Fujifilm FinePix A120

At the cutting edge, new digital cameras are nudging double figures in terms of megapixels and even seasoned pros like Lord Litchfield are finally dumping film in favour of digital photography. However, it's easy to get distracted by this and overlook the smaller miracles that are occurring at the cheaper end of the market.

There was a time when all £100 would buy you was one of those keychain cameras, which were little more than playthings. Now, however, it's possible to save up for a few weeks and pick up something like Fujifilm's 3.1-megapixel FinePix A120 for the same price - and the A120 is by no means a cheap toy.

At its top setting, the camera generates photos at a resolution that would have set you back almost triple the A120's asking price about a year ago.

Taking pictures at this sort of size is largely unnecessary unless you want to print them larger than A3-size. However, it's a nice feature to have as images will be sharper and more detailed.

Colours are extremely accurate, too - particularly in natural lighting conditions. Indoors, you'll need to rely on the built-in flash, since the camera doesn't operate particularly well in low light.

Of course, there have to be a few compromises to keep costs down. The biggest disappointment is the lack of an optical zoom. There is a digital zoom provided but it is fairly poor and, on top of that, it is disabled at the camera's top setting.

Nevertheless, for the price, the A120 offers plenty to make up for its one big shortcoming. As is typical of Fujifilm, the camera's design is very smart, if a touch plasticky. It is small, compact and has a pleasantly rounded feel. It's also very light and doesn't have too many confusing buttons and dials cluttering its surface.

It takes the xD memory card format, which isn't that common but is one of the cheaper storage mediums on the market.

The A120 is a doddle to operate (although there isn't a great deal in the way of manual controls), and all the features we've come to expect from digital cameras - a screen on the rear (which is rather small), a removable 16Mb memory card and a mini-movie mode - are all present.

Surprisingly, the A120 goes that little bit further, providing video-out so photos can be viewed on a TV, a webcam function (when it's attached to your PC via USB) and a macro mode for close-ups. If you can forgive the lack of an optical zoom, this model is perfect for beginners and those on a budget and proves that good-quality digital photography doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Contact: Fujifilm 020 7586 1477
www.fujifilm.co.uk