Fujifilm FinePix 40i 2.4MP Digital Camera /MP3 Player, Blue

3 gripes:

1) Prodigious appetite for batteries, as been noted in other reviews.

2) I have two Fuji cameras, this and an APS. I love them both, but they both have the same problem; at short range, the flash is strong enough to vaporize a cow. Long range flash is virtually useless on this camera. (Fortunately, my APS Fuji has great flash range.)

3) No zoom in the highest quality setting.

Despite the niggles, there's no better camera/MP3 player for your money. Oh, and if you're in the market for one of these little jewels and you're planning a trip to Japan, get the pink one!

You can shoot an incredible 2400x1800 picture or listen to mp3s from this unit, not much bigger than 3" x 3" square. Swap the included memory for a 128mb SmartMedia card and you have about two and a half hours of music (at the lowest bitrate, 96kbps) or close to 100 images at likely three times the resolution of your computer monitor. You can even shoot short video clips.

The FinePix 40i is not without its downsides, however. The software is worse than what you will find on most $50 webcams. The music downloading program forces you to use the USB cable and its own proprietary format, so don't bother with any speedier SmartMedia readers (like PCMCIA). I am still dumbfounded as to why they did not give an option for voice annotation, since there is a microphone built-in for video recording. And the lack of zoom is annoying but understandable given its size. That said, in my opinion, it is still the small camera to beat.

Would you believe this has been discontinued? If you live in the US and are awaiting the next version of this great camera like I was at first, just buy this one now while you can. The 30i and 50i have come out in Europe and Japan but are doubtful for release here. Plus, FujiFilm actually cut costs so they are not as good. The 30i has a nice feature though to upload pictures to certain cell phones in Japan, which would be cool. They also improved the ultra-basic mp3 remote included with the 40i and offer new colors. But since those aren't coming to America, do yourself a favor and pick this up -- then you can laugh at everyone wasting their money on a Kodak mc3. This costs only slightly more but it is leaps and bounds better!

Based on overall performance and features alone, let's be realistic - the first three cameras pale in comparison to the 990 (except the 4700's pixel count). The 990 has the most depth of features for taking pictures. But the criteria for size eliminates the 990. During the time that I was looking, the 40i was not yet available. Between the S100 and S20/4700, my decision came down to smaller size of the S100 vs. the pixel count of the other two. I eliminated both the S20 and 4700 based on size (though the 4700 is pretty impressive). While I was still a little concerned because the S100 only has 2.1 megapixel resolution, I ordered the S100 through Amazon. On a trip to Istanbul, I ran across an electronics store in Heathrow Airport that had just gotten an initial shipment of the 40i. I got to compare the S100 (called Ixus in UK) head to head against the 40i. For roughly 10-15% more in price, you get a camera that's about the same size BUT you get better resolution AND MP3 player capability. Looks and size were essentially a tie, but I liked the feel of the 40i better and the blue color version was, how can I put it, just sweeeeeet! Amazon finally has the blue one available and I think it's more unique than then silver one. I returned the S100 and am keeping the 40i.

In terms of experience using it, the camera is great - you can take it anywhere easily and you'll find yourself clicking away. I also bought a 64MB Smart Media ID card which lets me get 79 pictures on the normal setting on the highest resolution. Here are the positives and negatives on the camera:

Positives:

1) The small size comparable to S100 - these two cameras are head and shoulders above all others - make it tops for traveling.

2) The 40i has super easy navigational controls (the dial in the back for setting, electronic menus, and the on/off switch are all great).

3) The MP3 capability with remote control and headphones included is a differentiator and the avoided cost of not having to buy a stand-alone MP3 player should be factored in.

4) This camera can record and playback short movies up to about 1 1/2 minutes. You really need more memory to use this feature.

5) Rechargeable battery pack, travel pack, strap, headphones, A/V cables, and remote control are all included in the kit.

6) Fuji has included really easy user manuals for all hardware/software needs.

7) Pretty standard these days - the camera has USB interface and A/V connection for TV viewing.

8) And of course, because I have to live with it - it looks great in that blue color with its design. The "oooh and aaaahhh" factor is up there.

Negatives:

1) The limited zooming capability (digital) makes it hard to take certain pictures (ex. close-ups of a building in the distance), and this zooming capability is not available on the highest resolution setting.

2) Flash capability is only helpful for shorter range stuff; distance nighttime shots are darker than expected unless other light sources aid the picture. The 990 rules in this category.

3) Battery-chewing appetite - it feels like you go through a new set of batteries (using monitor full-time and flash 1/2 of time) every 20-30 shots. I think this problem is common to all digital cameras (blame the segment!).

4) While a 16MB Smart Media card is part of the kit, you need at least 32MB to have more flexibility and do serious damage.

Overall, the Fuji FinePix 40i is superb - it's fun to use and will exceed your expectations. Make sure you're able to live with negatives #1 and #2. When compared to its peers and the criteria above (size, ease of use, breadth of features), it sets a new standard for digital cameras.