ive been around with cameras as a lot of you, but this camera is totally out in front.
most cameras built today are from china, and they are not bad, but they are outclassed when it comes to japan.
this camera has beaten them all for build quality,(absolutely first class).
the lens is all metal and very sharp. ergonomics are spot on, pictures are beautifuly presented, and colours are the best
i have seen on jpeg. they are so close to raw you wonder whether its worth the hassle to bring forth raw images.
you have guessed it by now,that this camera is thee one,if you dont want to carry tons of leneses around.
dont hesitate the prices are right now, go for it. at £400 pounds now its a real steal.

so whats the minus points?
none, there are some what i call side issues. 1 you will need a tripod, why, because the lens is a bid piece of glass
and you will need plenty of light to shoot without one.or you will be asking a lot of the iso to compensate for this,
and you will get blurring to many pics.2. battery power is good,but would like a battery base with 2 batterys inside
then you could shoot all day. 3. a couple of functions switch back off after using and going to another function raw
is one,cant remember the others ,but they are there. so not anything much to complain here.
the screen is tops, the software program in the camera is very easy and bright and clear, burn a couple of batterys out
learning..... view finder is superb,and my eyes are bad up close,and i have no trouble using it.
and i love the auto switch over from main screen to viewfinder when you place your eye there. (smart)
all metal control wheels and silky smooth lens.
you will have a smile on your face every time you see this and use it.ENJOY

ps
an update after a week or so. the sun must be out for this camera to get going, so you can use decent shutter speeds.
or you will be winding up the iso speeds, = poorer pics.everyone wants and loves the best pics, but you wont get them
with high iso speeds, very useable pics yes, but not in the same class as pics made from this or any other camera
using the correct light.
having said all that,my feelings for this camera has not changed, (its still the best deal out there).
jpegs and raw are still to close, and its a joy not to be sitting in front of my laptop tweeking raw pics, bin there done that
jpegs will do nicely.

ps ps.
after 3 months,still love it. (but)you probably have heard about the orbe/ blooming problem with highlights.
well its a trial all right, but ill stick with it because if you adjust your position or framing, you can get round it.
and the rest of my last review still stands. you still cant beat this camera for what it will offer you under a grand.
unless your willing to walk around with a slr and 3 lenses.

A nice, very advanced,camera from Fujifilm. It replaces my Finepix S1600 which I still have. The zoom is quite awesome and if you are into photography then this has all the bells and whistles you could wish for. I've seen none of the white orb problems associated with early models. The heavy lens does on occasion droop under its own considerable weight I've not found this to greatly affect the quality of the images taken. Just a quick turn of the manual zoom ring and it's sorted. Good value for money. I'd highly recommend this camera for any one. It is not a DSLR although years ago Olympus marketed fixed lens DSLRs - I have one ..The C2500. Old now but still taking amazing 2.5 mp images. It's all in the lens and sensor. This Fuji has a very fine lens and to date I can only report no problems with the wonderful large sensor. Altogether a super highly recommended camera at amazing value for money price. Well done Fuji..p.s. The battery life is excellent no doubt due to the manual zoom. Thanks for reading this and good luck with the camera after you buy it. BFJ

30/04/16. One year on and I;m still very satisfied with the camera. Some folks say the auto focus is not as good as other cams. I had a few pics with poor focus. Then realised it was an operator error. On the front of the camera the switch for moving from M/F to A/Fs and A/Fc had moved into a position between A/Fc and A/Fs. I propably had mistakenly moved the switch when pulling the camera from its case. My fault. No more out of focus shots at all. I just look to check where I;ve placed the switch..Still enjoying this good VFM camera. BFJ

Around 4 years ago, tired of lugging a heavy bag of DSLR gear around, I decided to switch to compact and bridge cameras and guess what? My photography actually improved. I reasoned that Fujifilm with their novel EXR sensor had the best image quality since in M size DR mode you could double-up the pixels to improve colour and decrease noise. A feature ignored by just about all the reviewers who seemed not to have taken the trouble to understand the EXR sensor fully. I was using a Fujifilm HS20 and when the X-S1 was announced I bought one at the list price of £599. As expected this gave good images and although there was some 'flak' about blooming of bright highlights as I had not seen any of this I did not send my camera back for sensor replacement under warranty.
When I noticed in early 2014 that Amazon were offering the X-S1 for around £300 I bought a back-up as I really loved the X-S1 which was by now my main camera. On starting to use this second newer camera I was immediately impressed at the increase in image detail over what I had already judged was good. On contacting Fuji they replied that this was entirely due to the new sensor and offered to still replace the sensor on my original X-S1 under warranty even though it was over 2 years old.
To summarise to be able to buy a camera like this at a new price around £300 and a used (Amazon guaranteed) price of less than £200 has to be the deal of the decade if not the best deal ever.

The main strengths of the X-S1 are:

# Great Fujinon 24-624mm zoom lens (this alone must be worth the price of the camera).

# Manual zoom which is not only much faster to use and more reliable than the electronic zooms on other cameras but gives you much more control in both 'panorama' and 'macro' modes

# The EXR sensor which I only use in one setting: M size, A priority, DR400%, 100ISO. This gives me an individual pixel area (with the EXR pixel pairing) greater than any other compact bridge camera - even the 'raved over' Panasonic FZ1000 which even though Panasonic gave it a larger 1" sensor they then spoiled it with too many megapixels (20) which gave it a smaller individual pixel area. Had they stuck to 12 megapixels they would have had a real winner but then Panasonic do not make the sensor in the FZ1000 - Fuji make the X-S1 sensor.

# Solid construction - even though it makes for a heavier camera (which I prefer) with larger buttons and metal knobs and lens hood it has a more solid feel. Still not as heavy as a DSLR with a 600mm lens - I've been there and carried one miles for my wildlife photography!

In summary this undervalued but great camera may not be around for much longer so snap one up while they are still available at these prices.

I'll start by saying that I sent mine back but that says more about me than the X-S1. As a bridge camera it really is one of the best and if you bring in its current cost it's unbeatable. It's never going to compete with SLR quality especially noise levels but if you accept it's a bridge camera you won't be disappointed. Compared to the latest generation bridge such as the Sony RX10 and the Panasonic FZ1000 it shows it's age but still holds it's ground (comparing to spec for the FZ1000 as not released at time of writing) - again though if you bring price into it they are both at least 3 time the cost of the X-S1 so for the money it's got to be the best you could buy.

To get a bit technical: The X-S1 image sensor is 2 to 3 times the size of 'standard' bridge cameras such as FZ200 so in theory it should give better quality images and in practise it does if you know what your doing. I'm not saying that you have to be a David Bailey but if you just want a point and shoot I would suggest you look elsewhere as this is more for the enthusiast. The latest RX10 and FZ1000 have an image sensor approx. 33% bigger but still not as big as micro 4/3. In general the larger the sensor the better potential for better images. The obvious advantage of a bridge is versatility (no shots missed while changing lenses).

4K video? This is available on the FZ1000 and doesn't interest me in the slightest. To me this is the latest feature that manufacturers are trying to convince us that we need - is HD so bad we need to improve it? I've no doubt the 4K video market will grow as there are always people who have to have the latest gadget. Anyway that's my little rant over - what I'm trying to say though is if video is very important to you then the X-S1 is probably not worth considering as it's features are basic - to me this is a brilliant stills camera with a video feature.

I ended up buying an EOS 5D mkiii with an expensive lens and while it is a great camera / combination I am always very aware of its value and I miss the versatility of a bridge camera. If I was to buy a bridge camera today it would probably be the RX10 as the build quality is better than the FZ1000 and it has weather sealing but and it's a big but - the X-S1 is still very tempting with its combination of image quality, build quality and manual zoom, and let's not forget price!

Buy one while you can - unlikely that Fuji will ever make an X-S2 as reports are that they lost money on the 1st so have scrapped the series. What a shame!

I already own a. Fuji HS30 which is a great camera which took me a while to suss out the best settings for my eye. When I did I was really happy with the results. This got me thinking that if the Fuji X S1 with it,s bigger sensor could improve on the HS30 then it would be a really great bridge camera! I applied similar settings that I use on the HS 30 and the results for me are astounding. The image quality across the full zoom range is the best from any camera I have owned.I own a Canon 600D with a 18-55 and 55-250 lens and although in all honesty the Canon is much better noise wise the image appeal tone and colour wise goes to the X-S1 for me. I use post image software and this closes the noise gap.Portraits are stunning as is micro.For the guy who can afford the right glass and the inconvience of changing lens and missing shooting opportunities a DSLR can,t be beaten.Having said thatthe 26X lens with it's super quality is outstanding when compared with like. We've all heard about slow focus in lower light and long zoom in all honesty it's no worse than my present DSLR and lenses. I was going to buy a Sigma 18-250 lens for £250 but when the X S1 was offered at the same price I thought for the same price I can get a top quality camera with the same convince with more zoom comparable picture quality and whole host of tailored uses.Don't listen to all the knockers this camera is a steal at £250 the great pity is Fuji have discontinued producing this line.If your undecided then just get this camera while stocks last.

I wanted to upgrade my Canon SX20IS bridge camera with one that took good photos in low light without flash, a better viewfinder and, perhaps, a longer zoom. After a lifetime buying only Canon cameras, I decided on a Fujifilm HS50EXR but happened to read a comparison review of three different brand bridge cameras that included the Fujifilm X-S1. The sample photos shown in that review displayed a marked, superior difference in those taken with the X-S1 compared with the other two cameras. The EVF and tilting screen were also superior in having a resolution of around 1.4 megapixels. However, the zoom was shorter but still useful.

I decided to check out the cost of the Fujifilm X-S1 on Amazon and discovered that it was not surprising that it was a superior camera as, when it came out two years ago, it had a RRP of £600. However, Amazon were now selling it for £250 so, compared with the £309 I was about to pay for the HS50EXR, it was a no-brainer and I’ve not been disappointed. The quality of the camera is evident in its solid build quality and the results are excellent. It is a weighty lump at 1Kg with its metal lens barrel and hood and, yes, there is a tiny amount of play in the fully extended lens barrel but you have to physically move it. The lens barrel doesn’t run out of its own accord when I point the camera down or run back in from extended if I point the camera up. The photographic results on full zoom are excellent, even hand held with my unsteady hands.

I actually bought an Amazon Warehouse “Used-Like New” X-S1 for under £200 and that’s exactly what it was, like new. I assume that it had been returned by the original purchaser for some unknown reason and there was evidence that it had only taken 140 photos. The serial number commencing with “34” indicates that it was manufactured in Japan in the fourth quarter of 2013. I am extremely happy with the camera. The menus are intuitive and there are many direct access buttons that help you avoid having to go into the menu system. I would highly recommend the Fujifilm X-S1 and I would also recommend any buyer or potential buyer to watch the “Fuji Guys” videos on You Tube which take you through all the controls in a much more useful and interesting way than reading the manual, of which there is a physical one included with the camera as well as a pdf version. The software disc included is good for Windows 7 and earlier. If you’re using Windows 8, you will need to download Fujifilm’s software, “My Finepix Studio,” from their website. I’ve yet to fully check this out.

As already stated, a great camera at a great price.

I bought the XS-1 to replace my ancient Fuji S5000 - Had considered going down the DSLR route, but having played with friend's Nikon & Canon units, I concluded that I'd stick with a bridge, as the Nth degree loss of picture quality is (for me) far outweighed by the focal length versatility. I do like Fuji kit, and was on the verge of getting a HS50, but stumbled across the X-S1 and immediately liked the look of it. The lens range and megapixel range isn't as great as the HS50, however I like the concept of the XS 1 being more of a premium product, albeit as a fairly mature model (But there again the end-of-line current price is the deal-maker !)
First impressions are that I love it. It's a fairly substantial beast, but has all the functionality that I'll ever need as an ex-enthusiast, hoping to discover my previous levels of photographic competance following years of point & shoot mediocrity.
Build quality feels like it's been made very well. Tried the lens droop test at full zoom...OK there's a tiny bit of play if you waggle the end of the lens, but if you go around treating your kit like that then you deserve whatever happens ! Only slight gripe is a bit of lateral play on the manual focus ring, but nothing worth screaming about.
Looking forward to taking lots of pictures and will update further when I've lived with the camera for a while, but initial conclusion is get one while you still can !

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I'm an experienced enthusiast and have owned a number of DSLR's and some very nice lenses. Over they years I've come to the conclusion that carrying a bag full of heavy lenses is a mugs game unless your wages depend on it. I've gradually downsized my gear but generally avoided Bridge cameras. In the past they have been so so and always a compromise too far for me personally. That is until now. I bought the Fuji X10 as a smaller pocketable camera and have been very impressed with the IQ of the smaller sensor. This drew me onto the XS-1, which has the same sensor in it. I know from previous experience that it's never a good idea to be a an early adopter of a new FUji model, they almost always contain bugs or faults. However, Fuji usually iron these out fairly quickly and so it appears to be with the X-S1. I'd been interested in the camera for a while and recently felt confident enough that Fuji had removed the issues prevalent in the earlier copies (lens drooping, soft lens issues). I finally bit the bullet and have had mine for a few days now, enough for some reasonable testing and to get a feel for what it can do.
I have to say it is a lot of camera for the price it's now selling at ( over a third less than it's original price ). Make no mistake this is a very well built and designed camera. Having a camera with a quality built in zoom which goes from 24-624mm is a revelation, and this is an excellent lens. It's sharp throughout it's focal length and across the frame, no mean achievement for a lens with this range. You will definitely not find a lens like it in the DSLR world, mainly because the lens has been specifically designed for the sensor/camera, which means less in the way of compromises.
The image quality is very good for a 2/3 inch sensor, great dynamic range, colour and resolution. Yes you can get better image quality from a DSLR but the image quality from this camera is close enough for it not to be an issue for me personally. I'll take the trade off between not having to swap lenses and the slightly lower image quality every day, because this camera means you will get a lot more shots. Though it's not small, it's not a burden to carry because it is very versatile. Macro capability is excellent, 24mm at the wide end is very good and 600mm at the long end is phenomenal.
If you printed from this camera and an average APS-C camera up to A4 size I doubt you'd notice much difference at all, in fact because of the lens, at low ISO's and at the long end, this camera could even edge it in some scenario's.
The X-S1 also has phenomenal image stabilisation. It is possible to handhold the camera and get sharp shots at ridiculously long focal lengths and low shutter speeds if you know what you are doing, very impressive and it helps to compensate for the slower maximum aperture in some situations.
The electronic viewfinder is also excellent, right up there with the best I've used, large and bright, it's easy to forget it's not an optical viewfinder.
The camera itself is very easy to operate with ample external buttons and dials and if you're coming from a DSLR you'll feel right at home with this camera. Though you can get great results straight from it, I recommend taking the time to understand how the Fuji EXR technology works. This is key to getting the absolute best out of the X-S1 in different conditions. I also recommend reducing the noise reduction to low as it can be a bit aggressive and cause smearing if it's set higher. There are many bad examples of shots taken from this camera on Flickr, these are mainly from people who either don't know how to make best use of the wealth of settings, or don't care and are happy with the results. Take it from me, if you take the time to understand EXR modes, and when to use them, you can get stunning results. There is a lot of nonsense talked about DSLR's and their mythical IQ on the internet, you can get excellent results from just about any modern half decent camera these days, as long as you don't get into 100% magnification pixel peeping. A camera like the X-S1 is just about all the camera that most people should ever need, more in many cases. It will certainly get you a wider variety and greater volume of shots than you will fiddling about with changing lenses on a DSLR (if you've even bothered to carry it).
I haven't even mentioned video because I haven't tried it but from what I've read it's pretty good and you can even get some slo-mo effects for a bit of fun.
What didn't I like? well not a lot really, just minor points, the command dial moves a bit too freely on mine, easy to knock but that's just nit-picking.
I would have preferred the ISO button on the right hand side of the camera but I can live with it and that's about it.
The biggest shame about the X-S1 is that it's reputation was damaged early on with poor quality control from Fuji, this is typical of them, and even though they've now sorted it, the X-S1 has been stigmatised because of it. This is a real shame as a lot of people have been put off buying this truly excellent camera. Fuji really need to sort that out as it's been the case with a number of models they have released (X100, X10), though I guess it's better late than never. I can safely say my X-S1 has none of the problems of the earlier models.
Overall, at £399 a camera this good is a steal, it really is the most versatile "one size fits all" solution there currently is in my opinion. I have a number of decent cameras, including the Olympus E-M5, but if I had to use only one camera it would be the X-S1, because I know it can do 90% of anything I'd need it to and do it really well, you can't really ask for more than that.

Bought it in Amazon deal time for £250 - tremendous value for a camera originally priced at nearly £600. Already have several other digital cameras but its to replace an older Sony H5 camera mainly for wildlife.

Not used in anger yet and am still trying to find the best settings - there are many (probably too many) options including the EXR modes. Just using the standard Auto mode will probably work for many situations, but will limit the image quality in more demanding cases, particularly poorer light conditions.

Other zoom cameras I have had (including a compact Sony HXV9 with 16x zoom) have given great results for birds, but hopefully the extra reach and excellent viewfinder will be prove invaluable for an upcoming holiday in Florida.
The camera is quite bulky and heavy - I am taking a monopod on holiday for the first time. It hasn't been necessary with the compact Sony, but it may be needed with the extra reach of the X-S1

Would recommend the XS 1 to anyone who wants something better than a standard point and shoot, and who wants to improve their photography techniques by controlling the camera themselves. There are more suitable bridge cameras with big zooms for "point and shoot" on Auto though.

The other main alternative is of course a DSLR, but DSLRs are not for everyone and won't automatically give great images. To rival the X-S1 with its 24mm to 624mm range, the cost of the DSLR plus several lenses would be at least a factor of 4x.

Having said all that, my old entry level Nikon D40 DSLR with a 18mm - 135 mm lens and the bounced SB 600 flash, gives superb indoor images virtually automatically, but is only used when friends ask me to take pictures indoors at special occasions (because I have a "good" camera!).