Fujifilm's 2001 consumer digicam — 2MP 1/2.7-inch CCD, 3x 38-114mm zoom, SmartMedia storage, AA power.
The FinePix 2600 Zoom was announced by Fujifilm in August 2001 alongside the entry-level A101 and A102, replacing the 2400 Zoom as the company's affordable 2-megapixel zoom compact. It arrived at the height of the early consumer digicam boom, when 2 megapixels and a 3x zoom represented the sensible mid-point of the market, and it sold in large numbers through 2002.
It uses a 2-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD with an RGB filter (2.11 million total pixels) behind a 3x optical zoom of 6-18mm, equivalent to 38-114mm on 35mm film, with apertures from f/3.5 to f/8.7. Shutter speeds run from 1/2 to 1/1000 second and sensitivity is fixed at ISO 100 equivalent. Images are saved as JPEG to SmartMedia cards, with a 16MB card originally included, and power comes from two AA batteries or an optional AC adapter, with USB connection to a computer.
Today the 2600 Zoom is a time-capsule digicam: slow by modern standards, VGA-era in responsiveness, but capable of the low-resolution early-2000s look that has found a new audience. AA power makes it easy to run. It suits digicam collectors, students experimenting with retro digital aesthetics, and nostalgic buyers rather than anyone needing print-quality output.
The critical check is storage: it takes only SmartMedia, a long-discontinued format with fragile exposed contacts; a working card (3.3V type) bundled with the camera is worth more than the body alone. Test with fresh AA cells since weak batteries cause false faults, confirm the flash charges, and inspect the small LCD and battery contacts for corrosion. USB transfer needs old drivers, so a SmartMedia card reader is the practical route.