Must the Jack of all trades be master of none? I understand how the phrase came about. If you're trying to do too many things someone will surely come along and beat you at individual tasks. It's tough not to think that way when you consider Fujifilm's new S2000HD. It is (deep breath) a 10 Megapixel camera with a 15x optical zoom (equivalent to 27.6 - 414 mm on a 35 mm camera) capable of macro and "super macro" images (focusing closer at .4") at ISO speeds of up to 6400. Its shutter is capable of 4 second to 1/1000 second exposures while digitally stabilizing your images. Be prepared for Zoom Bracketing, Instant Zoom, Face Detection (with Auto red-eye removal), High-speed shooting, Best framing, Post shot assist windows, Frame no. memory, Histograms and Silent mode Oh, it's a video camera too!

As a video camera the S2000HD shoots a variety of resolutions, though you'll probably be attracted by its 1,280 x 720 pixel mode a.k.a. HD. Unlike some hybrids, you can use your 15x zoom while shooting video even while taking advantage of the digital stabilization. All of this is accomplished with standard SD or SDHC cards as the recording medium and easy-to-find-anywhere AA batteries as the power source.

I have used cameras like this before--in fact I've owned Fujifilm cameras before and I loved them. But I shoot a DSLR now and there is a reason. This camera does not have an optical viewfinder. That might seem like a minor point, but it's not. With an EVF plus backpanel LCD you can only see what the camera can see. With an optical viewfinder you can see beyond what the camera can easily record allowing you some latitude to push the photo later. If you're shooting in low light situations you'll feel the tug of this limitation almost immediately. Both the EVF and backpanel have significantly less resolution than the camera itself, meaning you'll never really know if the focus is sharp especially if you're attempting to focus manually.

Like I said, I loved my Fuji. However, the more the S2000HD tries to be a Swiss Army Camera, the more these little compromises start adding up.

Photographers really like the soft-focus background a nice SLR lens can provide. You're going to find that effect a lot more difficult to achieve with this type of camera. I looked carefully at the one portrait in Fujifilm's sample gallery and found the background too 'nearly' sharp for my liking.

If you go in understanding the shortcomings, this is a camera you'll definitely be able to have fun with without carrying a bag full of detachable stuff. There really is a lot to like.