Fujifilm’s FinePix X100 made waves in the photography community this year, becoming something of a legend before its release. The very retro camera has been the subject of both contempt and adoration, but it’s nothing if not innovative. As it turns out, the X100 was only an introduction to the X series, and now Fujifilm has released details about its newest addition to the lineup.
The X10 is the X100’s follow up, and Fujifilm tells us the new camera is a little less for the professional set and rather for the “prosumer” and enthusiast category. This leads us to believe it has something of a shallower learning curve than its predecessor, reportedly without sacrificing quality. The X10 features a larger, 2/3-inch 12-megapixel EXR CMOS sensor and a bright Fujinon 4x manual zoom F2.0-F2.8 wide-angle lens.
Like the X100, the X10 has retro styling. It has a throwback look with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts, and that same heavy chassis. It’s slightly smaller than its predecessor however, weighing in at 12.3-ounces (compared to the X100’s nearly 16 ounces) and measuring 4.6-inches (w) x 2.7-inches (h) x 2.2-inches deep (X100: 5-inches x 2.9-inches x 2.1). Fujifilm says it will have a slightly more tangible grip on the right hand side then the X100 does, which is something users complained about. The X100 is a two-hands always device, and it’s possible the X10 will offer easier handling.
It features full manual dial control of aperture, zoom, shutter, and exposure, as well as shooting RAW and RAW + Jpeg. Fujifilm tells us the sensor has been improved to reduce noise at extreme ISOs, and the X10’s ISO range is 100 to 12,800.
The biggest difference between the X100 and the X10 is the new camera’s lack of the infamous hybrid viewfinder. This feature was easily the most-lauded and most impressive of the X100, but won’t be included in the next X-series addition. Instead it will be replaced by a traditional optical viewfinder.
Fujifilm emphasizes how fast this camera is, saying the whole concept of the X10 is to “never miss the shot.” Shutter-release lag time is approximately .01 seconds, and we were told auto-focus speed is quick and precise. We hope this last part is true, as it was one of our (and other reviewers’) major complaints, most specifically in poor lighting.
The X10 also features 360-degree Motion Panorama, which the X100 did not, and has a new type of battery. According to Fuji, in viewfinder mode, you should get about 580 shots per charge. Using the LCD, it should be around 300 shots per charge.
The X-series is an exciting lineup, deviating from some of the retro and MFT models we’re seeing with less consumer-friendly features and more technology-focused takes on traditional elements (which can be hit or miss) of photography. Given the cult-like following that shadowed the release of the X100, we figured a side-by-side comparison of the X10 and its predecessor might interest you. The X10 will be available in November, but pricing has yet to be announced.
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