Z1 for about three weeks. I am a diehard Nikon user wtih my present Nikon D100 and a D200 on order. This little guy and I mean little fits in my pocket so I have a 5 megapixel camera with me at all times. It is not a Nikon D100 but this little guy does the job for what I had intended and that was having something with me at all times. All in all, I am very pleased with the camera.

I love the 5.1 megapixels and the fantastic LCD view finder. The flash is very adequate and totally functional with very simple push button controls from off to red eye. The cover slips off to the side to turn the unit on (on is very quick) and expose the lens. The lens is a 3X optical but does not extend out from the camera body. All telephoto work is done internally making it extremely good for damaging the lens or extention tubes which it has none. I find the controls very simple to use but small but not at all impossible to use. ISO settings are easily adjusted by pushing a single button and selecting not only ISO but picture quality itself and special features such as Black and White or sepia tone.

I have a few hang ups with the Z1. My fat left index finger likes to get in the way of the lens but you see it very quickly in the large view finder. Also, it does not have a optical view finder which for most digital cameras you should have. In extremely bright light you have to shade the LCD view finder to see what you are taking. I know it is a Fugi because it uses the XD card. Eventhough the unit comes with a cradle to connect to a PC the XD card is not as popular as the other format cards so that on the road you don't find a reader as easily as for example a SD or CF card.

I have played around with some smaller units such as the Olympus and smaller Nikons but I love the real small size of this Z1.

I had to use Customer Service. The stupid strap that came with the camera broke as I was putting it on. This was just a poor quality control issue at manufacture time. I called Fugi and within a few days they had a new strap at my door step. Thank you Fugi.

I'm very happy with this camera and really can't fault it.

Its small. So it goes anywhere and everywhere. There is no excuse not to be without this camera. But although it is small and the lens is absolutely tiny, I never fail to be amazed by the quality of images that this little camera generates. I also have a Nikon D70 and this camera gets used maybe 90% of the time. The only time I use the Nikon now is for Flash photography, when I need proper wide-angle or tele, when I need long exposures with a tripod, or need high fps for sports. Everything else I use the Z1.

Nothing that one could realistically expect from something this small.

Fujifilm Finepix S304 Nikon D70