Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsBest Mirrorless Camera for Travel
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2021
Evaluated 5 cameras for picture quality, build, ergonomics, and feature set and the X-S10 came out on top for best all-rounder travel shooter for the best price. I needed a versatile camera for my travel trips to shoot a wide variety of subjects; landscapes, architecture, night scenes, street scenes, and portraits on locations. Did a fair amount of research and tested two four-thirds, two APS-C, one full frame and one compact with 1” sensor cameras and took each one of them on a couple of day trips to see how they handled, sometimes side by side. Used various zoom lenses around 14-135 (versatile range for travel). It has reasonable video capabilities but that’s not what I purchased or use it most for. Here’s why the S10 came out on top.
1. Great image quality. I prefer the Fuji hues. The option to change color science comes in handy for different subjects. Sharp picture. No noise and good ISO performance in low light. I don’t like using flash and some of the twilight and low light subsection came out great.
2. Image stabilization. The OIS and IBIS work very well together. Practically eliminate shake effects. And provide those extra f-stops whe your need it.
3. Solid build and ergonomics. Lightweight, compact and very easy access to all the controls. Everything is well placed and you can customize the dials and buttons for parameters you routinely use or want to manage. It’s small and feels more like a rangefinder style camera in your hand. Menu is easy to learn and work with.
4. Fast focus. It’s not the fastest focus. The Sonys I tested rocked in this area but the S10 does a good job keeping up with a variety of subjects for travel situations. It has plenty of options to work with.
5. Wireless picture transfer. Process is easy to use and reliable. It’s quick to access and you can have your pic ready to share on your phone in a couple of mins.
6. Value. You can’t beat the value of resolution and feature set (including IBIS) and compact design for the price. The Sony 6600 is comparable but the poor menu management and lack of touch interaction and the poor implementation of wireless transfer make it a poor contender in this class.
Got the body and purchased a XF 14-135 Fujinon (versatile range for most shots and good lighting). Took it to Europe for 10 days and it performed very well. Very easy to travel with - easy to grab and get the shot every time. Battery life is decent. Had to have a second one on hand to get through a days worth of shooting. This one’s a keeper.
