Fujifilm FinePix A345 and A350

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05020801fuji_a345a350.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05020801fuji_a345a350.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Fujifilm has today announced replacements for the A330 and A340 Zoom with the four and five megapixel FinePix A345 Zoom and FinePix A350 Zoom. The cameras are identical in almost everyway except for image sizes, resolution and digital zoom; they boast a 1.7-inch LCD and a 3x optical zoom (35 - 105 mm). The entry-level pair store images on an xD-Picture Card and are powered by two AA-type batteries."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/fuji_finepixa350z.gif" /> <br /><br />Obviously meant for the entry level user, especially with the AA batteries, but a 3x optical zoom on an entry level is not bad. Of course the xD-Picture Card would knock it off my recommended list.

[jizmo]

The reason why I went for Fuji F710 when purchasing my digital camera last summer was the outstanding movie quality it offers (640x480 @ 30fps), which was clearly the best one in all the pocket-sized cameras. Sony has the same resolutions but the quality wasn't nearly as sharp, more like interpolated 320x240. This was actually case with all the other pocket cameras at that time.

Bad news is that it was stolen last week in Thailand and I'm facing the necessity to buy a new one. Should I look outside the Fuji range or are there any other cameras nowadays that offer such a fine quality for video recording?

edit: after writing this i saw the two new Fujipix models posted under this one, I'm definitely getting either one of those babes 8O

/jizmo