Fujifilm has welcomed in 2012 with the launch of 17, yes 17 cameras in the UK, on Thursday as it tries to cover every photography base possible, and then some.

In a move that is likely to seem confusing for your average consumer at best, the company has mainly concentrated on refreshing its camera lines with new technologies, megapixel upgrades and improved displays.

Top of the pile is the Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR that promises a 30x optical zoom and 16 megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor.

In Fuji's own words:

"The FinePix HS range has become synonymous with versatility and optical quality among those photographers who don't want the lens-changing capability of a DSLR, but still want total control over their images."

Other tech specs to get excited about are a 3-inch LCD screen around the back, 1080p movie capture and a 60x intelligent digital zoom, that although we haven't tried, is likely to be blotchy at best.

The HS30EXR replaces the HS20EXR.

If zoom is your thing then you might also want to check out the four other super-zoom cameras that Fujifilm has launched for 2012.  

The Fujifilm FinePix S4500, S4400, S4300 and S4200 all come with similar features including a 14 mega-pixel CCD sensor, 24 mm wide-angle-super-zoom lens, 720p HD movie capture and run on 4 AA batteries suggesting an expensive running life.

The main difference between the models is the extent of the zoom they offer. The Fujifilm FinePix S4500 will come with a 30x optical zoom, S4400 a 28x optical zoom, the S4300 a 26x optical zoom and S4200 a 24x optical zoom.

The S4400 and S4300 won't be coming to the UK. 

But wait, surely that's not enough 30x optical zoom cameras to launch, so Fujifilm has opted to launch a further two bridge cameras apart of its SL range; the SL300, SL280, SL260 and SL240. 

Both models feature similar specs to the S range above including a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, 3-inch LCD screen and 720p shooting mode, however will come with a rechargeable battery. The cameras offer 30x, 28x, 26x, and 24x optical zoom accordingly.

The SL280 and SL260 will not be coming to the UK. 

Fujifilm has yet to detail pricing, however has confirmed that all models will be available from March 2012.