Fujifilm FinePix XP10

Design & Appearance

We like the look of the XP10. Unlike some of the more serious, rectangular waterproof offerings from Olympus or Pentax, the XP10 has a youthful, fun appearance that befits a snorkeling/snowboarding/poolside lifestyle.

Size & Handling

At 3.8 x 2.5 x 0.9 inches (95.6 x 63.8 x 23.2mm), and weighing in at 4.8 oz. (135g), the XP10 is compact enough to slip easily into a pair of shorts or your jacket pocket on the slopes. It feels comfortable in the hand, particularly with the raised rubberized dimples on the camera front, which create a substantial gripping surface that should be very helpful in difficult handling situations in the water or the cold.
 

On the pre-production sample we tried, the membrane-covered controls for zooming, playback mode, video recording and display toggle received mixed reviews. It's an effective strategy to ensure that water doesn't leak in, even with high-velocity streams and we expect this  design keeps costs down versus individually providing waterproof gaskets for several separate buttons. However, it seemed difficult to press the controls with the balls of your fingers, requiring fingernail pressure instead.
 

The XP10 is petite and highly portable.

Menu

Unlike most cameras we've seen recently, there is no quick menu to make adjustments; instead, you press the menu button and a full-screen display pops up. On the other hand, there aren't that many adjustments to be made: most of them are seen in the screen shot below.

The menu system is straightforward.

Ease of Use

With a limited number of options, a simple shooting menu and direct access to settings for exposure compensation, flash, macro mode and self-timer through the four-way controller, the XP10 is a simple camera to operate.