At last, the FujiFilm HS-10 is a camera with EVERYTHING I EVER WISHED FOR, except a remote shutter release! So I ordered it and started reading the manual on-line to get familiar with all the buttons and functions while I await it’s arrival. I’ll post real life test photos and reviews over the next few days and weeks if all goes well. If you are a follower of this site you know my main interest is in a long zoom with fast glass and quick focus for BOF shots, or Birds In Flight. But it also has to have a decent wide angle for the beautiful Sedona Red Rocks and to shoot all my grandkids, I mean photograph all my grandkids. My favorite subjects are Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Babies, Blooms, Bell Rock, and the rest of the alphabet if it catches my eye.
First the good stuff, or should I say GREAT STUFF?
30x Optical Zoom with all glass elements with a twist barrel Manual Zoom and a MANUAL FOCUS RING. I have suggested a MANUAL FOCUS RING to both Canon and Olympus in the past but no one has produced a Super Zoom with it until the FujiFilm HS-10. I have owned almost every brand digital of Super Zoom made including Fuji but always had to sacrifice quality in both glass and sensors (ccd) to get a long zoom. Not so with the FujiFilm HS-10 with it’s new 10MP BSI CMOS sensor and all glass Fujinon Lens with a 35mm equivilant of 24mm-720mm. No more lugging around 3 lenses for my Canon Rebel that only gets half the reach.
FULL HD VIDEO (1920×1080) at 30 fps or UP TO 1,000 Frames per Second in High Speed Video mode. The size of the video decreases as the speed increases. You can choose from 30/60/120/240/480/1000 fps to suit your wildest fancy and then play them back at 30 fps on your HD TV via the HDMI or A/V outputs on the FujiFilm HS-10. The sound does not record in High Speed mode, thankfully. The frame size goes down to 640×480 at 120 fps and way down to a tiny but usable 224×64 at 1,000 fps. Looks like fun.
10 FPS Continous Shooting Mode, well almost. The continous shooting only last for 7 frames and is selectable between 3/5/7/10 frames per second. Not quite “continous” like my Canon but nice to be able to select the speed. Real life test will tell how long between sets of 7 but the manual reveals the the images will be displayed on the screen for 1.5 seconds automatically when using the continous mode, no turning it off apparently.
Which brings up a minor gripe, the auto power off requires that you turn the dial to off and back on to wake it up, unlike Canon that wakes up at the touch of the shutter button. A small price to pay for all the fantastic features the HS-10 has.
I will update this as I get more familiar with the HS-10 and have some photos to share and compare. If you want to read the owners manual you can view the PDF at: http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/manuals
Stay tuned!
jimmy
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I have had this camera for some time now … I can say that i love this camera : Strong in hand and surprizingly light on Batteries !
Yes, great feature, a must for me, AA Batteries ! four of them to be precise !
I’ve used this camera in a night Show enviroment and I’ve clicked about 150 pictures : about 2/3rds of them with internal flash : and did not go out with Soshine 2500 mAh NiMh batteries!!! There is also an external Flash mount : works great !!!
BUT !!! If you’re considering using the High Speed mode : Make sure you get the optionnal external power source adaptor : cause otherwise : it’s eating the batteries like the Tazmanian Devil on wood !!! Really !!!
As for the other features : UP and DOWN Inclining display, 30x Manual Optical zoom, The amazing 60 fps LCD Display, Battery type selection (Alkaline, NiMh, Lithium), Text Photography, Fireworks, Motion Panorama (low res tho) Face detection, 4:3, 16:9 Framing, HDMI connection for Viewing video/picture in HD, Stereo integrated mics, High Speed Top7 10fps, Best Frame Capture, Zoom braketing, Dynamic Range, 58mm screw-in for filters/lens/hood… look : the list of features go on and on …
There are many special modes : like the one for monuments in crowded places, Multi Exposures Composites, Enhaced clarity in low light, 6400 ISO, Assisted or Full Manual…
One note about the Manual Focus : Its not mechanical : meaning that it’s slow … Fun thing tho : there is a zoom window opening in the display that helps you make the best focus possible (in the center of the picture) I’ve been able to photograph the moon directly through the 30x with manual focus with good results ! There is even a coarse automatic focus, then you manual focus it after ! Thanks to the PDF manual !
Hey ! This is a great buy ! But… as Jimmy said : There is one BIG let down from FUJI : NO Wired/Wireless Remote Release available for that model. I’ve scoured across the net for the last hour now … and did not find anything : except a Mechanical Remote Shutter release that Screws under the camera !
As for the manual re-turn ON : I find OK, since if you forget to turn it off and put it in your bag … its possible to press the shutter : then : it would turn right back on and drain the batteries for nothing… even take pictures of your bag’s interior 😉
Good luck folks ! Have fun !
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