sslabs's Full Review: FUJIFILM FinePix V10 Digital Camera
Seriously though...
This is the only time you’d ever catch me bragging about anything related to three inches. Technology is a funny thing isn’t it? It seems like big LCD screens on digital cameras are like bragging rights after mega pixel counts. After having handled this new Fuji V10 (released March 2006) for just a few minutes, I could tell a lot had changed in the last four years.
My last digital camera, the now ancient Fuji Finepix 2650 (circa 2002/03) mainly used for ebay, and the occasional personal photo wasn’t always a fun camera. The LCD was maybe a hair over an inch diagonally, and washed out in the daylight. It took only two AA batteries but chewed through them at an alarming rate. Start-up was slow, shutter lag was long, and taking three pictures fast? Forget about it. I also forgot to mention that while it’s not exactly fat, it’s certainly a chunky thing. With all the issues, it still took a damn good picture in the daylight. The pictures it took were always very natural looking, and printed up great. It’s a big reason Fuji stayed at the top of my list in my present search for an upgrade.
Well the digital camera game is white hot, and just about every maker has addressed the aforementioned issues in various ways. To be honest, it’s not like portable music where the iPod is king and everyone else is second tier. There are many great cameras from Sony, Casio, Canon, Kodak, HP, Panasonic’s Lumix line and so many more. After reading and reading countless reviews from the pros and casual consumers I felt overwhelmed. Some models had the edge in one area or another like optical zoom, raw mega pixels, micro size, or number of features.
What I really needed...
My biggest pain was being able to take pictures without a flash. It’s a pain setting up lights to take pictures for ebay. Using a flash works, but it always looks harsh whether I used a 35mm camera or a digital one. So this was on the top of my list. Second on my list was LCD size. When I got serious last summer, 2.5" was the big size. Then Sony dropped their slim unit with 3" touch screen. I came within inches of a Fuji F10, put it off and then fell for the very new, very sexy Fuji V10. Next up would be battery usage. Virtually every brand and model has improved by leaps and bounds versus my last Fuji circa 2002.
Some V10 specs
The 5.1 mega pixel Fuji V10 is a small square shape with rounded corners, and it’s a very slim, thin square. The V10 is 3.3" by 2.5" and .9" thick. The camera with battery and memory card, clocks in at about 6.6 ounces, but it feels heavier in my hand than that. Being small, it gives the camera a dense feeling. It oozes quality, as the camera body is almost entirely metal. The only plastic is the small chrome trim up top, the LCD/frame, and battery door.
But to be honest, that weight gets to be a pain if you carry that little camera in your hand all day long. It’s light and thin enough to slip into my rear pocket and be forgotten. I know because I almost sat on it a couple of times. While it’s small enough for front shirt pocket residence, it’s just too heavy to stay for very long in my opinion. In the US, the V10 is available with a gun metal grey front (mine) and a very hip looking metallic orange paint job. Before I go on anymore I should cover what’s in the box.
Fuji V10 what’s in the box
The V10 camera
One NP-40 lithium ion rechargeable battery
16MB xD memory card
Strap
AC adapter/charger
AV cable (RCA video out, audio out)
USB cable
One CD ROM with Fuji FinePix software.
I have three issues here, first the memory card is meant to be thrown away. Fuji should follow the few brands that have started to add that tiny amount of memory internally. The 16MB xD card holds about six pictures at the best quality setting. So as with just about every other camera on the market, buy a decent size card. 128MB, or even 256MB xD cards should be considered the absolute minimum. My camera also came with a 512MB card which was a major score. No it wasn’t courtesy of Fuji, but the previous owner. Fuji’s chart claims 512MB is good for 205 pictures at the best setting, but in the V10 it’s more like 180-ish. Still that’s plenty enough for me.
Secondly, what’s with the strap? I was expecting your run of the mill hand/wrist strap. Instead I get this very long strap that’s more suited for your neck. The camera sits comfortably that way, but I refuse to do that. Why? Because I look like every dork tourist here in wine county. If used as a wrist strap, you are likely have a V10 hit the ground, other people, and small animals are at risk as well. And finally the A/V cable. The single audio cable isn’t the issue, but the single RCA composite video cable is. That’s a poor quality connection to view photos or movies. An S-Video connection would have been more appropriate.
Key features
Let’s be honest, just about every camera out there have lists that are just too long, I’ll touch on some key points. This 5.1 mega pixel camera sports Fuji’s 5th generation Super CCD. It can make use of high ISO settings (up to ISO 1600) and Fuji’s RP (real photo) technology. It also has a 3.4x optical zoom. There are even four games on board should you get bored, and feel the need to pass the time.
It can shoot pictures without a flash in natural light mode with success (usually). And so you don’t have to choose between flash and natural light you can have both. If you so desire, the V10 can be set to take two pictures when you click for one. One will shoot with a flash, the other will be sans flash. You get an immediate comparison on the big LCD, and both pics are saved so you can choose the most pleasing shot later. The V10 also shoots some rather clean video as well. The low resolution setting is 320x240, and the high setting is 640x480. At the high setting, running at 30fps, it’s not far from a good camcorder quality wise, and it surprised me a bit.
Why the Fuji?
In the end, Fuji kept scoring high with the low light/natural light performance. They’ve generally scored well in recent years overall for their picture quality and reliability. The massive three inch screen that takes up nearly the entire rear was another hook for me. The camera is small, the start up is fast (about 1.5 seconds) and I can take two or three pics quick if need be (about 2 seconds for three shots). So after reading reviews till my eyes were sore, I scored the Fuji V10 in minty condition with a 512 MB card for just over a buck fifty (thank you ebay). So that’s about $100+ off the new price for a new and current model without figuring in the memory card.
Real World Usage
First let’s cover the pros shall we? After playing with the V10 the first day, I realized that Fuji put a lot of thought into giving users one touch access. You can use the main menu button to access a majority of features the slow way. But for those that take the time, and pay close attention, buttons that serve as one function during picture playback serve other useful functions during picture taking.
For example, gaining access to movie mode, resolution settings, picture timer, flash settings and macro mode can all be accessed quickly with one button. Hurray! At the top, Fuji’s “F” button gives quick access to six resolution settings. Also available are the option for black and white photos, and “Fuji Chrome” a mode that mimics the 35mm ‘look’. In manual mode, the ISO settings can be set here as well.
On the right side (seen from the rear) is a quick switch that flips from photo to movie mode. So should you feel the need to catch a moment on video quickly, chances are you won’t miss it. The same goes for other key features and it’s a blessing really. With my old Fuji, I spent more time flipping through the main menu than I care to remember. There are four games, and they look pretty good, especially the shooting game, it looks about as good as a PSP game. Another pro would be the LCD. It’s large, it makes reviewing pics and dumping the bad ones an easier decision. It stands up well in the sun, and one button instantly boosts the brightness if it’s needed.
Cons
The games: With the tiny buttons, and no ‘joy stick’ playing the games is frustrating. I think I’d only play them in a dire situation like say at the DMV or if I were being held prisoner in a tiger cage. The start-up for the V10 is rather brisk. From power up to lens extension, it’s about 1.5 seconds give or take. Needless to say, you can start firing off pictures in a short time. But the shutter lag still seems to be a bit high to me regardless of what mode I’m in. In almost all occasions, when you snap a pic, what you see in the big LCD isn’t what you really get. A simple test confirmed this. Simply holding the V10 in hand, moving from side to side taking a picture of my computer LCD screen proved this.
When the panel came into view, I clicked, the screen could be seen on my LCD. Then a half second later, the camera screen updates with what it really captured, and my computer screen is nowhere to be found. Driving around the Napa Valley, taking pictures from my car, it happened time and time again, the shutter lag is just a bit too long. You still have to anticipate a bit and click just before your subject comes around or you will miss it. My old Fuji had the same issue, and I dealt with it, too bad this is still an issue years later. It’s shorter with the V10, and sometimes, the picture is taken almost instantly, but this issue still rears its ugly head.
Picture quality
I hate to report that it’s a mixed bag. This is probably the first time that doing a lot of research actually failed me. While many reviewers even the professional ones stated some minor issues they had with the V10, they totally glossed over the issue of ‘noise’ present in many of the pictures taken. Using the Fuji in the ‘natural light’ mode, the camera is going to kick into a high ISO mode to make things happen.
In low light it takes most pictures at 400, 640, and 800 ISO. Viewed using the camera's LCD screen things look fine. On my PC monitor things look decent until I view the photos in actual size. That’s when heavy noise and digital artifacts are present, also sharp lines of contrast are almost runny looking. The edges of tables, the outlines of people are all jagged, noisy, and unacceptable. These pictures taken in low light without a flash would make OK 4x6 prints at best. Any larger, and all this could pop up.
In bright daylight at ISO 64, 100 and 200 the pictures have virtually none of these issues. In strong light, or with the flash set-up correctly, the pictures delivered by the V10 are really good. However, another issue, this one being harder to spot are what appear to be compression artifacts. With each picture taking up a healthy 2.5MB each, I was surprised. Is it possible that better picture quality, like say a 3.5MB pic file would cause the camera to perform more slowly? It could be heavier compression to aid camera performance, either way, I could spot it at times.
While this issue is part of dealing with digital cameras, I mention it because these artifacts were almost undetectable with daylight pictures taken on my lowly 2.0 mega pixel 4 year old Fuji.This is the part where nerds around the world gasp and yell blasphemy! Well before anyone screams recall or defective product keep this in mind. The issues I mention are the type that a fussy nerd like myself would catch. The general camera using population will probably miss it entirely. However, in most instances, pictures taken in daylight or really bright rooms, the pictures look fantastic.
Even with the flash there are issues. In auto mode, the V10 will kick into ISO 640 and 800 most of the time. That’s an issue as noise becomes an issue at ISO 400 and only gets worse at 640 and 800. There are two ways to solve this issue. One is in to put the V10 into night mode where shutter speeds are lower, ISOs are lower and noise goes away. The other way in manual mode is to choose the ‘slow’ setting on the flash. Here, you must use a tripod, set the camera on a table or have steady hands. Forget the natural light mode, sometimes it seems like the V10 is back to square one when it comes to low light.
But that’s not entirely true, in spite of the noise, the bottom line is that the V10 can get the shots many other cameras cannot. That also goes for Fuji’s bottom of the barrel cameras, the ones that populate large chains like Target, Wal-mart and even Circuit City. There are times when the light is too low, the subject too far from the flash, and the natural light mode will save the day.
I’d rather have a slightly grainy, noisy something, than a dark nothing. In cases where your camera could be confiscated or you could be asked to leave a particular venue, museum or relative’s house, the V10 could save you. The flash is what gives you away, and in natural light mode, you can be a stealthy point and shooter.
The purple fringe
This was a noticeable issue with my old Fuji. It was most noticeable in pictures taken around wine country, especially trees. Against the sky, all the tree branches had a faint purple outline. The CA or chromatic aberration is a little harder to spot with the V10, so I'd give it a passing score.
Battery Life
I’m happy to report that while I wouldn’t rate the V10 as excellent, it’s quite good in this regard. After a full charge, I used the V10 for the first two days heavily. I shot four movies, each about a minute long, I snapped about 150 pictures about 20 of those with a flash. The camera’s LCD was used heavily to review pictures, learn how to use the various features, and play a few games. I also linked to my PC twice to transfer the data and study the pictures. At the end of the second day the low battery indicator finally started to blink for mercy. Without all the other usage, I'm sure snapping 200 pics on one charge is realistic. Heavy users should score an extra battery just in case.
Availability
I noticed that the Fuji V10 isn’t exactly the easiest camera to score by simply walking into a chain store. The various cheaper models made by Fuji are everywhere. I guess the mass market being what it is, Fuji probably figures the V10 is just too pricey to compete against the cheaper cameras many with higher pixel counts. The V10 is fairly easy to score online, and the MSRP is $349, however I've seen it well below that already. One last detail, my V10 is made in Japan and I like that. Products made in Japan just seem to be made better and last longer than the same items pouring out of China and Taiwan, as least that’s been my experience.
Protecting Your V10
I ordered the ‘official’ Fuji V10 leather case after winning this camera. It’s pricey, but it’s pretty good. The SC-FXV10 appears to be made for the Japanese market but it can be found online fairly easily. It’s a black and cream two tone deal, it’s real leather and it’s semi soft. The two broad sides are hard and offer true protection to the large LCD. The inside is lined with a soft velour type lining that won’t scratch or mar the LCD or the metal front. Not being a true hard case, no protection is offered from crushing forces, but then the case would be too bulky so it’s a good trade off. And finally it comes with a real wrist strap.
The strap is real leather as well, it’s short so the camera hangs just right off your hand. Another plus, the strap is small enough so that it's unlikely to slip off your wrist. If you don’t want to spend about $25 for the Fuji case, at about four dollars the Case Logic TBC-1 I scored at Target is a good case too. It’s almost a perfect fit, it’s padded (no hard sides) and has a tiny pocket inside for an extra card or battery. Both cases have a belt loop on the side.
Bottom line
For the person wanting a simple point and shoot camera the V10 isn’t a bad choice. Of course to get the most out of it, getting deeper into its features is mandatory. Getting acquainted with the 115 page manual is a good idea too. Notice I said manual not booklet, this thing is serious looking for such a tiny little camera. Also this manual isn’t a 115 page thing accommodating four languages, it’s all English. I don’t think the performance of the V10 is going to impress semi-pro shooters, but I don’t think that’s the V10's aim. For someone like myself that will use it casually for family photos, snapping pictures around the Napa Valley, and ebay, it’s perfect.
The build quality, and the overall fit and finish is solid. The V10 is small, easy to use, has good battery life and has an absolutely fantastic looking 3" LCD. If your needs are like mine, and you can get a good price, the V10 should be in your top 5 list. With shutter lag on the long side, a manual mode that’s not totally manual (you can’t set shutter speed for example) more serious shooters should and will naturally pass.
Final Rating:
This is one of the toughest choices I've made in a long time. It still bugs the hell out of me that I still can't rate in half star increments here. The V10 in my book is about a three and one half star performer. Giving it three just seems like it would relegate the V10 to average status. While it doesn't exactly score aces across the board, it's no average camera, so I rounded up to four stars.
5.0-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints 3-inch LCD display; 3.4x optical zoom Can capture images at light sensi...More at Amazon Marketplace
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