Monday, March 5, 2012

XS1 Vs HS10

Fuji HS10
There is a comparison currently under discussion at the FTF forums in regard to image quality between the XS1 & HS10. It is by no means scientific but does show how real users would use the camera and the type of environment it may well be used in.
Follow this link for a look at the images and the following discussion if you are contemplating buying an XS1.
Below is my reply to the creator of the forum thread with a accompanying discussion on the merits of the purchase of the XS1. This is a relatively brief reply as I didn't want to break it down to a basic nuts & bolts level.




Nice preliminary comparison. I would say in IQ its 50/50, the XS1 is better at shorter F.L but the HS10 is clearly better at longer F.L
Some points to consider if you are contemplating buying an XS1
  • The HS10 is a slow camera functionality wise but does have a good lens and reasonable IQ.
  • The HS20 is better in all aspects over the HS10 except for video. It has a larger sensor with the same lens, which we know to be a good performer.
  • Current pricing for a new HS20 is very cheap at the moment & will get cheaper.
  • The HS30 is very close to market and should be a big improvement in functionality over both the HS10 & HS20. Faster and larger EVF, better resolution in the EVF & LCD just to name a few improvements. I think the HS30 could well be what the HS20 should have been.
  • HS30 IQ is improved due to sensor redesign (samples are coming available from new owners)
  • Improved performance in the XS1 in AF & EVF is good as well as improved functionality in a number of areas according to Fuji.
  • XS1 is plagued by several design flaws that make some units virtually unusable.
  • Possible recall announcement due Mid March.
  • You have to ask the question is the XS1 going to be a seriously large leap forward in Image Quality to make it worth the price of 2 HS20's or an good entry level DSLR.
To date I haven't seen a single XS1 image that is significantly better IQ wise than my HS20. Right from the start I questioned this, and to date have yet to be convinced there's any real improvement of the 1/2 sensor used in the HS20, and why would you pay for a bridge camera that's clearly less than expectation and doesn't even seem to match the quality achieved by Fuji with the S100fs, the benchmark cam for large bridge cameras.
And that's what its about. If you don't want a DSLR, but rather an all in one solution, with better IQ than the super-zoom HS20, then the XS1 should be the camera of choice, and for most purposes this camera should be as good operationally as an entry level DSLR. Clearly its not (at least at the moment), thus it really cant justify its price point.
This is the market that the XS1 competes in and buyers at this level have some pretty serious sets of requirements. My advice would be look at the HS30 and watch Fuji to see what they are going to do about the known issues with the X series cameras.
The thing I find most interesting is the possibility that there may and I stress this  there "may be" a information update due Mid March. This has now been reported from several sources from Europe. My hope is that Fuji do one of the following, total X10 & XS1 product recall, or a partial recall if product is less than one month old, or send in for no costs repairs if it is indeed possible to repair the known issues being reported by users.
Certainly this would restore a lot of faith with current Fuji users. As always we wait in anticipation. There's one thing we can say about Fuji, there's never a dull moment with Fuji at present.

13 comments:

  1. New blog look/interface is absolutely horrid. Very Microsoftonian. Exit one reader.......

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like a Linux user to me :)
    So that's a no for the new interface.
    Not to worry I'm still not convinced that its a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This (the old look) is easier to navigate. Glad that you switched back. Cheers: Kym Crowley

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kym,
    I agree. I liked the magazine style but actually trying to use the templates was woeful. On reflection I think Google need shooting in the keyboard for putting out such a useless template. A bit like the current crop of Fuji's, a good idea horribly flawed :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have both the HS20 and X-S1. I put the HS20 through the paces and used many of your suggestions for settings and have applied them to the X-S1. Many thanks for posting your results and settings. It's really helped me out and I'm still very much a noob.

    I do find at times, the X-S1 doesn't seem as sharp. However, many of my shots look great and the added advantage of a faster camera makes the X-S1 a great camera to me. I do have a slight droop in the lens at full range, meaning It moves if I move it. Not sure why I would do so when snapping photos and again, all seems fine the way it is now. My only issue right now is the freezing on focus that it seems to experience. Hoping that Fujifilm issues a firmware update to fix.

    Anyway, great site and thanks for switching back to the old view. Much easier to navigate. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really would like to move to the XS1, but to date, and disregarding certain issues with it I'm just not seeing as yet the Image Quality I was hoping to see.
      If they want to temp serious DSLR users into using the XS1 it just has to have similar IQ and as yet it doesn't appear as though it has. This may of course just be that the sweet spot hasn't been found for it.

      Please keep us up to date with your experiences with the XS1.

      Delete
  6. Will do. As a side note which I didn't mention, I had called Fujifilm USA last week about the barrel issue. The person of course at Fuji wasn't much help. I have since as of last night sent an email to their support and awaiting their response. I guess it's now a wait and see. Curious about the recall if it happens. Will update when I hear from them.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just a follow-up with the support request I sent to FujiFilmUSA. To date, no reply or answer. I find this to be very exasperating. There response is a generic email stating "do not reply to this message", no ticket number to reference, and of couse no way to follow up with a phone call to them directly.

    This afternoon I sent another request for support from Fuji's website. I've done so this way to see what sort of support Fuji is willing to offer or address for this camera. Not looking good in my book. Two days is quite a wait when trying to get answers for questions on a very expensive piece of camera. I'm hoping that exposure to their lack of support will push them to address concerns for the X-S1.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes Fuji have been very quiet here too. I think they are all holding off till the 12th March.

    ReplyDelete
  9. So it appears that FujiFilm USA isn't going to respond to me and March 12th has come and gone for any sort of recall. I have submitted yet a third Support email to FujiFilmUSA and hope that they will now get back to me. If Fuji is really going to expect consumers to purchase a $800 piece of equipment and not respond to support requests, they are going to be sorely mistaken as it will be the last time I do so, as I'm sure many others. My only hope that my persistance in emailing them and exposure on blogs will get someones attention there to wake up. Below is what I sent just a few minutes ago:

    Hello,

    This is the third email I've sent in the last 8 days and have not heard back from anyone in your Support Department.

    I purchased a US X-S1 a month ago and have concerns about the lens when extended to full zoom. Mine seems to have movement that may impact the quality of photos that I'm taking. As I'm now out of bounds for returning to Amazon as of today, I would like someone to contact me to discuss repair or replacement of this unit. Please respond as soon as possible.

    Thank you,

    Stephen Alexander

    All that being said, my photos do appear sharp and on point the majority of the time, but given the cost and build quality, just need to make sure I'm getting my money's worth.

    Anyway, just wanted to update.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cheers Stephen.
    I think you could probably still send it back under warranty as the lens droop is a flaw in the production. It shouldn't do that. My HS20 has now done 10000 images without any increase in barrel movement.

    On a brand new camera,there should be no appreciable slop at all.

    They may of course argue that its "Within Parameters" and working to specification.

    I'm in the process of putting my thoughts in order and will post more on this subject shortly.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Looks like the new firmware 1.01 is out. I won't be able to update until this weekend but curious to test. Glad to see Fuji released this on time. Will update next week on findings.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cheers Stephen.
    Please check back in with us when you have updated and had a chance to test the results. I'm more than a little curious to see exactly what it does.

    ReplyDelete