Fujifilm FinePix A340

Reviewed June 2004

Characteristics

The shutter speed range of the A340 covers 1/2 to 1/2000 second, in all modes except for the Night mode, which can extend the exposure to 2 seconds. However, this is a fully automatic camera and neither aperture nor shutter speed can be directly selected.

A digital zoom is available with the A340, but it is only useable if the resolution is less than the maximum. The digital zoom does not interpolate the image as many cameras do, but instead crops the central area from the full-size frame. The result is that the digitally zoomed image, albeit always smaller than the maximum image size of which the A340 is capable, is always as sharp as the normal image.

Likewise, the metering pattern of the A340 is exclusively Fujifilm's 64-segment system, an averaging metering that evaluates 64 separate areas in the frame to select the aperture and shutter speed. Auto exposure lock is available, as is Autofocus lock, when the shutter release is held half-pressed.

The image size and quality of the FinePix A340 is set in the menu, and as with all recent Fujifilm cameras, the image quality selection is quite limited in comparison to competitive models from other manufacturers. Only 4 combinations of image sizes and resolution are offered:

• 4M Fine: 2272 x 1704 with the least compression (approx. 7:1).
• 4M Normal: 2272 x 1704 with more than twice the compression used in Fine (approx. 15:1).
• 2M: 1600 x 1200 with an average compression ratio of 10:1.
• 1M: 1280 x 960 with an average compression ratio of 8:1.

	Manual: offers control over white balance and exposure compensation to the user (see below).
	Auto: limits user options to self-timer, shooting mode, and access to the Setup menu and LCD brightness.
	Portrait: offers the same degree of control as the Auto mode, but optimizes the image for skin tones.
	Scene (Scenery): is a landscape program that forces the flash off and offers the same controls as the Auto mode.
	Sport: gives priority to the shutter speed, and provides a menu similar to Auto.
	Night: extends the slowest shutter speed of the A340 to 2 seconds.
	Movie: can record silent video clips at 10 frames per second, and at any one of two frame sizes, 320 x 240 pixels (60 seconds) or 160 x 120 pixels (240 seconds). The zoom is fixed at the first frame, but the digital zoom can be used. The exposure is adjusted as the recording progresses and the light changes.

• Quality: as outlined above, offers a choice of 2 compressions at the highest resolution and 3 image sizes none of which can be dissociated.
• Self-timer: On or Off. Provides a 10 second delay before the shutter releases.
• Shooting mode: as indicated above.
• Option has two items:
  • LCD: which serves to adjust the brightness of the monitor.
  • SET-UP: which opens the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review).

• Exposure Compensation: can be adjusted over a range of -2.1EV to +1.5EV in 0.3EV increments.
• White Balance: offers settings for Auto, Sun, Shade, Fluorescent 1 (Daylight), Fluorescent 2 (Warm White), Fluorescent 3 (Cool White), Incandescent Lighting.

In Playback, the A340 has a menu that adds options for printing and editing images:

• Erase: provides for erasing all frames; or erasing a single frame. A Back option allows returning without selecting any of the choices.
• DPOF (Digital Print Order Format): allows on-camera selection of the images to be printed. Date and time can be imprinted on each image if desired, and the number of prints to make of each photo.

• Protect: is used to avoid accidentally erasing a photo. Protection can be applied to 1 or all images. Another option allows un-protecting the images.
• Option: is once again the access to the adjustment for the LCD monitor's brightness; and the Setup menu. (See the Interface & Software section.)
• Playback: offers 4 automated slide show modes. Two of these have a dissolve between frames, and one with a longer on screen time for each frame than the other; the other two options also provide different on-screen timings, but without a dissolve between the images.
• Trimming: allows cropping an image and saving it as a new photo at a lower resolution.

The 2 AA-size batteries that power the FinePix A340 are housed in the same compartment as the xD memory card, under the camera and covered by a solid, hinged plastic door that slides and locks into place by the pressure of the batteries on the door. As always with this type of system, when the door is opened the batteries can easily slide out.

• Mass Storage to access the memory card as a hard disk when the camera is connected;
• PictBridge which allows printing directly to a PictBridge compatible printer;
• Web Cam which allows the A340 to be used as a web cam in conjunction with software such as Microsoft Netmeeting.