Labs

The looker of the group, this sleek metal camera is also surprisingly effective, considering that it has one of the lowest resolutions on test.

Image Quality

We couldn't fault the FinePix's ability to reproduce scenes digitally - it proves that image quality isn't simply about how many pixels you've got. Our dog was shiny, the phone boxes were just right and the karate kids

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were wearing white pyjamas - not yellow as some of the cameras here would have you believe. The digital zoom was the weakest link, although it wasn't at all bad for a 2 megapixel camera.

Features

Unusually, this camera can record audio to accompany still photos, as well as when capturing video. It doesn't have presets for outdoors, night-time or portraits, though. At least you can achieve the same effects by playing with the manual settings.

Design

Very neat and tidy, the F401 will fit into a trouser pocket very easily. It's activated using a narrow sliding panel on the front, which could accidentally slide open in some circumstances, so be careful. All of the buttons you need are present, the zoom controls are well placed and it's easy to flip between play and record modes.

Overall

The camera and the pictures it takes will be the envy of your friends. It's not the most highly-specified camera here, but the results are brilliant.