Daily Mail - May 2008
Best Buy
"Perfect if you want to step your talents up a level. It's sturdy, simple to use and produces first-class photos. It has the best zoom of all those we tested, but it's slightly cumbersome and quite heavy."
Digital Camera Buyer - Issue 72
5/5 stars - Editor's Choice
"A superzoom can normally be judged on the quality of images with the full magnification employed, as without this feature it would fall into standard compact territory. The Fuji S8100fd has a few features that keep the images within acceptable levels when the 18x magnification is used, such as a nonoptical image stabiliser that still manages to perform to a respectable manner in lowlight."
Verdict: "An all-round impressive superzoom, which is simple to hold as well as being easy to use even at full magnification."
Which Digital Camera - July 2008
"Let's be clear, we're not talking pocket-sized, but the Fujifilm S8100fd certainly deserves the description ‘compact' considering it packs a massive 18x optical zoom lens into its body. Weighing just short of half a kilo, this camera will get your creative juices flowing and with such a zoom range, you will be trying all sorts of shots...
The menus are clearly laid out and this helps you set up the camera very quickly. The zoom is powered in and out by a toggle switch, which is quick and responsive. Sports photographers will like the high speed continuous shooting mode that can shoot 33 frames at 13.5 frames-per-second, but this does lower the image quality to three-megapixels. Red-eye is no problem as red-eye removal is built-in as is a neat, intelligent flash system that can mix flash with long exposures to give more detail and reduce the harshness of flash light."
Daily Telegraph - July 2008
Magnificent Seven: Chris Stevens picks this week's hottest gadgets
"Another super-intelligent camera that can detect faces in a scene and pick the perfect focal depth to capture everyone's smile. It should even stay locked on when your friends wobble around the frame. The 10-megapixel sensor and 18x zoom lens are standard, but the super-macro mode - which allows you to photograph objects as little as 1cm from the lens - is delightful for close-ups of flora and fauna."
Photoanswers.co.uk - August 2008
4/5 stars
"Fujifilm's menu system is clearly laid out and was fast to use - the F mode menu button can be found just above the D-pad opposite the play button and this provides access to the ISO, quality and colour settings, rather than having to dive into the main menu. Even though power-up time isn't instant, it fired into life in just over a second, so you'll be able to shoot those ‘moment' shots as they happen...
The Fujifilm FinePix S8100fd compact won't suit everyone, but the large zoom range will hold huge appeal for some, with a range that's great for landscape shots all the way through to grabbing close-up wildlife images. It also compares very favourably with its closest competitors - the Olympus SP-560 UZ and the Panasonic FZ18. The build feels a tad more refined, thanks in part to the large rubberized grip, while it's pretty hassle free to use, too. Considering the size of the zoom housed inside, it's still pretty compact too, so if you're in the market for a superzoom digital compact camera, then the FinePix S8100fd is definitely one for the shortlist."
