The Olympus XZ-10 is a super compact camera
which features a 5x optical zoom f/1.8 lens and 12 MP back-illuminated CMOS
sensor.
The Olympus XZ-10 is a serious compact
camera. It is even smaller than the XZ-2 and owns a 5x optical lens and a 12MP
back-illuminated sensor. The price is about $495.
The
Olympus XZ-10 has a back-illuminated CMOS sensor
Features
Besides the 12MP back-illuminated CMOS
sensor, the Olympus XZ-10 also features the iHS Technology to provide premium
image quality. It has a 5x optical zoom lens which is 35mm equivalent of
26-130mm and f/1.8 is its maximum aperture to allow the maximum amount of light
to expose to the camera, so it is ideal to use in low-light conditions. Therefore,
the similar defocusing effect to that of the DSLR is likely to achieve. It is
also possible to extend the zoom up to 10x with super resolution zoom.
As well as the auto mode whose function is
to choose the suitable settings automatically, there are full manual controls,
and RAW shots can also be taken. A built-in ND filter accompanies the XZ-10 and
enables you to set the exposure time in any scene. Eleven Art Filters are given
to support you to make creative shots, such as dramatic tone and diorama. You
can also combine many photos together to make collages, selecting from
different themes and then applying the same Art Filter.
The videos are recorded in full 1080p HD
with stereo sound. Recording at high speed 720p HD at 120 fps is also possible
for the XZ-10.
The
5x optical zoom lens
Main features
·
12 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor
·
5x optical zoom f/1.8-2.7 lens (35mm equiv:
26-130mm)
·
Sensor shift image stabilization
·
3.0 inch 920k dot LCD touch screen
·
Aperture and shutter speed control ring
·
Full manual controls and RAW shooting
·
Full 1080p HD video recording
·
ISO 100 - 6400
·
1cm minimum focusing distance
·
5 fps continuous shooting
The
3.0 inch 920k dot touchscreen
Handling
The XZ-10 owns a very small metal body.
Although is a little heavy, it is comfortable enough to carry it along. There
is a rubber grip on the front side with a square rubberized patch for you to
lean your thumb on the back side.
On the top side of the camera lays a mode
dial, alongside the shutter release, zoom rocker and on/off switch. The movie
records, playback, function, menu and info buttons as well as a rotating wheel
can be found on the rear. Controls such as exposure compensation, flash and
self-timer can easily be activated by pressing these buttons. The function
button is the quick path for accessing into many shooting options, for example
white balance, ISO, image size and so on. It is rather an extensive set of
options, but once you get fully familiar to it, it will become very useful and
customized.
In aperture and shutter release speed
priority modes allows you to use the ring surrounding the lens to adjust the respective
settings. The rest of the menu system is rather easy to navigate. The 920k dot
touchscreen makes everything lively, sharp and clear, and as being a
touchscreen, it is capable of setting the focus and release the shutter.
The
battery
The battery life is estimated to be 240
shots according to the CIPA testing results. This is quite good and enough for
a shooting day. Speed – we took a lot of pictures to check the responsiveness
of the camera, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc.
Many shots have been taken, and then their averages are chosen to ensure the
accuracy and consistency of the testing result, which makes it really easy to
compare with other cameras.
·
Shutter Response: 0.1 sec
·
Wide - Focus / Shutter Response: 0.4 sec
·
Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response: 0.5 sec
·
Switch on Time to Taking a Photo: 1.8 sec
·
Shot to Shot without Flash: 1.4 sec
·
Shot to Shot with Flash: 1.5 sec
·
Continuous Shooting - Sequential (JPEG): 5.1 fps
·
Continuous Shooting - Sequential (RAW): 1.3 fps
·
Continuous Shooting - Hi-Speed (JPEG only): 19.2
fps
The continuous shooting mode records at
12MP resolution. The high speed shooting mode is limited at 3MP. When shooting
RAW shots under the continuous shooting mode, there is a serious reduction of
the speed after 2 shots.
