FujiFilm T300 vs Pentax Optio I-10: A Hands-On Battle of Compact Powerhouses

When I first unpacked the FujiFilm FinePix T300 and the Pentax Optio I-10, two small sensor compacts released within a year of each other, I found myself transported back to an era when compact cameras were the go-to companion for casual and enthusiast photographers alike. These cameras no longer compete with the mirrorless giants or DSLRs dominating the market today, but for those seeking pocketable convenience paired with respectable image quality, they remain curious relics worthy of careful comparison.

In this in-depth review, I’ll dissect both cameras across the full spectrum of photography genres and real-life shooting scenarios. I’ve personally logged dozens of hours testing each model, putting them through comprehensive lab benchmarks alongside field shoots capturing portraits, wildlife, landscapes, and more. My goal here isn’t to indulge nostalgia, but to provide photography enthusiasts and professionals with clear, actionable insights on how these two compacts perform today, helping you decide if either suits your particular style or collection.

Before we dive deeper, here’s a quick look at their physical stature:

Compact Bodies, Different Philosophies: Ergonomics and Controls

Out of the box, the FujiFilm T300 and Pentax I-10 share a very similar compact footprint, both designed to slide easily into a jacket pocket or bag without imposing much weight - 151g for FujiFilm, 153g for Pentax. But when I held them side by side and examined their control schemes, distinct differences emerged.

The FujiFilm T300 boasts a minimalist top layout, reflecting its intent for straightforward point-and-shoot use. It lacks manual focus control but impressively features face detection and continuous autofocus, helping it perform well in scenarios where spontaneity is key, like street photography and casual portraits. Its 28-280mm equivalent lens (10x zoom) offers flexibility for wide-angle landscapes or telephoto snapshots.

The Pentax Optio I-10, meanwhile, embraces a slightly more advanced approach. The inclusion of manual focus capability and a prime processor indicates greater control for photographers who want to fine-tune their shots. The 28-140mm (5x zoom) lens has a smaller telephoto reach but is just as competent for everyday uses. Its somewhat larger body and grip offer a more secure hold, especially during macro and wildlife shoots where stability is crucial.

Both cameras feature non-touch 2.7” TFT low-resolution screens (230k dots), standard in their class, although their user interfaces differ noticeably - more on that shortly.

Sensor and Image Quality: Modest Specs with Nuanced Differences

At the heart of any camera is its sensor, and here FujiFilm and Pentax share similar 1/2.3” CCD sensors sized at 6.17 x 4.55 mm, roughly 28 mm² surface area. Size matters greatly when it comes to image quality, and these are small by today’s standards, translating to limitations in dynamic range, noise performance, and depth of field control under wide apertures.

FujiFilm’s T300 edges out marginally with a resolution of 14 megapixels, whereas the Pentax I-10 offers a slightly lower 12 megapixels. From my tests shooting RAW is unfortunately not an option on either camera - both save exclusively to JPEG, restricting post-processing latitude, especially in RAW-needed disciplines like professional landscape or studio work.

What’s notable is FujiFilm’s capability for face-detection autofocus, a feature missing on the Pentax. This resulted in a tangible advantage during portrait sessions, especially when capturing subtle expressions indoors. The Pentax’s nine autofocus points, although lacking face detection, provide a somewhat more precise frame placement for centered subjects and macro work.

Iso sensitivity peaks at 1600 native on the FujiFilm and 6400 on the Pentax - I’ll talk about how that actually plays out in low-light sections below.

Intuitive Display and Interface: Uniform Size, Different Feel

Both cameras feature a modest 2.7-inch fixed rear screen with a 230k dot resolution, which on paper sounds limiting but remains standard for compact cameras of this vintage.

The FujiFilm’s screen provides decent brightness and contrast, but the lack of touchscreen means menu navigation relies solely on physical buttons - more cumbersome when adjusting exposure compensation or white balance settings on the fly. Conversely, the Pentax Optio I-10’s interface felt slightly more responsive, thanks in part to its Prime processor, even though the screen technology specs remain unspectacular.

Neither camera offers an electronic viewfinder which impacts shooting in bright sunlight but remains expected in this class.

Portrait Photography: Face-Friendly or Focus-Precise?

Portraits require capturing fine skin tonalities and pleasing bokeh that isolates subjects - hard tasks without large sensors or fast lenses.

FujiFilm’s T300 leverages face detection autofocus and a 28-280mm zoom with aperture ranging from f/3.4 to f/5.6. During my portrait sessions, especially in well-lit indoor settings, the T300's autofocus reliability shone through, accurately locking onto eyes and adjusting focus continuously as subjects moved subtly. The lens bokeh was passable for a compact but unsurprisingly limited by the small sensor and slower apertures; backgrounds never melted into creamy softness.

Pentax’s manual focus offered more creative control, a feature I appreciated when shooting close-up portrait details like eyes and jewelry. However, the lack of face-detection autofocus required more patience to hone in precisely; at times, the contrast-detection autofocus would hunt in low contrast lighting. Skin tones were slightly more neutral but felt flatter compared to FujiFilm’s slightly warmer output.

Exploring Landscapes: Dynamic Range Challenges

Outdoor enthusiasts often gravitate towards cameras capable of capturing towering vistas with wide dynamic range and high resolution.

Both cameras share a small sensor and CCD technology, which traditionally struggles with dynamic range compared to more modern CMOS alternatives. Yet, I found the FujiFilm T300 produced marginally better-resolved landscapes with its 14MP sensor when shooting in bright daylight, delivering usable detail in shadows and midtones.

The Pentax I-10's advantage of a lower native ISO starting at 80 aided longer exposures with less noise, an asset in sunrise or sunset scenarios under subtle lighting. Its slightly broader aspect ratio options (4:3 and 16:9) accommodate panoramic framing more cleanly.

Neither camera features weather sealing, limiting use in harsh weather - so if you’re a dedicated landscape photographer wanting ruggedness, neither is recommended.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus and Burst Rate in Action

When photographing fast-moving wildlife or sports, autofocus speed and tracking are critical to capturing decisive moments.

I tested both cameras in a local bird sanctuary and a casual soccer match to evaluate autofocus responsiveness and continuous shooting.

Both cameras offer a continuous shooting speed locked at 1 fps, a frustratingly slow rate for action photography. However, autofocus behaviors diverged: FujiFilm’s continuous AF with face detection allowed reliable focus tracking on human subjects but was unable to lock swiftly on erratic animal movement.

The Pentax’s 9-point AF system, while lacking face-detection, provided broader autofocus coverage and reasonable success keeping pace with birds in flight, albeit with noticeable lag during complex lighting or backgrounds.

If you require a reliable wildlife or sports camera, neither compact is fully up to the task due to slow burst speeds and limited AF algorithms inherent in their era.

Street and Travel Photography: Discreet and Ready

Street photographers prize discreteness, portability, and responsiveness - areas where compact cameras often excel.

Both FujiFilm and Pentax models fit snugly into a pocket with unobtrusive styling. I appreciated the FujiFilm’s slightly longer zoom range for quick framing versatility on city streets, from wide candid shots to distant details.

The Pentax’s manual focus could be a hindrance for quick-point shooting but lent creative control in predictable scenes like markets or architecture.

Battery life is limited on both (approx 180 shots on FujiFilm; Pentax lacks official specs but similar class), so I recommend carrying spare batteries for day-long shooting.

Wireless connectivity starkly favors Pentax, equipped with Eye-Fi card compatibility enabling easy image transfer - useful when traveling without a laptop. FujiFilm offers no wireless options.

Macro and Close-up: Fine Details Explored

Close focusing ranges matter for macro enthusiasts. The FujiFilm T300 impresses with a macro focusing ability down to 5cm, while the Pentax I-10 focuses to about 10cm.

In practical terms, the T300 let me get noticeably closer to small subjects like flowers or insects, capturing fine detail with its sensor-shift stabilization ensuring steady shots even hand-held. Pentax macro shots required patience but benefited from the manual focus ring for precise control on tiny subjects.

Neither camera offers focus stacking or bracketing features common in dedicated macro or mirrorless systems, so ultimate resolution remains bounded by sensor size.

Low Light and Night/Astro Photography: Noise and ISO Trade-Offs

Compact CCD sensors notoriously struggle in low light compared to mirrorless and DSLR CMOS sensors, so I was keen to assess performance under challenging conditions.

FujiFilm’s maximum native ISO tops at 1600 with a boosted ISO 3200 mode. Noise was visible but manageable up to 800 ISO in my night cityscapes. The built-in sensor-shift image stabilization also helped reduce blur from longer exposures.

Pentax extends ISO sensitivity impressively to 6400, but beyond 1600, grain became obtrusive and image quality degraded significantly. FujiFilm's slightly cleaner images at high ISO make it a more credible choice for casual astro or night photography, although neither camera supports long exposure modes or RAW shooting needed for astro stacking workflows.

Video Capabilities: Modest but Functional

Video recording on both cameras maxes out at 720p HD at 30fps encoded as Motion JPEG, which is lower quality compared to modern codecs but standard for early 2010s compacts.

Neither camera offers microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio control. The FujiFilm lacks electronic stabilization in video mode, while the Pentax’s sensor-shift stabilization benefits hand-held video somewhat.

For casual home movies or travel clips shared on social media, either suffices but serious videographers will find both lacking critical features and output quality.

Build Quality and Reliability: Everyday Durability

Both cameras lack environmental sealing and shockproofing; intended more for casual use than rugged adventures.

Their plastic-heavy builds feel reasonably sturdy, but I would avoid using them in rain or dusty environments. Controls remain responsive after weeks of extensive testing, though buttons on the FujiFilm T300 felt a touch mushier compared to the crisp tactile feedback on the Pentax.

Battery types differ - FujiFilm uses an NP-45A pack offering roughly 180 shots, while the Pentax uses a D-LI92 battery, with performance close but unspecified by the manufacturer.

Storage and Connectivity: Options and Convenience

Both use SD/SDHC cards, with the Pentax I-10 also featuring internal storage - a convenient fallback when your SD card is full or forgotten.

Pentax’s Eye-Fi support stands out, enabling wireless image upload via compatible SD cards - a big plus for instant sharing. FujiFilm offers no wireless or Bluetooth connectivity, relying on USB 2.0 for transfers.

Neither model supports HDMI output.

Price-to-Performance: Are They Worth It Today?

At launch, the FujiFilm T300 was priced around $250 and the Pentax I-10 at about $310. Today, both are available primarily as used or refurbished units at bargain prices.

Considering their limitations - slow continuous shooting, lack of RAW, small sensor constraints - their value lies mainly in casual or entry-level settings.

If budget is tight and you seek a compact camera for general snapshots, FujiFilm’s longer zoom and face-detection autofocus marginally edge out as “better bang for buck.” For photographers wanting manual focus and wireless transfer, Pentax holds appeal.

Photography-Specific Performance Ratings at a Glance

A quick visual summary helps contextualize where each camera excels:

FujiFilm T300 front FujiFilm T300 screen back Pentax I 10 front Pentax I 10 screen back

From these scores, you can see neither camera dominates across all genres - they fit best in casual shooting, travel, and street photography niches.

Where These Cameras Shine (And Where They Don’t)

FujiFilm T300 Strengths:

• Broad 10x zoom useful for varied scenes
• Face detection autofocus improves portrait results
• Closer macro focus with sensor-shift stabilization
• Slightly better high ISO noise handling

FujiFilm T300 Weaknesses:

• No manual focus controls
• Lack of wireless connectivity
• Lower max ISO than Pentax

Pentax I-10 Strengths:

• Manual focus for creative control
• Eye-Fi wireless support for quick transfers
• Slightly better battery options with internal storage
• 9 autofocus points offering versatile focus area selection

Pentax I-10 Weaknesses:

• Shorter zoom range
• No face detection affects portrait reliability
• Higher noise at boosted ISO levels
• Slower autofocus tracking continuity

Final Thoughts: Which Compact Wins for You?

If you ask me, the decision between the FujiFilm FinePix T300 and Pentax Optio I-10 boils down to your shooting style and priorities.

• For casual photographers who want a practical point-and-shoot with an easy autofocus system and a broad zoom range for everyday use, the FujiFilm T300 is the more forgiving and versatile pick.

• For enthusiasts craving more manual control and better connectivity for rapid workflows, especially travelers who want to wirelessly share images on the go, the Pentax I-10 is worth the trade-offs.

Both models are, of course, dated compared to today’s compacts and mirrorless cameras. But if your needs are modest and budget is limited, these are capable relics that deserve a place in your bag for exploration, casual use, or simply as affordable backups.

Whenever I test cameras, my approach is to evaluate them with a photographer’s eye rather than purely by specs. Both FujiFilm and Pentax compacts deliver usable images and enjoyable shooting experiences - albeit within their era’s technical limits - and that genuine enjoyment is ultimately the essence of photography.

Happy shooting!

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with FujiFilm or Pentax. These assessments are based on hands-on testing conducted over multiple real-world scenarios in indoor studios, urban streets, and rural settings.