Fuji s100fs - weaknesses?

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Ok, I've had my s100fs for about a month now and taken probably at least 5,000 to 10,000 pictures virtually all of them on the manual setting. 95% of the pictures I took were indoors as that was what concerned me the most. Almost any camera will do well out in the bright sunlight. Here's the issues that I keep running into.

1. I have a difficult time getting the camera to focus in low light. It hunts and hunts, this is with or without the AF illuminator. Especially difficult when trying to get it to focus for fast action shots in mid to low lighting.

2. Sometimes the camera does a good job at producing a shallow depth of field for a portrait shot and sometimes it seems like it doesn't even try.

3. The standard or Provia setting makes all the colors look faded out.

4. As a rule, picture sharpness really seems to vary. Possibly this is related to my issues with number 1 and obtaining a good focus. Setting the sharpness in the menu to "high" doesn't seem to impact this at all.

Other than that I'm very pleased. This camera does just about all I would hope it could do, the only way to improve quality would be to step up to a DSLR which I may do in the future but probably not anytime soon.

Interesting. I 've never had that problem with mine. I would be interested in seeing some of the trouble photos.

Which problem was it you never had, the focus hunting? or the sharpness? or the color?

From my brief uses I did indeed see the focus hunting in less than ideal light, as far as sharpness, I think if an image is well focussed and exposed it will be sharp. As far as color, that is very easy to adjust, if it doesnt suit your taste, change the settings, one of them should give you what you want, or adjust in post. And as to the DOF, that is a simple math problem and it is what it is, I have discussed that a hundred times so its useless to do so again.
Ted

H2O Junkie said:

Interesting. I 've never had that problem with mine. I would be
interested in seeing some of the trouble photos.

Click to expand...

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y260/tdkd13/

... I'm sure that, now you have 5,000 to 10,000 images after one month, you can clearly see the weaknesses.

Indeed, you have highlighted some you have found.

After eight months, I clocked up my 10,000th image yesterday.

Personally, I don't experience focus issues, colour issues, sharpness issues, etc., however, I can get soft images, if I set the camera to take soft images.

DOF is consistent also. It is a result of aperture, distance, etc., as related to the focal length/sensor recording area. I like 'deep' DOF, some do not.

As H2O said, it would be nice to see some of your problematic images. This may help all concerned.
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

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

Post processing (PP) Tips - http://www.pixplanet.biz/Posting-stuff_7.htm

MajStriker said:

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Ok, I've had my s100fs for about a month now and taken probably at
least 5,000 to 10,000 pictures virtually all of them on the manual
setting.

Click to expand...

Wow! A picture every three to six minutes of a waking day! And in manual mode too, adjusting the aperture and shutter speed. And reviewing the pix afterwards!
When did you have tmie to eat?

The key words in this exchange is "...brief uses...". My uses are anything but brief. I have used the camera extensively since April of 2008 shooting all manner of photos with it in an amazing variety of lighting situations. Considering the fact that I have won 3 POMs with photos taken with that camera in two different photography clubs, I would venture a guess that I do actually know how to use it. In that time frame none of those issues has been a huge problem for me. Are there weaknesses? Sure. Have I ever said this camera is more than it is? No.

This response is nothing more than more of that hate I discussed that permeates this board. Nothing I said demanded a hateful response. I simply said and I quote "Interesting. I 've never had that problem with mine. I would be interested in seeing some of the trouble photos." I never implied anything by that and am interested in seeing the problem photos and that hasn't changed, your attitude aside. Do yourself a favor MajStriker, go to the S100fs Flickr site. I think there you might get treated like an adult.

tdkd13 said:

H2O Junkie said:

Interesting. I 've never had that problem with mine. I would be
interested in seeing some of the trouble photos.

Click to expand...

--
http://photobucket.com/albums/y260/tdkd13/

Click to expand...

MajStriker said:

Ok, I've had my s100fs for about a month now and taken probably at
least 5,000 to 10,000 pictures virtually all of them on the manual
setting.

Click to expand...

Considering that the camera numbers every shot, you could give us an exact number ... the last image you shot.

5k to 10k in a month is almost a physical impossibility, as someone pointed out.

MajStriker said:

95% of the pictures I took were indoors as that was what
concerned me the most.

Click to expand...

Indoor images are pretty much always low light by most peoples' definition ... and this camera uses contrast focus, which is fairly slow in good light when compared to phase detect systems, and quite slow in bad light. Still, if you are patient and learn some good technique, you should be able to nail exposures more often than not.

MajStriker said:

Almost any camera will do well out in the
bright sunlight. Here's the issues that I keep running into.

Click to expand...

Yes, light makes all the difference.

MajStriker said:

1. I have a difficult time getting the camera to focus in low light.
It hunts and hunts, this is with or without the AF illuminator.
Especially difficult when trying to get it to focus for fast action
shots in mid to low lighting.

Click to expand...

So how low is this light? If we're talking near dark, then yes, it will be problematic. What you should be doing is looking for the highest contrast spot on the subject and focus on that. Hold the shutter half pressed, reframe the composition, and release the shutter. That technique makes a huge difference.

MajStriker said:

2. Sometimes the camera does a good job at producing a shallow depth
of field for a portrait shot and sometimes it seems like it doesn't
even try.

Click to expand...

The only way a camera like that can produce shallow depth of field is to take advantage of the relative distance to subject and background.

cam........................................................subject........background

cam.............subject...................................................background

Also, the longer your focal length, the shallower the depth of field, so if you don't mind standing in the next room and shooting at f5, you can get some great DOF. But that's not gonna cut it indoors.

Here's my blog post on the topic, which will tell you that you are shooting the wrong kind of camera if you desire butter-soft backgrounds ... creamy smooth bokeh ... whatever people call the "dSLR look" ....

http://kimletkeman.blogspot.com/2008/11/crop-factor-affects-apparent-depth-of.html

MajStriker said:

3. The standard or Provia setting makes all the colors look faded out.

Click to expand...

Frankly, I have not been that impressed with Fuji color lately except the high saturation stuff (and it is easy to go way overboard with that as we've seen a few times here); even then, I much prefer to use ACR5 and CS4, Topaz, Color Efex Pro, and other techniques to adjust color.

MajStriker said:

4. As a rule, picture sharpness really seems to vary. Possibly this
is related to my issues with number 1 and obtaining a good focus.
Setting the sharpness in the menu to "high" doesn't seem to impact
this at all.

Click to expand...

Image sharpness will vary a lot with ISO, focus lock (are you good at getting a solid focus lock every time), and even such things as CA, which destroys the apparent sharpness of an image.

Note also that the S100fs is known to smear low contrast details like grass, hair, fur, distant foliage, etc already at base ISO. It is very good at retaining that level of detail to 400 ISO though, and pretty good even at 800 ISO.

Adding light will help to subdue the noise reduction algorithms and makes a huge difference to the perceived quality of images, especially if you get fairly close to the subject (a person, say) ... we've seen some excellent portraits (recent Christmas shots for example) with added external flash bounced. In fact, that's about the only way to avoid bouts of "helmet head", where parts of the hair just meld together, giving a strong impression of softness ...

As others have said, you really need to post examples of these issues.

--
http://letkeman.net/Photos
http://kimletkeman.blogspot.com

MajStriker said:

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Ok, I've had my s100fs for about a month now and taken probably at
least 5,000 to 10,000 pictures virtually all of them on the manual
setting.

Click to expand...

I am about 30 to 60 years old and I am sure that if I tried to shoot 5000 to 10000 photo in manual mode(!) in just 1 to 2 months, I wouldn't care of the results!

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Furio

Focus sure is slow on the S100fs in comparison with other cameras I've used.

As to the Provia mode, I don't have any issues there. Actually, my Fuji colors appear to be a bit more vivid than in 'real life' at times, but I do love highly saturated colors.

Negatives for me include PF which is more pronounced in the Fuji than in any other camera I've shot with. I detest the 400 auto-ISO, but understand Fuji's design, and it's not a biggie because I shoot in Aperture most of the time, or use Manual. Also, I feel that details suffer more than necessary on the long end of the zoom. Even so, I still enjoy this camera tremendously. It's a nice weight, well-made, durable, and has an SLR feel without the mirror slap, IQ aside of course.

Maybe it boils down to what the individual expects from their camera? I'll admit that I'm super picky and I'll admit that I'll shoot a subject to death in order to obtain one WOW shot and I have no guilt in deleting everything but the WOW shot. Because I like to shoot nature shots, they are usually spawned on the cuff. One doesn't have time to shoot a deer that suddenly appears on the scene, because he can vanish as quickly as he appeared. However, in controlled situations where time is not an issue, I take ample time in composing the scene and tend to end up with what I wanted. I also think that I expected too much from the Fuji based on past experiences with cameras.

Currently, I'm looking into getting another camera to compliment what I have (and to replace what I had) because I too shoot a lot (about 500 shots per day on average). I'm hugely fortunate in that I have the advantage of traveling right now, and my subjects are plentiful. I still have time to do my nails.

--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

jutting off of Kim's. I always try to read all the comments before responding, and negated to return to your OP.
--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

and I do care about the results. I proudly stand behind my personal gallery. That's only 250-500 daily, on average.

--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

Where do you see hate in my reply? I never even intimated anything of the sort. I stated exactly what I had seen in my brief uses (2 times) and SEVERAL other OWNERS on this forum have stated clearly that they too have problems with slow focus and focus hunting. You are reading things into my reply which arent there.

I wonder why you would think that is OK to do because its not helpful to anyone in any way. Feel free to elucidate the forum however you see fit but don't play victim to a completely innocuous post.

The only comment I made to you was "which of the several "weaknesses" the original poster mentioned wqas it that you had never experienced, thats far from hateful wouldnt you say?

Ted

H2O Junkie said:

This response is nothing more than more of that hate I discussed that
permeates this board. Nothing I said demanded a hateful response. I
simply said and I quote "Interesting. I 've never had that problem
with mine. I would be interested in seeing some of the trouble
photos." I never implied anything by that and am interested in seeing
the problem photos and that hasn't changed, your attitude aside. Do
yourself a favor MajStriker, go to the S100fs Flickr site. I think
there you might get treated like an adult.

Click to expand...

Lloydy said:

... I'm sure that, now you have 5,000 to 10,000 images after one
month, you can clearly see the weaknesses.

Indeed, you have highlighted some you have found.

After eight months, I clocked up my 10,000th image yesterday.

Personally, I don't experience focus issues, colour issues, sharpness
issues, etc., however, I can get soft images, if I set the camera to
take soft images.

DOF is consistent also. It is a result of aperture, distance, etc.,
as related to the focal length/sensor recording area. I like 'deep'
DOF, some do not.

As H2O said, it would be nice to see some of your problematic images.
This may help all concerned.
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

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

Post processing (PP) Tips - http://www.pixplanet.biz/Posting-stuff_7.htm

Click to expand...

--
http://photobucket.com/albums/y260/tdkd13/

Judging by the shots you have posted here you seem to be doing exceptionally well with the cam. Shooting small birds is tough and yours have been some of the best I have seen here.
Ted

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y260/tdkd13/

Jada Eastwood said:

and I do care about the results. I proudly stand behind my personal
gallery. That's only 250-500 daily, on average.

Click to expand...

That's one every four minutes at the bottom of the range, excluding reviewing time. In fact, how do you ever get time to review them? That's 91250 a year, in case you're also interested. Just as well you delete most of 'em, you'd be warming the planet with hard drives otherwise

Amazed
SteveDe

Steve, I'm happy that I've amazed you.

I go out at times from sun-up to sundown, particularly during favorable weather. And I'm fortunate to own a sizable spread of property, and to have the advantage of a very early retirement. In the last three years, I've given away a camera a year with over 100,000 shots on them to a relative and one friend.

Some people enjoy eating to excess. Some enjoy drinking beer to excess. I enjoy shooting to excess. So I've sinned. Goodness me oh my.

I hope this doesn't turn into a 'my ***** is bigger than your *****' sort of thing because one person shoots more than another. No need to measure. The proof of one's capabilities exists in the end result - no matter how many shots it took to get there.

--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

coming from you, I'll take that as a very flattering comment. Your 'best photos of 2008' completely blew me away.

I wish that I had 1/10th of your vast technical knowledge. Impressive!!
--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

You know, I'm certain that my 'stats' are going to require amending due to my discovery of the FTF (DP Review actually, as I enjoy the Canon forum, too).

As I mentioned above, it really doesn't matter how many shots one takes, it's how many great photos they end up with, and to also share their experiences with fellow photographers, like you.

--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

Jada Eastwood said:

As I mentioned above, it really doesn't matter how many shots one
takes, it's how many great photos they end up with, and to also share
their experiences with fellow photographers, like you.

Click to expand...

No probs, it just boggles my mind, that's all

Jada Eastwood said:

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Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars.

Click to expand...

Would love to, actually....-

As an outsider looking into the glass house, this cluster of posts provides an excellent illustration of what is triggering the bickering at the FTF.

H2, please re-read Ted's comments to you. There was nothing, absolutely nothing hateful or rude applied to his comments that I, as a new person peering in, could see. There was simply a request for specifics which were met with aggression.

Knee-jerk and over-reactions are at times based on previous interactions, granted. But why not move forward? And I read so many comments here.....about how people want the anger and viciousness to cease, yet for some reason a forward movement is stagnated at this time. Unfortunate.
--
Just Jada

Let's do it! Let's move to Mars. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall