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F30 Sharpness & Color Not Up to Snuff

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Kevin Roe

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I recently picked up an F30 to try it out, thinking I could sell it on eBay after a few weeks and not lose too much if I felt that the hype that made me buy it in the first place was not justified.

I've been playing with it for a week and I'm on the fence. I have read all the postings about needing to adjust exposure outside to compensate for the camera's tendency to overexpose. And I've been playing with all the ISO options in a variety of indoor low-light condition, both with and without flash.

I've owned several Fujis over the past three years (6800, s7000, S5200, E550, F10) and have hung onto the E550 because it takes generally fantastic pictures and has pretty decent noise control up to IS0 200.

Right now, I'm feeling the F30 is a big letdown. The legendary Fuji color and sharpness I have come to expect and love is just not there. Sure, the high ISO performance is pretty cool. But the pictures just don't have that Fuji pop to them.

Am I missing something?
 
Well I think that you have to decide that, if your pictures are as good as what generally gets posted here or can be seen by an F30 search at pbase.com, then I would say your right, however, if your pictures are generally not as pleasing to you as what your seeing in comparision, then I would say you havent gotten over the learning curve, just yet.

If you care to post some examples, Im sure you will get some reality from other F series users.

I'm fairly pleased with mine! Never had the othes you have but I bought my daugher a first camera, Fuji 2400 and the F30 is not better then it during the day but with a flash and in anything but bright sunlight the F30 dances all over its grave!

I bought my F30 with a thirty day unconditional return policy from jr.com, what kind of return policy did you get when you bouth?

--
and God said; Let there be Light...and there was light....Gen 1:3



Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/poochdp
 
I've seen a bunch of similar examples and made my decision to buy the camera based on such research, but thanks for sharing these links and your thoughts.

Maybe I'm lazy, but I don't want to have to work as hard as it seems one has to work to get nice shots out of the F30. I do that with my DSLRs and when I use a point & shoot, I want it to be a simpler tool (albeit one with some limitations, which I can understand). I've found the E550 (as ugly and cheap looking as it is) to be a solid performer. Maybe I'm just overanalyzing the F30 and expecting too much out of it.
 
You are probably right Kevin and if a person is looking for a straight P & S that is going to be left in auto mode, there may well be better choices than the F30. I don't have a DSLR but got used to using manual controls on my super zoom. I find that I use the F30 mainly in aperture priority, set ISO manually, switch between average and spot metering and adjust the EV depending on the light. F30 is well set up for these adjustments and for someone with your experience you may find this pretty automatic after a couple of weeks. F30 is not a simple point and shoot and thats why I like it.

Bill

--
http://www.pbase.com/willvan
H1/F30
 
I typically shoot in Program or Aperture Priority Mode (never touch the scene modes on any camera, really). But I've been using the default matrix metering mode. I'll give the Average and Spot metering a whirl.

I've adjusted the LCD to -2, per advice from this forum.

With that in mind, how much are you adjusting exposure in typical settings? I'm finding -1/3 or -2/3 EV is about right in bright sun, but getting mixed results in shade, natural light indoors.
 
Kevin Roe said:
I typically shoot in Program or Aperture Priority Mode (never touch
the scene modes on any camera, really). But I've been using the
default matrix metering mode. I'll give the Average and Spot
metering a whirl.

I've adjusted the LCD to -2, per advice from this forum.

With that in mind, how much are you adjusting exposure in typical
settings? I'm finding -1/3 or -2/3 EV is about right in bright
sun, but getting mixed results in shade, natural light indoors.
Click to expand...
Hi Kevin,

I also shot mainly in AP Mode and some times Program Mode.

When I first acquired my F30, I used Multi Mode Metering, I got a lot of inconsistent exposures, then I swithed to Average metering in day time and most of the low light condition, for really tricky lighting condition I use spot metering.

I hope you don't mind me listing these basic info in your thread, because I believe you have more experience in photography and cameras then me.

I hope the following may be useful to you.
http://www.pbase.com/arn/fuji_f30

BR,

Danny

--



My Albums
http://photobucket.com/albums/a44/yeeonly
 
Kevin, unlike most, I have left my LCD brightness at 0 but still find -1/3 or -2/3 EV works for me and sometimes a bit lower but this is mainly with average metering. Shade and indoor low light is tricky and I must admit that I have not done a lot of low light shooting so far. I do find as I think others have that the F30 has a tendency to bump ISO up a bit too high (at least for my liking) if left on auto and I am inclined to use aperture priority or auto M (program), limit ISO to what you are comfortable with and use flash if for example there is not decent light on faces. Slow syncro seems to work well. High ISO in general I believe is a bit overrated and as you know cannot perform miracles if there is insufficient light. There is no question that the F30 requires a fair bit of practice and testing but there are so many variables available considering the limited manual controls that I think it is worth the effort. I would hate to have fewer controls and not be happy with the results as the alternative would be to set the camera on a shelf or get rid of it. There are a lot of folks on this forum with much more experience with the F30 than I have and hopefully you will hear from them.

Bill

--
http://www.pbase.com/willvan
H1/F30
 
Thanks everyone.

Are you guys adjusting EV downwards indoors AND outdoors?

Or just outdoors?
 
Why don't you bring the camera back and test it against another F30 there? If there is a difference and yours remains softer, then your entitled to a replacement.

Cheers.
 
I share your impressions. I'd like to see a better approximation of the image when portrayed during LCD playback too.

You've mentioned the -ev compensation, LCD brightness reduction, but have you tried tinkering with the white balance?

Specifically, from other thread contributors, the suggestion was made to use the shade white balance in daylight. I have found this to be the single best piece of advice re improving my outdoor shots with the F30. fwiw, I use spot metering mostly and avg some. I use shutter priority mostly, manual some (would use more if could control s & a at same time) and the dual mode natural w/ & w/o flash at twilight. My shots are mostly of my two year old. I have yet to take landscape shots, but will this winter in the mtns.

Re P&S', I still prefer my Sony DSC-P150's punchy color and sharpness at defaults out of the cam vs the F30, the Fuji needs pp imho, but the F30 has its merits so I continue to learn to use it. In reviewing this forum, I found that w/o pp, I would not be satisfied. So pp it is, but I pp in my "spare" time so I'm finding myself backlogged - which is a downside imho to the F30.
 
I will try messing w/ the white balance. Good suggestion. Also playing around with Chrome vs. Standard color settings.

It's too bad a camera with such great potential has been crippled by so many engineering-driven flaws. Oh well.
 
I really like my F30 for wider snapshots, macro and the high ISO performance is ok by me. However I do find the F30 menu system a bit tedious. I shoot -2/3, all the time and usually AP/average. I switch the WB to suit the situation but I do find myself using shade alot. I like it's warmer tone.

I recently picked up a Samsung NV7ops that I like for more zoom. It's still new to me so I'm still exploring it's capabilities. Though I've seen a few complain about the Samsung interface ion the 'net I find it to be very intuitive and convenient.

For my "serious" stuff I'll use my Canon 20D or F1 (yeah, I know...film).

Different tools for different jobs.
 
I just looked at some sample photo's of the E550.
I'm sorry but am I missing some here? You prefer the E550 above the F30?
I'm sorry but I can't help you then.

Good luck finding a better camera (and you'll need that luck).
 
Thanks everyone for your input. Digital cameras will continue to be imperfect beasts and I guess the one you end up liking (at least for the year or two until it's outmoded and you feel like you have to trade up) has a lot more to do with personal preferences and patience levels than pure specificiations and editorial reviews.

Thanks!
 
I received my F30 a week or so ago. I bought it based on the shots I see here. I bought it over the SD700is because I wanted to give Fuji a try. I am just a casual shooter--street photography but do not like pp.I also do not like the fact that Cannon makes it hard (impossible) to see the ISO and other infos from users.

I already have a Canon SD600 that renders very accurate color and slightly saturated to keep the average shooter happy (wife and 5 year old daughter use it). I also have a Pani FZ20 for outdoor landscape shots (love it). It is very fast. I also gave my sister a Pani FX01k as a gift. I tried it out--very good outdoor and pretty acceptable indoor if you use flash and zoom in from a distant so flash do not wash subject out.

My opinion of the F30 is of disappointment. ISO is amazing and sharpness is very good. the downside are plenty. It does not look anywhere as good as the FX01 or the SD600 according to my 5 year old daughter, 9 year son, wife, sister, and father. I think it looks ok but bulky looking if compare next to the other sub-compact. With a family with 2 kids and both my wife and I working full time, this camera may not be the best for me. I find the color flat and needs pp (which I do not have time for). Write time is slowest of all my cameras mentioned above. This may be a personal thing but I have gotten used to using the compact plug in battery charger and fine the F30 charger with cables a hassle (I knew about this before purchase but wanted the F30 due to all the rave). The zoom button on the back of the F30 makes it harder to use one handed than the FX01 and SD600 and still do not feel as comfortable when used with 2 hands. The XD format is realy slow when one has gotten used to SD format. The bust mode is a joke.

I will keep the F30 because I don't like to return items by mail (got it through Amazon). I bought the F30 with the idea of moving up to the S6000 but I think this may be my last Fuji until it get rid of XD Card and improve color rendition for the average consumers (after all, this is a P&S camera). I really hate to complain like this because this camera should be much better--it comes so close but yet remain so far from perfect. I think this site's review said it best "This sensor derserves a better camera." I would pay $500 if tis sensor is in the Pani FX01.

I know most F30 users here will tell me I am soing something wrong if my pictures do not meet what most are posting here. I already know what I am doing wrong, and it is being lazy and not wanting to do pp. I guess tis can be a great camera if one had time to do pp but not so great if one wants to print straight out of camera.
 
See this thread: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1012&message=20353974

Check out some of the replies and the post by Simplify which has a nice collection of threads. You can get good images out of cam without PP - you just have to learn how to use the camera better - but PP always helps.
kdd said:
I received my F30 a week or so ago. I bought it based on the shots
I see here. I bought it over the SD700is because I wanted to give
Fuji a try. I am just a casual shooter--street photography but do
not like pp.I also do not like the fact that Cannon makes it hard
(impossible) to see the ISO and other infos from users.

I already have a Canon SD600 that renders very accurate color and
slightly saturated to keep the average shooter happy (wife and 5
year old daughter use it). I also have a Pani FZ20 for outdoor
landscape shots (love it). It is very fast. I also gave my sister
a Pani FX01k as a gift. I tried it out--very good outdoor and
pretty acceptable indoor if you use flash and zoom in from a
distant so flash do not wash subject out.

My opinion of the F30 is of disappointment. ISO is amazing and
sharpness is very good. the downside are plenty. It does not look
anywhere as good as the FX01 or the SD600 according to my 5 year
old daughter, 9 year son, wife, sister, and father. I think it
looks ok but bulky looking if compare next to the other
sub-compact. With a family with 2 kids and both my wife and I
working full time, this camera may not be the best for me. I find
the color flat and needs pp (which I do not have time for). Write
time is slowest of all my cameras mentioned above. This may be a
personal thing but I have gotten used to using the compact plug in
battery charger and fine the F30 charger with cables a hassle (I
knew about this before purchase but wanted the F30 due to all the
rave). The zoom button on the back of the F30 makes it harder to
use one handed than the FX01 and SD600 and still do not feel as
comfortable when used with 2 hands. The XD format is realy slow
when one has gotten used to SD format. The bust mode is a joke.

I will keep the F30 because I don't like to return items by mail
(got it through Amazon). I bought the F30 with the idea of moving
up to the S6000 but I think this may be my last Fuji until it get
rid of XD Card and improve color rendition for the average
consumers (after all, this is a P&S camera). I really hate to
complain like this because this camera should be much better--it
comes so close but yet remain so far from perfect. I think this
site's review said it best "This sensor derserves a better camera."
I would pay $500 if tis sensor is in the Pani FX01.

I know most F30 users here will tell me I am soing something wrong
if my pictures do not meet what most are posting here. I already
know what I am doing wrong, and it is being lazy and not wanting to
do pp. I guess tis can be a great camera if one had time to do pp
but not so great if one wants to print straight out of camera.
Click to expand...
--

 
Thank you for your advise. I will keep experiencing with it till I get the gest color out of it without pp.
 
there is one really easy, fast, convinient way to do pp without pp! just use picasa (www.picasa.com) for your photo albums. really nice way to organize your fotos. just one click to upload to picasaweb.google.com for sharing. and most importantly - if you do not like the colors - simply click a button "Auto Lavels" or "I'm Feeling Lucky" or give a try for "Auto Color".

it is so straight - you just wach your photos and press one button if you need :) by the way: there are so many different opinions on colors that is no surprise fuji does not mach someones preferences. some like kodak colors, some sony, some canon, some fuji. some like to have undersaturated colors to have more space for pp.

just give a try for picasa. at least for organizing photo albums. most nice feature of picasa - it does not change original photo! just records your changes. you can undo them any time you want.

keep shooting and experimenting,

saulius
 
Kevin Roe said:
Right now, I'm feeling the F30 is a big letdown. The legendary
Fuji color and sharpness I have come to expect and love is just not
there. Sure, the high ISO performance is pretty cool. But the
pictures just don't have that Fuji pop to them.

Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
The sharpness and "POP" your referring to have been due to excessive in camera processing. Nowdays with more people involved in post processing Fuji has decided to back off on the in camera processing which, if you post process, is a good thing. More serious photographers don't want their cameras to process much because it is irreversable and actually damages the image making further post processing more difficult. I think that less processing makes prints look better and more "film like" You have to decide if this is the route you want to take.

--
Tom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25301400@N00/
 
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