The Fujifilm FinePix A350 is the new flagship model of the A series and certainly looks impressive compared to its counterparts. After all, it has more megapixels and a redesigned camera body. There are 5.2 effective megapixels on the camera’s 1/2.5-inch CCD. This imaging package is housed in a plastic body with an extending 3x optical zoom lens. The model’s predecessor, the FinePix A340, had a lens door that slid to power the camera on and off. The A350 removes the door and instead installs a guillotine-like snapping cover to protect the lens and increase the camera’s durability. Fujifilm did this to reduce the amount of parts the user has to move; it found through its marketing research that consumers were afraid of breaking such things. The A350 added an extra 0.2 inches to its LCD screen for a total of 1.7 inches; however, the size does not make up for the inaccuracy of the screen. The LCD is only 90 percent accurate. Unfortunately, the viewfinder is much worse with only 75 percent accuracy, so users are not really given any good framing options. There is no telling what the picture will really look like until it is uploaded onto a computer or printed. This is inexcusable, even for a point-and-shoot model. For $299, the A350 is a good deal that I would normally recommend for the automatically oriented point-and-shoot crowd. However, the positive part of that phrase is tainted by the inaccuracies of the framing options. Sure, I understand that when a camera doesn’t include manual controls, it is aimed for true point-and-shooters, but when the camera doesn’t include any good options for framing, what audience segment of the digital camera market will want it?

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Four and five megapixel digital cameras that are high on performance and low in complexity

Two simple-to-operate four and five megapixel resolution cameras, with a neat, compact design, high quality 1.7 inch LCD screen and 3x optical zoom lens.

Following in the footsteps of their predecessors – the hugely popular FinePix A330 and A340 Zoom – these models offer exceptional power and value in a new and improved design. Whilst the entry-level category can often mean that corners are cut on build quality and feel, anyone who handles these cameras will be pleasantly surprised by their compact solidity.

Although simple in conception, the FinePix A345 and FinePix A350 Zoom still boast bags of photo power – with one-touch, fully-automatic operation that includes easy navigation for beginners and enough megapixels to allow images to be printed as enlargements without loss of quality.

These competitively-priced new cameras are sturdy but stylish, with smooth metallic casing and a high-quality finish. What’s more, their low power consumption (operating on standard AA batteries) and compatibility with xD-Picture Card™ format, makes them a great choice for anyone concerned about having a system that will work well into the future. Furthermore, PictBridge™ compatibility allows the user to print directly without the need for a PC or Mac.
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