Fuji FinePix V10

Viewfinder (0.0)
Increasing numbers of compact digital cameras are including larger screens; 3 inches is where most max out. The Fujifilm FinePix V10 has one of these large 3-inch LCD screens and it’s beautiful. Fuji opts for this rather than an optical viewfinder, which is just fine. The big screen has 230,000 pixels so it has a smooth, crisp view. It also has a 100 percent accurate view, which can’t be said of many optical viewfinders. Also, users can see a real-time view of the exposure. For instance, when the central auto focus mode is selected and pointed at a dark subject, the rest of the image looks blown out. Then the lights look dim when a white subject is framed. The Disp/Back button cycles through a host of viewing options: grid lines and auto focus brackets with shooting information (image size, compression, ISO, battery power, pictures remaining and mode), a smaller view without information but with the three previous captured images on the left side, the auto focus brackets and shooting information without the grid lines and an unadulterated view free of distractions. The view can be seen outdoors, particularly when the gain up button is pressed (this is the button with the trash can and the sun on it). When the screen brightens, an indicator blinks onscreen to remind users that this function is in use. It should be used sparingly because it’s such a drain on the battery.

LCD Screen (8.75)
Liquid crystal displays are getting larger, and the V10’s 3-inch inch low-temperature polysilicon TFT monitor is one of the largest on the market. The screen literally takes up the entire back of the camera. There is no room for an optical viewfinder at all, so that feature was omitted. There is hardly any room for the buttons either, but Fuji managed to squeeze them all below the big screen. The V10’s LCD has an anti-glare coating and a gain-up button to the left of the multi-selector. This button brightens the LCD considerably and makes it easier to view in bright sunlight. If users have a little more time or want only a little adjustment, the Fuji V10 has a brightness adjustment in the setup menu that offers +/- 5 options. With a wide viewing angle, users can still see the onscreen image when the camera is rotated left to right. However, the screen solarizes almost instantly when angled vertically. If users try an over-the-head shot, it will have to be a shot in the dark – literally.

The 3-inch LCD has 230,000 pixels of resolution, so the view is fairly smooth. After a picture is taken, the screen blacks out for almost a half second. That doesn’t seem too long on paper, but seems like an eternity when shooting a moving subject. Because the Fuji V10’s battery isn’t very good, there is a screen-saving function to save power. The LCD Power Save mode can be turned on or off; this dims the screen after a few seconds of inactivity. All in all, the V10’s LCD monitor is big and beautiful and is functional as a viewfinder, playback screen, and gaming monitor.

Flash (7.5)
The Fujifilm FinePix V10 has a bright built-in flash that is quite powerful for its small stature. Many slim models have flashes that can only reach 8-9 feet at best. The V10’s can reach from 1-14.4 ft. in wide and 2-7.5 ft. in telephoto. The flash looks fairly even except for the left edge of the frame, which is a little darker than the rest. The flash mode can be selected with the right button of the multi-selector. It cycles through the following options: Off, Slow Synchro, Red-eye Reduction and Slow Synchro, Auto, Red-eye Reduction and On. Some cameras have the red-eye reduction modes hidden within menus, so it is nice that all of the modes are grouped together where they should be. The red-eye reduction modes send out one distinct flash and then a set of quick flashes before the picture is captured. This worked well in testing; most of the portraits I took were well exposed and faces weren’t blown out. Overall, the flash is impressive for this style of digital camera.

Zoom Lens (7.25)
The only protrusion on the Fuji V10 is the Fujinon 3.4x zoom lens. It measures 6.3-21.6mm, which is the equivalent to 38-130mm in the more traditional 35mm format. The lens moves within its three extended segments via the control toggle that surrounds the shutter release button. The toggle itself has a tiny nub on the front that can be pushed right and left, but it’s rather slippery and uncomfortable. When users can tackle the toggle enough to push it one way or another, a horizontal bar appears at the top of the LCD screen. A small square moves within the bar to show approximately where users are within the total range. The only problem with this is that there aren’t any other visual cues to indicate the amount of zoom used. Most digital cameras show the focal length being used or the amount of zoom (eg. 1.6x).

Still, to its credit, the V10’s toggle has more stops in it than most. Many point-and-shoot digital cameras have about 6 stops in a 3x zoom range, while the V10 has nine focal lengths within range. The zoom is sensitive to fine adjustments. There is a tiny bit of barrel distortion that can barely be seen in the wide end of the lens; there is some distortion at the telephoto end, but it is even less noticeable. The Fujinon lens has a tiny amount of motor noise, but isn’t nearly as audible as the F10’s lens. The Fujifilm V10 has a two-step aperture that is f/2.8 at the widest focal length, which is nice for low light shooting. Refrain from zooming in too much in low light, though, because the aperture shrinks to f/5.5 in telephoto. The Fuji V10 has a macro mode that can be activated with the left side of the multi-selector. The specs claim it is effective as close as 1 cm from the lens, but the camera had trouble focusing closer than about 4 inches in practice.

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