I have a Fujifilm X-T2 which I absolutely love and is my main camera which I use when doing landscapes or cityscapes. The camera I love to use on a day to day basis though, or if I'm just walking around somewhere and wanting to do a bit of street photography or just to practice and capture whatever catches my eye as I go about my normal life, is the Fujifilm XF10.
In this post I will briefly describe the main reasons why I love this compact camera so much.
Size
Firstly is just that..... It's compact. I'm a big believer in always carrying a camera with you on a day to day basis, even if you're just walking to the shop, if you want to improve as a photographer. It trains your eye, keeps you alert and gets you thinking about composition etc in your every day life. Suddenly you become much more perceptive and it's a great way to keep your creativity alive.
The best way to do this, the best way to encourage and motivate yourself to take photos on a consistent, regular basis, is to have a camera that is small, lightweight and you can put in your pocket. Something that is not a nuisance or a hassle to carry. Something that won't leave your back or shoulders aching after a day's use.
Because of its size it is also much more inconspicuous than a DSLR, or mirrorless camera with big lens. This makes it a superb choice for candid and street photography, or while travelling.
For example as a white man in India who visited in the peak of summer, when India is at its hottest and most humid, a time then where there isn't a lot of tourists, I tended to stick out like a saw thumb and attracted a lot of attention from shop keepers trying to entice me into their shops, Tuk Tuk drivers trying to entice me somewhere in their Tuk Tuk or simply people just wanting to take selfies with me.
I therefore found it much easier to take photos using my XF10 rather than my X-T2, where I was able to take photos more subtly without attracting even more attention to myself.
APS-C Size Sensor
The Fujifilm XF10 has an APS-C size sensor which is much larger than those found in the vast majority of other compact cameras, most having either a 1/2.3 inch or at best a 1 inch sensor. There are other compact cameras which also feature a APS-C size sensor but they are more of a rareity in this size. What it actually means though is that you get much better low light performance and better performance at higher ISOs than you would with other cameras of this size.
RAW Files
Another great thing about the Fujifilm XF10 is that it can shoot in RAW, something that not a lot of compact cameras can. That gives you much more freedom and control when it comes to editing your photos.
Amazing Jpegs
That being said, most of the time I use my XF10 I choose to shoot in jpeg. As I often use this camera on a day to day basis and to practice with, the photos are often for my personal use or perhaps for my blog but rarely to go into my portfolio or to make huge prints from and so I don't need or even want to spend a lot of time needlessly editing photos.
Also the Fuji jpegs are just beautiful and I love them so much I just don't feel the need to shoot in RAW when I use this camera. The out of camera jpegs already fit my style and look exactly how I imagine my image to look anyway. Oftentimes when I have shot in RAW and jpeg I very often prefer the jpeg image rather than my edited RAW file. I sometimes think perhaps I should just shoot jpegs 100% of the time, even when using my X-T2 and save myself a LOT of time on editing 😂
Fixed Focal Length
The XF10 has a fixed focal length equivalent to 28mm - although it does also feature a digital teleconverter which can allow you to shoot in 35mm and 50mm equivalents. Whereas some people might be put off and see this as a limitation compared to having a zoom lens, it is exactly because of this 'limitation' that I love it. Having a fixed focal length forces me to be more creative and to think more about my framing, composition and where I place myself and my camera. Rather than being lazy and zooming in to frame my subject, I have to think more carefully about what is in my frame and actually move my feet if I want to change perspective.
This again is a great way to train you eye and think about and improve your composition skills and framing. Using the same focal length, you also very quickly become accustomed as to how the camera sees and exactly what that focal length looks like, so I can anticipate a photo and how it will look before I even raise my camera. All skills that will only make you a better photographer.
If you're on the lookout for a compact camera, a camera you can easily travel with, can always carry with you or you're a street photographer or just want a camera you can have fun with or practice with then I'd highly recommend the Fujifilm XF10.
Below are more of my photos taken with the Fujifilm XF10 on a recent trip to Varanasi, India and you can also see me discuss the camera and watch me take some of these photos in the video at the top of this page.