Back on uncertain ground

[Jorgen Udvang]

After a period with more challenges than usual, I have finally started using my new S5. Yesterday was my first day out, and since this was just street photos for fun, I grabbed the 500mm Reflex and walked out into the sunset.

Both photos are jpegs straight out of the S5, ISO 800 and standard settings except DR, which was set to maximum (400%). I used center weighted average, which usually works best with the 500mm. Both are taken handheld in direct sunlight, and there's no editing whatsoever.

If I ever wonder why I like the Fuji's, the first of these is enough to remind me.

1/1600s

1/3200s

 

[Steen]

nice tonality (e.g. white areas), beautiful skintones, great DR, rich colors, crisp sharpness ...
a pity there's no room for improvement with RAW
congrats with your new lightrecorder, Jorgen

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Thanks Steen. I was actually surprised how well the S5 tackled the nuances of white, and not a single spot is blown, even better than the S3. I'm going to have a lot of fun with that camera.

Since the viewfinder is rather good, and the camera will meter with non-cpu lenses, it's time to invest in some good, old AIS glass, don't you think?

 

[Steen]

Yes indeed. Right at the moment I shoot nothing but manual focus AI-S type lenses (the ZF ones).
I need to admit it's a challenge to nail the focus with 85mm and up with my D300 viewfinder, but at the same time it's sort of a great feeling, feels like actually photographing again

 

[helenhill]

Congrats on the S5
I truly LOVE your S3 shots
and it looks like the S5 is outstanding as well
The overall color,warmth & feel I much prefer than your nikon
Lovely post #1...and your probably on more REAL ground now :ROTFL:
Best-H

 

[jonoslack]

Stunning shot Jorgen - and the dynamic range is nothing short of outstanding . . . without that nasty HDR look either (at least, I think it's nasty!).

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Thank you all for your kind words. November is festival time here in Thailand (well, actually, all year is festival time here, but in November, the festivals are just pouring down), and the weather is the best anywhere, anytime, so I'll be out and about, taking photos day and night. I'll try to post a couple now and then.

Interesting comment about HDR, Jono. I'm still undecided about that, but until now, I've found that improving my photo skills is more important than learning yet another way of post-processing, not to speak about taking several photos to get one. Where's the spontaneity in that? And yes, I do think that HDR looks kind of kitsch.

 

[Cindy Flood]

Your work with the Fuji's is just outstanding. Congratulations on the new S5.

 

[Vivek]

Nice, Jorgen.

When you do the 400% DR, does the pixel count drop? How large are the images (I never could figure out if these are 6MP or 12Mp cams)?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Nice, Jorgen.

When you do the 400% DR, does the pixel count drop? How large are the images (I never could figure out if these are 6MP or 12Mp cams)?

This is the never-ending question:

No, the pixel count doesn't drop, but it looks to me like some resolution disappears from ISO800 and up. There's an indication that something happens, somewhere in the user manual as well, but it isn't properly explained.

With the S3, I got the best results by shooting in 12MP mode and down-sizing if necessary. The resulting 6MP files seem sharper than if shot in 6MP mode. If I shoot RAW and open in ACR, they open as 6MP by default.

With Fuji Hyperutility, the RAW files can be opened as 12MP, and in general, HU is supposed to give much better results from the RAW files than ACR. No wonder, since Fuji obviously knows more about those RAW files than anybody else, and they are apparently rather special (and big, at 30MB).

So my answer would be something like: 12MP at ISO100-200, 6-12MP depending on the light and the exposure at ISO400 (which I use a lot), and 6MP at 800. I don't use 1600 or 3200 much.

 

[Vivek]

Thanks, Jorgen. Interesting twists there!

 

[DonWeston]

Jorgen, Jono - HDR seems to be the new "IN" thing right now. In the club I belong to it is the thing most talked about. To me also, most of the hdr images look fake. IF one attempted years ago to show all the impossible tonal relationhips in a photo, like often reflections lighter in water then the image above, they would have been highly criticized, but today people just seem to ooh and aah....I just don't get it really. After 35 yrs of doing mono darkroom work, it just does not look right to me. I would totally agree with the kitzch comment. The S5 appeals to me more and more, as I have commented elsewhere I hope Fuji sees fit to produce another dslr this year. Jorgen - can you comment about the focusing speed and accuracy of the S5 compared to your other cameras, esp the S3. Is this something that was improved in the newer model?? Prices on the S5 in the USA anyway seem to continually fall, which may make this a possible second body purchase. I really think all wedding shooters would use this for its dynamic range alone.....what do I know..haha.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Don,
You're joking, right? You're talking with a man now who can't focus on anything faster than a sleeping turtle, and that is with my own eyes. I don't even dare speaking about the camera.

Ok, ok... actually, I spent the last two days at the race-track (sore feet, sunburn, tired eyes, great fun ) , so here are a few samples. All shot with the 80-200 AF-S and Tamron 1.4x TC at 280mm, stopped down to f/5.6 or f/6.3 (the Wolseley). The Ford crop is at 12MP, the other two are 6. All shot in jpeg.

Remember also that the 80-200 AF-S is a speed monster. It feels like it's powered by a V8 engine, and when it stops against infinity focus, the ground shakes. Still, I'm impressed (D3-owners probably wouldn't be). It's a completely different world from the S3, with regards to speed, accuracy and not least with regards to functionality.

Here are the samples. I don't do much sports, and certainly not much motor-sports, so take them for what they are.

100% crop, 6MP

100% crop, 6MP

100% crop, 12MP

The Bang Saen speed week can be warmly recommended btw. It's a street circuit, and Bang Saen, a seaside resort just an hour's drive south-east of Bangkok is really bustling with life. There's good food, fast cars and beautiful women all over the place. Can't get better than that, can it

 

[gromitspapa]

Hey... I've got the same helmet as your rider in "Yellow Speed." Oops- I mean my dog does!

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Hey... I've got the same helmet as your rider in "Yellow Speed." Oops- I mean my dog does!

And it's correctly focused as well :ROTFL:

 

[DonWeston]

"Don,
You're joking, right? You're talking with a man now who can't focus on anything faster than a sleeping turtle, and that is with my own eyes. I don't even dare speaking about the camera.

Ok, ok... actually, I spent the last two days at the race-track (sore feet, sunburn, tired eyes, great fun ) , so here are a few samples. All shot with the 80-200 AF-S and Tamron 1.4x TC at 280mm, stopped down to f/5.6 or f/6.3 (the Wolseley). The Ford crop is at 12MP, the other two are 6. All shot in jpeg.

Remember also that the 80-200 AF-S is a speed monster. It feels like it's powered by a V8 engine, and when it stops against infinity focus, the ground shakes. Still, I'm impressed (D3-owners probably wouldn't be). It's a completely different world from the S3, with regards to speed, accuracy and not least with regards to functionality.

Here are the samples. I don't do much sports, and certainly not much motor-sports, so take them for what they are."

Jorgen - Not really joking,[and your car shots prove that you indeed do fine focusing] just trying to use the correct tool for the right job. For sports I would be hard pressed to find a better tool then the D300 as long as light levels are reasonable, else I would be looking for an FX body. I use the an older 2 ring 80-200/2.8 ED version, not as fast as the AFS, but has been good enough for auto racing on this side of the ocean, and for high school football. But the Fuji cameras really excel on people images, great skin tones, and as long they are not in car racing or sports, and relatively still, I stll feel the Fuji cameras are great. Never having used an S5 I was curious about your feelings on its focusing speed and accuracy, any improvement? Also, I do not tend to print people stuff as large as landscape, travel stuff. So an effective rez of 8-9Mp would be sufficient.
At this point, I am not buying further camera bodies until I see the next generation of 24mp bodies, from Nikon and hopefully Fuji...

 

[DonWeston]

This is one from last summers local Lime Rock track here in Connecticut, but with my D200 and 80-200mm ED.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Don,
I think we agree. The S5 is probably identical to the D200 with regards to AF. I was surprised how big the improvements were from the S3, not least with regards to focus tracking. When it comes to cars coming head on, I wouldn't trust anything but the AF-S lens though. It focuses faster than I can think. I bought it second-hand instead of a new non-AF-S, and although it's bigger and heavier, that's a decision I've never regretted.

I had a scary experience on Sunday btw. I was standing at the highest point of the circuit, taking front views of the cars as they accelerated up the hill, at a location together with the some race-track safety-crew. Before the "Supercar" class (4-500 horsepower modified production cars) started, I moved to another location at the start/finish straight just around the corner. On the first round, one of the cars crashed into exactly into the location where I had been standing, injuring at least one seriously.

I guess they'll do some changes there for next year's race. I left the track, assuming that I'd spent my portion of luck that day

Here's where I was standing :shocked:

 

[DonWeston]

Jorgen - you are one lucky bloke for sure, my local track has changed much over the years, placing the fans and shooters usually higher up then the cars, only a few places remain around the course to shoot cars on a more even height, and unless you have press credentials you can not get too close to the action and even they are behind barricades in most places....lots of different from the 70's and 80's where I would just arrive early and be able to walk on the course, they would see a camera and just assume you were a pro..

Luckily todays gear permits better shots by far from many locations....car racing is alot of fun to shoot, although I only get to do it once or twice per year now...and I do agree that we are most likely saying the same thing about the Fujis...keep on shooting...Don

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Don,
For car races, press credentials is mostly the key to good photos. Without it, I rarely go. Standing behind a fence along a straight isn't my idea of having fun They are becoming more strict in this country as well though, particularly at major events, and I was thrown out from some perfect shooting-locations last weekend. What works for me, is to get there early in the morning (that works for any event obviously), before the crowds arrive. The guards are usually more cooperative then.