The digital revolution in photography might appear to have created two general classes of snappers: those who want to point ‘n' click with the minimum amount of effort and the serious professionals who demand total control and flexibility over exposure, focus, contrast, etc.

However, there is a third group: semi-pros, who would like more options but perhaps can't afford the hefty price tags of the DSLRs, and Fujifilm's FinePix S100FS has been specifically designed to meet this particular need.

It's advertised as a ‘DSLR-styled camera' and to look at it you'd think it was a pro model, with its stylish black casing bristling with chunky controls and a substantial attached 28-400mm, f/2.8-5.3, 14.3x zoom lens. As you'd expect from a ‘bridge' camera, this is a fixed lens so you won't have to worry about dust getting inside. This lens also has a Super Macro facility that can take shots as close as 1cm and a new lens shift image stabilisation mechanism to keep the blur factor minimal.

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Two other additions you'll become aware of are the new electronic viewfinder and a tilting 2.5-inch LCD monitor with 230,000-pixel resolution which concertinas out from the main body and can be angled 90 degrees upwards and 45 degrees downwards. Storage is via the xD/SD compatible slot on the side which is also SDHC friendly.

In terms of other new features, the S100FS borrows heavily from Fuji's FinePix S5 Pro D-SLR in order to offer a whole range of optional refinements. For instance, the low-noise, 2/3-inch, 11.1-megapixel Super CCD VIII HR, allied to the RP Processor III, has extended the dynamic range considerably, providing subtler gradation of tones.

One of the other benefits is the inclusion of Film Simulation modes which, as well as being geared towards Portrait photography and Soft low-contrast shots, also allows for the typical vibrant nature colours you find with Velvia film or more natural human tones of Provia film.

As a follow-on from this there's now a Multi Bracketing function which will provide three instant contrasting shots taken with one shutter release, so you can compare and contrast your results instantly whether in Film Simulation mode or when checking dynamic range or exposure settings. This will be a real boon for the serious amateur, as will the knowledge that you can capture RAW images as well as JPEGs.

And if that wasn't enough, Fujifilm has thrown in Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority exposure modes, a high speed maximum of 50 continuous shots at 7fps (though only at the lowest 3-megapixel setting), the ability to zoom while in Movie Mode, four sets of scene settings specifically for nature photography, plus improved Face Detection technology that not only identifies up to 10 faces per frame (even in profile) but will automatically remove red-eye at the same time.

Having initially priced this ‘bridge' DSLR-styled camera at £499, its revised £349 tag makes it an appealing buy for serious amateurs who want most of the DSLR features without the heavy outlay and extra lenses.