Fujifilm FinePix X10 Review

Fujifilm FinePix X10 Review

With the Fujifilm FinePix X10, Fujifilm combines classic design and high-quality workmanship with the concept of a modern compact digital camera. The manufacturer combines a particularly fast quadruple zoom with a 2/3″ compact camera sensor in EXR-CMOS design. Fujifilm is thus keeping this sensor format, which was thought to be dead, alive with its fourfold crop factor and has the chance to set new standards in image quality for premium compact cameras.

Our test shows how Fujifilm’s concept works in practice and, above all, how the image quality turns out in everyday life and in the numbers retrieved from the test software.

Fujifilm FinePix X10 Pros And Cons

Pros

• Various accessory connections (TTL flash, filter thread, cable release, HDMI)
• Many possibilities for individualization
• Practical operation, but with partly less usable menus
• Good image quality up to ISO 800
• Excellent processing

Cons

•  Low-power flash
• Tripod thread outside the optical axis
• Optical viewfinder is hidden by parts of the lens and without focus, exposure and white balance control

The 2/3″ sensor is the largest compact camera sensor currently available, so Fujifilm stands out from the competition like Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, Samsung EX1 or Olympus XZ-1. It is remarkable that it is not a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, but a conventional one in which the conductive tracks cover a small part of the light-sensitive area. T

The technology of the back-illuminated sensor is only worthwhile for very small, highly integrated sensors, as here a relatively large part of the already small pixel area is covered by the conductive tracks. Fujifilm confirmed this to us when they introduced the X10 a few weeks ago, which is also the reason why this technology is not used in the 2/3″ sensor.

A 2/3″ sensor is about 1.5 times larger than a sensor with a 1/1.8″ diagonal, as used in expensive high-end compact cameras. Compared to the usual 1/2.3″ small sensors it is even larger by a factor of a good 2.5. A visible leap in quality is, therefore, to be expected here.

The CMOS resolves twelve megapixels and uses Fujifilm’s EXR technology. It can deliver images with a resolution of twelve megapixels or, alternatively, with six megapixels, lower noise by combining adjacent pixels of the same color or, alternatively, images with more dynamic by exposing the adjacent pixels at different intensities to better capture details in highlights and shadows; a built-in HDR mode on the image sensor, so to speak.

The F2.0 fast lens starts at 28 millimeters wide-angle corresponding to 35 mm and zooms four times to 112 millimeters (KB), whereby the speed in telephoto mode is still an impressive F2.8.

The lens has an optical image stabilizer and a manual zoom ring. This can also be used to fold the lens into its “park position”, which simultaneously turns the camera off. One turn of the zoom ring and the camera is ready for use again.

In contrast to the FinePix X100, there is no hybrid viewfinder with optical and electronic image, but a very large optical viewfinder is built-in that doesn’t remotely resemble the peepholes of the Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Canon PowerShot G12, but offers real comfort; even if without any focus or adjustment control.

Of the actual field of view, 85 percent is covered. Fujifilm indicates the size of the viewfinder with high-quality glass elements with a field size of 20 degrees. By the way, the viewfinder zooms mechanically when you turn the manual zoom ring on the lens. The case of the X10, like that of the X100, also reminds more of a classic rangefinder camera, only that the X10 turns out to be much smaller than the X100.

In addition, the X10 has a correspondingly high-quality finish with a magnesium alloy lid and housing base, milled metal operating wheels on the top of the camera and a leather-like surface, so that the X10 should fit better in the hand.

Numerous manual controls and dials are designed to provide quick adjustment of the parameters, especially for the ambitious amateur photographer.

A flash unit is integrated just like a system hot-shoe, both indispensable for a premium compact camera. The rear screen is slightly smaller than the usual three inches with a diagonal of 2.8 inches (7.1 centimeters), which leaves a little more room for the manual controls on this compact camera, which measures 117 x 70 x 62 millimeters.

But Fujifilm hasn’t given up on automatic functions and a high-quality video function in FullHD resolution with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels including stereo sound. Videos are stored as MOV with H.264 compression (MPEG-4), photos, however, either as JPEG or RAW. The memory card slot is compatible with SD, SDHC, and SDXC. The Fujifilm FinePix X10 is available in black since 2011 and can still be found used more than a decade after its launch.

 

Ergonomics And Workmanship

For a compact camera, the Fujifilm FinePix X10 is surprisingly large. The case is a pleasing retro design shows an extraordinary solid workmanship.

The grained rubber gives the camera a little more grip but could turn out less smooth. The handle is more indicated than pronounced so that the largest projection is formed by the lens.

This is equipped with a manual zoom ring that turns the camera on within one and a half seconds when turning from the park position to the lowest zoom position – this is very practical and intuitive.

The weight of just over 350 grams contributes to the solid impression of the camera with its matt black metal housing. Annoyingly, however, the metal tripod thread is not arranged in the optical axis.

At least: A tripod exchangeable plate attached here does not disturb the access to the battery and memory card compartment. SD, SDHC and SDXC are swallowed by the FinePix, while a lithium-ion battery is used in the battery compartment, which is quite small for the size of the camera. It is then only sufficient for 270 pictures according to the CIPA standard, i.e. with the screen switched on and the flash on every second photo.

If you want to take more pictures, you should avoid using the screen. Fujifilm states a battery range of after all 640 pictures for this. The Fujifilm FinePix X10 is one of the very few cameras to feature a classic optical viewfinder. This turns out pleasantly large in comparison to the competitors and offers a field of view coverage of 85 percent. Unfortunately, in the lower right corner, you can see the lens that covers a part of the picture. The viewfinder is mechanically coupled to the zoom ring and has diopter correction.

However, there are no viewfinder indicators such as exposure parameters or focus control points. The viewfinder is also not suitable for manual focusing. Unfortunately, Fujifilm hasn’t transferred the hybrid viewfinder concept of the FinePix X100 to the X10.

With a diagonal of 2.8 inches, which is about 7.1 centimeters, the screen appears pleasantly large in relation to the camera, but not oversized, so that there is still enough room for the operating elements. With 460,000 pixels it only has a sufficiently fine resolution, 920,000 pixels are actually quite common and would suit the screen well to show more details.

Nevertheless, the screen is also easy to read in sunlight but has the usual shortcoming of the descending shadows. Therefore, one should avoid correcting the exposure based on the image impression on the screen.

The operating concept of the X10 appears mature. Almost every important function can be activated via direct selection keys, a freely assignable Fn key allows a certain degree of individualization.

Unfortunately, Fujifilm has “forgotten” the ISO button, so that the photographer hardly has any other choice, thus to configure the Fn button as an ISO button. Further individualization possibilities are provided by two freely assignable memory locations on the program selector wheel so that you have quick access to preferred settings.

In general, one has to pay attention to the latching dial during the program change: Some settings are stored program-specific, such as ISO sensitivity. So if you switch from automatic program control to automatic timer control, the sensitivity may be adjusted.

The operating wheel concept is an interesting solution. On the one hand, the four-weights are surrounded by a wheel, on the other hand, there is a second dial near the thumb. This can be pressed to change the function, as with some Panasonic cameras.

So you have the choice to leave your thumb on the wheel and press quickly or switch over to the other wheel. The exposure correction wheel on the top of the camera is also extremely practical so that you can always keep an eye on it. However, the adjustment range of +/-2 EV is not particularly large.

The menu of the X10 is divided into two main areas, a recording menu and the main menu for basic settings. As usual, Fujifilm hides the activation of the RAW mode here. But those who mostly photograph in JPEG will find a RAW-button on the back of the camera that switches to RAW+JPEG for the following photo – Fujifilm probably copied this from Pentax. Practically, there are at least from time to time indications in the menu why a menu item is currently not selectable, as in the image size, for example, it says “RAW” marked in yellow if this format is selected.

The menus themselves are divided into subpages through which you can easily scroll. In playback mode, the playback menu appears instead of the recording menu.

The X10 is classically easy to connect with the TTL system hot shoe, which also operates simple mid-contact flashes and the cable release connection with screw-in thread in the release button.

On the right side of the case, the connections for HDMI (mini) and USB/AV combined are hidden behind the unlabeled flap. An AV cable is just as little part of the X10 as an HDMI cable. Only the USB-connection cable is included in the scope of delivery, with which one can read the memory card if one does not have a card reader. The X10 can be supplied with power from the socket by a battery dummy.

Features

Although the Fujifilm FinePix X10 gives the impression of a pure expert camera due to its outward appearance, it also has sophisticated automatic functions, so that you can take pictures without further settings or photographic knowledge.

In EXR mode, for example, the camera automatically selects which of the special sensor modes seems most suitable for the current subject and the prevailing lighting conditions: high resolution, high dynamic range or low noise in low ambient light.

There is also a single-auto mode and a scene mode with the abbreviation “SP” in which the photographer can select the scene mode himself. The abbreviation “Adv.” stands for the panorama mode. Here the user can select not only the pan direction but also the angle between 120, 180 and 360 degrees. An all-round panorama, whose seams fit together if desired, is thus created in no time at all.

If you want to record videos with the Fujifilm FinePix X10, you have to use the program dial and switch to video mode. The X10 does not have a special video recording button, the shutter release is used for that. FullHD resolution, MPEG-4 compression, manually usable zoom as well as an autofocus tracking function are all standard features of the camera, making it ideal for small clips.

For some creativity, there are movie simulation modes available for photos and videos. Fujifilm is trying to make its own analog film history and names the mode for strong colors after the film “Velvia” or the mode for soft contours “Astia”. The aperture, however, cannot be adjusted.

If you reduce the resolution, the X10 reaches significantly more than 30 frames per second. She also masters high-speed recordings at 70, 120 or 200 frames per second. The chattering of the autofocus can unfortunately be heard during the recording, which is done with stereo sound.

At the continuous shooting speed the X10 turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It reaches almost six frames per second in JPEG and about five frames per second in RAW. However, only for about seven or six consecutive images, after which the rate of capture decreases depending on the ability of the memory card to write the images away quickly.

After all, the camera always remains ready to record because image storage and recording can be done in parallel. The bracketing possibilities are extensive. In addition to a standard exposure series, a film simulation series, an ISO series and a dynamic series can be created.

In playback mode, the X10 offers some standard editing functions like image cropping or resolution reduction. Even RAW images can be converted directly to JPEG, which is not a matter of course for every camera with RAW function. This is helpful for the built-in photo book assistant: The images and the cover image can be selected in the camera, but a layout is not possible.

Flash In The Fujifilm FinePix X10

The built-in miniature flash must be opened manually with a mechanical slide. Therefore it cannot be activated automatically. In relation to the camera, the flash seems to be quite puny and with a guide number of 5, it is rather weak.

At least the fast lens and the high usable sensitivities still provide a sufficient range. Once the flash is raised, it can be turned on automatically or manually, a pre-flash can be activated to reduce red-eye, or it can be synchronized with slower shutter speeds.

Flash exposure compensation is hidden in the recording menu, but if you want to use flash for certain effects only at the end of the exposure, you will look in vain for such an option. External flash units can be used via the standard hot shoe with additional system-specific TTL connections, for example, to flash indirectly or over longer distances. Even the triggering of a studio flash unit is conceivable.

Lens

The optics built into the Fujifilm FinePix X10 is certainly one of the camera’s highlights. It impresses with a high luminous intensity of F2.0 at a wide angle of 28 millimetres corresponding to 35 mm and F2.8 at 112 millimetres corresponding to 35 mm.

The smallest adjustable aperture is F11. It’s a pity that the quadruple zoom doesn’t have the 24 millimeter initial focal length that is widely used these days. A 24-120 millimeter lens would also suit the X10 well.

However, the construction has a movable lens element for image stabilisation and the one centimetre wide mechanical zoom ring is easy to operate. It takes less than a quarter of a turn to zoom from wide angle to telephoto.

In addition to the end markings of 28 and 112 millimetres, there are also markings for 35, 50 and 85 millimeters printed on the lens to enable you to zoom in on these classic focal lengths.

Even when retracted, the lens protrudes 2.5 centimeters from the housing; when switched on, it extends by 1.5 to 2.7 centimeters.

With the solid metal lens cap covered with felt on the inside, Fujifilm certainly wanted to emphasize the camera’s high-quality standards, but a simpler snap-on cap with eyelet for a safety strap would have been more practical in everyday use.

On the front of the lens is a thread with an unusual diameter of 40 millimeters, but standard filter threads have 39.5 or 40.5 millimeters. However, the 40-millimeter thread is intended for the optional LHF-X10 sun visor, which in turn has a standard filter thread of 52 millimeters, so that normal filters can be attached.

The autofocus is amazingly fast, it takes about 0.4 seconds on average to focus. At 0.02 seconds, the shutter release delay is extremely short and allows for a noticeable delay-free release after focusing. If the ambient light is not sufficient for the contrast autofocus, it is supported by a bright white auxiliary light.

The focus point can be moved manually on the screen if desired, the X10 also offers object tracking.

A small lever on the front of the camera is used to switch to manual focusing, a bar graph with exact focus markings and shading of the depth of field as well as a screen magnifier support exact focusing. This is done using the adjustment ring on the back of the camera. This does not allow you to work fast, but sufficiently precise instead.

Image Quality Of The Fujifilm FinePix X10

With a 2/3-inch form factor, the Fujifilm FinePix X10 is the largest of the mini-sensors in the range of high-end compact cameras. It is also designed as CMOS and has a reasonable resolution of 12 megapixels. Paired with the fast lens, these are good prerequisites for image quality that is otherwise unheard of in compact cameras – especially with high sensitivity or low light.

For optimum image sharpness, the fast lens should be slightly dimmed. Especially at the edge of the image, the resolution can be increased even more if you stop down more, whereas in the center of the image diffraction starts to reduce the resolution.

Color fringes, however, increase more and more with the fading. Distortion and vignetting, on the other hand, are eliminated electronically.

The measured values for noise also show unmistakably that the noise suppression increases to the same extent with increasing sensitivity. Up to ISO 800, however, the image sharpness remains good, up to ISO 400 even very good. However, the signal-to-noise ratio is barely acceptable even at ISO 100. Already at ISO 400, this value becomes critical, so that the image signal can no longer stand out clearly enough from the noise signal.

A problem, which plagues practically all compact cameras by now, but to the extent that the X10 wasn’t really to be expected since it has relatively large pixels.

In EXR mode for low noise at a resolution reduced from 12 to about 6 megapixels, the signal-to-noise ratio is consistently improved by about 2-3 dB. This value is thus shifted by about one ISO level.

The signal-to-noise ratio in SN mode at ISO 800 is, therefore, the same as ISO 400 in high-resolution mode.

The luminance noise is a very small touch lower, the color noise on the same level as in the normal mode.

The dynamic range increases by about 0.3 f-stops at higher sensitivities, a result of the higher signal-to-noise ratio. The grain size of the noise, on the other hand, increases slightly in SN mode relative to a 30 by 20 cm photo print, but this is due to the lower resolution.

At pixel level, the grain size in SN mode is minimally smaller than in high-resolution mode. Overall, in SN mode you gain small nuances but lose half the pixels.

The dynamic range reaches high 10.5 f-stops in normal mode with a twelve-megapixel resolution at ISO 100 and 200, after which it begins to decrease. But only at ISO 1,600 are the still good nine aperture stops undershot, at ISO 3,200 only a meager eight stops are reached.

Overall, the X10 processes high light-dark contrasts quite well. Unfortunately, we could not measure the high dynamic range mode during my test.

On the one hand, it does not allow manual ISO adjustment, which prevents a series of measurements, and on the other hand, the fine brightness levels of the dynamic test are reproduced too unevenly by the camera, so that the software for testing fails to evaluate them.

The X10 reproduces colors quite accurately, warm colors only have a slightly higher saturation, while blue tones are reproduced a bit too warm.

The tone value curve is also not too steep so that even midtones are finely differentiated. Another argument in favor of moderate image processing is the restrained sharpness artifacts with less than ten percent.

The X10 is thus more neutrally tuned rather than gimmicky, which leaves potential for image post-processing according to one’s own wishes even in JPEG mode. So the X10 knows how to convince with a pleasant image reproduction and distinguishes itself especially at enlargements with a cleaner image of details than the usual compact cameras with tiny, highly integrated sensors.

Conclusion: Is The Fujifilm FinePix X10 Worth It?

The Fujifilm FinePix X10 radiates a unique charm with its design and high-quality workmanship. It’s fun to hold the camera in your hands, turn the manual zoom, which conveniently switches the camera on and off at the same time, operate the smooth buttons and turn the fully-locking wheels.

However, the camera is not really compact, it is rather in a class of compact system cameras with pancake lenses.

The optical viewfinder may please those who think that you can’t take a good picture with a screen as a viewfinder. In fact, the viewfinder is also relatively large and undoubtedly bright, but it offers no control whatsoever over focus, exposure or white balance and also shows the lens in the lower right-hand corner instead of the subject.

The fast lens with the low-noise sensor sets new standards. The X10 easily puts every compact camera tested so far in your pocket, but you should be aware that it can’t compete with a DSLR. But up to ISO 800, it offers excellent to good image results.

As a complete package, the Fujifilm FinePix X10 clearly stands out from the crowd, is well worth its price and deserves a top position among the best compact digital cameras with its image quality.

Firmware Update 2.0 For The Fujifilm FinePix X10: New Features

Fujifilm is providing a new firmware version 2.00 for the Fujifilm FinePix X10, which does not fix bugs but adds two new features to the camera as active product maintenance.

One of them is called “Advanced Filter” and contains six creative filters with eleven setting variants. The other function enriches the X10 with a quick menu, as it was successfully introduced with the X-Pro1.

Since a firmware update of a camera cannot miss a new button, the quick menu is called up via the “RAW” button. Here, the ISO sensitivity, white balance, film simulation, etc. can be set without having to enter the menu.

The update can be installed by the user, and instructions can be found on the Fujifilm support website. Those who do not feel confident to do the update themselves should ask their dealer or the Fujifilm service for support.

Fujifilm FinePix X10 Datasheet