As long as you don’t mind the between-shot sluggishness or slight texture that the noise creates, even at lower ISOs when viewed on a monitor, then the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd would make a nice choice for advanced photographers looking for a pocket camera to supplement an SLR.

I say this not only because of the merits mentioned above, but also because the camera’s aperture- and shutter-priority modes give you up to 10 choices when choosing an aperture or shutter speed, while a lot of compact cameras with those shooting modes limit you to significantly fewer choices, sometimes as few as two.

Of course, if those manual exposure controls don’t matter to you, then you may also want to check out the Canon Powershot SD1000 or Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20 mentioned earlier, since they’ll provide cleaner images at lower ISOs and are faster between shots. Of course, the SD1000 doesn’t include image stabilization and is 7.1MP, and though the T20 has optical image stabilization, it is an 8.1MP camera. Even if the megapixel count isn’t important to you, and it shouldn’t be, you should keep the Fujifilm F50fd on your short list.

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You would have to purchase and carry at least a couple of lenses to cover the same distance with a DSLR camera. Thankfully Fujifilm have at last seen sense and included an image stabilization system, an essential feature given the massive zoom range on offer, and one that works very well in practice. This also means that Fujifilm can finally compete on a level playing field with their main super-zoom competitors, most notably the 18x models from Panasonic and Olympus.

We haven’t reviewed the Panasonic FZ18 yet, but we much preferred the Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd to the Olympus SP-550 UZ, which offers a less usable interface and much poorer image quality. The Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd is therefore both our current ultra-zoom camera of choice, and a viable alternative to a DSLR camera.

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If you’re a portrait photographer I bet you’ll love the increased dynamic range and film simulation of the Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro provided by the fourth generation Super CCD. Likewise Fuji’s Face Detection Technology is a real time saver in the studio.

The S5’s body is lightweight, the controls are well-placed, and the grip is very comfortable to hold. The ability to record JPEG and RAW files simultaneously allows you to review smaller-sized images, yet retain the ability to work with the RAW files later.

The RP Processor Pro reduces dark noise to deliver a cleaner image, and permit light sensitivity up to ISO 3200. And if you already own Nikon lenses and speedlights, compatibility with the S5 Pro is assured. Or, buy a new compact and lightweight digitally designed lens and you’ll have one of the lightest kits on the market.

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The Fujifilm FinePix A900 is a conundrum, torn between the worlds of high-end, high-resolution cameras and budget point and shoots. Its sensor and lens, the hearts of any camera, work well. However, its slow performance, bizarrely uneven feature set, and confusing control layout seriously hold it back.

If you can put up with these quirks and don’t mind going without a burst mode, the A900 makes a solid, affordable choice for a higher-resolution camera. If you don’t want to deal with these hassles, a similarly priced 7- or 8-megapixel camera like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 or the Canon PowerShot A630 would be a better choice. That extra megapixel or two won’t matter much against these lower-resolution cameras’ better speed and convenience.

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The Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd’s performance ranges from good to just about average, depending on what you’re trying to do.

Startup time is a little sluggish at two seconds, but shutdown time is almost instant. Shutter response is good at both wide angle and telephoto, at 0.55 and 0.75 seconds respectively, and even faster at 0.29 second in High Speed AF mode. “Prefocusing” the camera by half-pressing and holding down the shutter button before the final exposure results in an impressive lag time of only 0.018 second. Shot-to-shot cycle times are slower than average, at about 2.65 seconds for large/fine JPEGs, and the camera appears to capture shots continuously in single-shot mode without having to stop and clear the buffer. Continuous mode is average, at 0.52 frames-per-second for 20 large/fine JPEG frames. The flash takes 5.7 seconds to recharge after a full-power shot, which is on the sluggish side. Connected to a computer or printer with USB 2.0, download speeds are fast enough that you shouldn’t need a separate card reader.

Overall, the FinePix Z5fd is responsive enough for most average family and travel shooting situations, though its shot-to-shot time is somewhat on the slow side.

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