Review: Fujifilm X-T10

The X-10s “Pop Colour” filter gives images extra saturation. Photos / Shandelle Battersby

Fujifilm X-T10
RRP $1699

Many people I know who used to religiously cart SLRs (or eventually DSLRs or other compact digital cameras) on holiday have given them up in favour of the more convenient camera on their smartphone. This is a bit of a shame: working on this magazine each week gives you a real appreciation for the skill of travel photography, and few of the pictures we use are taken on mobile phones.

A couple of weekends away with the new Fujifilm X-T10, released as a stripped-back version of its successful X-T1, makes you realise why investing in a decent camera is worth it - even the most novice of photographers would find it hard to take a bad photo with this easy-to-use, high-end camera, which can be used as simply or as technically as you wish.

It's a lot of fun to play around with some of its cooler functions: the advanced filters such as "Toy Camera" (a retro effect with shaded borders), "Miniature" (blurred top and bottom of the picture for a diorama effect), or, my favourite "Pop Colour" (high contrast pictures with saturated colours). You can also play with partial colours in different tones.

Another great feature is the ability to move between the style of film, as though you were swapping Fujifilm rolls in the old days: think Provia or Astia (standard or soft), or even sepia tones.

The X-T10 is housed in a retro-looking body, which is surprisingly light. It comes with a XC16-50mm lens, which means it needs its own bag, and you'd want one anyway, because the screen at the back comes with no protection - I spent a lot of time worrying about scratching it until I bought one of those clear plastic adhesive covers from the camera shop.

It has WiFi capability, so you can upload your photos or videos straight online. There's also a nifty PhotoBook Assist function that allows you to compile up to 300 photos into a book, which you can share with people or order online for printing.

This camera might look retro, but there's nothing dated about its technology. fujifilm.co.nz