Fuji HS10 now available to pre-order

Fuji FinePix HS10 MARCHANDS €     Amazon.co.uk  99.95  Pixmania  102.00  Amazon mark...  110.00  Amazon.co.uk  116.59  Co-operativ...  119.99  Pc world  379.99  Compare prices

With spec including a 30x zoom, a backlit CMOS sensor, manual controls and a swivel screen, the Fujifilm FinePix HS10 is a bridge camera that’s full of potential. What's more, it’s now been released for pre-order!

Will it be able to knock the Panasonic FZ38 off the top spot by integrating all the choice functions of the Sony HX1, including Full HD video, a burst mode and panoramic scan and more?

It’s certainly the largest bridge camera out there at the moment. It’s also the latest and possibly the last 'expert' bridge camera to be launched into a market once dominated by the likes of Fuji (S9500 series), Panasonic (FZ30), Sony (F828) and Minolta (A series), but now largely abandoned. Anyway, at 650 grams when loaded and ready to use, it’s up to 50% heaver that some of its competitors.

On the upside, all this extra bulk does make room for a 30x zoom (24-720 mm equivalent), a mechanical lens ring and SLR-style controls (thumb wheel, direct access to plenty of settings etc.).

Inevitably, adding ‘expert’ to ‘bridge’ also adds a few quid to the price. The HS10 will be selling for the best part of £400, making it more expensive than both Sony and Panasonic bridges. However, thanks to the BSI CMOS sensor’s inverted structure that helps it capture light more effectively, the HS10 could well beat the competition hands down when it comes to sensitivity.

Performance in the fields of picture quality and responsiveness remains to be seen. As yet, Renaud Labracherie has managed to play around with an HS10 for a few hours, but not under test conditions. Hopefully we’ll get our hands on one for a full test soon.

> Product Survey: Bridge Digital Cameras


> Buyer's Guides: Our Pick of The Best Products