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Fujifilm FinePix 2300 Fuji updates their "value priced" entry-level camera with 2 megapixels and USB connectivity. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet FinePix 2300 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on FinePix 2300 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Optics :(Previous) | (Next): Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests>> Page 6:Exposure & Flash Review First Posted: 07/2/2001

Exposure
The FinePix 2300 operates under automatic exposure control at all times. There is an option for "Manual" exposure mode in the Record menu, which merely provides Exposure Compensation and White Balance adjustments. Aperture and shutter speed remain under automatic control, with two possible apertures -- f/4.8 and f/11 -- and shutter speeds ranging from 1/1,000 to 1/2 second. The FinePix 2300 employs a 64-zone metering system to determine exposure, reading the entire image area and averaging the values to find the best exposure for the whole scene. The camera's light sensitivity is rated at 100 ISO equivalency, which, when combined with a maximum shutter time of 1/2-second, significantly limits the 2300's low-light shooting capabilities.

The FinePix 2300's Exposure Compensation is adjustable from -0.9 to +1.5 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third step increments. Adjustment is accessed through the Record menu, as is White Balance setting, which offers Auto, Outdoors, Cloudy, Daylight Fluorescent, Warm White Fluorescent, Cool White Fluorescent, and Incandescent settings. Though the FinePix 2300 does not have an AE Lock button, you can manually lock the exposure by simply repositioning the camera. To lock exposure, frame the portion of the image you want metered in the center of the frame, halfway press the shutter button until you get a "Standby" message on the monitor, and continue holding down the Shutter button halfway while you reframe the subject to the original composition. Exposure will be locked until the Shutter button is fully depressed or released.

Self-Timer
The 10-second Self-Timer is only available as a menu option in the Automatic exposure mode. Once the mode is enabled, a full press of the Shutter button triggers a 10-second countdown. The self-timer lamp on the front of the camera lights steadily for the first five seconds, then blinks for the remaining five. A countdown also displays in the LCD monitor, if activated. Self-Timer mode is automatically disabled after the image is captured, and you can cancel the countdown midway by pressing the down arrow key.

Continuous Shooting
The FinePix 2300's Continuous Shooting mode is the second menu selection in Record mode, only accessible when the camera is in Automatic exposure mode. File size is automatically fixed at 640 x 480 pixels, and the flash is automatically disabled upon entering the mode. Continuous Shooting captures as many as nine consecutive shots with one press of the Shutter button, at speeds as high as two frames per second. The actual number of recordable images will vary with the available SmartMedia space.


Flash
The FinePix 2300 features a built-in flash with five operating modes: Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced, Suppressed, and Slow Synchro. Flash modes are changed by accessing the Flash menu in Record mode and pressing the up and down arrow buttons until the desired mode icon is highlighted, then pressing OK. (To use the flash in Macro mode, the camera must be set on Manual exposure and any Flash mode except Auto or Red-Eye Reduction must be selected.) Auto Flash mode puts the camera in charge of when to fire the flash, based on the existing light level or whether or not a subject is backlit. Red-Eye Reduction mode fires a pre-flash before firing the flash at full power, which shrinks the subject's eye pupils and reduces the effects of red-eye. Forced mode fires the flash with every exposure, regardless of light level, while Suppressed mode simply disables the flash entirely. The final mode is Slow Synchro, which combines the flash with a slower shutter speed, allowing more ambient light into the image. Slow Synchro mode is good for night subjects, as the longer shutter speed preserves color and produces a brighter exposure. Fujifilm estimates the FinePix 2300's flash as effective from 2.3 to 9.8 feet (0.7 to 3.0 meters), which falls in line with our testing.