Fujifilm's early-2001 starter digicam — 2.1MP CCD, 3x zoom, 1.6-inch LCD, SmartMedia cards, four-AA power.
The FinePix 2400 Zoom was Fujifilm's affordable 2-megapixel zoom compact of early 2001, positioned for casual users stepping into digital photography for the first time. It was reviewed in the UK press in spring 2001 and was superseded later that year by the FinePix 2600 Zoom, making its production run short and its place in the FinePix line-up easy to confuse — the exact model number matters.
It records with a 2.1-megapixel CCD at a maximum 1600 x 1200 pixels through a 3x optical zoom lens. Composition is via an optical viewfinder or the 1.6-inch LCD monitor. Images save to 3.3V SmartMedia cards from 2MB to 64MB, with an 8MB card originally supplied. The built-in flash offers red-eye reduction and slow-synchro modes, macro focus reaches to roughly 10cm, and power comes from four AA batteries with USB output to PC or Mac.
As a used camera the 2400 Zoom is strictly a collector's and curiosity piece: start-up, focus and shot-to-shot times are leisurely, and output suits screen use rather than prints. That said, its early-2000s CCD rendering and AA power give it the same retro-digicam appeal as its 2600 successor, and clean boxed examples are inexpensive.
SmartMedia is the deciding factor when buying: cards are discontinued, capacities above 64MB do not exist for it, and a tested card plus reader should ideally accompany the camera. It needs four AA cells, so check the battery bay for leak corrosion. Confirm the flash charges and fires, that the zoom motor moves through its range, and that the 1.6-inch LCD still displays cleanly.