REVIEWED: THE NEW FUJIFILM FINEPIX X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10 (pictured)

The Fujifilm Finepix X10 is the NEW advanced compact digital camera on the block. Like its bigger brother the Fujifilm Finepix X100, the top & base plates of the X10 are constructed of lightweight magnesium, covered with a durable synthetic leather for a more comfortable grip & surface protection. This finish doesn't just make the camera fit more comfortably in the hand, it also adds to its appeal with this chic Leicaesque retro design- especially amongst us fashion conscious photographers.


The Mode wheels & Function buttons are presented on the camera for quick & easy use. Also including a dedicated 'RAW' file button & 'Fn' button which can be custom set to ISO, Image Size, Image Quality, Dynamic Range, Film Simulation, AF Mode, Face Recognition, Face Detection or Intelligent Digital Zoom. The X10's Manual functions are ideal for Pro's/Enthusiasts or an opportunity for beginners to grow. Its EXR mode is great for easy shooting, with Auto-Scene selection & also Auto-Selecting the sensor behaviour to either (HR) High Resolution, (DR) Dynamic Range or (SN) Signal-Noise Ratio. The X10 also contains some useful Advanced Auto settings like Motion Panorama, Pro Focus or Pro Low-Light.


After a few seconds looking for the 'On' switch, its surprising how much satisfaction is gained from turning a camera On/Off by twisting the lens barrel. Whilst on the subject of the lens, its the perfect time to reflect on the high quality of the lens. The incredibly useful focal length range of 28-112mm (4x optical zoom) is ideal for Landscape, Architecture to Portraits, which is further complimented by the large f/2.0-f2.8 max.apertures. This means the X10 is still extremely quick/responsive & produces breathtaking images even under difficult lighting conditions, and also produces nice bokeh (background blur) for portraits.


Also, one of X10's main attractions will be it's zoom optical viewfinder. The X10 gives the photographer the option of either using its 2.8" (460k-dot) LCD screen or its very bright, very clear optical viewfinder. Our only concern with the viewfinder is there is no shooting info through the viewfinder & when zooming, fingers will certainly appear within your line-of-sight. Its not the same as the incredible 'Hybrid viewfinder' found in the Fujifilm Finepix X100, but is still a very useful feature when shooting under very bright conditions or conserving battery power.

Fujifilm Finepix X10- 1/45 sec, f2.8 @ ISO 100 

Canon Powershot G12- 1/6 sec, f4.5 @  ISO 80

Internally, the X10 incorporates a 12 million pixel 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor & EXR processor, which enables the camera to deliver rich detailed, accurate colour rendition & wide dynamic range images. This also enables the camera to take images in very low-lighting conditions with exceptional results and minimal noise. Even in comparison to the popular Canon Powershot G12, the X10 rendered colour far more accurately and the image quality was sharper. The metadata reveals that due to the X10's superb bright lens, shutter speeds were vastly increased, even using fine-grain ISO's.

Fujifilm Finepix X10- 100% magnification

Canon Powershot G12- 100% magnification

Fujifilm Finepix X10- ISO 400

Fujifilm Finepix X10- ISO 800

Fujifilm Finepix X10- ISO 1600

Conclusion is that despite the fact the Fujifilm Finepix X10 does not have inter-changeable lenses, with its similar price it will to some degree be competing with the compact system cameras. It definitely does stand out as a class leader, especially for its combination of bright, high quality optics & exceptional quality images.


Note: Please click on images to view larger


4.9 out of 5

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