FujiFilm
has produced a totally new design for the FinePix 2600 Zoom, but
one that retains a little something from its predecessor, the FinePix
2400Z: a sliding lens barrier and, of course, a 2-megapixel resolution
with a 3X zoom lens. However, aside from this, the FinePix 2600 is smaller,
more square and thick than previous designs by FujiFilm. Furthermore,
it has fewer external controls than the 2400 and one improvement: a bigger
1.8 inch LCD screen.
The power switch is on top, a simple push-on/push-off switch, which if
activated with the lens barrier still in place, will turn on the LCD screen
and display: .
The other 2 controls on the top are a 2-stage
shutter release and a Mode Dial around it with 3 positions:
Record
Playback
Movie
Six buttons on the
back of the FinePix 2600 complete its external controls. In the upper
left, a combination control serves for the zoom and menu navigation.
The zoom function is activated by the centre button: up for telephoto,
down for wide angle; while the left and right arrows are used to review
images, and to move the highlight bar in the menu.
DISP:
turns on and off the screen; can overlay a grid on the image to help
composition; and, when in Playback, is used activate a mode that lets
the arrow buttons be used to navigate a photo magnified on the screen.
MENU/OK:
calls up the camera menu when pressed once; confirms changes and clears
the menu off the screen when pressed a second time.
BACK:
is to cancel a selection, or back out of a menu option without making
changes.
The
FinePix 2600 Zoom is equipped with an optical viewfinder without a diopter
correction.
The LCD screen protrudes past the exit pupil of the viewfinder, and although
this appears as though it might be a bit impractical for those who wear
glasses, the viewfinder is designed so that the entire frame can be seen
without having the eye pressed up to the viewfinder.
A small LED, on the
right of the viewfinder, glows green when the camera is on; blinks when
focus cannot be acquired; glows steadily when the focus is locked; and
changes to orange when the image is being stored or accessed.
The FinePix 2600 turns out be to quite easy and comfortable to use and
its compact shape — small but thick — provides enough space
to hold it securely.
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