Here are a few images that accurately reflect the abilities
of any given camera model. The images are altered only in
terms of size and sharpness after reduction and by the JPEG
compression used. Unless otherwise mentioned, assume that
any marbling or artifacts visible in the images are due to
the compression required to display them here. We feel however,
that they still faithfully represent the results we experienced.
STILL LIFE PHOTO
This subject is photographed in a room that
has a mix of fluorescent and incandescent light, but which
is not brightly lit. The camera's flash is used to add fill
light. The backdrop is 1.95 m (6.5 ft) from the camera.
In general, the FinePix S9100/S9600 gave us better images
when set to JPEG than by converting from RAW. RAW images tended
to be slightly more grainy, and were not easily processed
using the bundled software (Hyper Utility 2) or the RAW plug-in
for Photoshop CSII, which normally handles RAW images with
aplomb.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f2.8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/45 sec.
Resolution:
3488 x 2616
Flash:
On
Quality:
9M Fine
ISO:
80
File Size:
4.35 MB
Focal Length:
28 mm (35 mm Eq.)
ZOOM PHOTO
Now we zoom in on a specific area. The intent
is to test the sharpness of the image at the zoom's maximum
setting. The camera remains at the same distance as with the
preceding photo.
As had been the case with the S9000/S9500, with this camera,
the distance to this subject is too little to allow the lens
to focus at the telephoto setting. To achieve focus, the macro
setting has to be used.
The camera is able to record a good level of detail, the
image even revealing details such as the paper fibres on the
edge of the old envelope.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f5.6
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/125 sec.
Resolution:
3488 x 2616
Flash:
On
Quality:
9M Fine
ISO:
80
File Size:
4.31 MB
Focal Length:
300 mm (35 mm
Eq.)
Aperture: f11; shutter
speed: 1/2 sec., 80 ISO,
Super Macro mode, Manual mode, Incandescent white balance.
MACRO PHOTO
Two macro modes are offered on the FinePix S9100/S9600 a
standard Macro that can focus on a subject approximately
10 cm (3.9 inches) from the lens, and a Super Macro
mode that is able to focus on a subject only 1 cm (0.44 inch)
from the lens. With the Standard macro mode, the camera captures
a field of view — measured horizontally — that
can be as narrow as 12 cm (4.7 in.).
Set to the Super Macro mode, the camera is able to
focus even closer than 1 cm — the lens barrel can touch
the subject — allowing it to capture a field of view
of approximately 4 cm (1.6 inch).
With all short distance macro shots,
some barrel distortion can be observed, but it is not overwhelming.
The Manual shooting mode is best used as it offers the smallest
aperture (f11) which can be used to increase the depth of field
in the image.
BUILDING PHOTO
This image is our outdoor test. The architecture
of the building, in particular the angled girders, immediately
show the presence of jaggies. The shadowed entrance can also
often reveal the quality of the exposure.
Once again, the images obtained from processing the RAW mode
were not as good as those produced by the JPEG Fine images
straight out of the camera.
For instance, compared side by side at 100% scale, the TIFF
files resulting from the RAW images looked a bit more coarse
than the JPEGs, and blue sky, as in the image below, showed
some marbling that was absent from the JPEG image.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.5
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/320 sec.
Resolution:
3488 x 2616
Flash:
Off
Quality:
9M Fine
ISO:
80
File
Size:
4.4 MB
Focal Length:
28 mm (35 mm Eq.)
The RAW images produced by the
S9100/S9600 are preset to produce an image size that is double
the maximum image size captured by the camera. RAW images
are preset to produce converted images that measure 4864 x
3648 pixel, or 18 megapixels.
Left to this setting, the image is interpolated and Hyper-Utility
2 produces an image that contains jaggies, while the 9-megapixel
image is noticeably smoother and better.
ZOOM PHOTO
Zooming in on the entrance of the building, the
shadowed entrance takes on a greater importance for the metering
and can cause an overexposure of sections that are directly
lit.
The 10.7X zoom of the S9100/S9600, like all long telephoto
lenses, can easily emphasize the slightest movement of the
photographer, resulting in an image ruined by camera shake.
Since the camera has no stabilization system*,
shots captured at the maximum telephoto setting require either
a lot of light to maintain a high shutter speed, or the use
of a tripod.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.9
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Speed:
1/350 sec.
Resolution:
3488 x 2616
Flash:
Off
Quality:
9M Fine
ISO:
80
File Size:
4.72 MB
Focal Length:
300 mm (35 mm
Eq.)
The S9100/S9600 yields an image
that is detailed, and very well exposed. A bit of noise can
be detected in the solid colour areas, but there is no chromatic
aberration, nor is there any sign of pincushion distortion.
*
The
Fujifilm FinePix S9100/S9600 offers a Picture
Stabilization mode, but it is not the same
as an optically stabilized image that
physically counteracts the effect of movement on
the image. The Picture Stabilization mode works
by increasing the sensitivity, which in turn allows
the use of a faster shutter speed, reducing the
likelihood of the image being affected by camera
shake. The downside of this system, however, is
that the image contains more noise.
NIGHT PHOTO
Since this camera is capable of long exposures,
a photo taken at night is included here.
The FinePix S9100/S9600 is
able to capture exposures as long as 30 seconds when it is
set to the Manual mode or the Shutter Priority mode. For night
photography, however, control over the aperture is as important
as control over the exposure time, and therefore the Manual
mode is needed.
The photo presented here was captured using the RAW format,
and then processed using the RAW plug-in for Adobe Photoshop
CSII.
Aperture: f6.4; shutter
speed: 30 sec., 80 ISO.
Using the "Image Settings"
— those recorded by the camera as part of the RAW file
— to import the image produced a 9.1 megapixel image
with noticeable noise, so the settings for Luminance Smoothing,
colour Noise Reduction and Sharpness were adjusted to lessen
the graininess.
The result is an image that is quite good, but which still
exhibits a bit of noise. Nevertheless, even after this processing,
the image retains a very reasonable level of detail, and the
outlines of the pine trees that frame the bright lights of
the ski slopes of Grouse Mountain are visible.
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Test Photos
