The Fujifilm XF10 is the best camera. I’ll explain why this is so in a few minutes. For now, just know I truly mean that bold statement.
A few weeks ago Fujifilm released an ultra-compact, fixed-lens, fixed-focal-length, wide-angle, low-budget, APS-C sensor camera. The XF10 is a brand-new camera, but it borrows much of its design and features from other Fujifilm cameras, as well as a non-Fujifilm camera. There are a lot of similarities between the XF10 and the X70, including the same exact 28mm (equivalent) f/2.8 lens. The X70 was essentially a smaller, lighter, cheaper, and more wide-angle X100T. While the XF10 is noticeably influenced from the design heritage of Fujifilm’s rangefinder-style fixed-lens cameras, there’s a touch of the X-E3 and X-T100 in it, as well. Oh, and Fujifilm even took a little from the Ricoh GR series.
I don’t want to go all that deep into the stat sheet of this camera. You can readily find that information online. I’ll talk about what I feel is important and perhaps what I believe others want to know. I will do my best to keep this review from reading like all the rest, which, by the way, brings up a point that I want to clarify right from the start. I paid for this camera myself. Fujifilm did not give or loan me an XF10. You can rest assured that this review is strictly my own opinion and not influenced by a corporate gift. If someone did offer me a camera I would not turn it down because, well, I like free stuff as much as the next guy, but that has never happened and probably never will.
The elephant in the room is that the XF10 uses a 24-megapixel sensor with a Bayer color filter array and not an X-Trans array. It’s the same sensor that’s found in the Fujifilm X-A5 and X-T100. Also, the processor is not the same one found in X-Trans III cameras, but a generic one that seems related to the processor found in X-Trans II cameras. What this means is that the XF10 feels more like an X-Trans II camera, but with subtly inferior color rendition. It does have more resolution and slightly better high-ISO performance than X-Trans II, but overall it’s a lot closer to X-Trans II than X-Trans III and not exactly like either.
One thing that’s missing on the XF10 is the Acros Film Simulation, which, in my opinion, is the very best in-camera JPEG option on any digital camera ever. It’s a shame that it’s not on this camera, but it’s omission is understandable. There are also no faux film grain options. Adjustments max out at plus or minus two instead of four like what’s found on X-Trans III cameras. For the JPEG shooter, the XF10 will not quite produce the wonderful analog-like photographs that one can achieve with an X-Trans III camera, but that doesn’t mean the images don’t look good because they do.
All of the common film simulations, such as Classic Chrome, Velvia, Astia, Provia, etc., are found on the XF10. The odd thing is that you can only save one custom setting. On any Fujifilm camera that I’ve owned before, there are nine custom presets that one can create and save for quick recall, but not so on the XF10. I was extremely disappointed by this at first, because I have tons of great film simulation recipes that I like to use (none of which are directly compatible with the XF10), but after awhile this setup grew on me. I found freedom in the limitation, and for the XF10 it’s actually great because it plays into the camera’s philosophy.
The XF10 has a minimalist design. There’s no hotshoe. There are no threads on the lens. The rear screen doesn’t tilt or swivel. There are fewer buttons, knobs and wheels than one would find on other Fujifilm cameras. It’s like Fujifilm took a look at their cameras, such as the X100F and X-T20, and asked, “What’s unnecessary?” What is left is a camera that has just what you need, nothing more, nothing less. There are exactly the right amount of controls for everything, thanks in part to the touch options on the rear screen. The gesture touch controls are a nice addition, although it’s very particular and one must do it just right for it to work well, which for me took some practice. If there is one complaint about the camera’s design, it’s the darn PASM dial, which I don’t care much for. I would appreciate dedicated controls for aperture, shutter and ISO like on my X100F and X-Pro2, but the XF10 is designed for a different group of photographers.
Fujifilm tends to have a certain group in mind when they design a camera. That’s why they have so many different models that are similar to each other. The differences between the X-T100, X-T20, X-T2, X-H1 and now the X-T3 aren’t huge, yet each is clearly intended for a different faction. The X-A5, X-E3 and X-Pro2 are quite similar not only to each other but also the previous list, yet they are meant for different groups. The X100F and XF10 could be grouped together, but the XF10 wasn’t designed for and is not marketed towards the same group that purchased the X100F. That doesn’t mean those who own the X100F shouldn’t buy it or won’t appreciate it. It simply helps us to understand why the designers made the choices that they did.
What I have come to appreciate about the XF10 is the simplicity of it. I’m thinking less about camera settings and more about the image itself. The camera becomes less important. It fades away at the end of my hand. That’s not necessarily what Fujifilm intended. What they were attempting was simplicity for the inexperienced photographer. They wanted something that a novice could pick up and use without trouble, something that wouldn’t seem overwhelming to the beginner. They achieved that, but in the process made a camera that’s fantastic for the experienced user to just shoot with. That should be the camera’s slogan: Just shoot it. Perhaps Nike wouldn’t care for that, so I digress.
While I’m sure that the XF10 has a lot of plastic in it, the camera feels solid and sturdy, like it could take a beating and still function just fine (I have no plans to test this). It doesn’t look or feel cheap. It seems higher-end than the price would suggest. However, something I’ve noticed in the short time that I’ve owned the camera is the paint on a couple of the corners is already starting to wear. I’m sure that this is from shoving the camera into pockets, but it seems much too quick for the paint to be rubbing off. That’s really too bad.
Like the X100 series, the XF10 has a leaf shutter and fantastic built-in fill-flash. The camera seems to balance the exposure and flash perfectly every time, which is just fantastic! This is something that Fujifilm does better than anybody. A side effect of the leaf shutter is that it is nearly silent, making this camera particularly great for street photography. Just be sure to turn off all the artificial noises that the camera is programmed to make.
There’s a feature on the XF10 that should be on every single camera manufactured today. It’s called Snapshot, which is a zone focus system where the focus and aperture are at predetermined settings. There are two options: five meters, which utilizes f/5.6, and two meters, which uses f/8. Both of these settings will give you a large depth-of-field where much of the scene will be in focus. I wish that there was a one meter option using f/11, but there’s not. What’s great about Snapshot is it makes street photography or even pictures of the kids as they play extraordinarily easy and quick because focus and aperture are already taken care of by the camera ahead of time. As quick as auto-focus systems are becoming, there’s still nothing faster than focus that’s been preset. I love it! If Snapshot sounds familiar, it’s because the Ricoh GR series has a nearly identical feature.
While Snapshot is quick, the XF10 as a whole is not particularly fast. Auto-focus, startup times and even frames-per-second aren’t bad, which is what one usually thinks of when it comes to camera quickness. It’s the general responsiveness to adjustments that’s noticeably slow. My fingers can fly through the menus and buttons faster than the camera can keep up. The camera can be painfully slow if it’s writing to the SD card, as it seems to have a hard time doing that and other functions simultaneously. I think that shoving this camera into such a small body required some compromises (maybe more than “some”), and the speed of the processor is certainly one of the trade-offs.
The camera is small and lightweight, noticeably smaller and lighter than the X100F. It fits into a pocket without trouble. The X100F also fits into a pocket, but more so in the winter when pockets are larger and less so in the summer when pockets are smaller. What makes the XF10 the best camera is that it fits into your pocket all of the time. It’s easy to carry around with you wherever you go. It’s never in the way. It’s just there in your pocket when you need it. As Chase Jarvis coined, “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” This camera is great because it’s always with you.
Image quality on the XF10 is quite good. The lens has noticeably less distortion than the one on the X100F despite being more wide angle. There’s a little vignetting and corner softness when wide open, but stopping down fixes that. Bokeh is rather pleasant, which is not typically all that important on a 28mm lens, but with the close focus distance of about 4″ it’s possible to get some nice out-of-focus backgrounds and foregrounds. The camera controls lens flare only moderately well, but I kind of like the way it renders it, so this could be positive or negative to you, depending on if you like it or not. There’s not very much negative to mention about the images that this camera produces. If you’ve ever used an X-Trans II camera, that’s pretty darn close to what you can expect from this little camera.
I’m not a video guy, but 4K at 15 frames-per-second isn’t anything to get excited over, and that’s the best this camera can do. I suppose it’s fine if there’s not much movement in the scene and you are using a tripod. The camera can do 1080p at 60 frames-per-second, which is awesome for casual family movies. I think, as far as video goes, the best feature on the XF10 is 4K time lapse at 30 frames-per-second. That’s actually useful if you enjoy making time lapse videos.
Is the XF10 an upgrade over the X70? In some ways it is, in some ways it’s essentially the same camera, and in some ways it’s a downgrade. If you already own an X70 then you are probably better off keeping what you already have. If you’ve been considering an X70, the XF10 is a good alternative, but you may want to consider the differences between the models before choosing one over the other. If you’ve been thinking about a Ricoh GR II, the XF10 is a similar camera with similar features, but there are pluses and minuses to both that should be considered. As with any camera, one must look at what’s important to himself or herself and judge if the camera will meet those needs or not.
The XF10 comes in two colors: black and champagne-gold with faux brown leather, which is hideous an interesting choice that you’ll either love or hate. I chose black for myself. You can’t go wrong with black. The XF10 has an MSRP of $500 (at Amazon here), which is a good value for what you get. In fact, it’s the cheapest compact camera with an APS-C sensor on the market right now. I had a coupon so I was able to snag my copy for only $425.
The conclusion to this review is that Fujifilm has a new camera that’s smartly designed, pocket-sized, produces quality pictures, and doesn’t cost very much at all. One could start a list of all the different features not included, and it would be easy to judge this camera based on that list, but the experience of the XF10 isn’t about what’s there, it’s about the simplicity of capturing an image. It’s about having an uncomplicated tool that’s always with you and is never in the way to capture quality pictures of the fleeting moments that often don’t get photographed. The best camera is the one that’s with you in the moment that you need one. The XF10 is the best camera because it will be there in that moment eagerly waiting to be used.
Example photographs, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs (with the exception of some minor cropping) captured using the Fujifilm XF10:
Terminal Windows – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Up & Away – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Airport Road – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10
I Spy Exxon – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Only One Way To Go – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Chevy Blue – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Flag On A Pole – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Artificial Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Green & Yellow – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Green Leaves – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Leaf In The Forest – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Fall Is In The Trees – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Sunlight Through The Forest – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Rays Between The Trees – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Trail Kids – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Mother & I – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Pilot & Copilot – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Traveler Check In – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Shy Horse – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Forest Leaf Monochrome – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Light Patch On The Water – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Provo River Marsh – Utah Lake SP, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Hat Abstract – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10
Curved Stairwell – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10
See also: My Fujifilm XF10 Film Simulation Recipes
Help Fuji X Weekly
Nobody pays me to write the content found on fujixweekly.com. There's a real cost to operating and maintaining this site, not to mention all the time that I pour into it. If you appreciated this article, please consider making a one-time gift contribution. Thank you!
$5.00
Congratulations with your new camera!
Now you have a good reason to start posting new XF10 film-preset series 🙂
The XF10 recipes should be compatible with all the X-Trans I and II cameras, as well as the X-T100, X-A3 and X-A5, so perhaps there is a need….
My first was defective, so… Am I too bold to ask, but what coupon?
That’s too bad. I’ve purchased defective cameras before and it is a frustrating experience. That illustrates why it’s important to use caution when buying grey market items, which brings me to the coupon. eBay occasionally puts out a 15% or (more rarely) 20% off coupon, always with a limit (typically up to $50, $75 or $100 off). I used an eBay coupon to get $75 off. Be very careful, though, as there are a lot of grey market items on eBay, so make sure, if you go this route, that the camera is not grey market and you get the manufacture warranty.
Thanks. I purchased mine from maybe the biggest US online camera retailer and had no issue with the return. I use eBay quite often, but never with a coupon. I’m definitely waiting for one.
They just had one a couple days ago, so you’ll probably have to wait at least a few weeks for the next one.
Congratulations, and a big thank you for this very good review. Far away from others that just seem to want to maximise the missings, the issues, and this and that.
I’m an X100F shooter after an original X100. This is my camera and this is all I need when I go out purposely for making photos.
But for the rest of the time I need a capable small camera that I can have all the time with me.
I had an Olympus XZ-1, a great little camera with an excellent and fast Zuiko lens (with an attached EVF)
Later I had an XZ-2, a good refinement over the XZ-1.
I currently own a Sony rx100m3, that offered me a bigger 1″ sensor and a good and fast Zeiss lens.
Then I learnt about the Fujifilm XF-10 and said OMG! Fiji film sims and menus + an APS-C sensor and a fujinon f:2.8 28mm equivalent ,all in a pocketable box. End of struggling with two different menus and camera philosophy!
So I’m selling the small Sony and reading all reviews and comments on the Fujifilm XF10.
I went to a photography shop and tried the AF in low light with satisfactory results. Also the handling of the camera is OK for me.
So far I had only one worry about how I will manage to go without an EVF. What can you say about that?
Now your review added another concern. You sat that you can keep only one memory bank on the Quick menu? How do you go with that? How do you Change from, say monochrome with some particular settings (on highlight, shadows, NR, etc) to Classic Chrome with completely different settings?
Thanks in advance for your answer and comments, if any.
Juli
I used to have the Sony RX100m2. There’s a significant image quality difference between that camera and the XF10, but they are different cameras for different jobs (1″ sensor vs APS-C, zoom lens vs fixed lens, etc). The lack of an EVF doesn’t bother me, but I can understand why it could bother someone else. Even on my cameras that have an EVF, I use the EVF only probably 25% of the time. As far as changing the settings, I have my “default” setting (which is a Classic Chrome recipe) that I use most often, then I have two other recipes that I will on the fly adjust to when needed. I simply remember what those recipes are and change the settings quickly. I explained it a little in this post: https://fujixweekly.wordpress.com/2018/09/30/my-fujifilm-xf10-film-simulation-recipes/
Thanks for commenting!
Thanks Ritchie.
The 3 small cameras I had shared some features, of which number one was to be built around an excellent lens. They also shared a zoom, but this was not among my requirements. Putting it simple there was not any offering of a fixed lens compact (except Ricoh).
I see myself taking more advantage of the XF10 as the camera that is always with me vs the RX100 III.
Thanks for your reply to my 2 concerns.
Juli
No problem! I like my XF10 and carry it around everywhere. I’m sure that you will appreciate it, too, should you purchase it.
Thanks for the excellent review. Your photos are lovely. There have been a lot of naysayers with regards to this camera which have pushed me away from considering it, but now I may need to take another look.
I’ve been enjoying it considerably for the last several weeks. It does what it’s intended to do quite well, and, while far from perfect, it is a good little camera.
I have been shooting with the XF10 for a few weeks now. It is disappointing that so few reviews surfaced after the camera launch, but the price does not confer “status” and the common comment that this camera is aimed at smartphone users tends to depress interest amongst serious photo buffs. Actually, the camera ticked off many boxes that should have kept me from buying: too wide a fixed lens; no swivel LCD; no viewfinder; no image stabilization. But…surprise!! The camera is a feather-weight joy to carry, using it is easy (especially if you have other Fuji X camera experience), and the files are sharp. 24MP provides great opportunity for details. AND: it focuses very close. If you have worked out a particular “vision” or style of photography, based upon the “walk about and look” method, the camera does tend to become part of you. Fuji should be applauded. Looks like the camera may have to go out of production (like the X70 before it) to become any kind of cult camera. Meanwhile, give one a try. You too might be surprised…and delighted!
Very well said! I use my XF10 more often than my other cameras, as it’s so small, convenient and fun!
The Ricoh GR and later GR II are the kings of the “don’t need to focus each shot” function [Snap Focus]. It’s a really great feature for a small, large sensor fixed focal length point and shoot like the XF10/GR/CoolPix A/X100. Fuji should make their “snap focus” function on the XF10 better. On the GR, you choose whether or not to use snap focus by simply mashing the shutter vs a half-press for focusing. You can preset the snap focus distance to 1m or 1.5m or 2 or 2.5m or 5m or infinity. So if you are indoors (dinner table, say), I just set the snap focus to 1m or 1.5m, the shutter to a 30th, the aperture to f2.8 or f4 and the ISO to auto (TAv mode). Then I can focus or not as I see fit by simply choosing between a half press and a “mash it” press. The results are consistently great. Well, at least the results are in focus and properly exposed. There may be noise if the light level is too low and the ISO shoots up. In comparison, the XF10’s two “hyperfocal only” choices seem limited. I would think Fuji could improve this simply in software.
But a GR II new is more expensive than the XF10. The flash on my GR failed two years ago-which is a shame. I also like my “purchased used” X100 (not S/T/F). So I’m thinking about the XF10.
Yes, the two options are a bit limited, and there is a possibility of that Fujifilm could add one or more in a firmware update, although I wouldn’t count on that happening. The XF10 is the cheapest and smallest camera in the fixed-lens APS-C category, and that’s its selling point more than anything. Taking a look at the X100 or even the X70 is a good idea. I personally like and appreciate the XF10, but I understand fully that it might not be the best choice for everyone, and there are plenty of good reasons to buy it and reasons not to. Thank you for commenting!
Love my XF10. There is one thing about it that I can’t figure out…perhaps you know how to change this in the settings. Or perhaps you will confirm that you just cant do it with this camera. I dont know the technical term for it…but in other cameras when you press halfway to lock focus and then shoot…after the shot if you remain at half-press on the shutter button, it remains focused and ready for the next shot. On the XF10 after the shot, the focus is lost (even if the shutter button remains at half-press) and you have to let go of the shutter button and re-press it to re-aquire focus. Know what I mean? Is there anyway to change this in the settings so that it will keep the focus point locked as long as you keep holding the shutter down halfway?
I think what you are talking about is AF Lock.
http://fujifilm-dsc.com/en/manual/xf10/taking_photo/ae-af_lock/index.html
I hope this helps.
No I dont mean Focus Lock. I simply mean that after you take a shot the camera looses its focus lock (provided by the half-shutter press) even if you dont fully release the shutter.
Yes, I could use the focus lock feature, but that would require I press another button. In my XT2 the half-shutter press is sort of like a temporary focus lock. Know what I mean?
Honestly, I didn’t know that you could do that. I just tried it out and it works! You taught me something new. Thank you! I have no idea why it doesn’t work on the XF10, but I will look into it, and I will let you know if I can figure it out.
Thanks man! And yeah….thats got to me one of my favorite/most used features when shooting. So useful!
Hey, great guides!
If you had to choose between XF10 and X70 would you take the XF10?
Im more attracted to the X70 because it can save more custom presets.
Any reason I should rather consider the XF10?
Thanks
I would choose the X70, all things being equal. You might be able to snag an XF10 brand new for less than a used X70, which makes it a better value, perhaps, but the X70 is the one I recommend.
I’m very late but do you think this camera or the X70 are good enough for a first Fuji?
I shoot M43 (Lumix LX100 II and Olympus E-M 10 IV), but I’ve always wanted a Fuji, and I find these two kind of expensive (around USD 700) of this camera on Ebay.
Hope you can see this comment.
If it is an everyday or support camera I prefer the XF10 to the X70, but any of the two will suit you.
For its pros I recommend you to read earlier posts.
If you intend to enter the fuji world there are better options but depend on your photography style . Fixed or interchangeable lens? Still photo, sports, street, landscape?
I would choose the X70 over the XF10 just because it has C1-C7 (the XF10 doesn’t) and is a more premium model despite being older; however, either one is a decent camera. I would also consider an interchangeable lens option… the X-T1, X-T20, X-E3 are excellent cameras that might potentially be more affordable.
I realize this is an old series of posts, but I just snagged a gold XF10 to replace my ancient Sony pocket camera, which still works fine, but it is so slow that a turtle literally outpaced it’s autofocus a few weeks back! And yes, the gold tone is not a great look, but the gold ones sell for less than the black ones, and a brown leather half-case neatly covers up most of the gold parts of the camera body except the top. I had an X100F until recently, but it was not what I would call a pocket camera, more like a purse or satchel camera, so there were a lot of occasions when it got left behind. I expect the XF10 to go everywhere all the time. So I appreciate this article and the comments that follow it. (The X100F got replaced by a MFT Leica d-lux 7 (a rebodied Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 ii), as I got tired of waiting for the next X100V+.) I doubt the X70 or the XF10 will see a replacement anytime soon either (if ever). The used ones, like used X100 series cameras, sell for more than they cost new.
I’d love for an X80 or XF20, but since those are unlikely to happen, the X70 and XF10 are the options we have. I think a pocketable camera is important to own. Currently I have the X70. Thanks so much for the comment!