Field experience with Fujifilm X-H2S + Fujinon XF150-600mm f/5.6-8

I am glad to be chosen to test this new Fujifilm new Camera and lens for actual field test here (Tropical forest) which also included Borneo – (Sepilok, Danum Valley, Kinabatangan River) for ~2months.

*** all pictures and videos captured with Fujifilm X-H2s pre-Production unit

For pass 2 months, I putting the system into various enviromennts

1. Tropical forest – real dark, complex environment

2. mangrove – hot and open area

3. river cruise – mainly shoot from shaky boat handheld

4. beach, mudflat – open hot area

As I am not able to open the RAW file and some firmware limitation, I am shooting mostly JPEG. So I am concentrate my testing on

1. New Autofocus system

– animal (bird) eye detection

– AF tracking

2. Size, Weight & Image Stabilizer

– as the system just weight 2.4 KG for 900mm (35 mm equivalent) so this is a good handheld system. So good IS is require.

3. Image Quality

– only based on JPEG

– New lens Focal length and new camera

#####

Size, Weight & Image Stabilizer

The new system just weight 2.4KG which allow us to shoot 150-600mm (225-900mm 35mm equivalent) which is one best available

sample of 225mm vs 900mm

– you can see how far we can reach with the 900mm

– most of the pictures and videos captured handheld. This system allow me have >50% success rate 1/125 at 900mm which is my recommended minimum shutter speed for handheld.

###

New Autofocus system

For the Auto-focus, I think this is a huge upgrade compare previous X series. The Animal Detection just simple amazing

– refer 0:40:00″ – 1:48:00″ of the Video for how the Bird eye detect and focus in various situation

1:49:00 – 2:17:00 for how the eye detect work in lowlight (night time with torch)

And for AF tracking, please refer “1:50:00 – 2:18:00” for how the fast flying woodswallow flying tracking performance

###

Image Quality

not able to open any RAW file so all captured in JPEG, picture with crop, denoise (Topaz) (if you want to have a look at the without denoise feel free drop me an message)

lets have a look at the picture and click to view larger size

Handheld on Boat
ISO800
F8.0
1/120
420.3 mm

Handheld
ISO3200
F6.4
1/70
264.7 mm
Denoise Topaz

Tripod
ISO1000
F8.0
1/25
600 mm
Denoise Topaz

Tripod
ISO1250
F7.1
1/20
351.8 mm
Denoise Topaz

Handheld
ISO200
F7.1
1/320
377.7 mm
Topaz Denoise

Handheld
ISO800
F8.0
1/125
600 mm
Topaz Denoise

Handheld
ISO800
F8.0
1/1500
520.2 mm
Topaz Denoise

Handheld
ISO3200
F8.0
1/800
451.3 mm
Topaz Denoise

10.

Tripod
ISO2000
F7.1
1/8
391.4 mm
Topaz Denoise

Some videos captured with this setup

####

I will slowly update other experience of this setup on new post, if I have chance to test on the production system.

Stay tune

Overall my experience on this new setup on Wildlife Photography, this combo is very light and have long reach. even the aperture is small but we always can not shooting at maximum focal length so we can have slight bigger aperture. eg. shooting at 400mm (600mm 35mm equivalent) with F7.1

with the lens and In-Body-Stabilizer, it allow me capture 900mm at 1/125s with high success rate. (>50%). Anything lower, I would suggest to use tripod (as mentioned I am using pre-production camera the actual camera may different)

The AF is fast and accurate (on bird eye), it may not best in market but it is very good and accurate even at low-light & complex environment.

Tracking is good as long as non complex background, the track is give very good success rate too.

Weather resistant, I am shooting at various environment … raining, humid tropical forest and under hot sun beach etc

January 28, 2021March 4, 2021

600mm setup… only ~1.4KG ! Fujifilm XF70-300 | liewwk Nature

I am glad to be given a chance to be tried on the Fujifilm XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Even though we don’t have that many opportunities to do more tests on this setup because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

for quick sharing from Fujifilm XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR Liew WK – Lens Stories

For birding Photography, we always concern about on few camera and lens specifications

1. Image Quality

– how sharp and how’s the ISO performance

– with Teleconverter Image quality

2. Autofocus performance

– how fast the autofocus, how accurate autofocus, and how good is the tracking capability

3. Weather-resistant, Weight and Size

– no one can deny bigger lens (longer and bigger aperture) will give you better image quality but we need to know how much we can tolerate with Image quality drop with the size and weight reduce.

– most of the bird photography here (Tropical rainforest – Malaysia) involves a lot of tracking, walking, hiking so it is not really a good choice to carry heavy equipment to long hours to do bird photography here.

Some Extra Features

4. Minimum Focus Distance

– most of the Bird photographers also a nature lover who may also capture many other creatures (butterfly, snake, etc

– minimum focus distance of 0.83 which give magnification 0.33

5. Image stabilization

– I can’t comment much as not really do a lot of testing on this but some of the dark conditions where I shoot ~600mm at 1/10-1/30s also give a very good success rate but for my comfort. 1/100 is a base shutter speed to get a very high success rate for myself.

I also captured some videos handheld

####

Very low light condition

ISO1600, F8.0, 1/30

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1. Image Quality

– with previous testing on the Fujifilm equipments

Fujifilm X-T4 | Shadow & Highlight recovery Test | liewwk Nature

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

– both

A. FUJINON XF200mmF2 R LM OIS WR

B. FUJINON XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

do provide good quality of image quality with good Autofocus performance (for both still together with Fujifilm X-T4

For this small lens that provides 107mm to 457mm (35mm equivalent), it is just

580gram

Ø75mm x 132.5mm（Wide）
Ø75mm x 205.5mm（Telephoto）

and this lens compatible with both 1.4x and 2.0x Teleconverter (TC) which may give you

149.8mm to 639.8mm

214mm to 914mm

(35mm equivalent)

but for everyone know the use of TC most probably lower the Image quality and autofocus performance.

here is some pictures sample I captured 3-4 days before Covid=19 MCO 2.0 lockdown..

[click the pictures for the original size]

NORMAL condition

update 202103

– another good moment with this active bird

– 非常活躍的鳥。他在看我在做什麼。

update 202102

– very active bird that keeps moving nonstop

– same location last month where I meet the handsome male but I met only 2 beautiful female now

– 非常活躍的鳥，總是動不停。

– 上個月，同個地方遇上雄鳥。今天遇上了2只母鳥。

– lucky to have this while we looking for our target bird close

– another close encounter

202102, Selangor, Malaysia
#- a good moment to see this owl making some call
– shooting this with car body as support
幸運的見到這鴞在叫。這攝頻沒用腳架，只是靠在車拍的。

Long-tailed Parakeet, 长尾鹦鹉, 長尾鸚鵡, Psittacula longicauda, オナガダルマインコ, BAYAN MELAYU

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x: 630.0 mm, ISO500 F.9.0 1/250]

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x: 434.0 mm, ISO500 F.9.0 1/90]

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [600mm, ISO500 F.9.0 1/40]

Lowlight Condition

update 202102

- very lowlight condition,

- misty

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300 [267mm ISO2000 F.7.1 1/7]

Blue-winged pitta, 马来八色鸫, 馬來八色鶇, Pitta moluccensis, ミナミヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT SAYAP BIRU

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300 [300mm ISO1250 F.5.6 1/10]

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300 [300mm ISO1250 F.5.6 1/30]

Cloudy, Raining Condition

Quality with 2x TC

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 2.0x [900mm, ISO800 F.13.0 1/30]

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 2.0x [900mm, ISO1600 F.11.0 1/1600]

2. Autofocus performance

– as previous testing share, the X-T4 AF performance FAST, accurate and tracking is good too.

– I won’t share any single point AF here as all others above are using AFS or single focus but here I am sharing what I am concern about continuous focus for both lock focus & tracking capability

– Both above Loglight Condition sharing pictures were captured in very low light condition and AF is still fast and accurate for AFS

All pictures below captured with AFC – continuous focus and Zone (almost full screen). [I let the camera and lens decide to lock the object and track without any additional setting change]

i. Terns

– many of them flying far and near with moderate speed but in any direction under the hot sun

– most of the focus can lock fast and continuous tracking the bird by the next 1-2 s as the tern fly out from the frame

– it is almost no fail to lock focus when the birds flying with blue/white sky and sea background which has enough contrast

– it is getting difficult to lock focus when a bird flies into the frame where the background is green

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [607mm, ISO800 F.8.0 1/1600]

ii. Owl

– this owl all of a sudden fly out from the small palm oil plantation- the focus lock fast but the tracking miss 50% intermittent as it is flying toward me fast and close (some of the focus frame lock on the wing but not the head).*** the tracking may able to improve by some AF setting. as the focus locking is fast enough to focus again after miss out of focus within 1-2s flying toward me series

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [434mm, ISO800 F.8.0 1/1250]

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [434mm, ISO800 F.8.0 1/2220]

– This is a special case where this hornbill standing on a building wall. So make use of the continuous focus & tracking mode. Even the bird is near the tracking work since the bird begins flying until it missing into a tree.

– the moment happens just ~2s, while I am shooting 7fps. and the focus just miss 2 frame

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [322mm, ISO800 F.7.1 1/640]

iv. Swift

– it is very difficult to capture swift picture due to normally they are flying fast, all different direction

– success rate is not very high due to the flying speed very fast and accelerates in any direction for feeding. But the camera and lens still able to lock the focus as long as my position is at the right position.

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, [450mm, ISO1600 F.5.6 1/1600]

3. Weather-resistant, Weight and Size

– due to the APS-C sensor size the lens design in a smaller size compared to an equivalent 35mm equivalent lens (100-400mm)

– the lens with X-T4 which is 607g (including battery and SD memory card)

– 1.4x TC

with such focal length 107mm to 457mm or (107mm to 457mm)x1.4 or x2)

look at the size

4. Minimum Focus Distance

– this lens can take a photo at a minimum focus distance of 0.83 which give magnification 0.33 think this is also good for some butterfly, big object macro

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [213mm, ISO1000 F.8.0 1/30]

Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm XF70300, TC 1.4x [563mm, ISO500 F.8.0 1/18]

5. Image stabilization

– testing mostly dark environment for either still or video (all handheld)

update 202103

– another beautiful winter visitor flycatcher of Malaysia

– another Fujifilm new XF70-300 test and this also another #handheldvideo

– I am shooting this video handheld

– 馬來西亞漂亮的過冬姬鶲 – 另一富士 XF70-300 的測試。 – 手持拍的視頻。

update 202102

– another handheld video captured with X-T4 and XF70300

– very low light situation ~ISO1600, 1/24 & F6.4

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More pictures captured with Fujifilm X-T4

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

######################################################

Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

######################################################

January 23, 2021January 23, 2021

Fujifilm X-T4 | Shadow & Highlight recovery Test | liewwk Nature

In with conjunction previous other Fujifilm X system testing

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

One of the basic requirements of the camera, how much do we able to from Shadow & Highlight (under & overexpose).

Here are some basic tests

– Fujifilm X-T4, FUJINON XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

– Handheld

– Same ISO, F-number, Shutter Speed, Auto WB

– Adobe Camera RAW 12.4, same recovery and other parameters for the same test

*** I found the Dynamic Range setting not just affect JPEG output, but also affects the data inside the RAW files. So testing also included DR100 (off), DR200 (suppose reserve highlight exposure 1 stop) & DR400 (suppose reserve highlight exposure 2 stop)

But check out the RAW files recovery result below !!! it is some magic that happens !!!

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1. Highlight Recovery Test

1A. Highlight Recovery Test: Dynamic Range setting

– make sure of in Camera setting to protect Highlight details

– Dynamic Range 100 (off), 200 (protect 1 stop highlight information) & 400 (protect 2 stops highlight information)

CAMERA JPEG output

Even with the direct JPEG output, the highlight details have been protected (DR200 1 stop and DR400 2 stops). But let’s have a look at the RAW file recovery

LEFT: DR100

CENTER: DR200

RIGHT: DR400

1B. Highlight Recovery Test: RAW files recovery

Test1: Highlight recovery from RAW files

– ISO1000, F5.6, 1/15 – this makes the picture +4 (4 stops overexpose)

– Adobe Camera Raw recovery. [Highlight -100%, Exposure -3.00]

Test1Bi. Highlight recovery, DR100 (DR off)

– All setting same as mentioned above

– DR100

– LEFT: Direct JPEG from Camera

CENTER: RAW

RIGHT: recovery setting as above and save as JPEG

Test1Bii. Highlight recovery, DR200

– All setting same as mentioned above

– DR200

– LEFT: Direct JPEG from Camera

CENTER: RAW

RIGHT: recovery setting as above and save as JPEG

Test1Bii. Highlight recovery, DR400

– All setting same as mentioned above

– DR400

– LEFT: Direct JPEG from Camera

CENTER: RAW

RIGHT: recovery setting as above and save as JPEG

Here’s come the magic of the RAW file and the Dynamic Range settings !!!!

– Look at the right face of the toy & background paper beg

– the DR400 not just protect highlight data in JPEG but in the RAW file, preserve more than what we expect (3 stops + 100% hight recovery)

2. Shadow Recovery Test

– 5 stops underexpose

– ISO800, F5.6, 1/8000

– DR100, 200, 400

– below are JPEG direct output from Camera

Test2A. Shadow recovery

Test1: Highlight recovery from RAW files

– ISO800, F5.6, 1/8000

– this makes the picture -5 (5 stops underexpose)

– Adobe Camera Raw recovery. [Exposure +5.00]

As the discussion of Dynamic Range is to protect Highlight data of the pictures. But I still go ahead with my test with DR100, 200 & 400

Test2Ai. Shadow recovery, DR100

Test2Ai. Shadow recovery, DR200

Test2Ai. Shadow recovery, DR400

For the 5 stops Shadow recovery, most of the details of the focused object still intact.

But when we turn on the Dynamic Range (DR200 & 400) gives an impact on the RAW files. Something really weird where DR400 actually give negative impact which produces more color noise and purple tint when exposure recovery

So we need 2 settings for Highlight & Shadow recovery

1. Highlight recovery: Highly recommend Turn on DR400

2. Shadow recovery: Highly recommended Turn of DR which is DR100

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More Pictures with #Fujifilm #XT4

######################################################

liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

######################################################

Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

联络我

or

HERE

######################################################

January 6, 2021March 23, 2021

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

I am gladly giving a chance to test the newer Fujifilm camera XT4 to capture pictures and videos using either

A. FUJINON XF200mmF2 R LM OIS WR

B. FUJINON XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

C. XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR (New)

another special test on XF70-300mm

600mm setup… only ~1.4KG ! Fujifilm XF70-300 | liewwk Nature

I will slowly update some of my concern features which related to Tropical forest birding requirement e.g. ISO performance (we have many lowlight condition environment), lowlight Autofocus, Image Stabiliser (handheld shooting minimum shutter speed)

Pending update

– Testing 1a: Image Quality FujinonXF100-400mm

– test this handheld with a various shutter speed

– Testing 1: Image Quality FujinonXF100-400mm + 1.4x teleconverter

– refer same post below

– Testing 2: Handheld Video

– refer same post below

– Testing 3: Continuous Focus Tracking

– Video AF

– refer same post below

– Testing 4: Slow motion video 240p feature

– refer same post below

– Testing 5: Shadow & Highlight recovery Test

– Refer to the link below

Fujifilm X-T4 | Shadow & Highlight recovery Test | liewwk Nature

– Lowlight Single point Autofocus

– ISO performance

– Image Stabiliser – Shutter Speed

– Overall Operation

Update 20210106 –

################################################

– Testing 1a: Image Quality FujinonXF100-400mm

– test this handheld with a various shutter speed

update 202103

– another good moment with this active bird

– 非常活躍的鳥。他在看我在做什麼。

update 202103

– one of the world’s smallest woodpecker

– making loud high pitch call and drum sound

– 世界上最小的啄木鳥之一。可是非常大的啄木聲。

update 202102

– a beautiful Paradise-Flycatcher, male with long-tail and come either white-morph or rufous-morph

– this is a beautiful male passing with another male (not full tail and another female

– they make a lot of noise when moving inside the forest

– 馬來西亞非常漂亮的鳥。他與其他兩只一起追逐也叫很多。

Testing 1: Image Quality FujinonXF100-400mm + 1.4x teleconverter

– with the longest focal length 400mm with 1.5x crop (crop body) it is equivalent to 600mm 35mm focal length. So this may be a major concern for birding where 600mm is the maximum reach and always too short.

So I am trying to shoot this lens with 1.4x tc, which gives 400mmx1.4x=560mm and this equivalent 560mmx1.5=840mm (35mm focal length equivalent)

update 20210107

same day test as 20210106

Focal length: 400mm+1.4x tc 

ISO: 1600 

F number: 6.4 

Shutter Speed: 1/50 

Handheld

Update 20210106

A cloudy day inside along trail, this bird perch low.

Focal length: 400mm+1.4x tc

ISO: 1600

F number: 6.4

Shutter Speed: 1/50

Handheld

Focal length: 400mm+1.4x tc 

ISO: 1600 

F number: 6.4 

Shutter Speed: 1/60

4k 16:9, 59.94p, 200 Mbps

MOV/H.265 (HEVC) LPCM, 4:2:0 10bit

Manual Focus

update 20210107

Focal length: 400mm+1.4x tc 

ISO: 1600 

F number: 6.4 

Shutter Speed: 1/60 

4k 16:9, 59.94p, 200 Mbps MOV/H.265 (HEVC) LPCM, 4:2:0 10bit 

Manual Focus

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Testing 2: Handheld Video

– a must test for me, as my job most of the time I can’t carry 2 tripods (one for spotting scope). So my camera 100% using handheld when I am working.

– all videos share here are captured handheld

update 202102

– lucky moment to meet 3 of this beautiful Paradise-Flycatcher

– they make a lot of noise while moving around

– 幸運遇上3只這麼漂亮的壽帶 – 很吵，一直都跳不停。

update 20210112

– post-processing video stabilizer applied

Focal length: mm+1.4x tc 

ISO: 320 

F number: 9.0

Shutter Speed: 1/60 

4k 16:9, 59.94p, 200 Mbps MOV/H.265 (HEVC) LPCM, 4:2:0 10bit 

Zone AutoFocus

Focal length: mm+1.4x tc

ISO: 640

F number: 8.0

Shutter Speed: 1/60

4k 16:9, 59.94p, 200 Mbps MOV/H.265 (HEVC) LPCM, 4:2:0 10bit

Zone AutoFocus

Focal length: mm+1.4x tc ISO: 640

F number: 8.0

Shutter Speed: 1/60

4k 16:9, 59.94p, 200 Mbps MOV/H.265 (HEVC) LPCM, 4:2:0 10bit

Zone AutoFocus - can see with the lowlight condition and mess environment the Autofocus will trying to confuse by the nearby moving objects (eg leaf)

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Testing 3: Continuous Focus Tracking

– a test I am using mainly to test Bird in flight

– Continuous Focus, Zone

update 202102

– another good moment before last light the bird just flying out from roosting

– the fast focus lock of the X-T4 and tracking make me able to have many keepers of this bird flying just in short distance

– 這鳥在天黑前突然飛出來。X-T4 對焦很快與準。

update 202101


- another day testing with X-T4 and 200mmF2


- mainly trying on AF lock speed and tracking for raptors 
flying


- and this is an example using AF Zone in Video record 4k, 
60p

update 202101

- lucky to encounter this bird, but it flies away immediately found I get close to it... 

- with the Fujifim X-T4 fast AF I managed to capture the 
flying moment

update 20210114

– very strong wind day, there are Barn Swallow, Pacific Swallow, House Swift, Silver-rumped Needletail, German’s Swiftlet, etc flying fast near the water dam.

– I mainly want to try the focus locking speed and tracking speed for the X-system

Fujifilm X-T4


Focal length: 00mm+1.4x tc 

ISO: 1600 

F number: 8.0

Shutter Speed: 1/1600 

Handheld

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Testing 4: Slow motion video 240p feature

– it is not really testing but rather a feature

– with the 240 fps, this gives a good way to present the object in slow motion

– the movie is smooth

update 202101

Fujifilm X-T4


High-Speed movie 240p

Very low light condition

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4. Minimum Focus Distance

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

观鸟或拍鸟团 您可

or

######################################################

Birding Photography with Fujifilm X-T4 | liewwk Nature

But check out the RAW files recovery result below !!! it is some magic that happens !!!

################################################

1. Highlight Recovery Test

Here’s come the magic of the RAW file and the Dynamic Range settings !!!!

2. Shadow Recovery Test

1. Highlight recovery: Highly recommend Turn on DR400

2. Shadow recovery: Highly recommended Turn of DR which is DR100

################################################

######################################################

######################################################

Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

观鸟或拍鸟团 您可

or

######################################################

– Testing 1: Image Quality FujinonXF100-400mm + 1.4x teleconverter

– Testing 2: Handheld Video

– Testing 3: Continuous Focus Tracking

– Video AF

– Testing 4: Slow motion video 240p feature

– Testing 5: Shadow & Highlight recovery Test

Update 20210106 –

################################################

Testing 1: Image Quality FujinonXF100-400mm + 1.4x teleconverter

update 20210107

Update 20210106

################################################

Testing 2: Handheld Video

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Testing 3: Continuous Focus Tracking

################################################

Testing 4: Slow motion video 240p feature

################################################

######################################################

######################################################

Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

观鸟或拍鸟团 您可

or

######################################################

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

观鸟或拍鸟团您可

观鸟或拍鸟团您可