I bought two more Leicas in December 2010.
In January I bought a Canon and another Olympus, but I know my everyday camera this year will be the Fuji Finepix HS10.
Writing in How To Spend It, Jonathan Margolis, said “I can’t in all conscience, not tell you about the FinePix HS10.”
Margolis said that the camera “is an anomaly – a freak – the likes of which I’ve simply never come across. It is at least £1,000/- worth of camera. Maybe even more, it just does everything – including things that no other camera I know can – and does it all really well.”
Truly, at about 700 bucks Singapore this is really a remarkable camera indeed!
This amazing camera is an advanced superzoom which combines a huge 30x (24-720mm equivalent) optical zoom lens with a 10MP back illuminated CMOS sensor. It includes full HD 1080p video recording, RAW capture, P/A/S/M shooting modes and a Motion Remover mode that removes unwanted objects from photographs. The HS10 also offers 10 fps full resolution continuous shooting with AF Tracking and high speed movie recording at 1000 fps.
Utilizing cutting-edge Back Side Illumination CMOS capture married to class-leading Fujinon optical design, the FinePix HS10’s unique mix of advanced technologies brings several new features designed to make achieving professional-looking pictures easier than ever to the FinePix range, whilst maintaining Fujifilm’s legendary image quality and low-light shooting performance.
In fact, the FinePix S10 sets new standards for low light performance
Thanks to Fujifilm’s award-winning sensor and processing technologies FinePix cameras have become market leaders in low-light performance, setting the standard for high sensitivity, low noise results in the most challenging shooting conditions. The FinePix HS10’s sensor continues this tradition with an innovative new design that significantly increases the light gathering ability of every pixel, resulting in a 200% increase in sensitivity over a conventional CMOS sensor. The new sensor produces stunning richly detailed low noise images, even when shooting in very low light.
The improved sensitivity isn’t just for taking noise-free photographs at night: it also allows the use of high shutter speeds in daylight required when shooting at telephoto end of the FinePix HS10’s 30x zoom, or when attempting to capture fast-moving subjects. Photographers no longer need to worry about blurred pictures with such a long telephoto as they can rely on the FinePix HS10 to produce clear, sharp output even at higher ISO settings.
And talking about lens, the FinePix HS10 has a lens so good you’ll be glad you can’t change it!
With a range that would require at least two bulky “super zoom” lenses on an SLR, the FinePix HS10’s built-in 30x wide-tele zoom lens is its crowning glory, encompassing virtually every photographic requirement in a single compact unit. Furthermore, because the lens and body on the FinePix HS10 are built as a closed unit, it eliminates the possibility of dust on the lens and sensor – a serious problem when removing lenses on a digital SLR.
The twist-barrel manual zoom control enables the photographer to make precision adjustments, and zooming is faster and more accurate than with the powered zooms traditionally used in this class of camera.
The FinePix HS10 boasts several other unique features and modes designed to expand shooting possibilities and to take the work out of creating genuinely eye-catching images:
Motion Remover Mode
Remove moving subjects from your shots. This mode captures 5 images of a scene in quick succession; the five images are then analyzed and combined in-camera to produce a single image where anything moving in the scene has magically disappeared. Never before has capturing postcard-quality shots of tourist traps – without the tourists – been so easy.
Multi-Motion Capture Mode
Previously only possible with highly specialized equipment (and more than a dash of time, skill and luck), this mode captures up to 5 images of a moving subject in rapid succession and combines them into a single composite image containing multiple sharply-captured views of the subject motion.
Motion Panorama Mode
Captures an ultra-wide panoramic view in a single sweeping shot. As you swing the camera (left/right or up/down) the FinePix HS10 captures a series of shots in rapid succession. The shots are then stitched in-camera to produce a seamless panorama.
Key features at a glance:
- High Resolution super wide Fujinon 30x optical zoom (24-720mm) with manual (mechanical) zoom
- True wide-angle and extreme telephoto capture in a single compact unit
- Triple image stabilization (sensor shift IS, high ISO IS, Digital IS)
- 10 MP BSI CMOS sensor with advanced shooting modes and high image quality
- 3.0” High Resolution tilting LCD
- Electronic Viewfinder with eye-sensor for automatic switching
- High speed 10 fps continuous shooting at full resolution and new motion-tracking auto focus
- Full HD (1080p) movie capture with stereo sound
- Super High Speed movie capture at 1000 fps
- Motion Panorama mode for “one shot” sweeping panoramas
- Advanced capture modes including unique Motion Remover mode that removes tourists and other moving objects from your photographs
- Direct Shooting Command buttons and Command dial put advanced photographic features at your fingertips
- RAW and JPEG capture modes
All that for about 700 bucks Singapore, it’ll be stupid not to get it!
Of course it’s not a Leica, if you expect Leica quality for 700 bucks, then you’re more stupid than I thought.
