There’s been a lot of speculation and a fair amount of leakage, but it’s official now – the Fujifilm X10 premium compact camera is for real. Fujifilm’s X100 digital rangefinder had a powerful emotional effect on photographers. They connected with the stripped-down look and simplicity of the camera. The Fujifilm X10 echoes the look and feel of the X100, although they’ve made it a little more consumer-friendly by giving it a 4x 28-112mm (equiv.) f/2.0-2.8 Fujinon zoom lens and full HD video. The X10 is powered by a new 12-megapixel 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor – quite a bit smaller than the X100′s APS-C sensor – but larger than the sensors on the cameras it will be competing with, the Canon G12, Nikon D7100, Panasonic LX5 and the Olympus XZ-1. It also has an all-glass optical viewfinder with 85% coverage and diopter adjustment.
Fujifilm X10 Key Features and Specs:
- 12-megapixel 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor
- 1920 x 1080 full HD video
- 4x 28-112mm (equiv.) f/2.0-2.8 Fujinon Super EBC optical zoom lens
- 2.8-inch 460k-dot LCD display
- ISO 100 to 12,800
- Manual shooting modes
- Auto EXR mode
- Die-cast magnesium alloy body
- Pop-up flash
- Flash hot shoe
- 7 frames-per-second bursts at full resolution
- RAW, RAW + JPEG, in-camera RAW processing
- Manufactured in Japan
Fujifilm had a three-part design foundation for the X10 – quality, sensor and optics. The camera design quality speaks for itself. The 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor is larger than those in other premium compact cameras and the EXR design offers SN (Signal to Noise), DR (Dynamic Range) and HR (High Resolution) modes to produce the best possible image quality regardless of conditions. The X10 also has the latest EXR processing engine to minimize noise. The 4x Fujinon all-glass zoom lens has a super-bright f/2.0-2.8 aperture, two ED lenses and Super EBC (Electron Beam Coating) coatings on all elements to minimize ghosting and flare. Fujifilm says the lens is, “2nd to none in terms of optics technology.”
There’s no doubt about it, the Fujifilm X10 is a beauty. Anyone with an appreciation for well-built classic cameras is going appreciate it. Between the larger sensor, improved processing and excellent lens tech, I will be surprised if the X10 doesn’t have better image quality than the competition. As they did with the X100, Fujifilm has sort of created their own camera class with the new X10. You’d better get your pre-order in early if you want an X10. Based on the level of pre-announcement buzz, this one is going to be hot.
The Fujifilm X10 will be available in November for a suggested retail price of $599.95. Like the Model-T, the X10 comes in any color you want, as long as it’s black.
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I’ll own this one for sure. Passed on the X100 ultimately because it lacked a manually coupled mechanical focus ring and had some issues in the menu system- but I won’t be passing this one up.
-C
Definitely a MUST buy for me. I hope stocks are still available come November