Best New Fujifilm Cameras

The Fujifilm X-E1 interchangeable lens camera is a sharp looking model that offers a smaller size with powerful features.

The large CMOS image sensor can shoot 16.3MP of resolution. Few consumer-level cameras can match the quality of the X-E1's image sensor.

The X-E1 includes an electronic viewfinder, as well as a 2.8-inch high-resolution LCD screen. It can shoot at full HD video, offers a popup flash unit, and can accept a variety of interchangeable lenses that will work with a Fujifilm X lens mount.

The X-E1 carries a price tag in excess of $1,000 with a starter lens, so this model won't appeal to everyone. However, it's a sharp-looking, powerful camera that's available a camera body that measures only 1.5 inches in thickness (without the lens) and can be found in all black or silver with black trim.

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 DIL camera, announced at CES 2012, is the company's first DIL entry, offering interchangeable lenses.

Because the X-Pro1 contains a 16MP CMOS image sensor and a host of high-end features, it may be the most powerful DIL camera announced by any company to date. DIL cameras are smaller than a DSLR camera, because of the mirror mechanism that a DSLR camera uses.

It also carries a high-end price, making it one of the most expensive DIL cameras on the market. Fujifilm has announced three Fujinon XF lenses for the X-Pro1. This is a highly anticipated DIL model, and it will be interesting to see how its high price affects its popularity.

With the Fujifilm XF1, the company has created a very stylish fixed lens camera that is going to grab some attention with its sharp looks.

The XF1 has black, dark red, or light brown camera bodies that look like leather. All three cameras have silver metal trim.

The f/1.8 aperture lens on the XF1 is a high-quality piece of glass, even though it only offers a 4X manual zoom lens. The XF1 also has a 12MP image sensor, a 3.0-inch LCD,and full HD video capabilities.

Fujifilm's X-S1 digital camera is a fixed lens camera that includes some high-end features that you may find with a DSLR camera.

The X-S1, which was announced by Fujifilm in conjunction with CES 2012, offers a precision Fujinon 26X optical zoom lens. It includes a popup flash and a viewfinder, along with a 3.0-inch, high-resolution LCD.

The highlight of the X-S1, however, is its large image sensor, which is a 2/3-inch sensor. This allows the X-S1 to excel in low light.

You'll find the X-S1 for about $800 (Compare Prices), although the price may vary quite a bit this month, as the X-S1 is so new. You won't find many fixed lens cameras in this high-end price range, so it may be tough for Fujifilm to gain a lot of traction here, but it's impossible to argue with the great features of this camera.

Fujifilm's award-winning EXR image sensor appears in the FinePix F300EXR. The EXR image sensor, which helps cameras succeed in especially tough shooting conditions, helped Fujifilm win a 2010 DIMA Innovation Award with its FinePix Z700EXR camera.

With the F300EXR, you'll find 12.0 megapixels of resolution, a 3.0-inch LCD, 720p HD video movie recording, and a 15X optical zoom lens. Measuring only 1.3 inches in thickness, the F300EXR is one of the thinnest cameras available with such a large zoom lens, and it made my list of the best cameras for 2010.

The EXR family of FinePix Fujifilm cameras has been highly successful and impressive in the past few years, including the Fujifilm FinePix F300EXR, which makes this list, too. The EXR models make use of a CMOS image sensor, giving them great image quality.

The latest of these models, the FinePix F800EXR, appears as if it will continue this line of success. The F800EXR, which is available in black, white, champagne gold, or red camera bodies that measure 1.4 inches in depth, showcases 16MP of resolution, a high-resolution 3.0-inch LCD, a 20X optical zoom lens, and full HD video. This model can also transmit images directly to smartphones and tablets, when the proper app is downloaded.

With a point and shoot camera that costs nearly $500, you'd expect top-of-the-line features and technologies, and Fujifilm attempts to deliver with its FinePix HS20EXR digital camera.

The HS20EXR makes use of the same CMOS EXR technology you'll find in the F500EXR camera. With the HS20EXR, you'll find 16 megapixels of resolution, a 3-inch high-resolution LCD, 1080p HD video, and a 30X optical zoom lens. The FinePix HS20EXR, which is called the HS22EXR in some parts of the world, is available in black only.

The FinePix JX580 digital camera is one of the least expensive 16 megapixel cameras that you're going to find currently on the market. With the JX580, which is available in purple, black, blue, or red camera bodies (depending on your location in the world), you'll also find a 5X optical zoom lens, a 3-inch LCD, and 720p HD video capture.

The "J" series of FinePix cameras are the most basic models that Fujifilm offers, so don't expect to be "wowed" by a lot of high-end features. These are affordable, basic cameras that are designed for beginners. To find 16MP in this type of camera is impressive.

It seems like I've been writing in my blog quite a bit lately about fixed-lens ultra zoom cameras, and Fujifilm has recently released another one to the market, the FinePix SL300. This camera features a 30X optical zoom lens.

In addition, the SL300, which is called the SL305 in some parts of the world, has 14 megapixels of resolution, a 3.0-inch LCD, an electronic viewfinder, and 720p HD video capabilities.

It's only available in black, and it may rank as one of the least expensive viewfinder cameras on the market right now.

The T300, which is called the T305 in some parts of the world, carries 14MP of resolution, a 10X optical zoom lens, a 3-inch LCD screen, and 720p HD video recording. You'll have plenty of colors to choose from in the camera body as well, as Fujifilm is offering the T300 in black, blue, gunmetal gray, champagne gold, and red. The T300 measures only 0.9 inches in thickness. The 10X zoom lens is a great feature for a camera in this price range.

With the Fujifilm FinePix T400, you're going to find seven different colors of camera bodies, giving beginning photographers plenty of stylish options in a thin camera body.

The T400, which is available in purple, gold, silver, black, blue, red, and pink, weighs only 5.6 ounces and is 1.1 inches in thickness. Unlike many beginner cameras, the T400 offers no trim color, so if you'd like a solid-, single-colored camera, this is a good choice.

For a sub-$200 camera, the T400 offers quite a few nice photography features, including 16MP of resolution, a 3.0-inch LCD, a 10X optical zoom lens, and 720p HD video capabilities. Beginning photographers can find a nice mix of stylish versatility and functionality in the T400.

Waterproof cameras seem to be growing in popularity, especially point and shoot waterproof models. Fujifilm has introduced quite a few of these types of cameras this year, including the FinePix XP170.

The XP170 has 14.4MP of resolution, a 5X optical zoom lens, a 2.7-inch LCD, and 1080p HD video recording. The XP170 measures only 1 inch in thickness.

This Fujifilm model can work in up to 33 feet of water depth, can survive a fall up to 6 feet, and will work in temperatures as low as minus-14 degrees Fahrenheit.

The XP170 is available in blue or orange camera bodies. I had a chance to review the XP10 a couple of years ago, and I thought it was a great beginner-level waterproof camera. The XP170 follows in its footsteps.