S100fs Battery & CA

Hi,

I took the plunge and got the S100fs. I knew what I was getting into, because of all the reviews and hype. This camera has been out for sometime now, the price has dropped, and thought it's a good time to get it.

Had it for a week now, knew about about the CA and Battery isssues. I thought I would had a hard time accepting the CA, but it's there, and accepting it, IQ is great. I thought the battery issue wasn't going to be that bad, but WOW! This is a big one, the manual said 250 frames before it would need re-charging. Well, using the Fuji NP140 battery supplied, I got 160 frames (fully charged) before it needed a re-charge. Other times were 110 and 140. Flash was used half the time, using AF-S. Fast speed setting (Sports) is off.

So my question is, what is the normal amount of frames per charge other folks are getting? Anyone getting the said "250"? If so, can you share your secret? I guess if this camera had a major fault, that would be it. But then, adjusting to the issue, I will be lugging extra batteries around.

At times, I do get the dreaded CA, but manageable. You know, of all camera brands out there, that also have CA/PF issues. I think it's time they start addressing it. Redeye always was a problem, and camera manufactures have addressed this many ways, I think it's time they should start looking into the CA/PF problem as they are doing with Redeye. (My 2 cents worth)

I upgraded from the S6000fd, and do miss the Natural Light + Flash mode. But then, I still can use the S6000fs which for the most part willl be my backup.

Thanks,

CX

I get between 400 and 500 shots between charges and always carry two charged spares for the S100fs. Have never got to the third yet.

I rarely use onboard flash or rear screen review.

The camera gives ample warning of low power and changeover takes about 10 seconds. Has never been an issue for me.

The whole chromatic aberation (CA) thing is like the fairies at the bottom of the garden – strictly for the creatively challenged. In other words, it only interests those poor souls who lack the imagination to use the equipment at hand to create great pictures.

I've had the S100fs for 18 months, regularly print at 18x13 inches and have never had to bother even with the (simple) adjustments needed to fix it.

Don't hold your breath for the manufacturers to take on this bizarre fetish of the pixel peepers.
They know enough about their customers to judge this as a non-issue.

Enjoy the camera. It is capable of spectacularly good pictures. It's still surprising me.

Greg Photo Sydney said:

The whole chromatic aberation (CA) thing is like the fairies at the bottom of the garden – strictly for the creatively challenged. In other words, it only interests those poor souls who lack the imagination to use the equipment at hand to create great pictures.

Click to expand...

How arrogantly put.

Greg Photo Sydney said:

I've had the S100fs for 18 months, regularly print at 18x13 inches and have never had to bother even with the (simple) adjustments needed to fix it.

Click to expand...

So you do not address fringing even when it is obvious ...

Greg Photo Sydney said:

Don't hold your breath for the manufacturers to take on this bizarre fetish of the pixel peepers.
They know enough about their customers to judge this as a non-issue.

Click to expand...

They sure do

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

... After a few charge cycles, I get 350 - 400 images on average. Best I got was 700+ (no flash).
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.

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Looks good with some of the reports coming in. I guess I just need to cycle the 2 batteries more and really hope that will improve how many frames I can get per charge. I'll accept the 250 if I can get that.

Other S100fs users, please feel free to post how many frames you can get before a recharge.

Thanks,

CX

There was a focus setting, or actually an image stabilization setting that will improve battery life greatly. Dave (Lloydy) can explain as I cannot recall the precise terms Fuji used for the modes.
Ted

copperxray said:

Looks good with some of the reports coming in. I guess I just need to cycle the 2 batteries more and really hope that will improve how many frames I can get per charge. I'll accept the 250 if I can get that.

Other S100fs users, please feel free to post how many frames you can get before a recharge.

Thanks,

CX

Click to expand...

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

What a load of hogwash. You know it's one thing to say that the CA/PF doesnt bother you, thats fair as who else but you can say what you like and dont like. It's another to take that broad brush you like to paint with and classify anyone who does take exception with the CA/PF as creatively challenged and unimaginative.
Of course CA doesnt bother you, you dont seem to shoot in color.
Ted

Greg Photo Sydney said:

I get between 400 and 500 shots between charges and always carry two charged spares for the S100fs. Have never got to the third yet.

I rarely use onboard flash or rear screen review.

The camera gives ample warning of low power and changeover takes about 10 seconds. Has never been an issue for me.

The whole chromatic aberation (CA) thing is like the fairies at the bottom of the garden – strictly for the creatively challenged. In other words, it only interests those poor souls who lack the imagination to use the equipment at hand to create great pictures.

I've had the S100fs for 18 months, regularly print at 18x13 inches and have never had to bother even with the (simple) adjustments needed to fix it.

Don't hold your breath for the manufacturers to take on this bizarre fetish of the pixel peepers.
They know enough about their customers to judge this as a non-issue.

Enjoy the camera. It is capable of spectacularly good pictures. It's still surprising me.

Click to expand...

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

... By the way, by cycle, I mean run it completely flat before charging.

Cheers.
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.

My Site - http://www.pixplanet.biz
My RedBubble Site - http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

... Two things that help - Set IS to only activate on half press (setting #2) and leave High Speed Shooting turned off. Personally, I really can't see an advantage in using it.

Also, mostly when I am shooting, I turn on Long Period (Continuous). This means the LCD is not doing a review after each image and shot-to-shot times are instant. The caveat is that this is ony in Jpeg.

When shooting Raw, I 'bounce' the shutter, immediately, to clear the review. This is probably my biggest gripe with the S100 fs, you cannot turn off the image review after shooting a Raw image. Still, I am used to it now

If I do wish to review, I simply 'play' the image through the EVF.

I have started using the F200 EXR in much the same manner, and only review occasionally. I am also getting very good battery life from that, now that it has done, probably, 8-10 cycles. About 2,300 frames now.

Cheers.
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.

My Site - http://www.pixplanet.biz
My RedBubble Site - http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

Hi Lloydy:

Can you explain "bounce the shutter" please? I don't shoot RAW that much, only if I can find a good RAW Image program that doesn't break the bank, I may use it more.

I was shooting the IS in position 1 and changed it to 2. I do review the images a lot using the LCD, maybe I should get into the habit of using the EVF?

thanks for your input.

CX

... Sorry. By 'bounce', I mean I do a quick half press to cancel the image review.

For Raw, I am using ACR with CS4. You may want to check out S7 Raw though - It is free and works quite well.

It is slower than ACR but you can get some excellent results. There is also Raw Therapee which I have not played with so much.

Have a look here for an example of using S7 Raw :

http://www.pixplanet.biz/Posting-stuff_11.htm

To download S7 Raw :

Click the link below and scroll down the page until you find 'Download' - About half way down. Choose for normal or 64 bit.

http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley-PaloAlto/9919/s7raw.html

Cheers.
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.

My Site - http://www.pixplanet.biz
My RedBubble Site - http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

Without onboard flash and in AF-S, I frequently get over 500 shots when shooting raw, with sparing amounts of chimping. I use 2 OEM and one 3rd party batteries. The 3rd party battery is made by i-Discovery of Singapore and lasts longer (mAh rating is higher too).

Your "battery life" (pun intended) will improve after 5-6 complete charge-discharge cycles as Dave said. In the meantime, you may want to follow these tips to get the most out of your battery and stay out of the dreaded situation of having run out of power --

1) Carry a spare battery. I can't speak to every 3rd party option but I can vouch for i-Discovery

2) Let your battery go through complete cycles -- replace your battery only when the camera completely shuts down due to power shortage (IOW, do not replace when the warning indicator first appears).

3) Try not using AF-C unless needed

4) Try to minimize use of LCD and use the EVF if not too inconvenient. The S100fs defaults to initial settings every time it is switched off and back on. I find that annoying and would not recommend that for you either. I frequently carry it around with EVF on (LCD off)

5) High-speed shooting setting puts a burden on the battery. Keep it turned off -- it does improve focus speed but only by a negligible margin

6) Try setting the refresh rate to 30 FPS instead of 60 FPS.

CA: I seem to suffer from very little to no CA, at least for my kind of subjects. Maybe I got a good sample or maybe my shooting situations do not favor CA or maybe a little bit of both. In any case, you're more likely to face CA problems if you shoot many pictures with a lot of sky in it. In any case, you are least likely to suffer from CA on the s100fs if you stay around the 200mm mark, walk a few steps closer if necessary (instead of zooming fully to 400mm). That only works for relatively nearby subjects, and it does no work if you must use the wide end for landscapes etc. In that case the only rememdy is to apply CA removal algorithms.

That said, many of my DSLR lenses can also show slight CA in certain situations (though very rarely and never at macro distances) including some renowned ones but you'd only know if you pixel peep too much. The only lens I have never seen any CA (not even the slightest hint) from is my 200mm/f4 AFD ED IF Micro Nikkor (and at that atrocious price it better not have CA).

--
Arnab P Das

Arnab Pratim Das said:

That said, many of my DSLR lenses can also show slight CA in certain situations (though very rarely and never at macro distances) including some renowned ones but you'd only know if you pixel peep too much. The only lens I have never seen any CA (not even the slightest hint) from is my 200mm/f4 AFD ED IF Micro Nikkor (and at that atrocious price it better not have CA).

Click to expand...

I have numerous consumer grade lenses and several professional grade lenses.

The pro lenses (300mm F4 AFS, 105mm F2.5 AIS, 28mm F3.5 AI, 50mm F1.8 AFD) exhibit no CA that I have ever seen.

The consumer lenses have varying amounts ... the 70-300VR at 300mm produces CA in the corners, but it is not really visible at web sizes, only when zoomed in. For enlargements it would need addressing on rare occasions.

The 18-200VR exhibits it now and again in corners as well ... I have shot probably 10,000 images with it and have probably had to address CA several dozen times. Probably more often in the Arizona desert than anywhere else.

The old Nikon 70-210 F4 has legendary PF, and even that lense only showed it now and again. The Sigma 18-200 showed it surprisingly rarely. The Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro never shows it. The Tamron 180mm f3.5 Macro never shows it.

There is a reason that every review of the S100fs concentrated on CA ... for a relatively expensive cam, it occurs in very high amounts .... but then, it occurs in the F70EXR when conditions are right as well. These are cheap lenses, relatively speaking, and there will be compromises. Too bad Fuji refuse to learn the "fix it in firmware" trick that works so well for Panny ...

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

Kim Letkeman said:

The pro lenses (300mm F4 AFS, 105mm F2.5 AIS, 28mm F3.5 AI, 50mm F1.8 AFD) exhibit no CA that I have ever seen.

Click to expand...

Not sure I'd call all of them "pro" lenses since in my mind pro lenses have certain characteristics such as metal build, fast, constant aperture and (by recent standards) weather sealing. However, many professional's use those lenses and they are rather nice glass -- so they might be called pro after all. But then, Galen Rowell's favorite 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6D should also classify as a pro lens.

Anyway -- photozone tests have to say the 300/4 AFS and 50/1.8 AFD both have very low CA -- a little less than 1px for 300/4 and a little over 1px for the 50/1.8 -- in worst case. They apparently used a D200. Sure, this much CA can be safely ignored for all practical purposes but definitely not non-existant. As I said -- if you pixel peep too much. I have no idea of the other lenses you mention but Sigma 105/2.8 Macro has virtually no CA. The s100fs CA is nowhere near the same league.

I wonder how each of these lenses would perform on a sensor with the same photosensor density as the S100fs'.

Arnab P Das

Arnab Pratim Das said:

Kim Letkeman said:

The pro lenses (300mm F4 AFS, 105mm F2.5 AIS, 28mm F3.5 AI, 50mm F1.8 AFD) exhibit no CA that I have ever seen.

Click to expand...

Not sure I'd call all of them "pro" lenses

Click to expand...

Remember that I said "several professional grade lenses" ... there is a subtle equivocation in there ...

Arnab Pratim Das said:

since in my mind pro lenses have certain characteristics such as metal build,

Click to expand...

These are all metal except the 50.

Arnab Pratim Das said:

fast,

Click to expand...

These are all fast. The 300, despite being only F4, still costs over a grand.

Arnab Pratim Das said:

constant aperture and

Click to expand...

Um ... they are primes

Arnab Pratim Das said:

(by recent standards) weather sealing.

Click to expand...

The 50 is the only exception to that to my knowledge.

Arnab Pratim Das said:

However, many professional's use those lenses and they are rather nice glass -- so they might be called pro after all. But then, Galen Rowell's favorite 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6D should also classify as a pro lens.

Click to expand...

Pros call the 300 a pro lense ... the 105 2.5 AIS shot the famous Afghan Girl image ... I think they qualify.

I don't quite understand why you need these lenses to be non-pro ... i.e. where is your skin in that game?

Arnab Pratim Das said:

Anyway -- photozone tests have to say the 300/4 AFS and 50/1.8 AFD both have very low CA -- a little less than 1px for 300/4 and a little over 1px for the 50/1.8 -- in worst case. They apparently used a D200. Sure, this much CA can be safely ignored for all practical purposes but definitely not non-existant.

Click to expand...

I said "exhibit no CA that I have ever seen" ... I'm sure you will understand there to be a difference between that and specifying unequivocally that it is non-existent. If you plan on debating me on my own lenses, at least debate what I say and not what you think I mean.

Arnab Pratim Das said:

As I said -- if you pixel peep too much. I have no idea of the other lenses you mention but Sigma 105/2.8 Macro has virtually no CA. The s100fs CA is nowhere near the same league.

Click to expand...

It is nowhere near in the same league with any of these ... I was merely confirming that.

Arnab Pratim Das said:

I wonder how each of these lenses would perform on a sensor with the same photosensor density as the S100fs'.

Click to expand...

Hmmm ... the 70-300VR would be a 280-1200VR and would use a tiny portion of the center of the glass ... I would say it would be remarkable. The 300mm F4 AFS even better.

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

To Lloydy:

Thanks for your input, I will look into those RAW editors, I did dabble a little using s7raw.

To Arnab Pratim Das:

Thanks for your very in depth feedback on both issues. To improve the battery life, I will have to give the new batteries more time to break in. I will also have to start using the EVF more often.

-Feedback-

Can't say to much about CA/PF these days, just wish that the camera manufacturers would take that a little more serious. I believe Fuji would had better sales on the S100fs if it wasn't for the CA negative hype when it first came out. Even a firmware upgrade (if possible) to correct that. Oh well whats done is done.

What I don't understand is why the upgrade S200EXR is using the 1/6 sensor and not the 2/3 sensor? Just doesn't make sense. My S6000fd uses the 1/6 sensor and it is a 6MP camera. I don't know what Fuji was thinking of cramming 6 more MP on that sensor size. Cost maybe?

Again, thanks everyone.

CX

copperxray said:

What I don't understand is why the upgrade S200EXR is using the 1/6 sensor and not the 2/3 sensor? Just doesn't make sense.

Click to expand...

Because they had one available with the new EXR technology ... this way, they can use the hyperbole that marketing spews to benefit the entire line of advanced cams ...

copperxray said:

My S6000fd uses the 1/6 sensor and it is a 6MP camera. I don't know what Fuji was thinking of cramming 6 more MP on that sensor size. Cost maybe?

Click to expand...

They were thinking that no one would buy their cams if they did not jam more mp on them, which is why the F50fd was born. To their credit, the F100fd is a far better attempt, although they forgot the controls. But now all three advanced EXR cams have manual controls ... not a bad evolution.

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

Hi Lloydy,

I am using CS4 also. Bridge came with the software package, and it seems to be a great way to handle all formats, including RAW.

Ray

... I don't use Bridge - Not a big fan.

I use FastStone as the front end. I've been using that for a very long time and find it is excellent.

From there, I can also select where I wish to open the file. For example, CS4, Noise Ninja, FinePix Viewer, Lightroom, S7 Raw, etc.
--
Rgds, Dave.
Have fun - take lotsa pix.

My Site - http://www.pixplanet.biz
My RedBubble Site - http://www.redbubble.com/people/pixplanet

Lloydy said:

... I don't use Bridge - Not a big fan.

Click to expand...

You stayed with CS3 for too long ... Bridge 1 sucked. Bridge 2 on the other hand is excellent. Powerful filtering, leaves your folders exactly how you set them. And can run its own batch mode thread if you want to process a lot of images at once.

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