Fujifilm FinePix V10 Digital Camera Review

Model Design / Appearance (8.5)
The FinePix V10 has a more distinctive look than most Fujifilm digital cameras. Most of this is because of the large 3-inch LCD screen that hogs the back of the camera and squishes the controls to the bottom. The V10’s shape is distinctive as well; instead of the traditional rectangular look of most digital cameras, it is much closer to a square. The body comes in two colors: orange and gun-metal. The Fuji V10 has a durable plastic frame with a front metal panel and a back metal panel encasing the LCD screen. Both models have chrome highlights that frame the front face plate and rear LCD monitor. The V10 is one of the most attractive digital cameras that Fujifilm offers.

Size / Portability (7.0)
The Fuji V10 is extremely compact and portable. The V10’s square shape makes it a tight fit in a shirt pocket, but a great fit for pants pockets. It is certainly thin enough to pocket for on a night out. This FinePix measures only 3.3 x 2.5 x 0.9 inches but weighs more than one would think. Its heft isn’t going to hurt anybody, but it is just enough to feel like a substantial piece of imaging equipment. It weighs 5.5 ounces and has a wrist strap that can be attached to the right side.

Handling Ability (7.0)
The Fujifilm FinePix V10 is completely flat when the power is off; only the lens protrudes when on. This design is optimized for portability – not for comfortable handling. There is no right-hand grip, but the FinePix logo on the front is textured and acts as a pseudo finger grip. There are no dents or rubber surfaces to grip fingers in other places; the right thumb actually rests on the right side of the LCD screen, leaving a spot of fingerprints. When the thumb isn’t greasing up the screen, it will be wandering along the bottom edge of the camera where the buttons are located. The buttons are difficult to manipulate unless two hands are used to steady the camera. The V10 itself is quite balanced otherwise; even the extending lens doesn’t throw it off. The Fuji V10 was made for a quick picture here and there – not for a lengthy photo shoot. Its handling reflects that idea.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (5.5)
Almost all of the V10’s control buttons are placed on a narrow strip of real estate at the bottom of the back side. This departs from traditional digital camera design that normally places the buttons on the right side of the back. Having the buttons on the bottom looks more organized but requires two hands to control – somewhat like a handheld gaming device (perhaps that’s what Fuji is going for).

However, the layout has its disadvantages. The two-handed design means squashing two thumbs into a relatively small space. It also makes changing modes and settings a little more complicated. In the center of the bottom is the navigational control, which consists of a central toggle that moves up and down and two buttons on either side to scroll left and right. The central toggle has a little finger lip, but its movement is so stiff and small that it’s hard to control.

All of the buttons on the bottom are small and somewhat close together; this could be a problem for some but shouldn’t hinder the average user. The tiny switch on the right side of the camera that flips from the still image modes to the movie mode is so small that it requires a fingernail and some prying to move.

The Fujifilm FinePix V10’s power button is recessed into the camera body so it won’t be accidentally turned on in a bag or pocket, and the shutter release is domed and smooth, which is nice and comfortable. The zoom switch surrounding it has a tiny lump on the front for the finger to grab and turn, but the lump is so small that it’s hard. The switch doesn’t move very far in either direction either, so it is rather uncomfortable for the index finger.

In general, the buttons seem cramped into tiny places to make room for the huge screen. They’re also plastic and the zoom button feels like it could break off easily. This model would be better off with a touch screen that didn’t require any buttons at all.

Menu (7.0)
The menus on the Fujifilm FinePix V10, accessed via a designated button that is well labeled, have their pros and cons. The menus are organized into numerical tabs on the left side of the screen. Some cameras have such a setup but label the tabs with helpful icons. It isn’t quite clear how the options are divided between the tabs on the V10. All of the menus have a gray background and the options are expressed in either icons or text – not both. The smattering of text is all in capital letters, which isn’t very readable. The selected option is highlighted with a different color that can be customized to be blue, purple, pink, orange, green or black. The recording menu changes when the mode is changed, so the following is the most complete available – the “Manual” menu.