Fujifilm Finepix A340 Digital Camera 4MP 3x Zoom Silver

Fujifilm Finepix A340 Digital Camera.

In working order. Takes AA Batteries. Batteries and memory card not included.

Camera Overview

Updating the popular point-and-shoot options of Fuji's FinePix line of digicams, the FinePix A340 is an affordable entry-level digicam that offers good quality and value. Small, compact, and very lightweight, the A340 offers a larger, 4.0-megapixel CCD than its predecessors, along with a Fujinon 3x optical zoom lens. Exposure control remains automatic, with the convenience of point-and-shoot control. However, the Fuji A340 does offer four preset scene shooting modes, for capturing good images in common, yet tricky, shooting conditions. The A340's CCD captures high enough resolution for printing images with nice detail as large as 11x14 inches, or as large as 8x10 inches with some cropping. Lower-resolution settings are available for email attachments. The Fuji A340 sports a 3x optical zoom lens that increases the camera's flexibility. The camera's dimensions are just a little too large for most shirt pockets at 4.09 x 2.42 x 1.23 inches (104 x 62 x 31 millimeters), although you could feasibly stow the camera in a larger coat pocket or an average-sized purse. Despite its size, the all-plastic body is extremely lightweight at just 6.9 ounces (198 grams), including batteries and memory card. A sliding, built-in lens cover keeps the Fuji A340's front panel nearly flat when closed, allowing the camera to easily slip into a pocket or purse without snagging.

The Fuji FinePix A340 is equipped with a 3x, Fujinon lens equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera. Aperture is automatically controlled from f/2.8 to f/9.5, with actual values depending on the zoom position of the lens. Focus also remains under automatic control, ranging from 2.0 feet (60 centimeters) to infinity in normal mode, with a Macro setting ranging from 3.9 inches to 2.6 feet (10 centimeters to 80 centimeters). The camera also offers up to 1.7x digital zoom when in 2 or 1 megapixel mode, but keep in mind that digital zoom decreases the overall image quality, since it only enlarges the center pixels of the CCD image. For framing shots, the Fuji A340 offers both a real-image optical viewfinder and a 1.5-inch color, amorphous, silicon TFT LCD monitor. The LCD monitor reports some camera settings, and can overlay an alignment grid. The grid divides the image area into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, making it easier to line up tricky subjects.

Exposure is automatically controlled at all times, despite the Fuji FinePix A340's selection of Auto and Manual exposure modes. (The "Manual" setting simply expands the Record menu to include Exposure Compensation and White Balance options.) Four preset Scene modes optimize the camera for common, yet special, shooting situations, and include Portrait, Night, Sports, and Landscape settings. Shutter speeds range from 1/2,000 to two seconds (extending the camera's low-light shooting capabilities slightly), but the LCD display doesn't report it or the lens aperture setting. To determine the best exposure, the A340 employs a TTL (through-the-lens), 64-zone metering system, which averages readings taken throughout the frame for the best overall exposure. The camera's Exposure Compensation setting lets you increase or decrease the overall exposure from -2 to +2 in one-third-step increments. White balance options include an Auto setting, as well as Outdoors, Shade, Daylight Fluorescent, Warm White Fluorescent, Cool White Fluorescent, and Incandescent presets, to match most common light sources. Although it's not adjustable, the Fuji A340's sensitivity is equivalent to ISO 100, good for most average shooting conditions.

The Fuji FinePix A340's built-in flash is effective from 2.0 to 11.5 feet (0.6 to 3.5 meters) depending on the zoom setting, and operates in Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced, Suppressed, or Slow-Synchro. In Manual mode, the flash also offers a Red-Eye Reduction with Slow-Synchro combination mode. A Self-Timer mode provides a 10-second delay between a full press of the Shutter button and the time that the shutter actually opens, helpful in self-portraits or group photos. The A340 also features a Movie mode, which captures movies without sound at either 320 x 240- or 160 x 120-pixel resolutions. Maximum recording times vary depending on the size of the card, but recording can commence until the card is full.

The Fuji A340 stores image files on xD-Picture Cards, and comes with a 16MB starter card. You'll want to purchase a larger size fairly soon, given the A340's maximum 2,272 x 1,704-pixel resolution. (The xD-Picture Card itself is very tiny, rivaling the popular SD memory cards in size.) The Fuji A340 uses two AA-type batteries for power, either alkaline or NiMH, and an optional AC adapter is available.

Basic Features

• 4.0-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as high as 2,272 x 1,704 pixels.
• Real-image optical viewfinder.
• 1.5-inch color LCD monitor.
• Fujinon 3x, 38-114mm (35mm equivalent) lens.
• 1.7x digital zoom.
• Automatic exposure control, plus four preset "scene" modes.
• Adjustable white balance with seven settings.
• Sensitivity equivalent to ISO 100.
• Apertures from f/2.8 to f/9.5.
• Shutter speeds from 1/2,000 to two seconds.
• Built-in flash with six modes.
• Power supplied by two AA-type batteries or optional AC adapter.
• Interface software and USB drivers included for Windows and Macintosh computers.

Q28