The Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd is a very versatile camera. For shutterbugs interested in a large zoom but not in a lot of photographic rigmarole, the snapper will take fine pictures without leaving the auto mode. On the other hand, the unit has plenty of flexibility for lenseslingers who demand more control over what they're shooting.

Low light conditions don't disconcern the S8000fd. It's fully capable of producing sharp pictures with rich colors under ordinary indoor lighting conditions.

Although this Fuji DSC doesn't have special scene modes for shooting through glass or into an aquarium, using the unit's natural light setting can render impressive results. The fish picture above was taken in the main fish tank at the New England Aquarium in Boston in darkened surroundings. Depth of field, color and detail are all very good.

The S8000fd gives a photo the tools to handle challenging lighting conditions, but its exposure system is intelligent enough to pull off shots that lesser cameras would flub. In the above photo captured in auto mode, the lighting from the candles on the cake is nicely preserved while the brighter background is properly exposed.

A major selling point of an ultra zooms like this Fuji DSC is its mammoth 18x zoom lens. It's especially handy when shooting wildlife. Shots like the one above of the Canadian goose are out of reach of a 5x or even 10x zoom without getting wet. Of course, a crucial part of a package with a long zoom like this one is the image stabilization subsystem. This camera's IS technology insures rock steady hand held shots even at maximum telephoto settings.

These two photos illustrate the power of the 18x zoom. At the wide end of the lens, we can see a single family home with narry a body in sight. But when we zoom in on one of the windows in the habitat from the same spot, we can observe that we're being watched by a pugnacious watchdog.

Not only can the S8000fd get you close to your subjects, but it can also give you dramatic wide angle shots at the lower end of its zoom, which is the 35mm equivalent of a 27mm lens.

One advantage that DSCs like this Fuji have over most DSLRs is the ability to see the effect of setting changes you make on the camera's display as you make them. That's particularly helpful when using the unit's exposure compensation controls. In this window shot, it was easy to establish the right light balance on the LCD so a hint of the foliage outside the stained glass appeared in the image without shooting multiple frames.