As much as the folks at Fuji may cringe, thje ultimate test of consumer technology is giving a product to your two-year-old child to see if they can use it.  Fuji will be happy to hear that their FinePix F601 Zoom digital camera passed the test with flying colors. Within minutes, my daughter, Isabel, was gleefully snapping pictures using the F601's user-friendly LCD color monitor and point-and-click capability.  In fact, the only problem was convincing her to give the camera back -- no small task for anyone dealing with a child in the midst of their "Terrible Twos".

The F601 will appeal to consumers looking for a simple, easy-to-use digital camera that fits into the palm of your hand.  At about eight ounces, it is the type of camera that you can put n your pocket for any occasion.  For more demanding users, the F601 also has plenty of impressive features.  The camera, which has a 3X optical zoom, can be operated in "auto" mode or through manual settings, which will appeal to people who want more sophisticated features.  Some of the F601's bell and whistles include the ability to shoot 30-second video clips, annotate photographs with video comments, and record 60 minutes of voice memos.
 

Using a USB connection, the F601's FinePixViewer software allows you to download photographs, video and audio from the camera to a computer hard drive. The software lets you view and edit photo files for printing or sending to other people via e-mail.
 

The F601 is a delight because of its small size, simplicity, easy to use features, high-quality pictures, long battery life and easy set-up.  At a suggested retail price of $899. it is more expensive than a traditional 35mm camera but offers good value for consumers looking to go digital.

Mark Evans, Financial Post August 9th, 2002