Fujifilm FinePix F50fd

Pros: Very good image quality.
Good results at high ISO; even 800 usable for prints.
Easy to navigate controls, both on screen and external buttons.
More control than most compacts, including shutter/aperture control.
Good ergonomics for a small camera.

Cons: Lens cover seems a bit fragile.
Battery life poor in quick auto-focus mode.
USB port is awkward, buy a card reader.

Summary: I chose this over the newer F60fd because in increasing the size of the screen by about 1/4 inch Fuji reduced the control buttons to cell phone size.

A lot has been made of Fuji's capitulation to the pixel wars, and arguably my Canon S40 takes photos as good, if not better, than the F50fd. However, the Canon is, by contrast, a brick, and complicated to use. Something like the difference between my old Kodak Retina Reflex and a modern SLR.

Some have complained that the camera is slow between photos. I find that the camera's clear controls allow for quick switching between shooting modes, which in reality is more important. The physical controls are ergonomically correct, and the sub-menus are easy to navigate. My only complaint is that an entire button has been devoted to timed photos, a feature I rarely use. It took a while to learn to avoid this button.

Ergonomics are good for a compact. The slight ridge that passes for a grip helps more than one might expect, and the off-center lens leaves room for two fingers. The thumb rests quite naturally on the shooting-mode dial.

The proof, of course, is in the pictures. I have taken hundreds of photos with the F50fd in indoor, outdoor and macro situations, and I am pleased with the results. Color accuracy is excellent, I see no "purple fringing" in the corners of photos.

I highly recommend this camera.