Am I Getting Sharp Photos? Fujifilm X-H2S + XF150-600 High ISO & Noise Reduction (VLOG)

[@grahamniven]

Great that you met guys willing to share their experience and knowledge. That's worth so much more than two thirds of a stop at the long end..... 😉 Your images look really good to me. I think that zooming in on a monitor is not the real test of how good an image is, for me the real test is what does it look like on a wall from six feet away. From what I've seen so far today the Fuji firmware update is looking good, I reckon it's worth hanging in there with the X-H2S to see how it goes. Hope your wee Vespa is feeling better soon and the scooter doctor bill isn't too awful. ModernVespa forum is always worth a look for scooter problem solving.

[@PhillipRPeck]

I'm still working on getting images that are print-worthy! But that's an interesting idea, I'd love to compare. And the Vespa is all better now, fingers crossed!

[@vinceklein4168]

Awesome, circumspect video! Keep it up!

[@stevenpitts4689]

Hey, great video, and it sound like you’re doing all the right things. I use the XH2s, with my 160-600mm, and my 70-300mm. I find that anytime I’m shooting fast moving raptors, if I’m at 3200 ISO, that’s my max. King Fishers, maybe at 1/3200 sp, but if my ISO goes to 4000, I drop down my sp. LIght is key, with a crop sensor. Your shots are excellent. Until Fuji comes out with a better firmware update, the Sharpness and CAF success rate will still fall behind Canon or Sony. But I’m totally committed to Fuji because it does really work well. I’ve got plenty of Canon and Sony, even Nikon shooter buddies, and they complain about their own CAF success rates. Great video!! Good luck with the scooter!

[@PhillipRPeck]

Thank you for the comments. Scooter's in the shop, fingers crossed. It probably would be a good idea to limit the auto ISO range to around 3200, I do that on brighter days or when there's not too much tree cover

[@sampost83]

I switched from a robotic Sony A7RIV and got the HX2s & HX2 and while the hit rate is less the shooting experience is much better. I have also used Lightroom, Capture One, and DOX Pure Raw. Lightroom works great now, Capture One doesn’t feel like it doesn’t do anything Lightroom can’t better once you utilize the luminescence slider in LR. Pureraw is just whatever.

[@jessejayphotography]

Hey Phillip, I own the X-H2S and 150-600. What shutter speeds are you typically shooting at? Mechanical shutter or E-shutter? At higher focal lengths (1/320s or slower) at 600mm will suffer from shutter shock. I always try to AT LEAST match my shutter speed to my focal length when using mechanical shutter. With a steady hand you can sometimes go slower with electronic shutter. With f5.6-8 aperture range we are forced to be creative to try and get shutter speed up and keep ISO low and maintain a good exposure. I find the challenge fun and enjoyable. But you are correct that a proper exposure at a high ISO is the correct way to use ISO. Using DxO PureRAW 3 ISO ranges between 160-8000 are very useable. Above 8K things can't be fixed with noise reduction and detail will suffer. I use DxO Photolab 7 which uses PureRAW 3 and I'm really impressed with the RAW processing. As far as I know, PureRAW 4 is NOT optimized for X-Trans sensors...at least they said that at launch. Perhaps an update came out to address this? As far as photo editing...I recently ditched Lightroom and exclusively use DxO Photolab with exported and optically corrected TIFF files polished up in Luminar with their handy tools for specific tasks. I hate editing in photoshop with all the manual tedium of layers, layer masks, and the 10 step process to do one thing. It's the least enjoyable thing for me in the process. I'm happy to send you a link with some high res photos of what I have achieved with my setup. 🤘

[@PhillipRPeck]

Most of the photos in the video have the camera settings listed (focal length, ISO, aperture, SS) but with the X-H2S, I typically shoot in shutter priority and choose the shutter based on what the subject is doing (is it relatively still or is it flying, etc.) and what my focal length is. Basically, as slow as I think I can get it. For birds I shoot in electronic shutter for the lack of shutter shock, burst rate, and silence. On the X-T5, I use the ES/MS mode, I'm not sure what it's called, but it's the combination of electronic and mechanical shutter which helps eliminate shutter shock. I barely use Photoshop as well. I never really learned it and I find the interface completely baffling. I'd love to see some of your stuff.

[@dannybaresi]

At F8 600 or 900mm (APS-C) and whatever shutter speed is required: If you are shooting a subject without much light, the camera is going to increase ISO until it reaches what it believes is a balanced exposure. The exposure is however, a false representation of reality and therefore introduces noise. You must over-ride auto ISO and ball park the exposure to the low light that is true (then maybe add a tiny bit of ISO compensation), then in post increase the brightness until you start to get degradation. What you are doing is shooting at the extremes of the cameras capabilities, this requires you to be the judge, not the camera. Noise is not a consideration of the exposure triangle, creating light where there is none especially at massive distances at f8 whilst not using a super sensitive sensor, is going to be a difficult challenge. I always read by what I see, not what the light meter says.

[@lionheart4424]

Great video, thank you so much! Did you tried converting raws into jpgs in camera and applying the high ISO noise reduction just to see how these end up? This helps me be prepared for when my XF 150-600mm arrives. Sadly Sigma never released their contemporary 150-600mm on X mount. But the XF lens is the only internal zoom super telephoto with linear motors you can use on X mount. So before I save enough to buy the beautiful 500mm f/5.6 with a TC this lens will do.

[@PhillipRPeck]

I haven't tried that. I tend to take so many photos that it just doesn't make sense to process them in camera. Sort of need a big monitor and a program like Lightroom to preview all the images to select the ones you want to process. But it would be an interesting experiment, I could try the X RAW plugin on desktop on some photos that I've already picked out in Lightroom

[@williamchan8866]

The irony of long lens to get really sharp pics you have to get in as close as possible. The less atmosphere between you and the subject the better it gets, which is not always possible with birds. I have the same lens and a lot of times I do zero processing just JPEGs coz I just want to post it. So I do a straight transfer to my phone….if I’m close enough it’s incredibly sharp with no phone enhancements. Going the other way..I find shooting with infinity is tricky with this lens. It doesn’t matter how far away the subject is….if I missed focused even at 100m or more it’s out of focus. The actual infinity on this lens is very very far away.

[@PhillipRPeck]

That's a good point about atmospheric distortions and how relatively close you still need to be with such a long zoom. With infinity focus are you manually focusing or still using AF? Just curious

[@williamchan8866]

@@PhillipRPeck I still AF the subject especially flying birds far away. At first I was quite surprised I thought when the subjects is very far it would be easy….so now I’m make sure I focus on to the birds and not something else even further away. Another thing about sharpness is the type of background. If you have a busy background then the birds seems less sharp or if the overall scene lacks contrast again the birds seems softer.

[@lumberjack3008]

I sold my XH2 as the AF was crap, too many false negative results, replaced it with a Nikon Z8, keeping my XH2s. Getting sharp photos with the XH2s with the 150-600mm isn't any problem. I'm never pushing ISO above 3200. The hit rate of the Z8 with the 70-200/2.8 or the 180-600mm isn't better than the XH2s when shooting speedway, motocross or birds in flight. Shot thousands of photos with it. Capture One's noise reduction isn't great, but the RAW handling is.

[@Mortenthorpe-DK]

I have the X-H2S, both the XF 150-600 and the XF 100-400. The shorter focal length lens is better! Topping out at f 5.6 it is a full stop faster than the larger lens - and it makes an enormous difference!

[@PhillipRPeck]

That is a huge difference and definitely a big downside of the 150-600 even in comparison to comparable lenses like the Sony 200-600 and the Nikon 180-600. However, I find that I'm using that 600mm a LOT, so I don't know that I'd be satisfied with the XF100-400. I guess cropping wouldn't be too bad

[@lionheart4424]

​@@PhillipRPeckwith the 100-400mm you get more light but loose the internal zoom, the white color for better heat dissipation (though you could buy a camouflage for it), and also the front buttons if I'm not mistaken. Besides the obvious 200mm extra reach.

[@dannybaresi]

Can you do exposure bracketing but with ISO rather than shutter speed?

[@PhillipRPeck]

I don't think so ... But I think the idea behind exposure bracketing is that you'd set an ideal ISO and the over-exposed brackets would compensate for an otherwise under-exposed or high ISO picture of the scene

[@dannybaresi]

​@@PhillipRPeck I never use Auto- ISO because how does a camera know if it is night or day, it can also misbehave like it used to on my A7II. Under exposing an image at this length is OK If you've maxed the aperture and shutter, use a less grainy ISO and pull up the brightness in processing. What are the results?

[@jessejayphotography]

I use AUTO ISO with manual control of my aperture and shutter speed exclusively with great results. Use exposure compensation to override what the camera is doing. Simple.

[@NickErickson]

@@jessejayphotography This is the way

[@thehiddentiger2199]

I’ve never hunted before. Wildlife/birding feels like hunting to me. Learning how to track and work a subject. Getting close with your feet really helps with sharpness. And if I shot fuji, I have this feeling id choose the xt5 over the 2s. I actually did that on the Sony side choosing the r4 over the a9. What body do you predominantly use?

[@PhillipRPeck]

For birds I primarily use the XH2s because the really high burst rate and the silent shutter. I also much prefer the bigger body with the 150-600

[@thehiddentiger2199]

@@PhillipRPeck does it have an aa filter on it?

[@thehiddentiger2199]

Just googled it, it doesn’t 😁

[@PhillipRPeck]

Yeah, Fuji's X-Trans sensors supposedly don't suffer from aliasing and moire so no need of an AA filter

[@dccoletrain]

I got some really sharp pics with that lens on a X-S10 when I got it. I have a X-S20 now and I’m not sure if subject detection helps or not… I need to use it more to justify the price. I just picked up a light weight monopod which should help.

[@PhillipRPeck]

I really like the X-S20. I think the subject detection should help and a monopod for sure will help get some slower shutter speeds. Love your e-bike!

[@dccoletrain]

@@PhillipRPeck thanks. I’d take my expensive lenses with me since I have that basket but I’d be afraid of damaging them. I do ride with my X100VI and or action cams sometimes.

[@PhillipRPeck]

@@dccoletrain I put my cameras and lenses in a camera bag and wear it on my back when I ride. I worry that the zippers will give out one day and all my stuff will go tumbling out, but ... so far so good

[@NickErickson]

Alright I'm gonna throw my theory out here and see if anyone can relate. I use a Fuijfilm X-S20 and before that I had the X-S10. Both cameras are extremely capable of taking incredible photos, and they usually do. BUT my theory is that the Fujifilm autofocus issues don't just affect the difficult AF situations such as video tracking, BIF, etc., but that they will mess up a simple AF-S single point shot. It will screw up on the most basic point and shoot AF situation. Shutter speed, aperture, still subject, all that is where it is supposed to be for the image I want to create, and the camera will give me a false-positive green box. When I look at the photo later on, it just looks slightly mushy and out of focus. The kicker is that it usually only does this on cameras that have a more complicated optical formula. For example, the 150-600 has lots of glass to move around, my Tamron 18-300mm is a similar situation. It's like the camera will say "good enough!" and show the green box when in reality it has not achieved critical focus. But on prime lenses, or zooms with shorter focal lengths, where the camera can look through the lens with amazing IQ it is more confident in acquiring critical focus because the sensor and AF system can "see" it. This has really caused me a lot of mental strain and I have lost basically all confidence in my camera. I really want to switch to something else, but I also don't want to go through the hassle of it all.

[@PhillipRPeck]

I totally relate. I've been thinking about just renting another camera system so I can just satisfy whether my struggles are any number of things I mention in the video or if they're just bad AF, at which point I can say bye bye Fuji and move on

[@NickErickson]

@@PhillipRPeck Yup! Gonna rent some equipment from my local camera store and start doing some hands on testing