Fujifilm FinePix F10

[Carskick]

Well, Although I did really like the camera, a reoccuring spot forced me to send it back to fuji, the first time, they did not fix it after a grueling 7 weeks. After talking to them thoroughly, I sent it in again, and had a nice 1.5 week experience, where they actually sent me a new, different camera, as they were out of e550s at the time. So the offered to send me the F10, which actually MSRPs for $100 more. While the first support session was dissapointing, it was worth it in the end. For those of you who do not know, the F10 is Fujis compact ultra-low light model, capable of taking a picture at an astonishing ISO1600, and the noise levels match the ISO400 of many compeditors! Noise is almost nonexistant below ISO200, and ISO400 and 800 are very usable for everyday situations.

I do have several gripes with the new camera over the old one. One is the lack of certain manual features, such as Shutter and Apeature control. Another being the lens capability. The e550 was 4x, 32.5-130mm, so I got some wide angle and less zoom. The new F10 is 36-108, giving me less wide-angle and less telephoto. As opposed to the e550 using AAs, the e550 uses a very nice propriatory Li-Ion battery, allowing for a more compact camera at the exepense of universal compatibility. I prefer AAs so I can switch out Ni-MHs, but the Li-Ion battery is supposed to last a very long time between charges. And that is with the LCD on, since there is no optical viewfinder, it is a necesity.

I do like a lot of things about the new camera that the e550 did not have. The larger 2.5" screen has a one-touch brightness booster that really allows you to clearly see the screen, even when your squinting in Florida sun, the type you have to have sunglasses in. This is very Important due to the lack of an optical viewfinder. A down side is dispite the larger screen, it actually has fewer pixels: e550: 154,000 pixels
F10: 115,000 pixels
This means previewed pictures, although larger, have less detail.
Where this camera truely shines is in low light situations. It has a focus-assist lamp, where as the e550 did not, but only uses it the darkest of situations, which I like. The camera also does a very good job of using the flash to not overexpose the pictures, however, at a low ISO, the camera will not compensate by opening the shutter longer to enhance flash distance, as Fuji wants you to up the ISO. This is where I would have really like a shutter control. There is a work around, and it is putting the camera in night time mode, where it will use the slow-syncro flash and leave the shutter open for optimial exposure.

Physically, the build quality seems better than the e550. The body is almost all metal, the controls are heftier, and it feels very sturdy. Comfort-wise, the e550 easily one. It's hand grip made it optimial for people with large hands like me at the expense of size. But if a pocket camera is more of what you need, you'll just have to live with that. I am getting use to holding the camera a little differently, and there is definitely worse when it comes to comfort. For some reason, this camera is very easy to hold still, even with one hand, although it has been something I've been practicing.

I haven't done a whole lot of serious photo taking with the camera yet since I just got it yesterday, but I have been messing around with it in the house and outside to get use to it's features, controls, and limitations. I will add more information about it later, but overall, I find it to be a great little camera.