FUJIFILM FinePix S5100 Digital Camera Review

OK. i feel i should preface this one with the fact that i once aspired to become a professional photographer. took classes in HS and college. (i kinda got a little knocked up & life went a totally different direction for me.) So i feel i'm fairly knowledgeable about cameras, but keep in mind, my schooling on the subject ended in 1999. so i'm totally self-taught on digital photography.

anyway. the Fujifilm S-5100. awesome camera. i'm big on fuji. i think they have excellent lenses and make great 35mm film. when i use my 35mm camera, i use fuji lenses and film. i'm loyal like that. so, being loyal, my review might be a little slanted. it's hard to be objective about the things you love!

the S-5100, that all being said, is outdated. we bought ours years ago when it first came out. it's only 4 mega-pixels, if that tells you anything. but honestly, if you're not a professional, you don't need more than 4! 8x10 photos look amazing with 4 mega-pixels. and i don't know many average users who print larger than 8x10's.

So- 4 mega-pixels, video capability, easy on the batteries, great lens, all the functions you could need, what more could you want? it's got 10 photo modes; like night, action, and portrait mode. it has 2 timer modes, and this cool action-shot mode that takes several successive photos. that mode rocks when you're trying to capture a baby. babies are wiggly little things, and the multi-shot mode takes a bunch of snaps in a row, so you'll almost always get a good shot of the rugrat. the menus are intuitive and easy to navigate.

the S 5100 is a near-SLR. i've found it fulfills all the basic functions of a D-SLR. you can attach lenses to it, and you can manually adjust the settings (f-stop and the like) but it's nowhere near as expensive as even an entry-level D-SLR! 

i really could write a novel on how happy i am with this camera. it's been dropped and left in the sun, and it's still kickin'!

Bottom Line: for a non-professional's camera, it sure takes professional-looking photos. I'm complimented all the time on the quality of the shots i get with this camera. <3 it!