Disadvantages of S5Pro (if any at all)

[cityofangels]

Hi All,

I am actually interested to know if the S5Pro users have found any disadvantages of this camera. I have been hearing so much hype about this camera and by going with the logic of, "nothing's perfect", I would like to find out the cons of this camera before making a decision.

So S5pro users, are there any peeves that you would like to mention about this camera that you would like to share?

Thanks heaps!

[eyes]

I don't own this camera but had a chance to try it out from a friend. The tone and colours are great if you are looking to out of camera only workflow.

However the buffer sucks big time (personal opinion), slow compared to it's nearest cousin Nikon D200.

This camera is great if you're into potraiture or landscapes; definately not for sports or journalism.

This is one of those cameras close to no post processing with film like feel.

[poh6702]

Originally Posted by cityofangels Hi All, I am actually interested to know if the S5Pro users have found any disadvantages of this camera. I have been hearing so much hype about this camera and by going with the logic of, "nothing's perfect", I would like to find out the cons of this camera before making a decision. So S5pro users, are there any peeves that you would like to mention about this camera that you would like to share? Thanks heaps!

Price:

[photobum]

The image delete feature is cumbersome to some people. However, I do not find it so.

My only pick on it is the Hyper-Utility software HS-V3. I was using Nikon Capture with my D100 and D200 (not mine) previously, and find the Fuji interface confusing.

[Azure]

Nothing is perfect. A better-informed decision may be to try out a live set for a bit.

Here you get only individual user's gripes. And those pertain to each of our ways of looking at a camera. The gripe that it isn't suited for photojournalistic work is valid to one but total rubbish to someone else, just for example. It boils down to individual preferances and style of use. Whatever the rest of us may say may be totally irrelevant to what you want and how you shoot - eg : you may prefer to have a Canon-style dial at the back of the body. So there you go.

[nightwolf75]

disadvantages? hmm

a) i really hate the freaking fuji GUI.
b) i miss the 4 soft button options from the s2 and s3.
c) the AF is a tad slower than d200 - even tho both cameras' innards are essentially the same.
d) read/write speeds; especially if u turn on all the bells and whistles AND shoot in CCD-RAW+Jpg... u'll understand why the manual says sandisk extreme cards.
e) totally agree with photobum on the HUS. then again, it is only useful if u are shooting tethered and/or need to process RAW files.

BUT, once u get past these quirks...

s5pro is definitely not a jack-of-all-trades camera. if u want dat, get the d200. anything else... as long as u are prepare to take it slow when shooting, get ready for some OMG moments when u print the pics or show them to your frens.

[Triodeman]

Some more "disadvantages":

1. Japan made Fujifilm rechargeable batteries are more expensive than Nikon's. And no, you cant use D200 rechargeable batteries even physically they look the same.

2. CCD cleaning service from Fujifilm is more expensive than Nikon, think it's like S$80 vs S$25.

3. File size for RAW format is huge! If shoot Raw + Fine JPEG, on the 8 GB CF card, it can only store less than 300 pictures I think.

With the above, still I will choose S5Pro over D200 for the natural and accurate colour reproduction especially the skin tone. Not much post processing needed.

[Terence]

I used to own a S2pro which I thought was a great camera packed into a slow obsolete body. I waited with great anticipation when Fuji announced the S5pro more than a year ago. I had the chance to spend a week with one but the results I got were less than stellar. Granted I hadn't had time to read the manual fully to tweak the many custom settings as I was immersed with a project and brought the S5 as a backup.

I used the S5 like how I used my S2. Set it up on iso 400 and used it mostly for indoor shots. I found the images to be noisy and color reproduction way off. I had tweaked around with the various color settings but none of them yielded the wonderful colors which the S2 was capable of.

Am I doing something wrong here? It seems to me like my experience is quite unlike those of other S5 users who have nothing but praise for the images coming out of the cam. Can some of the more experienced users comment?

[nightwolf75]

Originally Posted by Terence I used to own a S2pro which I thought was a great camera packed into a slow obsolete body. I waited with great anticipation when Fuji announced the S5pro more than a year ago. I had the chance to spend a week with one but the results I got were less than stellar. Granted I hadn't had time to read the manual fully to tweak the many custom settings as I was immersed with a project and brought the S5 as a backup. I used the S5 like how I used my S2. Set it up on iso 400 and used it mostly for indoor shots. I found the images to be noisy and color reproduction way off. I had tweaked around with the various color settings but none of them yielded the wonderful colors which the S2 was capable of. Am I doing something wrong here? It seems to me like my experience is quite unlike those of other S5 users who have nothing but praise for the images coming out of the cam. Can some of the more experienced users comment?

hey, terrence!

erm... could it be the WB? i, too, faced similar problems when shooting indoors with mixed lighting. IMO, this is a leftover from d200 cos i had WB problems when i was still using the d200.

still thinking whether to splurge on getting a Expodisc from CP next mth, especially i foresee myself shooting in tungsten/florescent mixed lighting situations in the later half of the year...

[blazer_workz]

Originally Posted by Terence I used to own a S2pro which I thought was a great camera packed into a slow obsolete body. I waited with great anticipation when Fuji announced the S5pro more than a year ago. I had the chance to spend a week with one but the results I got were less than stellar. Granted I hadn't had time to read the manual fully to tweak the many custom settings as I was immersed with a project and brought the S5 as a backup. I used the S5 like how I used my S2. Set it up on iso 400 and used it mostly for indoor shots. I found the images to be noisy and color reproduction way off. I had tweaked around with the various color settings but none of them yielded the wonderful colors which the S2 was capable of. Am I doing something wrong here? It seems to me like my experience is quite unlike those of other S5 users who have nothing but praise for the images coming out of the cam. Can some of the more experienced users comment?

hmm..noisy?

[wind30]

is the auto WB for the S5 worse than the S3?

I used to love the auto WB of the s3pro which gives me nice colors for a wide variety of situations.

[Terence]

Originally Posted by blazer_workz hmm..noisy?

digital noise apparent in shots taken at iso 400 and 800, to a point where it's comparable to images shot with a compact point and snap.

[Terence]

Originally Posted by nightwolf75 hey, terrence! erm... could it be the WB? i, too, faced similar problems when shooting indoors with mixed lighting. IMO, this is a leftover from d200 cos i had WB problems when i was still using the d200. still thinking whether to splurge on getting a Expodisc from CP next mth, especially i foresee myself shooting in tungsten/florescent mixed lighting situations in the later half of the year...

I personally think the expodisc is more trouble than it's worth. Bought one a couple of years back and don't think I've used it more than 2 or 3 times. The hassle of taking a reading each time under changing lighting conditions is more trouble than you will want to load yourself with. I'd rather deal with WB problems in the post processing.

The auto WB function on the S5pro does leave a bit to be desired. It wasn't very accurate but that's not the main gripe I have with the camera when I was using it. It was the soft quality to many of the images as well as the color reproduction. I found it came up with some very unnatural and inaccurate colors at the various different film simulation settings. Colors seem a bit washed out at the default setting too.

[gooseberry]

Originally Posted by nightwolf75 hey, terrence! erm... could it be the WB? i, too, faced similar problems when shooting indoors with mixed lighting. IMO, this is a leftover from d200 cos i had WB problems when i was still using the d200.

The WB is electronic/software, the S5 pro uses the same hardware (body, shutter, AF system, metering system) as the D200, but the electronics/software is not as this is dependant on sensor, image processing etc and this is all Fuji.

[Harry Potter]

Nikon user interface is better

[nightwolf75]

Originally Posted by Terence I personally think the expodisc is more trouble than it's worth. Bought one a couple of years back and don't think I've used it more than 2 or 3 times. The hassle of taking a reading each time under changing lighting conditions is more trouble than you will want to load yourself with. I'd rather deal with WB problems in the post processing. The auto WB function on the S5pro does leave a bit to be desired. It wasn't very accurate but that's not the main gripe I have with the camera when I was using it. It was the soft quality to many of the images as well as the color reproduction. I found it came up with some very unnatural and inaccurate colors at the various different film simulation settings. Colors seem a bit washed out at the default setting too.

hmm... yeah. the AWB of s5pro has received a little flak from overseas users too. personally, i found it pretty good outdoors. indoors it does suffer a bit.

i got ard the softness problem by bumping up the sharpening to +2 (aka HARD). if u dun wish the camera to make the decision, USM at 100%, 2.0 and 0 works for me.

as for the colours... erm, i dun have a problem with watever the cam captures. dats my personal pref tho.

[cityofangels]

First of all, I want to thank you guys for sharing your insights/peeves/comments.

Terence: You have to be the first person I know who does not like the colours the S5 produces.

Triodeman: I agree with you. Despite all the feedback, I am still leaning towards the S5Pro.

nightwolf75: Yup, I intend to take it nice & slow when I am shooting. I'm not planning to do any sports events etc. The colours which the S5 is able to produce still blows me away.

[paisatge]

1. it gives you a sensation of slow operational speed. After you take a shot, you have to wait a while before the picture shows up in the screen.

2. it would be nice if they have a shortcut button for the film simulation mode. You have to go to the menu to select the mode which I think it's a bit "leceh"

Other than that, it's the camera for me, considering i don't use the continuous shooting mode.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by paisatge 2. it would be nice if they have a shortcut button for the film simulation mode. You have to go to the menu to select the mode which I think it's a bit "leceh"

This I fully agree with! For a former S2/S3 Pro user, I'm spoilt by that button.

Nightwolf - I shoot indoors and outdoors. No problem with the WB. In fact I like the options that I now have that weren't there in the S3. Indoors, under different lighting conditions, the S5 is far better than its predecessor, spot-on so far. Yes, with those idiotic lamps in sports halls as well.

Terence - maybe you may want to take up the WB question with Fuji. Just a thought, print out your "bad" images and show them.

[Terence]

Originally Posted by cityofangels First of all, I want to thank you guys for sharing your insights/peeves/comments. Terence: You have to be the first person I know who does not like the colours the S5 produces.

It could jolly well be due to the fact I wasn't optimising the in camera settings. Like I said, I loved the way the way the images were coming out of my S2pro and was hoping to replicate that in the S5pro. I've found the settings I've used the camera with so far have produced either strangely oversaturated tones or something rather washed out. Although I did have the camera for a week, I didn't have that much time to explore it any further than some cursory tweaks in the film simulation menu.