For creative effects, you can set exposure plus or minus 2EV in half-stop increments. An auto-exposure lock is useful when the subject is in the shade with strong backlighting. Manual exposure and manual focus give you full control of the X-700 when you have to time to think about each shot in advance.

Brought to you by the same folks who produce the famous Lomo camera, the Action Sampler shares the Lomo's wacky, creative image--as evidenced in the glossy, photo-filled little manual that comes with the camera and is a work of art in itself. The Action Sampler is also a study in styling with its colorful, plastic see-through case. It doesn't have a flash and sports only a flip-up square of pink plastic to frame your photos. Everything is manual, including film loading, winding, and rewinding, and there are no settings to fiddle with.

As the manual blithely states, "The Action Sampler is not a finely tuned piece of apparatus made only of the finest in hand-crafted modern materials. It's made of plastic." In short, this means you shouldn't expect sharp, detailed pictures. However, you can expect truly unique, fun, and often striking sequences of photos. The Action Sampler uses normal 35mm film but needs plenty of light (outdoor photos turn out the best), so if you want to use it indoors, we recommend using a higher-speed film (ISO 400 or higher).

The Action Sampler is a blast to use, and it makes a great gift. While it has its limitations, its distinctive way of seeing the world is fun and exciting. --Holly Blumenthal

Pros:

• Captures action with four photos on one frame
• Easy to use
• Colorful, unique styling
• Uses normal 35mm film (2 rolls included)

Cons:

• Cheaply constructed
• Needs lots of light
• Relatively low-quality pictures