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F11 newbie help! (banding and exposure)

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FFC

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My brand new F11 with firmware 1.01 arrived yesterday. Vertical banding is noticeable at ISO 800 and 1600 and especially bad in shadow areas. The problem exists even at ISO 400, only a little less severe. So much for the "underexpose to preserve highlights" technique.

It's quite disappointing because the F11's famous low noise performance was the biggest draw for me, and I've seen tons of pics here at high ISOs without the problem. I want to minimize post-processing or I wouldn't "upgrade" from my Canon G1 which is not useable at even ISO 400. The banding may not be visible on prints but I only view my pics with the computer.

The camera also seemed to be stuck at f/4.7 for two identical outdoor shots with 0 and +1EV exposure compensation, resulting in the same exposure. Here are the common parameters:

Focal length: 20.1mm
1/80 sec, f/4.7
Shutter priority
ISO 80
Mutli-segment metering
WB: overcast.

Do I return it to Shirokiya, request a refund or exchange, or send it to Fuji Hawaii for warranty service?
 
Those pics where exposure compensation didn't work, were also underexposed. I was surprised the camera chose f/4.8 on the first shot (I think I got the "camera shake" warning) and even more so when it still kept the same aperture after I dialled in +1 EV compensation.
 
Yet another peeve: the LCD screen does not reflect changes in exposure settings. I'm used to manual adjustments on the Canon G1 and use its LCD as a sort of meter. Apparently the F11' screen is good for composition only before the exposure is made.
 
And for a few seconds it echos exposure of the shot you just took.

IF you just recieved your digicam from jay, you should contact him immediatley and explaine your have a DOA and he should offer and RMA autorization back his store and replace the unit, the warranty is for when the camera works and then breaks. my 2 cents....good luck and keep us posted on how he takes care of it and all, your problem is not very common so dont sweat it, youll get a right one soon.
FFC said:
Yet another peeve: the LCD screen does not reflect changes in
exposure settings. I'm used to manual adjustments on the Canon G1
and use its LCD as a sort of meter. Apparently the F11' screen is
good for composition only before the exposure is made.
Click to expand...
--

 
I have taken lots of pictures in the short period of time I own the F11. Never noticed vertical banding.

The EV is easier to explain: you sent the camera to 1/80s in shutter priority mode. The maximum aperture at the chosen 20mm focal length is around f4.7. So when you try to use +1EV the camera wants to lower the shutter speed which it's not allowed to do in shutter-priority mode, or to use a larger aperture, which it can't because it's at maximum, or up the ISO, which it's not allowed to do in shutter- or aperture-priority mode.

+EV only works when the camera still has at least one parameter it can change. With a fixed ISO, fixed shutter speed, and maximum aperture, there is nothing the camera could have done to give you the +EV.
FFC said:
My brand new F11 with firmware 1.01 arrived yesterday. Vertical
banding is noticeable at ISO 800 and 1600 and especially bad in
shadow areas. The problem exists even at ISO 400, only a little
less severe. So much for the "underexpose to preserve highlights"
technique.

It's quite disappointing because the F11's famous low noise
performance was the biggest draw for me, and I've seen tons of pics
here at high ISOs without the problem. I want to minimize
post-processing or I wouldn't "upgrade" from my Canon G1 which is
not useable at even ISO 400. The banding may not be visible on
prints but I only view my pics with the computer.

The camera also seemed to be stuck at f/4.7 for two identical
outdoor shots with 0 and +1EV exposure compensation, resulting in
the same exposure. Here are the common parameters:

Focal length: 20.1mm
1/80 sec, f/4.7
Shutter priority
ISO 80
Mutli-segment metering
WB: overcast.

Do I return it to Shirokiya, request a refund or exchange, or send
it to Fuji Hawaii for warranty service?
Click to expand...
--

Slowly learning to use the DRebel (only around 20.000 shots) and now also the Fuji F11.
Public pictures at http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/
 
I took a seriously underexposed picture at ISO1600 and then cranked up the brightness in post-processing. There was absolutely no banding to be seen. I did not use the flash if you think that matters.

The other observation I also checked: using +1EV in shutter priority mode when you are already at maximum aperture has absolutely no effect. So that part of your "problem" is clearly user error in assuming that +1EV would have effect.

--

Slowly learning to use the DRebel (only around 20.000 shots) and now also the Fuji F11.
Public pictures at http://wwwis.win.tue.nl/~debra/photos/
 
FFC said:
My brand new F11 with firmware 1.01 arrived yesterday. Vertical
banding is noticeable at ISO 800 and 1600 and especially bad in
shadow areas. The problem exists even at ISO 400, only a little
less severe. So much for the "underexpose to preserve highlights"
technique.
Click to expand...
This issue was discussed in-depth last year, read all this thread:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1012&message=16231135

If it was me I would consider the sensor faulty and ask for the camera or its sensor to be replaced.
 
Thanks Paul. That makes sense. I guess I was too accustomed to the Canon G1's f/2.5 maximum aperture at the longer end.

I'll email Jay and see what he says about refund or exchange.
Paul De Bra said:
I have taken lots of pictures in the short period of time I own the
F11. Never noticed vertical banding.
The EV is easier to explain: you sent the camera to 1/80s in
shutter priority mode. The maximum aperture at the chosen 20mm
focal length is around f4.7. So when you try to use +1EV the camera
wants to lower the shutter speed which it's not allowed to do in
shutter-priority mode, or to use a larger aperture, which it can't
because it's at maximum, or up the ISO, which it's not allowed to
do in shutter- or aperture-priority mode.
+EV only works when the camera still has at least one parameter it
can change. With a fixed ISO, fixed shutter speed, and maximum
aperture, there is nothing the camera could have done to give you
the +EV.
Click to expand...
 
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