Why I ordered my S100FS

I've been scouring dpreview for the past couple of weeks, trying to decide whether to buy the S100FS. I placed my order for one yesterday, after a $20 price drop on Buy Dig. com. (Incidentally, for all you newbie online camera buyers out there like myself, if some website lists the camera for $100 or $200 below the listed prices on dpreview's sponsored sites, beware. Check out the reputation of the online store by searching for "[companyname] + fraud" to see if anyone posted any complaints. I was about to order mine for $479, but then found out that the vendor was a scammer.)

I wouldn't have been so confident of my decision were it not for all the lively discussion on Fujitalk, including all of you who helped to compare the S100FS to similarly-priced entry-level DSLR 2-lens kits. The posts of the pictures taken from S100FS owners confirmed for me the quality of the shots produced from the camera, which far exceed my needs. The two factors that turned me to buy the S100FS instead of the similarly-priced entry-level DSLR 2-lens kit is (1) shutter noise and (2) video capability.

I like to take shots of a location, and then follow up with a 15-second movie-pan of the area to orient myself later. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but an accompanying video really helps to bring the pictures "to life," and make a picture worth at least TEN thousand words, especially if the pictures I'm taking serve as mementos for a vacation.

As for shutter noise, my brother had recommended to me the Nikon D40 as a comp for the S100FS. On dpreview's full review, there was an mp3 sample of the shutter noise. Even with the volume turned all the day down, I could tell that the D40 would not be welcomed during a live theatre show, which is often where I'm asked to take photographs. A "stealth" ultrazoom really is godsend to the world of picture-taking during a show.

I just can't wait for mine to come!

Oh yes! It is so incredibly exciting. We can hardly wait for you to get your camera either. Please, please, please let us know as soon as you get it and please share your pictures with us.

... I'm sure you will really enjoy it when it comes. Have fun !
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

S100fs Examples - http://www.pixplanet.biz/Posting-stuff_5.htm

RhysC said:

As for shutter noise, my brother had recommended to me the Nikon D40
as a comp for the S100FS. On dpreview's full review, there was an
mp3 sample of the shutter noise. Even with the volume turned all the
day down, I could tell that the D40 would not be welcomed during a
live theatre show, which is often where I'm asked to take
photographs. A "stealth" ultrazoom really is godsend to the world of
picture-taking during a show.

I just can't wait for mine to come!

Click to expand...

First, welcome!

I do a lot of shooting indoors - shows and dinner events. I don't like using flash but worry about white balance capability.

With the S100fs, I've tried using both raw and jpeg indoors. I find that raw gives the best results. I thought that shooting jpeg would save time but I found out how wrong I was. It takes longer to correct the exposure and white balance using jpeg.

So, I would suggest using raw for your live theatre shows. The colour balance comes out a lot better. Fuji's raw processing program is very slow so I use S7Raw which is a lot faster though the colours come out less vivid but, to me, more realistic. Add a noise reduction program like Neatimage or Noise Ninja and you should get some really nice shots.

Enjoy!

Absolutely right - by switching of the sound, you can take pictures without causing unwelcome stare from people. Moreover, if you are shooting at close range, you don't want to disturb the subject as well. With the 400 mm, you can do many wonders. Have fun.
--
ysl53

I'm interested in how it goes for you. I too might get this camera. My concerns are (1) focus hunting when recording a movie, (2) purple fringing CA (which has been beaten to death already), and (3) if the movies are too compressed looking.

My Canon S3 just died, and thus I'm back to using my original Canon G3. The S3 has been my workhorse for 2 years, and now I can't live without an excellent movie mode, and without super zoom.

But the the low-light performance on the S3 kind of stunk. I really I wish there was a DSLR with movie mode (guess that means I'm not "real" photographer, and I don't care).

The S100fs seems to be the closest there is to what I really want. I've been trying to see examples of CA so I know what everyone is talking about. In the dpreview sample pictures, I think maybe image 12 may be a good example (has a piece of PVC pipe running up a with brick wall), plus the sample in the review itself.

Anyway, I think maybe I can live with the CA, based on all the great pics I've seen posted. But if the focus doesn't work well in movie mode, or if the movie is overly compressed, then I may be disappointed.

I wish Canon would come out with a bridge camera like this one, with a big sensor, or if Fuji would fix these issues.

My other concern is that I get this camera, and two months later Fuji announces its successor. The cost for this camera is too high to turn it over quickly. Anyway, any updates you could give after you get it would be appreciated.

For a nice, long 30-second clip taken with the S100FS, see this clip from a French review of the camera: http://img1.focus-numerique.com/focus/articles/53/fujifilm-s100fs-video-30s.avi

For chromatic aberration and purple fringing, the review also has a picture where the PF is evident. It's the pic with the tree-lined Parisian boulevard. Look for the words "Franges pourpres," which is "purple fringing" in French:

http://www.focus-numerique.com/test-53/Fujfilm-FinePix-S100fs-test-1.html

stratoman said:

I'm interested in how it goes for you. I too might get this
camera. My concerns are (1) focus hunting when recording a movie,
(2) purple fringing CA (which has been beaten to death already), and
(3) if the movies are too compressed looking.

Anyway, I think maybe I can live with the CA, based on all the great
pics I've seen posted. But if the focus doesn't work well in movie
mode, or if the movie is overly compressed, then I may be
disappointed.

Click to expand...

Here's the French review's picture with purple fringing along the tree branches.

Just a note on PF - It is much more obvious at wide angle, say between 28 & 70mm or so. Above that, I simply don't see much at all with my camera, even at full tele (400 equiv.). If you try to limit contrasty outdoor shots to above 70mm, your results should be good. Also, the picture of the trees that show PF could be fixed pretty easily. I am trying Lightroom 2 (Beta) as a trial and have found that the CA function works wonders on shots like that one. Since there is not really any other purple in the shot, you could even remove any that may remain by desaturating the purple in the photo. I have done it on a couple of my shots and the PF is gone without ruining the picture.

Good luck with your decision on cameras! It's not easy with all the great hardware out there. I, for one, am happy with my S100fs. As others have said, it is fun to use and produces acceptable results for all but the most demanding photographers. If you're one of those, keep the DSLR.
--
K.B.

Oops! You had a Canon S3, not a DSLR. What I should have ended with is "if you're one of those, GET a DSLR". Sorry for the goof up.
--
K.B.

I've taken over 2000 photos with my s100fs now and haven't encountered a CA issue worth mentioning.

Any zoom lens, regardless of price will have some CA or PF at certain (lens specific) settings. Zoom is a compromise.

I think that to a certain degree, Fuji must have addressed the issue quietly between their initial shipments and the time mine shipped, because I honestly haven't had issues. That could also be in part perhaps, because I'm never at full wide when shooting backlit trees against a skyline, and hydro towers shot from beneath them, in the words of Shania Twain ...don't impress me much.

I'm certain you'll love your new camera!

jj
--
My photo collection:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjlad/sets/

I know you will love your. I shoot with a D3 and and D300 and for my camera that I always carry with me, I chose the S100. It is a wonderful camera. Does it have its limitations, you bet. My job, to push it to its absolute and have fun. I know you will. And anybody on the fence about getting this camera, don't hesitate. It is a wonderful imaging machine and well worth its price. I know I will be ordering my replacement in the morning.
--
Robb
http://www.robbquinnimaging.com




Why is it that the best picture you could ever take is always the image right before you press the shutter release?!?!?!
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