The Fuji Finepix xp10 is their latest waterproof, shock proof, dust proof, freeze proof camera. I was eying up the z33 which is only waterproof, but when this one was released, the price of the z33 went from $100 to about $130... go figure. I found this xp10 at Sears for only $160 (on sale, as of May 1, 2010), so I decided in it's favor since it is also shock and dust proof.
I've only had this camera for a couple hours and have just finished some VERY basic tests.
The build quality seems excellent, very sturdy, and solid feel. Especially for the price.
Keep in mind, this camera packs in a lot of bang for the buck. A sub $200 sticker, being waterproof, shock proof, dust proof and freeze proof. It also offers 720p high deff video.
The internal features are nice, face detection and automatic red eye removal. The auto scene mode is nice, though hard to gauge it's accuracy. I used Program mode for most of my shots.
Macro mode does a nice job.
But let's face it, the real reason I got this camera is because I wanted to get it wet. It will be great for the beach, boating, pool, waterslides, etc. So as long as it preforms well under those circumstances, I don't really care about anything else.Unfortunately, the only thing I could use for a test right now was the bath tub, in a very poorly lit bathroom. So I will have to wait in getting some usable samples up.
But the good news is... it is waterproof. And it goes against every instinct to submerge this camera, or run it under tap water to rinse it off.... it's bizarre.
The downside so far... Microphone placement! It's retarded. Right on the top corner beside the lens, exactly the same spot everyone I know puts their finger on a small camera. I took a few videos and without even knowing it, I'm blocking the mic. The sound quality in and out of the water is the same. It seems like the mic gets plugged coming in and out of the water. Another minor annoyance, during video playback you can hear a small "hum" from the camera. But I digress, it's only a $170 camera and is already loaded with features to be well worth the price.
Durability... No I haven't dropped it to test this out, nor do I plan to. However, knowing my daughter can use it, and not worry about her dropping it, is peace of mind of me.
Here is a terrible sample of the video from a very, very, poorly lit bathroom, in a warm bathtub with soapy water (sorry, no nudity).
And here is a normal outdoor video...
I will post what I can when the lake warms up :)
