Fuji pity!

Unfortunately, here the reviews and also the comments on Fuji are always aggressive - regardless whether it is of the "Pro" or "Contra" page and hardly a camera seems currently the customer / user world more to divide. Here was already in demand from customers even what to think of it - well, somehow all right (as long as it remains factually please).

The Fuji makes a but really not easy!

Also I have thoroughly engaged me in advance with tests, reviews and forums for Fuji HS10 and was confused about this huge valuation discrepancies.

In recent times - after delivery of the camera to me - I was with hardly anything as intense as set apart with this camera!
Maybe I can do something out take the edge off by my review, I now can understand very well that someone 5 and someone also just 1 - 2 Stars is and I am writing this, only with the hope interested in their purchase considerations can help entsprechgend and as objectively as possible, because I am neither Fuji employees nor Fuji haters etc ...

Now to the camera:
Actually, almost "love" at first sight because both:

* Optics
* Ergonomics
* Material etc.

convince me. out of the box and also throughout the test
The slight "concern" about the possibly to heavy weight compared to corresponding competitors - of course increases the battery / batteries again - fades, as it is very well and securely in the hand and is therefore safe to use (but of course, a matter of taste and subjective).
In general, the operation / menu navigation is very simple and understandable despite many buttons and explains why the camera came with just a Basic Manual (the detailed manual can be found on CD enclosed). All settings can actually be made self-explanatory.

The display is in accordance with the class and enough for me out completely and very user-friendly through the tilting capability.

Gigantic is of course the zoom range and since I prefer to precisely select the image area, I find the (now very rare) manual focus adjustment awesome (and by the way power is still saved).

To the focal length in detail later: Yes, distortions can be seen in 24mm of course. Especially in rooms this falls clearly on course but that you can fix one hand retrospectively via software and on the other hand one must also expect unfortunately, at this focal length and this price category. Me personally bothers this but little and as soon as one leaves the 24mm disappear distortions quickly.

The flash is perfectly adequate for me and which I find great illumination. Then even the hot shoe as an additional (albeit without TTL) - very good. Also filter thread the lens and this even with gänigen 58mm / diameter - just great.

The autofocus is very reliable and provides fast, "sharp" (for sharpness but more equal) - also loud and threatening Fokussiergeräusche (as mentioned in other reviews) I do not hear or do not bother me.

But before I perform now all alone: ​​all around makes me the HS10 (almost) happy - but with a significant constraint and this is now times the picture quality.

In the macro range is perfect! And by the class anti-shake to reach virtually perfect images even at maximum focal length. The colors are rich and deep, and also adjusted according to the personal taste. Sharpness is very good - noise performance also satisfactory for me in these focal lengths!

However, the image quality in the focal length range under 50mm is really unreasonable. And here is my opinion precisely the large discrepancy of ratings. Those who work almost exclusively in the zoom range and barely wide angle (and that is for me under 50mm), who does mainly macro shots or snapshots and If you like working in space by lightning and then who still filming diligently, who can give the camera a 5 star - for it is perfect!

Man photographing but the focal range with 50mm and this in the great outdoors, then you stare in disbelief at his pictures. The so often - also here at Amazon.com-review - described "muddying", "blur" or "disguise" of images is evident everywhere. There is then again slightly sharper image locations (these are usually the brighter points) but overall the image quality in these areas is devastating.

And the first time I looked skeptical now "my" HS10 and the first time I had to think many reviews that have accurately pointed out - so it really is true!
Hopefully an operator error was my ester thought - checked all settings - of course long been completely out of the automatic (!) - Of course, ISO 100, the Fine setting and focus on hard - of course selected the highest iris - tripod used etc. - again and again tested - settings changed - even with sharpness, color, etc. - it stuck.

As part of the tests then on the two-year-old Samsung S760 (then 79) of my daughter - Maybe it's yes on recording motif or strange light that I did not perceive (still with the hope that it but please do not at the HS10 is). But lo and behold, the images are clearly better and completely focus on the Samsung S760, the blurring does not exist - the bushes and shrubs have clear contours, you will not find in the HS10.

Still full of hope that I set just something wrong, then the call to the service hotline of Fuji. There was then initially only the answer that I have the images with the supplied software should open FinePix Studio only (!!!) because the other popular image editors (Photoshop, Gimp, etc.) may not be the appropriate quality JPG Algorithm implement procedures for the HS10. Aha - okay - but this "muddying" remains - no matter what software!

Call back at the Fuji service hotline and after I had to assure that my screen (Dell screen approx. 2 months old) is really up to date and it is also calibrated correctly, I should submit my sample images. Recall of Fuji: you do not see any smudges - alerdings also no difference for Samsung S760 (5 mal cheaper - 2,5 years older) - interesting. It must be according to Fuji on my screen !!

Okay, then pulled the files on your stick and down's photo lab (mind you in the hope that it is not still on the HS10). Leave pictures on Fuji photo paper print out in high gloss with best quality and there was now but a change: the blurs and smudges are more clearly seen than on my screen. Both a photo lab specialist, as a layman!

For all wide-angle shots with 50mm in the wild these smudges and blurs were available significantly. And every time you shoot the comparison photo of the little Samsung was clearly better. Here is wrong definitely something in Fuji!

Well, what now - to be honest, I'm still longer than expected with the idea of ​​playing that I still keep the HS10 - so good I like everything but her - but I have neither the money nor the desire ne second camera for wide-angle landscapes to possess. Fuji has also offered that I send the camera - I would do if I had not had so often read the same weaknesses and problems related to image quality, as in my. So many Monday products that make slurred and muddy recordings, can not exist and then sending the camera would indeed make only possibly my return on Amazon.com impossible.

Any reviewer at Amazon.com here has mentioned that he would keep the camera with better picture quality immediately - yes, I also (!) - So it is now but with a heavy heart back ... :-(

Still 2 Notes to really read everything concerning the HS10. The test and the images of Wolfgang Steiner are very insightful and clearly show the strengths of the camera (influenced me to buy with the Fuji HS10). Sorry, but only very few images taken at wide angle and actually until now no landscapes (in buildings falls this "blurring" is not as strong but-is there!). But nevertheless please times the images in wide-angle look closely at (particularly Example image 1 in Part V to Fuji). This can be - at least until the current date and Download. I am certainly not a pixel freak and even if no landscapes exist there, so can the blur at least imagine - but even better illustrate some sample images here at Amazon.com the problem, in which really sharp and blurred areas alternate.
Revealing to the image quality is also the following page:
Imaging Resource. com / IMCOMP / COMPS01. HTM
Here the comparison between diverse cameras is possible, and even here the differences are clear - albeit not as strong as in Natura - to see!

I hope my experience can help some potential buyers and also shed light on Dark's why there are so many different opinions on the Fuji HS10 - hence the many words - sorry !.
Even a lot of my criticism of the image quality will not necessarily share when they might put all other recording priorities - the them is of course conceded and I hope you are always satisfied with the Fuji.

For me, however, the image quality important (and also established my 2 star deduction) and I also note no unrealizable DSLR demands on the HS10, but would (as they otherwise so much has) with the same image quality results as the Samsung S760 of my - now, of course, super proud camera owner subsidiary ;-) - Been satisfied - pity Fuji ..!

Oh: Of course the latest firmware 1:01 was on my Fuji HS10 partly filled!