Fujifilm FinePix XP10 Review

Fujifilm sent me a Fujifilm Finepix XP10 digital camera for a product review and then to give away to one of the readers of LearnToCatchCatfish.com, I wrote about this in my blog post last week.

The Fujifilm Finepix XP10 is a waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and freeze proof digital camera that not only shoots 12mp digital photos but also shoots videos. The Fujifilm XP10 is the first in a series of super tough “life proof” digital cameras.

If you have been using digital cameras for very long you probably know that they have revolutionized photography and make it much easier to shoot and collect all of your fishing pictures when fishing for catfish.  If you aren’t using a digital camera and are taking your 35mm film to be developed you are probably still using a crank telephone as well and playing vinyl records, so read this and get with the times, you need to go digital!

I recently wrote an article about twenty tips to take better fishing pictures, so this review goes hand in hand with learning how to take better fishing pictures on your next fishing trip.

One of the major problems that fishermen have with digital cameras is that they get wet or even damp and quit working. I cannot even begin to tell you how many digital cameras I have ruined by dropping them in the water, dropping my digital camera in the floor of the boat, getting my camera wet in my pocket while catching shad, I even had one that went dead after some wave spray blew on it and it simply died and never worked again.

The fact that the Fujifilm Finepix XP10 digital camera is waterproof to 10 feet so I don’t have to worry about it getting ruined from a wave splash or a little bit of water in one of my storage compartments was a huge appeal to me.

The XP10 is also shockproof to 3 feet as well, which means that you can drop it from a height of three feet or less without it falling apart on you, but I wouldn’t go throwing it around just to see how it works.

I have been wanting a durable waterproof digital camera for quite some time but everything I have looked at has been extremely expensive which has knocked me out of the running for having a durable waterproof digital camera. The MSRP for the Fujifilm Finepix XP10 is $199 so it makes this a very affordable digital camera. When you add the tough features like being dust proof, shock proof, water proof and freeze proof the Fujifilm XP10 is an amazing value at that price.

In addition to the Fujifilm Finepix XP10 digital camera Fujifilm also sent an XP10 accessory kit with the XP10 digital camera.  The accessory kit includes:

• Silicone sleeve that helps to protect the camera
• Hand strap that will allow the camera to float if dropped in the water
• 1 GB Memory card
• Protective Sport Case

With the addition of the accessory kit this camera should be virtually indestructible and unsinkable.

The Fujifilm Finepix XP10 box contains the camera body, a rechargeable battery and wall charger, instruction manuals, software and cables.

One thing I found very cool about the Finepix XP10 is it features a new Facebook/YouTube Automatic Web Upload function that makes it much faster to post photos on social networking sites in conjunction with the Fujifilm MyFinepix Studio software. In playback mode, this feature allows users to ‘mark’ a picture for Facebook or You Tube upload. Once the Fujifilm XP10 is connected to a computer with Fujifilm’s MyFinePix Studio software (included), users upload their images and videos and the marked pictures and videos will automatically transfer to the selected site.

Camera Key Features:

• 12 megapixels, 720p video
• 5x optical zoom
• Waterproof (3m/10ft), shockproof (1m/3.3ft), freezeproof (-10C/14F), dustproof
• Waterproof
• Dustproof
• Did I say waterproof and dustproof
• HDTV Compatible Photos And Videos
• MSRP: $199
• You can read full manufacturers specifications here

Other Camera Features

Tracking Auto Focus  – Created to capture an action shot, the AF function tracks fast moving subjects so they don’t escape from the frame in a blur. Subjects will be tracked automatically for as long as it is kept in the frame and the shutter is half-pressed. When users fully press the shutter button your subject will be in the centre of the photo in perfect focus.

Movie Editing Mode and Blog mode – Add finishing touches to videos and images, among others, you can choose from B&W, Sepia, or you can even add a dynamic lighting effect, all this in-camera.

Scene Recognition Auto – This intelligently identifies the scene type and necessary shooting conditions to optimize picture perfect potential. THIS IS REALLY COOL!

Face Detection and Automatic Red-eye Removal – Provides perfectly exposed and focused portrait shots, the Fujifilm FinePix XP10 is fitted with Fujifilm’s latest Face Detection technology which is able to track up to 10 faces simultaneously, at almost any angle to the camera. The system instantly corrects red-eye and then saves both the original and the corrected image file.

Digital Image Stabilization – Reduces image blur automatically and offers excellent picture quality.

Li-ion Rechargeable Battery – Long-life rechargeable Li-ion battery (up to 165 shots) allows for extended use without worrying if the camera is going to last for the duration of the fishing trip.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Seems to actually be rugged
• Nice long zoom
• Screen is nice and bright and easy to see in sunlight

Cons:

• D-pad is difficult to use but I have BIG hands so may not be an issue for most
• Tripod mount is all the way on one corner of the camera, makes tripod unstable but for fishing applications this would not likely be an issue
• Sound quality on video is a little poor but still very functional, I suspect this is due to the waterproof features

Full review:

The Fujifilm Finepix XP10 is no slacker when it comes to specs. I think I am going to bite the bullet soon and get rid of my old digital camera and upgrade to one of these XP10 waterproof digital cameras.

I took several photos and videos with the Finepix XP10 and was very happy with all of the photos and videos that we shot and the quality was amazing, especially compared to the digital camera that I am currently using.

Summary Of Fujifilm Finepix XP10 Review

For $200, it’s actually a bargain to get a 5x zoom, good image quality, and rugged/underwater capability in a digital camera.  The only real negative comment I have about the XP10 is the D-Pad’s size but again I have huge hands so this is probably not going to be an issue for most people, and I do feel that the “life proof” features the camera has far outweighs the issues with the D-Pad.

I’d recommend the Fujifilm Finepix XP10 for anyone that plans on spending a lot of time on the go and using it for fishing, hunting, camping or around water. The waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof  and dustproof features are key selling points.

The camera takes excellent pictures compared to other digital cameras that I have used, also shoots video (with audio) and has a ton of other great features that will appeal to fishermen and other people who plan on using this camera outdoors or on the go, or even for just day to day life. The scene recognition function is really awesome and it took great videos as well.

For $200 I think this camera is a heck of a deal and we give this digital camera the LearnToCatchCatfish.com seal of approval.
Fujifilm FinePix XP10 12 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

You can buy the Fujifilm Finepix XP10 at:

Amazon.com Fujifilm FinePix XP10 12 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

Ebay.com

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SAMPLE PHOTOS TAKEN WITH THE FUJIFILM FINEPIX XP10 WATERPROOF DIGITAL CAMERA