Strengths: Easy To Use, Excellent Pictures, Great Feel, Super Zoom, Too Many Positives to List.

Weaknesses: One button badly located, Lens cap.

Summary: I shopped a lot of different camera models before I settled on the Fuji Finepix S8100fd. I wanted a camera that was point and shoot but was flexible. This camera is very flexible and feature-rich. It is close to a dslr camera without the hassles. The 18x zoom lens is remarkable. I can capture many images without having to change lenses. It has good continuous shooting options. I am very satisfied with this camera. I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone that would like an easy to use camera with all the rich features and performance of a more expensive camera. A good buy for the money.

Strengths: feature-rich, amazing lens, solidly constructed, great value

Weaknesses: lens cap, viewfinder, scene positions, location of one button

Summary: This is an updated review, now that I have owned this camera for a couple of months. The camera is very flexible and feature-rich. A very basic manual comes printed, and the 163-page full manual comes on a CD. I could only stand to read so much of the full manual, but I have learned much just by experimentation. With (4) AA batteries loaded, the camera weighs 1 lb 3 oz.Features that I like: The lens is amazingly flexible, from the normal wide-angle position, to the 18x optical zoom, to the Super Macro mode which allows you to locate the lens just 1 cm from the subject. The Natural and Flash shooting mode shoots one frame with flash and another optimized for natural light. The Continuous Shooting modes with resolutions reduced to 3Mp and 5Mp are rapid. The camera feels very solid. Criticisms: I dislike the separate lens cap, and the retaining loop is held together with a metal crimp that could potentially contact the lens. I would prefer the clarity of an optical viewfinder to the LCD viewfinder. I wish that the thumbwheel had dedicated positions for Landscape and Sports shooting modes. Instead, you must turn the wheel to the SP position, and then choose these options from a menu of ?scene positions?. If I am not careful with my right thumb, I will sometimes accidentally push the Photo-Mode button.Accessories: A neck strap rather than a wrist strap is included. I use a Deluxe Belt ProStrap wrist strap, which I love, but note that you will need a pair of tweezers to finesse the leather-backed part of the strap through the camera eyelet. For a case, I use the Lowepro Edit 100 because it fits the camera very snugly, maybe too snugly for some, and is conducive to hiking.Overall I am very satisfied with the features and performance of the camera, and I consider it to represent a great value.

Strengths: Easy to use, user friendly manual, great day/night pictures

Weaknesses: none yet!!

Summary: I looked for a new camera for about five months and I could not wait for this one to come out (March 2008.) I looked at other cameras and I kept coming back to this one. I am a bit "ocd" about researching products that I am hoping to purchase....so I knew a lot about the camera. I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone that would like an easy to use camera with all the bonus like a dslr camera. So go ahead treat yourself to an awesome camera.

Strengths: Nice feel, great zoom, easy to learn features, good continuous shooting options.

Weaknesses: Images are grainy - All images, all settings, yuck.

Summary: Though it has a lot of good features and the 18x zoom is great. The pictures from this camera were grainy. I bought the camera specifically for taking pictures of my daughters cheerleading competitions. Useing the sport setting, I did get some nice zoomed in photos from a good distance away but a lot of the pictures were blurry (which I am sure a tripod would have improved). BUT the images that did appear to be good at first review were very grainy upon closer inspection. I have a 5 year old Canon A75 camera that takes pictures that are much more clear than this one.

Strengths: Amazing zoom, Many features, Great value

Weaknesses: Separate lens cap, One inconveniently located button

Summary: I can't yet speak for the reliability of this camera, but I am enjoying learning how to use it. A basic manual comes printed and the 163-page full manual comes on a CD. I could only stand to read so much of the full manual, but I have learned much just by experimentation. Every kind of feature and shooting mode imaginable seems to be included. I especially like the shooting mode that snaps one photo with flash and one without. The 18x zoom allows me to discover far-away details in the images that I could have never seen with my own 20-20 vision. The camera feels very solid, for what that impression may be worth. I have a couple of minor criticisms. If I am not careful with my right thumb placement, I will sometimes accidentally push the photo-mode button. Also I dislike having to deal with the separate lens cap, and the lens cap retaining loop is held together with a metal crimp which could potentially contact and scratch the lens. Overall though I am very satisfied with the features and performance of the camera, and I consider it to be a great value. Only a neck strap is included, so I plan to purchase a Deluxe Belt ProStrap (wrist strap), which I have never used before. For a case I chose the Lowepro Edit 100 because it fits very snugly and is conducive to hiking.