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

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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.

900mm
225mm

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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

 

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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

1.

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

 

2.

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

3.

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

4.

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

5.

Handheld
ISO1250
F8.0
1/140
600 mm

6.

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

7.

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

8.

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

9.

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

1.

2.

3.

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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

 

 

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)

DR400
DR200
DR100

 

 

 

#

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

More Videos with #Fujifilm #XT4

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liewwk Nature Pictures collection

liewwk Nature Youtube collection

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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to

contact me

观鸟或拍鸟团  您可

联络我

or

HERE

 

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

 

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.

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 –
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– 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

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More Pictures with #Fujifilm #XT4

Fujifilm Xt4, 100400mm, 1.4 tc Test

More Videos 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

 

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