Fujifilm FinePix HS10

Shooting Modes (16.33)

The HS10 offers a huge selection of shooting modes, including three auto modes, shutter and aperture priority, full manual, 15 scene modes and three advanced modes. The three auto modes include a full auto mode, program mode and a mode called SR Auto, where the camera automatically picks a scene mode.

Auto Mode Features

Focus – Three focusing modes are available from the AF mode button to the left of the screen: continuous, single and manual. We found the auto focus system of the HF10 to be pretty accurate, but a little slow. Although it usually found the focus point, it often took some time to do so, with the focus point swimming to and fro as the camera searched. This was particularly the case at the longer zoom settings and when shooting in low light. The long zoom length of this lens also means that the focusing distance is a little limited: at the longest zoom settings, the camera can only focus down to just under 10 feet (3.9 meters)from the front of the lens.

Two macro modes are also offered: a standard macro mode that focuses down to 3 inches (approx 10cm) from the front of the lens, and a super macro mode that can focus down to 0.4 inches (1cm) from the lens front. The latter allows for some extreme close up photos, and the combination of this and the high speed movie mode offers some interesting potential.

Face detection is also offered: when this is enabled, the camera will use the detected faces for both focusing and exposure.

Exposure – Exposure compensation of 2 stops either way can be applied in 1/3 of a stop steps, and 3 auto bracketed images can be captured, with separation of 1/3, 2/3 or 1 stop.

Metering – Three exposure modes are supported: multi, center and spot. In the multi mode, the camera analyzes the image and sets the exposure appropriately.

Self-Timer – The only self timer options on offer here are a standard 10 and 2-second timer. There are no custom or interval timers, or face detection timers available.

Scene Modes

The 15 scene modes on offer cover a wide variety of shooting situations, ranging from the standard portrait, landscape and sports modes to more specialist ones, such as portrait enhancer (which smooths skin), party and text.

The advanced modes of the camera are where it uses the features of the back side illuminated sensor. Three modes are offered: Pro Low Light, Multi Motion Capture and Motion Remover. In the Pro Low Light mode, the camera takes 4 images in quick succession and stacks them together to produce a single image. The Multi Motion Capture mode also takes 4 images, but processes them together so that moving objects from all 4 frames are present in a single image, so a fast-moving object will appear 4 times in the frame. Motion remover does the opposite, taking 4 images but picking the sharpest portions of each to create a single image. Sample images of these modes are on the Sample Photos page of this review.

Picture Effects (2.00)

The HS10 does not offer any special effects modes or the like, but the Finepix color modes that the camera offers do have a similar effect. Examples are show below.

Picture Samples
Standard Chrome Black & White Sepia More...

Manual Controls (8.94)

When the manual focus is enabled, a smaller ring behind the zoom control ring changes the focus, with a zoomed in area in the center of the preview providing help to check focus. In the auto focus modes, the focus area can be configured, with options for center, multi (where the camera picks the subject), area and tracking, which tracks a moving subject in the frame.

Six white balance presets are available, which include 3 different fluorescent light settings. A full auto setting is also available, as well as a custom setting which uses a white area to figure out the appropriate setting. This custom setting can also be tweaked for maximum accuracy, although those needing this level of control may be better off shooting RAW images and adjusting the white balance after shooting.

The lens of this camera has a decent aperture range, going from f/2.8 to f/11 at the widest angle setting, and from f/5.6 to f/11 at the telephoto end. Considering the length of the zoom lens, that’s a very good aperture range.

In the program mode, the HS10 has a longest shutter speed range of 30 seconds, down to 1/4000 of a second. The range is a little shorter in most other modes, with the longest shutter speed being 4 seconds. But that’s still a good range, and the fastest speed is quick enough to capture very fast moving objects sharply.

Drive/Burst Mode (3.75)

The HS10 offers a number of burst modes. First up is the top 7 mode, which takes a group of between 7 and 10 pictures when the shutter is pressed. The Best Frame Capture mode takes photos continuously when you half press the shutter down, but only saves 7 shots around when you fully press the shutter, including some taken before the shutter is fully pressed. The idea is that you half press the shutter when getting ready to capture an event (such as a bird taking off or a football play), and the camera only saves the group of 7 around when you fully press the shutter. The pattern of the images (including how many are taken before the shutter is pressed) can be set to any one of several different options.Zoom bracketing takes a series of 3 images that are digitally zoomed in, creating the impression of 3 images at different zoom settings.

One notable option that is missing is a true continuous zoom: the maximum number of images that can be captured in any of the modes above is 7.

Shot to Shot (12.26)

Although the Top 7 mode is restricted to just 7 shots, it is pretty quick: we measured the speed at just over 13.3 frames a second, so it captures the burst of 7 images in about half a second.