Fujifilm Finepix F10

I’ve had this camera for years and years.  I’ve mentioned it more than once on Splodz Blogz in the past.  We bought it in December 2005 as a Christmas present for £190, and it’s rarely left my side since then.

Here is the original press release – it was launched in February 2005: http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/presscentre/news/index.php?id=1233

I love it.  I love the quality of the images.  I love how quickly it’s ready to take photos.  I love the practically instant shutter (something that is frankly lacking from many point and shoot cameras I’ve tried). I love the easy to use menu and well located controls on the camera.  I love that I can choose the ISO myself – and up to 1600 at that.  I love the macro setting.  Oh and I love how long the battery lasts before it needs a charge.

This camera has brought out the part of the photographer in me that likes to snap away at things I see that are interesting – people, landscapes and seascapes, artefacts, experiences, and just random things for memories.  I don’t have to think when using this gadget, it’s there and ready for me when I want to take a picture.  It’s scratched, has been dropped, but is the old faithful camera that lives in my bag (or in my hand) every day.

All fantastic then!  Well no… I have a problem.  It’s now old.  It has a tendency to reset the date and time when the battery is low, meaning you have to set it again before being able to take any photos.  It also doesn’t always shut down properly – the lens gets stuck half way to closed.  Very annoying, mostly because I want it to last forever!  So it’s time to replace my beloved point and shoot camera with a new, younger model.

But which one?

Now there’s a difficult question!  How much choice?!  I know a bit about cameras and even with that knowledge I’m stuck.  What I want is the same again really.  I want quick start up, instant shutter, manual ISO and other settings, decent optical zoom, good battery life, and easy to use functions and thumb controls.  I’m not bothered about loads of pre-set shooting modes (I’d rather decide myself), and I’m not bothered about it being really slim (although smaller than my current one would be a bonus).

I already have a DSLR so I don’t need a hybrid or bridge camera, or really even an all singing-all dancing point and shoot – if I want to take fancy shots I’ll use my other camera.  This is for snaps, for the photos that bring back memories, for carrying around with me every day so I’m never anywhere without a camera that is capable of capturing an image as I see it.

I guess I should get on and do some research then!  Any ideas?  Comment below.