I spend much of my photography time sitting in semi-dark rooms trying to catch the fleeting expressions of my friends in my am-dram group. Having discarded numerous digi-cameras over the years I've finally settled on the Sony V3 + Vivitar 285, getting some excellent results but obviously at the cost of spoiling the atmosphere with my obtrusive flashgun. I do NOT wish to be burdened by a cumbersome DSLR, and especially to going back to peering through a viewfinder instead of using the excellent 2.5in. LCD of the Sony. So, I've been very attracted to the spec. of the Fuji f10, and it's reportedly highly usable iso1600. But I'll be blowed if I'm going to invest in yet another type of memory card - Fuji's barmy xd card - what's wrong with the tiny sd card for goodness sake, for which I have a 1gb example in my wife's camera. I only chose the Sony because they'd decided to put dual compact flash/memory stick slots in the camera. Unfortunately I also use my rehearsal camera to capture short video-clips so I need a large card. Fuji you chumps, you've lost a potential customer here. Please quickly provide an updated camera to the f10 using an sd card OR Question Does anyone know of a more sensible manufacturer working on usable high-iso's for small compacts ? Ray Hopper
High-iso's for small compacts usually means noise... One way round it is to use a dc that can stay wide open at any focal length and has IS like the Panasonic FZ5... Have a read through this thread and you'll see what I mean... Note the 'concert' pics... Chris ...and it uses sd cards!
Sorry for formatting in my original, the cut and paste from offline added some extra spacing ! Chris - many thanks for response. "High-iso's for small compacts usually means noise" Sure, but the reviews for the F10 indicate that Fuji may have significantly improved noise, even at iso1600. I have looked at using image-stabilising, with the Nikon 8800 (which got sent back for impossibly slow focussing in low light). This would be fine if my subjects were relatively still, but the trouble is they're often whizzing about all over the place, and have even been known to dance ! Now, if I'm looking at a typical situation of, say, f2.8 and 1/8th sec at iso100, image stabilising doesn't help freeze action, it just gives a sharper image of movement. At iso1600 however, I should be improving shutter speed to 1/125th. (I think!) Ray
Hi Ray You can ‘preview’ your post before submitting As for the 1600 ISO on the Fuji F10. If it gives acceptable results then fine. I think I was thinking about the Panasonics aperture staying at F3.5 throughout the zoom range (not sure how far you are from the action?). The F10 starts at F5 and goes to F8 when zooming in. If you use F8 in a dim environment I’m not sure if the shutter speed will be around 1/125 even at 1600 ISO (you do the math - I'm well past it) Also, I’m not happy about the manual controls on the F10, they seem limited to me… Have you seen this review and sample pics? Anyway, A good test would be to try them both in the shop (if it's dim enough) and see what you think. Chris ...have fun!
Chris, Again many thanks for responding. "Have you seen this review and sample pics?" I certainly have. I access the DP review site at least twice a day. It was this review, in fact, which persuaded me to wait for the F10 successor (blaming the xd card alone was a precis of my reasons) However, that doesn't alter my view that Fuji is really on to something here (ie provision of usable high iso's in small compacts) which will eventually take digital way ahead of film capability. Imagine never ever needing flash again ! Ray
We are in a very exciting time. The explosion of digital camera started perhaps a year ago and anouncements of new models with new tricks every month are no longer surprising news. Most of these are simply rearrangement of priorities, but now the F10 dropped a bombshell: it can do under light and dark conditions. The noise issue at ISO 800 and 1600 is no more than the level one associates with ISO 200 in all of the rest. (Look at the samples in DCResource). While at the same time, and this is important, its photos taken in bright light are *superb*. (Look at the samples in DPReviews). But.....it has given no concession to manual setting of exposure parameters: everthing is Auto; like it or leave it. I am doubtful if Fuji is in a hurry to push out a new model with complete manual control (P/A/S/M) *and* low light capability as F10. That is, not until someone muscles in with a credible comparable technology, I fear. Now, Fuji would say if you want this capability in your go-anywhere-all-weather pocket camera, you have to buy two cameras, one for daytime, say, E550, and another for the evening, i.e. F10. Ha... Bee.
Fuji F10 low light capability equal Take a look at the last two sample photos here: http://www.digineff.cz/art/jakejeto/050530ricohgx8.html One is at ISO 800 and the other 1600, both in natural light. Do you not think they are very respectable under the difficult (lighting) condition? Ricoh GX8 is indeed a credible contender to Fuji F10/Z1, not least because of its unsurpassed natural authentic colour (we are confining ourselves in discussing sub-SLR here ). Bee.
