Fujifilm FinePix S5200

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Pros:

Accurate colour, low noise at higher iso, erogamics, battery life

Cons:

zoom operated by switch, bulky, lense biased to telephoto

I have been using cameras ranging from APS (yesterday's tech, SLRs (film)and 2 previous canon digital cameras.
I bought this camera after reading reviews of film-lab technicians complimenting the colour accuracy of this camera.
Pros:
1: Sure enough, the colour outcome of my shots were stunningly accurate. They did not exhibit the typical red bias most consumer camers have. 2: The grip and balance of the camera was great, reminding me of my SLR.
3: The battery life on the supplied alkali batteries stunned me. I could have gone on a 2 day trip without any spare batteries.
4: I liked the flexibility of having the higher ISOs without exhibiting objectionable noise (800 was ok). Fuji did a seriously good job with such a small CCD.
5: The Fujion lense is very sharp though there is a little purple fringing.
6: The zoom is more than I would ever need and its good for shots of animals (in trees etc).
7: Exposure button reminds me of my SLR.
8: The 55mm lense thread enable me to attach my UV and polarizing filter without awkward attachments. This allows me to be more creative in my shots.
9: Shutter lag is good if prefocused so no complaints there.
Cons:
1: Chunky (but that aids in handling), Zoom is not operated on lense barrel (the S6000fd has this feature but is weighs 2x as much),
2: manual focus function is hopeless both LCD and EVF do not have the required resolution and unlike some cameras, the middle is not magnified to check on focus.
3: I would imagine taking shots in small areas would be a challenge(the lense is slightly biased to telephoto (38mm for 35mm film equiv).

Overall, I would highly recommend this product for this price range as long as size is not a main consideration for you.