Fujifilm X10

Opinion: I've had mine for a few months now and I love it. While I have and have had many DSLRs, a Leica X1, and many compacts, I really enjoy this camera. I don't like big cameras when traveling and find myself gravitating towards the small ones. I like a moderate zoom range and this one is just about perfect. I'd like a 24m wide end, but the lens performance is super as is. I disagree completely with the one review that said there was vignetting at the wide end. Handling is pretty good for a small camera but, as a personal preference, I do not like the lens barrel-operated on/off switch. I like the manual lens zoom, but would prefer a switch for on/off. The buttons are also a tad small. The build quality is excellent - robust an metal. I find the image quality up to 1600 excellent, up to 800 is outstanding for such a small sensor. Can't comment so much on the DR mode, but it seems to improve dynamic range. The menu system does take some getting used to, but most of them do. Orbs? While I understand everyone wanting it fixed, I just haven't had that issue. Exactly one orb in my photos so far - chrome bumper at a car show. That said, the Fuji folks have put me on the list for the fix. One aspect I have to agree with all the pundits on is the ^%$& hood and filter issue. Would have been so easy to have a step up hood/filter setup that wasn't so weird. Probably the price you pay for small. Viewfinder? Yes it's pretty crappy, but name a camera this size that really has a better one. Another concession to size. Flash is marginal at best, but I don't really care about flash so much. Autofocus is snappy and seems to be very accurate. I also have to say that battery life in my case has been pretty good - a few hundred photos before really showing indication of needing a charge. In the end it's image quality that counts, and in this it really delivers. Compared to its competition (G12, LX5, XZ-1, etc) it's the hands down IQ winner - period. It's not a DSLR replacement, but in its class it dominates at present.

Opinion: I bought the camera 4 months ago and experience several flaws. "Start up" does not always work. The glass part of the lens almost sticks out the lens tube and can get easily damaged. The lens in 28 mm position blocks the flash light. Because of the vulnerability of the lens I bought the Fujifilm lens hood. A 52 mm UV filter fits inside. For incomprehensible reason there are openings in the back part of the hood. Dust comes in through these openings. When the hood is attached it blocks out a third of the flash light. I sticked some light tight tape in the opening of the hood to prevent lots of flashlight flare in the part of the picture what is illuminated by the flash. It is a really clumsy design. If I would have known about it, I surely would not have bought this camera. The MF AF focus button on the front of the camera as well as the exposure compensation dial on top are often unintentionally shifted when I carry the camera in a bag or coat pocket. I experience to have to correct the settings of this dial and button often before I can make a picture. The lens hood blocks almost half the image in the optical viewfinder. When I use the lcd screen, I prefer to see information about focus, mode, ISO, battery, format, memory capacity, exposure correction. The lay out for this covers a fifth part of the screen and makes composition a picture awkward. The manual focus adjusting dial is too small and too slow. Other functions are pressed easily by mistake. In macro mode the zoom is very limited. It can't be used at all in the super macro mode. The flash is a joke in macro mode and does not work in super macro mode. The picture quality is ok, although the lens suffers a lot vignetting at 28 mm. Disappointingly it still shows a lot of blooming despite of the latest version firmware. The overall button layout is ok. I can't recommend to purchase this camera.

Opinion: As have many people I've been looking for a DSLR like compact for many years. I own a D300 with sigma 30mm F1.4 and love them dearly, I have more picture in my collection that I enjoy than I ever dreamed I would.

So I bought the X10. I bougth an X100 6 months ago and sent it back, I hated it. controls and focussing were dire and I couldn't fit it in my trouser pocket, that was the whole point. I expected not to like the X10, but I was wrong. Yes I know there have been numerous firmware updates to the X100 so I would think its improved. But the X10 is really fantastic, I now take it absolutely everyhwere, to work each day it sits on my desk where I can see it.

The camera has all the control you need but you do have to do some serious playing to get the best out of it. I set up the C1 and C2 as day and night style shots. C2 was night, and if you switch it to medioum size jpg and up the iso to auto 1600 it utilises the sensor in the doubled up pixel exr mode - 5mp photos. Yes, 5mp night shots I hear you say, well I almost always see my photots on a 1920 x 1080 so I don't care and you easily print out to A4, what do you need to worry about ?

Here are a few (of my early) shots
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157629282257626
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8885448@N05/sets/72157629576245567/

If you're an slr owner and just want something to take with you - this is it.
Focus is fast - even in low light wiht that darn focussing low light beacon disabled.
Low light is amazing, daytime is really very good. Need to filddle with the higlight and shadow settings but middle setting is pretty good.

Opinion: I'm well aware of the various problems that have been written about to death by various people. I'm only intrested in image quality (i shoot mostly landscape) and the X10 is with out doubt the best pocket camera i've had in years, the larger sensor makes a big difference with regards to image quality, it produces great results thats are clear, sharpe and plenty of colour in the film simulation modes. I fiound it very easy to use with well laid out dials and controls the menu is easy to use and easy to find what you need quickly. i would of prefered a DNG file for RAW than Fuji's only version, but it is not a major problem.
As for the white disk/orbit problem i've yet to encounter this problem despite trying to reproduce them myself,, although i'm sure they'll pop up when i least expect them.
Overall it's the perfect camera for landscape photographers.

Opinion: + Great build quality
+ Retro design
+ OVF

- Slow power-up to 1st photo response (even in 'Quick Start' mode)
- Slow RAW to SD card write
- Shutter lag
- 2nd photo lag
- Low IQ light metering (pictures are to dark, often)
- Strange feeling that the camera is cheating on ISO (it is still day time outside and I am forced to use ISO1600 and ISO 3200... Strange. Although, not verified with any other lightmeter nor camera).
- No burst on LCD (in dark room it is dark on LCD, too)
- Complicated handling and the logic of functions etc.
- Weak battery
- Unprotected, large and exposed front lens (Neither a cap nor a hood are the best solution here)

Opinion: Fuji has done a soft recall of the X10 replacing the sensor that shows spectacular highlights that ruins images- not only at bright source areas (headlights, lamps, etc) but also in the red channel- which is not reflected on the histogram or playback histogram during, before, or after the exposure.

Fuji has admitted to one problem, but not the histogram issue. Until the camera is fixed, I'd wait to purchase it.

Otherwise the camera has real promise and ticks off a laundry wish list of features like no other compact before it.

Opinion: Needs to be fixed -- and soon !

Opinion: This should have been a great camera. The specs are excellent (fast lens, relatively big sensor for a "P&S") and good build quality and nice retro looks.

Unfortunately, the camera suffers from some quirks, the worst probably being the specular circle issue. (I took a pic of a Christmas Tree that was better with an Elph 300). That is, some or all x10s under certain conditions add white round orbs to your pictures. The issue becomes more annoying over time. I don't know if pros can avoid this through changing settings but I don't think they should have to on a $599 P&S.

The fix (at least tacitly admitting to a problem) has not worked (a firmware update). Fuji has not won friends in terms of customer service for this camera and problem (rebate, hardware fix, whatever would work).

I gave this one star because many have rated it highly here and I want to let others (amateurs, all, whatever) get a better idea of potential issues before buying. (The new Canon to be released at the end of March has a very large sensor and may work better than this; right now my G12 does --- at least for me.) The average rating on amazon has gone from 5 stars to three and a half stars (I don't know how long-term use can result in 5 stars but maybe that's just me; early adopters should change their ratings IMHO, but they are better photographers than I am so it's fine that they have not.) What's good --- JPEG users would probably prefer this camera to many non-expert RAW users. And we make up the majority of users in the US --- if not on this site. Good colors.

Opinion: Bought this camera 10 days ago and I must say I am very impressed with this cam.
The X10 beeing my 6th Fuji cam I had high expections of this cam despite the negative messages in quite some fora.

However, one has to get used to a Fuji and once one knows all ins and outs its a fantastic cam, which, as every cam has its shortcomings. (low battery life, sometimes complicated menus)

I made some shots in EXR mode in the dark, out of hand, and must say, blooming effect is hardly there. At least not worse than with other cams.

If I compare this cam with my 10 year old S2, I have to say this cam is a good all day cam to be in yor pocket all the time.

However, I do miss my ttl sight, as the viewfinder on the x10 does not give any info re the settings.

But after starting using A and S mode, I am quite comfortable using the P mode, as on clouded days with loads of snow and white landscapes pics are otstanding.