I have a FujiFilm Finepix 1300 and I've been very happy with it.  Just a
data point for you.  My only complaints:

- The user interface could be a little more intuitive.
- The flash is a bit close to the lens.  If there's any dust on the lens
the flash lights it up and makes speckles in the picture.

Oh, don't even think about buying this camera if you're left-handed.  It's
made to be held in the right hand only.

It takes great photos, at up to 1280x1024.  If you go to
http://www.gull.us/photos/colorado/, the two pictures marked with a * were
taken with a Finepix 1300, then reduced to 800x600.  Battery life is very
good.  (I have friends with HP and Olympus models that go through
batteries very fast -- this is something to ask people about.)

I don't remember what I paid for it...think it was around $180 at CompUSA.
Might be cheaper now.

             _ _
  __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)              Ypsilanti, MI
 / _` | | | | | |  +-----------------------------------------------------
| (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
 \__, |\__,_|_|_| "The VW camper is a brilliant invention -- it's like a
 |___/             Swiss army knife for the road... It's the stealth RV."
                                                        -- Wayne Curtis