Fuji FinePix F11 on its way over?

I was wandering through my local Target store last Thursday, and ended up in front of their digital camera display. Looking over their selection, I saw the typical fare... point and shoots from all the major players.. Canon, Sony, Kodak, HP, etc. But there was one that I was surprised to see... the Fuji FinePix F10. It's a typical compact camera, not unlike any other in the category. But it has consistently gotten rave reviews for its low-light capabilities. The F10 incorporates a unique CCD sensor that gives it a pretty decent ISO range up to 800, and is useable, albeit with some noise, at 1600. That's right on par with my Nikon D70.

The F10 is a snappy little camera that's quick to start up and quick to focus. It has a very handy macro mode that takes very good photos up to about 5 inches from the subject. The camera is very solidly built, and looks like it would hold up to normal abuse quite well.

The one thing the F10 has always lacked is manual controls. The average digital camera hobbyist probably wouldn't notice, or care. But for those who want a certain degree of creative control, the F10 has always been considered an incomplete package. The F11 is Fuji's answer to that problem, but they have adamantly insisted the F11 would not be imported to the United States. After all, the F10 was their most popular camera ever. Why would they replace it?

I was ready to put the camera back down and walk away, when I saw the display sign next to it. "Fuji F10 Temporary Price Reduction: $199.99" That's half the normal rate, and well under any price I've ever seen online. To put it in the simplest terms, it was a steal. Unfortunately, it was also out of stock. The electronics salesperson was quick to recognize the camera when I asked for it, saying that it was very popular at that price, and had sold out days earlier, and there was no word as to when they'd get more.

I shrugged it off as bad timing for me, and walked away. But I got the distinct impression that Target was liquidating their stock in order to bring in a different camera. The F11, with manual controls, would be the logical choice.

I predict you'll be seeing the Fuji FinePix F11 in Target stores by the end of March. Selling price will be $389.99