Manual Controls
Manual Control is again quite limited on this camera; however, the image quality and size are selectable as well as the six flash modes a user can choose from (Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro, and Red Eye + Slow Synchro). Flash mode is the only shooting mode that allows for control over Exposure Compensation and White Balance (of which there are seven presets to choose from).
Focus
Auto Focus (6.5)
The Fuji FinePix A330’s auto focus is relatively basic, relying on the center box displayed on the LCD as the designated focal point. In order to focus on something that is not located in the direct center of the frame, there is the AF lock, which is operated in much the same way as auto focusing except that you place the object you want in focus in the center of the frame, use auto focus, and you are then free to compose the frame as you wish while the subject remains in focus.
Manual Focus (0.0)
The FinePix A330 is designed for entry level and amateur photographers, many of whom are not as concerned with manual control as effortless precision. Therefore, it is not surprising that all focusing on the FinePix A330 is done automatically, sacrificing control for simplicity.
Metering (6.5)
Taking into consideration that this camera is aimed at amateur photographers, once again control has been sacrificed for simplicity. The camera’s automatic metering uses a TTL 64-zone system, and when in unusual lighting situations, it is always possible to use the exposure compensation (in manual mode) to adjust for differences.
Exposure (6.5)
In any mode except for manual, the exposure is controlled automatically by the FinePix A330. In difficult lighting situations, such as backlighting, the Exposure Compensation feature can be very useful. Through the menu, users can adjust the meter reading from -2.1 EV to +1.5 EV in 0.3-step increments. I’m not sure why it is not an even -2 EV to +2 EV, which would make more sense, but nonetheless the FinePix A330 allows for exposure adjustments.
White Balance (6.5)
White Balance control is only available in manual mode and is perhaps the most in-depth custom feature that the camera has to offer. White balance is used to correct color and acclimate the scene to a variety of light sources. Given the various temperatures and colors of light, the white balance option is necessary to orient the camera to “true white” in the given shooting situation. Therefore, a list of seven potential lighting situations and settings are provided to fit the needs of the scene: auto, outdoors/fine weather, outdoor/shade, “daylight” fluorescent lamps, “warm white” fluorescent lamps, “cool white” fluorescent lamps, and incandescent light. I am pleased by the extensive list of options and even more pleased with the method of selection that the camera provides. When selecting the desired white balance control, the camera’s LCD continues to display the “live image” in the background as you toggle through the selections, providing a preview of the alteration to the image as the setting is reached.
ISO (0.0)
Keeping in mind that the FinePix A330 is geared towards amateur photographers, the amount of control over ISO is limited. The speed is fixed at 100, which is fine for outdoor shots, but is rather limited in low light situations, forcing the user to rely on the flash. If the main purpose of this camera is to take snapshots of the kids playing soccer or macro shots of flowers under profuse lighting, you will be more than satisfied. But if you would rather have control over ambient light, or know you will be doing a lot of shooting indoors and don’t want to use flash all the time, you might want to consider a higher-end camera with more options.
Shutter Speed (0.0)
With a shutter speed range of 2 seconds to 1/2000 of a second, the FinePix A330 can cover a lot of ground. Although it cannot be set manually, certain shooting modes give priority to shutter speeds. For example, the night shooting mode takes advantage of the slow shutter speed and will slow-synch the flash so the background and foreground are both well exposed. Those who are interested in shooting action scenes will be pleased to know that the sports shooting mode gives priority to fast shutter speeds with a top speed of 1/2000, which is rapid enough to freeze fast motion. Although it would be nice to have the possibility to do exposures of 10 or 15 seconds, I think that most users should be satisfied with the results of a two second night shot with flash.
Aperture (0.0)
While there is no manual mode for controlling aperture, the lens’s wide angle range is from f/2.8-f/4.8 while telephoto is f/5.6-f/9.5. If you are the kind of person who wants to use depth of field creatively or control the backgrounds of your compositions, you will feel restricted. On the other hand, if you just want to take a picture, and take it fast with no worries, this camera will effectively handle the aperture opening for you.
