Fujifilm FinePix S5500 > Reviews (21)

As far as digital cameras go, the Fujifilm Finepix S5500 is pretty good quality, with the added bonus of having an SLR body. Anyone who has an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) and uses one often enough, knows that this is where things get disappointing. From a digital only point of view, the camera has a pretty good zoom quality, but BEWARE, if using the zoom feature, you absolutely must use a tripod, else the camera shake is so terrible (yes, even \'if\' you feel you\'re holding the camera perfectly still) that the subjects become completely distorted.

Zoom is best used in the video feature, but you must first have it set to zoom before starting the recording. My husband and i have had lots of fun with the camera on days out with the kids, and because it looks so cool, the kids can\'t wait to get their hands on it, though that\'s a once in a blue moon thing that they do. One fantastic feature that is akin to an SLR is the type of photos one can take, such as a child running past candles (eg; birthday party). The effect one gets is a child frozen in mid-run, with a stream of yellowish light emitting from the child\'s back-looks almost like something from a super hero movie, and for me, that\'s a definite plus, as it\'s the same effect i can obtain from using the \'B\' mode of my SLR.

It has a few other SLR type qualities inasmuch as it has repetitive shots, and the viewfinder is directly above the lens, something that snapshot cameras omit, and is completely annoying (yup, if you\'ve ever wondered why you manage to cut off heads in photos using a snapshot camera, that\'s why). However, that\'s pretty much where the comparisons stop. In itself, that\'s fine, because the camera isn\'t a really expensive one and it\'s very good value for money. I find i use it more than my SLR at times, simply because i don\'t need to use film, and the convenience of uploading the photos onto the PC is wonderful-that way i get to edit pics and decide what i want to print out...and i can also manipulate the photos via PC software, which is excellent.

All in all, this camera is definitely one i\'d recommend for the semi-pro, or even amateurs. I certainly wouldn\'t be without mine, and it\'s just fine for the moment until i can afford one of the professional SLR Digitals. Besides which, Fujifilm\'s a pretty good make-i\'ve never had any problems with mine.