Fujifilm FinePix V10 Review

The Auto record mode is a simple "Point-n-Shoot" mode. The line of info across the top starts on the left with AUTO indicating Auto Record mode. The "A" and lightning bolt indicate auto flash. The "5M" represents image resolution of 5 megapixels (2592 x 1944), the "F" indicates Fine compression, "46" represents the number of frames that can be recorded at the current image size, and ISO 64 represents the current sensitivity setting. The yellow brackets in the center denotes the auto focus target area.

Pressing the DISPlay button next to the LCD toggles from the above screen to the live image without any data display, live image with grid overlay, and a unique post shot assist display which shows the last 3 images along with the current composition.

Depressing the MENU button calls-up the AUTO record MENU; options are:

HIGH-SPEED SHOOTING - ON, OFF. Reduces AF delay by limiting closest focus distance to 1 meter.

CONT(inuous) - Top 3, Final 3 or 40 Frames

SET - Enter the SETUP menu

Depressing the "F" button calls up the FinePix Quality, Sensitivity and Color menu. Menu options are the same for Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority and Manual and Scene modes; Auto ISO only available in Auto photography mode. Options are:

QUALITY - Choose image size/quality; 5M Fine, 5M Normal, 5M with 3:2 aspect ratio, 3M, 2M, 0.3M

ISO - Choose sensitivity; 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 plus Auto

FinePix Color - Choose B&W, Standard, or Chrome (high contrast and saturation)

This is the Manual record screen, indicated by the "M" in the upper left corner. In addition to the information present on the Auto screen, indicators for the selected White Balance and Exposure Compensation are shown. The Hand icon warns of a possible blurry image due to slow shutter speed.

Shooting Mode - Choose Manual, Auto, or scene modes of Natural Light, Natural Light with flash, Portrait, Landscape, Sport or Night.

EXP. COMPENSATION - +/- 2 EV in 1/3EV steps

WHITE BALANCE - Auto, Daylight, Shade, "Daylight" Fluorescent, "Warm White" Fluorescent, "cool white" Fluorescent, Incandescent

HIGH-SPEED SHOOTING - ON, OFF. Reduces AF delay by limiting closest focus distance to 1 meter.

CONT(inuous) - Top 3, Final 3 or 40 Frames

AF MODE - CENTER or MULTI AF

SET - Enter the SETUP menu

"Natural Light & With Flash" shooting mode captures two images (one with flash and one without) each time you depress the shutter button, briefly displaying the two images side-by-side on the large LCD and providing you with a creative choice.

The Macro focus mode can be enabled in Auto, Manual and Natural Light scene mode. It allows you to focus from 3.5 inches to 2.6 feet.

Set-Up menu in Record and Play modes:

IMAGE DISP. - Off, 1.5 secs., 3 secs., or zoomed continuous display of last captured image
SHUTTER VOLUME - Volume of Shutter sound Off/1/2/3
BEEP VOLUME - Volume of camera tones Off/1/2/3
PLAYBACK VOLUME - Audio volume of movie and voice memo playback, 0-10
FRAME NO. - Continuous or renew (file numbering)
LCD BRIGHTNESS - -5 to +5
DIGITAL ZOOM - On/Off, enables digital zoom of up to 5.7x
AUTO POWER OFF - 2min/5 min/off
LCD POWER SAVE - ON/OFF, enables LCD to dim after 10 seconds of no camera use
FORMAT - Formats the xD-Picture Card
DATE/TIME - setting of date and time
TIME DIFFERENCE Time zone difference (World Time)
LANGUAGE - English/French/German/Spanish/Japanese/Chinese
BACKGROUND COLOR - Specifies color of menu and cursor
USB MODE - DSC(download to a PC)/PC Cam (webcam mode)/PictBridge
VIDEO SYSTEM - NTSC or PAL video signal timing
RESET - resets all camera settings to default.

The Movie record mode display. The top info line indicates the remaining recording time at the selected quality setting. Movie/Still mode is selected by a switch on the right side of the camera. The V10 records motion video with audio at 30fps with resolutions of 640x480 and 320x240; recording length is limited only by the amount or remaining available memory. The optical zoom lens can be used to compose the movie before recording, but can not be changed during recording.