The Fuljifilm x100s is not a camera I would have chosen for myself, despite its gorgeous design, simply because it’s an all-digital that costs twice as much as a beginner DSLR. However, now that I’ve test-driven one in Italy I’ve got to say that I’m in love.

The camera has got some weight to it; an all-metal body provides a robust shell for lots of travel yet the camera never feels heavy. It’s small enough for a handbag, making it a great ‘walkabout’ cam, and the settings are easy enough to master after only a little play time.

The exposure, aperture, shutter speed and white balance can all be adjusted manually–giving you more control than you expect from a point and shoot. The 28mm prime lens is a good size for general work, and any limitations you might feel are dispersed right away by the sheer quality of the glass. In the image above you can see the results at f2 – not bad!

The camera shoots raw, but for fun I shot in jpeg mode and took advantage of the camera’s built in tributes to oder fuji films, including black and white and sepia toned images. I feel just as creative, if not more, with this one as I do with the Mark III – and it’s a lot easier to carry ;)