Fuji fudges its ISO numbers?

[Sanford]

<p>There have been rumors that Fuji is a bit optimistic about its ISO ratings. I've exposed many a roll of narrow latitude Velvia and Kodachrome 64 using the "sunny 16" rule with reliable results. I decided to try some manual exposures with the XE1 using the rule. ISO 200 should have given good sunny day results at 1/250 at at F16 or an equivalent combination. Too dark, probably about a stop off. So ISO 6400 is probable closer to ISO 3200 or ISO 200 closer to 100. I can live with that, ISO 3200 is more than enough and higher than any film I ever used but curious about your experience.</p>

[BernardMiller]

<p>Ken Rockwell (please don't stone me) seems to think so, particularly at high ISOs.</p>

<p>Check out <a href="http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/comparisons/2013-10-leica-fuji-nikon/">Leica M typ 240 vs. Leica M9 vs. Fuji X100s vs. Nikon D600</a> from three years back; he discusses his findings if you scroll down to the section titled "Are They Really ISO 3200?"</p>

[GerrySiegel]

Fudging.... Them iss purty strong words, pilgrim...

 

Heck, I am not sure I could tell you how to evaluate or test the ISO rating of a sensor and its processor. I guess I just eyeball and decide on a practical number based on noise level at the higher end. For me day to day is ISO 400, same as I used to shoot with film and it seems to fit the rest of the exposure triangle. I am pleased with being able to shoot at extraordinary ISOs. But a double of ISO is still one stop, right? So nu. why quibble Sandford?

Seriously though, I like optimism and encourage it in shooting in the dark and dim... Sunny 16 , well I have not used for an age and that is what I would call a seaman's eye versus GPS navigation,-- so to speak. Ken Rockwell?. Rock of Ages= more better. I do not follow him, is he the Nikon guru?

[Sanford]

<p>Nobody admits to following KR but many of us manage to sneak a look at his site now and then...like the DigitalRev videos. I remember the first time I used ISO 800 (Fujifilm I think), I thought I had entered some exotic new territory. It looked pretty bad.</p>

[mark_l6]

<p>Well my D810 is at 1/1800 when my x100t is at 1/800, aperture and iso equal, or another way, when my Fuji is at iso6400 my Nikon is at iso2000. In good light who cares? In poor light it's a real problem, when the Nikon needs 1/30 @f/2, the Fuji needs 1/12 or so @f/2 which I can 't handhold. It's one of many reasons I am selling the Fuji.</p>

[donbright]

<p>It doesn't matter to me. I choose a high ISO for low light, a low ISO for daylight, the WYSIWYG image in the finder along with a little histogram aid, and manual mode, 'T,' on the shutter dial clicking off 3rd stops with the front command dial makes it all happen with the XT-1. I also don't know if comparing a DSLR costing twice, or 3 times the amount with other camera's is worthwhile to the point.</p>

[randy_cooprider1]

<p>Sanford can you use another camera as a light meter (or a hand held light meter) to set your Fuji?</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>It's pretty easy to go to dpreview.com and find actual testing. Their review of the X-E2 says that it is 1/2 to 2/3 EV off.</p>

[Sanford]

<p>Randy, I just use the image in the viewfinder to judge the photo, the whole point of mirrorless cameras in my opinion. If ISO 6400 produces great looking photos, even if it is really only ISO 3200, thats fine with me. It still beats high ISO film.</p>

[mark_l6]

<p>Don, I understand your point, so I compared it to my backup D7000, still available new for about $600 and it matched the D810 exactly, still 11/3 stops more sensitive than the Fuji. I don't think price has anything to do with this, Leica's are less sensitive too, as KR's link above. I still don't think it's a big deal but I had a specific project in very low light and it suddenly became a big issue for me. As an aside, my Sekonic 508 and my Gossen Lunasix and three Weston Masters agree with the Nikons. For 99% of people no big deal and for me it certainly was not the only reason I ditched the Fuji, just the final straw. For me it was like buying a box of Tri-x and opening it to find a roll of Plus-x!</p>

[donbright]

<p>Well, I just conducted my own experiment to the issue placing my Fuji XT-1 along side of my Nikon FM3a, setting both to ISO 400, aperture at F4, shutter at a 60th similar focal lengths aimed at the same target singularly lit and both camera's were dead on, so for what I'm seeing there's no difference between the two meters, a real head scratcher.</p>

[tom_halfhill]

<p>Using the "sunny-16 rule" -- correct mid-day exposure on a sunny day is 1/ISO at f/16 -- my Fujifilm X30's X-Trans sensor is very close to its rated base ISO of 100. At 1/1000 and f/4.5 (equivalent to 1/100 at f/16), I get an image that shows a few highlight blinkies here and there, but no large areas of overexposure. When photographing the same scene in Program mode, the camera adds about 1/3 stop more exposure and makes a few more blinkies, but again no large areas of overexposure. So at base ISO, the camera's sensitivity is maybe 1/3 to 1/2 stop overrated. I didn't test at higher ISOs; maybe the disparity increases at higher ratings.</p>

<p>BTW, regarding the comment that Fuji's overrated sensitivity "is like opening a box of Tri-X and finding Plus-X inside," for years I shot Tri-X at E.I. 125 instead of the ASA 400 box speed, with normal development in Kodak HC-110 Dilution B. My cameras and meters were accurate, but 125 was the correct E.I. for a printable Zone I density above film-base-plus-fog. Later I switched to Kodak T-Max Developer and obtained an E.I. close to 400 with Tri-X. So, even with film, your mileage may vary.</p>

 

[bebu_lamar]

<p>Probably true but using the sunny 16 at ISO200 it should be 1/200 f/16 and not 1/250 f/16.</p>

[john_tran14]

<p>True. I guess his camera does not have 1/200, only 1/250 and we do not know if that setting (on his camera) is really closer to 1/200 or 1/250. Also I am not a believer when it comes to film ISO ratings.</p>

<p>About KR, why don't people admit what they do? I, for example, have no problem telling everyone that I enjoy reading posts of KR.</p>