Introduction

The Fujifilm X-S1 is a high-end bridge camera aimed at the gap between superzooms and DSLRs. The idea here is to combine reach and all-in-one convenience with natural handling and superior image quality. Fujifilm seems to be marketing the camera toward enthusiast nature photographers, but like any superzoom, there's broad appeal to be found if the design is executed well.

Basically, the X-S1 is a mash up of the HS20EXR superzoom and last year's X10 premium compact. It's built around the same oversized, 12-megapixel, 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor as the X10, but stuffed into a full-sized body with a huge 26x zoom lens strapped to the front.

We'd already put together a hands-on preview of the X-S1 from CES 2012, but we've just finished up a few weeks of proper testing. The design and user experience are plainly awesome, but the image quality falls short of what we'd hoped to see from at $800 camera. Read on to see where it shines, where it struggles, and whether it might be worth your money anyway.

Video Review