Just when you thought all was lost with the X-S1 Fuji do it again, with not one but two new HS Series cameras for us. The HS30 which is a more Semi-Pro model and a more stripped down Auto shooter The HS25. Both retain the same optics and 16mp sensor.
The HS30 now sports a new 920000 dot electronic view finder ( alah DSLR ) and the HS25 retains the a similar LCD, but the EVF is only 230000dots.
The HS30 also retains the 460000 dot LCD but with upgraded specs.
The new F770EXR is a revelation too, with 20x zoom and all sorts of other nice goodies.
The Following links take you to the new cameras.
It would appear that Fuji have listened to their customers and recognized that they are in a very good position to bring more of the Fuji innovation to the market.
Also just to hand this piece of info which I think is quite revealing regarding Fuji's new upcoming Pro level camera.
Wells Fargo Fuji News
HS30
HS25
F770
Ralph, I'll be anxious to see your results with the HS30 and how it compares to the HS20. Looks like a new lens and sensor! If it does astrophotography with less noise than the HS20, I will pick one up.....as the HS20 was a big improvement over the HS10, so we'll see if the HS30 offers a similar kind of improvement!
ReplyDeleteIm sad to see the AA batteries go and the high speed modes :( I wanted to use the high speed modes to do afocal astrophotography with the telescope through the eyepiece of my telescope, and get a bunch of planetary images and stack them, Astrocam style :) I was going to use either 1280x720 at 60fps or 640x480 at 80fps. I know the HS10 was 50% quicker at 640x480 size, but could not match the HS20 1280x720 at 60fps (it has 960x720 at 60 fps I believe)..... any of the higher speeds available with either camera have too small of a resolution to care about (I wouldnt go below 640x480.) The HS25/30, while having new lenses and sensors, max out at 30fps in each mode :( I wonder what led them to change the lens and add extra aspherical elements---- did you notice a significant amount of corner softness or loss of resolution and detail with the HS10 or HS20? If you saw it with the HS20 but not the HS10 then it may mean that the 16mp sensor taxes the lens, and that the softness and loss of resolution and detail would disappear at 8mp mode. I would take the HS25, because of the new sensor and lens and retention of AA batteries, but it's not much of an upgrade, as you lose RAW and high speed movie capabilities, while not getting the benefits of the new EVF (I dont use the EVF on the HS20, as I have an LCD protector and shade on the HS20 LCD and it works very well.) The 3D mode on the new cams is a gimmick lol.
What do you think of all this, Ralph?
Hi Alex
ReplyDeleteIn the HS10 there was noticeable softness in the lens at full tele and in low-light at full wide. The HS20 doesn't seem to suffer as badly in this regard due to the change in focal length due to a bigger sensor.
An extra aspherical lens added into the mix can only be a good thing, as it should help control sharpness right out to the edge, and minimize any C.A.
I'm not yet entirely sold on getting the HS30, it depends on how successful Fuji are at mitigating the problems associated with the current sensor in the XS-1. I had eyes on the XS-1 as a replacement for my SLR's, and I really dont want to have to go to a multi lens setup.
To date the shots I've seen from the XS-1 range from average to woeful, and include the orbs problem of course.
As much as I would like to replace the HS20 reasonably soon, for the time being I've not seen anything better so I will keep it for a while yet.