s100 and low-light photography (comparing my s90 to my new s100)

Picked my new s100 at Best Buy and have been shooting extensively over the last day with my s90 and s100 together. I will post all my observations and comparison photos soon.

So far I think the s100 is very capable and either equivalent or superior to the s90 in all aspects of image quality and operation. The only major con so far is:

SHOOTING IN EXTREMELY DARK SETTINGS:

Probably due to some sensor limitation of the s100 in a dark room the LCD doesn't brighten like the s90s does. The s90 shows a very grainy display but this grainy display lets you compose (the s100 screen is near pitch black). The s90 will also try and give you a representation of how bright the final image will be. The s100 seems to have a maximum amount it can brighten the display in a dark setting so once you get to around 0.5sec @ ISO800 the screen is quite dim while the final shot is well-exposed (the live histogram is also off since it is a histogram of the display).

The s100 ISO800 0.5sec photos have better IQ than the s90 but are harder to take due to the s100 having limited gain on the display.

Some of this being due to a sensor limitation is confirmed because the s100 will only let you use ISO80 above 1 second exposures. So for night scenes the best the s100 can do is F2.0/15sec at ISO80. The s90 will let you shoot even ISO3200 for 15sec exposures (very noisy but ISO200-400 15sec were usable). A 15sec ISO80 is very similar to the s90 but does have better white balance. Being stuck a ISO80 for any shutter over 1sec is a bummer (won't even allow ISO100 1.3sec!)

Also due to the display not being able to brighten in dark situations, composition is nearly impossible. And the s100 has slightly inferior focus in dim situations so you have to start using manual focus a little earlier as a scene darkens.

I do like shooting long exposure photographs so this is a major con for me. Given all the other improvements in IQ, I am happy with the s100. A little surprised that the s100 can have better high-ISO performance and this limitation (even a video is low-light is brighter but grainy on the s90).

Sheraz
sherazch.smugmug.com
~ Use Canon SLRs & Canon S Powershots ~

Actually that sounds like good news to me. I never use a tripod on a P&S, but the bright rear LCD in dim lighting thows me off what I think I'm getting. If it's too bright, not only does it bother me and the ppl behind me, it also makes me think my capture is brighter when it really isnt..and I have to guesstimeate how much I'm really getting as compared to how bright my lcd is pretending the scene is.
I use various slr's at concert type shooting often.

And I would certainly use 1600 iso , maybe 3200 iso on the S100. I use 6400 on my D7k and the Canon slr is almost as good.

Thanks, Canon.
http://www.jonrp.smugmug.com

Thanks for your observations

jonrobertp said:

Actually that sounds like good news to me. I never use a tripod on a P&S, but the bright rear LCD in dim lighting thows me off what I think I'm getting. If it's too bright, not only does it bother me and the ppl behind me, it also makes me think my capture is brighter when it really isnt..and I have to guesstimeate how much I'm really getting as compared to how bright my lcd is pretending the scene is.
I use various slr's at concert type shooting often.

Click to expand...

yeah, not a problem for me either, I turn the LCD down to it's lowest setting and put 95% window tinting on the screen anyway for concerts. Gives me enough to frame with, but eliminates the annoying bright screen in a dark room

Why did you have an S90 and not a 95? Where you one of those that thought the 90 was cleaner than the 95?

I like the s95 but it wasn't worth upgrading my 1 year old s90 for an s95. My s90 has now taken close to 100,000 photos and been through hell so it was time to upgrade. I will still keep the s90 as my beat up camera to take kayaking, ect. where I don't want to risk my new gear.

Jonrp,

How do you compose a night shot with a pitch black display? At a concert there are bright area that can be used as a reference but when shooting a beach and ocean at night it helps to see. In an SLR this is no issue since I use the viewfinder but the s100 can only be composed with the display.

Also, ISO80 f2.0 15s is sometimes not enough, I have some great shots at ISO400 f2.0 15s from my s90 and it is sad to loose the option.

Canon s90 (iso400, f2.0, 15.0s):

Sheraz said:

Also, ISO80 f2.0 15s is sometimes not enough

Click to expand...

I agree - try taking pics of stars with f2.0 and 15 seconds. It doesn't work great.

Personally I think it's pretty stupid that the shutter speeds are limited. This is 2011. Just put in a "custom" field and let me leave the shutter speed open as long as I want.

If they really did remove that that sucks. I guess a workaround would be to shoot raw then increase the exposure afterwards, you could get the equivalent of iso320 in dpp. If it's true that still sounds backwards and annoying though.

Sheraz said:

Jonrp,

How do you compose a night shot with a pitch black display? At a concert there are bright area that can be used as a reference but when shooting a beach and ocean at night it helps to see. In an SLR this is no issue since I use the viewfinder but the s100 can only be composed with the display.

Also, ISO80 f2.0 15s is sometimes not enough, I have some great shots at ISO400 f2.0 15s from my s90 and it is sad to loose the option.

Canon s90 (iso400, f2.0, 15.0s):

Click to expand...

--

Right. u can't, of course. And I don't want it pitch black, just not uber-bright. As to the slr, sure, but I need to do an lcd check to see that I am actually getting acceptable shots before its too late. The histogram is usually missleading as well.

That said, I don't usually use a P&S at a concert anyway, since I'm shooting for the organization, not myself. That is a different game, sure.

I'm right there with you. In manual mode you cant use any ISO except 80 while taking a exposure longer than 1 second. This renders the camera useless as a time lapse instrument, I cant believe Canon would do this seeing it touts its S series as low light compact camera's. Also the fact with they just put a CMOS back on it, it just doesn't add up. Canon tech support said this is part of its system due to noise control. Canon why are you doing this? The S100 is the greatest of all disappointments.. The exact message is " ISO speed is limited due to slow shutter speed" Limited to 80 ISO, any one doing time exposures know this is the last setting you would use doing 1-15 second exposures, I guess they don't want photographers doing sunrises and sunsets, not to mention night shots at all. Canon, fix it.

At this point I'm just praying for CHDK to release a S100 version ASAP. The sooner the better--if we see one at all.

I too am disappointed that Canon is holding this camera back through software means. Because if the controls let you do it, it would certainly be capable of even more!

If that's the greatest dissappointment you've live with u are either very special or very young. And, most sunsets can be shot in less than 1 sec.

It's not directly related, but do any of you know what the "Handheld NightScene" mode is about? It seems to max out at ISO6400 1/4", but it takes 4 shots and does....something with them.

A CHDK for the S100 seems pretty likely. I guess we'll find out whether Canon is blowing smoke, or the sensor really does look bad above base ISO and 1 sec.

Test to see if the noise performance is degrading at 1sec, vs 1/13th. Does look noisier, but hard to say. The diffraction of f8 and possible camera motion are factors.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radellaf/6324122063