Box Contents
Box contents: An owners manual, two quick start guides, a CD-ROM (including USB drivers and software applications), one SmartMedia (16MB, 3.3V) memory card along with an anti-static case and an index label, an AC power adapter AC-5V/5VH, a rechargeable battery NP-80, a lens cap and a lens cap holder, an USB cable, a video cable, a shoulder strap, and the device itself.
Like most other digital cameras, the FinePix 6900 Zoom ships with a delightfully comprehensive manual. Im impressed, however, that while its easy enough to understand for beginner photographers, its detailed to the point that can keep hardcore professionals interested. For instance, to get beginners familiarized with the basic components and their functions, clearly labelled diagrams and a table of operation modes are depicted in the first few pages of booklet. On the other hand, in-depth explanations of special features and functions and introduction to new technologies never bore the gurus.
One thing I like in particular about this manual is that effective warnings and informative footnotes are everywhere. Theres nothing worse than erasing all your memorable photos for doing something stupid like pulling the SmartMedia out without turning off the power of the camera. Of course, thats just an example; a safety is implemented in the camera to prevent that from happening.
Like the owners manual, the quick start guides are very detailed and informative. The software guide is a 85 page handbook. It has all the information that can help the subtlest person to get the software running on a Windows or Macintosh based system. And of course, theres a troubleshooting section at the end of the booklet to help you solve some problems by yourself. The other quick guide is a sheet of paper that points out all the parts and buttons on the camera (with numbers referring to pages on the owners manual) and instructs you on how to take your first picture.
The included software CD contains all the useful drivers and applications youll need to access and edit your photos. The USB drivers allow connections with the recent members of the Windows family (compatible with as old as Windows98) and Macintosh system 8.6 and above. While the drivers are pretty much universal, most of the bundled applications, except the FinePixViewer, are for Windows only. The FinePixViewer is basically the cameras version of Windows Explorer. It allows you to browse the data inside your camera, as well as your other storage devices, view photos in thumbnail and blown-up scales, set the DPOF of your photos, and use the camera as a PC-Cam for video conferencing, just to name a few of its features. You get the idea of the usefulness of this program ;). There is a few things this neat little program (only about 6MB) doesnt address, however, so Fujifilm completes the package with two Adobe products ActiveShare and PhotoDeluxe.
The two Adobe products seem to have many overlapping features. Some examples are that both can share photos on the Web and through email, fix photos, and make postcards. So why need both of them? Its the few extra functions in each application that make the difference. ActiveShare allows better organization by sorting photos into different electronic albums, while PhotoDeluxe offers more powerful editing tools to repair and customize your photos. The nice thing about them is that all their functions can be fired up in just a few clicks.
The package contains a good selection of accessories. The inclusion of a rechargeable battery is a great idea. A rechargeable battery will save you a great deal of money for the long run, though it costs more than non-rechargeable ones in the beginning. Another advantage of todays rechargeable batteries is that they usually provide longer hours of operation. Speaking of long hours of operation, the AC power adapter is a great asset if you do a lot of indoor photographing. Once the adapter is plugged into a power outlet, your only limit will be the length of the adapter wire. Well, you got to give some to take some, right? ;P
OK, lets say youve fully charged your battery and youve taken a few pictures. Now what do you want to do next? You want to be able to view your photos on a relatively bigger screen than the LCD display or send red-eyed photos to your PC for editing, right? You can do so by using the video and USB cables. The video cable allows you view your photos or videos on any TV that has a video-in RCA connector. Good for watching videos, but not so for photos because of the poor quality (except for HDTVs, I suppose :)). To establish a connection with your PC, an USB cable is used. One very nice thing about the USB connection is that its hot-pluggable, meaning you dont have to shut down your computer every time you connect or disconnect your camera.
The only letdown here is the inclusion of only 16MB of memory. Let alone the fact that 16MB of memory is minimal these days, for a camera of this quality, that amount of storage wont take you very far. A picture at the highest quality and resolution wont even fit on an empty 16MB SmartMedia card. I would really like to see a 64MB or 128MB card, instead.
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