Fujifilm F900EXR vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10: A Hands-On Duel of Compact Superzooms

In the realm of compact superzoom cameras, the Fujifilm F900EXR and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 stand as intriguing contenders. Both designed for enthusiasts hungry for versatility and reach, they promise to pack a lot of lens into a pocket-sized body. But how do these two stack up when you line them side by side, pixel by pixel, and click by click? As someone who has spent countless hours chasing everything from birds at dawn to the neon buzz of city streets, I’ve put these cameras through their paces to tell you which one deserves a coveted spot in your bag.

Let’s kick off this comparison journey with the basics - how these cameras feel, how they shoot, and what that means across disciplines ranging from portraiture to astrophotography. Plus, I've peppered my insights with hands-on testing observations and the occasional personal anecdote, because at the end of the day, picking a camera is part science, part gut feeling.

Holding the Cameras: Size, Ergonomics, and Control Layout

Before the lens flares and megapixels, it’s all about how a camera fits in your hand. The Fujifilm F900EXR measures 105x61x36mm and weighs 232 grams, while the Panasonic ZS10 is a hair smaller at 105x58x33mm and lighter at 219 grams. On paper, that difference sounds minimal, but in practice, it's like comparing a warm handshake to a cool one - subtle but perceptible.

The F900EXR offers a boxier profile, providing a bit more surface to grip, which, despite its compactness, lends confidence during longer shoots. In my experience, especially when wrangling superzooms, a bit of thickness helps counterbalance those longer focal lengths and reduces shake - crucial for tack-sharp wildlife shots.

Flipping the cameras top down also reveals different design philosophies:

The Panasonic ZS10 opts for a cleaner, slightly minimalist layout, with a touchscreen interface (more on that later), which can enhance navigation but might force you to dive into menus more frequently. The Fuji, by contrast, balances physical dials and buttons with basic menu access, leaning toward traditional tactile controls. For me, that means the F900EXR feels a touch more intuitive when shooting fast-paced action or navigating manual exposure settings on the fly - no fumbling through screens while the decisive moment ticks by.

Inside the Frame: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Both cameras employ small sensors common to their class, but not quite identical:

The F900EXR packs a 1/2" EXR CMOS sensor with 16 megapixels, while the ZS10 houses a slightly smaller 1/2.3" CMOS sensor featuring 14 megapixels. The difference in sensor area is minor - about 30.72mm² for the Fuji versus 27.72mm² for the Panasonic - but these fractions can influence noise performance, especially in dimmer conditions.

Fujifilm's EXR sensor design aims to optimize dynamic range and low-light performance by rearranging pixel structures, giving it an edge theoretically. The ZS10 uses Panasonic's Venus Engine FHD processor, which is no slouch, especially in JPEG processing and noise reduction.

From shooting tests under both daylight and indoor lighting, I've found the F900EXR rendering slightly richer colors and smoother gradations, especially noticeable in portrait skin tones and landscape shadows. The Panasonic’s images, while sharp, occasionally lean toward more aggressive noise reduction, which can smudge fine textures if you push ISO beyond 800.

The Viewfinder and LCD Screen: What You See Is What You Get?

Neither camera includes an electronic viewfinder, a notable omission especially for bright outdoor shooting where LCD visibility can falter.

The Fuji offers a 3-inch fixed TFT color LCD with a resolution of 920k dots - crisp and vibrant, facilitating precise manual focusing and menu navigation. The Panasonic also sports a 3-inch screen but clocking in at a lower 460k dots and is touchscreen-enabled, which can feel like a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, the touchscreen interface on the ZS10 makes quick settings adjustments from the rear intuitive, especially if you’re used to smartphone-like controls. On the other hand, its lower resolution can make judging focus and exposure less precise, at least when pixel-level scrutiny is required.

In live shooting scenarios, I found the Fuji’s screen easier to trust when framing complex landscapes or pulling manual focus for macro shots. The ZS10’s touchscreen is a boon in street photography, allowing rapid focus point shifts without diving into button combos - a neat plus for discrete shooting.

Zoom Range and Lens Performance: Reach vs. Light

If there’s a kingdom where superzooms reign, it’s telephoto versatility. Here’s what’s on tap:

• Fujifilm F900EXR: Fixed 25-500mm equivalent lens (20x zoom), aperture f/3.5-5.3
• Panasonic ZS10: Fixed 24-384mm equivalent lens (16x zoom), aperture f/3.3-5.9

Right off the bat, the Fujifilm extends much further on the telephoto end, reaching up to 500mm equivalent, which translates to better magnification for wildlife or sports photography. However, it trades a bit of aperture at the long end: f/5.3 compared to the Panasonic’s slightly slower f/5.9. Practically, this means the F900EXR can gather more light at full zoom, resulting in better autofocus performance and lower shutter speeds.

Macro shooters may note the Fuji’s minimum focus distance of 5cm versus the Panasonic’s tighter 3cm range, which lets the ZS10 get a little closer to those tiny subjects - think dew drops or insect wings. For any handheld macro, the Panasonic’s optical image stabilization system further assists in keeping details sharp.

Autofocus and Burst Shooting: Chasing the Action

Superzoom compacts often struggle with fast and accurate autofocus, but both these models bring something interesting to the table:

The Fuji’s use of phase detection autofocus (PDAF) is somewhat unusual in a compact of this class but offers faster and more accurate focusing, especially in good light. It also includes eye detection AF - a handy feature for portraits and street photography that seems targeted at enthusiasts despite the fixed lens format.

Panasonic relies on contrast detection autofocus, which can be a bit slower and prone to hunting in low light, but with 23 focus points and a responsive touchscreen AF area selection, it levels the playing field somewhat.

As for continuous shooting, the Fuji edges out with 11 frames per second, compared to 10 fps on the Panasonic - hardly a game changer, but useful for fleeting moments in sports or wildlife snapshots.

Flash and Stabilization: Keeping It Steady and Lit

Built-in flashes on compacts are usually there more for emergencies than creative lighting, yet they vary in power:

• Fujifilm flash range: Wide 15cm–3.7m, Tele 90cm–2.4m
• Panasonic flash range: Up to 5m

The Panasonic’s flash throws a bit further and supports slow syncro mode, which allows creative ambient light balance. The Fuji’s flash range on telephoto is somewhat limited, which might necessitate supplemental lighting in indoor telephoto shooting.

When it comes to stabilization, this is a classic battle of sensor shift (Fujifilm) versus optical lens stabilization (Panasonic):

• Fujifilm F900EXR’s sensor-shift mechanism reduces the blur by physically moving the sensor.
• Panasonic ZS10 employs optical image stabilization within the lens assembly.

In handheld shots at longer zooms, both do admirable work. However, I noticed the Fuji’s sensor-shift provided steadier images during slow shutter speeds in dim light, while the ZS10’s optical stabilization excelled in continuous video capture, offering smoother footage.

Battery Life and Storage: How Long and How Much?

Both rely on rechargeable battery packs providing a similar 260 shots per charge - standard for small sensor compacts but potentially limiting for extended travel outings without spares.

Storage-wise, both accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but only the Panasonic ZS10 offers internal storage, a handy backup when cards fill up unexpectedly.

Connectivity and Extras: Sharing and Navigation

Modern connectivity is a big deal, especially if you want to offload, share, or geotag on the go.

• Fujifilm F900EXR includes built-in wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi), allowing quick image transfer.
• Panasonic ZS10 lacks Wi-Fi but features built-in GPS - a bonus for travelers meticulous about location data embedded in their images.

Video recording supports 1080p Full HD on both. The Fuji uses MPEG-4/H.264 compression, while Panasonic offers AVCHD and MPEG-4, with the latter often delivering better compression efficiency. Neither supports 4k or audio input for serious video work, so consider these more casual shooters in the video department.

Real World Shooting Across Genres: Striking a Balance

Let me take you through how these cameras perform in various photography genres based on my testing and analysis. To visualize their outputs side by side:

Fujifilm F900EXR front Fujifilm F900EXR screen back Panasonic ZS10 front Panasonic ZS10 screen back

Portrait Photography

Fujifilm’s eye detection AF, coupled with its superior color rendering and EXR sensor prowess, gives it the edge in skin tones and bokeh replication - impressive for a fixed lens compact.

Panasonic’s charm lies in its touchscreen AF controls enabling rapid focus on specific facial regions, but its lack of eye detection sometimes leads to missed pinpoints, especially in candid shots.

Landscape Photography

Both cameras excel in bright daylight, but the Fuji’s larger effective sensor area and better dynamic range handling make it preferable for retaining shadow details and natural color gradations.

Also, the Fuji’s wider zoom range aids landscape photographers who like framing distant vistas in a single package. However, neither model includes weather sealing, so a bit of caution in the great outdoors is warranted.

Wildlife Photography

The Fujifilm’s longer zoom (500mm) and faster phase detection AF make it more capable of capturing elusive birds or small animals. Its 11 fps burst rate further aids in freezing action.

The Panasonic’s 384mm zoom is respectable but might fall short in capturing distant wildlife without cropping. Its contrast detection autofocus may struggle with fast-moving subjects.

Sports Photography

Similarly, Fujifilm edges ahead for sports shooters requiring burst speed and swift tracking AF. Panasonic's touchscreen may help in some scenarios, but overall, the Fuji’s better AF tech and longer telephoto reach win out.

Street Photography

Compact size and discreet operation are street photography essentials. Panasonic’s slightly smaller and lighter body with touchscreen controls comes off as more stealthy. Its quick AF area selection is advantageous for fleeting moments.

Fujifilm’s tactile controls may slow quick street snaps but can appeal to users who prefer manual overrides.

Macro Photography

The Panasonic allows closer focusing (3cm vs 5cm) and optical image stabilization, making it a better macro candidate for handheld shooting.

Fujifilm’s sensor-shift IS is good for macro, but less minimum focus distance slightly limits extreme close-ups.

Night and Astrophotography

Low light performance favors the Fuji’s EXR sensor, producing less noise at higher ISOs and preserving detail better.

Neither camera is ideal at enduring astrophotography, given sensor size and lack of manual exposure flexibility beyond basics, but for casual night shots, Fuji's higher ISO ceiling offers an edge.

Video Capabilities

Full HD at 60fps on both provides smooth video, though Panasonic supports AVCHD codec better suited for editing workflows.

Panasonic’s optical IS helps steadier video handheld; Fuji’s sensor-shift IS is more effective for stills stabilization.

Neither supports external microphones - a dealbreaker for serious videography but acceptable for casual use.

Travel Photography

For travelers, weight, battery life, lens versatility, and GPS/Wi-Fi matter.

Panasonic’s built-in GPS and slightly smaller size might appeal more for trips, especially if adding wireless is not a priority.

Fujifilm’s longer zoom and wireless connectivity will suit those wanting flexible shooting and sharing on the fly.

Professional Work

Neither camera is designed as a pro workhorse. Both offer RAW support but the Fuji supports it natively while Panasonic omits RAW shooting, limiting post-processing latitude.

Build quality is adequate but lacks environmental sealing. For demanding professional tasks, consider them backup or casual options rather than main shooters.

Technical Pros and Cons Summary

Who Should Buy Which?

Pick the Fujifilm F900EXR if you want:

• Longer zoom reach for wildlife or sports
• Better overall image quality with a slightly larger sensor
• Reliable phase detection autofocus and eye detect for portraits
• Wireless image transfer and RAW shooting for editing flexibility
• Tactile controls for manual exposure adjustments on the fly

Go for the Panasonic ZS10 if you:

• Prioritize a smaller, lighter travel-friendly design
• Want touchscreen interface for quick AF positioning
• Need built-in GPS for geotagging adventures
• Shoot macros handheld and want to get very close to subjects
• Prefer a longer flash range for indoor and evening photography

Wrapping it Up: Practical Realities of Superzoom Compacts

Both the Fujifilm F900EXR and Panasonic ZS10 embody the promise of jack-of-all-trades, master-of-some superzoom compacts. They safeguard versatility in a neat, pocketable package but come with compromises endemic to their category: small sensors, limited low-light chops, and basic video options.

From my hands-on time, if you seek longer reach, superior autofocus, and better image fidelity - especially when portrait, wildlife, or landscape prevail - the Fujifilm F900EXR fits the bill.

Conversely, if portability, touchscreen ease, and built-in GPS are your personal dealmakers - particularly for travel or macro enthusiasts - the Panasonic ZS10 remains a compelling choice.

They’re siblings in the superzoom family with distinct temperaments. Your choice should hinge on your shooting style, preferred subjects, and how much weight you place on image quality vs. convenience.

I hope this comparison arms you with insights rooted in real-world use - after all, the best camera is the one you enjoy and trust to capture your story, no matter the zoom.

Happy shooting!

End of Comparison Article