4. Fujifilm FinePix 5100fd

Heir to a long line of quality cameras from Fujifilm, the F100fd doesn’t totally fit its reputation when it comes to design. Its casing is, put simply, one of the heaviest, fattest, and ugliest on this list. Luckily, however, the F100fd has other assets, starting with handling: given the size of the camera’s body, this model is in fact reassuring and comfortable.

Its menus are well-designed ergonomically, and the F button gives constant access to certain functions, like ISO sensitivity or image resolution. Unlike the 970 IS, the rotating knob on this camera is better situated, centered farther from the edge of the body.

The F100fd is definitely a wide-angle model, with a decent, integrated 5x zoom that ranges from 28 mm to 140 mm. The sensor stabilization and face detection (which is what the “fd” stands for) both work well.

We don’t have any big gripes when it comes to image quality on this Fujifilm either: it performs well when it comes to handling noise, with images that are fine up to 800 ISO, and even shooting at 1600 ISO comes out okay. However, you’ll want to avoid 3200 ISO, as images there are really too noisy. Also worthy of note is low barrel distortion at 28 mm and less vignetting than in other models.