To my mind it give a keen amateur so much fun as well as a huge potential to do thing things most expensive SLR cameras will do only slightly better but with a large camera bag in tow filled with expensive and heavy added lens. Over the years, I've worked my way through Fuji's S602, the S7000 and the S9600. Each camera (bearing in mind they are not DSLRs), has been griped about in forums and some magazines, but have each built up a large body of enthusiastic users and have never been difficult to sell on when I've wanted to move on.
So if you do not need an SLR and you want a camera to spend time getting to know and which will produce really good quality shots, give it a few months for the price to stablise and go ahead and get one. I hope to have done so by Christmas.
Had another play with one yesterday. The following were shot, HAND HELD (and I am getting on a bit and not as steady as I was), using Auto plus default settings with Image Stabilization on. They are easier to compare if you 'zoom in'.
S100FS Wide angle
S100FS 50mm
S100FS Full Zoom
S100FS Full Zoom x 2 Digital
S100FS Full Zoom x 2 Digital + 1.7 Olympus B300
S100FS Full Zoom x 2 Digital + 1.7 Olympus B300 CROPPED
So if you do not need an SLR and you want a camera to spend time getting to know and which will produce really good quality shots, give it a few months for the price to stablise and go ahead and get one. I hope to have done so by Christmas.
Had another play with one yesterday. The following were shot, HAND HELD (and I am getting on a bit and not as steady as I was), using Auto plus default settings with Image Stabilization on. They are easier to compare if you 'zoom in'.
S100FS Wide angle
S100FS 50mm
S100FS Full Zoom
S100FS Full Zoom x 2 Digital
S100FS Full Zoom x 2 Digital + 1.7 Olympus B300
S100FS Full Zoom x 2 Digital + 1.7 Olympus B300 CROPPED