Fujifilm FinePix V10 Review

Click on the FinePix V10 to take a QuickTime VR tour

The FinePix V10 is the first model in Fujifilm's 2006 digital camera line-up to utilize Real Photo Technology to remove graininess or "noise" from its digital pictures. Image noise, much like static in a television signal, reduces a picture's sharpness. The noise problem is compounded when digital pictures are shot at higher light sensitivities, which can vary depending on lighting conditions.

With Real Photo Technology, the FinePix V10 generates less noise than similar digital cameras and can therefore take pictures at light sensitivities as high as 1600 ISO at full resolution. Higher sensitivities open the door to a host of user benefits when combined with quicker shutter speeds. Those benefits include less shake and blur due to hand and subject movement as well as more detailed and natural-looking pictures taken in low-light environments.

With the FinePix V10 and Real Photo Technology users can keep the lights off during the "Happy Birthday" song and still capture a clear picture without disrupting the mood with a camera flash. To help determine whether or not to use flash for a particular scene, the FinePix V10 has a "Natural Light & With Flash" function. This mode shoots two images in succession, first without and then with flash. This convenient function provides an on-the-spot comparison that helps the user decide whether the FinePix V10 will produce the highest quality photo with flash or without.

The most noticeable physical feature of the FinePix V10 is the camera's enormous LCD. At 3-inches, the FinePix V10's LCD is one of largest in the ultra-compact camera category. It gives the user an ideal platform for framing subjects or for sharing just-taken photos. Plus, the LCD has a number of features that ensure peak viewing performance regardless of scene lighting. The LCD employs a special amplification layer that boosts the strength of the LCD and making it easier to see. The LCD is also very "smart", as it automatically "gains up" or brightens in dimly lit environments. And with a stout 230,000 pixels, this re-enforced LCD is not short on resolution.

The high resolution of the FinePix V10's LCD comes in handy when the user selects one of the four, fun video games available on the camera. A nice secondary feature for a camera whose focus is on taking great pictures, the games - Number Puzzle, Break Out, Shooting Game and Maze - are ideal diversions for a traveler during a long layover, a passenger on an interstate road trip or a weary driver stuck in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

FinePix V10 Features:

• 5.1 million pixel 5th Generation Super CCD HR sensor
• Real Photo Technology for sharper photos and more vivid color with less noise
• 3.4x optical zoom lens (38-130mm equiv)
• Compact and stylish metal alloy body
• Movie Mode; 640x480 30fps w/sound AVI format
• Program AE and Six scene modes
• Large 3.0" LCD color monitor with Gain-up
• Real Photo Technology for low noise at ISOs as high as 1600; fast shutter speeds prevent blur in low or natural light scenes
• 1.3-second boot-up time; shutter lag down to 1/100th second after AE/AF locked
• High-Speed Shooting mode provides quicker auto exposure and focus lock for even faster operation
• Uses removable xD-Picture cards (16MB included)
• Powered by rechargeable Li-ion battery
• USB 2.0 connectivity and PictBridge direct-print

The FinePix V10 is available now for about US$349.00

Physical Views

The FinePix V10 and a standard CD for size comparison.

The FinePix V10 and the 6-megapixel FinePix F470.