The Fuji Finepix J10 is a very simple, 8 megapixel digital camera. It has a standard 3x optical zoom lens and will slide easily into a pocket.
Why Buy the Fuji Finepix J10?
This is the cheapest pocket sized camera on the market that I'm aware of. Therefore if a handy size is a big attraction and you do not want to spend too much then the Finepix J10 is a serious option. Fuji have also created a digital camera that is very easy to use.
Image Quality Fuji Finepix J10 test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The most noticeable point about this photo is how dark it is. In fact it is the darkest copy of this test shot I can remember. I have no real explanation as to why the Finepix J10 has produced such a dark shot. All controls were set to the factory defaults in fully automatic mode. The probability is that the camera simply finds it difficult to cope well with more shady areas in scenes. Certain areas of the photo are so dark it is difficult to asses other factors such as focusing.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
This is a brighter effort, but it is still darker in places than I would like to see. There is also a degree of darkness creeping into the corners of the photo. Focusing and colours are better than with some other entry level cameras.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
My third test shpt throws up the same problems with darker areas as my first two tests do. I can also see some of the very light areas, such as the boats, lose detail.
Outdoor 4 (Building)
With less contrast in the scene the Finepix J10 produces a much better shot. Focusing is not quite as sharp as you would expect with more expensive models, but overall the camera makes a good fist of this shot.
Outdoor Portrait
All three portrait shots work better than the scenic shots. There is plenty of colour in the outdoor portrait. This helps to produce a photo with a warm feeling. I helped the camera along a bit in this area by using the cloudy white balance setting.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
Moving indoors and using flash the Finepix J10 does a good job. There is plenty of colour in the photo and the camera also manages to retain a good level of detail.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
With flash off noise does begins become a problem. This is more so than with other cameras I have tested recently. Again I would like to have seen a bit more brightness in the picture.
Colours
I like the colours the camera has produced throughout all my tests. They are not too strong, but have plenty of depth.
Macro
My test photo had to be cropped as the Finepix J10 can only focus from 15cm away from the subject. This is one of the compromises you have to be prepared to make for the lower price tag. This may be of little concern to you if you are not planning to go overboard with close up shots. My macro shot is sharp enough, but has a slight blue caste to it,
ISO 400
This is a fair effort from a cheaper camera. The Finepix J10 does a good job of keeping noise levels down, although this is still likely to show in any print.
ISO 1600
At ISO 1600 noise is a serious issue. Fuji digital cameras have a good track record when it comes to shooting at higher ISO levels, but the Finepix J10 struggles here.
Overall
It's a shame that the Finepix J10 finds scenes with high contrast so difficult. Outside of the scenic shots the camera coped well with my tests.
Shutter Lag
I was able to take a single shot in 0.34 seconds and 5 in 12.73 seconds. With the flash on it took 1.1 seconds for a single shot and 13.19 seconds for 5. I was happy with all these times when taking the camera's price into consideration.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: Neat and tidy, standard rectangular design. Available in black and silver.
Dimensions: 91 x 55 x 19mm
Weight: 110g
Batteries: Lithium ion (NP-45). Battery and charger are supplied as standard by Fuji.
Memory cards: 12mb of storage have been built into the camera. This is enough for only 3 pictures. The Finepix J10 is also compatible with xD picture cards and SD cards.
Click here to save money on SD cards..
Ease of use rating: Very Good. With so few features this camera is a synch!
Points I like:
Ease of use - low price for pocket camera
Where it could improve:
Dark photos in high contrast scenes - small internal memory - macro mode could be better
Alternatives
The Olympus FE-340 is more expensive, but it is a simple, yet effect pocket sized camera.
Verdict:
The Fuji Finepix J10 is not far off being a super, inexpensive camera. The darkness of the outdoor shots is a drawback though. This is a shame because it scores very well for ease of use and shutter response times are good when compared to competing digital cameras. Overall it offers good value for money.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Fuji Finepix J10 Summary |
| Description: | 8 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 9 |
| Features: | 7 |
| Colour: | 8 |
| Macro: | 6 |
| Indoors: | 7 |
| Value for Money: | 8 |
| Style: | 8 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 7 |
| Build Quality: | 8 |
| Total: | 76 |
| Verdict: | This is a simple, straightforward, pocket sized camera. It is also one of the cheapest small compacts on the market. As you would expect picture quality is not perfect in all situations, but overall the Finepix J10 gives a good account of itself. It offers good value for money. |
| Review Date: | April 2008 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images Features |
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