I just wonder

[pptphoto]

I wonder if Fuji had come out with a 10mp camera in a D50 how many people would still be complaining. Up until recently it seemed everyone was very happy with the S3 sensor, and all were bemoaning the lackluster body that came with it. In the past several months we have seen a spate of dslrs with 10-12mp sensors, and STILL everyone is complaining about banding, noise, dull colors, lack of technological inovation, etc. And then you have the full framers. Sure, full frame has a certain appeal, but at what cost? It really is based on a film size (35mm) that never really had a reason to exsist in still cameras. 35mm was originally motion picture film, and Kodak adapted it to still film for convenience more than anything else.

So, now Fuji finally comes up with a camera that has the sensor that everyone on this forum has been praising for years, built into the most robust, functional camera possible. At least in any type of reasonable price range. I was just reading the D200 review last night and thought, "what a great camera, if only the sensor was better." Personally I am very excited about the S5. Do we really need the constant pixel race? Does every camera/sensor that is over one year old have to be considered obsolete?? I have had an S2 for almost four years and still use it and enjoy it. There is something to be said for keeping file sizes to a reasonable size. Half of my clients still need me to burn CDs for them, because they can't read DVDs yet! I remember reading a review a couple years ago on Genuine Fractals. I don't remember who the writer was, but he was saying with software like this, do we ever need cameras beyond 6mp? There is a certain truth to that. I think people just like to complain, and there are a certain amount that feel every new camera has to be some revoltionary breakthrough camera. I can't wait to see what, if any improvements Fuji has made in the sensor, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what we can all do with that sensor in a more robust body.

 

[BJN]

The D200 body is a huge leap forward compared to anything Fuji has used in the past. Fuji will have to charge a lot for the S5. Folks who want and need the high DR sensor will pay a premium to get it in a D200 body.

I might even consider it for landscape work. But Fuji has to show me that they can provide a decent firmware interface that's not too alien for easy transition between my Nikon bodies and the Fuji. It would be very frustrating to work with apparently identical bodies but to deal with completely different menu structure, playback and review behavior. Fuji still has an opportunity to screw this up.

I just came back from an eight day river trip and used two and a half batteries with my D200 shooting fewer than 300 raw photos. I can't stand dealing with AA batteries for a DSLR body, but Fuji raw files are big and will consume lots of power when written.

--
BJN

 

[kirintea]

actually the most thing I heard people complaint about for S3 was its speed, which S5 didn't improve much.

for S3
D-Range Standard: Max 2.5 fps
D-Range Wide: Max 1.4 fps

for S5
D-Range Standard: Max 3 fps
D-Range Wide: Max 1.5 fps

info came from http://www.tallyns.com/content/s3s5comparison.htm

I am suprise fuji didn't increase pixel count, which gives current S3 owners a reason NOT to upgrade to S5, becuase there are no major improvement on the sensor from just looking at the spec. Those RP processing, lower noise stuff are done outside the sensor. But if Fuji can make the interpolate 12mp as sharp and detail as real 12mp on the S5, people will stop complaining, we'll see when samples come out.

 

[Broncox]

First post here so go easy. Not to long ago I was on a waiting list for a S3. I was coming from a Hassey with maybe a frame or 1.5 per second no meter great image quality but only 24 shots per roll. I'm now freed up to try new things. I shoot more but the basic things still hold true. The camera is a tool. If I cannot pay for the tool in six months of use it is costing me more than it's worth. THe s5 is going to be in the right place at the right time. The auto focus that I thought needed improvment has been fixed the view finder has been fixed. The current image quality is great with files that are easy to work with. I am a wedding photographer and have been for the past 13 years. Shooting outside at hi noon is not a choice it is a reality. THe dynamic range is of greater importance to me than pixel count for that reason.

Another item is this. How many prints are being sold at 24x30 vs 4x6 or 5x7???? 12x12 flush albums need how much resolution? Lets get real! This mp thing is like asking for a 300hp car and then crying about poor gas mileage. The sensor is fine! And how many of you are really going to go running after a D2x just because Fuji didn't make a 10mp camera? I'd rather have two S5's than one D2x. Because that is what I can afford. alot of people seem to be talking a good game but how many are going to put their money on the table. That's all flame on.

 

[Ron H]

I think that the speed most were complaining about wasn't fps, but the write speed, etc of the camera. More than 3 fps is probably more of interest to only sports photographers. I think this probably has been addressed in the new S5, and it has an increased buffer now. Will just have to actually wait to see how well the camera works.

 

[dashure]

I agree totally with your statements....

First post here so go easy. Not to long ago I was on a waiting list
for a S3. I was coming from a Hassey with maybe a frame or 1.5 per
second no meter great image quality but only 24 shots per roll. I'm
now freed up to try new things. I shoot more but the basic things
still hold true. The camera is a tool. If I cannot pay for the tool
in six months of use it is costing me more than it's worth. THe s5
is going to be in the right place at the right time. The auto focus
that I thought needed improvment has been fixed the view finder has
been fixed. The current image quality is great with files that are
easy to work with. I am a wedding photographer and have been for
the past 13 years. Shooting outside at hi noon is not a choice it
is a reality. THe dynamic range is of greater importance to me than
pixel count for that reason.
Another item is this. How many prints are being sold at 24x30 vs
4x6 or 5x7???? 12x12 flush albums need how much resolution? Lets
get real! This mp thing is like asking for a 300hp car and then
crying about poor gas mileage. The sensor is fine! And how many of
you are really going to go running after a D2x just because Fuji
didn't make a 10mp camera? I'd rather have two S5's than one D2x.
Because that is what I can afford. alot of people seem to be
talking a good game but how many are going to put their money on
the table. That's all flame on.

 

[ny pixelpost]

I just came back from an eight day river trip and used two and a
half batteries with my D200 shooting fewer than 300 raw photos. I
can't stand dealing with AA batteries for a DSLR body, but Fuji raw
files are big and will consume lots of power when written.

The battery choice is one of the few drawbacks I see with the S5/D200. I have the S2 which means my RAW files are 12Mb (S3 = 24Mb?). Last weekend I took almost 300 shots on a SINGLE set of AAs. I know you are talking about a different time scale but given the difference in battery prices I would choose to have more sets of AAs than have the cost and weight of the proprietary ones.

Having said that I think the S5 will be on my list as a potential upgrade to my S2, whereas the S3 was not.
I don't agree with all the negative issues people are having with the S5.

Sure, it would have been nicer to see more pixels and to have kept the AAs but these are things I can live with.
--
Norman Young

 

[kirintea]

the D200 optional battery grip can take 6AAs instead of 2 Li-ion batteries, hope the S5 can use that as well.

The battery choice is one of the few drawbacks I see with the
S5/D200. I have the S2 which means my RAW files are 12Mb (S3 =
24Mb?). Last weekend I took almost 300 shots on a SINGLE set of
AAs. I know you are talking about a different time scale but given
the difference in battery prices I would choose to have more sets
of AAs than have the cost and weight of the proprietary ones.
Having said that I think the S5 will be on my list as a potential
upgrade to my S2, whereas the S3 was not.
I don't agree with all the negative issues people are having with
the S5.
Sure, it would have been nicer to see more pixels and to have kept
the AAs but these are things I can live with.
--
Norman Young

 

[Thom Hogan]

actually the most thing I heard people complaint about for S3 was
its speed, which S5 didn't improve much.

That's still an unknown. The complaints about "speed" on the S3 Pro basically have little to do with frame rates and everything to do with how data is handled after a picture is taken. The buffer was smallish (unless you got the optional upgrade), the write speed to card was terrible, and even small things like how long between when you pressed the button and when a picture came visible on the color LCD all transpired to make the S3 Pro a camera best suited to deliberate, not-in-a-hurry users. The Nikon D80 is a 3 fps camera and doesn't have any of that frustration in it, so it's not about frame rates.

--
Thom Hogan
author, Nikon Field Guide & Nikon Flash Guide
editor, Nikon DSLR Report
author, Complete Guides: D50, D70, D100, D200, D1 series, D2h, D2x, S2 Pro
http://www.bythom.com