Fujifilm FinePix 4800 2.5MP Digital Camera in Cradle w/ 3x Optical Zoom
By: Fuji Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 25
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 On: 2003-02-06
PROS:
This camera has worked as anticipated. With all the buttons and the sliding lens cover, the manual does note that it is extremely sensitive to sand--not a beach camera. The original battery is still working. I ordered a second one from [store] and it is already weaker than the original. Get original batteries, even if they cost more. The compact size is definitely a plus. Less conspicuous and it will even fit in a shirt pocket. (a little tightly) I think its been dropped a few times with no noticable decrease in performance. I have a 64Mb and 128Mb in addition to the 16Mb card that was included with the camera and havent run out of disk space on an outing yet--even on highest resolution. CONS:
Due to the small lens size, pictures taken at closer ranges (4 feet or less) can be very slightly bowed, or bulge in the middle, as noted when a photo has lots of horizontal lines. This can distort portraits. Wish I could get closer to images
 On: 2002-10-12
I love this camera. I purchased it about a year ago, and it takes amazing high quality pictures. I get them printed out online, and nobody can tell whether they are digital pictures or not!
by: Anonymous On: 2002-10-12
I have found the FinePix 4800 to be a great deal for the money. I think the 4.3 Megapixel mode is useful, as for certain images, it does much to make up for the fact that JPEG compression loses image fidelity. In fact, based on my tests imaging point soures of light and sharp edges, the 4.3 megapixel mode is no worse than any other mode, provided the image is not underexposed or even the slightest bit out of focus. I think the combination of the software Fuji uses, and the fact that some detail is lost in any JPEG image contribute to this. So for that occasional shot that you might want to blow up (or that you might want to enlarge a part of later, but dont want risk missing the shot with a lower megapixel, narrow field-of-view mode), 4.3 megapixel mode has its uses.
My only complaint is the shape. It is a bit akward to hold. If its length and width were inverted it would be easier.
On: 2002-10-02
Well, I purchased this camera while stationed in Kuwait, used it over there, and back in the states. Contrary to some peoples beliefs, this camera is the best camera I have had my grubby little paws on ever. Everything about this camera is great. The instruction manual is mildly lengthy, but if you want to use the camera at its fullest potential, reading it is a must. Great picture quality. I have printed out 8 x 10s and they look incredible, this also being used with a good printer. Outdoor shots, indoor shots, close up shots, backlighting; this camera does it all. It does seem to become mildly testy though when there is a low light situation and you arent using a flash. It is very sensitive to movement then and 9 times out of 10 your picture will not come out probably as clear as you would like, which is why you are supposed to use the flash. Overall, great camera, and definitely worth the cash tossed down to acquire it.
On: 2002-04-21
My first digital camera was of similar design (the Fujifilm MX 1700) and I wanted some more megapixels so I could print my better shots. I like the feeling of a heavy camera, so i once again turned to Fuji for my upgrade. They still make their cameras with a metal body, instead of cheap, flimsy plastic.Since this camera is designed a lot like the previous one, I had no problems getting used to it. Half an hour after taking it out of the box, I was taking pictures in macro mode of flowers in my garden. My husband now has my old FujiFilm MX 1700 because its a more simple camera, and I have the FujiFilm 4800 Zoom with all the goodies. Im extremely pleased with the quality and design of these cameras, and I would recommend them to anyone.
 On: 2002-04-03
How many QUALITY digital cameras do you know that as a built in pc-camera mode? I have been looking for months and the fuji finepix 4800 is one of the few! I really had my heart set on a sony dsc-p5, but the price is just a bit higher than what i can afford. I got the finepix used ...with a 32mb card. It works great, love all the different functionalities that has been mentioned in the other reviews. But BEWARE, my only dissapointment and what I have overlooked before purchasing this camera is that it only takes 80 second movie clips. Can u imagine trying to capture your babys first steps when suddenly the movie clip mode quits on you after reaching the 80 second limit? (Regardless of the size of mb, it stops at 80s) I do not understand why there should be any limits on the movie mode aside from the size of the memory card itself. This the only drawback i could find on this camera. Otherwise, it is a lovely little toy.
On: 2002-04-03
I had been searching for a digital camera for months before I actually purchased. I then purchased two before I settled on the Fuji Finepix 4800.This is a great camera. It is user friendly with little to learn before you get started. It does, however, take some getting use to. First off the focus is very tricky. I purchased my camera before a family vacation and was glad that I got to use it for a few weeks before the trip. This allowed me to work out the kinks and get use to the camera (I highly suggest that you do this if you are buying to use before an event where you want nice pictures). After a couple of weeks of casual use I was able to figure out which settings produced the clearest pictures. I wish that the manual had provided some helpful hints on this. Secondly, the actual picture isnt taken instantly, after you press the shutter release, it waits a moment or two before taking the actual picture. This can be a problem if you are taking candid pictures and people are moving around, you never know what you are going to get on the screen. One of the ways that I have found to combat this is to use the multi-frames setting which takes three pictures and then you can choose the one you want to keep. The only problem with the multi-frame function is that there is no flash in this mode. These are my only two issues and I do believe that with time I will be able to figure them out. The camera did, however, break doing my vacation and is currently at Fuji being fixed. There seems to be a problem between the lens and the display screen. Well see how it goes.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-03-18
We are constantly amazed at the image quality. It is especially good at macro imaging...it does a little less well in low light...would suggest using tripod for low-light situations.The size is perfect. When the power is off, it is just a small steel box that fits perfectly in my pocket. There are no worries about scratching the lens or a knob breaking off. GREAT DESIGN! The pics that we have printed onto paper are truly picture perfect. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a camera that trvels well and has unlimited possibilities! Our favorite features:
BLACK AND WHITE!
Multiple exposure!
Macro...extreme close ups show amazing detail!
Smart Media (we have three 64 MB cards and can take about 300 photos without downloading to the computer.)
PRICE!
On: 2002-02-22
The size of the camera and the quality of the pics make this a camera Ill carry everywhere. Ive been a Nikon owner for 40 years (!) and have published in LIFE, Newsweek, Stern, books and so forth, so Im a fussy guy.The 4800 delivers, and it replaces a tape recorder as well!
The FinePix software is astonishing. It does more and does it more easily than any of the similar products -- and Ive tried six different software/image products. Learning the camera takes more than a few hours, but after that its very easy and doesnt disappoint. Fuji needs to provide a case, however, and figure out if the strap on it is for a wrist or a neck. Its too large for one and too small for the other, but Ive already bought a small case and another strap ..., so were not talking about a major pain here. If it holds up for a few years Ill be more than satisfied because I like this machine more and more every day. Its just hard to get used to carrying such a small package that produces first-rate pictures.
On: 2002-02-22
The reviews preceeding mine were good; this is an excellent camera which I own myself, but I want to add comments about the cameras interpolated 4.3 Megapixal resolution.
Interpolation is a method of increasing image resolution by "inventing" computer generated pixels based on samples of neighboring pixels in the lower resolution image. To my knowledge, only Fuji uses it in a camera. I think interpolation should be avoided since all it does is add "garbage" pixels and use up storage space. Todays high resolution printers interpolate "on the fly" to allow for the printing of a lower resolution image at the printers maximum resolution. It is really unnecessary to do this on the image level. When I first bought my camera I compared the cameras 4.32 meg image with an identical 2.4 meg image interpolated to 4.32 by Photoshop, and finally a third "straight" 2.4 meg image, all printed on an Epson 5500 printer. There was no significant difference. I shoot all my pictures in the 2.4 Mp "fine" mode.
On: 2002-02-03
I am going to tell you the Thumbs-up and Thumbs-down summary of the camera:THUMBS UP: 1. At all the different Resolutions the pictures have really high detail. The main difference is in size. Super CCD for 2400 *1800 that has been criticized so much, worked really well for me. (at least on the portrait indoor shots Ive taken). 2. Very attractive design. Looks big in the pictures but it is actually a very compact camera. You can take pictures using only one hand with no problem. 3."auto" setting for those who like to only "point and shoot" takes great pictures regardless of the circumstances. (fluorescent lights, outside shots, flash shots...etc..) 4. Long battery life. (Used it for 5 days, 50 pictures, tried all resolutions, all picture with LCD display on and FLASH. Zoom was used in all pictures, played around with all the bottons I could find and tested different setting). The battery still reads as if it were fully charged. Impressive. 5. Includes good stuff. Cradle recharges the battery but it is slow (takes 5 hours to do so). Also used as the drive to transfer pictures to the computer. This is actually really fast, which means: NO NEED to buy smart media drive. The 16MB memory card holds a good number of pictures at normal setting (which is not too different from the fine setting as far as I have tried).(I havent printed any pictures though) ----------------- THUMBS DOWN: 1. Look, and this goes for ALL DIGITAL CAMERAS. More megapixels does not mean better quality, it means BIGGER images. So if you want pictures for a web site anything with 1 megapixel or even the lowest 640*480 cameras will be MORE than enough. If you want to view them ina computer, or print in regular film sizes (5*7), 1 megapixel is enough. 2. CAUTION: This camera has an auto-focus, you press halfway down, wait a sec, and then push all the way. It is also very sensitve to movement: Now, stay still at least 3 seconds after you have pushed all the way. If you, or the person in the picture moves it will look blurry. (for portraits of course) 3. Expensive. I am not complaining that it is not worth the prize, but that they could have included a simple bag for it! ------------------------------ Overall a very solid camera. Now that I know about digital cameras, if I was ever to buy another one: 1. I would get the biggest OPTICAL zoom (Digital zoom is trash. Basically worthless if you want a good quality picture). 3X is not too much, but it is good. Get 6X or 10X instead of wasting your money on megapixels. 2. Any camera with 1 megapixel is more than enough if you are not planning to print images.
These cameras are considerably cheaper, and usually use less memory and less batteries, which decreases your cost even more.
On: 2002-01-21
The "auto" mode is extremely simple to use. Fits in a large shirt pocket and takes great photos. Comes with rechargeable battery. I got 53 pix at 1280x960 with the 16MB card. One caution: The flash doesnt pop-up automatically. Watch for blinking orange light near view-finder ("shake warning"), or just leave flash open if you might need it. Good size LCD screen. Does sound recording and 80 secs movies.
On: 2001-12-28
This is my first digital camera and was the model I arrived at after nearly 2 months of research. It is small, has excellent image quality for a 2.4 MP camera, has very good battery life (I can shoot for a whole weekend with limited LCD usage on one charge). Hey, the price was right too (note that Amazon isnt always the lowest ;-).There are plenty of more detailed reviews out there so Ill just summarize that Im very happy with my purchase nearly 300 photos later. I bought a tripod last week and have been having great success with very low light and panorama shots and the small size of this camera means I take it everywhere. Unless your needs are high-end (i.e. you need 3+ MP count, lens adapter, external flash socket and total manual control), you wont be unhappy with the 4800.
On: 2001-12-25
This is probably the best looking digital camera around. Its stainless steel body feels heavy duty and very professionally made. The body was designed by Porsche.The pictures turn out awesome to say the least. But for (this price) they should! There is so many gadgets on this camera that even a professional would have fun learning them all. A novice would be overwelmed with this camera. The photos are brilliant and have up to 4.3 megapixels at its highest resolution. You also can choose 2.4 megapixel, 1 megapixel and the small standard 480x640 resolution. You can also choose between fine, normal and soft for about 10 different photo choices. The camera lets you also make it black and white, soft portrait and many other "scene" formats. This camera does not get 5 stars though. The price is probably about $100 too high, the cool looking design is somewhat harder to hold than a standard looking camera and the battery takes 5 hours to recharge but does last a long time. Not even mentioning that the 16 meg smart media card is way to small for a camera of this magnitute. Get 128 meg card at Costco... and you can literally put almost 2000 photos onto this camera at the small size and about 70 of the 4 megapixel photos on it. I tell you- technology is awesome! All in all though I am very happy with it. It gets my rave reviews even with its few shortcomings! Fuji - keep up the good work.
On: 2001-12-21
Ive been looking at digital cameras for a long time - and finally decided to purchase. Based on the reviews I read, the Fujifilm 4800 seemed like a real solid choice. The reviews were correct - it is a great camera. Im very happy with the compact size, ease of use, quality photos, and speed between shots. I have noticed that in low-light, the LCD screen is virtually worthless - I think thats the case with most digital cameras. also, its a little tricky to figure out how to get something to focus in Auto mode if the first try is not successful. Im very happy with the purchase, however, I just have some learning to do.
On: 2001-12-21
This camera is great and easy to use. One of the best purchases Ive made in a long time
On: 2001-12-16
I tried to edit this review a long time ago. It didnt seem to work. So Ill try again. Here is the original review, but be sure to read the end.
I bought a FinePix 4800Zoom as a customer return at a local computer store. I feel I got a fabulous bargain!
The feel of the camera is solid and the metal skin really makes it look elegant. Ive seen a lot of silver-painted cameras that just look cheap compared to the 4800. The vertical form factor is a bit strange, but it works out very nicely - not a bit awkward and equally easy to operate for small and larger hands.
The image quality really does live up to the 4.3 megapixel claim. It stays crystal clear when blown up several times on the computer screen. 4x6 prints on my HP 952c with premium glossy paper are beautiful. The color rendition is as good as Kodak film, no, actually, I think it is better. Most of my Kodak film printed at Sams club comes back with very exaggerated reds. The 4800 gives a more balanced, believable color pallette.
The FinePix 4800Zoom has a full array of well thought out features. The cradle arrangement is really convenient. I just open a tiny sliding cover on the bottom, drop the camera into the cradle and punch the power button. Presto! My iMac fires up its own camera software and asks me if I want to download all or some of the pictures. Then it does it all for me. Sweet! The cradle is also the battery charger.
I dont know what is happening to the customer from San Jose, but I certainly get razor sharp, gorgeous pictures with this camera. He/She may be having difficulty with the way the shutter release works. You have to push it and hold it for second, holding the camera still all the while. The picture is actually taken after the initial push. This caused me a little confusion at first. My first shots were sort of out of whack. Once I got the hang of the push-and-hold technique, everything came together nicely.
All in all, I am totally satisfied with the Fujifilm FinePix 4800Zoom. Highly recommended!
Okay, after about 13 months, I reversed my opinion. The thing simply stopped working. The sliding lens cover is jammed open and wont let the lens extend. I didnt buy an extended warranty, so I paid to have it fixed. The guy told me not to bother replacing the front panel which contains the cover, because it would be way too expensive. So he charged me $65 to open it up, blow it out, and put it back together several times. It seemed to work. But after a few days it started jamming again. Within 2 weeks it was useless. I am so disappointed that I went out and bought a Minoltal Dimage XT. It was cheaper, smaller, takes just as good photos, and it hasnt given me any problems. I feel like avoiding Fuji after this experience. I want to reduce the stars to 2, but the review editor wont let me.
On: 2001-12-16
I tried to edit this review a long time ago. It didnt seem to work. So Ill try again. Here is the original review, but be sure to read the end.
I bought a FinePix 4800Zoom as a customer return at a local computer store. I feel I got a fabulous bargain!
The feel of the camera is solid and the metal skin really makes it look elegant. Ive seen a lot of silver-painted cameras that just look cheap compared to the 4800. The vertical form factor is a bit strange, but it works out very nicely - not a bit awkward and equally easy to operate for small and larger hands.
The image quality really does live up to the 4.3 megapixel claim. It stays crystal clear when blown up several times on the computer screen. 4x6 prints on my HP 952c with premium glossy paper are beautiful. The color rendition is as good as Kodak film, no, actually, I think it is better. Most of my Kodak film printed at Sams club comes back with very exaggerated reds. The 4800 gives a more balanced, believable color pallette.
The FinePix 4800Zoom has a full array of well thought out features. The cradle arrangement is really convenient. I just open a tiny sliding cover on the bottom, drop the camera into the cradle and punch the power button. Presto! My iMac fires up its own camera software and asks me if I want to download all or some of the pictures. Then it does it all for me. Sweet! The cradle is also the battery charger.
I dont know what is happening to the customer from San Jose, but I certainly get razor sharp, gorgeous pictures with this camera. He/She may be having difficulty with the way the shutter release works. You have to push it and hold it for second, holding the camera still all the while. The picture is actually taken after the initial push. This caused me a little confusion at first. My first shots were sort of out of whack. Once I got the hang of the push-and-hold technique, everything came together nicely.
All in all, I am totally satisfied with the Fujifilm FinePix 4800Zoom. Highly recommended!
Okay, after about 13 months, I reversed my opinion. The thing simply stopped working. The sliding lens cover is jammed open and wont let the lens extend. I didnt buy an extended warranty, so I paid to have it fixed. The guy told me not to bother replacing the front panel which contains the cover, because it would be way too expensive. So he charged me $65 to open it up, blow it out, and put it back together several times. It seemed to work. But after a few days it started jamming again. Within 2 weeks it was useless. I am so disappointed that I went out and bought a Minoltal Dimage XT. It was cheaper, smaller, takes just as good photos, and it hasnt given me any problems. I feel like avoiding Fuji after this experience. I want to reduce the stars to 2, but the review editor wont let me.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-11-20
I bought this camera after a lot of research but was disappointed by the performance. Most of the pictues were shaky.Ive never had this problem with my regular film camera ever.
On: 2001-11-03
I waited and waited to buy a digital camera, and had had my eye on the Fuji 4800 for a while. Suffice to say I am just thrilled with how it has performed. It is simple to understand and operate for your average pics of the kids and vacation shots, but has a lot of features that more sophisticated photographers will want. I bought a 64MB card and at basic resolution it will handle nearly 200 prints -- the prints on basic resolution have been great, with and w/o flash, surprisingly as good or better than my Canon SLR. The software package is easy to install, and the ofoto.com service is perfect -- simply log on to your ISP, upload the pictures you want to your private web page on ofoto.com, and tick the box for those you want printed. Three days later they show up in your mailbox -- beautiful prints. Finally, the video program is fun -- never going to make professional movies with it, but for saving short movies on CD or a hard drive for your kids, it is great. Just dont know what else you would want or need.
On: 2001-10-31
This is an amazing camera!! There are so many options and cool things you can do with it. I took a pic at the highest resolution, and uploaded it to ofoto.com, and it recommended the picture be printed at 20"X30"!! This is huge! This is the biggest print they will make from digital photos. This cameras price range seems very reasonable to have resolution like this. Granted, I havent actually seen the 20X30, but whenever ofoto has recommended things to me before, they were perfect. At least I know an 8X10 will be amazing...
On: 2001-08-31
I did quite a bit of research before I bought this camera. Since I am an amateur photographer, I wasnt hunting for the highest megapixels but for practicality and outstanding picture quality. This little jewel of technology definetely delivers it all. The colors are great and 2.4 megapix is totally enough to print high quality 8x10 prints! The design is so cool you wont be able to put it down for a while. Dont be fooled by the 4.3 megapixel digitally-rendered resolution Fuji claims. The pictures taken at this resolution are fuzzy and unusable even in the best lightning conditions. This marketing ploy is designed for megapixel-greedy people. Shame on Fuji for this. Other than that buy it and enjoy the ride!
On: 2001-08-24
I did a LOT of research before buying a digital camera and am not disappointed with the results. In this price range, nothing came close for me, especially with the picture quality. I have the cradle plugged into my computer all the time (I bet I shouldnt be there you go) which means when I bring the camera home, I have one button to push to get all the photos up on the screen ready to edit/save. I change one setting on the camera and its a web-cam (excellent image quality once again). My biggest gripe is the memory - 16MB. 163 PC quality photos - If I wanted to take PC photos I could take stills from my camcorder. I want top quality, photo images and can only take 19 (39 if I take smaller images) which isnt a lot of use on holiday. I think for the price, they could throw in a bigger memory and a protective case.
On: 2001-07-18
Remember when a digital camera cost a kings ransom and it looked like everything was made out of lego blocks? This little marvel is a demonstration of how far digital cameras have advanced in the last few years. ...Summary: Overall, a great camera in a small package. My new favorite toy, no contest. Pros - small, very stylish, good picture quality, good features (even takes video clips). Cons - no case, supplied 16MB card too small, no case, cradle is USB only, did I mention no case?
On: 2001-06-22
This camera is a really good one, nice and small and it rarely ever gets messed up. But I dont like it 100% because of certain quirks it has, but thats just me. You should definetely get this camera if you just want a nice small camera that works well and wont let you down. There are other cameras one might want over this one, but definetely use this one to compare as well.
On: 2001-06-11
I have been waiting for this camera to come out. Just received it last week and it has been worth the wait. It not only looks and feels REALLY COOL. It takes fabulous pictures. I used a fuji finepix 4700 recently and loved it, but when I heard and read about this upgrade I returned the 4700. I like how everything you need for the camera comes with it, charger, ac adaptor, etc. The battery for the 4800 lasts much longer. The viewfinder is on the corner instead of the middle (4700), which makes it easier to use. You do have to kindof watch that your finger is not covering the microphone or the flash sensor, but once you get the feel for it, thats not a problem. I bought it for the size and for the high quality pictures it takes. I also like that it takes movies with sounds and you can add sound to the pictures (which the 4700 cant do) It also has a black and white option.
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