Welcome to the Fuji HS10 forum for beginners! Share questions, answers and tips with other HS10 owners all across the world.
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Hi…it seem like every time I use any SD card in my hs 10…it will not download pics via a card reader…the card has been used in other cameras and previously downloaded via the card reader…what is going on? thanks (I have to use the hs 10 cord connected to the camera in order to download)
LaDonna, have you tried another card reader? The first card reader I purchased only read certain cards with lower gb storage. The second one I purchased worked with all of my cards. Perhaps this may help.
Norman
Looking for a digital computer mag for beginners. I have been down to my local Tesco store and there are simply loads of them. However I noticed that in most its all about camera reviews and stunning pictures. The mags were also full of how to use paintshop etc on the computer to touch stuff up which is a side i am not interested in at the moment. I was hoping to find a publication just packed with techniques hints and tips for a novice like myself, to learn about and to try out in step by step guides. Am I hoping for too much ? Carl
Hi Carl
Yes, I think you are expecting too much. I too despair with the content of current magazines. One I bought recently had ‘Shoot better landscapes’ plastered across the front page. However, the article was all about taking a photo from one location and, using photoshop, merging it into a landscape shot in another location. Now, I am old-fashioned and I don’t see that as photography although I can see that there is a place for that sort of thing if you are hoping to sell your pictures. When I take pictures, I am trying to capture memories – memories of what I saw, not what my imagination can invent.
I think you would be better off visiting Waterstones and looking along their shelves. There are some good step-by-step books out there – The Digital Picture being one of them. They are not cheap, but they are books you will return to over and over again.
Best regards
PBked
I’ve got some great info from books picked up at Charity Shops. Some of them were actually for ‘film’ cameras but are helping me get to grips with all sorts of common techniques. And how to deal with low light etc.
Glenn
Hi Glen.
You made a good point there. When think about it, I’ve picked up quite a few excellent books for £1 in charity shops.
Regards
PBked
Looking for a digital computer mag for beginners. I have been down to my local Tesco store and there are simply loads of them. However I noticed that in most its all about camera reviews and stunning pictures. I was hoping to find a publication just packed with techniques hints and tips for a novice like myself, to learn about and to try out in step by step guides. Am I hoping for too much ? Carl
I’ve just bought a Fuji HS10 and can’t seem to get the macro mode to work. I’ve set the dial to auto (not SR auto), set macro to Super macro, extended the lens fully but the camera won’t focus on close up objects.
What am I doing wrong?
Alan, the manual mentions “zoomed out” which may mean totally withdrawn and then the zoom is used to gain focus. I have photographed baby hatchling spiders and such using this setting.
Norman
Thanks for the quick reply Norman,
I thought zoomed out meant fully extended but have realised that it means fully retracted.
I’m still playing around taking shots in various modes and am hoping to
take some decent macro shots soon.
I’ve just bought my daughter a Panasonic FZ 45 for her 21st birthday and will be comparing the 2 in macro mode soon.
Thanks again
I have a HS10, which triggers work with it. The yonguno rf Nikon or rf canon? Need to know before purchasing
I have read a few comments about turning off IS when using a tripod…Is there a reason for this?
Thanks
Hi RavRob
Where you been? Long time no hear. Yes you’re right about turning off the IS when using a tripod. Some camera systems have tripod and panning detect mechanisms, the HS10 does not. If you leave IS on, it can have the opposite effect and make your images blurry.
Regards
PBked
I’m guessing that as I use a monopod – with possible side to side wobbles – that leaving the IS on is a good idea. Yeh?
Hi Glen
Short answer – No. IS is designed to counteract the small movements you make when handholding your camera. It can’t compensate for large movements and wobbles. The person who complained about blurry pictures when off-roading in a landrover even though they had IS switched on, was on a hiding to nothing.
So on your monopod, switch off IS and don’t let it wobble!! Consider yourself told off!
Best regards
PBked
Ouch! Sharp rap to the wrist acknowledged! :-)
Hello Rudy,
Thanks for the advice I have got my 1st ever pics of the moon with some details etc. I did extend the zoom to full. There are 2 AF buttons on left hand side i tried both but wasnt sure which one you were referring too. I turned the IS off as suggested and used the 10 sec timer to take pics. I used the M mode but didnt see a pictogram on the bottom right of screen? The moon came out really nice but then i decided I would like to capture some of the clouds around it but had no luck. I did put the iso up 200 and in the lcd viewfinder the clouds showed up ok but on the pgotos everything is completely black except for the moon. Any idea how to capture some nearby clouds ? Carl
Hi Carl,
On page 2 and 3 of the manual, you can find some drawings of the HS10. The AF-buttons are numbers 27 and 28, but I wasn’t referring to them. When I mentioned to “AF the moon on 720 mm” I simply ment pressing the shutter button.
The pictogram I was referring to on the right bottom is called “exposure indicator” and has number 23 on page 5 of the manual.
Now, back to your intention. The moon is bright because it reflects the light of the sun. So, full moon means more light. Clouds aren’t reflecting that much light, so only on a very bright night with very dence clouds (also reflecting the sun’s light) you can capture clouds in the nearest location of the moon.
Increasing the exposure time might also “overexposure” the light of the moon (revealing no structure anymore) but nevertheless enhance the view off the clouds.
Always bare in mind that you are photographing right into the direction of the light source, which is not obvious.
I guess you’ll have to play around (like I did) to get the most out of it :)
Regards
Rudy
Thanks Rudy,
I will playplay around with the settings later.
Once again because I haven’t had a response yet…
I live in Albuquerque, NM and I’m anticipating the upcoming annular solar eclipse. I would appreciate any information regarding solar filters for the Fuji HS10 (and any other cool filters for that matter), and any tips on photographing this event. Thanks!!
Hi there
Hoya make a Neutral Density filter labelled x400 in a 58mm screw thread to fit the HS10. Hoya say that this filter can be used to photograph the sun, but use your LCD for composition instead of the viewfinder. Hoya filters are not cheap, but welder’s glasses rated at 14 or over are fairly inexpensive. Again do not look directly at the sun through your viewfinder even when holding the welders’ glasses in front of the lens.
If you browse the web, there are several very good articles giving tips on how to photograph the sun.
Regards
PBked
Woke up last night and there was a clear sky with full moon. tried to photograph the moon but just keot getting like a blurred light bulb effect. I want to be able to photograph the moon and see the mountains on it etc like you can with the human eye. Any advice would be helpful as to what settings to do etc. Carl
Hi Carl,
I’ve done it a few times with very nice results. Use a tripod mount, turn IS (image stabilisation) control OFF, use the timer function set to 10 sec to avoid moving the camera when pressing the shutter button.
Zoom to maximum 720 mm and AF the moon. Set the camera to lowest ISO (value 100) and choose RAW+JPEG for saving the pictures. In the RAW photograph (RAF file) you have more abilities to correct WB (white balans) and color values (K)
I always use M-mode on the mode dial. You will see in the right bottom corner of the screen (or EVF) this pictogram: – ____|____ +. A vertical marker will go from left to right when turning the command dial with your thumb. Turn the knob until the vertical bar is in the middle, then your photo has the best exposure time (for that ISO and F-stop). Turn it left to the minus (less exposure time) is darker, turn to the right to the plus will result in a brighter photograph (longer exposure time).
Since your working on a tripod, you don’t have to worry for long exposure times.
The F-stop at 720 mm is F5.6. Higher F-values (max F11) will need longer exposure time but the max time for HS10 is 30 sec.
Clouds near the moon will often be blurred due to wind motions and long exposure time (add a nice effect)
Hope that helps
Happy shooting :)
Rudy
Hi Carl,
Just to add to Rudy’s comments, I’ve shot the moon a few times with my HS10 and have found it best to expose with spot metering. The moon is moving quite fast so you’ll want to use a somewhat fast shutter speed. I recently saw a recommendation the other day to underexpose the moon by a couple stops (you could use bracketing for this to get the right exposure) and to manual focus, taking many pictures while rotating the ring a tiny bit in between each one. These last recommendations I haven’t had a chance to try yet but I will the next time. Full moons are the hardest to shoot because it’s so bright, you might want to try on a 3/4 or 1/2 moon first.
Best of luck,
Patrick
Hi. I’ve got a question. My hs10 camera is not recognized by Windows 7 (64 bit). Is this normal ?
Thanks a lot.
Hello Cristiano,
It may be the case that you need a 64bit version of the camera drivers/software. If Fuji dont make them then the easiest way to access your photo’s would be to put your SD card into a sd reader etc. Hope that helps Carl
Hi – I just got a used Hs10 and am flummoxed. I have it on auto settings and I can’t seem to take anything but a blurry picture! If I get far away and use the zoom it’s ok, but if I try to take a photo of someone 5 feet away it’s so blurry. What am I doing wrong? Any thoughts are much appreciated!
O-ooh, seems like the same lens trouble I’ve had. I had my HS10 bought “new state” in a photostore back in 2010. It had the same issue: even on a tripod I couldn’t make a sharp picture on 24 mm (wide open for landscape) They were all blurry even on M-modus at value f11. So I was pretty sure it was a production fault.
At 105>720 mm everything was sharp. I had to send it back to the shop and got it replaced for free from manufacturer.
It took about 5 weeks.
Regards,
Rudy
Just a thought – check you haven’t got Macro mode set, this will upset your focussing completely.
Just a thought, try and set your camera on Close Up for that distance. The HS10 should focus fine on that setting.
Really loving the picture quality of the HS10 video. However when i play it back on the pc I can hear that the microphone has picked up all the noise of the camera focussing etc, Is there a way to stop the camera lens re-focussing and making noises etc whilst in video mode?
There doesnt’ seem to be any way around it I’m afraid – unless anyone knows different. You can try manual focus, but its tricky while filming and even then the focus ring makes a noise as you turn it. Even turning off the sound altogether doesnt have any effect on movies, thats just for beeps etc made by the camera.
HI, i seem to be having a problem when putting videos taken from hs10. watching it in the camera itself is okay, but when i put it in the computer, the video does not go together with the audio. the Audio is fine, but the video keeps on stopping and jumping..
Could be you need a faster memory card, the best are class 10 and you can get them quite cheap now. There are other posts about choppy video on this page, just use Ctrl-F and enter a search word, eg ‘video’.
I had the same problem on my old XP computer, but I bought a 3GHz PC with 4Gb of ram running Windows 7 and it plays the mov files with no problem.
Hi, sorry if this sounds stupid but how do I switch to Raw on my Fujifilm HS10?
Hi there
Go to set-up menu and scroll through to RAW – it’s the last but one on the menu.
If you want to be able to use RAW without having to go to the set-up menu each time, you can assign it to the C [custom] button on your mode dial along with your other preferred settings.
Regards
PBked
So simple, thank you.
This is not an HS10 question but related. I have an HS20 and am looking for an inexpensive but reliable annular solar eclipse filter for the lens. Does anyone know of such a critter? The eclipse will pass over Reno, NV on May 20 where I live, and I want to attempt to photograph it. Thanks for anyone’s help in the matter.
LL
PS. I went from an HS10 to an HS20. Love them both.
My HS10 has arrived so I am off to the forest to try and snap some birds. I did experiment last night briefly in the garden and used the telephoto lens on max to zoom onto a bird in my plum tree some 20 feet away. The photo came out great but the bird seems far away i kind of expected it to be filling the picture. Is there a digital zoom on the camera and if so should i be using it combined with the optical zoom to get closer on my subject ?
Also my camera doesn’t have a usb cable to the pc. Can i confirm before ordering one that it is just a standard mini usb to usb ?
Would just like to say that finding this forum has been a god send and thanks to everyone who has been advising me :)
Carl
Hi Carl
When I first bought my HS10, I too was a little disappointed with a shot I took of a fox sunbathing on my shed roof. The picture came out great, but the fox still seemed to be small. However, as I also took the same scene at wide angle, I was able to compare them side by side and work out that the distance was roughly 30x shorter on full zoom.
The HS10 does not have digital zoom as such. However, it does have a feature called instant zoom. When focused and zoomed on a subject, press the UP arrow key on the keypad. This will give you a white rectangle on you EVF/LCD. When you take the picture, the area inside the rectangle will be magnified by 2x. The downsides to this feature are
a] The picture inside the rectangle is not enlarged – this only happens when you press the shutter.
b] The quality of the picture is not so good.
c] At full zoom, any camera shake will also be magnified by 2x so if you want to use the feature you should really be using a tripod [just remember to switch off IS if you do]. But used carefully, yes you can achieve 60x zoom.
The USB you require is indeed a bog standard one.
Hope this has been of help
Regards
PBked
Silkypix 3 – have downloaded this from Fuji site onto my elderly Mac G4 OSX 4.11. Won’t open. Perhaps a compatibility issue?
What free software could I use to convert RAW (Fuji style) into say a TIFF that I can edit on Photoshop 7 (old I know!)?
Thanks Glenn
Hi Glenn
Adobe supply a free download called ‘DNG Converter’. This software will convert your Fuji RAF file to DNG which can then be opened and edited in Photoshop. You can save your edited file to other formats such as JPG or TIFF and still retain your original image. I also think that Photoshop is much more user-friendly than Silkypix.
Regards
PBked
Thanks PBked – got all excited for a moment there (yeh, I know I’m sad). However trying to open the software I am told it’s incompatible with my system – presumably its an intel Mac version. Will keep looking …
G
OK – premature there! The latest version (6.6 I think) doesn’t work but the 6.4 version is the last one that will work on PPC Macs. Now downloaded – yeh! G
I notice you can get a 2x telephoto lenses that screw onto the of the hs10 lens. I have no idea about photography just setting out, so is this small lens something i should have in my arsenal ? and more importantly what situations would i use it in ? “Whats it for”
Carl
Carl, with a 30X optical zoom and a digital multiplier as well, the HS10 should provide enough telescopic power to cover most situations. The difficullty lies in holding the lens so that movement doesn’t distort the image (photo). The 2X telephoto doubles the power of the prime lens. There is of course a price to pay for this other than the purchase. I have used my HS10 to photograph ships on the Bosphorus from the European side and had to set the camera on the wall surrounding the roof garden of our hotel (I didn’t have a tripod with me).
Perhaps you should begin to use the HS10 for varying types of photography before purchasing items. That way, you will recognize your particular needs. Good luck and welcome to the group.
Norman
Thanks Norman,
A wise answer if ever i heard one :)
Carl
I live in Albuquerque, NM and I’m anticipating the upcoming annular solar eclipse. I would appreciate any information regarding solar filters for the Fuji HS10 (and any other cool filters for that matter), and any tips on photographing this event. Thanks!!
Will the HS10 take a remote shutter cable ? so you can take photos without touching the camera button ?
There’s lots of this stuff covered in the forum – I downloaded everything to read at my leisure. Pity there doesn’t seem to be a search button, which would help.
But it appears that the general consensus is that a remote is not possible but the timer function might give the jitter free results that a remote gives.
Glenn
Glenn is right, there isn’t a remote for the HS10, the best you can do is use the timer setting. Maybe you could upgrade to the HS20 or HS30?
On searching – you can always use the browser search facility – press Ctrl-F and enter your search term in the Find box. I do this all the time.
Hi Carl
If you search the web you will find some heath robinson affairs. Most cost around $25-$40. A friend of mine has one and he says although it looks weird it does actually work.
Just type in your search box ‘remote release for HS10′
Regards
PBked
@ Robbo – thanks for tip!
Hello,
Just waiting delivery of a second hand HS10. Just looking for a very cheap ext flash unit. Probably never use it but came across these on ebay for £5 are they safe in regards to the voltage issue with the HS10 shoe?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/ctg/Yongnuo-Speedlite-YN-460-Shoe-Mount-Flash-Multiple-Brands-/101742782?_dmpt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraFlashUnits_JN&_pcategid=48515&_pcatid=789&_refkw=YongNuo+YN-460&_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A6003&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Yongnuo are regarded as safe to use for the HS series – use the page’s search to see other references to Yongnuo on this page (Ctlr-F)
Hello Robbo thanks for your reply.
Can i confirm that a light gun at £5 on that link would be ok to use for my hs10 when it arrives :)
Yes, from all I’ve read about Yongnuo, they are all suitable for the HS range.
Got HS20 EXR and I love it so much; nevertheless as your knowledge about photography is increasing, so does your hardware requirements.
I’ve been thinking about external flash, but can’t afford EF-20/EF-42. About getting some yongnuo, but not sure about HS20/HS10 max hot shoe trigger voltage.
My question is, does anyone know what is the trigger voltage for “official” fuji flash (the EF-20/EF42)? at least we’d have some guidance of max hot shoe voltage for these fuji HSxx series (not to mention X-series as well, as I imagined they won’t be so much too different each other).
Thx & best regards.
Yongnuo RF-603 will this work on hs10
Just discovered this forum. So much useful information and so generously shared.
Have just bought my HS10, £135 on eBay adn so far am really impressed. I freaked a bit when I read the section about lens contacting each other and cracking – is this common. How should I avoid it? Thanks – Glenn
Hi Glenn
No, it is not common. The HS10 sold in sufficiently high numbers that you are bound to get a few duff ones. However, it was suggested on another forum that over zealous turning of the zoom may cause this problem, but I don’t know.
Regards
PBked
Thanks PBked! Had a close look at mine in the daylight but so far its OK. Can see how if you got over enthused they could collide – there is small gap between barrel and lens at full retraction ( you can tell I’m no camera expert!).
Very pleased with results so far – though haven’t ventured too far through all the manual permutations yet. Will take a while to have that much confidence.
Glad the forum is still active – I reckon that the previous generation of most current technology is still damn fine, and hugely cheaper!!
Cheers Glenn
Hi,
Anyone out there who can help me in understanding regarding the Manual Focus on Fujifilm Finepix HS10? What is that white line which is below the focusing window? What is the yellow dot & why does it keep flickering? How do I know whether I have got a sharp focus or not; is there any beep indication??
Thanks!!
Setup menu, Focus check, set it to ON.
Now when you use manual focus, you can see the target in the centre of the EVF/LCD, magnified to aid focus.
Difficult in the EVF until you get used to it – its such a stingy little viewfinder, you can hardly see anything anyway!
The line you mentioned is an indication of how closely the focus distance matches the distance to the subject in the focus brackets (the part-circle above the indicator). You need to make the end of the line meet the yellow marker. (Page 51 of the manual)
BUT, if the camera is hand-held, the ‘target’ in the brackets will move and upset the position of the yellow marker, so you really need to use a tripod if you use that method.
Easiest I find is just to rely on the magnified bit.
No, theres no ‘in focus’ beep.
I have a finepix hs10. After installation of the soft, i can’t use help fonction of raw file converter.
Thanks for your Answer. Jules
Do you mean the Silkypix software?
You can get a copy of the help manual in several places, heres one:
shortcutinc.com/cms/manuals/sp/SilkyPixManual.pdf
Hey there
can anybody help me, why my flash can not working??
Thanks
Hello Agung,
Regarding why your on-camera inbuilt flash is not working, I would suggest you to check into these:
1. Are you in super-macro mode? If yes, use the left 4-way directional pad and turn off the super-macro
2. Is your volume muted? By which I mean, is there a speaker icon with a lightning bolt & an OFF mentioned in the LCD/EVF screen just beside the metering option in the top hand side? If yes, then just press and hold the disp/back button on the back of the camera below the 4-way directional pad. This will turn off the silent mode, as the AF lamp, sound and flash don’t work in silent modes.
3. Are you in any of the special shooting modes, i.e. continuous shooting, AE bracketing, best frame capture or zoom bracketing? If yes, turn them off by pressing and holding the button with a camera icon on the top plate of the camera just behind the shutter/on-off button and use the command dial/4-way keys to turn it off
4. Are you in panorama mode? If yes turn the mode dial to any one of these – Auto/P/A/S/M modes
Just check with these things and check if your inbuilt flash works. If it still doesn’t then its wise to get it checked from an authorized Fuji service center. Hope this helps you..
Regards
Hello Everybody,
Anyone out there who can tell me about a good external flash unit which can be used along with Fujifilm HS10. I am aware that it will not meter through the lens, but i’m very much willing to use it as a manual flash.
Except Vivitar 285HV are there any other makes of external flash which can be used with the Fujifilm HS10?
I’m also looking to use it as an off camera flash so can RF triggers be used? If yes, then which one?
Looking forward to hear from you guys..
Hi there
Metz also do a couple, but I can’t remember the models. Just google ‘Metz flashguns for Fuji HS10′
Regards
PBked
Hello PBked,
Thanks for the recommendation, but nowadays these Metz flashes are available as ..for Canon/for Nikon, so would it be sensible to go in for the for Nikon ability as Fujifilm and Nikon were once a partner associate?
In that case can a Nikon Speedlite work on Fuji HS10?
Are the connector pins on the hot shoe contact different on Nikon speedlite as compared to Canon Speedlites?
Oh what about radio triggers??
Looking forward for your reply
Regards
Hi again
The problem with flashguns is the trigger voltage. If it is too high, it can fry your camera. Here is a list of recommended guns for the HS10:-
Metz Mecablitz 30 C-2, 36 C-2, 44 MZ-2 digital
Canon 540 EZ
All of them can be picked up on ebay either new or used.
Hope this helps
PBked
P.S.
The first gun should read Metz 20 C-2. Sorry for the typo.
PBked
Hi PBked,
Thanks for the flashgun list. Yes I am aware of the trigger voltage issues with the latest digital cameras. But can I use a Nikon speedlite??
I’m interested in using the flashgun as an off camera flash so I’d be requiring a set of RF triggers.. Is it going to be compatible with Fuji HS10?
Regards
Hi again
The Nikon speedlites, like Canon have about 5 contacts which line-up with the contacts on the camera’s hotshoe. The HS10 has only 1 large contact and so you need to be looking at the non-dedicated guns that I listed. So no, I don’t think the speedlight will work.
As for triggers, the Canon 540 EZ can certainly use them and I believe the Metz 44 MZ-2 also, but the Metz new price is over £240, so I think second-hand is the way to go.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful
Regards
PBked
Hi PBked,
Thanks for the info. I will surely look into the Metz 44 MZ-2 variant as it would be helpful for me as an off camera flash.
Oh can the newer Fujifilm EF-42/20 flash guns work on manual mode (if they have that option) on the Fuji HS10?? Also considering that it would be a proprietary flash gun in some way..
Looking forward for your reply
Hello HS10 Fan,
Metz flashes are a good choice if you want a decent on-camera flash. Vivitar 285HV is the work horse of flashes!! But be aware of the older versions which doesnt have the HV mentioned in them as they can give out voltages of beyond 300 which can actually fry out the sync circuits in the camera & also be aware of imitations of the Vivitar 285HV.
As for other brands in manual flashes you could consider Yongnuo external flashes which are economical and you can even buy a couple of them as your off-camera flashes and couple them with RF triggers. Yongnuo has RF triggers too.
You can have a look at this webpage if your interested in Yongnuo for Fuji HS10:
http://www.shewsbury.com/2010/07/yongnuo-speed-lite-yn-460.html
Hope this helps you..
Thanks RDS and PBked for your suggestions.. I will look in to either Metz or Yongnuo flashes. By the way RDS that was an excellent link on Yongnuo you suggested for me. Thank you..
Hi
Thank you for the answers I recived from RDS. I would like to ask another question. How can I set ” manul focus” on my fuji HS10 camera.
look forward to your reply.
Hello Marvic,
To set the manual focus function on your Fujifilm HS10 press and hold the 4th button AF C-S-M on the left vertical column of buttons on the back of the camera and use the command dial or the 4 way controller and select the MF. There you have it. Manual focus is enabled.
Thank you very much for your help , RDS .The advice you gave was great !
Hi everyone,
Does anyone have any tips for photographing portrait photos. I’d like to make them with most blurry background possible. It won’t manage to make that really blurry, just a bit. So if someone has a tactique, please share it with me.
Hello Arnold,
Regarding blurry backgrounds (bokeh) with Fuji Finepix HS10, it would be a bit difficult to achieve the creamy bokeh as with any dSLR. This is due to the small sensor on Fuji HS10 in comparison to a dSLR. But then again here are some tips to achieve a fairly good enough bokeh for a small sensor camera with HS10:
1. Try to use the Portrait mode. This will give you a larger aperture and hence some amount of bokeh can be achieved.
2. Utilize the massive zoom factor! Try to keep the distance between the subject and the background as far as possible. The farther you keep more blurry the background. Move back from the subject and utilize the zoom and frame the face of the subject in the viewfinder/LCD and press the shutter. There you have it. A good looking portrait with a good enough bokeh.
P.S: This tip works in all modes.. Auto, PASM as well.
3. Try to use the standard color profile instead of the chrome setting as this gives the skin tones a natural look.
In a dSLR you can vary the bokeh with the aperture settings but with the Fuji HS10 it is not possible to achieve a bokeh with the aperture settings owing to the small sensor as I mentioned above.
All said Fujifilm Finepix HS10 is one versatile equipment.
Happy shooting!!
Hi Arnold
Please also look at my post [9 down from here] about using macro to achieve bokeh.
As RDS says you will be best using a large aperture but if you then use zoom the aperture will change to smaller apertures which will increase the DOF. At full zoom the closest focusing distance is 3 metres so you would have to be at least that distant from the subject and your subject would have to be at least twice as far in front of the background. I think you would be better keeping a large aperture at wide angle and physically moving in and out from your subject. If you use my tip of using macro or even super macro you can reduce the distances from camera to subject and subject to background.
However, try out RDS and my suggestions and see what suits you best.
Regards
PBked
Hello Arnold,
Actually speaking the aperture in Fuji HS10 isn’t mechanical like in a dSLR and hence zooming in would change the aperture settings. But a photo taken at f/2.8 and at f/11 wont show much differences expect for being sharper at f/11. As PBked mentioned using macro mode will be helpful. Try using macro mode and the zoom factor. Your sure to gain a good enough bokeh. But super macro you cannot zoom to take a photo as you have to be in wide angle mode to actually utilize the super macro function.
Thank you very much for your tips. I appreciate it and I will try them out!
hi could anyone please tell me how to turn off the focus check on my hs20 exr many thanks darren
‘Focus Check’ is when you have manual focus on, and the centre of the subject is magnified on the LCD screen.
Turn on or off in the Setup menu. Page 97 of the HS20 manual.
Or do you mean when you have taken a picture, and the camera displays the image on the LCD screen?
If you want to turn that off, its also in the Setup menu > Image Disp. > duration or OFF. Page 93.
how do you enable raw mode and secondly are there anyone outthere shooting night club photos
On the HS10, RAW is tucked away in the Setup menu – not very convenient.
You could also save it as part of your Custom set of settings. You change to RAW and save the current settings in the Shooting menu, last item > Custom Set > Yes.
Then when you want to switch to RAW, turn the command dial to ‘C’ and the camera will use all the settings you saved, including RAW.
This is described on page 33 of the manual.
You’ll probably find RAW painfully slow – best to use when you aren’t in a hurry to take shots.
Hi, I have tried using Tethered Capture in lightroom 4 but it will not recognise my HS10 any help would be appreciated
Hi Steve…
Tethering only works with certain cameras, and the HS10 isn’t one of them.
The USB connector is only for uploading images to a computer and nothing else.
OK thanks for you help
my cam had a problem(lens stain) so i took it for service…but after two weeks,i noticed that the zoom seemed smaller…so i took a photo(a window) with the exact same focal lenth from the same point but in the on photo (both seen in 100%) the window seemed bigger!does it sound normal to you?another photograph-engineer,had told me that the lens(before the service)where a bit moved,so they contact each other…could this explain the bigger previous zoom?
thank you…
I spose it could, but if you think the lens isn’t as good as it was, maybe you could ask the person to have another look at it?
ok,thank you very much!
Dear Moose,
I have a problem regards uploading a video I recorded onto the computer. I conducted an interview that needed to be recorded, so I used my HS 10 11. I got it two years ago and didn’t really know how to use it. I forgot the actual mode I used to record the video though, but I think I used the one witth the red camera or the “C” mode. I used the camera to record the interview until it stopped recording (it’s maximum record length of 30 minutes I mean). Then I recorded some shorter videos for about 2 minutes.
I have to burn a CD for my teacher, so I uploaded the video files to my computer. I was able to upload the two shorter videos to my computer, but I just couldn’t upload the 30-minute long video. I’ve tried directly connecting the camera to the computer and connecting the memory card to the computer, but neither of them worked.
Can you please help/teach me on how to put the video onto my computer? Why can’t I upload it?
Thanks for reading this long post.
Can you see the video on the camera? I mean, does it play, does it actually exist.
When you remove the card and connect it directly, can you see the video file on the card? If you can, there shouldn’t be a problem, but maybe it got corrupted or something and the computer can’t handle it.
Yes, I can see it both in my camera (I can play the video on my camera) and the card (Well, at least, the thumbnail of the video can be seen when the card is connected to the computer.) I got the shorter videos uploaded to my computer but the 30 minute one can’t be uploaded. The video is 3.8 GB, will it be too big for the transfer?
Could be that your SD card if formated in FAT. FAT won’t allow for files greater than 4gig…..that 3.8 could be so close that it might actually be corrupt.
Check the format of the card. If it is in FAT, you should likely use NTSF for future recordings. It won’t save this one but will allow you to save such files in the future.
Hi ,I am desperate for help. Please if anybody can help me I will be very pleased. I tried to take some night photographs and the results did not satisfay me . One of the reasons is I can not set the shutting speed on 30 sec. on manual settings and i use the regular night settings on sp 2 mode. Can anyone explain to me how I can set my camera with 30 sec. shutting speed on manual mode.
Look forward to hearing from some one .
Hello Marvic,
With respect to night photography I’d suggest you to use the Manual (M ) mode than using night mode on SP2.
As for the 30″ shutter speed, this can be achieved in Fuji HS10 only in the M mode & it is dependent upon the ISO value too. For example at ISO 100 you can achieve a 30″ speed, 15″ at ISO 200, 8″ at ISO 400, 4″ at ISO 800, 2″ at ISO 1600, 1″ at ISO 3200 & 1/2″ at ISO 6400. This can be achieved by rotating the command dial which is beside the (right side) the PASM mode dial.
As for your night photography, limit yourself up to ISO 400, use a tripod (Its a must) and shoot in RAW format as you can adjust various parameters and remove noise/artifacts from the picture during post processing using the RAW file.
thank you for your help RDS
Very pleased with the results from my HS 10 with one exception – shots of birds flying. Have tried but failed to get sharp in focus photographs with both continuous focus and tracking. Any advice or suggestions please?
Hi Les
You are using the right modes, but unfortunately with this type of subject you will also be using a long zoom and this is where camera shake rears it’s ugly head. High shutter speed is a must. If you are shooting against a blue sky then aperture can be reduced [you only need a short DOF for the subject]. If shooting against a landscape then you will perhaps want to raise the aperture some but still use shutter priority to set a high speed. Have you tried burst mode to take a series of shots. This might raise your chances of getting a good shot. Hope this helps.
Regards
PBked
Many thanks PBked. Will give it a go.
thanks for that reggi,
english was a bit out there, but i got the jist of what you were saying.
ta.
Hi Steve
Just to add to what Reggie said, I have posted this before, but in order to use macro successfully to create bokeh, you need to make sure that your subject is within the focus limits and the background outside of them. If you check page 130 of the manual, all the focus distances are given. eg wide angle on macro 2m – 5m. Therefore the subject needs to be inside 2-5m and the background as far outside 5m as possible.
Regards
PBked
thanks pbked,
i did have a look on this site for something to do with bokeh, but there is a awfull lot of posts and my eyes started hurting reading them all. thanks for the info on macro, i will try them.
thanks steve
hi
had the hs10 for 4 months now and have been trying to get a bokeh affect. i know the apeture is used, the smaller number ie: f/2.8 (subject in focus) larger number ie: f/11 (everything in focus) even small number and stepping back an using the zoom to fill frame, but the only way i can get it is by using macro. the (f) numbers dont seen to make a difference on the photo. i can take a photo on a tripod at f/2.8 and the same photo at f/11 and they virtualy look the same, maybe a little clearer. is it just my camera or am i expecting to much from a bridge camera?
in my experience.. your situation is like mine and i think to other HS10 user… but in my observation there a specific distance that we can use macro setting to make a bokeh.. when shooting for a bokeh first i set to manual then zoom to subject if wont focus use macro.. in portrait i use may zoom to have a bokeh effect.. sorry for my english
Hi, does anyone know if the HS10 has a changeable lens? I really want to get a fish eye lens to go onto it but i’m not sure if you can for this camera? thanks
Hi Madeline
Bit annoyed coz I just posted an answer and it didn’t go through. So here I go again. If you type in ebay’s search box the phrase “fish eye lenses with a 58mm thread”, you will get presented with quite a few. The one I saw first was a Bower with various sizes of adapter rings including a 58mm for $44.90. Any of these accessories with 58mm will screw into the front of your HS10 lens. How they work out tho I can’t say because I have never tried one. I should imagine that you would keep your Fuji fully zoomed out [wide angle], but I just don’t know. Perhaps you have a friendly stockist near you who might let you ‘try before you buy’.
Hope this helps
Regards
PBked
thank you so much, just had a look and i’ve found one which shows pictures they have taken using the fish eye lens with the finepix HS10 and it like the way they look so hopefully mine will turn out the same!
Hi all HS10 users and boffins,
You must have all used online auctions sites and loathed the way some people take dreadful pictures of the items they are selling (usually discourages people from bidding for them and devalues the item).
I am trying not to be one of them people and would like to take pictures of this beautiful rocking horse I am selling on my HS10.
Please can someone suggest some settings so that the pictures do the rocking horse justice. It has a lot of detail and I would like to exhibit this in the photos I take.
Your assistance would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Niz
See some tips in:
http://www.digitalpicturezone.com/types-of-photography/top-six-tips-for-indoor-photography/
Although some tips are not applicable to your case, in general they are good advise. Professional photographers use at least two flash units mounted in “umbrellas” to avoid shadows. One trick that I learned when this is not possible, is using a white cup (or at least the bottom of one) in the front of the flash of the camera to “smooth” the light in the subject. Choosing the background is also important. You can use a roll of non gloss paper to make an infinite background.
I hope this helps
Glas
Hi Niz
Good advice from Glas above. Just want to stick my 2 pence worth in.
Many photos on auction sites make the mistake of trying to show the whole object from different angles. I would suggest that 1 whole view is fine, but how about highlighting detail in various parts of the horse eg. zoom in on the head from a low angle or the saddle detail. Two or three shots like this can have a lot more impact than four views of the same object.
Regards
PBked
Hi, I got a refurbished hs10 last Christmas and it has been fine until the other day and when I turn it on nothing happens. It had done this a few times before but previously I could view pictures but not take them, then it began to work fine again as long as when I turned it now I moved the lense. I’ve tried drying it out on the radiator in case there was any water inside it and changing the batteries but that had no effect.
Nicole, I have not heard of this ever happening, and since it was refurbished you might try contacting the seller. Probably the time you should have tried to contact the seller and/or Fuji was when it began to act “quirky”. Did you somehow get the camera wet? I’m asking this because you stated that you have tried to dry it out on the radiator. I hope that you can get this resolved via the seller or Fuji.
Norman
Hi there
anybody out there who knows how to get the battery icon to show on this camera? I been having trouble locating it,
Thanks!!
Hi Martin
I don’t think the battery icon on the HS10 displays all the time. The only time I see the battery icon is when the batteries are getting low. When it does appear, I get about another 20-50 shots depending on the shoot and whether or not I’m using the flash.
I always carry a spare set of lithiums to meet this eventuality.
Regards
PBked
Martin, see page 15 of the manual re the messages and/or icon showed for battery condition. If you look at the “display” section of the manual the battery icon is #21. One of the things about the HS10 from practically all of the reviewers, is that it is “battery hungry”. PBked offers good advice in suggesting lithium powered AA batteries. Prior to downloading the firmware updates, there was a problem with premature low battery warnings. During my trip to Spain, I was freaked by this and was constantly changing batteries. Since I didn’t know where to buy them at decent prices, I was relegated to purchasing them at tourist locations. Never has so much been spent on so little. Also, I was discharging and recharging my ni-cads every night. I must have tossed a great many alkaline batteries that were still good.
Norman
Thanks for all the info guys! much appreciated.
Does HS10 support a SDHC Class 10 card?
Hi RavRob
Yes it certainly does. That’s all I have ever used. I don’t think it writes any much faster than a Class 6 card and if it does, you’ll be talking nanoseconds. But yes is your answer.
Regards
PBked
Thanks BPked
I tried a 32 gig class 10 200x and it did not work. The 16 gig class 10 200x however worked great.
Thanks for your reply
Hi hope someone can help, i have been trying to use my HS10 to take pictures through my telescope TAL150pm (reflector) i have the t-ring and eye piece adaptor, connected it all up. The problem im having is all’s i seem to be able to see is the cross bar mirror mount and nothing beyond it. the camera will only focus on it even in manual ,do i need any other type of connector or eye piece?
Hi Stephen
Not sure about this one, but have you tried setting the focus mode to area [manual page 50 ]? With this mode you can manouvre the focus point using the arrow keys. Try moving the focus point off centre away from the crossbar mount if possible and see if it can focus on the mirror itself.
Perhaps someone else can come back with a better suggestion, but in the meantime, it could be worth a try.
Regards
PBked
Wondering if you will set in play, a similar site and or page for the upcoming Fuji hs30 due out in March of 2012?
Hi James
The user’s manual is already available for download, so I took a look at it yesterday. Apart from the EXR functions and a slight change of placement of buttons, I can’t see anything much different to the HS10 or HS20. Much of what is on this site will apply equally well to the HS30. To create a site solely for the HS30 or HS25 would not be worthwhile in my opinion, but others may disagree.
Regards
PBked
Peter (PBked) and Norman,
Moose here, just wanted to thank you for keeping the HS10 forum going the last few months. It’s been a crazy year with my wife and I having our first baby. My free time has been spent changing diapers and slowly working on a redesign for the site.
Peter (PBked) – I sent you an email to the address you use when commenting. Not sure if it’s accurate or not?
Norman – I sent you an email to the address you use when commenting. Not sure if it’s accurate or not?
If both of you could get in contact with me, I’d like to thank you with a gift card to Amazon. Go ahead and shoot an email to me at moose “at” cameratips “dot” com.
I’ve also got something I’d like to get your opinions on. Anyway, thanks again for contributing to the site, your time and effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. Happy shooting! :)
Hey All, I have had the Fuji HS10 for about a year now and does anyone else have a problem with the colors of the photos taken with this camera being horrible?? Reds , Yellows etc. just appear dull and not true to the real color of the object being photographed….I rarely use it due to this…i had an older Fuji S1000fd that took amazing pictures and figured the HS10 was an upgrade but it seems like a downgrade in photo quality…..
Any advise or suggestions appreciated!!
Thanks,
Al
Hi Al
There was another post some time ago which mentioned dull colours etc. Of all the criticisms I have read about the HS10, the rendition of colours has not been one of them. Have you tried the chrome setting? Personally, I find the chrome over the top with very bright reds and very green greens, but my son prefers it this way. Scan thru the HS10 menus and you will find that sharpness, contrast, saturation, tone etc. can all be adjusted. Have you experimented with these settings? Are you using auto white balance or choosing your own, as the wrong choice will definitely make a difference to the colours.
One other thought – are you referring to the colours as displayed on the camera or as viewed on a pc coz the monitor may not be adjusted properly.
Regards
PBked
Hi, I ‘ve disabled every image manipulation inside the camera keeping my jpg-pictures as clean and natural as possible (even dull). You can also shoot in RAW-format for that matter. Changes to the pictures are always done in post-processing sessions with Photoshop, Gimp, Lightroom, Picasa, Photivo…whatever.
Take a picture with all sharpness, color features “high” and the same without. Have look at the pictures on a computer screen, zoom in on both pictures and you’ll find out for yourself.
Regards,
Rudy
Hey PBked,
Thanks for the response….On my HS10 i dont have a Chrome setting…only Standard , B&W and Sephia and yes i use Auto WB. I have been playing with the manual settings for quite awhile now with still basically the same results….Just seems odd that the older FINEPIX S1000fd that i had took way better photos….
Actually i did find the Chrome setting and it seems to be much better color quality…Appreciate the tip and helpful info!!!
Thanks,
Al
HELP! I have been asked to do 2 weddings with my HS10 – has anyone ever done wedding pictures and do you have any advise or suggestions – I have done one wedding (as a second photographer) and think that I may need an add on flash – any help would be greatly appreciated! I am by NO means a great photographer, but people love my pictures that I take with the HS10, but most of them have been outdoor shots. THANKS!!!
Sorry, never done wedding photos, but by coincidence I was earlier looking through a magazine, with this as its main theme:
http://89.248.172.172/viewtopic.php?f=123&t=299429
hope it helps!
Hi Susan
My advice on wedding shoots – Don’t ! Seriously though, after several successful wedding shoots, I was asked to do one for the daughter of one of my friends. On a day in midsummer, the weather was equivalent to a bad day in Siberia – well this is England, the only place in the world where one can experience all four seasons in one day. Anyway, despite a howling gale causing the bride’s veil to stand vertically above her head and driving rain I persevered. The daughter had not booked a professional in the interests of economy and although I spent several weeks processing the pictures to make the most of them the bride upon receipt was horrified and declared that I had ruined her ‘perfect day’. My friend and his wife have not spoken to me since and nor have I done any more weddings.
My successful shoots were based mainly around candid shots. Obviously the group shot is going to get in there somewhere, but in the main I used a telephoto lens and tried to get pictures where the subject was not aware to avoid them posing or at worst poking their tongues out. I captured many charming photos of young bridesmaids, the bride, the groom and the best man and guests in this way. The only posed shots were the group, the bride and groom and one which I’m quite proud of with the bride and groom hand in hand in front of the altar rail and superimposed their hands highlighting the bride’s ring.
I was pleased with many of the comments I received the best of which pointed out that I had captured the spirit of the wedding without photographing the wedding.
I know I have been rambling a bit, but what I am trying to say is look for the candid shots – the bride getting out of the car, the confetti throwing, the people rather than producing a pictorial diary of events.
Hope this makes sense.
Regards
PBked
PBked
Sorry I left out the technical stuff. Yes an add on flash might be useful, but as the HS10 has no ttl [unlike the HS20] you would have to be able to set the flash exposure manually and sync it with the camera. However, the HS10 has quite a fast aperture at wide angle at f2.8 so is quite capable in low light with higher ISO settings and IS enabled to use handheld without flash. High ISO leads to more noise, but with interior shots some graininess can enhance the ambience of the picture. If you can, visit the church beforehand and experiment to see which settings give the desired effect and it will give you an idea of camera angles, backgounds and so on. You could take someone with you to act as a model. Be prepared to use an image editing program for cropping etc. as it is very difficult in wedding situations to produce the perfect shot straight out of the camera with every click of the shutter – people move, expressions change, lighting changes etc.
Guys and gals, this camera is on sale on eBay with free shipping. FYI
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300657739288?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Norman
Sorry, try; http://www.ebay.com/itm/300657739288
hi. could anyone explain what ,Frame no.Full means. this is on my hs10. how do i remove this. i have removed batteries, and changed memory card, to no avail. i am not a hot shot with cameras.any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Hi Charlie
Take a look at page 126 of the manual for an explanation of your error and the way to fix it. If you haven’t got the manual you can get it by using Moose’s HS10 Resources link just to the right of this post.
Regards
PBKed
Hi, I recently got a HS10 and love it but recently created a 2.7 gig HD video. For some reason I cannot transfer this from the camera to a PC. When I try the camera and PC appear to be transfering data for a minute, then just stop with no warning message. There is a file with the correct name in the folder where I was trying to copy the movie, but it is zero bytes. I have tried using a card reader to bypass the camera but the pc says the disc is not formatted. But I have done this before with no problem and the video plays fine on the camera. Any ideas anyone?
Has no-one any ideas? I am really stumped here and you guys were my last hope. I have event tried Fuji but have no reply.
Please help if you can.
As theres no one prepared to have a go at this problem…
I’m guessing that its a corrupt memory card. Your PC is reading it so far, eg, at least the file header, then meeting a problem – probably some missing data – and giving up.
You could try a recovery program – there some free ones – try a search for ‘rescue memory card’ – I saw lots. like this:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec
Thanks Robbo, I will try those links and get back to you. My only thoughts are if it is corrupt its odd that it plays on the camera perfectly.
Hi Dave
I tried to post this answer a few days ago, but if you read my post further up, I had trouble submitting it.
If you are ok using Windows explorer, try the following
1] Insert your card in the reader.
2] Ignore and close any Windows boxes that pop-up.
3] Open Windows explorer. Your card should appear as an additional drive eg D:\Sandisk.
4] Click on this drive and you will see a couple of subfolders, one of which will usually be DCIM. Navigate thru these folders until you find your picture files. Left click the first file, hold down the shift key and then click on the last file.
5] Drag and drop your files to your chosen folder.
If the card is not corrupt, then your files should transfer.
A] When formatting your card, always do it in camera. Ignore any Windows messages that tell you you should ‘ Fix the card’.
B] When you are happy that your pictures are transferred, format the card before starting a new shoot.
Hope this works
Regards
PBked
I hope somebody can help, i’ve been trying to get some night sky shots on my HS10, when i take the image it comes out on the display looking really good bright and clear , the problem is when i upload it to my PC the image is very dark and barley visibly. I’ve tried turning the brightness up on my PC incase it was that but the problem stil exists. any help would be most welcome.
You might have the LCD screen set too bright. (Page 111 of the manual).
Change the brightness to normal in the Setup menu.
Also, the EVF might be too bright – search this page (Ctrl-F) for ‘ravrob’ to see how to fix this.
Also, you might be able to adjust the ‘bad’ images in a graphics program, the free Irfanview can do this.
thanks for the tip will try this
My HS10 is eating my battery power way too quick. I replaced them on Saturday, then again on Monday and now it reads the battery is low.
Would this have anything to do with my camera being slow between shots even when I have a high shutter speed?
Need help quick.
are you using rechargeable batteries.. there’s a lot of way to reduce the consume of battery silent your camera off the illuminator.. of the shutter sound.. less live view of picture.. shoot using EVF.. avoid flash if you can… ^_^ hope it will help you..
Carol, have you ever updated your firmware? My HS10 was continually warning that the battery was low. I spent a lot of money in Madrid and threw away good batteries because of this. The latest update in the firmware included a fix for the premature low battery signal. I believe the latest update is 1:04. Check Fuji’s website or call customer service. The HS10 is “battery hungry” for sure, but not as bad as I thought. I turn off my automatic switching fom eyepiece to screen and also tell my camera that I am using rechargeables. It seems to lower it’s power demand as the voltage in rechargeables is less than in alkaline.
Norman
Thank you for your comments. I was told by a camera store person not to use rechargeable batteries, but get lithium.
I turn off the sound, don’t use flash, but do use the big screen for viewing instead of viewfinder.
Also, since this happened, I started using Camera Raw, a requirement for the class I am taking. Would the camera Raw eat up battery power?
Also, I’ve never installed software. Where do I get the updates and how do I update the camera. I bought this HS10 as the last one in the case and it was the display model. I do not think it came with all the accessories that it was suppose to, like the USB camera link.
What can I do?
thanks for your help,
carol
Hi Carol
Norman has given you some useful comments, but I would like to add my own. Several times on this site I have extolled the use of lithiums. I use nothing else and regularly return shots of between 700 and 1000 – none of my friends can come close to half of this using rechargeables, but as Norman says you must choose lithium in the setup menu for battery type. As for power saving, I have shutter sounds and have never switched off the auto evf/lcd mode. However, I do have instant review turned off and also have a low time interval before auto shut off. I set IS for shooting only as using continuous is one of the biggest drains on the batteries as is using continuous focus. Raw files do take slightly longer to store than JPGs, but shouldn’t make that much difference.
As for firmware updates, these are to be found on Fuji’s website. To see which version you have – press and hold the disp/back button as you turn the camera on. As Norman says the present and probably final version is 1.04 although version 1.01 was the one that corrected the battery indicator problem but using the latest version is always recommended. Downloading and installing the firmware to the camera is quite straightforward but do make sure you have new batteries installed or a mains power source.
Hope this helps
Regards
PBKed
Hi Moose. I live in Leeds,West Yorkshire,England ,and came across your very helpful website whilst doing research on the Fuji HS10. I purchased mine today, secondhand ,in York- an historic city loved by Americans and tourists from all over the world. The camera is in mint condition with all accessories and I can’t wait to start using it. I have several digital cameras including a Pentax DSLR and Panasonic FZ20 bridge camera but the Fuji takes me to a new level. I look forward to exploring your excellent site, chatting with other users and picking up lots of hints and tips. Thank you.
Welcome Roger, to a friendly and informative site. I hope that you enjoy your HS10.
Norman
Hi Roger
Welcome to the site. You are lucky to live in such a location. My wife hails from Co. Durham, so after a visit to relatives last year we trickled our way back to London by way of York, Eden Camp, Mother Shipton’s Cave and the moors and my HS10 was put to very good use. Took over 800 pics.
Regards
PBked
Thank you to Norman and PBKed for their kind welcome to the site. I have just purchased a super Lowepro TZ10 black camera bag for the HS10 at the value for money price of £19.99 at Jacobs in Leeds-my home city. I can highly recommend this bag. The camera is a snug fit.it has a pouch at the front for storage of batteries,memory cards and perhaps a lens hood and has a quality feel to it. It has a decent removeable shoulder strap and a handle and belt loop.
Hope this is useful information for any one looking for a bag. Lowepro do various sizes if you want more storage space.
I have found the autofocus in the HS10 painfully slow…. even my Canon Powershot A3200 and earlier Canon Powershot A620 were a lot faster. In low light the problem is magnified. Is there a fix to it? I am yet to upgrade to firmware 1.04. Will that improve the autofocus?
Hi Siddhartha
The autofocus on the HS10 is not lightning fast, but it is not all that slow either and it is faster than some other bridge cameras. Like all P&S cameras, the HS10 uses contrast detect for its focussing so in subjects with very high or low contrast it may struggle to achieve focus. However, the HS10 excels over other cameras because you are able to focus manually.
All cameras can have problems with focussing in low light, but with the HS10′s relatively fast F2.8 aperture at wide angle it has to be quite dark before it has problems.
In amswer to your question – no the 1.4 firmware will not improve the autofocus speed but it does sort out a few other issues and so is worth doing.
Regards
PBKed
Thanks for the reply…I will upgrade the firmware.
Hi
Ive just come back off holiday, and took my HS10 with a 4gb SD card. The card was blank when I started using it, and i took around 200 photos…however, when I came to upload them to the PC, only the first 8 loaded properly, with the rest showing as blank RAF files!! I can still view them on the camera, so they havent been formatted. Does anyone know why this has happened, when I didnt delete them in the first place, and how i can get them to upload?? Thanks! :0/
Hi Jo
When you say they are showing as blank RAFs do you mean that there is no file size in the details column and were the first 8 also raw files?
Do you connect your camera to your computer or do you have a card reader?
If you use a card reader then there is a free program called ‘Recuva’ which you can download from the web which will not only recover deleted files from your SD card but also the good files.
There are often minor glitches when transferring files through a camera connection, which is why I prefer to use a card reader and it’s much quicker too. Try transferring them again.
Regards
Pbked
Hi,
I use the reader on the computer. I have looked on the camera, and the first 8 are not RAW….
I will try downloading Recuva now. Thanks very much for your help!
Jo
Hi again Jo
Now I know you use a card reader, can you tell me how you download from it. For example, do you wait for the Windows box to pop-up with various options and then use that? If so, there is an alternative way if you know how to use Windows Explorer.
However, some Windows info panes cannot create thumbnails for RAF files. I think you have already downloaded your images. The way to check in Windows Explorer is to change the info pane view from thumbnails to details. At the end of the file name you will see the size of the file in kilobytes. If this number is 0kb then your files have not transferred, but if you see a number listing thousands of kilobytes such as 3642kb for example, then your file has probably transferred. What you need is a viewer that can display raw files to look at them. One of the best free versions is Irfanview.
Regards
Pbked
RAF file are photo taken in RAW.. i view my raw file using lightroom or or silkypix..
If anyone has had a problem with the on/off switch sticking, this seems to be a common problem with the HS-10, as I was informed on this forum. Fujifilm fixed mine under warranty, free of charge. Be warned, however, that if you send it to the repair facility in New Jersey, it took Fuji two months to send it back!
I am looking for a good camcorder. Can the HS10 record equal quality full lenth home movies as a good hd camcorder? It is after all 1080p.
The HS10′s full 1080p quality is -okay.- for personal snapshotting and taking videos for things you’re not uber serious about. I say this because the sensor is a CMOS sensor, not a CCD. the difference is you won’t get hardly any flaring or 2 point star artifacts, but you will get rolldown shutter artifacts on occasion(half exposed frames and horizontal motion warping), because a cmos exposes lines of pixels at a time while a ccd exposes the whole frame.
720p quality is superb though.
How do you set up a HS10 to work with Yonguno RF-603 triggers can’t seem to get mine working?
Theres a video here, looks straitforward enough:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKAxyOahPyE
I think you have to switch “External Flash” to ON in the Shooting menu.
I am wanting to take some photographs using my HS10 and a light microscope- had anyone else attempted this and if so, what equipment have you used?
I imagine I will need a ring to allow an eyepiece attachment to the camera direct (similar to when I have taken photos using a telescope)…
Ta,
I played around with this once – I didn’t get any special equipment, just 2 pieces of card – one a narrow cardboard tube which fitted over the microscope eyepiece attached with duct tape to a wider tube which fitted around the camera lens. Camera on tripod pointing into the microscope and I got some decent images.
I have been trying to find a setting for the built in flash but can’t find it…..it might not exist.
What I am trying to do is have the camera remain at a certain settings when I pop up the flash. Normally a flash will work well at 1/60th and should lock the camera at that speed. It doesn’t seem to work on my HS10.
Is that normal for that camera?
Is there a settings that would have it lock at 1/60th ?
Thanks
Hi RavRob
The answer to question 1 is yes and the answer to question 2 is no. If you want to use your own settings you will need a compatible external flash gun either manual or with auto and manual. Manual is required because the HS10 has no TTL unlike the HS20, you need to sync the camera and flash gun yourself. You will also need to set the menu option for external flash to on.
A quick search on the web for compatible flash guns for HS10 will give you a list.
Regards
Peter
Thanks for your reply Peter. Much appreciated.
Hello, i feel that i saw you visited my site so i got here to go back the desire?.I am attempting to to find issues to improve my web site!I guess its adequate to use some of your ideas!!
Hi all,
I have had my HS10 for over a year now and though this is my first post i have been a avid reader.I have learnt so much from this site so would like to put a little back.
I am into Birding and needed a camera with zoom that was not going to break the bank and after reading reviews and finding this site i bought one.I have been getting some fantastic bird and other wildlife shots but needed that little bit extra.
For a long time i have been contemplating a Teleconverter and a few days ago i took the plunge and bought a Sony VCL-DH1758 and wow does this lense transform the HS10.
A tip David Doak posted a long while ago about combining optical and digital zoom gets me some fantastic shots,720mm-1440mm.
With the 1.7x Sony Teleconverter i am now getting 1224mm-2448mm and the shots that were just too far away are now achievable.
Anyone thinking about a teleconverter i can highly recommend the Sony VCL-DH1758.
Hi Dingo with this teleconverter does the picture quality for your wildlife shots lose sharpness.
Can you post any photos you have taken with the teleconverter to see how good or bad, look forward to hearing from you.
Hi David
Firstly my apologies for not acknowledging your post sooner. You may have seen my post about ‘non response’ which is why I frequent this forum less and less.
Secondly, I am pleased to hear of your improved health after your hospital stay.
Like you, I have also had the opportunity to work with the HS20exr as a friend also offered to swap with my HS10 for a week. I can only agree with your observations and I also had diffuculty in persuading him to give my HS10 back.
As the X-S1 is not due to be released in Britain until late February or early March at a price point of around £700, I don’t think we’ll be seeing many cameratip forums for it just yet especially as Fuji has just anounced the release (about March) of the HS25 and HS30.
Anyway, good to hear from you again.
Regards
Peter
I have been using a new Windows 7 PC since mid-December and discovered that mov videos taken on my HS10 will play in Windows Media Player 12(.0761).
I am trying to take shots facing the sun set with the subject in front but cant seem to get the subject light up all I see is a shadow and I cant see the face or body any suggestions
Hi Terry
I’ve made some suggestions in a previous post, but briefly here they are again. You are trying to take a backlit photograph so the normal metering mode will expose for the brightest part of the scene ie. the background. Many people will use the flash to ‘fill-in’ the subject and this works quite well. Another method is to use spot metering to expose for the subject. Purists will use an external light meter and take readings from both the subject and the background and average them out.
The HS10 in SR(Auto) mode has a position for backlit subjects and I have had some success with this, but generally I am not a fan of SR(Auto)
Regards
Peter
Use bracketed image mode with maximum fstop adjustment (+/- 1 stop), load all of those images into hdrshop to generate an HDR version of the shot. Load into photoshop. tweak
First, what a great forum!
Anyway, i have had my HS10 for about a year. I’ve not played with it as much as I would have liked and most of my images so far have been taken using auto (I’m learning through playing)!
I was just wondering if I will need to do any updates to the software and if so where will I find these.
Thanks!
Emma
Hi Emma…
Very likely you have the latest firmware already.
You can find it by holding down the Disp/Back button when you turn the camera on.
The current version is 1.04.
If by any chance you have an earlier version, you can get the update and instructions here:
http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/s/finepix_hs10/index.html
Hi guys. I’ve been your reader for a very long time (bought my HS10 last July) and you guys make an awesome job, sharing tips and tricks on HS10. I learned a lot, including the basics of the camera, and other advance settings.
Which brought me to ask why this morning, as I was shooting in RAW by the sea shore, my max aperture went down to F/13. I almost freaked out, kind of delighted, but I could not repeat it again. Was wondering if this happened to any of you. I read that the minimum aperture hs10 can provide is F/11 (in manual and auto mode).
Thanks, hope there are others who can share. And thanks, too, if no one can answer. Happy shooting, everyone! :)
Regards,
Amoi
I mean my aperture went down to f/13, and I could not do it again (since hs10′s limit is f/11, as we all know).
That’s nothing man. Its baby brother the Fuji s700 can go all the way down to f16.8. It makes a definite CLICK when it switches from the iris to the pinhole.
Hi. Just want to share, in case some people ask.
Fuji has made an update with our Silkypix Raw converter, and you can download it here:
http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/myfinepix_studio/rfc/v3010/index.html
New features included are:
Corrected items in this RAW FILE CONVERTER (ver.3.0.1.0)
1. The function of developing to TIFF image is added.
Corrected items in this RAW FILE CONVERTER (ver.3.0.0.9)
1. Developed image is slightly cropped compared to JPEG image.
Tags: RAF, raw file, converter, jpeg to tiff, developing
Thanks, Amoi, I just updated my version.
I use Fastone image viewer/editor to edit my raws (in settings change Raw options to highest quality color production and image resolution, first though) because it makes the process of blowing through about 200 raws a bit more easy.
Hi HS10 folks. I’m want to buy a variable neutral density filtre but have seen a comment on Amazon (uk) that it didn’t work with the HS10. Is right or is it a case of the reviewer not knowing how to use it? Or are there some that work and others that don’t, in which case what would you advise?
I can’t find any mention of HS10 problems with filters on Amazon. There IS a mention of the lens hood and its use with filters, but thats not a real problem – if you must use both together, just buy a suitably-sized hood.
See here for a pic of my variable filter on the HS10:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6634708411_cbd8f24892.jpg
(click my name to go there)
I don’t know about other makes of filter, but this one – from 7dayshop – as you can see, angles out quite a bit, and has a thread on its widest part, I think its 62mm from what I measured. But theres no problem that i know of, with using it, or any other filter, on the HS10.
Thanks, Robbo. Either I was dreaming it or it was somewhere other than Amazon as I can’t find it either now! There is this review comment on Amazon US: “This ND filter will not work well with the Fuji HS20 camera. When mounted on the HS20 and the filter setting is turned towards maximum a dark “X” is produced on the view screen and the actual picture”. It’s not the comment I remembered, which just said “this won’t work with the HS10″.
Your reply is very reassuring, though, and thank you for taking the trouble. I will get on and start working on those slow shutter speed shots!
Thanks!
Yes, they sometimes include reviews from the US site at the bottom of a page. I found the one you just mentioned, but no sign of HS10.
I notice in the blurb for the product, they say “According to the optics theorem, it is not recommended to apply this filter for wide angle lens (<24mm, 35mm film format equivalent)." but I've played around with my ND and not found any problems at all, at any setting.
Hi,
I have been using my HS10 mainly to take indoor photos of people. Recently, the pictures have been coming out quite blurred and ‘concave’ looking, this is on the Auto setting or SR Auto. Also, I can take a number of shots of the same person/object at the same time, and some of the photos will turn out bright (when using the flash) whilst others will appear dull (still using the flash)
…I think what I’m asking is ‘Whats the best setting to use to take indoor photos of fidgety kids?’ :0)
I have tried to ‘manipulate’ the settings as though I know what Im doing, but have just reset them for fear of completely ruining the family album with blurry concave photos!!
Any help is much appreciated!!
Thanks!
Hi Jo…
Theres several similar posts on this page, with better replies than I could give…
If you search for the following, you can read some solutions (use Ctrl-F to enter search):
‘Pia’, ‘Garth Reid’ and ‘Nev’ – there are others, search for ‘indoor’.
Hope this helps.
thanks Robbo,
I will have a look now….
the hs10 has in-camera distortion correction -firmware- because the lens doesn’t have the glass to do this physically. When you take jpegs, you get corrected images, but when you take raws, you get what the sensor sees, which is the full 10mp plate uncorrected.
I should know…
I take pictures of shows in raw at high zooms…
and I notice.
that the walls aren’t curved.
Hi guys Belated Merry Christmas and Advance Happy New Year..
Guys who’s among here is a member of HS10/HS20 User in facebook..
^_^ share you photo using HS10/HS20
Hi, hope someone can shed some light. I’m kinda fedup. My hs10 fails to focus on 24mm. And sometimes photos are focused in the middle only of the photo. However when I zoom in it comes out great most of the time. I’ve tried on the auto setting on the mode dial as well as the auto SR dial any suggestions would be great. Thx
hi
Can you try manual focus, see if that works?
I’d go with robbo. focus. lock it by switching to manual or using the focus lock, and learn the -orbit dance- where you always stay the same distance from your target.
Hi All,
I have just been bought a HS20EXR for Christmas cannot wait to get started but before I do can anyone recommend a good tutorial which is aimed at the complete beginner?
Thanks
Chris
Cambridge in Colour have some excellent tutorials:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
or you can also try the http://www.digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-tips-for-beginners or http://www.exposureguide.com/
Hi ,I am having problems uploading video from my hs10 to my pc.
My pc seems to only recognise pictures.
Your help would be appreicated.
Most users remove the card from the camera and slot it into their computer or a card reader, then copy files onto the computer.
Hi Deano
The HS10 records video in Apple Quicktime’s MOV format. If you haven’t got Quicktime installed or a third party program like VLC media player, you won’t be able to view your videos. Both these programs are free, so there is no harm having them on your system.
If, however, you are actually having trouble transferring the files to your computer then this is a different problem. When you use a card reader, Windows will bring up a box with a list of actions and ask you to choose a method of transferring the pictures it has detected on the card.
If you know how to use Windows explorer, you can bypass this action box and access the card directly – it should appear as an additional drive on your system eg d:\ Sandisk. If you highlight this new drive it will usually contain up to 2 subfolders – 1 is usually called DCIM, but the other has different names depending on the card you are using. If you navigate through these subfolders, you will find a list of your pictures with either an RAF or a JPG extension and your movies with an MOV extension. By dragging and dropping you can move these files to any location you wish.
Hope this suggestion is of some help.
Regards
Peter
To all, a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and a Happy and Healthy new year. Moose, thank you for creating this informative site.
Norman
I have had my HS10 for nearly a year now. I got it used off of amazon.co.uk for £195 Stirling (They were nearly £400 when they first came out in UK) I always display – playback my pictures and vids on my TV – that way there is no hanging up or jumping like you get on some computers (You need quite a capable graphics card or you will get some jumpiness – but also try VLC media player (free) and AVS media player too. Obviously you need a connecting HDMI mini cable for your TV (flat-screen) they are worth every penny! All this stuff can be purchased off of Amazon. I have also got rawtherapee RAW processor that seems to work ok. PE
Wow, excellent price, I haven’t noticed the price since I got mine off Amazon when the camera first came out.
Wait a while and you might get a HS20 cheap as well!
I have two sons who play football. If I take a picture of the quaterback uing single or continuous frame I can’t take a picture of the receiver catching the ball because the camera is storing the QB pics. Am I doing something wrong?
Jack, I am not certain if this would be of any help, but I think that a class 10 media card processes information more faster than other (lower) class cards. I am reasonably sure that Paul, or David would know much more, in that I am not that knowledgeable with digital photography. I have been dragged,kicking and screaming away from film. This is but a logical guess on my part and could be totally incorrect.
Norman
David Doak gives/gave some excellent answers on this subject.
In fact, its worth reading down this page, if you have the time – theres all sorts of hints and tips.
To find a simialr post with a reply by David, search for ’10:04′ (Pia’s post)
Hi guys.. im using my beloved HS10 almost 7mos and i’m happy with our camera.. its great we just need to familiar with the capabilities of HS10..when i’m on shooting day i consume 2 set of batteries (8pcs)..(i shoot anything under the sun..) my question is, can we use a battery external or battery grip like for HS10?
The short answer is no. What batteries are you using? Many people use rechargeable, but personally I use lithium as I often get 700 to 1000 shots with them(I’ve mentioned this before somewhere further down). Make sure you use the setup menu to specify which type of battery you are using. Check to see if your camera is using up power unneccessarily. There are several features you can switch off to save power – check the manual. Also check your firmware version as earlier versions allowed the battery indicator to show prematurely even though the batteries were still good.
If you use rechargeable, buy a good set – Sony eneloops seem to be the favourite among photographers – and always try to fully discharge them before recharging. The HS10 has a facility for discharging batteries, but this ties up your camera – better to buy a decent charger/discharger.
Hi again Regie
Just a correction to my reply above – it should read SANYO eneloops and not Sony. Sorry bout that.
im using Akari Battery.. i use the technique and ohter way to reduce the battery usage.. if im in shooting day like weekends i shoot more than 600shots even in our house i shoot anything .. but when im shooting panning shot i use both EVF/LCD..i consumed my battery more on viewing and slideshow viewing.. i usualy consume 1set for shooting and spare for more on viewing.. i just want to have a external battery for more battery power…
Regie, someone on our site (I don’t remember who) suggested that when using alkaline batteries to tell the camera via the menu, that you are using rechargeables. Since the rechargeables have a slightly lower voltage, the camera reduces the demand upon them and in effect, they last longer. I had a problem with usage, due to the premature “low Battery” warning but the firmware update solved that. But, the HS10 is notoriously power hungry, and that was mentioned in all of the reviews when the camera was introduced. I use the Sanyo eneloops and carry fresh alkalines as back-up. This is why I suggested earlier on this site that AA Lithium/ion rechargeables would be most welcome.
Norman
Thanks guys but i do all possible way to reduce the battery consume.. im using rechargeable Akari battery and sanyo rechargeable battery..the reason i’m looking for external battery because i’m using my beloved HS10 not only for my hobby but also for money.. me and 2 of my friend always cover an event usually in mall for fee.. i dont have an DLSR camera, me and 1 of my friend use PNS cam(HS10 & FZ28) and the other one a 500D..in my “anything under the sun photography practice” i consumed 1 set and the other set for viewing.. but in event my 2 set of battery are not enought..my last option is to buy 4 alkaline battery.. by next year maybe i should invest for a good rechargable batteries^_^
If you use so much battery power viewing images, why not remove the memory card and slot it into your pc/card reader?
Otherwise, page 115 of the HS10 manual (you ARE talking about the HS10 camera here, aren’t you?):
the AC-5VX power adapter lets you run your camera from the mains, but of course thats only indoors!
This item is on Amazon (just an example):
Ex-Pro® Replacement Fuji part AC-5VX, AC5VX Mains AC Power Supply Adapter & Battery coupler kit [CP-04 included] , AC Mains Power Supply Adapter for Fuji Finepix Camera HS10 etc
Provides AC Mains Power supply to Camera’s using this part number. This part is used in conjunction with included coupler CP-04 (Included) to provide AC mains power to listed Fuji Camera’s.
Ex-Pro unit’s will meet or exceed the manufacturers original OEM specifications. 100% OEM Compatible, all functions. Note your camera can not be charged using this device as they CP-04 coupler [Included] uses the battery compartment, this AC unit provides constant power.
Lifetime Ex-Pro Warranty
ROHS, CE Approved and manufactured to a high standard.
I use eneloops in mine and they are fab. Really worth the extra, put the high spec normal rechargable batteries to shame!
Hi there,
Have been amateurly playing about with my HS10, but am keen to improve my knowledge of the features.
I want to take a photo of a face, close up, with the background blurred. Is this possible on the HS10?
If so, how can I achieve it?
Thanks!
The same rules apply, whatever the subject, so why not look at Moose’s page about the owl portrait?
http://www.cameratips.com/hs10/owl-portrait-fuji-hs10
I think the essential thing with this camera is to keep a good distance between the camera and subject – use the zoom to fill the frame – and between the subject and background.
Good luck!
Hi Jess
Paul has already given you some good advice but I would add that many of my subjects have been taken using the super macro mode. Make sure that your subject is at least 1.5 metres in front of a background then set your camera lenses to wide angle (zoomed fully out) and set mode to supermacro. In this mode you can achieve focus from 1cm to approx 1metre. Move in or out on your subject’s face rather than touching the zoom until you achieve the desired effect and the background will be entirely blurred.
You can of course use standard macro on full zoom, but you have to be at least 3m in front of your subject and the background more than 5m behind.
Let Paul and I know how you got on. It would be nice to get some feedback.
hi jess in order to achieve a bokeh shot or portrait (blurr background) the easiest way is set my camera to A mode choose f.28 then shoot the subject.. but i need to have subject and background distance as much as 2meters. you can use the macro mode also to focus the subject(much better).. point to the subject halfpress so you focus the subject then recompose your photo and framing… you need to choose the correct background to achieve a nice bokeh
for correction it’s f2.8 and when you zoom your camera it will adjust automatically..use zoom to fill your frame.. happy shooting..
With my trusty Fuji E500 I can go to My Computer open up the files and drag them to Adobe for editing. With the HS10 when I do this I am presented with a ” file extension not recognised” yet when I look at the files properties it says JPEG. How can I set up the camera to make Adobe talk to it. ?
HS10 saves files with the ‘JPG’ extension.
My copy of PS has, in its list of recognised files, ‘jpeg’, ‘jpg’ and ‘jpe’.
I can drag any of those file types to the PS icon, or to its open window, or to its entry on the Taskbar and PS accepts it.
Maybe your copy isnt set up to accept them?
I’m not a PS expert, but did read that you set up file associations by runninng the Bridge program, then Edit, Preferences, File Type Associations, look for jpeg etc and set them to PS.
You can also set up Windows to run a jpg file, when you click on it, with PS by setting up file associations in Open With.
hi guys i bought a fujifilm hs10 before 5 months is it possible for me to use it as a webcam or control it using the computer
The system your’e referring to is called ‘tethering’.
Do a net search for ‘tethering hs10′ and I think you’ll find there is no suitable connector for this, and no software for it.
I have just bought a second hand HS10 from a friend. He sold it to me because the view finder remains kind of dark when used. It looks like there is a skin over it. It is dark to the point where I can barely see through it which makes it pretty well useless.
I have read a post about setup menu on page 3 to change the refresh rate but I can’t find that menu item on my camera. Is that firmware thing? Would updating the firmware help with this?
Anything you can think of I could do to fix this problem?
BTW, after I got it the viewfinder worked great for about a day then back to dark. Not sure if I pressed on something I shouldn’t have. I did reset the camera and I noticed after the reset it was back to being dark.
Thanks
RR
Try this…
Switch to viewfinder mode, that is, the EVF/LCD button – make sure its set on EVF.
Look in the viewfinder, open the Setup menu, go to LCD brightness,
might be set to -ve amount. Increase to +ve, see if the viewfinder is brighter.
Pls let us know if it works or not – might be useful for other ppl to know about.
Thanks a ton Paul. It seems to have been the problem. I didn’t realize you could adjust the viewfinder and the LCD independently of each other and I bet my buddy didn’t know this either. I can’t wait to show it to him….he would certainly know if it is as good as it ever was or if he still find it is dark. Either way, I can now use it and I am pleased with the end result of this LCD adjustement.
BTW, I did show it to another friend who also does a lot of photography and who is familiar with that camera. He seems to think it is as good as it ever was.
Thanks again for your help.
YW – glad it worked!
Paul, we appreciate our latest HS10 Guru. Between you and David, it makes the world of Fujifilm HS10 seem safer.
Norman
Thanks Norman. Actually, I helped out on here months ago, when my main camera was the HS10, but then got myself a D3100 (traitor!), and have been doing a bit – where I can – on that forum.
Only recently I had a look on here and saw lots of queries weren’t getting dealt with, so here I am again!
My pal came for a visit today. I showed him the viewfinder and he says it is as good as it ever was. So I got a good, cheap camera and unfortunatly for him, his lost was my gain.
Thanks again for your help.
Well done! A nice Xmas pressie for you.
I purchased the HS10 about an year ago and then was enticed by a good price on the HS20, and went for it as well. I ended up making the HS20 my primary camera for various reasons (I still have the HS10), and was aghast went I dropped it and cracked the LCD. I have to use the viewfinder for my shots now, at least until I send the camera to Fuji for repairs. I thought I knew most of the stuff about the functionalities of both the cameras (all thanks to this wonderful site and the great people who make it so wonderful) but this EVF brightness thing is news to me and a very welcome one at that. I have now brightened up the EVF and the view is better than before. Thanks for the info guys :)
Hi all!
I was just wondering if there are any other external flashes that will work with the HS10 other than the Vivitar 285 HV or Metz.
I’m looking for something a little cheaper price wise.
Thanks!
I bought a Yongnuo Speedlite YN 460-II is a low cost flash light.
You can use it in Manual mode as well as in S1 mode. In S1 (slave) mode it will cooperate (auto trigger) with the flash on your HS10.
Best regards,
Rudy
Just seeing if comments work on this page…
Hi folks,
Recently I bought an Infrared filter for my HS10. Even using I tripod and trying several f stops and focus (manual or automatic) I couldnt take any “good” picture. Mostly the pictures are out of focus and with a bright area in the center. Does anybody tryed IR photography with the HS10? Any reccomentations? Regards from Brazil to everybody.
not specifically IR related but have you tried turning off the image stabilisation when using the tripod??
Danny C, I believe I tried that also (I tried everything!). What surprises me is the circular bright area in the center of the pictures. Does anyone took good IR pictures with the HS 10?
The bright spot in the center is a known issue with supezoom lenses and IR Exposures. You need a DSLR with a prime lense to get rid of this problem. You might try it on some other cameras that you can leave the shutter open for long exposure times it might work on a camera with a 3 or 4 X zoom lense.
As to focus IR does not focus the same as visable light use a higher F stop and change the focus distance for several exposures. If you have an older SLR Lense some had a red dot for IR Focus and you could use one as a guide. You might also google “IR Focus for camera lens” or a similar subject and see what you can find.
Bill Lewis
If you go to www.atncentral.com you can find Photoshop plug ins that will give a normal photo the “IR Look”. These also work in Lightroom and Elements you do not have to have the full CS version to use them Check for version support but so far most will work with Elements 8 which is frequently bundled with cameras and printers.
Bill Lewis
When I set the HS10 to External Flash on, do I have to change the setting each time?
Thanks,
Rick
Hello All,
I am a beginner in photography and I own HS10 camera. I read on internet that “for landscape photos one should set highest f-stop value so that more area will be in focus”. Hence I clicked some landscape photos with f-11 but somehow they seem very soft as compared to the ones taken with f-3.2 to f-5.6.
I am not getting the reason behind this or may be I have mistaken some facts.
Could you please help me this regard? also I would like to know best practices for capturing landscape photos using HS10.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Are you using a tripod larger F stops mean longer shutter times. For F11 your shutter will be open 16 times longer than the same picture at F 2.8.
Bill Lewis
im off to the isle of wight rock festival next year with my hs-10. can anyone with experience of festivals give me some advise on the best setting or settings for bands from a good distance, ie telephoto shots exposure, and focus, late in the evening with all types of stage lighting going on.maybe you may have some sample shots too show.
how do I set continious shoting on the hs 10
Page 43 of your manual:
Press and hold down the Continous button (top right of camera)
Rotate the command dial to get: Top 7, Best Frame, Zoom bracketing, or AE bkt.
Here it is:
http://coolthegeek.freewebspace.com/page1.html
(click my name to go there)
I got HS20 exr. The problem I am facing is, when i first started the camera, i had been asked to feed date & timing into it. As to follow the instructions i put relevant date but i missed to feed the right timing, as in the place of PM i put AM.
Now the problem is, the camera software is too complicated to change date & timings. I am not getting solution to change current timing.
Then tried another way. I kept my camera discharged for 1 month, as the CMOS battery will get discharge, but it was of no use.
Please tell me the way to change date & timing in my camera.
See page 92 of your manual – Setup menu > DATE/TIME
Hi,
I’ve been using my HS10 for about 6 months now mostly on the Auto & Manual, I’ve a question on th Program Mode on adjusting the Shutter speed and Aperture, I cant figure out on doing this as the Program Shift dial just changes the exposure
Thanks
Hi Ganesh
You are right that program shift changes both shutter speed and aperture which is what it is designed to do. Theoretically, program shift will give you different combinations of shutter and aperture while retaining a correct exposure. Depending on what you are shooting you can adjust program shift to give you a large aperture for portrait work for example, or you can adjust it for a high shutter speed suitable for action shots. However, it is quicker and easier to choose S or A modes depending on what you want to shoot. where you can choose either the shutter speed or the aperture and let the camera provide the alternative setting for correct exposure.
Manual is the only mode where you can change both shutter and aperture and have complete control just like we always had to in the ‘good old days’.
Regards
Peter
hi friends, i have a hs10 and thinking of adding a 2x telephoto lens.., please advise., does all 58mm lens fit? do i need an adapter?
Hi Raj
I am a little confused by your post. Do you really mean a 2x telephoto lens or do you mean a 2x teleconverter? If you mean the 2nd option then you are out of luck, because teleconverters need to be placed between the main lens and camera body which on the the HS10 is not possible.
It is possible to fit a Raynox lens (see other posts on this site) for carrying out macro work because they come with different size filter adaptors including 58mm.
I have a Sony x1.7 lens which fits on to the front of the HS10 lens and is quite good, tho not perfect.
With my HS10 I use a Raynox 2x teleconverter lens to which I permanently leave a 58mm lens converter ring connected. This was supplied with the lens. With a reasonably steady hand and plenty practice, it is possible to achieve extremely sharp results on full zoom.
The Remote Release 80 does not fit to my camera (connection not possible). Is there any possibility to make use of a Remote Release for the HS 10??
As mentioned below, in various other posts, theres no ‘official’ way of connecting a remote release to the HS10 (the HS20 has a connector for this).
People have come up with home-made versions – I made one using some wire + spring + Milliput + a normal release cable.
Theres other ideas in Graham Craddy’s post, just search for the name.
PLEASE can someone help re RAW and JPEG.
Hi all. Please can someone advise me. When I set to RAW+JPEG in settings and then copy the files on the camera I get two duplicate RAF files for each image – I was expecting one RAF and one JPEG (so I had an instant image and an editable one).
Am I expecting the wrong thing, or somehow setting my camera incorrectly?
Thanks
The silence is deafening – is everyone off playing with their HS20 already ?
Managed to answer my own question – don’t connect your camera direct to a windows pc – use a card reader. Then you can see JPEG and RAW. Also much quicker anyway.
Hi Steve
I agree with you about the silence, but as you will have seen, I have posted less and less on this site and only visit it now and again instead of every day like I used to. The reason I do not post so often is because I didn’t seem to get any feedback. There are several times I have made suggestions or comments, but nobody seems to respond with ‘thanks, you were right’ or ‘You’re talking a load of @#/x’ so I think – why bother. I’m sure David Doak must feel a little the same way especially as he devotes a lot of space to answer problems.
I think also, that as moose says, people do move on. Perhaps the HS10 was the camera of the moment for them a year ago, but now it is a Panasonic or a Nikon etc.
Perhaps with practice and the advice offered on these pages people have become confident with their HS10 and do not need the help they required at first.
I have actually posted some comments in the last few days, but I bet I don’t get any responses, like before.
Anyway I’m still pleased you were able to sort out your own problem. I have always argued the use of a good quality card reader.
But the ‘no reply’ thing is just the same on the D3100 forum.
About 8 out of 10 posters don’t even bother to come back on and say ‘ta’ or give any feedback whatsoever – its very offputting.
I still have a go at queries, but I keep it as brief as possible, its just not worth the hassle.
Peter – Hi…! My absence has been due to some time spent in hospital, which has actually fixed that problem… Now just catching up on various Forums.
I did have the chance about a month ago to use an HS20 for a weekend. The improvements seemed to be the external RAW button – but not one for Continuous (or keeping that ‘sticky’.)
The Jerk-O-Matic video zoom remains. The plastic tripod mount far too close to the battery door remains. And I wasn’t too impressed with its EXR modes – or the daft cramming of 16Mpix on what is still a tiny sensor.
The HS10 still beats it on low-light / high-ISO. The HS20 seems to be a bit better on the “camera decides” modes – Auto and Program – but the HS10 is easier to use and gets better results, in the “tell-it-what-to-do” Priorities and Manual modes.
I suspect that the huge difference in “sensor crowding” between 10Mpix and 16Mpix (60% more receptors, but only 7% more sensor size…) – has a lot to do with that, and with the HS10 being a lot better (and I do mean at full sensor resolution) – in low light.
And no – I wouldn’t swap my over year old HS10 for a week-old HS20…. The offer was made – the HS20 owner had my HS10 for the same weekend… His reason was that the “HS20 is too complicated – and yours does nicer pix, too…”
No deal! Sure, the HS10 has its “Fuji-isms” – and a couple of glaring faults – the plastic tripod mount and video-zoom…. But if very careful with tripods…
And you can “imagine” for video that you are using a DSLR and primes… Stop the video to change the “zoom”….! Then, later, in editing, use fades and dissolves to ease the different distance transitions.
Where’s the Cameratips Forum for the X-S1…? Over twice the sensor size of the HS10 – METAL tripod mount – SMOOTH video zooming – external RAW button – external AF-S / AF-C / MF selector – and a lot more – including “Made in Japan”….!
Suggested release price in the US is a “Premium Model” US$800.00 – so what that’ll translate to here in Sydney, is rather scary. But a very interesting concept – Premium Range Bridge Zoom” – nobody’s done that before…!
Regards, Dave.
Hello, I’ve had the HS10 for about a year now and i just will not use it much due to the fact the the colors in the pictures are sooooooo bad….Red’s are very Dull….Orange’s are Dull….among others but those two are the worse…..Why is this? and does anyone else notice this??? I have an older Fuji S1000 and that takes pictures with great true colors….I take alot of pictures at Hockey games and outdoor nature pictures but i just don’t like the color detail of this camera
I’d like to submit a wish list to Fuji regarding this camera…It’s still a “diamond in the rough!” Here are some suggestions:
1.) Improve the response/recovery time between shots. This is a difficult camera to use for fast candids – especially with flash.
2.) Change the shutter button. Replace it with a release threaded for a shutter release cable. This is very desirable for tripod work.
3.) Please do something about the jerky zoom movement!
4.) Improve the quality of pictures shot as faster ISO settings such as 1600. I do a fair amount of sports photography which often requires the faster settings.
5.) Make the double flash (red-eye) optional for non-external flash use. The red-eye mode creates extra delay and recovery.
6.) Add a provision for remote device triggering.
7.) Beef up the tripod mounting socket. The plastic mount is awkward and could be stripped fairly easily.
A news photographer and I were looking over this camera and were impressed with the range of the optics. The flip-out viewer was handy for certain shot situations (i.e. over-the-head shots). With some improvements, this could be a handy backup for the working pro. The new HS20 does not seem to be a great improvement.
I am experiencing large delays after I take a RAW picture. This makes it impossible for me to take another picture for about one or two seconds. Someone suggested it may be my memory card that is slowing everything down. I have been using standard SanDisk SD Cards (2 GB). Is this an inherent problem with the camera?
Hi Howard
Yes you guessed it, the HS10 takes a long time to process and save RAW files. If you really want to see things slow down, try choosing RAW + JPG and some continuous shooting. You will have time to make coffee and have a biscuit ! Buying a faster card is a waste of money as the speed benefits are so small you wouldn’t notice them.
But all that aside, it’s not a bad little camera is it ?
Hi what settings would i use for pet photography,i have the HS10,thanks michelle
I would use the continuous burst setting to allow for quick movements from your pet.
I am enjoying my HS10 that I got three months ago. One problem that developed is that the on/off switch has gotten very difficult to move. Any ideas?
Hi, I had just the same problem – in fact almost from new (Sept 2010). A couple of weeks out of warranty the camera would not switch on at all. Sent it to the UK Fuji repair centre and they repaired it FoC – so well done Fuji. The switch is now very smooth – was always a bit stiff and notchy – so I suspect they’ve replaced the switch. Maybe a design fault??
Thank you very much, Andy Fletcher. I shall contact Fuji next.
RD
I,m having a lot of problems when shooting using the sunset mode, firstly the pics i take are very underexposed and red in colour instead of an orange which you would expect – having used this type of mode on other cameras the fuji definately has problems.
Second; I cannot zoom in too close on sunset pics as the lens flair is terrible, it looks like a load of fifty pence pieces backed up against each other once i get to about 75mm. As the flair is from the sun which is in the main picture and not a side source a lens hood is no good.
Anybody got any clues as to wheather this is a problem with my camera or is it a common problem.
Is there a meter on the fuji hs10 and if yes cane you take a manual reading
When I try to take a picture( using SR auto mode) of a object which is located in a low light & the back groung of this object have more light, the picture of the object become very dark, and back ground become very bright. So I cann’t recognized the object after taking picture.
I want to take the picture as my object must be clear shown and also with clear background.
Please guide me about the correct setting of my hs10.
Best Regards
Satyen
Hi Satyen
The SR auto mode is not the best for backlit subjects. Use one of the PASM modes.
Try 1) Using your flash in daylight to ‘fill in’ the shadows of your object.
or 2) Set your metering to spot and focus on your object.
Hope these suggestions are of help
Hi,
After 8 months of using the Fuji HS10 I realized something was wrong when recording video. image will be blurred with a fixed interval. I realized this when I take pictures of clouds for the material. using a Full HD resolution and 28 minutes duration at millimeter 200-720.
I’ve tried to use a tripod but the problem remains the same. I also tried it on an still object like a chair in the room.
please give me the solution. Thank you.
I have the same problem here. Why my Full HD movies keep blurring, even in a tripod?
Hi Andi
Not really into video, but one thing occurs to me. Do you switch image stabilization off when mounting on a tripod? Fuji recommends you do not use IS when using tripods (HS10 manual page 17)
Is everyone asleep out there, or just not using your camera. I attended our camera club meeting last night and was exclaiming the virtues of this site.
Norman
Howdy Norman,
As is the case with the ‘digital age’, people move on very quickly from their electronics once something new hits the market. Case and point…the iPhone and the thousands of Apple fans who trade out their current version seemingly every year. Whatever the case may be…this resource will always be here for those who continue to shoot with the HS10. I still have the HS10 and use regularly on family vacations/outings when I don’t want to haul lots of lenses.
By the way, I’m just now getting back to this site after welcoming a new addition to our family. Check out the CameraTips.com homepage for a more in-depth update as to where I’ve been and where this site is going.
Thanks for your continued support!
- Moose
Moose, congratulations to you and your wife on your latest non-electronic aquisition. Guaranteed to provide more love, hope and fun than any camera, etc.
Norman
Congratulations on your family addition!
My HS10 Auto mode (not the SR auto) produces poor images indoors. There is a high color cast as well as grainy images in this mode only. Has anyone experienced this problem? Any solutions?
Nev – The HS10 is not at its best in the “automatic” modes – Auto, Scenes – and Program unless you “tell it what to do.”
From what you say – ‘Auto’ is pushing the ISO too high, indoors – sounds like 1600 or higher.
The “colour cast” seems to be what ‘Auto’ will do with “Auto White Balance”.
While indoors you’re probably best to use Aperture Priority, at first you might use Program – But – “tell it what to do”.
Select “P” on the Mode Dial. Now press and hold the top button of the 5 on left-back of the camera – ISO. It sounds from what you say as if ISO is in an Auto-Range mode. So use the Command Dial (or on the pad) to set a specific ISO level.
Indoors you might start with ISO 400. If the AF (AutoFocus) isn’t too happy with that, before going to ISO 800 – just where the noise/grainy gets ‘visible’ with the HS10 – try raising the Exposure Compensation – the +/- button behind the shutter.
Work the indicator on the bar to the right, say 2 clicks at a time, while trying the AF. If the AF isn’t locking-in by the end of the bar – +2 EV – return it to centre and go to ISO 800.
ISO 800 will be slightly noisy/grainy if the image is shown full-size – if you reduce the image size to 1600 x 1200 or smaller – most or all of the grain will be less, or not, visible.
The “colour cast” might be incandescant or flourescent lighting. Both are shown in the White Balance bar – bottom button on left back of the camera. In the lighting conditions that will apply – use the EVF or LCD – and click across the options – you’ll see the “casts” change – it’s a bit more obvious using the LCD.
With the BSI-CMOS sensor left at 10Mpix – relatively large and spaced receptors on a 1/2.3″ sensor – the HS10 is actually very good – for a P&S – in low light. But – like most others of its best functions – you can’t just “let it decide” – for best results, you must set it up, and “tell it what to do”.
Try the above and post back!
Regards, Dave.
Hi,
Great forum. I have just purchased a HS10 and have a couple of questions, if anyone can help.
1) Is there any way or rigging up some sort of remote control to take pictures without having to touch the camera.
2) As most of my shots are to be of things in the garden (wildlife etc) It would be very handy if I could view what the lens is seeing on my monitor (or tv screen), then I can sit safely out of the way, hence the remote control too.
Im sure I will have many more questions, as I get to grips with my new camera, so speak soon.
Thanks in Advance
Graham
PS Im also new to photography, so apologies for any silly questions.
A search for HS10 remote shows lots of queries about its existence, but no remote is available.
Ebay sell this:
Mechanical Remote Shutter Release for Fujifilm HS10
but its not very remote unless you have an extra long cable!
As for viewing on Tv etc, I don’t think so, unless anyone else knows different.
Thanks for the reply Paul
I will take a look now.
Graham,
I, too, have wished for a remote for my HS10. Unfortunately, Fuji seems to have made that provision in the latest prodigy – the HS20. The release appears to be a cable with a mini-USB type connector and push button control on the user side. I have researched this and don’t believe anything out there is available that will work with the HS10. My wish is that the HS20 had been available before the HS10!
Still a neat camera with the 24 – 720mm zoom optics. Perhaps someday, Fuji will issue a firmware upgrade to enable remote trigger capability. This would really be nice during tripod use for things like portrait photography.
there is a guy http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/forum who sells a bracket which attaches to the flash hotshoe that takes a cable or air release. i have bought one from him. i also bought a 10 meter air release which i use as you describe.
you can use the av cable to connect the camera to a tv and use the tv as the view finder. you will obviously need a long av extension cable.
only downside is the battery life as the camera auto off will need to be off. there are power packs available to overcome this but again it will need extension cables
Hi guys,
I love my HS10 but it fails terribly on indoor flash situations. Always out of focus with unusable results. this is extremely frustrating as outdoor and well lit scenes yield fantastic shots. Has anyone noticed this?
I’m wondering if upgrading the operating system will help. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Kindest Regards,
Dave.
Thanks so much for the forum and the info ;o)
P.S. by operating system, I meant firmware…
I don’t think the flash on the HS10 is brilliant (pun there!), you would be better using a flash gun on the hot shoe or a remote one trigered by the camera.
The firmware is at v1.04 and its very unlikely that Fuji will take that any further now the HS20 is out.
http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/s/finepix_hs10/fupd.html
You will likely get quicker cycle time using the external flash mode/hot shoe with mounted flash. In my case, I use a pc cord adapter in the hot shoe to allow my flash to be in a bracket, or held above my head for group shots.
I believe the double red-eye flash is a little silly, and slows the response a bit. I occasionally do newspaper work, and find indoor shooting to be a little tricky.
Hi
I love my HS10, but when I download to Picasa the photos download ok but the HD videos are not downloaded at all.
Any ideas?
Thanks for a great site, very useful.
Peter
I can only think that Picasa doesn’t handle HD videos.
You could try copying them directly from your memory card to the computer.
I have managed to download HD videos to picassa but it takes a very long time. You need to allow up to 10 minutes even more if the file size is large.
Try using Windows Explorer to see the size of the HD video files before you download them . You may be surprised to find some of them are over 1Gb in size !
Try using Windows explorer to copy /paste the video file to the desktop or which ever folder you wish . You could always create the preferred named folder afterwards and drag n drop the HD files after they have been transferred to your pc
I found that the videos do not transfer via the USB cable. I take the card out and out directly into PC card slot and the videos transfer and much faster too.
hi,
great forum.my question is does the hs10 charge via usb if you have rechargable battires in it?
many thanks
dan
Dan, as far as I can find, the batteries can only be charged via an independent charger, outside of the camera. It is also important to tell the camera that you are using rechargeables as the camera will draw less juice in that the AA rechargeables are 1.2 volt in lieu of 1.5 volt (learned from another member of this site)
Norman
PS See page 107 for setting battery type.
Norman
cheers norman for the info :)
Liking the site!
Interesting point regarding the rechargeable batteries and the drawing of less power from them. Do you know if the overall performance of the camera is affected when in rechargeable battery setting? More particularly, is the speed of saving images compromised to prolong battery life?
Thanks!
Hi,
Can someone please help me with my fujifilm cam. I can’t upload pictures in my facebook since the type of my pictures are not JPEG but its RAF, can someone help me on how to turn them off and get back to JPEG as size of the pictures carries out 15mb.. :(
mhel, go to page 106 of the Fujifilm HS10 manual available through this site. Just click on Fuji HS10 Manual underneath of the Fuji HS10 Forum. It will show you how to switch off of RAW and on to JPEG.
Norman
Hi Moose..
Im a beginner in photography. I bought my Fuji HS10 a month ago and I’m quite disappointed with its viewfinder. I can hardly see through it. Is there any solution to that? :)
Kimsarang – Yes, the default factory setting is quite dim… Go to the Set-Up Menu, Page 3.
At the top, LCD Brightness – change that to +3 or +4 – (use the ^/v arrows on the 4-way pad) and press OK to set it. You’ll soon see in use, if you want less or more.
Go back to Set-Up, Page 3. Change the EVF/LCD Mode from 30fps to 60fps. That doubles the Refresh Rate – and makes a big difference.
Don’t worry about the increased rate using more Battery – if you now turn OFF the next item down – EVF/LCD Auto-Switch – that maddening auto-changer between EVF and LCD – and power-hog – that will save more power than the faster refresh rate will use.
Now – very gently – a baby-quality soft cotton-bud works well – clean the viewfinder glass.
Lastly – check your personal eye-focus is correct in the viewfinder by holding the camera to eye at a slight angle and turning the diopter adjustment on the left of the EVF housing. Just one “click” off your eye’s focus can be critical.
Regards, Dave.
Hi Moose,
Great forum especially for beginners such as myself. My wife and I recently had a baby boy and I am really keen to get some great photos. I was wondering what settings you would recommend for baby photos particularly closeup with blurred backgrounds.
Any help would be much appreciated
thanks
Neil
Does the fugi finepix hs10 have the capabilities to create HDR photographs? I cannot find anything that explains how I do it, or even if I can?
Thanks!!!
Amanda, just about any digital camera is capable of HDR (High Dynamic Ratio), it is the software that begets these creative photos. Usually, three or more photos of the same subject are taken and then blended into the one photograph. I am reasonably certain that you can “Google” HDR and receive much information. Several people in our camera club do HDR and it is quite interesting. I usually shoot just plain old “bread and butter” photographs.
Norman
In P A S or M mode, you can use AE bracket – its the button on the top right of the camera. This takes 3 pics at different exposures – try it for HDR.
I use Combine ZM, a free program which combines the 3 images into one.
http://micropics.org.uk/
Or just search for other methods of doing it.
Amanda – The basic idea with HDR is to expand the Dynamic Range in the resulting image. Cameras don’t “see” with the ranges of “shades and depths” human eyes do, at any given camera setting – they see different parts of the human range at different camera settings. So HDR in effect attempts to combine several images of the same subject at different camera settings, to get a broader expanse of that range.
Unfortunately, the HS10 – like my old Fuji S2000HD – doesn’t use its full +/- 2EV (See Page 128, Glossary, in the Manual, re EV) – range for its AEB function.
This means that the “widest dynamic spacing” you will get using its AEB, will be -1EV /+/-0EV / +1EV…
While that will give you 3 images you can use in an HDR program, it isn’t much “effect range”. Some cameras (e.g. my Canon SX10) let you use their whole +/-2EV Exposure Compensation range.
The HS10 does indeed have a good +/-2EV Compensation range – but doesn’t use it all in the AEB function.
But, with a little “arranging”, you can “have it all” – and also have more than 3 images in the range for your HDR program – that gives it “more meat” to work with, and a better spread within the range. Using 5 images – as some DSLRs allow with their AEB – across a +/-2EV range will give your HDR program a lot more – and better graduated – information to work with.
You’ll need a steady tripod – and to set it up with the feet firmly placed – so it cannot move or vibrate. Mount your HS10 to it – being careful with its (Fuji says, “Occasional use…” …!) plastic tripod mount.
Compose the desired image at intended zoom. From then on, be sure not to bump the zoom. Select “Aperture Priority” for this purpose. This is Essential – as in A, P and S – the camera can change the Aperture – and in Manual you don’t have the Exposure Compensation.
Aperture Priority will “lock” the Aperture, because if the Aperture changes – so does the DOF – Depth of Field – thus defeating the HDR-range purpose.
The camera will change the Shutter Speed as you alter the Exposure Compensation.
With the Compensation centred – at +/-0 – press the Shutter button half-down until the AF-beep confirms focus. Don’t continue the shot. Instead – without bumping or moving the camera – press the Exposure Compensation button, and with the other hand turn the Command Dial to set -2EV on the left end of the bar.
As even pressing the Shutter down can move the camera slightly – gently set the 2-second Timer – then press the Shutter down. Even if you are moving the camera a tiny amount when re-setting the Exposure – going “hands-off” per shot seems to allow it to “settle” to the mount.
Next shot – adjust to -1EV and repeat the shooting method. At “Centre” – +/-0EV, the bar vanishes from the screen. It will return when you do the +1EV and +2EV shots.
You’ll now have 5 images evenly 1EV apart for your HDR. Obviously you can do more or fewer images – 3 at -2EV / +/-0EV / +2EV – will give a wide spread without much graduation. See what your HDR program works best with.
If you want to use “smaller steps” – you can do the images at say, 2/3EV apart.
You might want to try this setup in your backyard, to get used to it – it’s essential not to move the camera during the sequence – before using it on an important task…
Regards, Dave.
I have had my HS10 for about 15 months and it has been a great alternative to my DSLR. Yesterday I noticed that the appearance through the EVF is very ‘grayed’ out. The LCD screen still gives great color and sharpness. The pictures are fine when downloaded. I have adjusted the diopter and cleaned the lenses. I called Fuji and they said send it in for repair (no longer under warranty). Any suggestions to try other than mailing it back? Thanks.
Hi,
How to use Flash during movie recording in HS10?
I am Unable to use flash while recording movie in night..
Nitin, I have never heard of using flash for video. I don’t have much video experience, but wouldn’t an independent video light be better. How would flash work with video, as it is designed for momentary light as opposed to longer duration lighting?
Norman
Hi,
Firstly, thanks for taking the time to set this site up. Very kind of you!
Ok, I got a Fuji Finepix hs10 for Xmas and have been delighted with it up until the other day. I was out taking pictures and there were about 5-6 images on the card. I noticed that for some reason any subsequent pics were not being saved or somehow deleted. At first I thought I’d accidentally done it myself. Later, when I took some more pics the same thing happened and I knew it wasn’t down to me. I was getting no obvious error messages or battery failure or anything
After awhile I decided to format the card. That mean losing some pics but it has, thus far seemed to get things back to normal (touch wood!). I’m wondering whether the problem was with the camera or perhaps the card. I have some important pics to do soon and although I have a back up camera just in case, I’d rather use my hs 10 in confidence.
Any thoughts? Thanks!
Russell, my prime suspect would be the media card. I format my cards everytime I transfer all of the images on it (to my computer, iPad and a storage device). I have formatted my card in the camera itself, and also on my computer (PC Windows 7). I don’t know what card you are using, but there are memory card recommendations on this site. Sometimes cards fail for one reason or another, but when you examine the technology involved and the relatively low cost of a card it may be prudent to replace it.
Norman
Thanks for your reply. I was leaning to the card being the root cause too. And I’d much rather it was the card than the camera!
Cheers.
Hi! I problem with focus has popped up with my HS10. At the lens normal or 24mm position, auto focus does not work. This results in any photo taken in this position, out to about 50mm not being in focus. I often get a screen message as follows; !AF. Which is an autofocus error. Beyond approx. 50mm, for telephoto and macro pics it works fine. Has anyone run into this problem? I think I may have to send in for servicing but wanted to try for a fix here first. Thanks for any help you may have. Rick
Rick – I can only get mine to do that if there’s insufficient light – or in low-ish light at low ISO and/or Exposure Compensation settings.
You don’t say in which Mode this is happening. In Auto it should auto-adjust to at least get an AF response, other than in quite low light, though as the HS10 doesn’t handle Auto too well, the resulting image might be poor.
If you’re using Auto – change to Program, and using the top button of the 5 on the left of the LCD – ISO – select in the “single” ISO settings. That is – out of the AUTO-ISO ranges – if it was in one.
You can use the ” ” arrows on the 4-way pad instead of the Command Dial, when that’s easier for the way you’re holding the camera.
Select ISO 400. Now try the AF at 24mm. If you get the AF-beep – try the shot and have a look at the review. If too bright – go down to ISO 200. You’re at least now getting AF response at 24mm
If you “let the HS10 decide what to do” – it can make bad choices, or just “hunt or hesitate”. It’s at its best when you “tell it what to do, firmly”.
I don’t use Auto or Program – I use Shutter Priority for moving targets, and Aperture Priority for very slow or still targets. At more than 3/4 Zoom – a good rest – usually a tripod, and Manual Mode. Carry Mode for quick snaps is Shutter Priority – that’s where it’ll be if I turn mine on now.
However, if you are to use it that way, you do need to know the ‘Light Triangle’ – the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter. There’s a good Guide, with diagrams and “plain English” explanations, at:
- www.cambridgeincolour.com/
On that page, go to the “Photo Essentials > Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed” section.
With the HS10, unlike mid and lower range point-and-shoots – don’t be afraid to push the ISO up to get shutter speed up, or AF function working – noise is very low at ISO 100 and 200, low at 400 – and just starting to get intrusive at 800.
At any ISO you can also adjust-up the Exposure Compensation – the +/- button rear of the shutter button – which allows a good range of +/- 2EV.
Try the above, and if that’s not doing it, post back with details of Mode and Settings you are using.
Regards, Dave.
Hi! Thanks for the reply. I have sent the camera into Fuji Canada as that is where I live. I spoke to them about the problem as it was in every mode, even manual focus. I do appreciate your help but it did seem to be more of an issue than what you describe. Particularly, if it was a low light issue, than why would it focus when I zoomed when light collection should be less than at the shorter focal length? Thanks again, I will update here once I have been told by Fuji what the issue is.
Hi I have an AC-5v charger that I bought for my Finepix S9500 its output is DC5V2A can I use this in conjunction with the CP-04 coupler for my HS10 or will I need to buy a new charger
Steve
Steve, as long as you have the CP-04 your “charger?” should work. it is referred to as follows:
“Power Adapter & BatteryAC Power Adopter AC-5VXDC coupler CP-04.”
This was copied from the Fujifilm website. Look on “charger” to see if it has the proper nomenclature.
Steve, in as your s9500 uses 4 AA cells, I think what you have is an AC power adapter as opposed to a charger. I believe that the batteries for the s9500 and/or the HS10 must be charged externally.
Norman
Yes sorry it’s a power adapter
Sorry Norman, forgot to thank you
Is it possible to set anyhow easily and quickly manual focus at infinity? Or has it to be done only be reeling manual focus ring and finding the best focus according to LCD screen?
TA_Kosice – The HS10 doesn’t have an Infinity setting mode or button, as do some P&S cameras, such as Canon’s $106.00 A1200.
As the MF ring on the barrel does an electronic function, turning it either way forever wouldn’t find an infinity focus, such as you get at the ” ꝏ ” symbol with many DSLR lenses.
To set an “infinity” focus with the HS10 – “To focus at infinity, focus at a distant object” – to quote Fuji…. Manual, Page 52.
And yes – in a high-end bridge P&S that cost AUD$545.00 here in Sydney – for darkness, starlight, etc, shots – an infinity setting like some cameras at under 20% of the price – would have been nice…
Actually, the MF ring does work well for focusing – to use it, zoom to about the length needed, aim at the target, and press the AE/AF-Lock button (below the Red Video button) – and the camera will use the AF-function to get an “approximate” focus, and beep.
Then “rock” the MF ring a few mm either way, until you can “centre” at best focus, and shoot.
What would have been better to add to that, is Focus Bracketing – where the camera takes 3 shots at one shutter press, with 1 shot at the MF setting, 1 at a “further” distance, 1 at a “nearer” distance – with the further/nearer distances adjustable on preset. (My Canon SX10 – [and the later SX20 and SX30] – has this ability…)
Regards, Dave.
My boyfriend bought a finepix hs10 and while we were camping i was inspecting the lense and I noticed that one of the glass lenses inside had a start burst style crack. the camera was never impacted it was so well taken care of there are no scratches on the camera.
We brought it back to the store to have it sent back and get repaired on warranty and the store first claimed it was mushrooms/ fungus from going to tropical places (we live in Canada and haven’t traveled) now they say they found signs of impact and that the cost to repair is 0ver 200$
He called fuji canada and they are not telling us any details except that they did receive the camera at thier shop.
Are there any instances of the lenses cracking because of a defect ? He bought the camera when it first came out.
Any help of feed back would be apreciated
I have the same problem. The crack is created by the outer lens compressed against the inner lens. You can turn the barrel and see the lenses are physically contacting each other. I’ve just sent in mine’s no too long ago and they want to charge me $220 CDN. I’ll negotiate and see if it can at least be cheaper, because it’s the problem of their design and not me.
HS10 OWNERS!
Please, let me know if you have the same problem because I think they should responsible for a recall other than we pay for their stupid design.
I noticed this type of chip or spall in my lens several weeks ago. I did not drop the camera or bang it as well. It seems to have appeared overnight almost. I took it to the dealer and they sent it to FUji,and they are saying I damaged the camera and will not cover the lens. They want $250 CAD to fix it. Pretty much half the price of a new one. I am going to email Fuji and see what I can do. Terrible service. I might start a facebook page! Very dissapointed in what I thought was a reputable company.
Some time ago I noticed what I thought was dust on the inside of the front lens – having read this it seems that it’s marking caused by the element behind knocking against it. I’ve just had another look and can now see that the other element is similarly marked. What incredibly shoddy design! Very disappointing. I’m in Scotland/UK and have never had to contact Fuji before but will let you know what respose (if any!) I get. Will also contact the original seller – worth a shot!
Regards
Neil
Me too, same thing. I noticed back in September a cloudy fog in the center of my photographs and I thought it was the filter I used to protect the lense. Now I can see quite plainly the starburst crack. In super macro mode the camera even tries to focus on it. It clearly is interacting negatively with itself. I have done nothing, but be gentle with a very expensive(for me) toy. There needs to be a shim in place to limit the travel so the lenses do not collide. There is no way I can think of to crack an inner lense with out first damaging something else. The g forces from a shock does not play with me. It simply has to be a design flaw. They need to be overwhelmed with evidence to make them own up to poor engineering and offer a fix. If they replace the lense with the same part it will happen again. So there you are. A total waste of money on a tool I love that produced great results.
A note to myself and every one else who owns this camera. Put a rubber band a little more than 2mm wide or a little less than an 1/8 inch wide right behind the front of the plastic lense cowling on the barrel of the lense. It will save your lense. It will limit the travel slightly, but it acts as a cushion so the lenses do not crash. C’est la vie. It’s too late for me. So simple and cheap, too. Fuji is still not off of the hook, though.
Hello all… I guess this is part warning and part ‘I am such an idiot’…but aren’t we all sometimes. My story is short and painful. I received my HS10 yesterday, and had a fine session downtown, getting adjusted to its larger size (and capabilities) compared to my S5200. Today, I head out to do the same…leave the office and hit the streets. As did my new camera. The strap, with the flimsy little sleave-lettes, had let go, and the camera hit the pavement from waist height. Yes, expletives occurred. Thankfully the camera was off and the lens un-extended. Now, I’ve had wonderful experience with the durability and build of Fuji cameras…my S5200 survived four Bonnaroo music festivals and heavy travel/camping treatment. And, well…I wasn’t disappointed…. The camera seems fine. And that’s where my post becomes a question. It ‘seems’ fine. Are there any aspects of camera function that I should check? Just because it operates and appears scratch and scuff free is no guarantee. Short of a trip to the Fuji shop, are there any tests or trials I can do to see if my camera is the sweet thing it was only hours ago?
So yes…a warning…everybody check your camera straps…I’ll be doing something similar to what I did with my other, which I think was a simple staple through the fabric after it loops back through.
And also, maybe part of me just wanted to share my near-heartbreaking experience with others that would understand.
Wonderful site by the way, and a wealth of knowledge from talented and patient people.
Greg, that was a terrible experience. I did drop a film camera once and was fortunate that the only damage was to the pentaprism. Lucky again, because it was my Miranda with interchangeable pentaprisms. No I buy the Square Trade extended warranty with the accidental damage clause. When you have that, naturally nothing ever breaks. http://www.squaretrade.com
Greg, chances are if it seems to be operating normally, it is okay. If you encounter problems you can then contact Fuji. Good luck.
Norman
hi,Some of my photos were on horizontal shot w/c i turned clockwise and saved when i have it edited on my computer. but once i uploaded the photos on facebook,it went back to horizontal instead of vertical since i already have them turned and save to vertical.. what happen? thanks in advance
Have the new camera for about a month now.
have 2 warning icons thats has not been explained in the maual: 1) the yellow camera with exclamation mark and 2) the red thermometer. Any help please how to sort it thanks
Jay, see page 124 of the online manual accessed via this site. The camera with exclamation mark means slow shutter speed; use flash, tripod or adjust ISO. The thermometer you are referring to is the batteries getting low signal.
Norman
Hi Jay + Norman
Norman has answered your first icon, but I just wanted to point out that if you are getting what looks like a red thermometer with a red exclamation mark, then it is not the battery indicator but a temperature warning. The icon is not shown in the manual or even mentioned, but if you look at the manual for the HS20exr (page 109, I think) you will see what the icon looks like.
If you are getting this icon, make sure you switch the camera off straight away and allow it to cool. Expensive damage can occur if you don’t.
using hs 10
problem 1 is the shutter speed is not goin more thn 4 second, fuji said its 30 seconds, n m not able to set that.
problem 2 is shutter lag, i hav to take a pic of my friend jumping in pool wearing suit, but the shutter lag is too annoying, he can do it just once…how to do that :(
Hi Shishir,
I think the HS10 shutter speed will only go above 4s in Manual mode. It also seems to be limited by the ISO setting. Mine will go up to 30s at ISO100, but is limited to 15s at ISO200, 8s at ISO400, etc.
As for your action shot, perhaps using one of the continuous shooting modes (either Top 7 or Best Frame Capture) would avoid the shutter lag problem? You should find a lot more useful tips for action shots if you search through the rest of the forum – see David Doak’s post of January 19th, for example.
Regards,
Leith
I am working really hard to try and like my HS10, but it’s a struggle.
Latest trial is trying to get movies off the camera. Computer system is XPsp3. The camera only appears as an imaging device, not as an external drive. This is the first time this has happened to me in 10 years of digital photography. Is there any way of forcing the camera to act like an external drive, because my PC locks when I try to move a 3GB movie to the computer.
Simon – Sounds as if you’re connecting the camera to the computer. Which particularly with large files – such as your 3GB Video – will be very slow.
For a few dollars you can buy a Card Reader, which not only will be much faster, but with Win XP-SP3 you won’t need to “connect” to an installed program (for the camera) on the PC.
Take the card from the camera, and insert it in the Reader. (If you buy a low-cost reader – ensure it can read SDHC Cards – SD Cards and Readers stop at 2GB.)
Once the Card is in the Reader, plug the Reader into a USB port.
If you open My Computer on the deskop, the Reader will appear at the lower right, in “Devices With Removable Storage”. Just click it open, and drag-copy to desktop – or into a prepared new directory.
Before you remove the Reader – make a Copy of your downloaded Images and Videos – and put that somewhere safe as a Backup.
Then, do a ‘Safely Remove’, of the Reader.
- I think that’s right – I haven’t used Windows for years, other than at friends’ places. I use Linux – and so have never connected a camera to the PC – camera makers seem to enjoy ignoring the world’s second most popular operating system, so don’t have camera programs for Linux on their CDs…
Regards, Dave.
I have used my HS-10 to make movies (HD 1280) during a boat trip.
Now I want to convert the files to mpeg2 so I can make a dvd.
Herefore I use the program Avidemux (advised by David Doak).
But when playing the converted file, at half time the sound disappeared.
Does someone has the same problems?
Jan – Avidemux can do that if you’re using Single Pass conversions, unless the video is quite short.
You’ll get better quality conversions if you use the 2-Pass mode.
If you select the “DVD(lavc)” converter, click on the next tab just under that, “Configure”. In the box that appears, at the top change “Constant Quantiser” to “2-Pass Average Bitrate”.
Avidemux will then go through the video once, to map it – find out where the many-colours / fast actions are, for higher bitrates, and where the sea / sky / fields no or slow actions are, for lower bitrates.
It also ‘sees’ where the control frames are, and where the audio relates to those.
It saves the data to a text-file as it maps on the first pass. On Pass-2 – it can refer to that file, and ‘know what’s ahead’ as it works.
Using Single Pass – all the program can be doing is “guessing” what might be ahead.
Regards, Dave.
Thanks david for the tip.
I have tried the 2 pass conversion, but unfortuntlately I still have sound only the first half of the video. Strange!
I use version 2.5.4 of avidemux.
I have been searching on internet and have found WinAVI video converter.
Tested conversion yesterday and it works ok for my HS10 video files.
It can convert to mpeg2 and also directly to a dvd.
So I have a solution and I will use this software.
Is there anyway to attach a right angle viewfinder on the hs 10 and if so what profucts are out there that I would need ???
Any info would be appreciated…
Anthony
Anthony, this right angls viefinder fits Fujifilm cameras with a 22mm eyepiece along with other cameras. It also features 1X or 2X magnification. You can contact the manufacturer to see if it will fit the HS10. Also, shop the price on eBay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEAGULL-1x-2x-right-angle-view-machine-ANGLE-FINDER-/330285152586?pt=US_Viewfinders_Eyecups&hash=item4ce687794a
Norman
Hi Moose
I was wondering if it is possible to use a(not exactly sure but think it’s called) handheld flash with remote on the HS10?
If you can which is best.
Marsha, just about any “slave” flash will work in conjunction with the built in flash on the HS10. I bought one on eBay for $10.00 and it works fine with any of my cameras that have and/or use a flash. Experimenting will help you to determine where to place the “slave” flash, keeping in mind it must be within a reasonable distance from the built in flash to receive and act upon the light signal. Mine came with a camera mounting bracket that attaches to the tripod socket on the camera. But, caution and common sense does not allow me to attach anything to the poorly designed and engineered plastic junk tripod socket on my HS10. I usually mount my “slave” flash on a tripod. Hope that this helps. If not Marsha, ask another question. We are all here for one another.
Norman
Thanks so very much Norman. I will give this some reseach.
What about wireless Flash??? Has anyone tried that with the HS10?
Hi -just purchased the HS10 -I can’t work out how to save the 16.9 wider angle setting as a specific setting -I don’t want the main Auto camera setting to have that but the 4.3 setting -any ideas? I cant seem to work out how to save even using the custom switch! Thanks
Adi – You just need to do it as a Saved Custom setup. I do it to be able to switch to 3:2 instantly – that’s the same AR (aspect ratio) as DSLRs, so can be used to mimic DSLR composition styles.
Which Camera Mode you want your 16:9 Custom as, is up to you, of course. You sound as if you use Auto, which isn’t the HS10′s best mode, as the camera guesses at White Balance and ISO, and often is wrong.
If you want a mode that’s very similar to Auto, but lets you choose some settings, use Program. Turn the Mode Dial to Program. Select 16:9 under Image Size in the Shooting Menu. Now hold the top button on left back of the camera, ISO, and select 100. Go to the bottom button, White Balance, and select Fine.
That gives you ‘general basic’ settings. At this point – turn the Mode Dial to C – Custom, now open the Shooting Menu to Page 4 – Custom Set. You’ll need to select ‘Set OK’ with the ^ Arrow on the 4-way pad. Then press the Menu-OK button to Save the setup.
Now Auto and the other Modes will return to default in 4:3 AR.
When you go to Custom Mode – you will see in the EVF or LCD that you’re in 16:9 AR. You’ll have ISO 100, best quality image. White Balance will be at Fine – outdoors, sunny or bright-cloudy.
Being in Program Mode – with ISO and WB ‘set’ by you – the camera will choose the correct Shutter speed when you press the shutter button half-down to Focus.
If there’s not enough light for those settings – the camera will say so. On a duller day, use the WB button and select Shade. (Indoors select one of the lighting types there.) Try a shot – and if still not enough like – top button, ISO – raise to 200 or 400 if needed. (At ISO 800 and above you’ll start getting noise/grain in JPEGs.)
You “can”, when doing your Custom setup – leave the White Balance at Auto, which isn’t ideal. You can also – by clicking along to the right while setting the ISO – find Range settings for Auto 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200.
While not the best (the camera tends to go higher ISO than needed) – you could select Auto-400. The camera will then choose between ISO 100 – 200 – 400 for what it “thinks” is best.
If you Custom Set Program at Auto White Balance and Auto-400 ISO – the camera will Focus and Shoot under most conditions – other than low-lighting where other modes will work better – or, at all.
You might try those both on Auto to start with – when you select Custom Mode with those, the camera will under most conditions “get shots” – but results might not be too good.
Make a Note you can take with you of where I mention choosing White Balance and ISO yourself.
While in Custom with Auto/Auto settings – you can use the ISO and WB buttons to manually select say, ISO 100 and Shade – to get better images. That won’t “change” the Saved Custom Setup.
If you tried some settings and weren’t too happy with them so far – and an urgent shot turns up – no need to reset Custom – just turn the Mode Dial either way to the next click – then back to Custom – and those “usable” Auto/Auto settings will be back to get that shot with.
Regards, Dave.
Thanks Dave -much appreciated -that’s brilliant !
I have only had my HS10 camera for about 9 months and am planning a trip to Las Vegas. We plan on doing alot of sight seeing, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Red Rock Canyon and of course the Vegas Strip. I would like to know if I should invest in some filters for my camera to get the best landscape photos as well as the bright night lights? Also, any advice on which setting(s) takes the best I guess thats a good thing though. I would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks!
Hi Angie,
since no one gave you any feedback till now, I can start with one small tip: polarized filter (cpl)! Take a look at Google and you will it interesting. And about the settings, I’m still struggling myself. Let’s see if others can give more advices.
Have a nice trip!
Cris
Thanks Cris, I appreciate you taking the time to reply to me.
Hi,
I am struggling with low light pictures. Recently, at a friends party in a bar I was moving from outdoors (light) to indoors, (low light) taking pics. The auto modes worked perfectly outdoors, but indoors all the pictures were blurry on all settings, especially of people dancing. Is there a setting which allows me to do a reasonable job of both without having to sit and perform lengthy resets of the camera?
No external flash was used and sometimes the subject was at maximum zoom because they were across the room.
Help much appreciated as I have tried but not solved the issue.
Rem
Rem, sounds as if you are moving (shaking) the camera trying to photograph moving dancers with the lens zoomed out to full telephoto. What works outdoors in full light will not always work when you move indoors. Trying to do both using the same settings will be difficult. You might try a neutral density filter when shooting outdoors and removing it when photographing indoors in low light situations, but that may not work either. If you don’t mind using the flash, and perhaps an inexpensive slave flash indoors it would help. Automatic exposures can only cover so much, and then we must compensate by adjusting.
Norman
Hi to all,
When I look in Picassa at my photo’s and ask for the information, I see that the focuslength is not 720 mm but 763 mm. Do I have a better camera? (LOL).
But, how come?
Regards,
Emiel
Emiel – Either you or the site you uploaded to cropped or clipped the image…
Using a Copy of a std 3648 x 2736 image – open it in a graphics editor – select about the ‘middle half’ – crop that out, and save the result. Now look at the focal length stated in the Exif…
Regards, Dave.
Hi David,
Thanks, I will try.
Regards,
Emiel
Hi Moose, thank you so very much for taking the time and trouble to help other HS10 users. My question – is there a remote trigger/shutter release I can use with HS10? I used this function on Canon 20D etc and found it invaluable, the timer is awkward and does not invite spontaneity.
Respect to you sir.
Karl Weaver
Karl, this question has been posed numerous times. As of now there is no factory or aftermarket device for the HS10. You may be able to jerry-rig one if you are mechanically/electronically clever.
Norman
I just added a Generic Shutter Release from Photosolve to my HS-10
and it works just fine,
“GENERICSR
Provides a shutter release for nearly ANY still camera. Comes with a Tripod screw and adjustable shutter release mounting arm. This bracket DOES include a 20 inch shutter release cable.”
It’s a bit pricey at $45.95 + shipping, but if your like me and would like to be able to use something besides the “timer” than it’s great !
I was reading some old posts here and found a question never answered:
“Should the manual focus ring rotate continually (without reaching a stop) or is mine faulty?”
Thanks,
Cris
Cris – The MF overrides the electronic focus function manually. That is – it isn’t a direct mechanical connection as in a DSLR lens – particularly nothing like the creamy-smooth “long-throw” focus-rings on the film-era Takumar-etc, lenses.
So with the HS10′s MF – if it isn’t “somewhere near” actual focus – you’ll wind-away ‘forever’ with not a lot happening.
To get the focus “somewhere near” – with MF selected – zoom to about where your target will be in-frame. Press the AE/AF-Lock button – the one below the Red video-button. The camera will use the AF function to get an approximate focus. Reset your zoom and framing as needed, and press the button again. When the camera ‘focus-beeps’ – then use the MF ring.
If you’re supporting the camera firmly – your left thumb will be near the focus-ring. Use the thumb to push the MF ring up and down – a small amount of ring movement will take the focus ‘either-side’ of centred-sharp. With a little practise, “centring” the focus is quick and accurate.
You can turn Off that “magnified rectangle” using the MF ring defaults to – in the Menu it’s called ‘Focus Check’. That’s on Set-Up Menu, Page 4, after RAW. In some situations, particularly near objects, MF is easier to use, particularly hand-held, with it Off.
Regards, Dave.
Thank’s Dave,
I already got more or less the particularities of the manual focus. The magnified center area is always off. I only use it on tripod. I was just curious about that ring that turns without stopping. But now my questions are answered. Thanks again.
Regards,
Cris
Hi everybody,
sometimes I have this weird idea crossing my mind and I can’t find an answer. Google searches are unfruitful. So, I have this cute device (HS10), with a “big” screen, nice memory card capacity and even a speaker – could I use it to watch movies??? I know I need to convert it to a specific format to watch it with the camera, but how? The nearest I got doing a google search was here: http://www.ehow.com/how_4810874_digital-camera-as-movie-player.html
But it became a dead end to me. I would appreciate any ideas.
Thanks,
Cris
Cris – The HS10 video is H264 inside Apple’s proprietary MOV container – often called H264/MOV.
H264 is a fairly recent subset of the MPEG4 Standard – MPEG4-AVC (Advanced Video Codec.)
So you’d first need a program to convert your movie to H264 at about the same bitrate as the camera creates it – converting an MPEG2 DVD movie to H264 directly, might leave you with a bitrate far higher than the HS10 can handle.
The free Avidemux will convert MPEG2 and other video to H264.
What it can’t do is save the conversion to MOV container with the “Filename.mov” extension, as MOV is Apple’s proprietary product. So you’d need a suitable version of QuickTime to do that.
There’s then no guarantee that the HS10 would play the resulting file, anyway, if it hadn’t “made it, itself.”
When you can buy Chinese 4-5″ LCD battery-powered players that will handle all of the popular video formats, for $50-60.00 or so – I do wonder why you’d want to do a lot of converting time just to play videos on the HS10′s 3″ LCD….
Regards, Dave.
Hi Dave,
like I said, weird idea. I just wanted to know if it’s possible. Well, maybe it is and maybe I’ll try one of these days. Of course a portable all-in-one player is much more practical. I just asked to get this out of my mind, hehe, in case there is no easy way to do it. And that seems to be the case. Thanks for the video explanation!
Bye,
Cris
Hey i got an hs 10 about a month ago and i have been shooting with it almost nonstop since. Iv been a little disappointed by the fact that the pictures are focused throughout the image. I always shoot at the quickest F-stop possible to get a blurred foreground and background. and the camera just wont do that if the subject doesnt take up over 2/3s the viewfinder. its just really frustrating to shoot and have everything in focouse instead of just the subject. please tell me the best settings to elliminate this. thanx
Hi Horatio,
I’m just a beginner at this, so apologies if I’ve misunderstood the question, but it sounds like you want to change the mode for the focusing area. You can do this by holding down the AF button (middle button on the left) and turning the command dial.
I guess you currently have AF mode set to ‘MULTI’, in which the camera automatically picks a focus point after analysing the scene. For your purposes, you might find the ‘CENTER’ mode more useful (camera focuses on the centre of the scene: with your subject in the centre of the viewfinder, you can half-press the shutter to lock the focus then, if necessary, move the camera to get the subject where you want it in the frame.
Alternatively, when using a tripod, you can set the AF mode to ‘AREA’, which allows you to move the focus point around the view finder using the selector up/down/left/right controls. There is also a ‘TRACKING’ mode that will attempt to recognise an object and keep it in focus as it moves. I’m not sure how well this last mode works, though.
Note that, in addition to changing the focusing area mode, you can use the AE button in similar fashion to change the metering area mode (for example: ‘SPOT’ metering mode uses the centre of the scene to set the exposure).
If you are having trouble focusing on a subject that is less than 5 metres away, try using Macro mode (using selector left to turn Macro mode on or off). When Macro mode is turned on, the AF mode is always set to ‘CENTER’.
One other option is to use manual focusing. You can change between auto and manual focus mode using the AF C-S-M button. In manual focus mode, the camera will attempt to auto-focus if you press the AE/AF Lock button. You can then use the focusing ring to manually fine-tune the focus.
Hope that helps. I’ve learned a lot from reading through the other posts on this page, particularly the very helpful tips from David Doak (many thanks Dave, by the way).
Regards,
Leith
Hi Moose, I’ve had my HS10 for around 8 weeks now, and overall I’m delighted with it and getting some great photos. One area I’m having problems is getting silky smooth water shots with slow shutter speeds, I can’t seem to get a high enough F stop to compensate for the slow shutter speed and my photos are coming out way too over exposed. I never had a problem with the Fujifinepix S5700. Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks.
Hi Lee,
first of all: is the ISO set to 100?
In some cases a Neutral Density filter is needed, that is simply a filter that darkens the image preserving the colors. They come in a few different graduations.
Actually I never had/saw such a filter. I use SUNGLASSES! I had an old pair, removed the lenses and simply hold them in front of the camera. I made some cool pics from a waterfall using that trick.
Lee – If you have a Polariser (58mm for the HS10) – you can use that, turned away from the polarising angle – as a sort-of about 1-stop ND filter. If you’re “close” to the effect desired on small f-stop, that might just be enough to do it.
However, as Cris says, to set up and do it properly, particularly on bright days, you’ll need a real ND filter or two.
Cheap ND filters will lower image quality – including colour.
Hoya is a good brand, at reasonable prices. At 58mm, prices here in Sydney are $55.00 for their standard single-coated, and $74.00 for HMC – Hoya Multi Coated. (Multi-Coated has less internal light reflections, so somewhat better image quality, though on small-sensor P&S cameras, that might not be noticeable.)
You can “stack” ND-filters. So you could buy a 2x (ND2) and a 4x – and with those, have functions at 2x, 4x, and stacked, 6x.
Kenko also make very good ND filters, but prices tend to be higher than Hoya.
There are also “fader” ND filters – adjustable from 1 to 4 or more stops. However, when I see these discussed on camera forums, reports are that results aren’t at all good from these.
Better results are obtained with single filters at different stop rates, or by stacking no more than 2.
Regards, Dave.
Hi,
Perhaps I missed it, but is there something like a CHDK, or perhaps in better words, a FHDK for the HS 10?
Regards,
Emiel
Im sorry to inform you, but… no, there isn’t….
Thanks Cris.
Emiel
Does anybody know of any alternative firmware releases for the Fuji HS10, I find the video mode very limiting with the lack of manual focus and exposure controls
Dylan – Some of us begged Fuji for a firmware update to do either or both of those all year… Seems Fuji regards “Video” in an AUD$545.00 Bridge Camera as “occasional use” only. That’s what they do actually say about the weak plastic tripod mount socket…
When a camera has 30x / 720mm of zoom, and at full zoom is of course very sensitive to movement – saying that they regard tripod use as for occasional times – is at the very least an indication that nobody at Fuji did any actual “average user” tests with it.
At the price – not having controllable video brightness and focus is absurd. My older Canon SX10 has manual video brightness and manual focus… The first is good when panning between light and shade, and on dull days – the second is when using a tripod and fixed distance – party, interview, so on – the focus can be ‘nailed’ exactly.
The SX10 video might only be 640 x 480 – but it’s H264/MOV, and quite good quality. Oh – and it has a very solid metal tripod mount socket. And the 2-speed power zoom is actually usable during video-ing… The HS10′s fantastic “Jerk-O-Matic”, is not.
But it’s all fixed in the HS20? No – every HS10 fault except the flash overlapping the barrel, and the lack of an external RAW selector button, seems to be carried over. And the 16Mpix/8Mpix EXR complications added…
If Fuji really intends to soon be the No.3 Camera Maker in the World – they’d better start listening to users and initiating a lot of improvements quickly.
- If you really need good Std HD (1280 x 720) in a Bridge Zoom – with brightness control, manual focus, usable while video-ing zoom – AND a metal tripod mount – you might find a near-new Canon SX30 around… Video, they do very well – still image is JPEG only, no RAW, and “fast” continuous is only 1.3fps… Some seem to be selling them / trading them, because of the so-so still image quality.
Regards, Dave.
Hi,
If I playback the pictures on a TV, I also get also all the info about the picture. Is there a way to watch the pictures without the info?
Thanks on forehand.
Regards,
Emiel
Emiel,
try pressing the “Disp/Back” button twice.
Good luck,
Cris
Hi Cris,
Thanks very much!
Regards,
Emiel
Hi Moose,
Do you know any way to disable both the EVF and LCD?
Some background: I’ve got a remote timer & tripod, and want to take time lapse over as long a period as possible without changing batteries. I’ve had to disable the auto-turn off in order for the remote timer to work, but as a result the evf bleeds electricity, draining the batteries very quickly.
Really appreciate it if you know any fixes!
Thanks
Sisi
I was just experimenting and it seems that plugging a loose cable into the A/V Out port shuts down EVF&LCD while still allowing the camera to take photos. Now to see whether/how much this helps the battery life….
Hi all. I am finding that when I take photos using the HS10 on 24mm more often than not the outer edges of the photo are not in focus. can anyone help please?
Ian – I’m assuming that you’re referring to JPEGs in ‘Fine’ mode. The HS10 doesn’t have a ’3-Star’ or ‘Superfine’ JPEG low-artifacting low-compression Save mode. So under “awkward” conditions Saves can be a bit “off”. Fuji might assume that under those conditions, users will shoot RAW. (or RAW+JPEG)
Early HS10s had some lens distortion and edge problems at the Widest end, prior to Firmware Version 1.02 or later. Check your Firmware Version by holding the “DISP” button as you turn the camera on.
If that’s not the problem, and you need to do JPEGs, you might try going to 24mm – then just rotate the zoom VERY slightly – that “slack” before the barrel starts to move outward. That corrects the slight ‘edge distortion’ mine has at the wide end with JPEGs. Although the barrel hasn’t moved, the camera might “see” that as 25-26mm, for its in-camera correction from RAW to JPEG.
(All P&S cameras actually shoot in RAW – and with most the conversion to JPEG is automatic. Some, like the HS10 and a few others, will let you save the RAW version instead, or as well as a camera-converted JPEG.)
With scenes, or other non-moving targets where I want to get as wide as possible, I use tripod, and the Timer-delay to reduce hand and shutter-pressing movement/vibrations. I use RAW+JPEG – and later, glancing at the JPEGs – even where edges are a bit “off” – indicates where I “got the shot” – so the RAW is worth processing.
Once the RAW is opened in post-processing – it shows that the image covers slightly more area than the JPEGs – saved directly as a TIFF – the TIFF size is 3664 x 2742. So when we shoot JPEG – in the camera’s auto-conversion from RAW to JPEG – it’s cropping just a bit to get the usual JPEG 3648 x 2736.
With RAW – as that’s not an image-file, it’s a data-file – you get exactly “what the camera saw” at the time of the shot – no corrections. So at the HS10 Wide-End – there’s a bit of lens distortion to correct for, then the usual processing – and finish with just a bit of – usually USM – Sharpen.
Save to TIFF – as the TIFF original – and use Copies of that for JPEG conversion – and there’s “enough meat” in the TIFF to crop slightly – just a few pixels – and still have the “width” you were seeing in the EVF/LCD. That can take care of the very narrow band that’s a little “off” at the edges.
Regards, Dave.
Dave,
Many thanks I will try out your suggestions and let you know how I got on.
Regards.
Ian
Hiya, can you tell me if i fit an ir filter to my hs10 and used a led ir illuminater, would i be able to take pictures in complete darkness with no flash. Thanks Barry
I guess you would not need the IR filter in this case. The IR filter blocks all light but IR and if it is dark and you will illuminate with an IR light you don’t have to block other light sources. The problem is inside the camera is a “hot mirror” that blocks part of the IR light, reducing the efficiency of your IR illuminater.
The sony series that had the “nightshot” effect had a switch to remove momentarily this hot mirror and had IR LEDs to iluminate the subject.
Hi everybody,
how about collecting a few suggestions from HS10 users and send them to FUJI with things that could be implemented in the next firmware? I don’t know exactly how to do that and to whom send it but I think it’s a good idea. What your opinion about this?
One of my ideas is to be able to choose how the zoom scale appears on the LCD screen. Instead of only show it like 1x, 3x etc I would like to see it in “mm”, like the scale printed on the lens barrel.
Well, let’s hear your opinions!
Cris
Hi Cris
Nice idea but I don’t think it will happen. Fuji anounced some time ago that it had no plans for any future firmware updates for the HS10.
With the release of the HS20, I expect their efforts will be in that direction.
P.S I hope Fuji makes me eat my words and prove me wrong.
Oh I miss the CHDK from my old cannon. Something like that would be great on the HS10…
Peter,
if it would be the case that Fuji makes you eat your words, more sound option would be great. The possibility to turn just the focus blip off and more different shutter sounds, including an dslr “clack” sound.
Well, if we send Fuji some requests maybe they release another firmware update.
Reguards,
Cris
Hi,
I have a repair question regarding the Hs10. I’ve owned this camera since the first week it was released and love it! Unfortunately my memory card is stuck inside the camera. I am able to pop it half way out, but I can go NO further. Does anyone have an idea how to fix this problem, besides sending it to Fuji?
Thanks,
Susan
Hi Susan
Well you have a strange one there. I’ve never heard of anyone having a memory card stuck even if it’s been put in the wrong way. The slot is a slim rectangular tube and there is nothing for the card to get stuck on. When you say you can pop it out half way, I assume you mean after pressing it in first and letting the spring pop it out. Half way is as far as it will go, then it needs to be pulled out. Have you tried pressing it in as far as it will go and releasing several times in succession?
I’ve just trawled the web and come up with one instance of a memory card sticking. This was due to the little plastic slider on the side of the memory card which is used for anti-erasure having broken and got wedged in the slot. However, the owner was still able to pull the card out with a little force. The card was then useless of course.
Other than that, I’m stumped.
Anyone else able to help Sue out??
Susan, if you press the card in and release it, it will pop the card out somewhat as you related. You might try pulling it out gently but firmly using a small pair (mini) of pliars. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, perhaps a camera store person may help. Please let us know if you have any success. Good luck.
Norman
Peter & Norman,
Thank you very much for your quick responses. I have now removed the card pulling it out with muscle power…thanks Norman for giving me the confidence to just ‘go for it’. I put another memory card in the camera and it ejected normally. I did blow in it and tried to shake loose anything that could have been jamming it. I will not be using my old memory card again. I love this camera and own a Sony dh1758 teleconverter lens to go with it…The two together are my pride and joy. Thank you…Thank you!!!
ok, I am at page 25 in the manual. I fail to see any benefit in using SP1 over SP2 – Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks – Nettleton
Nettleton,
the way I understand SP1 and SP2 both have the same options. So you can let two modes preset, so its easier to switch between both.
Cris
ahh, and welcome to the forum!
It’s really a good source of information!
Hi
As Cris rightly says, you have 2 modes for 2 instantly available options. Which options you choose depends upon the type of photography you do most. Personally, I have SP1 set to ‘Landscape’ and SP2 set to ‘Natural’. These are 2 options which crop up most in the photography I do and are useful if I need to take a few quick shots without having to fiddle with other settings.
I chose landscape as 1 of my options because the SRauto mode does not always choose the right mode for the scene I am looking at. In fact I find SRauto to be very hit and miss. Hope this helps.
Thank you Cris and Peter for your very quick responses. I’ll have to give my use of these two options some thought!
Regards – Nettleton
Took receipt of my new HS10 yesterday. Been using a s6500fd for 3 years and loved it. So pleased to have found this site SO quickly- am sure my learning curve will be shortened due to the user knowledge posted! Look forward to checking it out every day. Regards Nettleton
I’ve just bought an HS10 and to my shame I’ve failed at the first test when starting the basic setup. How in heaven’s name do you change the date and time once it’s been set up wrongly? Answers please that a beginner understands.
Hi, the easiest way to explain is:
press menu, left, down, right, right
Got it? If not I can explain it again/different
Good luck,
Cris
Cris, thank you. AOK.
Hi
I have just bought HS10 a month back and I am experimenting with the best settings for it. I am not very expert photographer but I am on learning curve and bought HS10 precisely to learn and then graduate to DSLR
I just wanted some help on the best setting for HS10 for indoor & outdoor settings.
This is what I am using at the moment for indoors. Not shot much outdoors so still to experiment
Mode : Program AE
ISO : 400 Auto
Image Size : 4:3
Image Quality : Fine
DR : 100
Finepix Color : Chrome
WB : Auto
Color : Mid
Tone : STD
Sharpness: Hard
Face Detection : Off
Flash : 0
EV from -2/3 to -1 for indoors
Focussing : Continuous
AF Mode : Center
AE : Multi
Can someone advise me if this is OK or I can do better with the settings.
Also, the same settings at raw are not working good as the images are coming wahsed in red hues
Thanks
Hi
Does anybody know what the “flash guide number” is for the hs10
Regards
Rob
Rob, sorry, but this is the only info I could garner:
ISO 800: Wide: Approx. 30cm – 8.0m / 1ft. – 26.2ft.;Telephoto: Approx. 2.0m – 4.0m / 6.5ft. – 13.1ft.
Norman
Your advice on setting the HS10 to the RAW setting was so helpful as after an hour of trying I was getting very frustrated. How can I use the custom setting to quickly switch RAW on and off?
Also I have been using my Fuji Finepix S7000 for macro photography since 2005 to photograph vintage watches I sell and have been looking for a long time for a more modern bridge to match the quality I get from the S7000 but without success. The HS10 is not up to standard, nor is the Canon S90 I own but maybe I am not setting it up the HS10 properly. The basic set up I am competent to do but maybe some tweaking of the settings would help?
I have been using my HS10 as a stop-gap camera untill my budget can afford a higher-end professional system. With my former camera, I was able to set up an umbrella strobe and slave off of the camera flash. Unfortunately, the HS10 only seems to have “red eye” mode (quick multiple flash) which makes it impossible to use multiple strobes. Is the only way to bypass the “red-eye” mode to put a pc cord adapter in the hotshoe slot atop the camera? To buy an additional strobe to fire off the hotshoe slot? I do understand “off camera” mode has to be selected on the menu. Thanks!
Hi Jim,
if you set the HS10 to use external flash and pop-up the built-in flash, it will give only one light pulse that can trigger other flash units. See page
89 in the manual.
I made a curious gadget connecting an infra-red receiver LED to the contacts of an external flash and use the mode I described to fire it, wireless.
I don’t know if I did understand your question, and sorry for my bad English. I hope this help you.
bye,
Cris
Thanks Chris!
Your suggestion about the external flash mode was right on the money! The manual made it clear that the pop-up flash could be used to trigger other strobes. In the past, with other cameras, I would use a stand-mounted umbrella strobe with a slave sensor; the built-in camera flash would then provide fill-in lighting for the umbrella strobe. I find the “red-eye” multiple flash mode to be of little value – and sometimes cause unwanted delay with candid picture situations. Your English is fine my friend! What would really be neat if Fuji could come up with a way to remote-trigger the HS-10 like other high-end professional equipment.
I have a HS10 for around a year now, i notice now that when i zoom out the shutter clunks and the picture is off centre and the picture is unfocused but only if i move the camera , if i keep it still between picture it is fine.Well i sent it back to Fujifilm and just receive it back. It is still doing the same thing ever after they recalibrated it . Anyone else had this problem or is it now the norm wirh this camera.
I noticed this once and I believe its the stabilization device that somehow got stuck. But lets wait for better answers.
Thanks Chris , You hit the nail on the head, it is the stabilization device , i turned it off and it stopped doing it, I contacted Fujifilm and explained the fault again, so it’s back to the shop to be repaired again.
I’m glad I could help. Tell us if Fuji fixed it properly, when you get your camera back. And good luck!
Well Cris got the camera back seemd the service department at fuijifilm gave me a new lens , why i dont know and didnt fix the stabilization part it, so for the 3rd time it’s back to the shop again.
Michael,
sorry to hear about that. Must be annoying and frustrating.
They should give you a new one!
Well Cris, the camera had Fujifilm beat, so they have offered me a new one,I should receive it next week.
It’s weird Michael, I had similar problems this weekend when taking shots in a pier. I had to remake a couple of pictures because they got off centre and made that clunk where the camera almost jumps off my hands. The battery was low and I hope it’s related, cause it’s not easy to send it to Fuji from where I live.
Good luck to us.
Cris ,one will hope it was not what happen to my camera because Fuji did not know why and what was the problum , the only way i knew it was the stabilization was i turned it off then used it and back on and the clunk was their.Hope you can sort it out .
When does one use the Focus Ring? Twisting it does not seem to make any difference through the view finder.
I’m relatively new to photography and the HS10 seemed to suit my purposes, but I am having problems with sharp focus.
Richard, the setting must be on “manual” and from my experience there is a great deal of rotation involved. I usually use the auto-focus feature unless I want to increase the bokeh (blurred background) effect. Hope that this helps.
Norman
Richard – The HS10 has the best MF of any P&S I’ve owned or otherwise used. It’s unusual, in that it works in every mode – Auto, Priorities, and Manual.
It’s an approximated preset setup, in the HS10 – and is VERY badly un-explained in the “Manual”.
To use it – choose the camera mode – you might be after birds in a tree 30-metres away, from tripod. So you’d use Shutter Priority, and work the aperture and ISO to get the Shutter Speed up to 1/500th or faster.
For this sort of shot, have the EVF/LCD centre “MF Focus Check” turned ON (Setup Menu Page 4 – next after RAW.)
Set MF from the left-back button. If on a tripod – tilt the LCD to a clear viewing angle. Turn the IS stabilising “Off” on a tripod – so the camera isn’t trying to stabilise movement that doesn’t exist – and so cause “vibes” itself.
Position the camera and zoom to the desired length, and aim at the branch-etc where the birds are perching. Press the AE/AF-Lock button on the back of the camera – directly below the Red Video button.
The camera will use the AF function to do an “approximate” focus, then beep. Now ‘gently’ use left-thumb and forefinger to “rock” the Focus Ring on the barrel each way – just a few mm… Watch the magnified LCD centre while doing so – and you’ll see the soft-sharp-soft focus “rock” either side of “centred-sharp”. From there just “centre” until at sharpest, and shoot.
If the bird-etc is staying in place long enough to allow it – preset the 2-second Timer before focussing. You’re wanting the sharpest possible image – and the HS10 – particularly in the top third of zoom-range – is VERY sensitive to vibes or movements. Whenever possible, therefore, use the Timer.
Using MF – you still have to pass through both First and Second stages of the usual Shutter movement. Using MF hand-held – which I use with Shutter Priority and Manual – you can hold the Shutter button at “half-down” – as you “rock” the Focus Ring to sharp-centre. That’s awkward on a tripod – so if the target allows, use the 2-second Timer.
Using MF hand-held – particularly if in lower light – or light-and-shade, when the AF is “hunting” and hard to lock-in and beep – where the target is relatively close, or large in the frame – it can be better to have the Focus-Check mag-centre Off.
Experiment a bit with some trial shots both tripod and handheld and MF, using “preset” and “rock-centre” with the ring… Very shortly, it will start feeling “instinctive”.
The HS10 MF is easily accurate enough to “pick through” leaves or branches to get a partly-concealed target in good focus… List the P&S cameras accurate enough on MF to do that – and it isn’t a very long list….
Regards, Dave.
Richard, you have heard from our resident “Fuji Genius”; David. Anything that David says, you can “take to the bank”. I’m happy to see David posting again.
Norman
Lol, I thought the same: “Wow, David is saying something about Manual Focus, let’s read and finally learn how to use it!”
David, you should post tutorials on youtube!
Norman / Cris – I’m on disability, and went into a program of “new” treatment which made things rather worse, so I wasn’t doing much of anything for a while… Others had the same reaction, and the “new” thing has been discontinued. I’m now back on the “old” meds-etc, which had worked very well for a long time, and am now just about back to “usual”. Sometimes new medical ideas are very good, of course – but sometimes not!
Thanks for the kind comments.
Best Regards, Dave.
David, I sincerely wish you the best as regards your health. For a while the forum was down and it was quite frustrating. Most frustrating was the absence of David Doak’s input. Take care of yourself David; we need you.
Norman
David,
I make Norman’s words my words too and wish you all the best!
With kind regards,
Cris
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16874284@N05/
Here is a selection of photos I took with my Fuji HS10 at the England v New Zealand polo match at Beaufort Polo Club in June 2010, and at the “In Search of Nick Jones” gig at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on 28/05/11.
Stephen, I enjoyed your action photographs. I have never seen an actual polo match except in movies and/or TV. The atheletic abilities of both horse and rider are amazing. Your action-stopping shots helped me to appreciate the efforts of both horse and rider.
Norman
Thanks for your kind comments. I spoke to a horse racing photographer client earlier today, who has given me a few tips (!!) for the frozen subject with blurred background effect. Of course “Essex Girl” and “Essex Man” with gold chains in abundance will no doubt feature strongly in other photos taken – being near Ongar!!
Hi Steve
Can’t seem to get at your photos. When I type the link you gave I get a page not found message. Shame, because I was hoping to see some of your Argentinian ones as well.
Peter – the link works OK for me. Try googling “flickr bonzo3legs” and the 2nd link will take you there. I am gradually trawling through my Argentina photos – up to day 7 so far and will gradually upload more. Only 1200 to go!!
Hi there,
Recently i bought a fuji hs10 and i lost the basic manual that small booklet which is in the camera box.
Can someone help me to get one cause im new with this camera and im goin abroad soon
Thanks
alfmic, you didn’t mention in which country you reside. However, there is a link on this site that may help. you can also try: http://www.fujifilm.com/contact/ Good luck.
Norman
Thanks Norman ,the easy way is to print main items from the manual.
Hi,
Having a mind meltdown today, age thing, for the life of me i cannot figure out to shoot in raw mode with the HS10, done the menu to death but can’t find it…. HELP!
Bill.
Hi Bill
Press menu/ok button. You will see 2 tabs on the left. Use down arrow key to select bottom tab then right arrow key. Scroll through menu until you find Raw. You can then select Raw only or Raw+Jpg. Don’t forget that the option you choose will remain until you change it. If you only want to shoot Raw occasionally you could set it up on the custom setting.
Today, the comment as well as the reply sections is working although one must scroll down to the bottom to clear the many accumulative postings. However, it is a victory of sorts.
Norman
I certainly hope that this forum gets up and running again, as it has been a wonderful resource for all oFuji HS10 users as well as informative in the general sense regarding digital (and film) photography. I cannot express my gratitude to the wonderful informative people contributing to this forum. Moose, if you’re out there someplace and can take the time, this site needs some TLC on your part. This is the first post (if it actually works) since May 13, 2011. Hello to all: Keep The Faith!
Norman
Is it working? If not, the problem seems not to be so difficult to solve. I found something like this on the net:
[...] just add this to the top of the page:
ini_set(“memory_limit”,”80M”);[...]
That, or any other value, might solve the memory problem. I hope this forum comes back to life again. It was so dynamic and rich with tips and informations.
Just visited this forum after a few weeks – great to be able to post again. I have two major polo games in the next 2 weeks, so I hope to get some decent action shots. I have a couple from the England v New Zealand polo match at Beaufort near Tetbury last month so I’ll publish those when I can. We are off to have Argentine steak now – they love it when I take a photo!!
Worked after a few tries. Most of the time this appears on the bottom of the page:
Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 33554432 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 7680 bytes) in /home/ctips/public_html/wp/wp-includes/formatting.php(211) : runtime-created function on line 1
I certainly hope that this forum gets up and running again, as it has been a wonderful resource for all oFuji HS10 users as well as informative in the general sense regarding digital (and film) photography. I cannot express my gratitude to the wonderful informative people contributing to this forum. Moose, if you’re out there someplace and can take the time, this site needs some TLC on your part. This is the first post (if it actually works) since May 13, 2011. Hello to all: Keep The Faith!
Norman
Worked today, but site needs some attention.
Norman
Oh wow, it worked!
All I did was go to the very bottom of the page and theres a Comment form there – is it normally just lying there?
Anyway, Cris, sorry I never tried the sepia mode, maybe I should be more adventurous!
Well, I’ve just about given up posting on here – try a new comment and theres a memory error appears at the bottom of the page.
Just trying this new Comment out of curiosity.
If it doens’t work, I’ll try posting it as a reply.
Hi, are you people satisfied with the sepia mode on the HS10?
I made some test pictures and they looked a little bit hazy or milky. I would like more contrast. Are there any tricky settings I can use?
Thanks all,
Cris
This is getting a little silly now, I still can’t post any new comments. Whats going on?
Cris – You can get better shades and tones for Sepia in a graphics program. (Same as Channels mode in Photoshop or Gimp will do better “mono” than “B&W” in a camera.)
If you’re not inclined to do it that way, there’s a very good free program from Optik Verve Labs, called “Virtual Photographer”, that has over 200 filters and slider-etc adjustable presets to apply, including Sepia.
This is a Photoshop Plugin, but not everyone uses Photoshop. The pre-CS Photoshop 7 is still a VERY good program for working with digital photos – and a legal CD with key is now quite low-cost at used software places. And yes – the latest Virt-Photog works well in PS-7… Including both running well under Wine in Linux (where I just updated Virt Photog to check that it works with PS-7.)
If you don’t have Photoshop – Optik Verve also offers a free “Virtual Studio” program – which itself will run Virt-Photog – and many other Photoshop Plugins. They’re at:
- w-w.optikvervelabs.com/
For legal free plugins try – h-tp://thepluginsite.com/
One item there is “Harry’s Filters” – a plugin with about 70 many-sliders adjustable effects. Well worth a look if you like adjustable plugins.
Dave.
Thanks David,
I downloaded these tools from Optik Verve and they look very good. Actually I don’t like to post process my photos, except the auto levels I do in my infra-red pictures. But is still good to have tools like these in case of emergency.
I was thinking about some colour filter to increase contrast on sepia and b&w pictures. I searched about that, but only found filters to use with colour photos, not sepia mode plus some filter.
I avoid post processing cause if I go take pictures thinking that “I can fix it later”, then I will not give the most out of me. And I use this as argument to those that think digital photography is not “real”…
Thanks anyway, I will use the software to fix other people photos when they ask me to.
Cris
Finally, the site seems to be working. Cris, sometimes I have had better results by post processing into sepia when printing the photos. This gives me the opportunity to view them in color, B&W and sepia before making a choice.
Norman
It seems that the Virtual Studio application does not preserve the exif metadata onto the post-processed image files. Anybody else found this ?? Have I got the settings wrong ????????????
To Sara
I have been trying to reply to your post for days, but I keep getting a memory exceeded message. I think Moose’s website space has been filled up with the 895 previous posts. I’m hoping that this post doesn’t get rejected.
Sara what you ask is not easy. There are no magic settings for each of the functions. It depends upon what subject you are taking and the kind of light you are working in. May I suggest ‘The Digital Camera Handbook’. It is packed with info and is written in an easy to understand way. Alternately, look for photo tips on the web.
Good luck.
Still can’t post any new comments on here
Weird, my entry below was supposed to be a new Comment, must have clicked the wrong button.
To Cris
About the tripod mount, just to mention that even with quick release plates, at full zoom the weight of the camera is still going to be on the plastic screw thread. The use of release plates means you don’t have to continually screw and unscrew onto a tripod. However, because of it’s proximity to the battery door, you have to unscrew the release plate every time you want to change the batteries and from the many comments that I and David Doak have read this leads to wear on the threads.
The advice of some people on the Fuji forum is that you should tether the HS10 to the tripod in some way, just in case the tripod mount gives way.
Thanks for the advice,
I will be careful with the tripod mount and somehow roll up the strap on it…
Well, not long to go now to get my new camera.
Sorry, I’m a traitor! getting a Nikon D3100.
I would prefer Canon, but they priced themselves out of my range.
Looked at reviews of the HS20 and I’m afraid its just not good enough, too many problems with poor quality, eg dust on the INSIDE of the lens, and that dratted plastic tripod mount again, and various other bits and pieces that would annoy me!
The Nikon has a metal mount and a rubber eyecup, hope its effective.
I’ll miss the swivel screen though.
I’ll still use the HS10 – i love its long reach and excellent macro results.
Have just purchased a Fuji Hs10 and taken the first 30 or so pictures at random.having copied them to Finepix studio all pictures appear very narrow or skinny whether vertical or horizontal what am I doing wrong??????
Hi Barrie
The only thing I can think of is that you have your image size set to 16:9 like a widescreen tv. All the options for image size are detailed on page 85 of the manual.
Hi I’ve had my hs10 for about a year now now and I mainly use it to take pictures of my son and family or outings such as the zoo… I really don’t know much about it or what the terms mean or do…right now or well since I’ve had it ive had problems such as it taking way to long to take a picture and my pictures come out blurry I really like the caamera but it really doesn’t do me any good if I can’t take pictures that I like I would like to know if you could give me the best settings for every mode and maybe a breif description of what they all do… I would love it if you could do that for me thank you sooo much! Hope to hear from you really soon! :)
hi guys, ok think im finally getting the hang of taking reasonable pics with the hs10, one question, how do i upload them to this page to get peoples feedback
cheers
t
Hi Guys!
Haven’t been here for awhile, but now, am in need for some advice :)
I’m going to disney world at the end of the month and want to know how to get the BEST night shots of the fireworks and light shows without using a tripod. How would YOU set your hs10 for this????
Hi Wendy
Tough one! The ‘fireworks’ setting in the scene mode is quite effective but you will need to have some kind of support if you don’t want to use a tripod.
You can try leaning against a wall, tree or anything solid that is around. You could also try resting your camera on someone’s shoulder. Another little trick is to use the ‘strap method’ where you wrap the strap tightly around your arm and then pull the camera under tension to your eye.
You are not using a tripod so you can leave IS fully on and don’t be tempted to use zoom too much. It’s better to set a wider angle [and leave it there] to take in a whole patch of sky as you never know exactly where in the frame the fireworks are going to go off. You might also want to consider continuous shooting so you take several frames of the same scene.
You might also consider using the video features of the HS10 and extract the best pictures using video editing software at a later date.There are quite a few freebie software programs on the web which do the job quite well.
Don’t know if anything I’ve said is of any use to you, but it might prompt somebody else to come back to you with better ideas.
Another method to stabilize the camera is to attach a screw on the tripod mount and tie a string to it. The other end of the string you can fix to your belt or step on it and then pull the camera under tension to your eye. You just need to set the length of the string so that the camera is on you eye level when the string is stretched. This is also very useful to shoot videos.
Good luck,
Cris
Cris – That’s usually a good way to tension-stabilise a hand-held camera.
However, with the HS10 (and the HS20 looks to be the same) – the tripod screw-mount is only plastic, not metal, and isn’t part of the camera’s internal frame. It’s also about 3mm from the battery door opening.
There are now quite a few reports on other Forums saying that those folks’ HS10 mount-screw hole has cracked through to the battery housing – then Fuji tells them that’s not covered under Warranty.
Fuji also claims that the plastic mount-screw is “only intended for occasional use”…. A most peculiar claim for a 30x / 720mm Bridge Zoom camera…!
In many situations, at or near full zoom to a small or detailed target (bird feathers, etc) – using a tripod is essential.
What probably makes Fuji refuse to fix it under Warranty – is that the severe design-flaw of using a plastic mount on a fairly heavy P&S camera that will spend a lot of time on a tripod – is compounded by two other flaws – the closeness to an “edge” – that of the battery compartment – and that, most oddly, the mount is not only not replaceable, but it is merely a hole drilled and threaded in the external plastic case of the camera…
To “repair” a problem with it – the whole camera has to be dis-assembled, and the external plastic case replaced. That being so, in handling, parts, and workshop time, it’d probably be cheaper just to replace the camera…!
I’ve been in contact with the Australian Dept of Fair Trading, who from the description said that the plastic mount certainly isn’t adequate for intended use purposes, so a claim for repair / replacement / refund would likely be enforced.
This severe design problem has been mentioned in detail in other posts on this forum.
I think that if one was using the cord-bracer to tripod ring mount with the HS10, you’d need to be very careful that the screw used didn’t make any angular strain on the screw-hole. Perhaps put a thin string around the quick-release shoe from the tripod – with the string close to the screw – and use that to hold it.
Or run a thin but strong string – piece of nylon fishing-line or similar – through the loops that hold the neck-strap each side of the camera, and make a “V” yoke under the camera, over which is then looped the cord that goes to the ground.
Dave.
David,
you’re right! I just didn’t believe it could be so fragile. How could Fuji do that to us? In another forum a guy said he replaced the tripod mount with a home made aluminium thread. No picture, I wonder how he fixed it. I thought the tripod mount was like a replaceable cube plastic piece, there are two screws next to it and the plastic looks likes its a individual piece…
I guess the safer way to use it is with a tripod that has quick release plates…
Thanks for the advice!
Cris
I really want to like the HS 10. Ergonomically, it’s probably the best camera I’ve owned. However, I’m getting very frustrated with the focusing. It doesn’t seem to matter whether I use manual or auto focus when I’m indoors, the indicator light blinks green and will not go to a steady green. I have tried increasing ISO; I’ve used Pro Low-Light; Scene mode natural light, aperture priority, shutter priority etc.
I must be doing something wrong – but I can’t figure out what. Used outside, the indicator light shows that focus is attained very quickly.
As an experiment I tried to take an indoor shot with the HS10 and then I tried my Panasonic G1 using the same settings The Fuji wouldn’t focus; the Panasonic immediately focused. (I realize the G1 has a larger sensor and so the result was to be expected. But I still can’t figure out why the HS10 has so much difficulty focusing indoors. The room I used it in is not too dark; there’s plenty of natural light.)
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Garth
Hi again Garth
By the ‘green indicator’ I take it that you mean the lamp to the left of the eyepiece. If this is the case then it warns of 3 things – blur,focus,or exposure.
You say that the camera is not focussing. If it is not then on the lcd or through the evf you will see !AF in red.
My thought is that the lamp is warning you of either blur or exposure and that it is actually focussing fine.
In low light there is a danger of blur due to low exposure settings but the lcd/evf display will show a yellow ! and camera symbol to warn you of this. Do you have IS turned on? Are your exposure settings too low? As for the focus, do you have the AF assist illuminator set to ‘on’ in the setup menu?
I know that people complain about cameras not focussing well in low light, but to be honest with the HS10, I have had to be in near darkness before it has trouble focussing. In fact I’ve spent the last five minutes turning my dimmer switch down until I got to the point where the camera had difficulty focussing.
Hope this sheds some light on your problem and as an aside, I never bother looking at that green light – the warning symbols on the evf/lcd display are much more informative.
Peter, thanks once again for your clearly stated answer. I think you and David Doak should have written the manual for the camera.
I do have IS on (mode 2) and I have tried various settings; I never realized that the flashing light meant anything but poor focus. I’ll keep plugging away. The camera seems too good to give up on.
Garth
i have been using the hs10 for about a year now but i am still comfused on which image stabilization mode to use. any help would be great. thank you
Hi David,
take a look at this discussion:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1012&message=35145641&changemode=1
maybe it responds your questions.
Good luck,
Cris
Hi David
You obviously know the options but I always use 2+D which comes into effect when shooting ie. when the shutter is pressed. option 1 or 1+D means the IS will operate continuously which is another item to help drain your batteries. You may find that option 2 is fine for you but as I get older, my hands are not as steady as they used to be which is why I choose to use the +D as well.
As an addendum to using IS, I read recently in shutterbug, an article where they said the whenever you use a tripod, you should disable IS as it negatively affects sharpness. ” Image Stabilization systems are designed to look for and counteract motion, When the camera is mounted on a tripod, there is little or no movement to react to, but the camera is still searching for movement. The result can be softer images due to the activity of the IS system.” Just a thought.
Norman
thank you for the input. i have been using #1, i really don’t care about batt. life. but i think i will switch to #2 for awhile and see what happens.
Hello! I have to say this page has been a wealth of info! I’m so glad I stumbled across it! I have had my camer for several months and have always shot in auto as I am a complete dufe when it comes to understanding settings.
Is there any chance you can list started setting for each of the modes, and what they are for? I have books apleanty including the ones you mention but I must have a mental block for photograghy I can’t for the life of me get started. I guess I’m hoping that if I have somewhere to start it will somehow click for me.
Also can you please explain frames per second? I can’t seem to see how to set that? I’ve seen someone post somewhere for a macro shot that they had 1/125 or something like that? I’m lost.
Thank you so much in advance, I really appreaciate you time!
Hello Michelle
Photography can be a little daunting when it comes to taking charge of the settings yourself. The first thing to get to grips with is the ‘light’ triangle which shows how aperature, shutter speed and ISO setting are related. There are quite a few good tutorials on the web if you do a search, but I’ll give you a brief run down.
1] Aperature is the size of the hole in your lens that the light goes through. It is measured in f stops. the smaller the number the bigger the hole and the more light it will let in ie. f2.8 is a much bigger hole than f8. The size of the hole affects the depth of field ie. how much of your picture will be in focus. So a large hole (eg. f2.8) will focus only in a certain range. If you want to make the camera focus over a greater distance range you need to use a smaller hole eg. f8, f11 etc. On your camera dial you have an A for aperture setting. This means that you set the aperature and the camera will decide what shutter speed you need.
2] Shutter speed is the time that the hole remains open and governs how much light is let in. Shutter speed is shown as a fraction of 1 second ie. 1/50th. is equal to half a second. On the camera dial there is an S shutter option. This is where you choose the shutter speed and the camera decides what aperature is needed. You may have seen pictures where a waterfall seems to be frozen. This needs to be a slow shutter speed. To capture the waterfall in a crystal clear way you would use a fast shutter speed.
3] ISO is a throwover from the days of film and was a measure of the sensitivity of the chemicals on the film to light. So a 400 iso film was more sensitive than a 100 iso film. However, the higher the iso the more grainy the film was. In digital cameras, this graininess appears as ‘noise’ in your photographs.
Where everything gets complicated is that it is possible to set different settings which produce the same result. But for now try this experiment. Set up an object in good light and set your camera to A. Turn the mode dial to set the biggest hole [small number f stop] the camera will allow. Take a picture. Now turn the mode dial to make a smaller hole [progressively bigger numbers]. Take a picture each time. When you review each picture even if it is very dark, press the info button on the left of the camera. You will see the f stop you set, the shutter speed the camera set and a histogram. A properly exposed picture will show the bulk of the histogram in the centre. A dark picture will have the bulk to the left and a very bright one will have the bulk to the right. Try the experiment again but this time choose the S option and set the shutter speeds yourself. By noting the different settings the info button shows you will begin to see which settings provide a good picture.
I am sorry this is so long-winded but I have tried to keep my explanation simple. As I said, there are many good tutorials on the web if you find my explanations nonsensical.
Hello! Any suggestions for settings at a concert? I love the zoom capabilities, but can’t use a tripod for this, so hoping for less blur.
Thanks!
Hi Jen, like I said on a topic above:
“[a] method to stabilize the camera is to attach a screw on the tripod mount and tie a string to it. The other end of the string you can fix to your belt or step on it and then pull the camera under tension to your eye. You just need to set the length of the string so that the camera is on you eye level when the string is stretched. This is also very useful to shoot videos.”
In your case, fixing it to your belt would be more practical, as you might have to move around.
Good luck,
Cris
Jen, just be careful cause the tripod mount is fragile. Look what David Doak wrote in a topic above:
[David Doak - April 17, 2011 at 2:48 am
Cris – That’s usually a good way to tension-stabilise a hand-held camera.
However, with the HS10 (and the HS20 looks to be the same) – the tripod screw-mount is only plastic, not metal, and isn’t part of the camera’s internal frame. It’s also about 3mm from the battery door opening.
There are now quite a few reports on other Forums saying that those folks’ HS10 mount-screw hole has cracked through to the battery housing – then Fuji tells them that’s not covered under Warranty...]
Hi Moose and everyone else
First, I must say this has to be one of the most friendly and informative camera forums I’ve visited. I just got my HS10 and I noticed that one of the products you endorse is the GGS LCD screen protector. I visited Amazon, but I’m a bit confused. The company offers 3.0″ and a 2.7″ models. The HS screen is 3.0″ in the diagonal and 2.7″ in the horizontal. So which of the 2 models would I need to buy? (I have always thought that when these items are sold the dimension given is the diagonal. Is that the case here?) Sorry for what may be a very simple question.
Garth
Hi Garth
Order a GGS lcd screen protector for a canon 500D. You will find it is a perfect fit for the Fuji HS10 lcd.
Thanks, Peter. I appreciate your prompt reply.
Garth
Hi Moose and everyone,
This is my first post on this great forum, though i have read lots of the topics already. I bought a HS10 a few weeks ago and im just starting to play with more of the settings.
I have a few questions:
1) As with the last post, it would be great to keep the shutter sound, but keep all other camera noises off. Is this possible?
2) We know the EVF is poor (it is worse than my 2004 Minolta Dimage A1 – so much for technological advances!), but the thing i find worst is the glare that enters the EVF. Because the EVF is flush with the rear of the camera and there is no rubber skirt it is impossible to create a seal to the EVF, and anything but with the sun being perfectly behind, you get glare. Im having to cup my left hand over the top of the camera to prevent this. Does anyone have any advice?
3) The manual focus display. What does the yellow dot and the white line mean? Moving the focus ring doesnt seem to do much to them. They appear to move about at random.
I love the 24mm wide angle and the amazing zoom capabilities. The colours of landscapes are so vivid, im very impressed so far.
BTW, the Sony VCL-DH1758 Telephoto fits and is a brilliant addition. But the Sony VCL-DH0758 Wideangle lens does not fit this camera
Thanks
David
Hi David,
that glare problem in the EVF is really annoying. When we most need it (in a sunny day) is the worst condition to use it. I have one of these rubber skirts from an old super8 cam and I’m breaking my head the last weeks thinking in a way to fix it in the EVF without permanently gluing it. I’m trying to bend a bicycle wheel spoke in a way that it can be fixed in the flash shoe (without damaging it!). If I succeed I post a picture. Well, so far I have no solution, but I wrote this for you to know that others might suffer with the same problem.
About the manual focus: the bigger the white bar is (the more to right it grows), more focus you will have. And the yellow dot marks the point you have reached. That’s the way I see it. You better wait for others to explain better. If you hold the camera still, it won’t grow and shrink in that chaotic way. It looks like the camera already knows the focus, “she” is just waiting you to turn the ring to the right position, hehehe. And when the camera shakes and objects in focus changes the white bar goes crazy. Use a tripod or lay your cam on a steady surface to practice and you will understand what I mean. Btw, using manual focus is a good way to avoid that focus lock sound.
Lol, sorry David, I just realized my answers are nearly useless. But the guys here are clever and someone else will give better explanations.
Good luck,
Cris
Cris,
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
At least it is not just me suffering with the glare. Lets see how your experiment goes.
With the focus then, it is a case of me needing to be steady – so my next investment will be a tripod. As with many sections, Its a pity the instruction manual does not explain things better.
Lets see if anyone has an idea about the sounds options and the shutter sound.
David
Hi David,
so far I had no success with the EVF cover. Some day I’ll go to a camera repair shop to see if they can give me an idea about what to do. And about the manual focus, you don’t need to buy a tripod just to do that – but of course, a 30x zoom camera begs for it. After a little practice you will notice that it’s not so tricky to use the manual focus and it gets more elementary, my dear Watson (sorry, I just had to do this joke).
Ah, you may try and turn off that center-zoom-area-manual-focus-assistant to a better understanding about that crazy white line and yellow dot.
I hope you manage this. Come back later to tell us your experience!
cya,
Cris
Hi David
This is not a flippant answer to the EVF question, but have you tried wearing a baseball cap ?
David,
my solution to cover the EVF was very complicated and I used a specific rubber eyecup. But today i came across this:
http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/forum/1/96723
It may help!
Bye,
Cris
Did you managed the manual focus yet?
Cris
Hi, I have another question about setup. Is there a way to mute that double blip when the camera locks the focus? I know that if I turn the shutter sound off that blip doesn’t sound, but I want to hear the shutter sound, I just don’t want to hear that focus blip – it’s sounds a little bit amateur… Silent mode isn’t the answer either. Thanks!
Cris
ps. To whom can I send suggestions? (would be great to have another shutter sound options, even self made sounds…)
So as I’m learning new ways to make my camera work the way I want it to, I’m thinking of buying some accessories to assist in my photography self-teaching (with all of your help) skills.
Is this Tele-Photo Lens good? Would it work and do you suggest it for taking scenic photos?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/58mm-2-0x-Tele-Photo-Lens-Fuji-HS10-S9600-S9500-/190508685968?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item2c5b33da90
What is the difference between a rubber collapsible hood and a Flower Shape hood? We love going to aquariums but get the reflection of the flash through the glass which is disappointing and I also take lots of outdoor photos when the light is harsh. Which would you suggest and can you tell me why?
Flower Hood
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/58mm-Flower-Shape-Lens-Hood-Fuji-HS10-S9600-S9500-S7000-/380316511011?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item588ca16b23
I have no idea about these but found them on ebay… (My Camera House doesn’t tell me much obviously so here I am!)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BK-UV-PL-ND-Filter-58mm-Fujifilm-Fuji-FinePix-HS10-/140522904046?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item20b7d159ee
I do want to get the Raynox DCR250 as well.
Is there anything else anyone can recommend to me?
Thanking you kindly! :)
Pia, while I cannot answer all of your questions, I can address some. A flower petal sunshade (rotatable) is handy when using wide angle lenses or in this case, a wide angle setting. A rubber (collapsible) lens hood or sunshade is very handy for pressing against reflective surfaces (glass) and keeping out extraneous light. Preventing reflection from a camera mounted flash is a bit more difficult. I have used off-camera flash units against glass by making a temporary lens hood/sunshade contraption utilizing black gaffing tape. The HS10 presents more difficulty re aquariums. Hope this helps.
Norman
Thank you Norman.
I have gone ahead and purchased a petal hood and a collapsible hood from ebay and will play with them when they arrive.
In regards to shooting in aquariums, what is the best setting for this?
And also – for shooting outside for landscape and beach settings, are they really the best settings to shoot with?
Thanks again, I appreciate it.
Pia, I haven’t taken photographs at an aquarium for years. At the time I used a 35mm manually operated SLR with a collapsible rubber hood pressed against the glass. I took light meter readings (also with the meter sensor pressed against the glass) bracketed my shots and prayed. Some were great and some were not so great, but one didn’t know until after they were processed. I used the same type of system when flying my plane (USAF) and one of the ground crew guys made me a neoprene ring attached to a screw in filter. It worked as far as keeping extraneous light from reflecting. Wish I could be of more help, but I was dragged kicking and screaming into “digital” photography, and I’m still learning the basics. If there is one available in your area, join a camera club. I joined a great club here in Florida, and the members are a great source of information.
Norman
Hi there,
I posted back in December but I’m still having the same issues so I’m coming back again seeking help.
I am finding it very difficult to capture photographs of my active 15 month old, both indoors and outdoors. When she is moving, the images come across blurred – even on the auto setting.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can get the photographs to be taken so they aren’t blurry? I’m really wanting this help because I’m getting very cross at the camera when really, I know it’s probably just me not being skilled enough.
Thanks
Hi Pia
Have a look at pages 50+51 in the manual. You can choose to have the camera focus continuously which is good for moving subjects or you can choose a tracking mode which follows the moving subject and keeps it in focus. You can choose to use face detection with the last method if you wish. Auto mode is not very good with moving subjects, it is best not used.
Hope this helps.
Thank you Peter. What mode would you recommend? Sporting mode also brings up blurred images.
Yesterday however I went into the shutter change setting (sorry I forget which one) and changed the shutter speed to 125 and the ISO to 200 and this worked much better – the pictures weren’t blurred but quite dark even when using a flash.
I will try your suggestion on page 50 & 51 and see how that goes.
Thank you.
Pia – As Peter says about Auto – and Program isn’t much better – the HS10 is a camera you “have to tell what to do”.
It can do rather better than most Bridge Zooms on moving targets, as it has good Shutter Priority ability, and also quick Fast Continuous – and they do work well in combination.
In Shutter Priority, you choose the shutter speed, and the camera sets the aperture. For moving targets you need at least 1/125th of a second – 1/250th and up is better.
Selecting such speeds outdoors, unless on a very dull day, isn’t a problem. If ISO 100 isn’t allowing the speeds, use ISO 200 – there’s almost no difference in ‘noise’ at 200. At ISO 400 – there is a little noise – but unless you crop the image severely, or display at over 1600 x 1200, it’s rarely noticeable.
If you do RAW and post-process for the small amounts of noise, ISO 800 and 1600 are very usable – unusual for a P&S camera.
However, even in bright outdoor shade, or well-lit indoors – up to ISO 400 should give you speeds above 1/125th second.
The other part is using Fast Continuous. Setting that is shown on Manual Page 43.
The wee rascals at the 12-20 months stage do a lot of fast simultaneous movements – head, legs, arms, hands, etc – as they move around. So you have to get an image when “all of the parts” are in focus.
So you need to be able to follow them as they move, and take several images fairly quickly – but not TOO quickly… Since Fuji’s claimed 10 frames a second – after the 1.02 update – is actually 12fps+ – that’s much too fast to give the maximum JPEG burst of 7 images enough duration.
Selecting 7fps will give about 1-second duration – 5fps a little over a second. You might try 7fps when she’s sitting or standing still – but will be chattering away, moving arms, so on. That can work well indoors, in the yard wading-pool, so on, as you’re not needing to move the camera to follow her.
When she’s moving – try the 7fps – but 5fps gives you a longer shooting duration – and a better chance of 1 or more of the 7 shots having a nice “head and limbs” position, and being in good focus.
When she’s not moving around, hold the camera steady – use the viewfinder, not the LCD – Shutter button half-down to focus – pause a fraction, to start the burst when she’s smiling, etc – and shoot.
When she’s moving – get to focus and ‘beep’ as you track her – then full-down to start the burst while still tracking at the same speed. Keep the camera in the tracking movement until after the burst has finished, or you’ve released the shutter before it finishes.
For burst shooting, set the IS shake reduction on “2″ – Shoot Only.
Begin at ISO 200 – this will ensure outdoors that you’re getting enough Shutter Speed – later, in good light, when used to the mode, you can try ISO 100, for best-quality images.
Set Metering (Photometry), second button down on the left, at Spot. AF-Mode – third button, at Centre, Focusing – 4th button, at Single-AF.
Dave.
Thank you Dave!
I am able to do everything you have given me tips for – with room for improvement – apart from:
“• For burst shooting, set the IS shake reduction on “2″ – Shoot Only. ”
How and where do I find the IS shake reduction?
Also – I have not updated my Firmware so it is still operating at 1:02 I think (not the latest). I have not done this as if I do it wrong, I’ve been given the impression I won’t be able to use the camera so I don’t want to stuff it up!
I purchased a 4Gb SDHC today thinking it may upgrade it automatically for me, as I read that happened somewhere, but it did not.
Is the upgrade absolutely necessary?
Thanks again!
Also – another stupid question – sorry…
What does RAW mean?
Pia – Like a lot of other HS10 functions, Fuji’s so-called “Manual” doesn’t say much about the 4 IS – Image Stabilising – modes. It’s further confused by Fuji’s having used diagrams and some text from previous camera models, such as my S2000HD…
There’s a brief mention under “Setup Menu” at the top of Page 106. In the camera, it’s On Page 3 of the Setup Menu, above the “Red Eye Removal” item.
In any P&S camera, and particularly long-zoom cameras, IS / Shake-Reduction – is a very important feature, and the settings and uses should be fully explained in the camera’s Manual.
I’ve left my Firmware at 1.02, as I don’t need the extra languages, etc, the later update has. It doesn’t add “essentials” that many asked for, such as a “sticky” setting on Continuous, so on.
All Digital Cameras actually record the picture in RAW mode. This is the complex digital coding that the human-viewable image is created from. Most P&S cameras then just automatically “process” the RAW data, save a JPEG image from that, and discard the rest of the RAW file data.
Some higer-end digital cameras now add the option of the User being able to save the RAW data file. The better cameras with this option also allow the User to do both – that is, save the RAW data file, and the usual JPEG image file the camera makes from the RAW file.
So the camera has the “Save options” of JPEG only / RAW only / and RAW + JPEG. That’s also noted on Page 106 of the Manual, and a little more on the left side of Page 112.
The RAW data file contains all of the information that “the camera saw when it made the shot” – so is much bigger than the JPEG file – the RAW will be around 15MB, the JPEG 2-5MB.
Because JPEG is a light and “lossy” format of small compact file-size, that suits many users for showing and printing-out, it’s the one almost universally used for P&S cameras, and of course is optional, or as RAW + JPEG, in DSLRs.
JPEGs deteriorate any time they are “worked on” to improve them, or if they are cropped and re-saved. This deterioration is the “losses” referred to in “lossy format”. If you need to work on a JPEG – to Sharpen, improve Colours with Levels, Curves, etc – change it to a non-lossy format – PSD, Photoshop – XCF, Gimp – and TIFF, which will work in Photoshop or Gimp, and most other image editors, are some of the “non-lossy” ones.
To create the lossy JPEG file – which algorithm (coding) doesn’t allow a lot of information to be included, the camera “discards” a lot of the RAW file information.
Usually, with P&S, which doesn’t have the changeable lenses that can very much alter the information content, the camera created JPEGs are just what users want, anyway, so they often won’t want to bother with “Post Processing” RAW files.
RAW files from a small P&S size sensor don’t have quite as much information in them as the ones from the much larger DSLR sensors – but they do contain a lot more than in a JPEG.
While many DSLR users “only shoot RAW” – so have to post-process every shot taken – that’s far less applicable with P&S cameras. Where it can be useful with P&S – is where the shooting conditions are “marginal” – low light, or a light tone that isn’t corrected by the White Balance settings in the camera, and situations where with JPEG you “hardly get a usable image”.
The HS10 doesn’t have an external control to quickly select the RAW or RAW + JPEG you might want (the HS20 does, which is very good) – so for a quick change to RAW / RAW + JPEG as set in the Menu – you can create a Custom setup – and Save that to the “Custom” setting on the Mode Dial.
I do a lot of my shooting in Shutter Priority, and usually don’t need RAW – but when I do, I want to change to it quickly. So I have Custom pre-set to Shutter Priority with RAW + JPEG.
To PP – post-process – RAW files, you need a program that can read and use Fuji HS10 RAF RAWs.
While you can correct White Balance, Colour casts, Colour ranges, and more, in RAW processing, I use it more for High-ISO denoising than other things (they’re used more to “trim up”) – because the HS10 encourages you to do low-light and high-ISO shots that you usually wouldn’t attempt with a P&S camera.
Using RAW, you can, with a little gentle “de-noising” and a slight USM sharpen, have “clean images” at ISOs 800 and 1600 from the HS10. (ISO 800 is usually quite okay in JPEG if you reduce the display size under 1600 x 1200, unless you crop the image.)
When the light is very poor, shutter speeds are slow, and you’re using a tripod – you can use ISO 3200 – and RAW + JPEG (having the JPEG lets you see quickly on-PC which RAWs are going to be woth processing) – you can de-noise and “recover colour” – and have some – not all – quite usable images. Exposure bracketing (AEB) at about +/- 2/3EV can help get “usables”.
ISO 6400 – unless it was the only way to get an exposure – is a “bit hopeful”….
If interested in using the HS10′s RAW abilities – Google for Guides and Tutorials on RAW.
Dave.
Could somebody tell me how to operate inbuilt flash. I tried many times but couldn’t find out. Thanks
Chokyi, look on page 38 of the Fujifilm online manual or on the CD that comes with the camera. The manual is also available from this website. This link may help.
http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/manuals/pdf/index/s/finepix_hs10_manual_01.pdf
Norman
Hi, I’m a happy owner of a HS10 and I’m very satisfied with its functions, but I think the manual could be more complete. The dificulty I’m having is with the menu. I never now which settings are applied to all modes or just to that mode I am, while I change something like resolution, picture size etc etc. Is there a more complete manual that specifies what settings stays when I change de modes (like P, S, A, M)? I hope I made myself clear, sorry about my english…
Thanks!!!
Can you tell I just got the camera!! Can someone give me a good example of the function of the AE AF lock button versus just using the shutter button half press and then recomposing?
As far as the button choices on the left of the camera (ISO, AE, AF-S, AF C,S, M), in what shooting mode am I able to make setting selections? I am assuming I have to be out of Auto or Auto SR. Also, once I make selections do they “stick” regardless of changing my shooting mode? Also, any advice on the best way to use the AE AF lock button? Is it best to use it to lock in both? Is it best to set it at R/A so I do not have to hold down the button to lock in the focus and or exposure? Thanks
Maryann – In Auto, you can change AF-Mode from Centre to Tracking, and Focusing from Continuous to Single-AF to Manual. All buttons are usable in the other modes.
I leave AE/AF in A – Lock Only. However, I tend to use the shutter button held half-down to recompose – that way, if you or the target move, you can re-focus immediately.
My main use for the AE/AF button is in Manual Focusing – pressing it gives a quick approximate pre-focus using the AF – from where you can fine-tune the MF by “rocking” the focus-ring on the barrel either way, until best-focus “centres”.
Dave.
how do i find discharge menu on finpix H S 10
Hi
Go to the setup menu and keep scrolling to the very last item. This will only be available if you have battery type N selected on previous item and actually have rechargeables installed.
just bought a hs20
Dont understand but there is a yellow camera symbol with an exclamation mark on the screen all the time what is it?
and can i get rid of it?
Hello Ho
The symbol means that there is a danger of blurry pictures due to camera shake when using very slow shutter speeds. Have you set dual IS in the menu? Are you trying to shoot indoors in low light? Are you using S mode (shutter priority) with too small a shutter speed set? One final check is to turn on flash and see if the symbol goes away. If it doesn’t, you might have a fault on the camera.
thank you
you were right
how do I set dual IS in the menu?
Ho
Glad it wasn’t a fault on your new camera. The dual IS setting is in the set-up menu [page 95 in the manual]. You can choose to have it set off, single shooting only and continuous. If you choose continuous you must remember that it puts an extra drain on the batteries. I usually use single shooting only.
Hi all,
Iam from india I frequently go to outdoor shoots with my HS10. Now I have a prob that after 30-50 clicks the temperature icon starts flashing I referred to the manual too it say its coz of slow shutter speed at high temperature and it also says that’s not malfunction I tried ‘A’ and ‘S’ modes too all and all others but this temperature icon flashes it temperature in india where I live is around 30 degree C and is tend to rise…! So can anyone help me get rid of the prob
Regards
Pratik
Hi pratik.
Theres a similar problem in a thread on another forum.
Try a Google search on “HS10 overheating”.
It came back top of the list for me.
Have a read through it and see if theres anything there can help.
Hey paul,
I googled about the prob but cannot get any good solution. So I went to FujiFilm service center regarding the same issue and talked to the senior person there he said that indication is nothin to worry about and it won’t damage the sensor too and he also stated that all fuji cam has this function and its just coz it tells you that you are shooting outdoors some how I still don’t find it convincing is there anyways you could still help me
Regards,
Pratik
Oh, well, heres the link. I can’t find anything else useful anywhere:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1012&message=35309767&changemode=1
This guy is in Singapore, gets the warning message and has been told, like you were, not to worry about it.
And as one of the posters says on there, will Fuji replace your camera if you ignore the warning and it overheats?
Hi Moose,
I’ve just recently taken up photography as a hobby, and so I purchased a HS 10 rather than going right into purchasing a DSLR. As a first camera its not too bad, but one thing I’m dissapointed in, is that it only tales 7 photos continuously in burst mode.
The question I have is; can the HS10 take photos continuously when holding down the shutter?.
Thanks,
Andrew.
Andrew – hi! If you mean, does it have a “fill-the-card” slow continuous at about 2fps as some cameras do, no, it doesn’t.
However, it’s possible that the HS20 “might” do 32 x JPEGs in sequence.
As with the HS10 “manual”, the HS20′s isn’t detail-explanatory. That is – it describes where to find functions – then doesn’t properly explain what those do or how they do it.
The “Continuous” Section in the HS20 manual is Pages 44 to 47. The diagram on the right in Page 47 suggests that it does “Up To” 32 JPEGs.
It doesn’t say if those are “burst” or a fill-the-card slow continuous at about 2fps. Nor does it say which function mode this refers to
(The old Fuji S2000HD rattles-off 33 frames in about 7-seconds – but that’s at half-resolution of 5Mpix. Quite usable, though.)
But with the HS20, it’s unclear as to speed or resolution of the “maybe” 32 x JPEGs. If that was 32 x 16Mpix frames at the full resolution “burst” speed of 8fps – that’d be better than most DSLRs…! So I do suspect it isn’t quite that…
It “might” mean that it does 32 x JPEGs in the “paired-receptor” EXR mode – meaning half-resolution at 8Mpix – the resolution it uses to almost reach the HS10′s 12fps, 7 x JPEGs at full 10Mpix resolution…
However, I of course don’t know that – just reading the HS20 “manual” and “guessing” at what it might be doing.
We really DO need a good Full Hands-On Review of the HS20….
I’m starting to have the feeling re the HS10 that I had about my Canon SX10 when the SX20 was released…. Sure, the SX20 has the HD video the SX10 doesn’t. The lens setup is identical on those cameras. The SX20 has 12Mpix on the same sized sensor as the SX20′s 10Mpix. And the SX20 doesn’t have the “Superfine” JPEG save mode of the SX10… The SX10 does rather better JPEGs than the SX20. So no SX10 owner felt “downgraded” by the SX20 – other than for the video.
So I’m rather wondering – will we HS10-ers be hiding secret grins – as our HS10s gain a “collector’s item” status, as has the SX10…
Dave.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the info.
Does Raynox DCR 2025 works with HS10 ? What would be the effect of using this lens ? how much maximum zoom can be achieved and what about the quality ?
http://www.amazon.com/Raynox-DCR-2025-High-Definition-Telephoto/dp/B000Y9YFDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1291485704&sr =1-1
I haven’t got this lens, but looking at your link, it has some excellent reviews.
The price is $186. It comes with 4 adapters, you would need the 68mm one for it to fit the HS10.
There are some example shots here:
http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/article/117/124537
but fitted to a different camera.
As with any of these lenses, you might find a drop-off in quality.
I have the Sony VCL-DH1758, which is about x 1.7, as opposed to the Raynox which is 2.2, and there is a slight reduction in quality, but I find that acceptable for the amount of zoom I can get.
I can find it on Amazon UK, but not the main Amazon site, so maybe that info is of no use to you.
I am a 1 year owner of Fuji HS10. I just want to know what is the right setting to capture a perfect bokeh.
Thanks.
Hi Reinier
I have made mention of bokeh in previous posts, but I’ll repeat my methods for you. Of course it depends on what you want to photograph with good bokeh.
If doing portraits, for example, bokeh is quite easy to achieve as you have control over the subject and the distance to the background. However, in wildlife photography you do not have as much control.
As a general rule I do the following
1] Use a large aperture if possible either by using A mode or manual.
2] Use regular macro and place your subject in the range of 2-5m so that you can use telephoto zoom [telephoto has less depth of field than wideangle]. Make sure that the background is further away than this, say 6 or 7 metres. If you want to use wideangle zoom, then using regular macro again, position your subject within the range 10cm – 3m and make sure the background is further away than this.
3] Wildlife photography is whole different ball game. When I’m shooting insects or butterflies, I use wide aperture and supermacro within the range of 1cm – 1m. Other types of wildlife however, is just a matter of luck when it comes to bokeh. You could try setting a birdtable away from any background and using the settings above focus on it so that any bird landing on the table will be in focus.
Hope these ideas help.
Thanks a lot peter. I will try your suggestions today and I will inform you about the results too. Have a nice weekend.
We are travelling to Argentina in 10 days time, and one of our trips will be on the “Train to the Clouds” which goes up to 4,200 metres over a period of 7 hours, so loads of photography time. The train apparently goes no faster than 35 kph.
Does anyone have any tips for taking photographs through a glass window?
Stephen, I heve had success by using a collapsible rubber sunshade pressed against the window. This keeps out extraneous light and/or reflections. Any sunshade (rubber) that threads to 58mm will work. Here is one for an example, but they are quite common and available on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/58mm-Rubber-Lens-Hood-Fuji-Finepix-HS10-/360311313819?pt=Lens_Accessories&hash=item53e43a559b . I hope this helps. Also, take plenty of AA batteries, as the HS10 is power hungry and the price of batteries offshore is often prohibitive. Have a fun trip.
Norman
PS: If you Google rubber sunshade 58mm you might get lots of choices.
A circular polariser will also be quite useful to get rid of unwanted reflections
Thanks, I’ll look in to that. I have seen a few photos on flickr which look as if they were taken from an open window on that train – it depends I suppose on whether they have discovered health and safety!!!.
Stephen
My tip – take a glass cutter and scribe round your lens cap! Only joking ! Have a great trip and happy shooting.
Hi,
I received the email about using the macro and super macro settings.
I use these settings all the time – they are awesome! However I’ve always found when using the super macro that if I extend the lens to full zoom, it can never focus on the object and I get the red cross. If I half press the shutter it makes no difference in focusing the object.
Am I doing something wrong?
I tend to look like a nut because I just put the camera really close the object (such as snails). Obviously this is not possible when trying to capture a butterfly…
Thanks
Also – I’m looking at getting the Raynox DCR 250 however it doesn’t say anywhere that this fits onto the hs10.
Just wanting to confirm it does before I buy it from overseas.
Thanks
Hi Kudzi.
I think the answer to your zoom/super macro problem is not to use the zoom so much! Theres a limit to how much zoom you can use and keep your image sharp, but you can still get in very close. I think for subjects like butterflies, I would use the standard macro and crop the result, or play around with the x2 magnification combined with macro.
The Raynox is designed to fit any camera, it has spring-loaded sliders which grip the inside rim of the lens – when you release the sliders, the Raynox stays attached to the lens. You’ll find that you have to move well away from the subject – several inches – to get it in focus, its quite weird when you first try it! But very effective.
Hi Kudzi
To answer your question you can only use super-macro at wide angle and within the range 1cm – 1m. You can use the telephoto with regular macro in the range of 2m – 5m. All these settings are given in the manual on page 130 in the ‘specifications’ list.
I agree that the macro and super-macro are great especially if you want to create a good ‘bokeh’ [blurred background].
Hope this helps.
Thank you Paul & Peter.
I have been doing the pics right from your comment Peter & I’m going to purchase the Raynox. Does anyone know if the ones from ebay with free post for $89.95 are genuine?
Peter I haven’t gone into the wide angle so I’ll look into that – thank you.
I got my Raynox from Amazon, about £40. I haven’t heard of any fake ones, tho don’t take my word for it!
If you want to buy from Ebay, check the seller’s rating, and if you’re still not sure, why not just ask them if the product is genuine.
And I read some of the reviews on Amazon, there are a couple of tips on using the lens, might be useful to know.
Hi, I have tried the Raynox DCR 250, and it works fantastic with the HS10. The pictures are amazingly sharp.
HS 10 users may be interested in a freeware programme called Quick Media Converter which I found yesterday. I was able to easily convert an HD video taken on my HS10 to avi and wmv. It does seem to have many options.
I don’t think it has any editing options though. There is also SUPER © – if you can find the download on the site!!
Hi Moose,
Do you know how the new HS20 differs to the HS10
Bryan – One hardware problem seems to have been eased in the HS20 – the “brow overlap” of the flash over the twist-zoom has been moved back slightly. The other HS10 hardware problems are continued – the easily-broken plastic tripod mount (that is not covered under Fuji “Warranty”, as it requires the replacing of the whole camera case), the jerky twist-zoom in video, that prevents zooming while video-ing, so on.
I don’t know if they made the Fast-Continuous selection ‘sticky’ – as it is, it’s most infuriating…
The idiotic EVF/LCD “Auto-Changer” remains – everyone I know of, turns that Off in the Menus – as well as being very annoying, it’s a battery-hog.
The 10Mpix BSI-CMOS sensor in the HS10, which gives it the good – for a P&S – low-noise / high-ISO abilities, is replaced with 16Mpix on a minutely larger sensor.
That is – 60% more receptors on a 7% larger sensor – about a 45% higher receptor density on the sensor. And more Mpix than most Entry and Lower Midrange DSLRs have, 12-14Mpix – and those are on a 12-15 times larger sensor.
As the other Brands – Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, etc – are having growing noise and low-light problems at 14Mpix on the 1/2.3″ sensors, and Fuji has gone to 16Mpix (first on a P&S?) – they’ve had to try to compensate for the receptor crowding….
To do this, they’ve added their EXR technology, which enables “pairing” of receptors on the sensor – so it then works as an 8Mpix sensor when low-light / high-ISO, or rapid action, as in the Fast Continuous, functions, are needed.
Users, of course, have to learn how the EXR works, with boostable Dynamic Range, and adjustable noise reduction for JPEGs.
What the EXR does for RAW files, if anything, I haven’t been able to discover, yet.
Fuji Australia claims that this is the first time that EXR has been used with CMOS sensors, so what it does in the HS20 should at least be “interesting”.
My opinion only – but for those who have an HS10 – which does very good images, and good low-light, high-ISO, for a P&S, once you learn to “tell it what to do” – they’ll probably look long and hard indeed, before considering the HS20 as an “upgrade”.
I like my HS10 very much, even with its “niggles” – it’s taught me to use Manual Focus in both Shutter Priority and Manual modes, handheld, and I’m still having a lot of fun with it.
But rather too many of the HS10 problems carry-over to the HS20 – and 16Mpix on a 1/2.0″ sensor – plus the experimental use of the EXR on the CMOS sensor, apparently to compensate for that – tends to leave lot that “remains to be seen”.
The Full Reviews from those sites which make honest commentaries, should be most educational…..
Dave.
Bryan – The HS20-EXR Manual is now available at:
- www.fujifilmusa.com/shared/bin/finepix_hs20exr_manual_01.pdf
That also suggests that there’ll be Full Reviews coming shortly.
Dave.
hey there…for some unknown reason,i couldnt post a comment here http://www.cameratips.com/hs10/fuji-hs10-hd-video-sample so i post it in the forum…i have a problem with hs10 video…it jumps some second when playing on pc,though when watching it on my camera,it seems great…could anyone tell me how to fix it?
thank you
Irene,
I have the same problem on my laptop, but not on my PC tower. I believe it is because Pc is much more powerful and handles playback of HD video much better.
Have you tried it through TV via the cable provided with camera?
its your video card on youer pc. I had the same issue, i down sized my hd recording the hs10 to 720p (although its called 1080p on the fuji hs10 and 1080p is called 1920 i believe)
when i down sized it solved the issue. It is you pc not the camera.
Jason – What we actually have in the HS10 is H264/MOV video. The actual video is H264 – which is a subset of MPEG4 called MPEG4-AVC [Advanced Video Coding.] The “MOV” part is Apple’s proprietary video “container”.
The HS10 does Full HD, 1920 x 1080, at a relatively low bitrate (Mbps), and Std HD, 1280 x720, at a better bitrate for the frame size, so is better quality. If you check exactly 1-minute of video at each level, the file-size for the 1920 x 1080 isn’t much bigger than that for the 1280 x 720 – although Full HD has more than twice as many pixels per frame.
If you are converting the video for standard (not HD) DVD, the 1280 x 720 is not only better quality, it’s closer to the 720 x 400 (404 in some apps) – needed for DVD compliant standard, and is also much easier for most Home-PCs to convert.
The 1920 x 1080 should play smoothly in Windows with a 512MB or better graphics card, or in Linux with a 256MB+ card (Linux has fewer overheads than Windows, and pre-processes video in software.)
The 1280 x 720 should play smoothly in Windows with 256MB and up, cards.
You can use the free Avidemux (for Windows, Linux and Mac) – to convert either level of the HS10′s videos. There are Filters for Colour, De-Noising, Sharpness, changing Frame-Size, etc. Also to add the black bars needed to play 16:9 vide “letterboxed” in a 4:3 aspect-ratio TV.
Avidemux will produce a DVD-compliant “Filename.mpeg(2)” output. You can Append (join) these in Avidemux, with basic transitions, or use the *.mpeg(2) files in a video-editor.
If you do join your clips in Avidemux, and get the larger *.mpeg(2) “movie” file, you’ll need to create a DVD-compatible fileset or ISO. You can do that with DVD-Styler (free for Windows, Linux and Mac) – and with Styler you can also create Title frames per video, and put multiple videos on one DVD, each with a “selectable” name-line on a “Main Titles” frame.
As with Avidemux, DVD-Styler is easy to use, and online there are Tutorials and Guides for both. Avidemux also has a User Forum, which can be very helpful.
Dave.
hey there…i thought that a mail would come when a reply was here,so sorry for my delay.Keven,no i havent tried it on TV but i guess you are right,it’s because the pc can handle videos better.but i think i found the solution!i played it with quicktime,and that’s why it was somehow jumping…i run it on media player(classic) and it runs fine..the only problem now,it that i comes up a bit darker…and because of the *.mov extention it can be edited instantly so either i have to transform it(and it gets darken) or find an MOV editor(but i cant find a non problematic)..i will try “avidemux” suggested in on of the comments,but if anyone knows anything better let me know!Oh btw here http://kuollutsielu.deviantart.com/ you can see my gallery and check HS10 performance…
I bring some very disappointing news from Fuji today. I quote:
“We are sorry to advise that there is no date for another firmware, should the camera require another firmware update, then will this be available at the following link and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
I am using HS10 since last couple of months for bird photography.
Many times it happens that when light is little less or bird is camouflage in the trees, then camera is not able to focus the bird and I miss the shot :(
Can I manually focus objects using HS10 ? How can I use that effectively ?
Thanks in advance for the help.
Hi Manan
Yes you can use manual focus, however all bridge and many dslr cameras have problems when in low light situations. I hesitate to say use a tripod considering the flimsiness of the mounting screw (there have been reports of the casing cracking around the mount and Fuji do not consider it a repair under warranty) but for wildlife photography a tripod is often necessary. This means you can use wide apertures and slow shutter speeds without blurring. You also mentioned birds in trees. Foliage is not something the autofocus handles well. If possible try to minimise the background by zooming and focusing on the branch not the leaves. A bird landing on that branch is them more likely to be in focus (use focus lock – page 36 in the manual).
Wildlife photography is a complete art in itself. I am sure someone on this forum is much more experienced than me and will be able to offer more suggestions.
Manan – Yes, as Peter says, the HS10 (and HS20) – tripod mount is a distinct worry. Try to get a tripod shoe that has a wide base, to spread the load on the HS10 body plastic. And don’t be too “firm” tightening the screw. Fuji has a very bad design flaw, there, as long-zoom cameras, by their very nature, will be used on tripods often.
HS10 Manual Focus – actually, it’s the best I’ve used on a P&S. You can turn the frame-centre “magnification” On/Off in the Menus. I find it’s good, On, with the camera on tripod, using the LCD, but hand-held (I’m doing quite a lot hand-held in Manual or Shutter Priority) – using the EVF, Off can be better with some backgrounds. Also – make sure the diopter adjustment (on the left of the EVF) – is correct for your vision – 1 click can make a noticeable difference.
Using MF, zoom to the length you’re going to use, aim at the target, and press the AE/AF-Lock button (below the Red Video button.) The camera then uses the AF function to “approximate” the focus, and beeps. If the framing / composition isn’t quite right, adjust that and the zoom, and press the button again for the new image. Then just “rock” the focus-ring on the barrel, either way, until best-focus “centres”.
On a tripod use the 2-second Timer to avoid “hands-on” vibes from pressing the shutter button down. That also can help, handheld, using a rest, etc.
With the HS10, “noise” is quite low to ISO 400 – and not high at 800. If you shoot RAW, using ISO 800 and 1600 is quite okay, as either will “de-noise” well. It’s best to use very small amounts of the “de-noiser” – a “fine” setting if your program has it, repeated – rather than a large “coarse” de-noise amount at once – as that can “go too far” and smear details.
If you have shot JPEGs – you “can” do a little de-noising – gently – but do change the image format from “lossy” JPEG to a non-lossy format – PSD, XCF, TIFF – first.
Dave.
Peter – Product Laws will obviously differ in various locations, but in Australia, under the Fair Trading Laws (Consumer Affairs in some States here) – products must be designed and built “adequately for the intended purpose”.
I’ve been talking to the Dept of Fair Trading here in New South Wales (State) – re the HS10 (and now HS20) – plastic tripod mount. Does the camera, with batteries, etc, as will be used – weigh over 250 grams? Yes. Did it cost over $300.00? Yes – it was $545.00, here.
Is the tripod mount easily replaceable – e.g, can you remove and replace it with basic tools – with a relatively low cost spare part from the manufacturer? No – on the HS10, the tripod mount is made into the main plastic casing of the camera, so to repair the mount, the camera must be dis-assembled, and the whole plastic case replaced.
Is this covered under Warranty? No, Fuji Australia says it is not, as the whole camera must be re-built to fix it.
According to the Department of Fair Trading here, therefore – the HS10 design is “not adequate for the intended design purpose and use”.
So – should the mount thread “slog-out” – or the mount crack through to the – just 3mm away – battery housing, Users will have a valid claim for repair, replacement of the item with a “design adequate” same-uses item, and where this is not available or has been discontinued, will be entitled to a Full Refund of the Purchase Price – this doesn’t include any “detachable accessories”, and the “Original Purchase Receipt” must be presented.
As this problem is a design error or fault – claims are not limited to the duration of the Maker’s Warranty Period.
Dave.
David
Thanks for your post. I was reading on another blog a UK HS10 user who had experienced a cracked casing. Although he had purchased Fuji’s super warranty, he was told that repairs to the casing were not covered. As for the ‘fit for purpose’ issue, he was advised that the design includes a mount for the ‘occasional’ use of a tripod and Fuji could not be held responsible for over zealous use or misuse through over-tightening or use of an incorrect tripod head! This seems to me a total cop-out for, as you say, a bad design flaw on a £400 pound camera. Such a shame because it has been the best non-dslr I have ever owned.
Peter – Yes, the complaints about the HS10 mount are jumpimg up all over, now, aren’t they….
How dare Fuji claim that the HS10 mount is only for “occasional tripod use”…?
Any Bridge Zoom camera over 20x – particularly 26x and up – is going to be put on a tripod often, for use at or near full zoom at long range.
They ALL will be – simply because it’s too hard, or impossible, to get really sharp focus without it – as these types of cameras are so very sensitive to the tiniest vibration or movement at or near full zoom.
Just a millimetre of movement at lens-end translates to a LOT of “blur” at 200-metres, let alone 500!
Also – if you use the AEB function with the intention of making HDRs – at any zoom level – a tripod is needed. With the HS10 – as the AEB only works over half of the Exposure Compensation range – that is, from -1EV to +1EV – if you want to use the full -2FV to +2EV (and/or want more than 3 images for HDR), you can’t use the AEB function anyway….
You can get 3 or 5 (or more, but 5 works very well) – images by using a tripod, and the -2EV to +2EV Exposure Compensation.
Actually, this is another firmware error from Fuji – my 3 year old Canon SX10 (and the SX20, and new SX30) – does do up to -2EV to +2EV as a standard AEB function. When it is firmly on a tripod – and it can be, FIRMLY – as it has a very solid and replaceable METAL tripod mount.
I’ve seen elsewhere (do we really need to “wonder” any more why Fuji didn’t send Moose a pre-release HS10…? Honest comments from expert reviewers, they clearly don’t need…!) – that the HS20 repeats the plastic mount…
And it’s also becoming clearer that Fuji doesn’t test early versions of cameras with actual people able to use cameras. If they did – the Jerk-O-Matic twist-zoom in Video would have been fixed. And it would have been the EVF that was upgraded, not the LCD.
The HS20 inherits the bit low-end EVF of the HS10 – the better LCD is obviously aimed at the “trendy” viewfinder-less low to mid-rang P&S users – upgrading to HS20 – so at 30x zoom, they can hold their HS20 way-out in front of them, “steadily” – as they’ll also be avoiding putting their flimsy-mount HS20s on their “occasional use” tripods….!
I doubt that makers like Fuji, who have flawed designs like the HS10/HS20 tripod mount – will be prepared to correct the designs, and/or test cameras in an “average user” environment, until a lot of people in places that have Govt-backed Consumer Quality Departments, subch as our Dept of Fair Trading, go to their Depts, and have repairs or camera replacements / full refunds – enforced.
Meanwhile – I’ve been looking carefully at my HS10, for something that might be done about a plastic mount problem. If you look closely at the underside of you HS10 – there are 4 tiny screws – 2 either side of the tripod mount – the other 2 about 55mm along the base.
There is quite a large flat expanse of base, there – with a removable silver sticker. If the user is handy with tools – or has a friend who is – they could craft a hard tough plastic “block”, about 10mm thick, corners neatly rounded, that would fit just inside the area of the screws.
Buy a Canon replacement metal tripod mount, about $17.50, from a Canon dealer or store that repairs Canon. Remove the metal part that mounts into the Canon camera metal frame.
This will leave a thin square plate, a bit bigger than the metal ‘tube’ that has the mounting screw thread inside. Drill the plasic block to just snug-fit the ‘tube’. Then make a slight recess in the block, the size of the square plate.
When it fits flush with the block – cement-glue the top of the plate and sides of the tube, press-in, and allow adequate time to dry. Then cement-glue the block to the base of the HS10, and allow to dry.
That will give a quite strong mount – now replaceable – so the HS10 can continue to be used on a tripod.
Just in case – as now with the unreliable Fuji mount – when the camera is on a tripod – use the strap – or another “tether” – to fix the camera to the top end of the tripod – so if an ‘incident’ occurs – the camera can’t drop to the ground.
- If some enterprising camera-repair shops got onto this idea – they might do quite well out of charging, say, $50.00, for the “mod”.
Dave.
Hi,
I have a Finepix HS10,and have down loaded the Fujifilm CD,and now it wont let me down load my photos from camera to computer.It comes up with Error (code 2):DM.C
I cannot access my photos..I would really appreciate it if some one can help.
Thanks,Sandra.
Hello Sandra
I must be honest I ditched my CD. First the Myfinepix Studio loaded but wouldn’t run. The Silkypix works but is a load of rubbish and the manual was in gibberish when opened. If you haven’t got a card reader installed in your computer, it only costs a few pounds to buy a plug-in card reader. They are very reliable and much faster than connecting your camera. I have never had problems using one.
Hope this helps.
Help!!!!
Hi im really hoping that someone can help me, my wife bought me the Hs-10 camera for christmas, now im used to point and shoot cameras so was really excited when i got this one, however i dont appear to be having much success with it :O( we have horses so i was hoping to be able to get some good action shots, but everything is blurred, and even my shots of things stood still are a little hit and miss if they will come out…
Please i really want to get used to this camera can anyone offer any advice at all to me.
Ive trawled through numerous websites with no joy :O( any help would be happily recieved.
tony
Tony – The HS10 is quite able to do those things – but you have to be able to tell it what to do. Apart from basic snaps, the HS10 isn’t at its best in Auto or Program, particularly not on moving targets.
Unless you’re good with Manual mode, Shutter Priority will be best. You’ll need to keep the Shutter speed up, and use Fast Continuous, as the HS10 doesn’t have a Panning shots mode. You’ll need to know how the Light / Exposure Triangle works. That is, the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed. There’s a good guide to it at:
- w-w.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
Under ‘Cameras’ on that page the second item, “Understanding Camera Exposure”, explains it, with diagrams.
The “10fps” – which is actually about 12fps after firmware 1.02 – is too fast for that sort of track-and-shoot, then follow-through – type of shooting. Try the 7 or 5fps speeds. You will need to keep the shutter speed well up – 1/125th and faster.
Use the EVF, not the LCD, of course, and not too much zoom, or targeting becomes more difficult. At first have the metering at Spot, and Focus at Centre. You need to be moving the camera at the same speed as the target just before you begin Continuous Shooting – focus until the confirming ‘beep’ – then still tracking the target, full-down to shoot, and continue tracking until after the camera stops shooting. It does take some experimenting – but see how you go.
There’s a piece on Continuous Shooting at:
- w-w.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-continuos-shooting-mode-on-a-digital-camera
Dave.
David
thanks for the reply, i will have a play this weekend and will provide an update as soon as i can.
thanks again
t
hi there fellas!! just got my hs10 today but its funny though.. First, I choose nikon p100 as my first cam, however, I end up buying the hs10..
First It’s really cool eventhough it’s really heavy but all in all I commend hs10 for being such A friendly camera.. But, I would like someone who will advise on how I will use my camera as It’s my first to buy a camera and am would like to practice to be good on it as well.. thanks for appreciating my comment…
Mhel, welcome to the HS10 forum. As far as using your camera, you might just start on fully automatic and see how that does for you. Read through the manual (online and/or CD) and determine what you want your camera to do; and then see how to do it. Watch this forum, and view past entries as they may hold information for you. And last, don’t be afraid to ask specific questions on the forum. Help is always there.
Norman
Thanks norman… actually, I would like to ask you abt. this camera. Though I’m reading its manual however, how would you set the camera if you want to take a pic. w/c a blurry background? Literally, its like a photo taken by a DSLR…
Mhel, like any camera you have the “triangle”; aperature, shutter speed and ISO (sensitivity). In order to create bokeh or blur the background, you must increase the opening (aperature) as well as the power of the lens. For instance, open the aperature and step back to the point where your zoom is increased. The longer the zoom the more specific the targeted subject the less the background will appear in focus. I hope that I am explaining it to you in a way that you can understand. On an SLR with live view through the lens you can see this before you take the photo. With an EVF it is somewhat more difficult. But simply, the larger the aperature (smaller f stop) and the more telephoto used, the greater the blurred back ground. You may have to use a tripod or some other support in low light situations. Hope that this helps.
Norman
HELP!
Im pulling my hair out at the mo, loving HS10 but not the RAF format? please can anyone help me inport and view raw files in lightroom 3?
I cannot seem to convert them even to DNG in lightroom, or adobe converter (6.3)
Kev
Keven – Can’t say for DNG Converter 6.3, but 6.2 will convert HS10 RAFs to DNG in Windows XP.
For some reasons, Fuji seems to have a “new” RAF format for each new camera they release. Also the EXR cameras seem to have different RAFs from the non-EXR ones. So the HS20-EXR will likely be different from the HS10.
I have seen elsewhere that the latest Photoshop CS5 and latest Lightroom do have plugin compatibility for HS10 RAFs.
I’m well aware the Adobe didn’t do a Windows DNG Converter for HS10 RAFs for rather a long tine – because as a stopgap when I first had my HS10, I was trying to use the then DNG Converter under Wine in Linux.
However, as things happen very quickly once there’s a need, in OpenSource, the folk who do DCRAW rapidly updated it for HS10 RAFs (and some other brands) – so, long before Adobe did a DNG Converter version for HS10 RAFs, in Linux, all programs which use DCRAW for RAW image files, have been working well with them.
That includes Gimp, UFRaw, UFRaw-Gimp (the Gimp plugin), Digikam, etc. I just use Digikam directly – it has many functions, all with main and fine-tune levels, and exports to 8/16-bit TIFF – okay for either Gimp, or Photoshop-7 which I run in Wine.
If you’re still having problems, or can’t get the latest CS5 Photoshop and Lightroom – and do have a spare or older PC, you might consider putting a Linux install on that, and using Digikam to do the initial HS10 RAF PP on that – save as 8/16-bit TIFF, then transfer to your Windows PC for fine-tuning as TIFF or PSD, convert to JPEG, Share, and so on.
Warning! – If you have used your Linux install on the Internet (you might, because it’s much faster browsing and downloading) – you might have Viruses, Trojans, etc, in your Linux User Logon…!
These don’t affect Linux at all – in fact, you wouldn’t know they’re there – UNTIL you transfer files to a Windows PC – where they’ll run havoc! So do install (with Synaptic, from the Distro’s Repository) – whichever AV that Distro offers, to check directories of files you intend to transfer to Windows. And when the directories arrive in Windows – check again with the Windows AV program.
Dave.
Thanks Dave for the comprehensive reply,
I have managed to solve prob via your advice with DNG converter 6.2.
I am annoyed that I have to download data from card, then convert and finally edit in light room, although only because, as a complete novice, I had been ignorant of the mechanics of photography for any more than a point and shoot ‘player’.
I have been enjoying experimenting so far tho, I just hope I get the odd photo that I can really be proud of.
Kev
I am trying to upgrade 1.02 firmware to 1.04. I have insertwd 2 set of new alkaine batteries and 1 set of fully charged rechargeable batteries and I get the same results of please install new batteries. How can I get around this problem.
Hi Stu. I have upgraded firmware 3 times on HS10 with new batteries installed and I have also got the same message, but I just continue anyway and have had no problems. If you are really worried that you might corrupt your camera, then a mains unit is the only answer.
Stu, this is a direct quote from Keven, another forum member who was having the same difficulty.
“AHA!
I found a post commenting on the need for a Sandisk memory card for firmware update. Lo and behold it worked. Chucked a 4gb Class 4 in and straight away 1.4 instaled.
All I have to do is figure out what has changed. Seems quicker already, along with tips to start up in manual and turn off auto settings like red eye, HS movie etc…”
Norman
Thanks Norman,
I tried to reply to this question twice this morn but could not for some reason.
Anyway, to add to quote there is a menu option to choose the battery type inserted, maybe this will help with the error message?
Kev
If the batteries were to run flat before the firmware upgrade process completed you would be left with a useless piece of plastic.
I suspect that It is simply a default message from Fuji to make sure that everyone double checks they have fully charged batteries before they start the firmware update process in order to safeguard your camera
hey guys, I have tried to adjust dymamic range following David D exelent guide here in Sept ’10.
However, whatever I try I have all DR options greyed out. Im wondering if I got a duff camera at the mo. I am struggling to do these little things that should be possible.
On the plus side I have uploaded my first photos and have entered a comp :)
(see here: http://go.camtips.com/kevensphoto)
Feel free to comment
Hi Keven
There are 3 options in DR – 100, 200 and 400. They should be available in the shooting menu in modes other than full-auto. If they are greyed out then I suggest you give Fuji technical a ring or e-mail. They are usually quite helpful.
Can you confirm your profile name on myfinepix. I would like to view your pictures but the only Kevens listed show no posts having been made. Thanks
The dynamic range 100 200 and 400 are linked to the iso speed, Change iso to 200 and you will see dynamic range option appear for 200, also the same with 400.
Keven – I bet you’re trying to set the DR with the camera running ISP 100….! Won’t do it – you have to raise the ISO setting to 200, to set 200%, and 400 to set 400%.
If you set 200% while in ISO 200, then go to user-mode, you’ll find that it’s “sticky” – select ISO 100 via top-left button – and you have ISO 100 without DR – then select ISO 200 – and it’s with 200% DR.
The EVF and LCD show what it’s doing. As there’s little difference in ‘noise’ between ISO 100 and 200 – you can use the ISO 100 > 200 external button fast change as a sort of quick On-Off for std shots with and without the DR.
If you set 400% while the camera is in ISO 400 – it “changes-down” when you button-select ISO 200, to 200%, and at ISO 100, Off.
Once again – Fuji’s “economising” by recycling pages from previous camera manuals, then not adding the HS10 detail information – is not at all helpful.
The Bridge Camera maker that goes back to putting a printed Manual in the packing-boxes of their over-$500.00 (in Australia) cameras – will win a lot of sales… It’d be a very big selling point – “Includes actual Manual you can take with you when using your complicated new Camera.”
Dave.
Peter, my profile name is kzge I believe. (artylarry on flickr- could do with some helpful friends)
I am thinking an email may be needed due to the fact that I have tried all settings I can think of to enable DR options including following your advice guys and reset.
Am I loosing out much without it?
David I have found this site much more informative than the manual anyway, it is not particularly clear I find.
Thanks for replies guys.
:D
Keven – While Fuji isn’t alone in dropping printed manuals from even its top-priced P&S cameras – Canon and Nikon, etc, have also done that – Fuji should be ashamed of itself regarding the pathetic HS10 PDF “manual”.
I have the old Fuji S2000HD, too – and when I was looking at a downloaded HS10 manual before buying the camera, I thought, on many pages, “Hello – this looks familiar…!”
When I found and opened the S2000HD manual – the “familiar” was soon explained… Many of the diagrams and graphics in the HS10 manual are the same as, or only slightly modified from, those in the S2000HD manual.
Others – and some of the text – seem not to relate to either S2000HD or HS10 – perhaps to another camera – or cameras, in Fuji’s last 5 years range.
As the HS10 “manual” is so woefully inadequate as instructions or explanations for what is a quite complex camera with many functions – I’m realising that it probably contributes a lot to the “confused owners” returning so many HS10s to the shops as being unusable or “bad” cameras…
Also the reputation the HS10 has around many Forums for having lousy images, JPEG or RAW, and statements such as “It was too late to return it after I realised it couldn’t take an un-blurred picture of Fido the Dog at 5 metres – but I’d never buy another Fuji camera…”
Actually – the HS10 takes darned good images – but only after you’ve experimented and visited forums – to find out how it functions – and are able to “TELL it what to do…!”
A lot of that dislike / negativity, I do feel – has to do with 3 things – it’s unlikely Fuji had anyone test it properly out in actual field use – or ever used the pathetic, off-centre, 3mm-from-battery-door, PLASTIC tripod mount on a real tripod – before releasing it to the public. That – they should have fixed at early field-test stage…
They certainly didn’t have anyone test the Exposure-Control-less and Manual-Focus-less “video” and its Jerk-O-Matic twist-zoon effect.
Then – the PDF “manual” is dreadful… But that there’s no printed version – to take out first those first weeks when learning to use this complex camera – that’s inexcusable and unacceptable.
For an AUD$545.00 (same as USDs at present) high-end P&S camera not to have a pocketable or at least bag-able printed manual seems to show that Fuji’s yet another Corporation to which their Profits matter more than their Products – or their Buyers.
I do wonder just how many tens of thousands of possible Buyers will avoid the HS20 – or return it in a few days – when as well as it being as complex as the HS10 – there’s also the EXR technology to learn to use properly.
I was really expecting some of Moose’s excellent guides and explanations on the new HS20 – but it’s now clear that Fuji couldn’t be bothered sending him one… Not at all a good omen for a new Product.
Dave.
Hi again Keven. Now it is me who is being a plank. I completely forgot about the ISO connection when I gave you my answer. It’s a good job we have guys like David to put us right. By the way, I still can’t get at your pictures.
Hey Peter,
No probs, still cant access DR! Will keep lugging away at it :$
I have been getting frustrated with flickr also, as couldnt find a way to search me.
Finally I have cracked it. If you are a flickr member (free account)
click on contacts tab, then people search, then search for artylarry.
hope this works.
Im looking forward to experimenting with some ‘welders glass filters’ (ebay no: 170607391510) (£2:10)
For long exposure shots in the daylight. recommended in magazine. Anyone tried this before?
No, not tried this, but sounds interesting. Would like to see your results Keven.
Has anyone managed to take any photos with the HS10 with a bokeh backround?? I have tried playing around with the F/s but with no success. I understand that it is a bridge camera and this can prove to be difficult. Has anyone any advice/ tips as it is extremely frustrating
Tom
This is with macro, handheld (see here: http://go.camtips.co/kevensphoto). Look for owl portrait (on your right- blue links) there are some good tips I will be trying with my friends 2ft tall snowy owl soon. Also want to experiment ‘in the field’ at the weekend as new to hs10 and photography in general.
Hi Tom. Good bokeh can be hard to achieve with the HS10, but here are my tips. Use aperture priority with a wide aperture while using regular macro mode and telephoto zoom as you get less depth of field – remember to keep your subject in the range of 2m to 5m. Also try to move your subject further away from the background (impossible if you are shooting wildlife).
brilliant thanks guys
Hey again, finally finished reading/ copy-paste this forum. lol, some great tips. I have learnt tons n last week since owning hs10.
Only annoyance for me (think im being a plank) is that I still cannot access the 2x digital zoom as discussed on here. Finally managed to update firmware, 1.4, but still no joy?
Hi Keven. The HS10 is not equipped with digital zoom as such. You may be thinking of the ‘instant zoom’ feature on page 42 of the manual where the centre part of the image is enlarged for clarity.
Hi Peter, thanks for your reply.
I was referring to David Doaks reply to a question on November 24th.
”You get to the 2x digital zoom with the up “^” Arrow on the 4-way pad.
A box then shows in the EVF or LCD, showing the area that will be in the photo, with the area around the box dimmed.
It works in all modes including Auto. But it doesn’t work with RAW, just JPEG”
Is this the instant Zoom you are referring to? If so I feel better that im not being a plank. lol. Although a little disappointed, as i have seen comments regarding 60X zoom.
”I tend to use a tripod and Manual mode with Manual Focus when trying for images at 40-60x!” this also from DD’s reply.
Hi again Keven. No you are not being a plank. Yes this is the instant zoom feature. The area inside the rectangle is digitally enlarged which is not quite the same as zooming in digitally. If you look at your viewfinder before pressing the ^ key at an object and then compare the object size after pressing the ^ key you will see no difference. It is only after you press the shutter that the image is digitally enlarged. Therefore you cannot see the result until you review the picture. With true digital zoom the camera behaves just like the optical zoom but digitally – in other words, you see the effects through the viewfinder as you zoom. Hope this makes sense to you.
One word of warning though, as it says in the manual, the quality of pictures taken using instant zoom will not be as good.
Thanks Peter, think I will stay clear of that one then!
Hello moose,
Thanks again for this website. i have learned alot but at times \i am still very frustrated with this camera. I have been use to basic camera with no ajusting anything.
I have been trying different settings and getting lots of info from your site….is there away to reply and interact on the beginner link on your website or just here on the forum??? I would like to ask some questions more direction/tips from the thread —
Scott October 20, 2010 at 7:51 pm
I followed all the steps but couldnt agjust the f/s. This thread was directions to get a shot of a night sky??
Thanks
Holly
Im pretty new to all this too, but i am starting to pick things up, i think this is the only way to interact on here
Don’t know if you’ve tried this but, but you have to be in the right setting to change the aperture, if you turn the selector to the C, M, A or P position you will be able to change it using the dial to the immediate right of the setting selector
James
Moose, what is the approved method of linking to photographs please?
HI, great site. new to photography and hs10 is my first proper camera that I am looking forward to playing with.
I need to learn how (and what) Apperature, shutter and iso etc work in relation to each other so any tips are greatfully recieved.
Anyway, problem at the monent is that I cannot find a download for 1.4 firmware, always says 1.2 and doesnt work.
Any ideas. I have tried the link on fuji site?
thanks, please keep up the good work.
Keven
Hi Keven.
Have you got the right link?
Heres the one I used: (link:fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/s/finepix_hs10/fupd.html)
(just connect the ‘co’ to the ‘m’ and paste it all into your browser.
You have to accept their Licence Agreement., so click on
“Firmware Upgrade User License Agreement” and when you Accept, it takes you to the download page.
As for using the camera, I tell everyone now, theres tons of info on this page about how to use a digital camera, have a look at the advice given.
Hi Paul, thanks for quick reply.
I have downloaded that link 4 times, as well as the transfer program. I have tried using SD card and Via USB and cannot get firmware to update.The Transfer prog is V 1.2, firmware .DAT file doesn’t state what version.
When I use transfer program I get I/O error, and via SD it does not recognise firmware at all. I am using a brand new Transend 8GB class 10 card.
As for help with pics, I have taked the advice and started a word doc for top tips and am experimenting with camera as I go.
Have uploaded a couple onto flikr in hope I get some ‘constructive critisism’ lol.
Keven
AHA!
I found a post commenting on the need for a Sandisk memory card for firmware update. Lo and behold it worked. Chucked a 4gb Class 4 in and straight away 1.4 instaled.
All I have to do is figure out what has changed. Seems quicker already, along with tips to start up in manual and turn off auto settings like red eye, HS movie etc…
I have recently purchased the Hs10 and i absolutely love it, I’m pretty new to photography but have always been really interested. I’m going traveling in 2 weeks and would like to know how to get the best out of the camera. Despite having the booklet with the camera its pretty useless at explaining, and the CD with it doesn’t work.
Plan on putting links to photo’s if i manage to get some good ones.
Would like to know, Is it possible to change the Aperture and Shutter speed in manual mode? also if anyone could brief me on how to get shots where the image looks still but background is blurred that would be brilliant.
if any one has got any links to the main manual online that would superb.
Thank-You
James
Hi James. The link you require is included in the blue item list to the right of your post.
Thanks Paul
Moose must be a very busy guy these days!
Paul – Looks like Fuji “forgot” to send Moose a pre-release HS20 as they’d promised. If they had, I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t have mentioned it.
Just as they “don’t bother” sending “CameraLabs” Forum and Site Fuji Cameras to Review. Odd, because the CameraLabs many-pages comprehensive Reviews are the best on the Internet.
However, at least some other Sites have had “Preview” looks at the HS20 – which folk can easily Google for… And if the HS20 release isn’t “delayed” until April or May due to “some issues”, as Sites are saying – there should be full Reviews soon.
From photos available of the HS20, the “visible” improvement seems to be that it now has external access to RAW. The lens and twist-zoom is the same, so not much good for Video – whether that now has Brightness and Focus controls or not, and the Tripod screw-mount is still plastic, and within 3mm of the battery door, so on. For a 30x Zoom camera that’s going to spend a lot of time on a tripod – that’s not too welcome.
The 16Mpix on the tiny 1/2.0″ sensor seems to worry a lot – even with the adding of EXR functions to it, so it can combine receptors and function as an 8Mpix camera to work faster…
The “projected” price at my local dealer here in Sydney, where I bought my HS10, is “Not much more than the HS10 was”. Which is AUD$545.00 (same at present as the USD.)
At the same place the “run-out” HS10s are now AUD$480.00. In the US it’s now priced at US$329.00…
I’m starting to get the impression that those of us who bought the HS10 – and those folk still buying it – might be glad they do have the HS10, before it vanishes from the stores.
Dave.
Howdy David and Paul,
Yes, I’ve been swamped with photography work (my day job)…definitely a good thing!
In regards to the HS20 and my relationship with Fuji or any other brand for that matter.
I do have friends at many of the major brands (Fuji, Canon, Nikon, etc…), but believe it or not…I don’t get and “free” samples like the big boys. Every camera, lens, accessory that’s talked about on my site has been purchased by me.
I can’t comment on the availability or image quality of the HS20, because frankly I haven’t heard or seen anything from my Fuji friends. Will keep you guys updated if I get any updates.
Hope all is well with my HS10 buddies!
- Moose
Hi David and Moose.
Well, I – like a lot of people – am just waiting for the HS20 to come out and get reviewed. It was the zoom attracted me to the HS10, bought it almost on spec, only saw a couple of reviews. I fancy buying a new camera this year, but doubt if it will be the HS20, just more of the same disappoinments I think, like the so slow ‘continuous’ mode and slooow RAW mode.
Thinking maybe the Canon SX30 (have i got the model right there?) but having had a play with my son’s Canon DLSR, am seriously consdering one of those, even a second-hand body would do, with a good, new zoomable lens.
I recently bought a Hoya CPL filter. Wanted to know when and how you use the rotating part of the filter .. what is the effect of rotating it.
Ravi, what can a polarizing filter do for you? Among other things it can darken the sky, remove reflections from water, and make foliage appear less shiny. Color saturation is also significantly enhanced. It is the only filter for use with color imaging that can do all of this. It works also with B&W. As you rotate it, you can see (especially with an SLR) the actual effect of the filter. It is a good filter to have especially if you are photographing against a reflective background.
Norman
Thanks Norman .. So .. in case of an HS10, the circular part really doesnt have any effect, unless you have an SLR .. right ?
No Ravi, the circular polarizer will definitely have an effect; it’s just that the effects are more easily seen through an SLR (seeing through the lens) than they would be through an EVF (electronic view finder) such as is found on the HS10 as well as on other superzoom point and shoots.
Norman
Norman : Regrets for the delayed response as I was travelling. In case of a HS10, is there an optimal position where I can keep the CPL filter since you say there will not be any effect seen through the EVF by rotating it.
Ravi – P&S cameras and DSLRs meter light, so “see” light, in different ways, due to having very different focal paths, and so display source for the viewfinder.
You won’t see the Polariser (Circular or Linear) visual effect in P&S Auto, Program, Aperture or Shutter modes – unless the camera can lock exposure while still being able to change focus.
This is awkward, so use Manual mode instead. Some P&S cameras have incredibly awkward Manual modes – and a few are as easy as the HS10.
Just while getting used to what a Polariser actually does – and they’ll get somewhat different effects/results with different cameras – put the Polariser on the HS10 lens, and the camera on a tripod (being careful with the HS10′s plastic mount screw-thread.)
Select Manual mode – and aim the camera across the angle of sun. That is – from behind the camera, have the sun to left or right of you. Set the camera so you have some sky in the top of the frame.
Now rotate the front part of the Polariser – if you go anti-clockwise from behind the camera, you’ll reduce the risk of inadvertently unscrewing the filter from the lens, and dropping it on the ground…
You’ll now see the “polarising” effect as you rotate the filter. At the Wide end of the zoom, and aimed somewhere near the horizon, you’ll have a very wide expanse of sky in the upper area of the frame, and the polarising effect can be at sufficiently differing angles across that distance, to have rather more blue intensifying effect from one side to the other side.
You can reduce the polarising effect by turning the filter very slightly, until the ‘sides of sky’ are more even, use more zoom, so the “width” of sky is less – fix it in Photoshop/Gimp later – or just leave the ‘different blues’ as an effect.
Polarisers can be used on cloudy days, too – they’ll still intensify colours and shades, and stop relections and glare. Also break the surface glare when imaging fish under pond water, etc.
They’ll also stand-in as a makeshift 1-2 stop low-end GND filter, when used with a small aperture. Use a tripod – and try that with a fast-running outdoor tap or sprinkler. Can be enough fun to convince you to get a proper GND filter or two…
You ‘can’ use a Linear Polariser with P&S – I have a 1973 Hoya that came with an old Spotmatic and Takumar lenses I was given. It does work with Canon SX10 and Fuji HS10, but the modern Hoya Circular Polariser has better coatings and lets more light through. (The old Hoya CP-1 as Googled is 93.5% efficient, the modern multi-coated Hoya PL-CIR is claimed to be 98% efficient.)
Dave.
Hi Moose- I just bought a refurbished HS10 on Ebay, thinking it was new. My fault, but it seems ok. Only one cd came with it, the owner manual etc. When I open it up I get a bunch of icons, but nothing telling me which one does what. So, I went online and just downloaded the manual. But the manual gets me confused. Like on page 23 and 24, both the right sides are the same. Can’t be right. Do you know if there is a tutorial on the HS10 available? I tried YouTube, but nothing works. I’ve been in photography for many years, but this online manual just confuses the heck out of me. I want to do multiple shots in one photo, make people disappear from scenes, do slow motion etc. Your web pages are super. I would love to take a course in how to use my HS10 to its best advantage. So far I love the shots I’ve taken since I received the camera a week ago. Thanks for any help in advance. Jay
Hi Jay. Well, I think you’re in the right place for learning how to use the camera. You said it yourself! Just look down the page, theres lots of stuff by David and others. That’s what I’ve been doing, copying and pasting hints into a document to keep handy. Tips built up from every-day usage are much better than anything ‘official’, I think.
Hi everyone, I am new to this site and new to photography and after having bought my hs10 I was wandering what I should do, or buy with regards to protecting my camera from the elements are there any particular dos and donts.
Regards ,
Brian Steer
Brian, welcome to the HS10 forum. Treat your HS10 like any other piece of sensitive electronic equipment. Avoid extreme cold, heat, moisture and shock. A good camera case would prove a wise investment. There are suggestions within the site (read the headings). Also, a decent screw in UV will help protect the lens glass. Again Brian, welcome and good luck with your HS10.
Norman
Hello Norman, Thanks for your advice on the filter and the camera case its something I will get before I go too far, its a good camera and I certainly want to look after it .
Thanks again,
Regards ,Brian Steer
Hi there! I want some advise since am planning to buy my own camera next next week… I’m not yet decided whether to get the Nikon P100 or Fujifilm HS10.. Can you give me some advise on what’s the best cam I should get?? Tnx..
Hi mhel. Sometime this month Fuji are releasing the HS20 exr. It may be worth checking it out before settling on the HS10. The HS20 has some features you may want eg. TTL metering for external flash and a remote shutter function. The Nikon P100 has lots of reviews on the web, but the HS10 seems to have better reviews.
Hi mhel, welcome to the site. We have had many folks who have had that quandry. I feel that the HS10 has more to offer than the P100, but that would depend upon your particular wants and needs. I have the HS10 and am very pleased with it. I started with a Panasonic Z18, but needed more telephoto. Another camera to consider is the Canon SX30is with 35X zoom factor. I have that camera as well and I like the power zoom (some people do not like this feature) and the ease of using a lithium ion rechargeable battery. It could be my personal usage, but the HS10 is for me, quite power hungry. I am certain that our other contributors can help advise. Also, there are a lot of comparisons on the Internet between the P100 and HS10. Good luck in whatever you decide to purchase.
Norman
@peter and norman: thanks for the advised man.. am not yet really decided but I think I’ll get the P100 since I was convinced of the zoom tests, I watched videos in you tube w/ some zoom tests on it and I found it interesting.. So, I hope that I’m not wrong w/ my decision as I really earned so hard to get my first camera.. lol!!!!
Hi mhel. Hope you will be happy with the P100. Try to remember that it is not the camera that takes the picture, it is you. Happy snapping !
Hi
I have just bought a fuji HS10, it always makes noises while starting up,focusing, i tried to call for the support,they say it is usual,
I should say that when the camera was on tripod,i tried to decrease the tripod height, suddenly it moved in a 90 degree,and the UV lens bopped to the tripod leg! how can i know if the noises are because of the accident or not?!
thanks
Hi Mohammad.
I wonder if you could describe in a bit more detail what sort of noises your camera makes. I just tried mine, and there is a small whirring noise when I switch it on, from the motors starting up I guess, but nothing really noticeable. As for focussing, do you mean when you turn the lens to zoom out and in? Because that action should be virtually silent.
I suppose the knock could have put something out of balance, what sort of pictures do you get? Are they in focus?
You might be better getting advice from the people you bought it from. If they think its a fault with the camera, they should let you exchange it.
Dear Paul
the sound is like the same sound camera makes for focusing on objects while zooming in/out. but you noticed about focusing problem that may be made becouse of knocke, I think the camera does weak in indoor, what do u think? can i have your e-mail address to exchange pics taken? here is mine:mohammad192@gmail.com,
thanks for the reply
Hello,
To help clear things up a little the noise that the camera is making, is it adjusting the focus to find faces in your picture, to reduce the noise it makes, adjust the setting on the top dial, to the picture of the “red camera”. I use this setting most of the time and only use the other one when taking pictures of people.
Hope this helps :)
Hi Mohammad. Check the AF-s button and see if you have continuous focus selected. The camera will make noises every time you move it without pressing the shutter button halfway. However, the noises from my HS10 are so quiet you have to really listen for them. If your camera is set to continuous focus and the noises are loud then maybe the knock did do some harm.
I am going to a Barbara Dickson concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London this weekend where I will need to take photos without flash. We will be sitting roughly 20 rows back from the stage where it is very dark and the stage lighting is usually very bright.
Can anyone offer any tips for this type of photography using my HS10?
Hi Stephen. The HS10 doesn’t have a dedicated ‘theatre’ scene mode as some other cameras do, but it does have a ‘party’ and a ‘night’ mode. I have used both at concerts with some success. You will also need to choose the highest anti-shake in the setup menu. if you want to set the camera manually don’t choose too wide an aperture as you will lose depth of field. You also will need to set quite a high iso which will mean extra noise in your pictures, but in concert type photos, I find this extra graininess sometimes effective. I also tend to take lots of shots in the blind faith that some of them will turn out alright. Hope this has been of some help, but I’m sure that more experienced people on this forum will be able to help you more.
Thanks Peter, that’s very helpful.
Hi again Steve. Checked out your photo. Pretty good from that distance. How many shots did you take? If you got one good shot like that, I don’t understand why you didn’t get more. Still, one good shot is better than nothing. A friend recently showed me his shots of a gig at the Hammersmith Apollo. He was very proud of them, but to say they looked like pictures of a black cat in a coal cellar at night would be kind. Anyway, well done for getting that shot under difficult circumstances.
P.S. How does your picture pan out if you crop just dear Barbara?
Peter, thanks for your comments. I had 2 problems, firstly a rather large usher was sitting 10 feet away (photography was not allowed!!!) and secondly, the lady in the row in front of us sat at 45 degrees, slanting to the right for most of the performance, blocking my view!
I have a few more which I need to convert from RAW, then I’ll upload – probably tomorrow.
Looking forward to seeing them. Pity about the usher and the 45 degree lady. I am rather short and when I go to the theatre, I always seem to get the tallest man in Britain or the fattest lady come and sit in front of me!
Oh, the links to my photos have gone – that’s odd???
Here is a simpler link to the photos I got, click on view all and they appear in a column. (link: 4shared.com/photo/rH2UCWF_/S0041528.html)
You are a dark horse. You didn’t need advice at all did you? Very well done. The clarity in the last picture is superb especially considering the circumstances. Still think you should try cropping the dark backgrounds out, but hey,what do I know? Good work matey !!
Many thanks for your kind comments Peter. We are off to Argentina in April so should find some interesting photographic oportunities!
Hi Moose,
I am having HS10 from last 10 months and I am fully satisfied with the camera and I like wildlife photography. Need your advice for Raynox 2025 Pro filter attachement.
Is it really working ???
Thanks
Mrugesh
i own a fuji hs10.the issue i am facing is,i change the mode to Custom(C) and set the settings like, image type=fine, tone=hard, sharpness=hard. it saves the settings only till camera is turned on. when i turned off the camera and turn it on back, the settings are gone and set to basics. :(
What firmware version are you running?
Manan, I wonder, after reading your post, if you are doing it the right way round!
What you do is set all your settings as you want them, just as you described – but then you have to go into the menu system, and the very last item on the Shooting Menu is CUSTOM SET. (You can get to it quickly by pressing the ‘up’ part of the direction button). You select this and when it says “SET OK?”, select OK and then when you turn the selection dial to “C”, the camera will put all your settings to the ones you want. You can change anything you want on the other dial settings, but “C” should always return you to your saved settings.
Sorry if you already understood how to do it – in that case, yes, maybe theres a fault.
Thanks Paul, it worked :)
thanks Paul very clear description. I also hadn’t tried the C setting yet but now I think I will set a custom setting for garden bird shots. Just in time to coincide with my newfound knowledge about DOF and the Aperture triangle . Thanks
Glad it worked OK Manan!
Yes, I discovered birding last summer, really enjoyed a few hours wandering around the RSPB centre near Middlesbrough. The first time I’d been in a proper hide, and got some pics of a greenshank (lol, I didn’t know they existed until I looked it up later!).
I find the C setting handy in case I get in a muddle with settings and can’t find any to suit, just clikc round to C and it has all my best default settings.
I also read somewhere that you could, if you like RAW pics, set it to RAW instead of ploughing through all those menu pages to reach it.
I also have SP1 permanenty set on Sports in case I need a fast shot.
Hey Paul, nice to know that you clicked few birds. I actually bought HS10 for birding photos only :) specially for its 30x zoom function. and it rocks for me :)
you can see some of the pics I have shot using HS10 : (www.indianaturewatch.net/view_cat.php?tag=Manan%20Shah)
Hello Moose:
I am the proud owner of an HS10 (Feb 4). I found your site when I ‘Googled’ HS10 Tutorial – I’d simply like to thank you for offering such great information on the HS10!!!
I live in Montana, so LOVE ‘Moose Montana’!!!
Tut, all this time and nobody said hello to XTX.
So HI! XTX, welcome to the site!
yes very remiss of us .
Big welcome XTX …. Look forward to seeing you post about how you get on with your HS10
I have a Fuji HS10 for 1 a week, every thing ok, but when i save as RAW, the picture have much more noise than JPEG although i set iso 100. how can i reduce noise at RAW file? i have use Light Room, but the picture become soften not sharpen.
Tran Son Hai – You might be assuming that the camera ‘processes’ RAW files in the camera, as it does with JPEGs. It doesn’t – the RAW file is a Data file, not an Image file, and is a recording of exactly what the camera “saw” at the time, and that Data isn’t altered/processed by the camera.
All digital cameras, including the lowest cost Point-and-Shoots, initially record a RAW Data file. But in most P&S cameras, they can only convert that to a JPEG image file, and after saving that, the RAW file is deleted.
In that conversion, distortion is corrected, colour is profiled to the maker’s preset for the camera, and Noise Reduction is applied. Most DSLRs, and some P&S with advanced functions (Panasonic FZ100, is an example) – have settings for low or high, or a range, of Noise Reduction, or it can be turned off.
What you get in RAW files – is like all of those JPEG processes “Off”. You correct White Balance, Colour, Distortion, Noise, Range, Sharpness, etc, in PP – Post-Processing.
The early release HS10 had problems with JPEG in-camera processing, distortion at the Widest end, so on. With Firmware 1.01 and 1.02, Fuji did a pretty good job of fixing that. In JPEGs at 24-28mm now, there is a tiny amount of distortion – only ‘visible’ in images with hard straight edges and diagonal lines – and you have to know what to look for. Most folk wouldn’t notice it.
If the camera is used properly, the HS10 JPEGs are better than the few other brands attempting to get distortion-free JPEGs at a very Wide – for a P&S long-zoom camera – 24-28mm. What it doesn’t have, is a High Image Quality, larger file-size, low compression, low JPEG artifacting, third “Superfine” JPEG save option, like the Canon SX10 – and that the SX20 and SX30 can add with the CHDK ‘hack’.
If the HS10 did have JPEG ‘Superfine’, ’3-Star’, etc, large-file, low artifacting Save mode – when the camera was used properly, the JPEG quality would be so good that most folk would reserve RAW for difficult shots, very low light, and effects.
In my Canon SX10, the difference in quality between “Fine” files of 2-5MB, and the “Superfine” ones of 4 to 8-9MB, is so very noticeable, that keener users are most annoyed that Canon removed it from the SX20 and SX30 – possibly because those cameras are 12Mpix and 14Mpix, on the same sized sensor as the 10Mpix SX10, so Superfine “shows-up” as noisier images from the more crowded, smaller, closer together, receptors. It doesn’t, except at 100% or close to it.
As the CHDK ‘hack’ for those Canons proves – adding the ‘Superfine’ type option is only a firmware choice by camera makers. It’s a pity there’s no “CHDK” for the HS10 – it would make it a far better general-uses camera, and as “best JPEGs” are used by the Review Sites, if an option in the camera – they’d be showing visibly better sample images, and cameras with “better JPEGs” are rather more popular with users…
However, the Canon SXs don’t come with RAW – the HS10 has surprisingly good, for a tiny-sensor P&S – RAW.
To see just what Fuji had to do to the JPEG processing with the 1.01/1.02 firmware updates – put the HS10 on a tripod, no zoom, at 24mm – and take 2 separate images, without moving the camera, JPEG and RAW.
The JPEG will be around 99% distortion free – the RAW will have quite noticeable distortion (when you correct that in PP, you’ll find that it’s actually a lot less “in the percents” than your human eye is trying to tell you) – but – you’ll have a quite noticeably “wider” image than the JPEG.
That’s what the camera is actually “seeing” – and as it records RAW without any processing – that’s what you get in the RAWs. When Fuji fixed the JPEG in camera processing, that has included a distortion correcting effect that also crops the edges.
In RAW PP correct the distortion first, then on the corrected image, do the White Balance, etc. When you do the Noise reduction, most programs will have a ‘coarse’ mode, perhaps %s – and a ‘fine’ mode, with a slider or amounts bar.
It’s a lot better to apply low levels of ‘fine’ adjustment several times, than a large or coarse amount once. As you’ve noticed – the difference between de-noising cleanly – and softening, even blurring, the image, isn’t much at all….
Good processing programs will allow an “Edit > Undo”, or “Go-Back”, at any stage. If you use small amounts of Fine de-noising, you can therefore choose the point at which the image is “de-noise cleanest”, without affecting the fine details, or softening.
The last thing to do in PP, is Sharpen. The program will (or should) have a USM (UnSharp Mask) option. Choose low Amount, Radius and Threshold levels, and use several, where needed, applications, and by doing that, you can Edit > Undo / Step-Back, when that’s gone a little too far.
Dave.
Thanks Dave, very usefull for me :)
I’m having a tough time firing off quick snaps when I need them the most – the initial time to get from composition to ‘snap’ seems inordinately long… is this a common issue?
To make matters worse, when all around you are zipping away with their crappy little point & shoot pink/limee green/baby blue handbag cameras, I pull out a by all accounts impressive looking HS10, and yet, 3 to 4 seconds later it’s still a fumble to the fnish line.
Any suggestions (it’s a new cam – so I want to love it to it’s max capacity!)
Thanks.
Steve
I know exactly what you mean Steve but there is plenty of redundant features you can switch off in the settings menu. It would pay you to spend some time trawling through past posts in the archive and copy/pasting the relevant bits into a MS Word doc as I have done.
The first big time saving would be to turn off the image review function. You probably don’t need to review each and every image after its taken.
I’m sure someone knowledgable will be along shortly to give you lots of advice. In the meantime enjoy your new HS10.
Steve P – Nick’s certainly right about the 1.5/3.0-sec Review function, turn that off. Then if you haven’t already, the infuriating EVF/LCD “auto-change” device – also, your batteries will also last noticeably longer with this power-hog off.
Go through the Menus (both) and turn off everything that the camera has to do as an “automatic” function – Dynamic Range, Face Detection, High-Speed Shooting (it isn’t, and is another battery-hog), etc.
Auto and Program Modes – which don’t give best results, anyway – have the camera working to set Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO, and that delays responses, as the camera has a very slow processor.
If you need to use Program, don’t let it use an “ISO Range” – 100-400, etc – the camera has to select-and-set for every shot. Set an ISO level directly, yourself – 100, 200, etc.
Reading between the lines of your post, it sounds like you’re doing sports events, or other moving targets. For that, use Shutter Priority mode – in that, the camera only has to set the Aperture, and run the Autofocus. Set the ISO (top button on the left – can change it very quickly) – to suit the light available.
Hand-held, for moving objects, get the Shutter speed to 1/125th or faster is better. I try to keep 1/250th or more. Raise the ISO to get and keep the Shutter speed up. ISO 200 is almost as noise-free as 100, and at 400 noise is very low. At 800, there’s a little, but very good for a P&S. Reduce the display size to 1200 x 900 or smaller, and it isn’t noticeable.
ISO 1600 is surprisingly good for a P&S – with display size reduced to a shareable 800 x 600, you’ll still have a clear image. Or just gently ‘de-noise’ in post processing. If shooting the lossy format JPEGs, convert them to non-lossy PSD, XCF, or TIFF before working on them. The RAWs clean-up very well from ISO 1600, and are quite usable from ISO 3200. You can’t say that about many P&S cameras…
The HS10 is fastest, startup or shot-to-shot, in Manual, as it isn’t using that slow processor to ‘auto-set’ anything. As in any other Mode – the AF (AutoFocus) can tend to “hunt” before locking-in at anything past two-thirds zoom (about 20x), in any but good light.
Learn to use MF (Manual Focus), which works in all Modes. When using MF, zoom to the range you want, aim at the target, and press the AE/AF-Lock button. The camera rapidly does an approximate focus and ‘beeps’. If you’re holding the camera correctly, your left thumb and forefinger will be near the Focus Ring on the barrel. Just “rock” it a few mm each way, to get best focus centred, and shoot.
The Fast Continuous works very well with Shutter Priority or Manual. 7 or 5 fps is shutter controllable – that is – you can chose to shoot 3-4-5 images only, if that covers the duration of the action. Time between bursts in Continuous is reduced if you don’t need to shoot the possible 7 frames in JPEG.
Time delay for Saves between Continuous bursts is least in Manual, as the camera isn’t in an auto or semi-auto function.
Note that if you want to shoot repeated bursts for fast-repeating action – don’t use the “>” button to view the last images. Due to the firmware design, doing that throws Continuous, and your setting in it, say, 5fps – out. After the ‘View’, you then have to press the Continuous modes button again, select the mode, then press Right-Arrow to choose the fps again.
Let’s see if Fuji has listened and made that a Sticky function in the HS20 – it’s the No.2 in a list of 7 or so HS10 items that really need fixing.
Dave.
I attempted some stealth photos at a flamenco concert held at Sadler’s Wells in London yesterday. I found it very difficult to reset the multi picture option in pitch black conditions, and also to focus from 20 or so rows back from the stage, where the dancers were moving furiously!
I suppose the trick is to keep the camera on, without it switching to standby – presumably that can be preset, and to book seats nearer the stage!
Yes, I need to turn auto power off in settings.
Very new user of the HS10 here.
I mainly take photos of my crafts to post online but now that I have this camera I also want to take good continuous shots of my very active kids and trips out, parties etc.
So first of all I want to know. What is the best way to take photo of objects close up? eg still life of greeting cards, paintings, scrapbook pages. (I don’t have a scanner – don’t suggest it.)
Second:
How do I take continuous shots of my moving children. They really don’t stay still for long… 4yrs and 6.5yrs old
Third:
How do I take great shots of landscapes.
Forth:
How do I take great shots of parties in action. I don’t often take posy photos.
thanks for all your advice.
I also have no idea how to comment on your owl portrait thread as it won’t let me but that is the thread that got me here in google search.
Debbie B – For close up images, use the Standard Macro mode – that lets you focus down to 10cm/4″. When doing cards, paintings, etc, make sure that the lens line is 90-degrees to the target, or the image will be skewed. There’s a Text and Drawings function under Scenes Modes, specifically for that purpose.
2. Small kids and pets are awkward to photograph – neither seem to understand how to co-operate with a camera! Use the EVF, not the LCD – it’s easier to follow a moving target and keep the camera steady.
The HS10 isn’t too happy in Auto or Program modes on many things – including moving targets. You’ll need a fairly fast Shutter Speed – 1/125th second – or faster is better. For that, use Shutter Priority mode – where you choose a shutter speed and the camera matches it with the right Aperture.
You might need to raise the ISO level in shade or indoors to get the shutter speed up – ISO 200 and 400 are low-noise in the HS10, and ISO 800 is fairly low noise, still a clear image if you reduce the display size a bit.
3. While there’s a Landscape mode in “Scenes”, you might want more adjustments than that offers. Unless you want to use Manual mode, Aperture Priority is best for Landscapes. Select the aperture (f-number) – that the camera then gives you a fast enough shutter speed to focus steadily hand-held, 1/80th second or faster, unless using a tripod.
4. Have a look at the Scenes modes on Manual Page 26. There is an actual Party mode for indoors in lower light. Also a Natural-with-Flash mode. That is meant to help with lower lighting and backlit subjects. It takes 2 images, one with Flash, one without, to select from.
Once you see what the camera is selecting for those (make a note) – you’ll be able to set up and adjust better for your needs, yourself.
The HS10 is a very good camera – however, you can’t treat it like a low to midrange Point-&-Shoot – snaps in Auto / Program, say – and hope to get sharp, good colour images. It does take some learning and getting used to.
There are a lot of Digital Camera free Guides and Tutorials you can Google for – but the “CambridgeInColour” site’s tutorials are a good place to start.
Knowing how the “Light Triangle” works – how ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed relate, can be very useful.
Have a look-see and post back!
Dave.
Cropping and pixelation.
Can anyone please explain to me why it is that when I do a 50% crop of an image the image quality seems to drop dramatically?
I suppose that at 50% the cropped image has to expand to fill the same sized area and the pixels have to double in size ?
Doesn’t make any sense to me ….
Can I not crop an image by say 50% and yet retain the same image quality but at 50% size of the original ?
Oh my head hurts…..can someone please explain in simple terms how I can crop an image yet retain the same apparent visual quality and definition of the original
Makes perfect sense sadly. By cropping an image you are effectively selecting a group of the original pixels, therefore they will only be the same size they were in the original picture. Yes you can up-scale an image, but it will never have the clarity of the full size original.
thanks Tom . I accept that it does but I need to understand Why!
It is never enough for me to just accept anything in life, I have to understand the how and why
What is up-scaling ?
I can’t see why I cannot crop an image by 100% say and then view the result at 50% so that the part of the image I have cropped stays the same effective size and the image quality stays the same.?
Nick – By upscaling Tom means enlargement by digital interpolation. A Graphics program can do this in Bicubic mode by “adding” pixels of the same shades to pixels already existing in the image. That can possibly suit an image that’s intended to be large and viewed at a distance, an advertising poster, say – but for a close-viewing image it’s more destructive than enhancing.
(Commercial printshops can pretty accurately “enlarge” photos, using computer-driven multiscan lineal enhancers – but this is quite expensive per image – and the equipment for doing so rather outside most home-user budgets.)
I do like your “How-Why – Need-To-Know!” urges…. I get very frustrated with things I don’t understand – until I can find somebody who can “explain understandably”….
Cameras are about Painting With Light – and Images are about Picture-Elements – Pix-Elements – nowadays said as “Pixels”.
A JPEG from your HS10 is 3,648 pixels wide, and 2,736 pixels high. Or a total of 9,980,928 pixels. Give-or-take a few – Fuji does good tech – but nothing made by humans can be “perfect”. So we can just take it that for working-purposes, the “10Mpix” – or 10-million pixels – image is “about that”.
If you do a “50% crop” – that is, to half the width and half the height – it therefore isn’t “half the size” – it’s a quarter the size. That is – 1,824 x 1,368. So you now have an image with 2,495,232 pixels. That’s a quarter of the number that were in the original 3,648 x 2,736 JPEG image.
If you display the second, cropped image, at the same “physical” size on the desktop, as the original – it will look much less sharp and less clear, with also colour muting and loss of visible detail. Because at that viewed “size area” – it has only a quarter of the information – quarter as many pixels, per square inch viewed.
To equal the “viewed quality” you must reduce the display size to a quarter of the original. That is – if you were looking at the 3648 x 2736 image at about 1200 x 900 onscreen – reduce the display size of the crop to 600 x 450. And that image will then look very close to the same as the “quarter” of the image it was cropped from.
Only “close” – because if you cropped a Copy of the actual original JPEG – you lowered the “IQ” – Image Quality – of the JPEG, anyway.
Because JPEG is a very “lossy” format – any modifications made to a JPEG will reduce its quality. That’s because JPEG (from the 1970s/80s Joint Photographic Experts Group) – is a low-tech format. The algorithms (programming) for JPEG aren’t at all sophisticated.
However – being so simple – also makes it relatively easy to make low-cost P&S digital cameras which can use it. Either TIFF or Bitmap/BMP would be better – as no-loss and lower-loss formats – but either would need a lot more “camera processor” to do – and they’re also much larger file-sizes. So for camera-created images we have JPEGs.
Many folk do want better – so we have RAW – earlier in DSLRs – now in the higher-end better P&S cameras. RAW is a Data file, not an Image file – and they’re a whole other story…
- If you prefer shooting JPEGs, but want to post-process, do Levels, Brighten/Contrast/Gamma, Sharpen, so on – to “avoid the lossy” in the JPEG format – convert the JPEG(s) to a “non-lossy” format – Photoshop PSD, Gimp XCF, TIFF, are all good choices. If you do some processing in Photoshop, some in Gimp – start with TIFF – it works in either.
Sharpen – USM used in small increments is kinder to images – last. If you crop the image – do it before sharpening – then sharpen the crop as “the last thing” done to it, before converting to JPEG for sharing, uploading, etc.
Dave
thank you Tom and Dave for helping me with this.
Its frustrating when you have a feeling that there must be a solution but its just beyond your comprehension of a subject.
I use Corel paint and have done for years. I actually use Corel Draw much more but use Paint for all resizing of images.
I had a feeling that logically there must be some way of compensating for pixel loss in cropping by reducing the image size proportionally and your excellent explanation has once again given me an explanation and insight thank you.
I’m going to try experimenting with an image tonight and see how I get on .
I do struggle with resizing and editing images for the internet and my post production work is practically non existent.
I am very fortunate to have a UK renowned adult education centre 5 miles down the road and I have booked myself several day long Photographic workshop courses with eminent photographers for a mere £45.00 a day !
I am so looking forward to spending some time with other photographers I can’t tell you. My problem is I have a wide array of hobbies ,sports and interests that compete for my time together with being a full time carer . The day just isn’t long enough !….
Thanks again David spending so much of your time helping us Noobs . Without people like you sharing your experience and expertise this would be such a steep learning curve for some of us.
Nick
I have an inexpensive piece of software called Photozoom by BenVista. If enlarging and cropping is a frequent tool for you, this software fits the bill.
Thank you David for the explanation. Found it just my level as this was one of many questions I am confused about as a complete novice. (3 days with HS10, first proper camera)
Keven
Hi everyone
can anyone inform me if the firmware updates for the HS10 have solved the problem when deleting unwanted pictures on the memory card, ie when you scroll through memory card and delete a picture does the camera take you back to the begining of the pictures instead of where you were before deleting the picture?
Also – can anyone inform me as to what size photographs i could realistically expect to print from this camera without loss of quality, it would be nice to hear that 12″ x 10″ (300mm x 250mm) would be acheivable especially if photographs were taken during daylight hours.
Cheers
Ian
Ian, your querry regarding the size of prints is rather subjective and would be affected by many parameters such as ISO, aperature, shutter speed, lens extension and of course the skill of the photographer. Using a tripod would be suggested and then there are your personal expectations. It is not a didital SLR with a full frame and/or APSC sized sensor. All in all, I believe that taken under the proper conditions you could get acceptable prints of that size. I have one 14X16 glossy of our cat that is very good, but my friend massaged it a bit using Photoshop.
Norman
Norman
Ian – It isn’t too difficult to calculate. You can then either change the pixels size of the image, or the dpi (dots per inch) resolution in the printer, to achieve the desired printout size.
The HS10′s full 10Mpix size is 3648 x 2736 pixels/dots in printer terms. If you use a printer setting of 300dpi – divide the width and height of the image by 300 – and the printout will be very close to 12.2″ x 9.1″.
If you had a large enough printer width – printing at 150dpi would give you a printout at 24.3″ x 18.2″ – but at a quarter the quality – that is, by doubling the effective width and height of the printout, that’s 4 times the area – so spreading the same number of pixels (9,980,928) – over 4 times the space. Suitable for a poster, perhaps.
If your printer has a higher-quality setting of 360dpi – the printout would be 10.1″ x 7.6″ – suiting a glossy printout to frame.
You can of course (using a Copy of your prepared 3648 x 2736 image) – scale that down to do a smaller printout – but – keeping the 300dpi printout quality.
If altering a JPEG, to avoid quality loss, as it’s a “lossy” format, it’s best to convert to a non-lossy format first – Photoshop PSD, Gimp XCF, or TIFF.
With Photoshop – go to Image > Image Size – and select the scaling ratio – use Bicubic Interpolation, as that’s most accurate. In Gimp – go to Image > Scale Image – and select the scaling ratio – use Lanczos3, as that’s most accurate.
If you chose 1200 x 900 as the re-size – at the printer setting of 300dpi – that will printout at 4″ x 3″.
Sometimes – maybe to match a layout in a photo album, or just for appearance or presentation – you might want images at the 3:2 ratio DSLRs do. The HS10′s standard 3648 x 2736 images are at the usual P&S camera 4:3 AR (Aspect Ratio.)
While you can of course Crop a 4:3 image to 3:2 – having the layout and composition “in original 3:2″ – just like a DSLR image, is of course better. Ratio-cropped images tend to look like, er, just that…!
Fuji very handily gives the 3:2 AR option in the HS10. You can select that in Page 1 Menu > Image Size. The changed AR shows clearly in EVF and LCD, so you can plan layout, then do a balanced composition. The “L” 3:2 AR image is about 9Mpix.
Dave.
Hi Norman, thanks for your comments,
as you will have guessed i am only a amatuer, my main reason for asking the question is that i am looking to purchase a new camera and dont really want to haul a large bag containing a DSLR camera and several lenses to family functions and holidays but do want a camera that can offer what the HS10 offers, ie fantastic zoom range and other functions that are quite above that of a general point and shoot camera, that said the sensor size is that as is used in the small point and shoot camera and i was cocerned about the I/Q of a printed photograph at say 12″ x 10″ approx, i am not looking for professional quality at that size but on the same hand i dont want poor quality prints that are noticeable to the untrained eye.Hope this makes sense?,
Any thoughts on the new HS20 sounds exciting to me, looks like its still got the plastic thread for the tripod mount.
Regards
Ian
Hi David, Wow your knowledge is fantastic and thanks for sharing it, i was not aware of the relationship between Pixels and Dpi,
Could i ask you what Dpi you would use to obtain a high quality print say as a proffesional and what Dpi you think would give an acceptable quality print to the untrained eye,
once again great help, thanks
Regards
Ian
Ian – I haven’t done home photo printing for several years. The last Epson A3 sheet size printer I had used 360dpi for photo glossy sheet and 300dpi for satin sheet. Costs just became too high for quality printing at A3 or A4 sizes. At the same time electronic display and transfer had improved greatly.
However home printing technology has changed a lot in the last 5-6 years, so I couldn’t now advise on printers, inks, papers and methods. Colour Laser printers now look as if they’re affordable, but I have no experience at all with those.
As for the HS20 – Fuji was going to send Moose a pre-release one so we’d get “all the correct info” before release time. This seems not to have happened.
But some Review sites are at least getting Previews… The HS20 seems to be the HS10 with some of the “advanced” EXR functions added.
As you’ve already seen, the badly flawed, plastic, much too close to the battery door tripod mount remains in the HS20. From a rather small picture, it looks as if again there’s no “Video” position on the Mode Dial – it won’t need one, if like the HS10 the Video has no Exposure or Focus controls – and nothing seems to have been done about the Jerk-O-Matic Video Zoom control…
Unless you like doing short clips, camera (a bit plastic-flimsily) on a tripod, and stop the Video between clips, change distance and prefocus – then start the Video – these cameras have minimal attraction for Video. The Canon SX30, Panasonic FZ100, etc, at similar prices, manage Video much better, if perhaps not as good at stills.
In fact, the Fuji S1800 I bought for my teenage godson’s Christmas, does its 1280 x 720 and 640 x 480 Video modes better than the HS10…
So far, the HS20 seems not to have cured many if any of the HS10′s problems, while downgrading the Highspeed Video, and reducing the Fast Continuous speeds…
And I’m not the only person (by a long way, actually..) – waiting for Fuji to explain how the HS20 will manage 18Mpix on that tiny sensor. No – it isn’t, as folk on one forum rejoiced, “a big 1/2″ (half inch) sensor… It’s a 1/2.0″ sensor – 6.4 x 4.8 – 30.7 mm2, which is 7% larger than the HS10′s 10Mpix 1/2.3″ 6.16 x 4.62 – 28.5 mm2.
The area gain is 2.2 mm2. Or about 7% in area. The Diagonal increases by 0.3mm – 7.7 to 8.0mm. At 18Mpix and only slightly larger sensor, there’s a 45%+ increase in receptor density. The HS20 seems to need a huge increase in processor power, speed and throughput, if to avoid being even slower than the HS10.
Oddly – Fuji isn’t yet giving out any of the tech details of how all of this is going to be achieved, and give users a much faster camera than the HS10.
They should expect buyers to examine the HS20 very closely – there are already several Bridge Zooms around with “only” 14Mpix crammed onto a tiny sensor, that are having user problems.
The “merely only” – by comparison with those others – 10Mpix on the BSI-CMOS sensor has been one of the best features – low-light, high-ISO, very fast Continuous, etc – of the HS10.
Dave.
This may have been covered, but how do I find out which version of the HS10 firmware I have please?. The camera was bought in mid December 2010 so I imagine it must be a recent version.
Ok, I’ve found the answer!!
I used the camera a lot taking outdoor stuff and experienced a problem. In bright sunlight, expecially overhead, both the large LCD screen and eye-level viewfinder blacked out. The prox. face-detector sensor was turned off. Other cameras I have used have an eyecup shade – but the HS-10 doesn’t. Appreciate any comments. Will it be necessary to boost the screen illumination level to compensate for bright ambient light?
I too have also noticed this on my camera too. Maybe its an auto shut down function to protect the sensors?
Just purchased my HS10 and played with it the first time this weekend. I like how the menus are laid out, pretty easy to get around in.
I did some panoramas with it and was very pleased.
Found this forum and have now spent the better part of two hours going through some of the suggestions made here. Thanks to all of you.
One grip I have with the camera is that it is very easy to hit the menu button with the heel of my thumb and goof things up a bit.
I read here for the first time about the weakness of the tripod mounting position and will keep that in mind.
One thing I did that really puzzled me that maybe someone here can enlighten me about.
Some how when I was setting thing up I hit a combo of button that would put two green, horizontal lines across the screen. Could not figure out what it was and finally hit the “reset” command and got rid of it.
Am really looking forward to this summer and using this camera on the boat. We have so many photos of people the instant after they fall out of their skis or fly off the tube. With the “Best of X” option we should be able to time it a lot better.
I have a Olympus FL-36 flash I would like to use with this camera. What is the trigger voltage rating of this camera?
Regards to all,
Keith B
Keth B – The 2 green lines are the No Framing indicators. Cycle the Display Back button to clear that.
Re the plastic tripod mount thread – try to use a tripod that has a large (standard full-size) quick-release shoe, to distribute camera weight more evenly. Tighten the shoe screw just to “firm”, don’t over-tighten.
Wearing or beginning to strip the plastic thread, might be what then makes it crack through that 3mm of case to the battery door opening. I’m treating mine gently and it seems to be okay after more than 6-months.
Re the action shots – why use the Fuji-Gimmick “Best-Of” mode, when the HS10 actually has very good DSLR-style Fast Continuous shooting – after Firmware Update 1.02 Review site tested at 12-7-5-3fps JPEG and 5-3fps RAW?
It’s one of the best things the HS10 does – fast full resolution Shooting. For sports and highspeed toddlers and pets – 7 or 5fps works well. For very fast movement, the 12fps. Use Shutter Priority or Manual, and get the shutter-speed well up, for best results.
12fps or 7fps at full resolution JPEG is faster than most entry to mid level DSLRs, and also faster at full resolution than the new HS20. Fuji might not have intended that speed with the HS10, but it’s what happened after the first 2 firmware updates…
Dave.
when taking indoor photo’s on ‘auto’ daytime or evening people’s face’s glare really brightly.
I am trying to get a softer mellow skin tone but will admit to having difficulty trying to figure out settings using the online manual.
Many thanks.
Robert – There’s a copy of the HS10 Manual on the CD that came with the camera. Or you can download it from Fuji or by Googling for it. Either way, you don’t have to go online to see it.
Many makers, including Fuji, are no longer supplying printed manuals with their cameras. For a Sales boost, they might include a redeemable voucher to have their PDF Manuals printed-out.
The HS10 isn’t always too happy in auto functions, including Auto Mode. Program Mode isn’t very adjustable, either. Try Aperture Priority Mode, and use the lowest ISO you can for the situation.
On Page 2 of the Shooting Menu, you can adjust Colour, Tone and Sharpness from Low, Mid, to High.
Under the Scenes Modes, you have Natural Light, Portrait – soft tones overall with natural skin tones, and Party, to suit indoor events. There’s also a Natural-Two-Shot mode, one shot uses Flash, and the other doesn’t.
Dave.
Hi Moose
The company i work for has asked me to take some interior photos of a project they have completed. The photos are going to be of office decoration, light displays, main desk, etc…basically interior design…
Please can you advise me what the best settings would be for the HS10.
Your assistance will be much appreciated
SP1 mode – settings has a “party” setting that helps take photos indoors. Apparently. Try that one
Hi Moose,
I’ve purchased my HS10 last Oct and very excited to take some pictures for my sons. I would like take some potraits and have the blurry background but I can’t get it even I tried the ‘A’ mode dial. It always have clear object with clear background.
Can you give me some tips on this?
Tsen – With P&S cameras we don’t have the very shallow Depth of Field control DSLRs with selected lenses can achieve, so the nice ‘creamy bokeh’ they do isn’t usually possible.
But we can get the “sharp target – blurred background” effect quite easily.
One way with a P&S camera is to use the standard optical zoom, and have the background much further past the target than the distance from camera to target.
With the HS10, as in the Telephoto range it doesn’t focus well under 5 metres / 16ft, the distance behind the target has to be quite long, but works where available.
However, often the longer distance past the target to the background just isn’t there. In that situation, you can use the Standard Macro mode.
The HS10 is unusual, in that the Std Macro focusing range is 10cm / 4″ to 3 metres / 10ft at the Wide end, and 2 metres / 7ft to 5 metres / 16ft at the Tele end.
You can use either – and just make sure that the background is past the focusing range of the Wide/Tele ranges being used, and the background will blur-out well. Just experiment to see for yourself how the camera does it, and the effects you want.
A more even background – a hedge, bushes, solid fence, high brick wall, etc – makes a more even blur than large solid objects.
Dave.
Thanks Dave. Will try this out in weekend in HCMC.
Cheers.
i have been shooting raw lately, but windows picture viewer can’t open the RAF File. What software should i use in viewing my pictures.
You need to use the Fuji software that came with the camera to post process the RAW image file, you can then save it as a JPEG to view it normally. A RAW image file is simply that, its just raw data, meaningless to any program that cannot read the file format, hence why you have to post process RAW files.
Hi dax,
if you use elements up to and including ver8 then download Adobe’s 6.2 raw converter, if you use the new Elements ver 9 you can download ver 6.3 raw converter, or you can download Adobe’s free DNG converter. They will all work with HS10 *.raf files, or if you prefer you can download Scarab Darkroom (scarablabs.com/scarab-darkroom) at or my favorite, Sagelight ver4 (sagelighteditor.com) both work with HS10 raw files. I find Sagelight to be very powerful and easy to use, not to mention cheap for such power!
tnx tom, though stil have to learn the silkyfix.
Hi Moose & Freinds
I am thinking of buying the HS10 camera any time now but have read some negative reports on the internet re the manual zoom, the reports say the zoom is jerky during use and is detrimental to the quality of video recording:I find it hard to beleive that Fuji boffins would develope a camera with this problem?: Have you experienced this problem and if so is it just when its new, ie does it need running in so to speak:I really want to buy this camera but need some reassurance: Hope you and your freinds can help me out:
Cheers
Ian
The manual zoom gets smoother the more you use it for pics but is not so good from video.
Ian – If you sort through this Forum’s posts, you’ll find quite a lot about the HS10′s Video.
The Twist-Zoom does free-up in a few months, for stills use – and for that, it’s fast and very good.
However, for Video – it’s far too difficult, and awkward even on a tripod, to change range while zooming in Video without severe jerk-jumping in the Video. For Zooming-In-Out on things while Video-ing – it’s not possible to do smoothly.
With this camera, Video is best done in short clips, without trying to change range, or zoom in-out, while the Video is running.
For Video, try to zoom to distance, then (in stills mode) – pre-focus. That seems to help the “several seconds” start-up time of the Video after pressing the Red Video button on the back of the camera – the HS10′s only “control” for Video.
That is – there is no Exposure (Brightness) control, or Manual Focus – for Video, before starting, or during, Video-ing. There is no “Video” mode on the Mode Dial to select, for making adjustments – as there are no adjustments to make.
The Brightness and Focus control is supposed to be all “automatic”. If you do risk twist-zooming in or out – it takes the “auto-focus” time to catch-up. As you can’t control the Exposure when Video-ing – or “Lock Exposure” before Video-ing – if you “pan” the camera while Video-ing – the “auto-brightness” gets confused at different angles to the light direction, and between light and shade.
It’s best to use a tripod (‘tether’ the camera with neck-strap, etc, in case the plastic tripod-mount cracks through, and drops the camera) – and do short clips in the same direction per clip, and don’t pan between different light level areas.
The Standard HD – 1280 x 720 – Video is actually pretty good, if you get the knack of handling the camera for it. The Full HD – 1920 x 1080 – is lesser quality with a quite low Mbps rate for Full HD.
If there was electronic “digital zoom” in the HS10, that might give least some “smoother” control to zoom in Video – but there’s no digital-zoom in the Video.
You might wait to see if the HS20 has better Zoom control, better Full HD, and Brightness and Focus controls.
Dave.
Thanks David for your speedy reply and tips on using the cameras video function, i will bare this in mind if i purchase the HS10, i think i will look out for the reviews on the HS20 as you mentioned.The HS10 is priced at £240 approx whilst the HS20 seems to have a price tag of £400 approx at its launch date in March/April, not sure i can wait that long without cracking:
The HS10 appears to be a lot of camera for it`s money and providing it shoots good enough quality still shots upto say 10″ x 8″ then i should look at the video function as an added bonus?:
You might suggest that i look at DSLRs but like alot of other photographers i dont want to lug all the gear around with me. The camera will be used for holiday/family photo`s ect but that added extra zoom will make possible those pictures you wish you could take but cant because the subject is out of reach:
I will be reading through the comments as you reccomend and i am sure i will be asking more questions:
Regards
Ian
Thanks Ann for your speedy reply and reassurance regards the manual zoom:
Regards
Ian
Ian – We don’t yet have a release price for the HS10 in Australia, but if it’s £400.00 in the UK, that’s AUD$640.00 – and since our prices are usually 10%+ above the EU, that could be a rather scary $700.00 or so, here… Our dollar is at US$1.02 at present, so that would compare badly with a US release price around USD$399.00.
In fact, even a release price here of $545.00, as I paid several months after release for my HS10, would compare badly…
We pay so much more in Australia than the US prices – a third or more extra, is usual – that we do tend to compare features and abilities very carefully. Nor can we, as in the US, “try out” cameras for a month or more – then return them for a full refund. We get 14-days to return cameras for refund – and only if the camera is proven to be faulty – after that, any problem is a Warranty claim.
And yes – I’m trying to get used to, on Camera Forums, the quite usual response to questions about any P&S – but particularly Bridge Zooms – “Get a DSLR – only a DSLR can do – Z, Y, Z, etc…!”
Particularly from our American friends – doing their DSLR and lenses pricings on the extremely low US prices…! I’ve been watching the Pentax K-R prices as I intend eventually to get one (mainly because Pentax can use the very many low-priced Filn-era lenses about, and I’m on low fixed income / disability pension)
It’s interesting to see, that with “cash-back” the Americans can buy a Pentax K-R, with the 18-55mm / 50-200mm lens kit – for US$4.00 ($549.00) more than I paid for my HS10…!
That might tend to explain why so many Americans tend to answer Bridge-Zoom questions with the “Get a DSLR!” reply.
For other regions, that can be a pricing problem (I’m still busily saving!) – or just the convenience of not needing to cart around a bag of lenses to “get some reach”. Going “over 300mm” (450mm equiv.on a crop-body) – gets amazingly expensive very quickly in DSLR…
Also, not everyone in a family or bunch of friends can necessarily use a DSLR, while they mostly can with a P&S.
While I’d “like” a DSLR – they do have disadvantages, too. So if any Maker decided to create a Bridge-Zoom with 25x+ Zoom, internal 1.4x/2.0x Teleconverter, good JPEG IQ, RAW, Fast-Continuous at Full Resolution, Smooth Zoom and Brightness/Focus Controls for 1280 x 720 Video, digital-zoom in the Video, at least, and a nice solid, reliable, metal tripod-mount – I’d seriously consider re-directing my ‘DSLR’ savings to it…
The Canon SX30 certainly does all the Video functions – it would be nice if they included the excellent Superfine JPEG stills ability of the SX10 in it, but this has apparently been removed, in favour of the excellent Video… It doesn’t do RAW, either – and a “fast” Continuous at 1.4fps isn’t adequate, these days…
Dave.
Did somebody used the 58mm Mount 0.45X Wide Angle with Macro (Thin Design). Is releable with the HS10?
Anyone got some inside news on the next firmware update?
Tom – Are you meaning the one that:
- makes Continuous a “sticky” – until Continuous is turned off, or the camera is turned off,
- that enables Exposure Control and Manual Focus in Video,
- that adds digital zoom to Video,
- that changes AEB from +/- 1EV only, to the full +/- 2EV, to make it suitable for HDR (maybe enable 5 image AEB save)
- adds a “Superfine” type third JPEG level save – low compression, low JPEG artifacting, at about 8-9MB filesize (like my also 10Mpix Canon SX10 does) – not every wants to PP RAW files to get high quality images
- if they “must” have a different RAF RAW version in every Fuji camera that does RAW – which makes getting adequate software to process them, difficult, particularly in Windows – why not option Adobe’s DNG, which most programs handle?
- not quite a firmware update – but the HS10/20 doesn’t just sell in the US/EU, where Macs are fairly common, they sell in Russia, China, India, Southeast-Asia, India, Middle-East, Africa, South America, etc, where Macs are rare – but Linux is increasingly widespread. So why provide Mac software when there are many times more Linux users – but no Linux software….?
(When you include Russia, now using Linux across its Education System, China, with over 300-million Linux users, and Brazil, where Windows is now a small minority, usage is mainly Linux – Linux usage is now either at, or past, the 1-Billion or so Windows usage… So saying “Nobody uses Linux…!” is Hooey!
Actually – everyone who uses Google – is using Linux – Google runs on Linux – they have the largest Linux server-farm on the planet. And Yahoo uses Unix…)
Apart from the last, all of those and more are firmware mods.
Oh, deahhh…! I didn’t know whether to believe it or not when I saw it on another forum – and checked it in the full specs list… While the LCD resolution is greatly improved in the HS20 – the EVF is the same as the HS10 – when other makers are improving their EVFs considerably.
I realise that the modern trend is to have LCD only on P&S cameras, but having no EVF (Olympus actually has a 30x zoom no-viewfinder camera, which sells poorly) – or not improving a modest EVF, is not at all helpful. A better LCD, to enable users to hold their half-kilo-plus 30x-zoom HSxx cameras out, wobbling at arm’s length in front of them….?
Or is that to encourage folk to put their HS20s on tripods when using over 15x zoom? On the same flimsy plastic tripod mount – 3mm from the battery door – as the HS10….?
I do wonder if Fuji will start listening – for the HS30…?
Yes, I’m “whinging and moaning” – but where I am, we pay around $550.00 for the HS Series Fuji cameras.
So they might at least fix the main faults of the HS10-etc – the EVF, the cancelling Continuous, the Video controls, make the digital-zoom fullscreen LCD/EVF, and the really potentially expensive repair – the dreadful plastic tripod-mount…
Dave.
Yeah I really hope they do at least one more update and fix the bug with continuous shooting but I’m not holding my breath now that their focus is probably on supporting the HS20.
lol that’d be the update, yes! Just need to get hold of someone from Fuji
Kevin / Tom – I doubt that any company is ever going to make the “perfect” P&S camera – unless Hasselblad gets into the P&S market… But who’s going to pay $5,000.00+ for a bridge-zoom, anyway…?
Part of the makers’ problems with features on P&S cameras, seems to be “regional pricing”. That is, a camera has to sell at a relatively low price in the US, more in the EU, and more again in areas like Australia, where we pay a third more, at times half more, than the US price for cameras.
Actual example – prices in USDs – when the Canon SX10 cost $320.00 in the US, it was around $400.00 in the EU, and $480.00 in Australia… USD$480.00 was then AUD$586.00 – and the receipt at $586.00 is still in my SX10 box… 50% more in USDs than the US price.
I paid AUD$545.00 for my HS10, when that was USD$525.00, and the online, with cash-back, US price was under USD$350.00.
The makers also have to do pricing or versions of camera models for Asia, Africa, etc.
Our AUD is now just above the USD, at USD$1.02 – so the pricing on the HS20 release next month, will be “interesting”.
Sadly, Fuji seems not to have sent Moose his pre-release HS10 sample yet, while some Review places have at least seen the camera, if they don’t have examples to Preview.
I don’t really want to believe what they’re claiming… That the main HS10 faults are unchanged in the HS20 – the non-sticky Continuous I haven’t seen mentioned – but it retains the “everyone turns it Off anyway” infuriating Auto EVF/LCD switch. And the HS10 EVF with it – only the LCD is improved.
The 2x integrated digital zoom still isn’t full-EVF/LCD. And doesn’t work with Video. The twist-zoom is the same – no good for Video handheld. And as yet there are no Exposure/MF controls for Video.
And the dangerous flimsy plastic tripod mount thread is still right beside the battery door – and as far from the lens centre-line as it can physically be.
Perhaps a “third-party” accessory maker could invent a device that “holds” the HS10/20 cameras very safely-securely – and has its tripod-mount in-line with the lens…? If any such maker is intending to make such, for about USD$50.00 or so – could they please announce it here? Because you’ve just made your first sale – to me!
The best function in slow-motion Video – the HS10′s VGA / 640 x 480 at 120fps – 1/4-speed playback – has been reduced to 80fps.
That “could be” – I don’t know this – a restriction caused by having 16Mpix on a 1/2.0″ sensor – no, sadly, it isn’t, as a couple of places have been claiming – a “half-inch” sensor… They get that error from some writers describing the HS20 sensor as > 1/2″ < – not as 1/2.0" – which is actually 6.4mm x 4.8mm – a tiny fraction larger than the 1/2.3" in the HS10.
However, the HS20 sensor receptor density is 45% higher than the HS10's. That might improve the RAW files – how well Fuji is handling the in camera processing for JPEGs, isn't yet clear.
However, it does apparently affect the Fast Continuous, as the camera "combines" the 16Mpix receptors into pairs, to give the faster Continuous images as a reduced 8Mpix, some are claiming.
If the Fast Continuous in the HS20 is so compromised, one can only hope that standard shot-to-shot times are greatly improved.
I can't yet find a detailed Specifications sheet for the HS20, yet – just the "first impressions" from those who have seen the camera, but don't have one to Review….
I'm sure that the HS20 Full Spec-sheet – and the first Full Reviews – will be most interesting…
Dave.
Sig. Moose,
i found this blog by a piece of luck and since then i have read ALL HS10 tips and more. My compliments for the clarity of the explanations, and most of all for the uncommon attitude of patience.
I own a Pentax Optio 3.3mb one of the first digicompacts on the market early 2000: wonderful cam with a comprehensive manual. Now i have also an HS10: rewarding cam with a real poorly written manual (translation into italian, my tongue, doesn’t help either).
I wonder if quite a number of questions you are asked about aren’t due to the fact that people doesn’t find a prompt and clear answer in the book
I come to the point. I am interested in taking pictures of moving subjects and think that “Best Frame Capture” is what i need. Manual page 45 i read:
“Each time you press the shutter button all the way down, the camera records pictures, “bracketing” the moment when the shutter was pressed”.
There is a second paragraph and a final note: “Recording does not begin until the shutter button is pressed halfway, if the shutter button is pressed the rest of the way down before the number of frames.……..”
I have read the cryptic argument to repeat it from memory ,…….. sig. Moose, could you explain in simpler words how it works in practice? tI need to take a speedy subject (let say a horse), passing horizontally in front of me, at ten meters distance, at about 50 km/h. Btw, when i read “record pictures” i presume are pictures put into buffer isn’t?
Thank you for your expert advice. My regards to the blog’s surfers & arrivederci.
Genri (pensioner).
I use best frame capture mode often. Very useful for sports and wildlife photos.
Let’s say you have it set to 10fps and to save 4 frames “before” and 2 frames “after”. You compose your shot and press the shutter button half way to lock focus. The camera starts buffering images at 10fps. When you press the shutter down all the way it writes 7 images to the memory card: 4 frames from before you pressed all the way, 1 frame from that instant, and 2 frames from after.
If you press the shutter down all the way before it has buffered 4 frames (in this example) it will end up saving fewer images. If you release the shutter without pressing it down all the way it won’t save any images.
I’ve also learned that if you hold the shutter down halfway for too long (I haven’t timed it but it think it’s about 20 sec) the camera will record the 7 frames and you’ll have to wait for the images to save to the card before shooting another burst. You can avoid this by releasing the shutter button before this time limit.
I hope this explanation makes sense to you.
That was an exhaustive and clear explanation! Thanks so much Kevin C.
Genri
Just got my HS-10 and loving it, but I can’t find the AE BRK setting when I go into the continuous shooting menu. It’s probably hiding somewhere right under my nose, but I can’t find it.
Joseph – AEB is on the Continuous Menu – push the button, and it’s last on the right – AE BKT. To select with the camera up to your face, you can use the Left-Right Arrows on the 4-way pad – easier than turning the Command Dial.
The adjustments are in Shooting Menu, Page 3. There are +/- adjustments of 1/3EV, 2/3EV, and 1EV. That’s adequate for bracketing normal shots, but not useful for HDR imaging.
Like my old Fuji S2000HD, which, like the HS10 does have +/- 2EV for Exposure Compensation, it doesn’t use the full +/- 2EV range in AEB, as some other brands do (e.g, my Canon SX10, but it only does 3 images.)
Nor does it have an onscreen display to show the AEB setting – you have to look in the Menu. I tend to put it on +/- 1/3EV to bracket stills in uncertain lighting, and leave it there.
The Exposure Compensation by itself does display on EVF and LCD (when off the “0″ setting) – and works across the full +/- 2EV.
For HDR images – put the camera securely on a steady tripod, set up to minimise all shake and vibration. I use Aperture Priority, and AF, as changing the Aperture – or letting the camera do that – can change Depth of Field.
Select the desired zoom, and compose the image in the frame. You can focus, then lock it, or use the AF per shot – the latter seems to be better. Either way, the camera must be kept as unmoving as possible.
You can do 3, 5, or more images for your HDR. I start at the “left” of the displayed Exposure Bar – and work across. At each, first set the 2-second Timer, then move the indicator on the bar, to suit. Gently press the Shutter button to focus and confirm, then gently, full down – then hands-off, and let the Timer fire the shot.
If doing 5 images, you could spread them 1EV apart from -2EV to +2EV. But if doing that, be aware that at the “0″ setting on the bar, the bar vanishes from the screen, and you need to push the Exposure button to get it back. If you do 2/3EV increments, you can go either side of “0″ – 1/3EV and +1/3EV, and avoid that.
If the HS10 had a “firmware hack” like Canon’s CHDK – we could likely obtain the full +/- 2EV in AEB, with 1/3, 2/3 and 1EV increments, and at least a choice of 3 or 5 images.
As a Fuji firmware update, better AEB functions / control, would be preferable to some of the many gimmicks the HS10 has. Fuji might note that HDR is now very popular, and “people do actually do HDR” – as with a very minor firmware correction, the HS10/20 would be very good for HDR.
Dave.
I’m looking at the Hoya Infrared filter. I saw one by Opteka, the
Opteka HD² 58mm R72 720nm Infrared X-Ray IR Filter. Is this one as good as the regular Hoya filter, or would it be better to go straight to one that’s made by Hoya? Thanks
Kathy, I’m not certain that one can use an infrared filter on a digital camera without converting the camera. As you are aware, using B&W film, there was a focus shift that had to be addressed with 35mm film cameras. After lining up the focus using split screen or whatever, one then must turn the lens to line up a red dot or line. This took care of the focus shift in that distance is not the same when viewed as infrared. You may want to look that up, or address it via Fuji.
Norman
Thanks, Norman. I have the HS10 so I wanted to use it on that and it will work with an Infrared Filter, just was wondering which one. The one above I can get for around $25.00. The regular Hoya Infrared Filters are around $60.00. Too, is the HD one (for $25) any better?
Kathy, I have never experienced any vast difference between higher priced infrared filters and other quality brands. This excludes some of the cheaper low quality stuff. I purchased a used infrared filter (and other filters as well) from ebay and at camera meets. If the glass is clean and unscratched and the threads and rim are clean you should experience no problem. I am happy to hear that one can use an infrared filter on the HS10. I was gaining my information from ads offering infrared conversion as well as an article in Shutterbug magazine some time past.
Norman
I have had an HS 10 for 2 months now and some of the button signs are starting to wear off, the zoom button sign has almost completely worn off and the review button is half gone. Is this a problem anyone else is having?
Great camera I am worried that they will all go even if Fuji replaces them. My small olympus I have had for 2 years has no problem like this. Seems a bit cheap for a not cheap camera.
Any thoughts?
Tim – I’ve had my HS10 for over 6 months, and I’m not seeing anything like that with mine. All of my buttons look as-new.
Check where your HS10 was made – mine was made in Indonesia, and I was a little nervous about that at first – but, no problems at all. The build quality is very good, no gaps, squeaks, rattles, so on, and the exterior finish – and buttons – are keeping a nice “nearly new” appearance.
Perhaps HS10s made in other regions could have assembly or finish sealing/coating – as on buttons – problems.
The only “wear or build” quality worry I have with my HS10 is the strangely cheapskate plastic tripod-mount thread. Which is about 3mm from the edge of the battery-door.
In fact, they couldn’t have located the tripod mount any further from the centreline of the lens – without putting it “in” the battery compartment….
On some other Forums I’m now seeing reports of the HS10 tripod thread cracking – and it apparently cracks through to the battery compartment.
I phoned Fuji Australia – who were very nice about it, the person I spoke to checked, then said tripod mounts aren’t a Warranty claim, if damaged, and that these days, people don’t use old-fashioned tripods much, anyway. However, if it did crack while in Warranty, take it back to the shop, and they’d “have a look at it”, and maybe fix it under Warranty or at reduced cost.
Part of the “problem” seems to be that the tripod mounting thread is in a plastic case molding, and the entire camera has to be disassembled and part of the case replaced to fix it….
All of which seems to be pretty woeful thinking and design in a well over $500.00 camera ($545.00 in Sydney.) A metal thread with grommet that screws into the camera-frame – and can be unscrewed and replaced for a few dollars by the user, like a lot of other cameras, would be better.
Let’s see if they fixed it in the HS20 – another camera likely to spend quite a lot of time on a tripod.
Dave.
- Further to the HS10 plastic tripod mount setup – it clearly isn’t supported inside the camera, as it is only part of the plastic case, and is much too close to the battery door.
Both of those facts make it “inadequate for intended use”, as a long-zoom camera will be frequently used on a tripod. So, after some phoning around, it seems that any cracking will make it subject to examination by the Consumer Tribunal, here in Australia.
They can enforce “repair to a level adequate for intended use”, or require a full refund of purchase price.
When Moose has his pre-production HS20 for us to discuss, he will be able to inform us as to whether the HS20 has a proper internally supported metal tripod mount.
If it doesn’t, Fuji should state clearly that if/when it cracks, they “will” replace it under Warranty, as many times as needed.
With that in mind, buyers in places like Australia, which only get 12-months Warranty with cameras, might look at paying the extra for 1-3 years extended Warranty, as the tripod-mount replacement is apparently rather expensive outside Warranty.
It would be difficult for Fuji to claim that metal tripod mounts “can’t” be used in over-$450.00 cameras – I have an older Canon SX10 with a very substantial metal mount, and that’s been continued in the SX20 and SX30 – as well as in other Brands.
HS10 users who put their cameras on tripods might consider using the neck-strap or another “tether” to anchor the camera to the tripod, in case the plastic mount fails, and dumps the camera onto a hard surface. With Fuji’s attitude to the mount, it’s unlikely they’d rebuild the camera if that happened, so it would be an expensive incident.
This tripod mount problem isn’t “trivial” – and could be a “decider” for many folk who intend to use their long-zoom camera on a tripod.
The entire problem could be avoided, if Fuji realised that people ARE going to use their long-zoom cameras on “old fashioned tripods that people don’t use much” – and built-in a “suitable for intended use” metal mount – which might cost $10.00 or so.
If the HS20 has the same plastic tripod mount as the HS10, even if Fuji has fixed some of the HS10′s other problems, I wouldn’t consider selling my HS10 and upgrading – and it’d be hard to recommend it to friends and others… There are a lot of tripod users around – and the HS10/20 needs tripod for Video, anyway.
Dave.
The “playback” and “menu/ok” buttons on my HS10 started wearing off at the 2 month mark also. My camera was also made in Indonesia.
I love the HS10 for its natural colors, especially in daylight. I have wowed people with its sharp and natural looking portraits. The only problem: it does (I am) terrible in indoor or poor lighting conditions. I believe this may be true with any point and shoot camera,whether advance or not. What I would like to know is, how can I better my chances of improving picture quality in low-light conditions with the HS10?
Obviously the major improvement would be to get an external flash for indoor shots. But outdoor, you’ll need a tripod for sure, you could consider using a higher ISO (400+) which would make the camera more light sensitive, therefore decreasing shutter time. You could also try using the HS10s low light advance features (refer to manual). This setting takes four images and stacks them, attempting to reduce blur and noise. But if you ask me it’s better to use manual control. Just play about, the best way to learn is by experimenting.
Moose – Would it be possible to ask Fuji why they don’t provide on-CD software for Linux?
Certainly in North America and EU, and some other regions, a majority use Microsoft’s Windows. However, Fuji amongst other camera makers does also provide software for Apple’s Mac systems.
There might be more Mac users than Linux users in North America and the EU, but outside those areas, there are millions more Linux users than Mac users.
Worldwide, Linux has hugely more users than Mac. Linux users do buy Fuji cameras – I’m one of them.
The impression Fuji gives – if not intended – is that if Fuji camera buyers don’t have Windows or a Mac – they should “obtain” a copy of Windows to run the Fuji software.
Yes, in Linux you can indeed run Windows in Virtual Box (virtual machine) – but I doubt that folk are going to pay hundreds of dollars to legitimately buy current Windows to run some software, if that’s the only thing they’d use it for….
Also – isn’t it about time that Fuji offered DNG as an alternative RAW save mode? On this, Linux does have an advantage over Windows, as with each new Fuji version of RAF RAW, the folk who look after DCRAW update it very quickly, while on Windows side, users wait a long time for the commercial software makers to catch up.
It isn’t that Adobe doesn’t allow camera makers to add DNG to cameras as an alternative – and much more software compatible in Windows – RAW save mode – Pentax has offered RAW saves in PEF or DNG for years.
Dave.
Great question, I’ve often wondered this myself. Next time I talk to my Fuji rep, I’ll pass this question on to him and report back.
- Moose
Guide to the HS10 – I am a new user to SLR and have only used simple point and shoot compacts in the past. I am totally confused with all the dials and buttons – where is a good place to start?
Kristell, this is a reply from our consumate, kind and patient in-house forum guru. It may help. Norman
“David Doak
January 9, 2011 at 4:04 am
Peter – From your questions, I’m guessing that you’re coming from a more midrange camera mostly used on Auto, so at first a much more adjustable camera can be just a bit confusing.
But – with such a generous wife – you’ll be keen on getting some images to show her. You can’t just leap in and know everything instantly, so by taking things gradually, you’ll soon get the idea of making adjustments and “telling the camera what to do”.
The HS10 isn’t at all at its best using Auto, so use Program – where the camera still does most of the settings, but you do have some control. You can set up Program so it’s “semi-automatic” but within a range suited to snapshots outdoors or well-lit indoors.
Put the camera in front of you on a table, and turn it on. Switch the Mode Dial – the large labelled one on the right, to P-Program. Tilt the LCD out so you can see it clearly.
There are 5 small buttons down the left side. Press and hold the top one, ISO. Now turn the Command Dial until on the displayed bar, until you’ve selected “Auto 800″. That puts the camera in an ISO range where it can choose from ISO 100 to 800, and won’t go too high for general use. Release the button and it will hold that setting.
Leave the next 3 buttons down at factory setting. The bottom one, White Balance, hold in, and for present purposes, set that to Auto.
The camera will now select Aperture, Shutter, and White Balance settings for you, and won’t “run away” on ISO settings as it can do in Auto.
With a smaller and lighter camera, you might have been used to using the LCD only. Trying to hold the HS10 out in front of you and keep it steady, particularly when using the zoom, is quite awkward. Use the Viewfinder. Turn the EVF/LCD “Auto-Switcher” Off, before it really annoys you. That’s third down on Page 3 of the Setup Menu.
You’ll now be able to take general-purpose snapshots. When you use the Shutter button, wait until the camera Beeps at half-down to focus, before you continue down to take the shot.
You’ll want to learn about doing other settings, but first find out how cameras actually use Light. There’s a relationship between ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed, that’s often called the “Light Triangle”.
You can find out about that on many sites, by Googling “Digital Camera Tutorials”. But a site that does this one clearly and well, is “Cambridge in Colour”. Get that site up. Two thirds down the page, it lists, with a blue triangle icon, “Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed”.
That’s a good place to start, but there are many, many others.
A very good book to buy, is Bryan Peterson’s “Understanding Exposure”. The Third Edition is just out late last year, revised to apply to digital cameras.
Dave”.
again, thank you Norman – I will try and ‘digest’!
I have the HS10 and am considering buying the ac adaptor instead of using batterities – but can’t see how you connect it to the camera! Probably being a bit dim but any help would be appreciated.
Kristell, the ac adapter is only useful when you are photographing, downloading and/or transferring images while you are close to an electrical outlet (in a home or other building). It would be worthless while photographing in the field. You can use re-chargeable AA batteries (Sanyo Eneloop) are preferred and that will be more economical. Usually ac adapters are for use in the home for transferring image files to your computer and/or printer without using up the batteries.
Norman
Norman – thank you very much for your reply. I thought it would be useful to charge up from home – haven’t got to the point where I am able to use it much let alone ‘go out in the field’!! Although hopefully I will and I will be able to share my phictures.
Kristell, the ac adapter is not used to charge the camera, but simply to replace battery power when performing tasks like downloading, updating, etc. A much better investment would be 8 rechargeable batteries (preferably Sanyo Eneloop) and a decent charger.
Norman
Hey Everyone, im taking photos of pole dancers in a couple of weeks and i have no idea what setting to use or if i need an external Flash, do you have any suggestions/tips and tricks please?
Thanks
Jamie
Sent an e-mail.
Thanks Kjetil, really appreciate everything you wrote, definatly looking forward to taking my photos, will give you the link once ive taken them to have a look.
And thanks to Tom too, who also gave me great tips too! I need to invest in an external flash because its in our studio where we practice, its photos for the girls keepsake of the fitness they do :)
Thanks!
I have been using Fujifilm Finepix HS10 for a while. Most of the photos on (kbentsen.com) is photographed with the HS10. If you have any questions regarding the camera, I will be happy to help (if possible).
I very much like your work, take a look at my site (tommercer.co.nr) if you like what you see, email me using the contact page on my site, if like to swap links with you.
Wow, what a wonderful collection, thanks for sharing
fabulous collection , exceptional composition ,thanks for sharing. Your PP work is certainly inspiring.!
Hi Folks,
I did say I would come back and let you know How things are progressing with my new HS10, my first attempts at HDR are now done, you can see them here (my.opera.com/albertbarker/albums/).
I would be grateful for any feedback, are they ok? too much colour etc? I really would like to know how I’m progressing.
I am happy to say that i think you’ve grasped the concept of HDR. Its not over-worked and over-saturated and really compliments the subject. Well done
Thank you Tom, I can now continue and hopefully progress onwards, I also took a peak at your own site, must admit the photos are awesome, and I must say its your quality I will be aiming for.
Thanks, thats a very nice compliment! If you would like to swap links give me a shout
Is there a way to capture a campfire with the HS10? I read that it can’t really take a ‘picture’ of a flame. But if so, what filters or special settings need to be used?
Thanks
Hi Kathy. It worked for me ok, see Flickr (flickr.com/photos/jonmilligan/5403386416/).
I used shutterspeed priority program
1/500 shutter speed
F4.5 aperture
iso100 film speed
I hope this is some help
regards
John Milligan
The picture looks good! Thanks, John for the tips.
How do i get great night shots of the night sky, showing the sky being illumanated with the stars, what are the correct settings or do i have to buy a special filter, also have you got any examples, many thanks
For decent shots you will need to be somewhere in the countryside to get rid of the light pollution. You will need a tripod and an exposure of at least 10 seconds i’d say. If you’re not comfortable with the manual settings i would suggest trying out the advance features for night shooting.
The problem is that it is difficult to focus when it is too dark. I have tried different settings, and succeeded with focusing on a house/light far away, then putting the camera on Manuel focus before aiming for the sky. It is better to use low f-stop than using a small aperature for a longer period. Take several photos and combine them in photoshop. Remember…stars are moving.
Hay everybody. I want to upgrade my camera from the kodak z950 to the hs10 and was curious if the manual focus on the hs10 is hard to view since it is a digital focus like my kodak. Do any of yall use it?
John – Contrary to what some forums say, when used properly the HS10 MF is very easy to use. It works in all Modes including Auto and Manual. Also with the 2x integrated digital zoom.
To use, press the second from bottom button of the 5 on the left back of the camera – Focusing. To Select, you can use the Command Dial, or the Left-Right Arrows on the 4-way pad – easier with the camera to your eye when using the EVF.
Zoom to the range needed for the shot, then press the AE/AF-Lock button – below the Red Video button on the back of the camera. The camera then uses the AF function to do an “approximate” focus, and Beeps – that lets you see your shot fairly clearly, and compose, etc.
Then use the Focus-Ring on the barrel, “rock” it a few mm each way – and get best focus “centred” – then shoot. If past mid-zoom, it can help to use the 2-second Timer (press the “v” Down-Arrow on the 4-way 3 times rapidly), just before you focus and shoot – then when you press the shutter button full-down to shoot – you can brace firmly and avoid a possible camera movement caused by pressing the shutter button.
Particularly with MF, as you’re not doing the halfway-to-focus-and-Beep, then the other halfway to shoot, shorter actual “Shoot” movement. You’re doing the two almost together.
The MF has a “Focus Check” magnified centre rectangle to assist manual focusing. That can be turned Off/On on Page 4 of the Setup-Menu.
If you’ve changed the EVF/LCD from the factory-default 30fps to 60fps, and increased Brightness a bit (advisable) – in some lights using the EVF, turning the Focus-Check off can be better.
Ensure that you have adjusted the diopter-dial beside the EVF to best suit your vision.
Dave.
Thanks Dave, its very much appreciated!
Thanks for that tip David, I’ll be at the Richard Thompson gig at the RFH on Wednesday so hopefully I’ll get some sharp shots!
Has anyone looked into the hybrid lithium AA batteries offered by Rayovac? I saw these on eBay and wondered if any of our members had experience with them.
Norman
Just how much they retain a charge, don’t know as yet
I posted this in the battery section, but here we go: I just bought some Camelion AlwaysReady© rechargables and they are by far the best AA batteries i have ever used, they hold their charge in extremely cold conditions and are ready to use out the packet. They lasted for at least six hours out of the packet, and they weren’t even half charged. I would recommend these to any HS10 user. I’d even stretch to say they are better than eneloops.
I use Ansmann 2850 mAh AA batteries which last a very long time indeed.
Ansmann 2700 for me also, do a very fine job.
Wow, what a great site I just came across, already you have helped me understand and use the Motion Remover. My camera is just 2 days Old, and as such is very new to me. My site (barker52.jalbum.net) shows the latest Photos using the HS 10 and listed under the Album Title St Marys Church, Ruskin View. The Other Albums are made with a different camera altogether. Cant wait to get out and start using, and will come back here as soon as I have more to tell you. just to say your site is a masterpiece of information for the HS 10 user.
Regard
Albert
Hey There, loving the tips on your site, have a question for you and would love your advice! I am taking photos of pole dancers in our studio while they are on the pole and its not going to be anything fancy, but was wondering what setting you would suggest, im new to this and so im only just starting out and im lost :(
Would love your help!
Thanks
Jamie
Hi guys. Well I am at the stage of downloading all my new photos from the HS10 and have found that the .RAF files cannot be imported into Photoshop Elements 9 for Mac. I read the forum thread from around December which seems to suggest similar frustration and some free options to convert .RAF files into DNG files (I assume the Photoshop can then read them). It also then says that the end product of this effort is actually worse image files than the .JPG. Really? Is that true? Should I then assume that I should really only bother to use JPEGs and forget about the JPEG + RAW setting on the camera that I was recently playing around with?
How about using the Silkypix software to save the RAW as a TIFF file and then import into PS for editing? I apologize if this is a stupid suggestion – I have not learned anything about RAW editing and don’t use PS.
Russ – I’m comparing JPEGs from two different cameras here – Fine from the HS10, and SuperFine from a Canon SX10. The Canon ones are much less compressed and have far lower JPEG compression artifacting. The largest JPEGs from the HS10 are 4-5MB – from the Canon, 8-9MB. Both are 10Mpix cameras with 1/2.3″ sensors. There’s a noticeable difference between Fine and Superfine.
The third and higher level JPEG option is just firmware – makers can easily put that in. The later Canons, SX20 and SX30, don’t have the SuperFine option – but users can add it with the CHDK ‘hack’ (doesn’t alter or harm the camera.) Fuji could add it to the HS10 in a firmware update.
However, the HS10′s RAF RAWs are considerably better than the SX10′s SuperFine JPEGs – there’s a lot more data in a 15.2MB RAW than in a JPEG.
Apparently Fuji has a different “RAW file format” for each camera model. That means Adobe and the other commercial software makers either take a long time to catch up with each Fuji camera – or don’t at all.
That means, for Windows users, they have to wait a while, and even then, there aren’t many programs that handle say, HS10′s version of Fuji-RAF, anyway.
Fuji “could” avoid this serious problem – how many will buy a camera “because it does RAW” – if they also know, as Windows users – that they’ll wait a time to get any programs that use that camera’s unique-to-it RAW – and when they do, they’ll be expensive, scarce, or not very good.
That is – Fuji could have a RAW-save option – RAF or DNG. Most Windows RAW programs handle DNG – it’s Adobe’s Digital Negative, which Adobe has made a free-to-use format.
Pentax does exactly that – RAW-save options are Pentax PEF, or DNG. In case Fuji thinks it can’t be done.
On Linux side – we’ve had it much easier – soon after the HS10 release, the OpenSource folk who do DCRAW, added several new Fuji EXR and HS10 cameras to it – DCRAW-9.02. Which instantly meant that every program using DCRAW updates to that on the next “Update-All” – and from then on, you use your HS10, etc, RAFs in them.
I use Digikam, but there are plenty of others.
Apparently the Silkypix “sample” program on the HS10 CD has the “Save as TIFF” option blocked – they want users to “upgrade” to the Pro version for $150.00 or so.
I don’t know if Fuji is the only camera maker which “cripples” its bundled software – Canon with their DPP on their CD, don’t.
If Fuji could perhaps not cripple the Silkypix bundled with the HS20 – buyers would at least have away to convert its RAFs to TIFF – at least until the rest of the Windows side software industry catches up with yet-another Fuji-RAF version…
Dave.
You can download a free update to Silkypix (version 3.0.1.0) that allows you to save as TIFF files.
What’s the price range of a GOOD lens hood? I know some use a “flower” type build and some just a plain ‘circle’ but am not sure which is better, or if one IS better than the other, or just preference. Do they ‘act’ differently on how the pictures come out?
Flower hoods are good for the HS10 because they won’t interfere with your pictures when using at the widest angle. A normal circular hood should be fine 35mm and beyond
Hello Kathy,
I just get a “factory issue” Fuji lens hood off E-bay for $22.00. I was very pleased with the part. There was no vignetting at wide angle, and it got rid of lens flare when shooting back-lit subjects in bright sunlight. Also, you can use the hood with a UV skylight filter in place to protect the lens and reverse the hood (bayonet mount) to store the camera. Delivery time was about 3 weeks. I highly recommend this item (A tip of the hat to Norman for this one!).
Thanks for the info. Do you know where I could buy it here in the US? I can’t find it on the Fuji site. I have found a site in Canada, but if I could find one here, it would be better.
Sorry. I forgot to say that I’m talking about the LH-HS10 availability. Thanks!
Unfortunately, Fuji in their infinite wisdom, claims that they “no longer stock this part in the US.” The part box I received had the official Fuji logo. Why this part is available in Canada and U.K., is beyond me. My camera store also came up with a blank when they tried to source the part. Perhaps a rep from Fuji will take note of this shortcoming…
OK, thanks Jim.
I ordered the official Fuji lens hood from ebay from the same seller as Jim for $22 with free shipping from Hong Kong to the US. I assume it will be more widely available once the HS20 comes out.
extra flash !
An experiment with an extra flash gave an unexpected result.
First I took a photo with flash = photo OK
Then a took a photo with an extra flash, that gets its trigger from the flash of the camera (photocell) = photo to dark
It was an experiment to get some light from the side.
I expected the second photo’s to be very bright because of the extra light.
The same settings used for both photo’s.
The HS10 always give two flashes, maybe this is the problem.
Maybe the first flash is used to measure and the second to take the picture.
The first flash triggers the extra flash witch makes the camera get a wrong measurement (I assume).
Or is there something else going on?
Is it possible to that the HS10 only make one flash?
Greetings
Andy
you need to set your external flash to the same setting as your camera. The HS10 fires two flashes to take a picture, the first is to help reduce red eye, the second is that actual shot. Your external flash is firing on the anti red eye flash, and is therefore having no impact at all on the final image. Hoep this helps
Tom – Not much settings I can do on the flash.
Pentax AP200T
-Full
-1/2
-1/4
-1/8
Auto 0,6-3,5meter
Auto 1,5-7meter
What you say about the flash is firing on the anti red eye flash, and therefore has no impact at the final image, seems very logical.
But why is my picture to dark?
I did an other test 3 pictures this time
1st Flash of camera
2nd Flash of camera + extra flash
3rd No flash
1st was OK
2nd and 3rd are just the same (to dark)
Somehow the camera get fooled by the extra flash that goes of on the first (red eye flash)
Ok well i have jsut had a play about with my flash and HS10. On my flash i have jsut set it so its the same of yours and fires on teh first flash it sees. For some reason this works.
Go into your menu, turn off the red eye removal, then turn on the external flash setting. Now take a photo. The flash should fire and illuminate more in a way you desire
Tom – Got it !!!
Setting the flash on extern and using the camera its own flash is the trick.
I was convinced that setting it on external flash the camera flash would not work.
Thanks Tom,
Andy
My lcd monitor is cracked and I can’t seem to find a replacement part. Does anyone know if there are compatible parts from another Fujifilm model or where I could order a new lcd screen? I have searched for a couple of hours and can’t find anything. Any help would be appreciated.
Just send it off to be fixed it should still be under warranty
OK..a week into playing with my HS10 and my next project is time lapse photography. How do I do it? There are some really cool subjects I want to photo with the zoom on this camera. My Canon DSLR uses an EOS Utility to let me remotely run hours of time lapse from my mac. Is there any equivalent for the HS10? If not how do others use the HS10 for time lapse photos?
Russ – The HS10 doesn’t do time-lapse. As far as I can see, from Previews, the new HS20 doesn’t, either.
Moose is getting a pre-release HS20 from Fuji, shortly – we’ll then all have a better idea of what it can actually do.
As it puts 16Mpix on a 1/2.0″ sensor (6.4 x 4.8mm / 0.3 cm2) – which is around 45% higher receptor density than the slow-processor HS10, one thing it’ll have to have is vastly faster, or multi, processing.
Things like time-lapse, Exposure and MF controls for Video, RAW in 2x, and other improvements might go with that.
Dave.
Hi Russ
I too am interested in timelapse. I have scoured the web for days and there is quite a lot of information out there but it takes some searching on Google.
I have this week bought off ebay a couple of cheap Nikon P&S cameras that have interval timers built in Coolpix S200 & Coolpix S220 & Coolpix s500 (probably others in the Coolpix range) Also there are some Canon cameras that have interval timers but they tend to be more expensive. I’ll let you know how good they are when I’ve tried them
Last week I took apart a cheap Fuji Finepix A800 and soldered some wires onto the focus, shutter and power terminals within the camera. I have bought a cheap Velleman cyclic timer kit and will also try that out this weekend.
I have quite a few excellent links I could give you but I’m not sure if we are allowed to place direct links on this board ? Take a look at www dot instructables dot com
and also look for ‘intervalometers’ which can attache to certain cameras . They can be had for as little as £30.00 on ebay.
Good luck let us know how you get on
Thanks for the replies. If you have any success with these investigations please let me know.
On the firmware update, there are two files. One is a data file and the other is an .exe file. Do you download both onto the card? The instructions are not clear on the process.
just copy the NON .exe file to the root folder on your SD card
I have had some problems updating firmware, got frustrated until finding a post on here stating that you need to use a sandisk sd card. I chucked in an old sandisk 4gb class4 and viola. v1.4.
hi i am new to digital photography and still learning. i am going to be going to a motorcross track with my brother and sum freinds and he has asked me to take sum photos of them doing jumps and racing but i havent got a clue how best to set my camera up. so any tips or if you can explain how to do this would be great thanks craig.
Hi Craig,
you’ll need a fast shutter speed to capture the action, preferably a tripod & don’t shoot into the light (shoot with the light behind you)
Try & use as little zoom as possible (the more zoom the more chance of a blurry picture)
I’d also recommend using high speed shooting (its a menu option)
and also suggest trying the centre focus mode (as long as the MX bikes are in the centre of the frame ;) &/or the continuous focus setting
[i'm assuming you have the manual as i type this btw]
photography is very much trial & error, if you review your pix as you take them you can try different settings to get betetr results
if everything i’ve written above is goobeltygook to you, then keep the cam in auto mode & dont shoot into the sun light
best advice i can probably give is take some test shoots of the bikes
and finally
take as many shots as possible, fill the card
i’ve taken many (bad) pix of f3/motogp/wheelie m.sport & it’s so hard to get a good shot, that it’s better to treat the camera like a shot gun, rather than a sniper’s rifle!!
good luck
HTH?
Adam
thanks adam for the advise very helpfull i will give it a go nice one
I just bought a ranox dcr 250 for super macro ,can any one tell me what is the best settings
I’m doing some reading on the Hoya filters. But am not sure which one, the circular or linear polarizing filter, I should purchase. If the incorrect one is used, it can give off unpredictable exposure or focusing.
With this in mind, which kind of polarizing filter should be used…a circular or linear?
Kathy – In theory you can use either on a P&S camera – but Circular only on a DSLR. So, as you might get a DSLR sometime, it’s better to get Circular.
I bought the next-up from lowest cost Hoya Circular Polariser, when I first had my Canon SX10 (used with the Lensmate adaptor on that), and as that’s 58mm, fortunately it also fits the HS10.
Dave.
What’s the website and brand? I can’t tell from your description.
Thanks so much for the help!
I just was searching for the Hoya Circular Polarizing filter for the lowest cost, but do you have a specific place where you got yours? I’m really a dummie right now when it comes to this since I just got this camera! Thanks for your patience with all the questions!
One other thing…trying to find the best place on line to purchase the Hoya filters…..moderately priced….any suggestions???
Kathy – I seldom buy things online – buying from a shop here in Australia, you must, by Law, get a 12-months Shop Warranty for any electronic-etc product. That’s over and above any Manufacturer Warranty.
Anything that isn’t as Advertised, or suitable for the purpose the shop sold it for, or is or becomes faulty (not due to misuse) in any way – take it back to be repaired or replaced. No limit on number of times you take it back, and repairs-etc don’t affect the period of the 12-months Shop Warranty.
When enforceable cover like that is available online, I might buy more things online.
As for Polarisers – if you’re buying “cheap” polarisers – that’s what you get… They’re unlikely to do much to improve your images.
As for the “specific place” I bought my Hoya 58mm PL-CIR – it was ‘Digital Camera Warehouse’, in Canterbury, Sydney. I’ve bought 3 cameras there, 2 tripods, and cards, batteries, etc, there, over about 4 years. They’re a little pricey – but worth that, as the counter service, advice, etc, is excellent. They put you (after you agree) – on their “Database” with an ID code – so you can ring up, ask about products, advice on ones you’ve bought, or intend to buy….
The price was AUD$75.00 – then about USD$65.00.
If you’re buying online – try to ensure what you’re getting is genuine Hoya (or other quality Brand) – as there are fakes around. Anything “cheap” – like $15.00 or $20.00 is either a cheapy that will degrade your images, or a “Brand-Name” fake that will do the same.
Try to get a Warranty and an address to return faulty items back to. Some online sellers have good reputations (I have read that in the US – I don’t “know” this – a company called “B+H” is honest and reliable.)
I found out “the hard way” – I bought a $22.50 ‘Chinese cheapy’ – it was dreadful! Yes – I returned it undamaged with packing – and the chain exchanged it for a set of 4 AA Eneloop batteries, plus change. Under our laws, the polariser was “not suitable for intended purpose”.
Dave.
i have this weird yellow icon with ! on my screen , what is this can it be remove? thanks! the camera works fine
Sean – That’s the “shake” warning. Check that the IS is turned on (for hand-held, off for tripod.) Camera Menu, Page 3, Setup Menu. For general purposes use the “Shoot Only”, mode 2.
You’ll still get the warning if Shutter speed is too slow, and at longer zoom if not using a firm rest or tripod.
Dave.
I’ve just started doing videos with the HS-10. I noted that the Fuji software uses .mov format files – Apple. My preference now is .WMV for MS media player. I would appreciate any suggestions for software (free or otherwise) to do format conversions. I have a license for Adobe CS-3, but this doesn’t have the ability to convert .MOV files to .WMV. My stuff sometimes gets posted to websites hence the lean towards Mr. Gates’s offerings – thanks!
A good free all-round converter is FormatFactory.
The website is called ‘pcfreetime’.
Jim – The *.mov isn’t a ‘format’ – it’s Apple’s “container” for video/audio. The actual video format inside it is MPEG4-AVC, or H264. However, not all PCs and TV Players can handle H264 video, so the MOV container makes it more adressable for conversion in Windows, Mac and Linux.
In Linux we convert it to Xvid4, which retains the quality and audio-sync, so on.
For Windows, the usual conversions are MPEG2 (can be HD/Blu-Ray), or compliant MPEG4.
You can convert to WMV, but there’s a quality drop.
For converting to WMV, you can D/L and install the Windows version of WinFF. That’s quite easy to use, but has a fair range of presets and adjustments.
It gives you the option of converting to WMV-Generic for on-PC, or WMV for Web Use. Also Xbox360 and MS-Zune.
You should make a backup-copy of the original H264/MOV clip you’re converting – so you can go back for more copies to convert to other formats.
Example – you might later want to use edited clips to combine into a longer Movie on DVD, that will play in TV-Players. For that you need MPEG2 to create Compliant DVD filesets.
For standard (not HD) – DVDs, the HS10′s Std-HD (the 1280 x 720) is better quality than the Full-HD, and much easier to convert to 720 x 400(404) – on other than “grunty” high-end PCs.
Dave.
Cyberlinks “Powerdirector” is my favourite, I tried many more, all of them very highly rated, and all seemed to crash or have problems, Powerdirector on the other hand as been very stable and a god send with no problems whatsoever, I have used it for years using .mov files, it was at one time the only editor that supported this format.
Hope the information helps
I just got my HS10 a couple of days ago. I have been exploring its various functions with the help of the manual. But, when I press the AE button I get only the multi option in Photometry. Why do I not get spot and average which I get when Manual Focus is turned on? Also what is the difference between Single AF and Continuous AF? Also, please tell me a little more about the AE/AF lock button. I can’t figure out how or why to use it. Thanks.
Hi Moose!
First off I wanted to thank you for creating this site! I just recieved my HS10 about two weeks ago and I wouldn’t know where to begin if this site didn’t exist! I live in Alaska and I really want to capture the Northern Lights. I was wondering if there was a particular mode/setting you could recommend for this? Also I wanted to know if the cold weather up here could affect the camera or picture quality? It can get down to -40 up here in Fairbanks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again!
I’m looking at the High DEF 2X Telephoto & 0.5X Wide Lens Kit by Zeikos over on Amazon for $39. Does anyone know if this ‘multiplier’ works well and gives a GOOD picture? I guess if price matters, it may not be too good of a multiplier for either.
Kathy – It’s not a good idea to hang anything heavier than filters on the end of a long-zoom lens.
A 2x telephoto extension lens for $39.00 doesn’t sound like very high optical quality, either. I doubt that it’d give a “good” picture.
The HS10 has its own 2x integrated digital teleconverter. Not just “adding digital zoom” – it interpolates the image as a combination of digital and optical.
The result is actually better than you might think. Not as good as optical-only, of course, but if you reduce the display-size to 1024 x 768 or so – quite okay for sharing, if not printing.
The 2x on the HS10 is used by pressing the “^” button on the 4-way pad. The rectangle shows the area the shot will be. That’s about 5Mpix – the camera processor then interpolates that image up to the 10Mpix / 3648 x 2736 JPEG size. (The 2x doesn’t work with RAW.)
At 100% those interpolated images are quite noisy/grainy, of course. As noted, reducing the display size a lot improves the viewed image. When using the 2x, try to keep ISO to 100/200 – or 400 at most – adding to the grain/noise with high ISO doesn’t help.
Note that at “2x” – the 30x optical expands to virtual 60x – or a 35mm equivalent of 1,440mm… At that, you’ll need a tripod to hold the camera steady enough to avoid blurring, and preferably use the 2-second Timer – and set up with Manual Focus, as the AutoFocus isn’t too happy at that apparent ‘magnification’…
If you need “enlarged” printable images – don’t use the 2x Shoot in RAW, post-process, and either work on the exported TIFF – or convert to the Graphics program’s native “non-lossy” format – PSD with Photoshop, XCF with Gimp, etc.
Assuming that you’re using Photoshop – do the finishing touches, after converting to PSD from the post-processing export TIFF – and the second-last thing – crop the image to get the enlarging – or part-of-image – effect – and last, sharpen – gently – with USM.
Even with RAW – realise that you’re coming off a very small 1/2.3″ sensor – and 10Mpix in resolution…
Dave.
David,
My husband was trying to take a picture at about 300 yds. The UV filter and the circular polarizing filter were both on and there was some shade involved.
My husband tried zooming out to 30, then activating the digital zoom by pressing ‘up’ on the 4-way selector. He then set the 10 sec. timer and used the manual focus (he turned the Auto Focus off). He still came out with blurry pictures. Is there another way to resolve this?
We figured out the problem. The polarizing filter was causing the blurring. I guess there’s no way to use it in a zooming mode without causing blurring?????
Kathy – You give the distance as 300 yards, in shade. At 30x optical the AF will already be working hard to lock-on, in shade. And you had a UV filter and a polariser on. Then went to 2x digital zoom.
You don’t say what the aperture or ISO were, but the largest aperture at full zoom is f/5.6. Not the camera’s ‘best’ light-gathering, but the best it does at full zoom. Then for some reason you had a UV filter on – why? Modern digital cameras don’t need UV protection, and at best might help a bit with fog or mist. Otherwise, some use them as lens-protectors, but can give a “cast” to images. As they also stop some light, they’re no good for shooting into shade.
Shooting into shade with a polariser won’t get polarising effects, or enhance colour. What it will do is act like a low-end neutral-density filter and block light.
So you were at f/5.6 or smaller, and had the 2 x filters on, shooting into shade. So that would be adding up to a rather slow shutter speed, anyway, even if you’d raised the ISO quite a bit. The AF wouldn’t like that setup at all – you’d need the camera on a steady tripod and to use MF. Add 2x digital and the camera trying to handle all of those things at a virtual 1,440mm – isn’t going to work well.
You’d be better to leave the UV filter for lens-protection – against salty spray, so on. Using the polariser with the 2x digital zoom isn’t too good – the camera is having to create a 5Mpix to 10Mpix interpolated image, and needs all the light it can get. Polarising or colour enhancing effects in an interpolated image won’t be of much if any benefit.
The polariser won’t “cause” blurring – what it will do is slow shutter speeds so that the camera has to be kept steadier than without it.
Dave.
Thanks for all the GOOD advice! This site is awesome; I’m learning SO much about this camera..Thank you, thank you!
Does anyone really use the video on the HS10 for primary video needs? I just bought the HS10 and tried the video for indoor soccer. I was pleasantly surprised to see the video quality is far superior to my Canon HV20 miniDV camcorder….so much so I tested it under different conditions and found the HD quality better in every condition. Unfortunately, the manual zoom caused a lot of shake (seems to be a typical knock) and the video clips save in .mov format which seems to be a lot harder to edit in Final Cut Express. Does anyone use the video from the HS10 a lot and do editing? If so, do you have any tips?
Also, I bought the HS10 primarily for the zoom rather than buy an absurdly priced lens for my Canon EOS. So far I am happy with my first shots except I find the shutter lag of this digital very frustrating for action shots. By the time the shutter released for the soccer shots, my subject was already out of the frame of the picture. I saw some of the suggestions for “carry” settings below and I will try them out. Any suggestions to optimize the HS10 for action shots?
High speed shooting on (supposed to increase focus time). Try best frame capture mode so you get a few frames from before you fully press the shutter.
Russ – If you’re going to compare any Bridge-Zoom’s aim-focus/beep-fulldown/shoot time with a DSLR – a totally different construct – you’re not going to be too happy with any of them…
Set-up properly the HS10 will aim-focus-shoot 3 times in 5 seconds. Not nearly as fast as a DSLR. And you need everything not in direct use turned-off. 1.5/3.0-second Review, the daft EVF/LCD Auto-Switch, Face-Detection, etc.
Have good batteries that deliver a constant power-level – Sanyo Eneloops do that. Don’t have the camera “doing things” – such as Tracking mode. Set Metering to Spot, and Focus to Single-AF, IS to Shoot-Only.
Use Shutter Priority mode, and at the zoom level you’re going to use, get the Shutter speed up past 1/125th. Higher is better. The HS10 is low-noise at ISO-100-200 and quite low at 400. Bump the ISO up to get the Shutter speed up.
Aim and follow the target – go first-down to Focus-beep – keep following and go full-down. IF focused first – from there to “shoot” is nearly instant. You can also use Fast-Continuous and follow-thru – but bursts greatly increase the time to the next shot, while the camera saves the burst.
Actually – the fast-moving Sports shots you’re doing sound more like needing the DSLR you already have, with a fastish f/2.8 or f/3.5 180-200mm prime, not really a Bridge-Zoom…
On the Video – *.mov isn’t a “format”, it’s Apple’s proprietary MOV “container”. The Video format inside it is MPEG4-AVC – also called H264.
Fuji used to make HD Video in cameras as Compliant MPEG4 – my old Fuji S2000HD does that at 1280 x 720. Std MPEG4 is easy to handle, convert,edit, and relatively small filesize, so I don’t know why the change to H264/MOV.
“Final Cut” sounds like you’re using a Mac – I’m an ex Windows Tech, 11 years of that, now using Linux for some years, so I don’t know about Mac software.
Avidemux version for Mac is free, and at least on Linux (Mac is BSD based, so shouldn’t be too different) – it’s a very good Video converter and basic editor.
Dave.
I also find the video quality great, specially during good light conditions.
But I have a question:
Does someone who have updated the firmware to 1.04 have
seen an improvement of the image stabilisation during video recording?
I have read on internet that somebody has mentioned that.
I didn’t succeed on this moment to update my HS10 with the newest firmware.
(sorry for my English)
Kevin and David…thanks for the detailed reply. I found that using the burst or best frame capture mode worked pretty well. I have eneloops and used high speed shooting with my shutter set 1/100th+ (had to boost my ISO indoors to keep it from being way underexposed which led to a little graininess) and I tried holding the shutter release half way and following the action helped improve the speed. I did not turn off a couple items like the face detection and LCD review as my results were looking pretty good. I never expected my HS10 to behave like my DSLR, but with some extra effort so far the results are pretty good. I guess that is half the fun too and I don’t even want to guess what a decent prime 180mm-200mm lens for the Canon would cost me. Thanks!
Russ – You can pick up a nice Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM for a mere USD$5,400.00 or so – maybe a few bucks less with cash-back…
Ahem…!
Dave.
last chance tonight for a full-moon shot. I estimate around 12.30pm GMT the moon should be round in view from my bedroom window for approx 2-3 hours
At 4.40pm last night I took around 16 shots in all. in A mode and M . Only managed to get around 5x useable images which is so frustrating.
I cannot seem to be able to focus . All I could see and capture was a huge ball of brilliant white ? I managed to get half a dozen in focus purely by accident then the focus I had was lost instantly when I inadvertently pressed a button in the dark. grrrrr.
The few images that are sharp seem to have a file size of only 400k ? what on earth went wrong ?
What mode and settings would anyone recommend I try so I can prepare the camera for tonight
Nick – Full moon isn’t the best for pix – unless you have a DSLR with a very long lens and a good set of filters… Rather expensive!
With P&S you can get pretty good images, though. At full moon you’re fighting the glare of the whole moon, and the sun is shining nearly “straight-down” on the ridges and craters – giving little or no shadow.
At half-moon, there’s far less glare – and the surface features are now throwing shadows, particularly along the light-dark divide, making the surface more interesting.
Use a tripod, and make sure it’s braced steady. The HS10 has a wider range of f-stops than most P&S cameras. You can go up to f/11 – but at that, lens diffraction is coming in. You might try f/8 to f/10. ISO at 100.
Use Manual, and Manual Focus. As the moon is actually brighter through a lens than most tend to think, you don’t use slow shutter speeds. There’s also a “shimmering” effect of the atmosphere.
Set up as above. Set Continuous at 5fps – JPEG or RAW – and set the Timer at 2-sec. Press the AE/AF button to get an approximate focus – fine-tune with the Focus Ring – and Shoot. Then hands-clear of the camera.
The Continuous will give a set of images, some less affected by the atmosphere-shimmer. However, you’ll usually need several tries to get a sharp image or two.
You can try a Polariser Filter – not just against glare, but it works as a low-end Neutral Density Filter – shutter speed can be a bit slower.
With a P&S moon shots are a bit experimental – so, have fun!
Dave.
David’s suggestions are good ones. My guess is your problem is not focus but you’ve overexposed the moon so it is one big blown highlight. Try increasing the shutter speed (the moon actually moves pretty fast in the sky) until you get a good shot.
thanks David and Kevin for your advice.My frustration was with the focusing. I seemed to get the shots in focus at a certain point and then just as suddenly lost it again.
I have to confess it was pitch black in my bedtroom and my near sight is appalling without glasses so I was on a hiding to nothing. It was a spur of the moment thing without any preparation.
I wish I knew how I managed to get some shots perfectly focused and others totally blown out.?
Now that I have some suggested settings I’ll try that tonight properly set up. The problem is there is only one window in the house with a view of the moon and the azimuth ?of the moon’s path is rising sharply every night. The camera is going to be practically vertical tonight !
I was going to try some control shots on the landcape today to practice the focus ring which I am beginning to wonder if it is not functioning correctly) but it is foggy …visibility down to 50 yds …just my luck.
I’ll let you know how I get on. Thank you for your help both of you. Its very much appreciated
Nick
I decided to give this a try myself tonight (I don’t think you’re a real HS10 owner until you’ve taken a moon shot). With focus mode set to center it seemed to focus great for me every time. I used ISO 100, shutter priority and adjusted the shutter speed as high as I could. My big problem is that I don’t have a tripod yet so I was leaning against the hood of the car – I’m sure the results would be much better with a tripod and IS off. I would have tried various other settings but the clouds were not cooperating.
I’ve seen better ones taken with the HS10
I got my HS10 on Monday and went straight out to try some moon photography.
Nick, I’m just at beginner at this, but your “brilliant ball of white” and trouble focussing sounds like the same problem I had until I got the Auto-Exposure setting right. Setting AE to spot-metering seems to be what is required. Once in spot mode, the camera was able to correct the brightness in the viewfinder so that I could see what I was focussing on.
Thanks for a great site, by the way, Moose. I’m finding it really useful in learning the ropes.
I’m now looking forward to the weekend, when I should get my first chance to take some pictures in daylight.
I was initially disappointed with the color balance lacking yellow until I switched to chrome mode. Have others experienced this.
BillZ – If you look at Manual Page 87, in the White Balance Fine Tune, you can “dial-in” a bias to more Yellow, on the Blue/Yellow bar.
In the Menus, Colour, Tone and Sharpness, can all have Low, Mid or High, settings. They’re just below “WB Fine Tune” on Shooting Menu Page 2.
You can use a 58mm Polariser Filter, which can enhance colours.
You can Post-Process. If using JPEG, which is a “lossy” format, before doing that, convert to a non-lossy format – Photoshop PSD, Gimp XCF, others, TIFF if they don’t have their own format.
Since you want to enhance Yellow:
In Photoshop, open Hue/Saturation – top field, set to “Yellows”, and use the sliders.
In Gimp, open Hue/Lightness/Saturation, select “Yellow”, and use the sliders.
Other programs, PSP, etc, have similar functions.
Dave.
I am getting a little confuse as to which flash settings work with each program mode. I am trying to use slow sync with manual, aperture and shutter mode but I cannot select any flash modes in these settings. However, they are all available in the Program mode. Is there a list of flash settings or how to get them to work somewhere or if someone know the info would be truly appreciated.
Thanks
There is a nice table with all the options available in each shooting mode on Page 20 of the hard copy “Basic Manual” that comes in the box with the camera. For some reason they did not put this table in the more comprehensive PDF manual. You’re correct it looks like slow synchro is available in Program mode but not A, S, or M.
Thanks for the help. I never thought the “Basic” manual would have more of the info I was looking for than the main manual.
I have experienced a flashing LCD screen when trying to take pictures. What causes this?
Highly likely that you’re constantly blocking and unblocking the light sensor for the EVF/LCD switch. Go into the menu and turn the automatic switching off
Thanks, Tom! I’m totally new to this so I need a lot of guidance.
Kathy – if you’re using the “modern trend” mode of aiming and composing shots, by holding the camera out in front of you, that can cause problems with the larger and heavier Bridge-Zoom cameras, even if it doesn’t with the small pack-of-cards size cameras.
Folk with those usually don’t have much choice, as the makers’ “fashion” is not to provide viewfinders now. Olympus even released a 30x Bridge-Zoom camera, the SP-800UZ, on the same day as the HS10 was released – without a viewfinder…. Much has been heard on Forums about the HS10 – almost nothing about the SP-800… Perhaps the next Olympus Bridge-Zoom will have one.
If you use the EVF, you can use the “triangle” stance – camera to eye, elbows firmly tucked-in to body. You can then get on-target and zoom-up, faster, track moving targets more easily, compose shots better, without a zoomed-up LCD image wobbling around out in front of you, and hold the camera much more steadily.
Particularly with the HS10, which, particularly at mid-zoom and higher, is quite sensitive to movement. You can easily select the 2-second Timer (thumb the Down-Arrow 3 times rapidly) – aim-compose-focus – then press the shutter button full-down – hold breath and brace the camera steadily – beeps and shoots…
That can make quite a difference in getting sharp images when out past half-zoom. Closer in, using the viewfinder lets you hold the camera steadier while also following a moving target – a small kid or pet, for example.
If you are tracking such a “mobile” target – you are of course moving the camera. Closer-in, you’re less likely to be doing a panning shot – you want to “freeze” the target and include the surroundings.
As you’re moving the camera, you’ll need a fairly fast shutter speed to avoid “blurring” – 1/250th or higher. Use Shutter Priority for this. I use Spot Metering and Centre Focus – the “Tracking Focus” function is a bit odd. With Centre Focus use the “yellow box” to keep the target centred as you follow.
Frame compose the target and as you start to follow the movement, go half-down to focus – then while following, squeeze the button down to shoot – and “follow through”. That is – don’t stop following as you squeeze-down to get the shot.
You “can” also use slower-mode Continuous on moving targets – 5 or 3fps – but you should get the single “following-shot” action right before adding that.
(I’m assuming that you’ve changed the factory-default dull-dim and grainy in the EVF, 30fps speed to 60fps, and up 1-2 clicks on brightness. The EVF is rather woeful if that’s not done.)
Dave.
I just got my HS10 and noticed the same thing. I thought something was wrong with my camera! It took me a day and a review of the pdf manual to realize that the LCD flashes off when anything comes close to the View Finder unless you turn that feature off and use the EVF/LCD button to switch from one to the other manually.
There are lenses and filters out there that fit that HS10. Could you give me a list of which ones are the best?
Thanks
Hi Kathy.
I believe many on here recommend Hoya filters. They cost a bit more but are good quality. You need to get 58mm ones. A good all-purpose filter is a UV filter – many people use them also for protecting the main lens against damage. You might also try a polarising filter. Mine is ‘Pol circular’ and it ‘eliminates non-metallic reflections, improves colour saturation in landscapes, eliminates haze and absorbs UV radiation’.
Some other makes I have and which work fine for me are Hama & Kenko.
I get a lot of my photo stuff at 7dayshop, reasonably priced, though if you are in the US, maybe you can find better prices there.
PS, if you search this page, theres lots of other stuff about filters.
Try searches for ‘Mick Brown’, ‘Kevin Sigmon’, ‘Ravi’, ‘BCH’, and ‘Laszlo’.
About lenses, I have the Sony VCL-DH1758 Tele Converter Lens, which attaches to the front of the main lens. It magnifies the view by about another half (its actually x1.7).
If you search for ‘Bhandary’, theres some links of mine showing the difference, though having just looked at them, I realise now the haziness of that day has affected their clarity.
You can also get x2 adaptors. (I have one but its only a cheapie and not very good.)
Thanks, Paul!
What’s the best lens brand. Looks like the one you mention doesn’t fit the HS10. I’m brand new at this so don’t know much yet. What about telephoto lens, fisheye, wide angle, etc?
Thanks SO much for the help!
And what about the lens hood? Which one is better…the flower or circular?
Any 58mm fitting will fit the HS10.
I’ve never tried fisheye or wide-angle lenses for the HS10, maybe someone else has?
Lens hood, I use the flower bayonet-fitting type but preferences vary.
I recently ordered the “official” lens hood that is made for the HS10. The only place I could find it was on eBay. Just search for the model number LH-HS10.
I’m also using a Hoya PRO1 Digital UV filter as a lens protector. It has a thin frame so it doesn’t block any of the shot at full wide angle.
I did a lot of research and came up with B+W 58mm UVA (Ultra Violet) Haze Filter #010 as being a high quality filter to protect the lens.
On line from $23.00 to $55.00.
Anyone know when the next firmware update is due out?
They released 1.04 the 1st part of December, else wise, I’ve not seen any other word on 1.05.
Hi, I just bought my HS10 and have a question regarding the setting of the F stop and shutter speed. Can they both be controlled at the same time in manual mode? If so, how do you set both? I have only been able to set one OR the other, and the camera automatically adjusts the other. Is there a way to override this to be in total manual mode?
Kathy – Just turn the Mode Dial to M-Manual. You’ll see in the bottom left corner of the EVF/LCD two numbers. The one on the left is the Shutter Speed. The camera defaults to this. It allows you to set an Aperture, then adjust the Shutter Speed to it.
The Apeture is adjusted by holding down the “+/-” button – the left button of the two in front of the Mode and Command dials.
Support the camera mainly with your left hand, as you have to hold the button down with your right index finger and roll your right thumb across the back of the Command dial to turn it and select Apertures.
Shutter speeds are changed without using a button – just rotate the Command dial. The Bar at the bottom right is the Exposure indicator – adjust the Shutter speed to centre the yellow arrow on the bar, which is what the camera “thinks” is the correct exposure.
When you hold the Shutter half-down to focus, and the camera Beeps – in EVF/LCD it will show what it “thinks” is the Exposure level. The camera can tend to over-expose at the Wide end of the Zoom, and under-expose, or not display much change, when Zoomed to the Tele end.
In Manual, you can “tell it what to do”, by overriding the camera’s “preferences”. (You should already have turned the 1.5/3.0 second Review function Off in the Menus, to speed up time between shots.) Take a shot – then check the Exposure via the “>” button on the bottom-right of the camera.
Manual Mode is explained, if not very well, on Page 32 of the Manual.
Dave.
Thank you, Dave! I’ll try this. I’m brand new with the ‘manual mode’ and with this camera and am excited to learn it!
Hi all. Just got my HS10 and would like to know where to switch the 2x digital zoom on and off
Rob
Rob – The 2x integrated digital is accessed by pressing the Up “^” Arrow on the 4-way pad. The Blue-outlined rectangle shows the area that will be covered by the shot. Unlike some cameras, the HS10 doesn’t auto-select a smaller image size for the integrated 2x digital.
The Blue-framed area is actually a smaller area than 10Mpix, maybe 5Mpix. However, via the processor, it interpolates that smaller image back to the 10Mpix 3648 x 2736 JPEG size.
That is, instead of “adding digital zoom” to the optical zoom, as most cameras do, which just “multiplies” the pixels, it uses a remarkably good algorithm to interpolate the smaller framed image image up to the 3648 x 2736 JPEG size.
The result is of course less sharp and somewhat “grainier” than the direct-optical image, but with care, you get quite usable images. (It’s similar to what my Canon SX10′s “internal 1.4x Teleconverter does.)
The HS10 is quite sensitive to movement, particularly in the Tele range anyway – and the 2x digital accentuates that. Use a good rest, or preferably, a tripod. Use the 2-second Timer, handheld or tripod, to minimise Shutter-press movement or vibration.
Using Manual Focus is an advantage, as in 2x digital, the tendancy for the AF to “hunt” at the Tele end is also accentuated. Turn MF on. To use, press the AE/AF button (the one just below the Red Video button.) The camera uses the AF-mode to “approximate” the focus, and Beeps.
Now just “rock” the MF-ring a few mm either way to “centre” sharpest focus, and shoot. The “magnified” centre rectangle for MF still works with the 2x digital. If you prefer, particularly if using the 2x digital with EVF – you can turn that – Focus Check – Off, on Page 4 of the Setup Menu.
So long as you don’t crop the image – or not very much – if you reduce the Display size of the 2x images to 1280 x 1024 or 1024 x 768 – the results can be quite surprising.
I’m finding that images at “virtual 45-50x” are better than at closer to “virtual 60x”, though those are still usable for sharing, when size-reduced, if not for printing.
The HS10, as you get to know it, has a lot of “hidden surprises”.
Dave.
Thank you, Dave!
I have only recently purchased my HS10. I have no playback of movies or pictures when using an HDMI lead to my Samsung TV. Any help would be appreciated.
Apologies if I am stating the obvious but have you tried selecting both of your TV’s HDMI sources via the ‘source’ button on the TV remote ? Most have two HDMI.
some TV imput leads are item specific are you using a generic HDMI cable ? You might try using another lead
I had an issue when i plugged the hdmi cable into my 40inch tv, however when i tried it on my tv upstairs which is also an lg it worked fine. maybe hit and miss, try another tv to make sure its not the cable.
Does anyone know if with the HS20, Fuji has fixed any of the HS10′s real faults?
Does the HS20 have Manual Focus, and Exposure Control, for Video – and has the sticky / high-geared Twist-Zoom been changed to make Zooming during Video-ing hand-held, practical?
Is the downgraded Fast-Continuous now a “sticky” – does it stay in-mode if you look at your last images?
Perhaps cramming 16Mpix of receptors – more than most entry/mid DSLRs with approx 16mm x 24mm sensors have – onto a sensor a couple of percent larger than the HS10′s has slowed the Fast-Continuous – now 8fps, not 12fps+, at full res – and a little faster at 8Mpix “half resolution”…
Really? I have a Fuji S2000HD – and that, at M-size/half resolution, 5Mpix – saves 33 frames at 7fps…. Progress?
(HS10 1/2.3″ sensor – 6.16mm x 4.62mm – 10Mpix
HS20 1/2.0″ sensor – 6.4mm x 4.8mm – 16Mpix.)
I’m starting to have a uneasy feeling – that if you dismiss the Video on both cameras as “Tripod Only – Between Zooms” – that for the rest of the devices – the HS10 might not be “any worse than” the HS20…
Maybe the HS10 will become a collector’s item, against the HS20 – somewhat like the Canon SX10 against the SX20.
Dave.
The lens barrel friction you are talking about when using in video mode does disappear after a good months or so use.
David,
I should know more in 4 to 5 weeks. My Fuji buddies said they’d have a pre-production model available to look at by then. Stay tuned!
- Moose
David, I do know that Fuji is offering two(2) automated through the lens flash units, the EF-20 and EF-42 along with a remote release. None of which is compatible or adaptable to the HS10 to my knowledge. It seems that all things are obsolete from the moment that they are conceived.
Norman
Tom – The HS10 I have was built in Indonesia. Very strongly made, not a creak or rattle anywhere – if that’s “typical Indonesian factory build” – it’s very good indeed!
However – the no-rattles fitting / build level is “very solid” – including the lens assembly. This camera has had a lot more than “a month’s use” – around 6-months – and has done several thousand images (haven’t counted), so the twist-zoom has had a long and vigorous workout!
The camera gets soft-covered and taken out in a carry-bag or light rucksack (bought that to take the Slik F740 along), with my Canon SX10 for company… I’m on a pension and use public transport, hence the need for that carry setup.
But the HS10′s twist-zoom certainly isn’t “wearing in” to become “non-sticky” to stop-start zoom, or “smooth” while actually zooming. In fact – even after “all that workout” the camera still looks and feels brand-new!
I’m tending to use it in Manual Mode, mostly, now – once used to that, it’s as easy as Shutter Priority, and gives full control. It’s also faster shot-to-shot, as the very slow processor isn’t having to make the “other” settings.
As walk-around, if not using RAW – I use the Canon SX10 – its SuperFine low-compression JPEGs – up to 8-9MB against the Fuji’s “Fine” at under 5MB, are rather better quality. (The HS10′s RAWs are much better again, though.)
From the Specs available, it seems that the HS20 still doesn’t have a high-quality JPEG Save mode. The Reviews will tell more – but from photos, it doesn’t look as if Fuji has revised the twist-zoom setup. Or added Manual Focus and Exposure Control for Video.
People DO nowadays factor-in Video abilities when buying over-$500.00 bridge-zoom cameras. When one can do better hand-held Video – admittedly in 640 x 480 – with MF, and with Exposure Control – with a 3-year-old SX10 – yes, in H264/MOV, too, Fuji’s missing a few points.
Sure, the HS10′s Std HD – the 1280 x 720 – is good. Even zoomable on a tripod. But waaaay-behind current tech – say, Canon SX30 or Panasonic FZ100. And the Audio isn’t too good, either.
However – what I’m doing is using the SX10 to record Audio – it has a Sound Recording Panel, and records Stereo at 11/22/44kHz, with wind filter, for up to 2 hours. Get the background sounds, speech, so on, and edit-in later.
The lack of “sticky” for the Fast Continuous in the HS10 becomes more infuriating the more you use it…. Look at the last image or continuous set – go back to Shooting mode – Reselect Continuous – press Right-Arrow – press Down-Arrow to get 7 or 5 fps – and back to where you were……
I use Manual Mode and Continuous, a lot – with AF and MF, hand-held and tripod. Along with the Video problems – that, if unfixed, would can the HS20 for me. Also it has “lost” the very useful 120fps high-speed 640 x 480 – now down to 80fps… And if they really mean that “best” Fast Continuous only works at 8Mpix / half-resolution – well, I already have a Fuji that does that – the S2000HD. On a 2011 release $500.00+ camera – ummm, somebody tell me they’re just teasing…
As for the 16Mpix on the tiny sensor – that’s confusing folk on at least one well-known forum… They’re saying it’s quite okay, because the HS20 has a “half-inch” sensor… So “plenty of space for more receptors”. Hooey!
The 1/2.0″ HS20 sensor is less than 1mm bigger along the sides than the HS10′s 1/2.3″ sensor. Sizes noted in previous post.
The receptor / pixel density goes up to 52mp/cm2, against 36mp/cm2 in the HS10. So, smaller receptors much more densely packed. Might be de-noisable as RAWs – but what about the Fine only quality JPEGs? I do hope Fuji has some “magics” in the new multi-processor setup!
Moose – The Pre-Production HS20 will indeed be a most fascinating device… 16Mpix on a 6.4mm x 4.8mm sensor is going to take quite a bit of “processing” to sort-out. Will do – what? – to the “improved” shot-to-shot time. And to saving sets of JPEGs and RAWs from Continuous – or is the half-resolution 8Mpix intended to compensate for that… And – RAWs at 8Mpix…? I’m “Hyper-Tuned” like an antenna, for the “real news” on all of that…!
Norman – In my case I just about only use the (5-level adjustable – very good, that!) built-in flash for daytime fill-flash. There are shoe-mountable non-Fuji flashes that work with the HS10 – but one must be very careful re the voltage, or they can ruin the camera.
Dave.
I have had my HS10 for a little over a month now and we’re getting on like a house on fire :) Usually use it in fully manual mode and everything seems peachy. Just one thing im hoping Fuji will fix soon is the time it takes to process long exposures, i believe it is to do with buffer being full but hopefully they can find a way to speed this up. Would still love a remote shutter release and again i hope this will come in a future update.
Tom, great shots!
Norman
Thanks Tom, impressive shots, love the detail in the cockpit shot.
A good advert for the camera!
Howdy Fuji HS10 friends! Just wanted to give everyone an update as to what I’ve been up to lately. I’ve been busy with the holidays and doing some behind the scenes stuff here at Camera Tips.
I just wanted to personally thank David Doak for taking the time to answer everyone’s questions here on the Fuji HS10 forum. David, if you get this message contact me at moose@cameratips(dot)com …I’d like to reward you with an Amazon gift card.
As for 2011, many of you know that Fuji has released the HS20. Regardless of this announcement, this resource will always be here for those who own and love the HS10.
I’ve got more tips and tutorials on the way, so stay tuned!
- Moose
Moose – That’s most generous indeed, and thank-you!
However, any “rewards” I was expecting were in the line of “swap” hints and tips for using my HS10…. And the others have been quite helpful at that, so thanks to them, too.
Dave.
Sir Moose and Sir David,
A prosperous and peaceful new year to the two of you and the others! Just got hold of an HS10 as a gift from my wife! read a lot of reviews still ended on HS10 i guess i did follow where my heart is, lol!. Here in the Philippines photography is dominated with NIKON and CANON and some friends who knows photography are quite hesitant to share some tips, i am completely new to photography, if only there is a book “HS10 for Dummies” i would get one for sure. Thus, all of those numbers and letters that i see in my screen is a complete “Huh, errrr, what!?” for me, read a lot from here, learned the ISO and Aperture but still i am confused (pardon my ignorance) looking at some pictures posted at flckr.com and reading its exif’s and reviews i always see some “1/xxxxxx” or something for exposure, and i understood that f/number is the aperture, but f/number in HS10 and next to it, i only see 1.3″,1.5″, 2″,2.5″ and so on, i am thinking this is the shutter speed, but on some reference i see “1/numbers” and not like what we have in our HS10 screen, how would i know the similarity and difference? are there some mathematical computation that i need to consider to set it best? please a little shed of light would mean the whole world to me! Thank you and Mabuhay!
Peter – From your questions, I’m guessing that you’re coming from a more midrange camera mostly used on Auto, so at first a much more adjustable camera can be just a bit confusing.
But – with such a generous wife – you’ll be keen on getting some images to show her. You can’t just leap in and know everything instantly, so by taking things gradually, you’ll soon get the idea of making adjustments and “telling the camera what to do”.
The HS10 isn’t at all at its best using Auto, so use Program – where the camera still does most of the settings, but you do have some control. You can set up Program so it’s “semi-automatic” but within a range suited to snapshots outdoors or well-lit indoors.
Put the camera in front of you on a table, and turn it on. Switch the Mode Dial – the large labelled one on the right, to P-Program. Tilt the LCD out so you can see it clearly.
There are 5 small buttons down the left side. Press and hold the top one, ISO. Now turn the Command Dial until on the displayed bar, until you’ve selected “Auto 800″. That puts the camera in an ISO range where it can choose from ISO 100 to 800, and won’t go too high for general use. Release the button and it will hold that setting.
Leave the next 3 buttons down at factory setting. The bottom one, White Balance, hold in, and for present purposes, set that to Auto.
The camera will now select Aperture, Shutter, and White Balance settings for you, and won’t “run away” on ISO settings as it can do in Auto.
With a smaller and lighter camera, you might have been used to using the LCD only. Trying to hold the HS10 out in front of you and keep it steady, particularly when using the zoom, is quite awkward. Use the Viewfinder. Turn the EVF/LCD “Auto-Switcher” Off, before it really annoys you. That’s third down on Page 3 of the Setup Menu.
You’ll now be able to take general-purpose snapshots. When you use the Shutter button, wait until the camera Beeps at half-down to focus, before you continue down to take the shot.
You’ll want to learn about doing other settings, but first find out how cameras actually use Light. There’s a relationship between ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed, that’s often called the “Light Triangle”.
You can find out about that on many sites, by Googling “Digital Camera Tutorials”. But a site that does this one clearly and well, is “Cambridge in Colour”. Get that site up. Two thirds down the page, it lists, with a blue triangle icon, “Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed”.
That’s a good place to start, but there are many, many others.
A very good book to buy, is Bryan Peterson’s “Understanding Exposure”. The Third Edition is just out late last year, revised to apply to digital cameras.
Dave.
Sir David, thank you so much for the insight, ill take it one step at a time, slowly but surely! and as i go one with photography, your wisdom will always be taken in consideration, a million thanks to you sir!
Recently, I purchased a Canon SX30is 35X1 digital zoom camera. Although I really like my HS10 there were several shortcomings that I needed to address. The one issue that I had to live with on the HS10 was the energy consumption. If a lithium-ion battery had been used it would have been far more paletable. The other issue was the manual zoom. Previously I had (and still use) a Panasonic Lumix Z18 with an 18X1 power zoom. I really liked the power zoom feature and the Canon SX30is offered the 35X1 power zoom and a longer life lithium-ion rechargeable no memory battery. It is also a bit smaller which to me is helpful when traveling out of the country. One of my other reasons is that I love cameras and my wife offered to get me this for Xmas. I will post subsequently how I like the SX30is after I use it more. To reiterate, I like the HS10 and will continue to use it as the camera has produced very satisfactory images. One cannot even imagine the battery life if it had a power zoom.
Norman
Looking forward to your opinions on the Canon, Norman.
Oh, and PS, do you do bird photos? I’d be interested to see what sort of detail you can get as its a recent favourite subject of mine.
Norman – I have a Canon SX10 – it gets 550-600 still images on 1 set of 4 x AA Eneloops. A friend has an SX20 – which does 500-550 stills on a set of Eneloops.
The SX30 with power-pack does 370-400 shots with/without LCD use. This is “longer life”….? A spare Canon power-pack is about $70.00. For that, you could have 3 more sets of Eneloops, at least.
And when the power-pack and your 1 or 2 $70.00 spares run out of power – what then? With AAs, you can buy a “keep-you-going” set of AA-Alkalines nearly anywhere….
With Pentax’s new K-R DSLR (the K-M and K-X before it used 4 x AAs) – they were about to replace the AAs with an expensive, not-many-shots, “Unobtanium” power-pack to pander to the few Semi-Pro users who’d buy an entry-level Pentax.
The protest from the hobby and family level users was immediate. Including my opinion. So the K-R does come with a VERY expensive power-pack (I’m quoted $140.00+ for a “spare” by my regular shop) – but, there’s also a frame that can replace the power-pack, and holds 4 x AAs – which is rather more shots per set – and $22.00 a set – not $140.00 for a spare power-pack.
I wonder how many sales the power-pack only SX30 has cost Canon? They could at least have had either as options… The area available for a battery-bay is the same as the SX10 and SX20.
The SX30 severely beats the HS10 on Video control and settings. From there on, with 1.3fps fastest Continuous, no RAW, much poorer low-light / high-ISO abilities, and the much slower power-zoom for stills, so on, the HS10 is well ahead… Oh – and it also uses AAs…
Which leads to your other comment – low battery life in the HS10. I’m getting about 450 stills (no flash or video) – from Sanyo Eneloops.
Use Eneloops, and about every third charge cycle, Fully Discharge them using that function in the camera. Turn off the 3 HS10 “power-chewers” – the Auto-EVF/LCD device, the 1.5/3.0 second Review Function, and “High Speed” Shooting, if that’s on.
If you did need “High Speed” on – it’s automatically with “Sports” – which you can preset on one of the two Scenes Mode settings.
If you need the HS10 to operate fairly quickly – use Manual, where the processor isn’t “finding and setting” one or more other functions – Shutter or Aperture in the Priority Modes, both in Program – and if you use Auto on the HS10 – you have the wrong camera.
In any Mode – Manual Focus is fast and accurate, if it’s used properly.
My “carry” mode with the camera turned off, is:
Shutter Priority
EVF
Metering – Spot
AF Mode -Centre
Focus – Single AF (past 2/3 zoom, switch to MF to avoid “hunting”)
ISO – 200
IS – Shoot Only
Dynamic Range – Off (that is, at 100, doesn’t operate at ISO 200)
At that, the camera turns on and is ready by the time you lift it to your eye. Rolling right thumb across the back of the Command Dial rapidly adjusts Shutter Speed – being in ISO 200 (almost no more noise than ISO 100) – allows quickly getting a speed above 1/125th for a quick shot at a moving object.
Once you have a shot – further adjust from there.
Set up that way – you should get 3 shots in 5 seconds. Not quite as quick as a Canon SX10 – and well behind a DSLR – but not too slack….
Dave.
Paul, I had several field trips planned with my camera club and two of those involved some birding. My wife had emergency surgery Xmas eve and was hospitalized for 11 days. As a result, I cancelled the field trips and will be taking photos of our cat, Jezebel for now.
David, to address the Canon battery costs, I purchased two LN-7 lithium-ion batteries (1500 AH) and a universal charger (100-220 volt + a 12 volt) for the grand price of $15.49 on eBay including shipping. That’s actually less than the Sanyo Eneloops. The AA batteries I have used have petered out on me and although I carry 4 rechargeable and 4-8 alkiline spares, I was still saddled with changing the 4 individual batteries while holding and shifting my bag and other parcels about. Also, the prices for alkaline batteries in Istanbul and Spain were exhorbitant. I am reasonably certain that if you knew other resources that you could buy them much cheaper, but I was relegated to paying “tourist” prices. Also David, I am not disatisfied with the HS10 but for my particular purposes and the fact that I have been happy with most any camera I have owned and remember the part where: “I love cameras” comes into play.
Thank you everyone for your input.
Norman
Norman, sorry to hear about your wife, I hope things are OK now.
Jezebel must be wondering why she’s so popular!
has anyone else noticed an ‘unresponsive script’ error warning on this page ? It would appear to be related to loading the avatar images. It has been completely locking up my PC for several days now and I have to switch the pc off to release everything .
I would imagine that with an avatar image on every single post there must be several hundred avatar images trying to load at once on this single page ?
I’m sorry to say that from being completely enthusiastic about the Fuji HS10 2x months ago I have now become completly exasperated and frustrated with it.
I cannot seem to get any decent feather and edge detail with it no matter what mode and settings whilst my old S5600 soldiers on taking excellent quality images with fine detail that knocks the socks off of the sorry HS10.
This morning I set the mode to A and set the ISO to 200 turned off all the other unneeded stuff as suggested by David and others and turned the camera off ready for some shots out of my bathroom window later on.
When i turned the camera on it defaults to LCD so you immediately have to manually switch to viewfinder therby wasting valuable seconds. I noted it was taking over half a second to action the shutter at each shot and sometimes more than 2x second between shots.
Sometimes the shutter simply locked up for 2-3 seconds and I assume the camera was struggling to process the previous image ?
I could actually hear the shutter slowly whirring and clunking quite loudly , enough to make the camera vibrate anyway ???
I noticed that ISO had reset itself back to 100 wtf? so i reset it to 200 the f setting was F6.4 and picture quality set at L F . Still no better. I tried auto as a comparison and the speed was no better.
What an awful camera . it promises so much yet it simply doesn’t deliver. I have no idea how others manage to get such fine detail with their shots unless it is the difference between available light between the UK and other parts of the world.
Sorry for the long tale of woe but I really am coming to the point of selling this thing at a huge loss after just 3 months use and reusing my S5600. At least I can count on good image detail and it is certainly quicker to take an image.
I’d be happy to upload images to photobucket or wherever with the exif data if anyone thinks they can spot what I’m doing wrong.
Nick, while I have had no issues other than the heavy battery usage (seems predominant in any camera using AA type batteries), I have defeated the automatic switching between LCD and optical, but hadn’t noticed if it defaults to the LCD. I am constantly switching using the display button.
Any images have been more than satisfactory in regular as well as macro modes. I would prefer a power zoom but then I would have to hire a “Battery Bearer” similar to a gun bearer on safari.
I would suggest that you document the problems and contact Fuji to send the unit back for testing in the event that there is a mechanical/electrical problem.
Norman
Nick – Turn the EVF/LCD “Auto-Changer” Off – that thing has a – somewhat demented – “mind of its own…”
Use the button to the right of the EVF to switch to EVF. You can now change between Modes retaining EVF only. Or turn the camera off, in say Aperture Priority – and when turned back on it will be in EVF.
My walk-around setup with camera off, is Shutter Priority and EVF when turned on.
With the “self-changing” ISO – mine didn’t do that from new. Then, about 3-weeks back – it began to…. I couldn’t work it out – until reading the Quaint Tome that passes for a Manual for something else – came across the “ISO Auto-Ranges”. Only accessed to set – or un-set – in Program…
Went to Program – and yep – it was in Auto-400… My godson, 16, had been fiddling with it over Christmas when they were visiting here. Switched out of the Auto-400 mode – and from then on, the “manual” ISO sticks, even with the camera turnd on-off, as it used to.
Note that IF you set Auto-400, Auto-800, etc, in Program, then switch to Aperture/Shutter/Manual Modes – then press the ISO button – the Auto-400, etc, setting isn’t visible. You can think you’re changing through the 100-6400 ISO range manually. Click back to Program – press ISO button – and it then shows the Auto Range.
That slow or lockup shutter and strangled whirring, I’ve had when I used a set of cheap Alkaline AAs as backup. After about 100 shots, that happened. I had my SX10 along with a set of 4 freshly charged Eneloops in it – and switched the sets between cameras. The HS10 hiccups ceased.
Seems the HS10 is quite sensitive to retained charge output in batteries. I get 400-450 shots with Eneloops (no flash or video) – and change sets the first chance I get after the low battery warning comes on. About every third cycle, I do a Full Discharge with the camera, before charging, with each set.
You mentioned “Fuji HS10 2x” in the first line of your post above – I hope you’re not trying to get “fine definition and feather detail” using the 2x digital zoom. That gets “usable images” – but you can’t expect it to get fine details with a processor interpolated image.
In the outer part of the optical zoom – say, above 25x – the HS10 is very sensitive to shake and vibration.
I had a heavy tripod I was given, an older sort, not the carry-around weight or dimensions…. So I bought a Slik F740 – $55.00 – light, and folds down to about 40cm / 16″. Fits neatly in my small light rucksack with the 2 cameras and a snack…
Fully extended it’s quite stable for medium cameras – not a DSLR with a huge lens, though. What you can do with it – just on unextended legs, is use it on a table – or when out, and not wanting to alarm the wildlife – set it on the ground like that, and you can sit down with legs around it – not looking too obvious in the bushes-etc.
Take a no-nonsense tone with the HS10 – Tell It What To Do! On tripod – use Manual Mode, and Manual Focus where needed – it the AF is “hunting” at or near max-zoom. The MF is quick and accurate when used properly.
With a wee-birdie flitting about in a tree – there isn’t much time to use the 2-second Timer – but use that when you can.
I run image settings at Colour = Mid, Tone = Hard, Sharpness = Hard. You can try the “Chrome” setting – at times the colours are “nice” – others, rather “in-yer-face”.
Using a Polariser helps with colour, glare, relections, etc.
The HS10 is a Camera Education and Training Course all by itself…. But if you can coincide where you have your act together – with when the camera also does – it’s a lot of fun….
And the HS20 – with 16Mpix on a sensor not 1mm larger than the HS10′s 10Mpix one – should be quite another Education Course to a new generation of Fuji HS-ers…
Dave.
thank you Dave. Once again you have resolved the problems that I have had and given me some renewed enthusiasm.
At the moment I have all sorts of beautiful birds in my garden that I’ve never seen previously and despite 100′s of shots I cannot seem to get one decent image.I realise that the available natural light is very low in my location but Its terribly frustrating none the less.
I am not spending a fraction of the time I should experimenting with the camera and settings so o only have myself to blame.
I have reset the EVF as you explained and it is now default on switch on. Yes the batteries were very low so that explains that. It also might explain the poor images too.
ISO seems to have stayed at 200 so that is ok .
No I haven’t used the 2x digital setting yet and until the light improves dramatically I won’t be experimenting with a 1.7 TC either .
I will go through the camera settings as detailed in your post above and check everything.
Re tripod I have tried a lightweight cheap one as you suggested on the bathroom window cill but the yellow shake icon is still visible at all zoom settings and I notice that however carefully I use the shutter release the whole camera moves slightly on the tripod head. I shall have to get a nice heavy tabletop version from fleabay.
I will try to take some pictures at different settings to assess what differences the settings make to the image. I am definitely going to book a basic photography course in the spring.
Thank you once again for all your advice and especially for all the time that you have so generously given to helping us
Nick
Nick – To avoid even that slight “shutter full down” camera movement – use the Timer. Just 3 quick ‘snicks’ on the pad’s down-arrow gets the 2-second one.
On a tripod, with “everything ready”, set the 2-second Timer, focus, then shutter full-down, then “hands-clear”. Depending on the tripod, if that still doesn’t let any tripod-vibes settle – use the 10-second option.
Hand-held, that’s also useful over a rest, or camera to face, particularly at high zoom – ready the shot, get your stance and breathing right – set the 2-second Timer, focus, then full-down – and the Timer lets you hold-brerath and stance – and fires the shot without changing grip on the camera, or shifting the camera with the “shutter full down” hand/finger movement.
Try that – and you’ll find using the Timer becomes a habit with the higher-zoom, essential to hold-steady, shots.
When doing a tricky-movements target shot – say, a bird flittering around on a branch – the movements are too fast to use the Timer and get the “right” shot.
What can work well is to use Continuous – at 7 or 5fps (5fps is fastest with RAW and RAW+JPEG.)
But even at 7fps (use Shutter priority or Manual, and keep the Shutter speed up – 1/125th or faster) –
At 7fps that spreads the duration to a second (if you do a full JPEG set) – and at 5fps a bit more. If your breathing/stance is good – just the first 1 or 2 frames need suffer from “full shutter press-down”, if any – frames from 3 or 4 on, will be similar to having used the Timer.
Dave.
thank you David. Sorry for the delay but I didn’t see your reply. I’ll print it out and digest tonight whilst her-indoors watches ….Emmerdale……….. sigh…
Moose – Well, here we go with the HS20…. Did Fuji listen to comments about the HS10 on this or other Forums?
Seems not – they’ve used the same lens-assembly as the HS10 – so the sticky-abrupt twist-zoom will still be a no-no for Video. Does the Video now have Exposure/Brightness control? Or Manual Focus? Seems not. And a Video Mode on the Mode-Dial – with direct access from that to the Video Menus? And Stop-Start Video from the Shutter Button – with the Mode-Dial in Video Mode…? There’s a shorter “delay” when starting Video-ing?
Does the 2x integrated digital zoom now have selectable 1.4x and 2x, or similar, TC modes? Does the digital zoom now work with RAW?
The HS20 now has a fractionally bigger sensor – 1/2″ over the HS10′s 1/2.3″ – that is:
HS10 – 10Mpix on a 1/2.3″ – 6.16 x 4.62mm sensor.
HS20 – 16Mpix on a 1/2″ – 6.4 x 4.8mm sensor.
Which certainly isn’t a 60% larger sensor area.
The SXxx Canons progressively put more Mpix on their 1/2.3″ sensor – SX10 10Mpix, SX20 12Mpix, SX30 14Mpix. With each step noise increased – and low-light / high-ISO ability decreased.
So, what does jamming 16Mpix (I thought at first, when I saw that at another place, that it was a joke, ridiculing Fuji) – onto an asprin-sized sensor do to the HS10′s excellent low-light / high-ISO abilities?
16Mpix is more than most entry/mid level DSLRs have on crop-body sensors, 12+ times the size of 1/2″….
Has Fuji added a MUCH faster processor to the HS20 – to allow for speeding-up the HS10′s time between shots, and for saving 60% more pixels?
The HS20 Video apparently offers 1920 x 1080 at 30fps, and the more editable/usable (for average Home PCs) – 1280 x 720 at 60fps… Does that have a 30fps option? Std HD at 60fps gives very large file-sizes – and can need an on-PC step-down to 30fps anyway. Adds a stage when editing – or converting to MPEG2 for DVDs, etc.
Maybe Firmware Updates 1.02, 1.03, 1.04…., etc, will answer the HS10 problems that the release-version “new model” doesn’t.
If not – as in the case of Canon’s SX10/SX20 – the earlier version – HS10 in this case – might actually be the better camera – better still-image performance – and sad lack of video-functions unchanged, against the newer model…
I do think the Reviews on the HS20 will be “interesting”….
Dave.
I’m curious to see if the EXR technology will make a significant improvement in image quality.
I just experienced a little “gotcha” with a V1.04 upgrade to my HS 10. My camera store sold me a Promaster image card – which stores lots of images but doesn’t allow the firmware file to download to the camera! A helpful Fuji tech rep informed me that only Fuji or Sandisk cards would work (up to 32GB). My camera came with V1.00 and experienced some of the issues described with the release. Hopefully, I will be a happier owner but am a bit leery.
I’m now trying to find a lens shade (Fuji # FZ 06312-100) which is no longer available in the US (UK Fuji website has it!).
Hello Norman,
Thanks much for the information! I just finished ordering the part.
Hi Jim, I hate to say it but i think the Fuji rep is scare mongering, I have upgraded firmware 3 times with the HS10 using a variety of SD cards in size and budget, The last upgrade was to V1.04 using a budget card from Woolworths at A$8.00, no problem! But I have always reformatted the cards in camera first, before downloading the upgrade onto the card and updating the firmware. I hope this helps.
I dont care what the time says on top of my post In OZ its now 01/01/2011 and 38 deg C. and I cant sleep!! Happy New Year
Hello John,
I followed the upgrade instructions to the letter – formatted the card earlier before placing it in the reader. Perhaps you had better luck than me with that “Woolworth’s special”! All I know is that the Promaster didn’t function, but the SAndisk recommended by the Fuji rep did! Well, in electronics school they sometimes called that sort of thing FM – Freaking Magic!
Also you may want to check out Goodwill’s Auction site for lenses, camera accessories and cameras. The only thing with them is all items are sold as is so prewarn if you buy camera they may have tested it and they may not have tested it. They usually mention in the notes section about an item if they were able to test it or not.
What photo software does anyone recommend? Thanks! :)
If you looking for a way to organize photos you might want to try Picasa. I just started using it myself and was impressed. It has a facial regognition feature where after you identify a person in one photo it will find them in all photos in your library. You can also crop, fix red eye, etc plus a lot of other features I haven’t tried yet.
yes Picassa is excelent. Its a free download from Google . When you first open the program it searches your hard drive and attaches a tag to every image then generates a thumnail image in a gallery of folders automatically.
When you upload new images it can be set to upload to a dated daily folder or create a new folder etc.
The editing features are extremly simple and straightforward yet quite powerful and effective.
Its so easy to scroll through your gallery of thumbnails of all your images for easy location especially if you have over 1000 on your drive some of which are 4Mb + in size .
Thank you!! i believe I have this on my computer already, I’ll have to check it out! Thanks again for your help!
And for those that have a Roku box to use with Netflix, there is now a very easy to use Picasa app to let you view your photos that you uploaded to Picasa. Free of charge and real easy to set up and use.
I had taken some cool 16 X 9 fall photos with the HS10 and they look great on the 32″ HD TV.
thats an excellent suggestion Joe. I’ve not really properly explored picassa yet as I tend to use the Corel suite .
If you have a modern LCD TV most of them now come with a PC imput so that you can use your TV as a computer/laptop monitor. Mine has a PIP (picture in picture mode ?) which means you can watch the TV in the background whilst simultaneously using the computer on a resizable portion of your TV screen
Sorry thats not a very clear description but my images look pretty impressive at 37″ !
Some TV’s also have an USB imput for memory stick etc
Hi Susan.
If Picasa dose not do what you need there is a photo editor out there called Sagelight. It is very powerful and easy to use(just sliders and buttons). I use it in preference to any other program, It does a brilliant job and its cheap!! I have no connection with the program or developer, I just like it(I live 10,000 kilometres away in Australia).
Its now 01/01/2011 in Australia so happy new year every one !!
John Milligan
If you have a bit of experience check out open source program strangly called GIMP (gimp.org). It’s free and does some very cool stuff. Makes you think a bit too much for the download but when you figure it out, it’s easy.
Hi Moose,
I have had my HS10 now for a few weeks and I am struggling to take pictures that don’t end up blurry. I previously had another Fuji (also with 10mp) and I would get awesome photos of my daughter who is now 11 months. However now with the new camera, whether it is on Sports Mode or Party mode or Portrait mode, the majority are blurry or fuzzy. I have just changed the AF to be locked continuously but after experimenting, pictures are still blurry.
My daughter moves fast but even on the sports mode I’m not getting clear pictures.
Please may you pass me on some tips as to what I’m doing wrong?!
Thanks!
Back again…
Since taking some continuous shots this afternoon, the camera now at times, will not turn off & “freezes” after viewing the photos. It will not even go back so I can take photos.
I can only unfreeze it by releasing the battery door & then closing it & turning the camera back on…
Any reason why it is doing this?
Thanks
So when it freezes is the photo image still on the LCD but you can’t exit playback mode or do anything else by pressing buttons or turning the command dial? If so then I would return for warranty repair or replacement.
Hello Pia,
I experienced the camera lockup you described. While reviewing a series of shots made in continuous frame mode (a tiny thumbnail of motion appears on one corner of the screen), the “Disp Back” button had been quickly pushed to cycle between different modes), the camera froze and wouldn’t turn off. I also had to open the battery door. This appears to be an inherent software bug in this camera. Frames in a motion sequence can be viewed individually by pushing the down side of the navigation button. I now tend to push the “Disp Back” button a little slower! You might want to check the rev level of your camera software (hold down the “Disp Back” button while turning on the camera). The latest rev is 1.04. Read my comment about an earlier problem with software downloads. Hope this helps. Otherwise – nice camera.
Kevin – yes, that is correct, the image is still on the screen. I will try what Jim S suggested and press the button a little slower and see how that works.
Jim S – thank you, I just checked and my camera has the 1.04 rev so I’m guessing that it is up to date as that is the latest. I have a 2g SD card which I think is working well. I live in Aust and the sales lady did not suggest Promaster Image card.
I have also noticed that not half pressing the shutter to focus is really helpful in getting clearer photos. I’ve found if I quickly press the button the photos come out very clearly.
Thanks for your answers Keven and Jim S. :) Greatly appreciated!
Moose,
Hi..Am new here and have had my Fuji HS 10 for a few months now. Iv been trying to capture some bird shots while the birds are in motion, but the camera seems a bit slow and by the time iv taken a shot, iv to wait to tak the next. Any suggestions or tips as to how to take em??
This is one of the downsides of the HS10 but there is two things you can do and one is as soon as you have taken a picture half press the shutter button and it will clear the self view of the picture off quicker so you can proceed to your next picture. Second is to have it save to JPG not RAW or RAW+JPG when you need to quickly take your next shot.
Just dawned on me as well try the multi capture feature when taking action shots and see how that does. I too am new to the HS10 and I am still learning all the settings and the like.
Hope this is of some help.
As Alongside said the long shot to shot time is one of the disadvantages to this camera. Some other things worth trying:
- Enabling high speed shooting (if your subject is not too close) should reduce focusing time.
- Try best frame capture continuous mode to take 7 quick shots. The downside is you’ll need to wait ~13 seconds to take your next shot.
- I’ve heard from others that using tracking mode focus is faster than the other modes but I have not done enough testing to verify.
Thanks Alongside & kevin for your inputs, will try these tips and let ul know how it goes.. Cheers!!
Percy – The HS10 has a slow processor, at 5MB/sec. So the more things you can turn off, the less time between shots.
Turn off the 1.5/3.0 sec “Review”. Turn off the useless and annoying EVF/LCD “Auto-Switch”. Turn off Face Recognition, and anything else you’re not “actually using” at the time.
Use the best AA-rechargeables available – Eneloops are as good as you can get. If not available – Lithiums, if expensive, are better than Alkalines.
Using “other than” Auto or Program, which run several automatic functions, you should get about 3 shots in 5-seconds. Manual is slightly faster than Aperture or Shutter Priority.
However, for fast-moving animals and birds, use Shutter Priority rather than Manual to start with.
Put the IS on “2″ – Shoot Only. Metering (Photometry) on “Spot”, Focus, on “Single AF”, AF-Mode on Centre.
That will put your Focus and Metering “on” the animal or bird – not what’s around or behind it. If you “pan” with the target, go first pressure on Shutter as you pan, keep following, Shoot – and follow-through, to “freeze” the target.
Although shutter speed doesn’t have to be high when panning a solid object, say, a car – if the target has moving legs or flapping wings – the shutter speed has to be high enough to freeze that motion. You’ll need 1/250th or higher.
With the HS10 ISO noise is very low for a P&S – to get shutter speed up, ISO 200 has almost no more noise than 100, and 400 not much worse. ISO 800 will be quite okay, and still show good detail – whiskers, feathers, etc – if you’re not going to 100% crop or show the JPEG image at 100% resolution.
You can still get very clean images at ISO 800 and 160 – and very “usables” at ISO 3200 – if you shoot RAW, and “go-gently” with Noise Reduction in Processing. Applying very small amounts more than once – and mag-up the image in between, looking at the dark and shade areas. That’s far better than applying what might seem a “moderate” amount of NR in one go, then finding that you’re killing the detail and sharpness.
While Continuous Shooting can be very good for moving targets, its controls aren’t implemented well in the HS10, as others have mentioned. With Review turned off to speed up time between shots, you’ll want to look at your last Continuous burst, sometimes.
However, the “Continuous” isn’t a “sticky” setting – pressing the “>” button (bottom right, back, to see last results) – Cancels Continuous. To get back to “where you were” – you must press and hold a button, turn the Command Dial to select Continuous, then use the 4-way pad to get to select-speed, and up-down to select, say, 7fps…
With the HS20 – I do hope Fuji makes Continuous a “sticky” – or, has a programmable “spare” button, that can be set to “Return to last Deselected Setting”.
That could go with a much uprated Processor – a less “sudden” twist-zoom (making zooming videos possible), and RAW working with the 2x Digital Zoom…
Dave.
Thanks a ton Dave..Il try these out and will check the results!
I was looking for a good quality camera neck strap for a fujifilm hs10
I came across some neck straps on Goodwill’s auction site and they have a nice selection of old and newer cameras, lenses and accessories. Not sure if we can link to sites here so just do a search for Goodwill Auction on Google. Just dawned on me for those that are not in the U.S. I am not sure if they will ship international or not.
We bought our camera june 2010 and have been frustrated. It seems that even in the automatic setting we often get blurred pictures. Is this happening to anyone else?? Also, we haven’t been able to figure out the continous shoot mode. (in the special features…where if someone was jumping you would see the different stages of thier jump)
Hey Holly,
Wendy seemed to have the same problem with the multy motion capture (December 10, 2010 at 1:47 pm)
this is what I replyed.
Let me know if you got any improvment.
I’ve been trying the motion capture option too.
And sometimes it works and sometime it doesn’t.
My opinion is that it doesn’t matter what photo size you choose, if your camera is set on L, this motion capture-setting is automatically set to M.
I think the background is of some importance, especially the upper and lower part of the frame.
I’ve been testing with some objects en also using my hand moving in front of the camera.
And I noticed that if a big part of the upper or lower background is missing, motion capture don’t work properly. (if you use your hand, your arm is covering a big part of the background).
Moving a pencil in front of the camera seems to work fine if the pencil is far enough. (only a small piece of the background is covered)
If an object throws a large shadow over the lower part of the frame the motion capture doesn’t seem to work. The background or foreground in this case is also changing (moving shadow).
The camera seems not having any problem if an object is over de side of the frame (coming in or going out of the picture) or if an object is overlapping.
My conclusion is to get a stable background and foreground, not to zoom in to much. (zooming in = less background)
Best to use a tripod but if you hold the camera very still and the background/foreground is not to close to the camera it is possible to shoot hand held.
my advice
- Stable camera
- Zooming out (moving object significantly smaller than photo frame)
- Nothing overlapping the bottom edge or top edge
perhaps not entirely correct, but the effort to try
Grts
Andy
Hi Holly
you have two questions and although my photographic knowledge is extremly limited I am replying in the interim as someome will no doubt answer you more fully after Christmas.
The blurred pictures you are experiencing sounds like it is not every picture.? If it is just some pictures then it is likely to be a software issue rather than a hardware one. In other words more likey to be the way that you are using the camera and how the camera’s software is processing the image data rather than something wrong with your camera.
Try to identify the common factors when you get less that clear images. Are they taken outside or inside ? With flash or not ? Is it for example when you have the zoom lens fully extended ? or in low light conditions?
With all the snow around at the moment any camera on automatic settings is going to really struggle to adjust the shutter speed and aperture sufficiently to give clear detail to say a bird in the middle of an otherwise predominantly white background.
Try focusing on something large at the same distance first by holding the button down halfway. Then move the camera until you have the subject, foreground and background etc that you want before pressing the shutter button fully down to take the picture.
Try taking pictures using a tripod or brace yourself against a solid object like a tree or door frame to steady the camera. Do you see a little yellow camera in the viewfinder ,indicating camera shake?
Re continuous shooting mode . I’ve not used this feature yet myself but I do recall this question being answered comprehensively a couple of weeks ago. if you look back through previous posts you should find the thread. In brief as I understand it you need to take a picture of something that is moving fast enough to produce several seperate images and all of the action must take place within the initial picture frame of the first image.
Try taking a picture of someone sitting in a chair waving something very quickly around their head for example so that you can guage the speed of the shutter between images. It may be that the subject isn’t moving fast enough for the shutter or that the camera is being moved whilst following a moving subject and the shutter is opening whilst the action is out of the frame.
I hope that this is helpful
Apologies to everyone for the crude explanation but I wanted Holly to have some sort of response before everyone came back after the New year.
Nick – It seems that with some “usual camera” functions – plus a lot of “gimmicks” – that Fuji has in the HS10, that they can get mixed-up as the “Manual” explanations often aren’t too clear at all.
The “several target images in one frame image” – is actually “Motion Capture”. This was discussed at length earlier, as you correctly recall. It’s back in the “Older Comments” page, now.
Continuus Shooting, however, is no gimmick – until recently, “fast” Continuous was usually a DSLR thing.
For a P&S, the HS10 has very, very fast Continuous – the “10fps” – actually tested by some Review Labs at 13.2fps+ – is actually faster, at full-frame – than most DSLRs! In fact, unless taking freeze-frames-continuous of extremely fast motion, it’s too fast for most purposes. Yes – on a tripod, with very far zoom shots – it “can” zap-off a burst of 7 JPEGs in about a half-second – with some in better focus than others.
However, in more usual shooting, 7fps or 5fps can be more practical – and controllable with the Shutter button. Use both with JPEGs – then you’ll be more used to the RAW max continuous of 5fps, when using RAW.
While the 10/13fps 7-shots JPEG zzzap-off nearly instantly – at 7fps you can control the number of shots used – say, 3 or 4 – if that “covers” the duration you need for an action.
Have somebody toss a ball to a dog – to get a shot of him catching it in his mouth. The actual “event” doesn’t last a whole second. So you’re “covering” an event that lasts under half a second.
You have the dog’s head framed – and shutter half-down to be in focus. As his mouth opens – Shoot – and 3-4 frames will cover the catch-event – and you’ll be back at Shoot-ready faster than if you’d used all 7 frames.
But with the dog – or fast-moving small kid! – playing on the lawn – zoom back a bit – leave space in the frame around the moving target, try 7fps – or 5fps – and focus – then Shoot and keep the target centred.
The target will move a bit relative to the “centre” of the frame. That’s why you leave some space – with 10Mpix you can crop the image a bit, and still have a good result.
Note that Continuous Shooting uses the frame-size set – if that’s L-3648 x 2736 at JPEG-Fine – that’s what it uses, unlike the Motion Capture function.
While some cameras (like my old Fuji S2000HD) need to use a smaller image for Continuous Burst – 5Mpix with the otherwise 10Mpix S2000) – the HS10 has to be able to do its 5fps/3fps with RAW – which might explain the very fast Continuous at full-10Mpix with the JPEGs…
You can also use Continuous with the Timer – perhaps for a tripod picture or portrait of a younger kid. Even when “being good” and trying to hold still – they aren’t as “still” as adults. For best printable “keepers” you might use RAW + JPEG – from the JPEGs, you can pick which RAWs are best to process.
Get the camera at about the kid’s eye-level – raise the kid onto a chair or settee – or lower the tripod legs. Focus on the eyes, usually. Use 5fps with RAW + JPEG. Set the 2-second timer. Focus – press Shutter button full-down – then hands clear of the camera.
Whatever moves then, will be the kid’s head or expression – not your grip on the camera – or any slight movement when pressing the Shutter button full-down.
Dave.
thank you Dave for rescuing me and for your detailed response. We are very fortunate to have your prodigeous imput on here. Maybe you should think about producing a mini Ebook guide ? ‘How to set up your HS10 ‘ sort of thing.
I have copy/pasted all your replies into a Word doc for editing. In no time I have built up a very useful instant reference guide . I have selected ‘A’ mode and adjusted the settings as you suggested and now all I need is some decent light to try it out. !
Nick
Thanks for everyone’s help. My DH and I our newbie’s to this kind of a camera. We have always had a point and shoot. (with basic buttons) This site is great and I am hoping to learn a lot more. Thanks again.
I looked through the manual and could not find the lcd monitor proportions. It breifly mentions 3.0 inches but does not give the ratio of width to hieght. This is easy to measure but my camera is not with me and I want to take an opportunity to get a photo optics glass monitor protection screen for a couple bucks.
The lcd monitor needs to be 3.0 inches with a 3:2 ratio for the generic screen to fit.
Thanks.
I just measured it at about 2.75″ x 2″.
Hi George
The active part of the screen measures 76 mm (3 inches) diagonally.
Width is 61 mm (2.402 inches).
Height is 46 mm (1.811 inches).
Giving you an aspect ratio of 4:3.
Basically as Kevin C says below.
You may want to get a screen protector that covers the entire glass area of the screen (including the inactive border), in which case the dimensions are:
Width: 70 mm (2.756 inches)
Height 52 mm (2.047)
Still roughly 4:3.
Sizes above measured with a ruler in mm’s & therefore approximate.
Alongside
Thanks to you as well, I don’t think I will be a “video fanatic” but as you say it is a worthwhile feature to have however there is plenty to go at with this HS10 over Xmas and the new year
Mally
David
Thanks for your reply on 18th re jumpy video playback—Did as you suggested and went down to 640 setting before getting smooth playback on my rather ancient laptop (2006 vintage). Now you have pointed me the right way will carry on experimenting. Does prove that camera is not at fault which was the main concern. Will let you know how I get on. The Z5 by the way was my trusty Fuji compact
Mally
Moose and Troops, I have encountered a slight dilema. I wish to upgrade the firmware on my HS10 to the latest version. However, I left the disc in New Jersey and I am now in Florida until May. The disc is loaded onto my laptop in NJ, but not on my desk-top here. Any thoughts? I cannot do further upgrades (I am on 101) without installing that disc. Thanks.
Norman
If you have an SD card reader for your PC you can simply copy the FPUPDATE.DAT file from your PC to an empty SD card and then use the SD card to get the file to the camera. See Step 3a on the Fuji firmware update site.
Even if you don’t have an SD card reader you may be able to copy the .DAT file to the SD card while it’s in the camera over the USB cable, even without the Fuji software loaded on your PC. I have not tried this since I got my HS10 but most cameras are recognized as a removable storage device in Windows Explorer (I’m assuming you’re using Windows). Then turn the camera off and follow Step 4 of the update.
Thank you Kevin, I will give it a try. Otherwise I will wait until May as I don’t feel justified in spending $28.00 plus shipping for software that I already own.
Norman
Kevin, it worked. I took a new SD card placed it into the SD slot on my desktop computer and formatted it. Went to thye Fuji site and downloaded version: 1.04 to my desktop and then “sent” it to the SD card. Placed the card into the HS10 with fresh batteries and “bingo”, updated! Fuji support told me that I would need the disc to do this, but Kevin knew better. Thank you again and have a wonderful holiday season.
Norman
Kevin,
Thanks for helping Norman with his question…it’s greatly appreciated!
- Moose
Hi Moose!
I went to barnes and noble yesterday and picked up “The ultimate field guide to photography”…..I hope this is one of the books you recommended along with the Scott Kelby book ( which I didnot get yet, I was too expensive and I’ll get it on ebay for 1/2 the price). Anyway, can you tell me if this is right? Otherwise I can return it!
Thanks
Wendy
Oh, and one more ?, with the Scott Kelby books, would I have to get the first two volumes or could I just get the last?
Wendy,
I haven’t read “The ultimate field guide to photography”…let me know how it is!
As for Scott Kelby’s books, I would definitely start with the first volume. If you can get all three used on eBay then go for it. The first volume covers many of the most popular shooting situations. The second and third volumes go into more specific styles of shooting.
Hope that helps! :)
- Moose
Just getting to grips with my new HS10 and happy so far but with all the time I am spending on “familiarisation” of the options available I am going through batteries as if they are about to go out of fashion so will be out tomorrow to buy some re-chargeables.
One problem I hope you can advise me on—-when I play back a video clip on my PC or TV I have no concerns about about image quality BUT the playback is somewhat “jerky” and not smooth, seems to jump a bit then stop a bit during the playback which is not satisfactory and I have not resolved this–hence the batttery usage I suppose. I don’t get this playing video clips from my Z5 compact.
Have not seen any similar observations from the other responders so is it me?
Mally
Mally,
I am guessing you are playing the photos and videos directly from the camera. Have you tried placing them onto the computer and playing them that way or onto a dvd and then playing them. I am only assuming for what ever reason there is a slight delay in data transfer from the memory card and camera to the computer or to your television.
I am new to HS10 as well (I got mine last weekend) and I have not even gotten into the video capabilities as of yet. Over Christmas I may do some video filming of everyone opening presents and the like. It is a nice feature to have on the camera but now I think more about it not sure yet how often I will use the video feature but it is nice to have it for when and if I have a need to use it.
Perhaps someone that is more technical will be able to answer your question in more details.
- AlongSide
Mally – You said playing the video from your “Z5″ runs smoothly. I’m assuming you mean the Fuji Z5 camera, not the Sony HVR Z5 – which is $4,897.00 here in Sydney…
The video from the Fuji Z5 is VGA – 640 x 480, and that would play smoothly on a Windows 98SE PC of some years back.
The Fuji Z5′s 640 x480 is in MJPEG (Motion-JPEG) format, which is relatively low-density.
If you’re using the HS10′s Full HD – 1920 x 1080 – video, that’s a very different critter! Per frame, it has just over 2-million pixels.
The HS10′s Std HD – 1280 x 720 – video, has 921,600 pixels per frame.
The Z5′s 640 x 480 has 307,200 pixels a frame.
All of those are camera recorded at 30fps (probably for AmericanTV compatibility) – so in a player there’s a very big difference between those.
If you’re trying to play the “from camera” 1920 x 1080 *.mov files on a Windows PC – unless you have a pretty high-end graphics card, a dual or multi core processor, and plenty of system RAM, that’s either going to be very jumpy, stop-start, or won’t play.
If that’s what you’re doing – you chose the “Highest” Full-HD to record – try the Std HD – the 1280 x 720, instead. From the HS10 it’s actually better quality than the 1920 x 1080… Check the file-sizes on that – Full HD is more than twice the number of pixels per frame as Std HD – so per-minute, the Full HD file-sizes should be very much larger. They’re not.
I see on some camera forums – where folk are having problems playing and editing the *.mov files – that some folk think MOV is a format, or codec. It isn’t – MOV is a container.
The HS10 video files are H264/MOV. That is – H264, which is MPEG4-AVC (Advanced Video Codec) – a highly compressible newer version of Std Compliant MPEG4.
For some odd reason, in recent years, camera makers have gone to H264 – then put it inside Apple’s proprietary MOV container – which makes the file-sizes much bigger than H264 itself is, and also considerably harder to play, convert, handle and edit.
So – if you’re not already using the Std HD / 1280 x 720 video in your HS10, you might try some clips after changing to that. When transferring Video to a PC, it’s much faster to use a card-reader than camera-connected.
That H264/MOV 1280 x 720 still might not play too smoothly in the Windows Media player – download and install the free VLC media player and use that. That works in friends’ Windows XPs – can’t say for later Windows versions. I can’t make a direct comparison here – I’m in Linux, which doesn’t have the overheads and DRM-ing of Windows, so is somewhat more efficient.
What you could also do is make a “pass-through” conversion of the *.mov clips to Std MPEG4 – which should play more easily in other Windows players.
You can use the free (Windows, Mac, Linux) – Avidemux, for that. To convert – on the left of the Avidemux dialog, Select under “Video”, MPEG4-ASP (not MPEG4 AVC, which is H264), below that, in “Configure”, open, and at the top, “Encoding Mode”, select ’2-pass, Constant Bitrate’. Under ‘Filers’, no changes. With Audio, if your player uses the HS10′s Microsoft PCM – no change. If it doesn’t, select AC3 – that’s semi-universal in players.
At the bottom, Format – for MPEG4 – select AVI.
Click the Save button on the bar that looks like a floppy-disk – and in the dialog that opens, navigate to where you want the output to save, Name the file,with extension, example – “Ourvideo.avi” – and click the Save button.
You can also join clips in Avidemux, re-size to make a std DVD (in correct Compliant *.mpeg(2) format), use Filters, Brighten, Sharpen, add black-bars to play 16:9 “letterboxed” on 4:3 AR TVs, and much else, with Avidemux. If you want to make DVDs that easy way – post back…
Dave.
This past weekend I purchased the HS10 this past weekend after doing a lot of research on different reviews. I decided this would be a good bridge camera for me to learn and work my way up on the camera chain. Thanks for this forum and all the advice that is given on it.
I am on the hunt for reasonable prices on the following and will purchase these items as time goes on and when I have the extra monies.
Raynox DCR 150 – Converter
Sigma DG 58mm Multi-Coated UV Filter
Opteka 3.6X HD Professional Telephoto lens
Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash or YONGNUO Flash Speedlite YN-460II
HOYA 58CIR 58mm Circular Polarized Filter
I have been keeping an eye on ebay and on amazon. I am hoping I can locate most of them in a package deal. Thanks again for having this forum.
-AlongSide
My observations on the burst or continuous shooting mode setup after a week with the HS10 (firmware 1.4):
When you press the playback button to review your photos and return to shooting mode you are no longer in continuous mode and need to press the continuous button again and set it up the way you want it. The camera does not retain your continuous mode settings from the last time you used it – the FPS and other settings reset to their default values every time. I consider these firmware bugs that should be easy to fix.
One of the main reasons I bought this camera was the continuous shooting features. Fortunately the continuous button on the top of the camera makes it possible to enter that mode and set up fairly quickly – if I had to drill down through the menus every time I would send the camera back.
At a minimum the camera should stay in continuous mode until you manually turn it off and retain your FPS, frames before/after in best frame capture, and other settings.
If there is some trick to avoid these issues let me know. Otherwise I’m going to try to contact Fuji directly and hope they fix it with a firmware update.
Kevin C – Perhaps what we need for the HS10 is a “CHDK” hack as the Canon SX-series and other Powershots have. This isn’t done by Canon, it has its own “group”. The CHDK “script-kit” is put onto an SD card, and the camera runs it from the card – it isn’t installed into the camera’s firmware, and doesn’t affect the camera in any way – when the SD-card with it on is removed, the camera reverts to “standard”.
The CHDK adds things such as RAW, Battery Monitor, SuperFine JPEG saves, and also modifies functions – specific to the camera model it’s made for.
Such a “temporary hack” might make the Continuous Shooting a “sticky”, until the camera is turned off. My Canon SX10 does exactly that – ex-factory, no hack. Set “Continuous” – and it sticks – while you Playback images, or change between Program, Shutter and Aperture Priority, and Manual.
To turn it off without turning the camera off and back on – briefly select Auto Mode – or raise-lower Flash – it doesn’t work in those modes.
Sadly, best Continuous speed in the SX10 is 1.4fps… Which is one of the reasons I bought the HS10 – very fast Continuous Shooting! Like you, having the experience with the SX10 – I assumed that the HS10 Continuous would be a “sticky”… Oooops!
I also “assumed” – that as the HS10 does RAW – and has 2x integrated Zoom – that the RAW would work with said enhanced Zoom… It doesn’t…!
As the HS10 only has Std and Fine as JPEG save qualities – no third level, SuperFine – low compression, low artifacting, high quality (JPEGs up to 8-9MB file size) – like the SX10 – one tends to use RAW when “best quality” images are needed.
With either very high ISO images – or the “grainier” images when using the 2x Digital Zoom – using RAW would be “a natural”. That is – as with the high-ISO images, the Digital Zoom extended images would “clean up” much better than JPEGs in post-processing. You’d get a better quality Zoom-extended image in RAW, because a RAW data file contains vastly more information than any JPEG, in the first place.
As it is – with the integrated digital zoom – which works very much better than you’d expect, actually – you’re stuck with converting the fairly small (2.5-4.5MB) Fine-only JPEGs to a non-lossy format – PSD or XCF – to attempt some post-processing… Doing that with a 15MB+ RAW file would have VERY much better results….!
At the risk of being “boiled-in-oil” by Fuji – after seeing what the HS10 can do if you don’t “overdo” the 2x digital extension – go to a “virtual” 40-45x, say – IF we could do RAW with that – as the RAW file contains much more data than JPEGs – a RAW at virtual 45x would likely be “very similar to” – in quality, the Fine-only JPEGs at 30x optical zoom…
There again – maybe that’s why Fuji disables RAW with the 2x integrated zoom… It’s possible (?) – that a RAW image at 45x – or more – would be as good as – or better than – the “medium grade” – that is, Fine only – JPEGs at 30x optical zoom, or under.
Cont’d – Sure, set up properly, if you then “tell it you want it to do” – the HS10 does quite good JPEGs – out to 30x optical.
Try a “rude experiment” – set the HS10 and Canon SX10 up alongside each other, on tripods – both on JPEG – HS10 on Fine, SX10 on SuperFine – and to keep it “equal” on zoom – set both at 300mm, 400mm and 500mm (the SX10 only goes to 560mm.) Use Manual on both, to be at their best. Use Timers on both, so you don’t “vibe” the tripods. Use ISO 100 on both – “best” for HS10 – 1-up from ISO 80 for the SX10.
Later, compare the images. Both have 10Mpix sensors. Both have excellent lens assemblies. The “anti-shake” isn’t being compared – it’s Off, in both – they’re on tripods. Both are good-quality, well-built cameras.
So it isn’t really the “mechanicals” – or hand-held user-foibles – being compared. It’s how they in-camera process and save JPEGs that is. The SuperFines from the SX10 are better – out to that 500mm limit mentioned above. Do 100% crops and that’s even clearer.
However – and this is one of the reasons I bought the HS10 to complement the SX10 – at any of those zoom-levels – the HS10 RAWs are noticeably better than the SX10′s SuperFine JPEGs. Which is indeed how it should be.
Those CHDK hack devices for the Canons do also “return” the SX10′s SuperFine large-file, low-compression, JPEGs to the Canon SX20 – and if not yet, to the Canon SX30 – both of which the option has been removed from by Canon…
Perhaps, something like that as a “hack” for the HS10? There’s nothing wrong with its 30x Fujinon lens – it’s excellent – and the RAWs prove it.
I do know that very many HS10 users – I go around the “Fuji parts” of other Forums – don’t like, or can’t be bothered, using the HS10′s RAWs. They expect – and should be getting – “excellent” P&S level JPEGs. Some aren’t too pleased with what they’re doing – and might not be “telling their HS10 what to do”, firmly enough.
But it can’t all be that. So why-oh-why – as the HS10 has so many “gimmicks” – didn’t they allow a third level JPEG-save option… Call it “XtraFine” or whatever.
Along with “fixes” for the Continuous, and RAW in 2x-Zoom, and do enable Exposure and Focus for Video (the older SX10 does both) – we do need a high-grade JPEG save option in the HS10.
With the slow Processor – another 1/4-second saving the bigger file wouldn’t make much difference.
Dave.
Hi All . Hope you are all making the most of the bad weather photo opportunities.
I have just tried to playback some video and found that it requires Apple quicktime ! grrrr
I installed QT but kept geting message that resource not available blah blah.
Then it wouldn’t uninstall or completely install.
Long story short it eventually screwed my hard drive and I had to run Win XP repair to get it back (thank god) Wasted a whole day faffing around.
Is there any other way of playing HS10 videos or a decent free converter to Win Media player formats ?
Why Apple ? what in gods name made Fuji choose mov format ???when most of the civilised world is MS
I have used Picasa (free from Google) to view HS10 videos. I’m not sure if it’s playing the videos directly or just passing them through to Quicktime but it might be worth a try. Good luck.
Nick – As you might have noticed, the camera comes in HS10 and for Asia, HS11, versions. It’s also sold in Russia, China and South America. My copy of the camera was made in Indonesia.
So why they’ve used H264 video in Apple’s proprietary MOV container is as you suggest, not entirely clear.
Much of the world doesn’t use Windows or Mac these days, particularly in the areas I mentioned above. So using Microsoft’s proprietary *.wmv (Windows Media Video) would probably be even worse than the present H264/MOV. It’s an old and poor format, and doesn’t convert well to MPEG2 – which you must have for making DVDs, and for some Editors.
My older Fuji S2000HD has Std HD (1280 x 720) Video, but that’s in fully-compliant MPEG4 format. The files have the *.mp4 extension. MPEG4 is very easy to handle, and converts very readily to MPEG2(PS) or Xvid4, with no hassles.
As the HS10/11 video format does have to be usable cross-platform – Windows, Linux and Mac (correct order – there are many millions more Linux PCs these days than Macs – just, perhaps, not in North America) – Fuji might have picked H264/MOV as being the “most convertible” – if not the “most playable”, format.
I’m using Linux, and have had no problems with using and/or converting “any” video formats, for years. Anything from FLV to Quicktime MPEG2 to MPEG4 to Xid4 to Theora, is very easily done, as there are no “Proprietary DRM-ings” in the system or programs, to “block” or “prevent” you from doing things.
However – outside Windows systems (or Macs with licences) – if cameras saved to WMV – that’d be a big problem. WMV is very much a Microsoft Licence proprietary format.
While I can play or convert WMV videos in Linux – “creating” anything – a new clip, converting a clip to WMV, creating an edited work – movie-etc – with WMV, would be illegal.
However – the H264 Video in our cameras’ H264/MOV, is actually a subset (AVC – Advanced Video Codec) – of the MPEG4 ISO Standard. That is – the Licence belongs to MPEG – the Motion Picture Experts Group – not to Corporations such as Microsoft or Apple.
So you can use it in Linux and BSD as well as in Windows and Macs. The only question – in all of those platforms – would be if you were doing a commercial product for public sale – then you’d need to contact the MPEG folk re that. For personal and home use on PCs-etc, that’s okay.
As for the problems the H264.MOV is causing in XP – friends here have the same hassles. To play the Full HD clips direct from the camera, you need a fast video card and plenty of system RAM – Windows does it from the hardware, and doesn’t have integrated software rendering for high-end video. (Macs, system based on BSD, and Linux, do.)
In XP a 512MB card should play the HS10′s Std HD (the 1280 x 720) straight from camera, in Quicktime, but might have hiccups with the 1920 x 1080.
With XP – are you using XP-Pro with SP3? Service Pack 3 answered some of the earlier Video and Audio problems. If using earlier XP, you can download SP3 free from Microsoft – it’s 316MB – I just did it to update a friend’s PC.
Or – you can try the HS10′s std 1280 x 720 HD – it seems to be better quality than the 1920 x 1080, anyway. If that’s still a problem – convert it to another format. XP handles MPEG2 at 1280 x 720 – or when converted down to Compliant DVD format.
You can use Avidemux – free for Windows, Mac and Linux – to do those conversions. It also has Filters – you can sharpen, brighten, etc, the video with the conversion process.
You can also “pass-through” without changing the video itself, by Selecting “MPEG4 AVC (x264)” under Video formats. The x264 is the OpenSource H264 converter. Putting H264/MOV through that will strip the MOV container and leave you with the H264 file itself – smaller than when in the MOV container.
The H264 file should play in VLC player – free for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Dave.
Thank you David for your comprehensive reply. Its sure to be useful to many other HS10 users too.
Thats a good point about SP3 I have been putting it off due to some of the conflict issues with various hardware and software I have on this old Shuttle SN41G.
I have a couple of notebooks with Vista which i could use and I have considered using one of them exclusively for graphic media but to be honest I detest laptops. I’ll install quicktime and try some video playback and editing If the graphics card copes ok I’ll probably transfer everything to the notebook . It will be good to do some basic baskup and drive cleaning anyway.
Thanks for your help once again.
Looks like we have some good photo opportunities in the UK coming today some time with the predicted snow
Hi guys!!! it’s me again… i just tried the high speed shooting for my hs10… for 240fps movie, it is coming as black and white when i’m indoors or poor light conditions… is this normal for this camera???
Thanks!!!
Hi,I`m a complete novice and just purchased a HS10 ,mainly for the amazing 30x zoom ,but can you tell me how you achieve this as by twisting the lense on my camera I seem to get only about 5x zoom ?
Hope someone can help this complete amiture.
Howard, you should be able to “twist” the lens from 24mm-720 mm. Are you certain that you are turning the zoom ring as opposed to the focusing ring that is to the rear of the lens. The zoom ring is forward of that; it is knurled and wider. Holding the camera steady, focus (with lens at 24mm) and then crank the zoom and you will see the lens growing longer as it extends. If the lens does not extend (it zooms manually) then there is a problem. The camera does not have to be “on” to see the lens extend. Hope that this helps.
Norman
Concerning processing .RAF files: The Fuji processing software is awful! I couldn’t get it to even do simple stuff like cropping! I would like to thank one of your readers for suggesting Adobe DNG 6.2, which worked very well with conversions to work with Photoshop CS3. The Fuji folks could use the services of a good English-speaking technical writer – I don’t do Jinglish very well! Please, give me a clue as how to get Finepix 1.0/rawdata convert to do what it’s advertised to do! Thanks – grumpy tech writer
Jim – Having been a Windows / NT technician for 11 years before going on Disability, I now use Linux, and have for some years. So I don’t have the Fuji HS10 Software installed – Fuji doesn’t do a Linux/Unix version, as there are only a few hundred million Linux PC users around the World – many more Linuxers, in fact, than Mac users – but Fuji does do a Mac version for them.
However, I didn’t have a problem in Linux with HS10 RAFs – we had the Linux DNG-converter – no Adobe code – months before Adobe added it to their DNG Converter. I used that for a few weeks until we had DCRAW-9.03 and later. With that installed from repository – all programs that use it – Digikam, UFRAW, UFRAW-Gimp, etc – can handle the HS10 RAFs. (And S200EXR, etc.)
OpenSource, with many thousands of developers, programmers, etc, worldwide contributing, is often well ahead of the “work schedules” of the Corporations, who of course have far fewer people to do their work.
Japan has many people who handle English very well indeed – so while I can’t comment on the Software, I can on the PDF Manual – which perhaps was “outsourced” to one of the Low-Cost Third-World countries where the cameras are built – mine, in Indonesia, not a place well-known for camera production.
Maybe the “Manual” for the HS10 was mostly “Copy-Pasted” from earlier Fuji Manuals (including the S2000HD) – by people not too familiar with English, and what they were actually assembling.
Sadly, Linux’s Digikam doesn’t work in Windows, because it’s very good at converting and post-processing, with an excellent workflow mode, and can batch-convert where RAWs have been taken in the same conditions.
However, there is a Windows version – free – of the very good and highly detailed functions “Raw Therapee”. The current stable version is 2.4.1. With that you’d need to convert HS10 RAFs to DNG first. The new Raw Therapee, when stable, will use the then current DCRAW, so will do all the differing Fuji RAWs.
Dave.
Hi Jim. Re HS10 *.raw photos. You could try “Scarab Darkroom”. At the moment its a free download. Its easy to use, and does quite a good job with Fuji HS10 *.raw files.
Thank you David & John for your comments. DNG 6.2 from Adobe was a free download from Adobe, which did the trick. Since I have invested a bit of money in Adobe software, and most of my customers live in MS land, I will likely stay for awhile. Perhaps it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks – but I’m okay with Windows. I’ve heard a lot of comments about the stabililty of Linux vis a vis Windows. NT was the preferred choice of commercial aps for a long time – perhaps due to its stability and safety on secure networks. I was still a bit puzzled and concerned that Fuji would release software that was so @#$! contrary! I hope to learn from folks like yourselves knowledge about this interesting camera – regards.
Hi Jim, just to clarify, Scarab darkroom is a windows program.
You’ve had some very useful replies as to software that can be used with the RAW files. But nobody has actually mentioned that the quality of the RAW files is probably even worse than the JPEG’s. You can’t improve something that isn’t there in the first place. The RAW on this camera is not really worth using, it is also incredibly slow in use, and that is probably why nobody wants to support it.
But I am still in raptures over the lens :)
Hello John, I do not use raw for the reasons that you state, I did bring up with Moose about the quality of the HS10 raw files much further down the list in the forum.
John Bolton – May I quote you as saying “But nobody has actually mentioned that the quality of the RAW files is probably even worse than the JPEG’s.”….?
I’m not doubting your word – I quite believe that when trying to do the HS10′s RAFs, you’ve seen exactly that!
I get that result in Linux when I try to open an HS10 RAF with a program that doesn’t call and run DCRAW-0.03 or later… It’s trying to run the JPEG thumbnail embedded in the RAF file….. ‘Orrible!
From Camera Forums I’ve been made aware that there are not very many programs on Windows side that both open the HS10 RAFs, and handle them well.
I’m using Digikam, which has plenty of detailed controls/adjustments, and a comfy workflow, but we also have UFRAW, UFRAW-Gimp, and others – all of which use DCRAW-9.03 or later. So, no problems at all.
That doesn’t work in Linux because all the program makers suddenly upgraded their programs to handle HS10 RAFs! It works because many of the Editors and Graphics applications use DCRAW…
And so it was only DCRAW itself that needed updating, and being placed in Linux repositories. In most Distros it would update on the PC when the User clicked “Reload”, then “Update All”, in the Synaptic installer. Then on the PC, the operating system, and all programs, applications, tools, utilities, etc, would be updated…
Users can’t quite do that in Windows – but – there’s a workaround that could have a similar result.
Adobe’s DNG Converter 6.2 (6.3 is out, but the HS10 went in at 6.2) – and convert your HS10 RAFs to DNG. As that Adobe Digital Negative format is now a generic – a large number of Windows programs can handle it well….
A free Windows program that does DNGs very well is Raw Therapee – get version 4.2.1 – the new version isn’t stable yet.
So you can at least see your actual HS10 RAWs….
Dave.
Hi! I recently purchased my HS10 in order to take photos of my toddler. However, I am having a terrible time achieving a photo that is not blurry. Since I am a total novice, I’ve only used the camera on SRAuto or Auto in hopes that the camera would choose the correct settings. I’ve been so disappointed in the portrait photos I have taken. It’s hard enough to get a toddler to sit still, but even when he does cooperate, the photo is blurry. I’ve tried using a tripod and the shot is at worst, blurry, and at best, not crisp. I’ve tried the “continuous” and “shooting only” IS modes and I upgraded to the v1.04 firmware. I have been pleased with the quality of the outdoor shots (non-portrait) that I have taken. Please — any advice you have would be greatly appreciated. The list of “milestone” photos that can’t be retaken is piling up! Thanks!
Lori – Yes, although they don’t look it at a glance, toddlers are rather high-velocity young folk…!
The HS10 should handle that very well, though – the Shutter Speeds are more than fast enough to “freeze” that level of motion.
However, the HS10 isn’t at all at its best in Auto and Program modes – and Scene-Recognition mode is just “Auto” with some vicinity “guesstimates” factored-in. So for moving targets, not really much more than Auto itself.
What you’ll need to do, is use Shutter Priority mode. Now, that isn’t as “advanced-spooky” as it sounds – it’s just a mode where you tell the camera the Shutter-speed you need at the time – and the camera selects an Aperture opening size that suits that.
Certainly stay with the Shooting-Only stabilising for Shutter Priority – and turn off things like Face Recognition, etc, you might have set earlier. Shutter Priority “won’t bite”…! Actually, for what you intend at the moment, it’s quite User-Friendly.
With the toddler around the house, garden, on outings, beach, etc – the distances will be quite close, so not using much Zoom, which in turn will make holding the camera steady rather easier.
You need a Shutter speed that both allows for any slight movements you make (even with the IS on) – and the antics of the toddler. So get the speed “above” the usually recommended minimums for hand-held – 1/60th to 1/80th second. Get to 1/125th and above.
To get the shutter speed up, when in shade and indoors (indoors with bright daylight from windows) – you might need to increase ISO up from 100. This camera does good clear images at ISO 200 and 400, and pretty good at ISO 800.
Watch the shutter speed range available when you turn the Command Dial – and don’t go higher in ISO than you need to for speeds above 1/125th. The higher the shutter speed while staying in the “working range” shown on EVF/LCD, the better, for freezing action.
You have to visibly track that toddler, kept in-frame, before you shoot. So using the LCD with the camera held out in front of you makes that difficult. Use the viewfinder – with camera to face and elbows tucked-in to your sides – tracking movement is very much easier.
Using Continuous in combination with the above can work very well. The 10fps (actually 12fps+) is much too fast to show much difference between frames unless the target was moving very quickly. With JPEGs – try 7fps or 5fps. You don’t need to hold the Shutter down to take the maximum 7 shots – even at 7fps you can hear the camera fire 1-2-3-4, say – lift Shutter finger, and save time between bursts.
While you won’t get every shot in a burst exactly in focus or target position – it lifts your chances of getting 1 or 2 in a burst, that are “right-on”.
Look at Continuous burst images on your PC – don’t delete any on the camera. The LCD isn’t big enough to tell the difference between “fairly close” focus and “spot-on” with images that are otherwise very similar.
Try those things – and post back!
Dave.
Thank you so much for the suggestions, Dave! I took your advice and tried using the Shutter Priority mode and have received much better results! (I also tried out the Aperture mode just for fun and have been pleased with it too.)
I’m still a little curious as to why Portrait Mode is not producing clear photos though. When I use it, even with a tripod, everything in the frame looks slightly blurry & out of focus– not just my toddler. Will there ever be a time that I would want to use Portrait Mode instead of the other modes?
Also, can you tell me how to turn off face recognition? I have searched and searched, but can’t seem to find it.
I’m planning on trying out the Continuous setting this weekend. I’m hopeful that I will get some decent Christmas photos! Woo hoo! (Sorry — can you tell I’m excited to get clear pictures? :) Thanks so much for helping me!
Lori – Try again and split it….
Fuji has crammed so many “gimmicks” into the HS10 that some don’t work too well. That’s not helped by having a slow processor with a max of 5MB/sec.
Portrait Mode – if you look on Manual Page 26, does “soft toned potraits with natural skin tones”. Which is all very well – unless you want a crisply sharp image with unchanged skin tones…
The HS10 works best if you find out how it does things – then tell it firmly to do the things YOU want.
If you’re doing portraits – they’re not quick-images you have to grab before the instant is gone – you can set the rules. Where the subject is standing or sitting, indoors or outdoors, and where they’re facing regarding the light angle.
With a 30x Zoom, the HS10 doesn’t like focusing “close-in” – the limit for Tele is 3m/10ft, Fuji claims – and 50cm/19″ Wide Angle. Doing portraits, to get a head-and-shoulders framing – you won’t be at Wide Angle unless “on top of” the target.
So you’ll Zoom to do that framing. But for a portrait you won’t usually be at 6m/20ft or more – you’ll likely be at 3-5m/10-16ft. So that’s in the range where the Tele shorter end focus in the HS10 isn’t too happy.
But the HS10 does give you a “close-in” than 6m/20ft that focuses very well indeed – Std Macro. The focus range with that is up to about 5m/16ft – a little closer gives you some “either way” sdjustment.
In the Menus you can try the Sharpness at – Shooting Menu, Page2 – at Hard, Std or Soft – and Tone also at Hard, Std or Soft. For Portrait outdoors, you might try both at Std – and adjust each one wa or the other until it suits your image style.
Ctd… > Face Detection is below Sharpness in that Menu – turn it Off.
Now go to the 5 Buttons on the left of the camera. Top, ISO, to 100 for cleanest clearest images (in daylight) – next down, Photometry, Fuji-ish for Metering – to Spot. Next down, AF-Mode – to Centre, and next, Focusing – Single AF. Bottom is White Balance – set for what the day is, Fine, Shade, etc.
For Hand-held, use the IS at Shoot-Only.
Since you have a non-moving target – select Aperture Priority. Get your target inside that 5m/16ft range – maybe 10-12ft – and select Std Macro. Zoom to get the framing you want – then turn the Command Dial to change the Aperture until the Shutter speed is up past 1/60th second – unless you can “hold” like a statue.
The faster the Shutter speed – and on a fine day it can be well up into the 100ths – the better for a sharp image. Frame-up, shutter button half-down to Focus-Beep – and Shoot…
If you can position the subject, perhaps in a yard – so there’s more distance between the subject and a “soft” background – a hedge, say – and the camera – in Std Macro you can get at least something like the “bokeh” blurred background effect. Subject at 2.5m/12ft and a soft backround 6m/20ft+ behind the subject, and that can work quite well.
On a Tripod, don’t forget to turn the IS Off – or the camera can be “fighting” movement that isn’t there – and creating vibrations itself.
Where you can’t avoid having a light-source behind the subject – the “famous” example being a subject indoors in front of a brightly daylit window – you can use Fill-Flash.
Try the above – experiment a bit – and post back to say how that’s going.
Dave.
Thanks, Dave! I will definitely give your suggestions a try! I’ll let you know how it goes!
Hi moose!!!!
Its macky again thanks for the reply… i would like to ask what is the best settings in capturing a fast moving object? ex dog tail wagging; dog jumping,,, fast moving motorcycle.. some of the pics that i have taken are kinda blurry.. i’m just a begginer
Thanks in advance!!!
Macky – For your bouncy moving target, what I said to Lori, above, re her fast-moving toddler – will also apply to your dog.
Shutter Priority, keep the shutter speed up, use Shoot-Only IS, and the Continuous at 7 or 5fps can get you sharp shots you mightn’t otherwise get.
For fast moving cars, bikes, etc – you’ll need to learn about Panning. That is – following the moving target with it steadily in the frame, going half-down on the Shutter to get the focus – then with the moving target steady as you pan with it – Shutter full down.
Needs Shutter Priority or Manual – a fairly high shutter speed – more to compensate for camera shake, as the target should be firmly in the frame. Using the Continuous Shooting at 7 or 5fps as you pan with the bike, etc, can help get a sharp image. To do that, you have to Pan – and follow-through at the same pan-speed.
Unlike some cameras, the HS10 doesn’t have a Panning IS mode – so I’ve found that “1″ Continuous can tend to smear, “2″ Shoot Only works well IF shutter speeds are well up – 1/250th or faster, not so well under that. The “3 + 4″ digital stabilising options seem to be a waste-of-space. Perhaps Fuji could drop those and add a Panning IS mode in the next camera.
Panning IS works in the Up-Down direction, not Left-Right – for both Stills and Video Panning. Need I mention the older Canon SX10 again…?
Google “Digital Cameras Panning Tutorials” – and you’ll get plenty. You can practise panning with cars in a street – use the cars on the far side of a main-ish road to get a bit of distance….
Dave.
Macky,
David gave you excellent advice, I would follow the settings he mentioned…thanks David!
- Moose
I’ve been working with Dave in trying to get my multi motion capture to work correctly and have had no success so I tried calling Fuji….had THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL RUDE CUSTOMER SERVICE I’VE EVER EXPERIANCED!!!!! While I was on hold for 1/2 hour, I was playing around and did, for the first time, get 5 images on 1 frame, then could do it again…..when I told “Jay” that from Fuji, he said “there is NO way you could do that, thats not what multimotion does, it captures the one BEST image out of the 5 it took and THAT’S what it gives you.” When I told him, I did, and I saw it for my self he basically called me a liar, was extremly sarcastic and asked by why I’m calling them if I know so much!!!!! On top of that he said HE was the supervisor on!!!! I will be calling them back….oh, and you do apparently have to pay for the paper manuals, $9.50 + shipping—–got that info BEFORE the rude experiance :(
Wendy – I’m most extremely sorry that a Fuji service person treated you that way…! Here in Australia, while the folk at Fuji Australia know little about cameras in general, and almost nothing about HS10′s in particular – at least they were polite about a question (about the firmware versions before I bought the camera) – and while that rep didn’t know, he said he’d contact somebody and call back – and he did.
That person you spoke to seems to have mixed the Multi-Motion with the Pro Low-Light – where the camera takes 4 images and combines them into one – or the Best Frame Capture – none of which are explained in the “Manual”. That is – it says they exist – but no diagrams and explanations on how to do each thing…
It’s all very well for a maker to create a complex high-end Bridge Camera which also has a lot of options-gimmicks – but if the “Manual” doesn’t illustrate and “explain how to do” those high-end and also the gimmick things, that’s not good enough….
Then, as the “Manual” is mostly a mish-mash of diagrams and text from older Fuji cameras (Yes, Fuji, I do have my S2000HD manual to compare directly with…) – although they do change the Camera Model name in places where it’d look too obvious if they didn’t – they should expect to have at least 20 “service question” phone calls for every HS10 sold – to get these things explained…
I’d suggest a 24/7 “Experts Panel” in each country – of people at Fuji who have had the HS10 outdoors and used it (those might be hard to find!) – to answer these calls.
Running such a service in many countries – at 20 or so calls per camera sold – might be rather expensive….!
It would actually be FAR CHEAPER to employ a person (who has used an HS10 outdoors and indoors, in ALL modes) – to write a Proper Manual – with diagrams, drawings (if they don’t have anyone who can take photos and convert to B&W for printing) – and text – that actually refer to the HS10, and explain it properly.
As for a printed version of the new Manual – how many 10-minute “how-to” service calls, per camera, adds up to the $3-4.00 it costs in a Low Labour Cost Third World Country (my HS10 is made in Indonesia) – to print a manual and drop it in the box?
Like Canon did with my SX10 – it came with a 6″ x 4″ 292-Page soft-cover manual – Pages identical to the on PC PDF… So one cannot say it can’t be done….
And how about a firmware fix – so the 2x Digital Zoom works with the Video, like other cameras, and with the RAW…? I realise that with the current body the too-high twist-zoom gearing, and its stickiness, for Video, can’t be fixed, that’s hardware, not firmware. But Video Exposure/Brightness, and Manual Focus…??
The impression I keep getting with the HS10 is that Fuji planned a very good lens setup and sensor – then packed-in some good features, plus a lot of gimmicks for the advertising – then sent the Plans/Blueprints to a Third World country to actually make the camera – nobody at Fuji HQ ever actually used one…
Dave.
I called back this am to have a written/formal compliant made against this fuji representative and the person taking the call was extremly helpful, NICE, and professional as the experiance SHOULD HAVE BEEN! AND she knew how to work the camera correctly!!!! She apoligized for that representative and stated she would review the recorded conversion and have the manager of tech support get back to me…..although I DID say I was going to call HSN and QVC while on-air, on their next fuji presentation, and brodcast nation wide how rude and unknowledgeable my customer service experiance was! Then pointed out how HAPPY the top fuji representatives will be when they hear THAT across the nation on T.V! Arrrrr!!!!!
Wendy,
That’s a shame…unfortunately EVERY company has employees that are there just to earn a paycheck. Sounds like you got someone who was having a bad day.
Generally speaking, I’ve had really nice experiences with Fuji support. It sounds like your second phone call was much better, that’s good to hear.
If I get some time after the holidays, I’ll try to do a quick post on multi-motion…happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose
I read you HS10 Forum everyday to keep up with the tips.
Very useful THANKS
Just lately it seems to take longer to load and I wondered if it was poosible to split the Forum into pages so there was less to download each time.
Thanks Pete
Yes it would be nice to have a more traditional forum setup with threads by subject that would allow searching.
Pete,
Great idea…I just adjusted the amount of replies and comments per page. Let me know if that speeds things up for you.
- Moose
Thanks Moose that has certainly done the trick from my point of view.
Where do we go to look at the old pages?
Thanks again Pete
Hi Moose
Downloaded new firmware to desktop. When I try to copy firmware to Memory card I get error message:
I/O error occured: Process aborted
So What do I do Now?
Also When I check current firmware version it says 1.02, but when I click OK it says NEW FIRMWARE NOT BE FOUND TURN OFF CAMERA This is before I try to get current firmware update. Camera seems to be working great.
Marsha,
I would try contacting Fuji support, they’ll be able to better assist you with the firmware update.
- Moose
It sounds like you haven’t successfully gotten the firmware update on the SD card. Are you using a card reader connected to your computer or are you trying to upgrade directly to the camera over the USB cable? The Fujifilm website describes how to do it either way. I just used the “card reader” option to upgrade from 1.03 to 1.04 with no problems. If you describe exactly what you are doing I may be able to help.
Hi Kevin C
I am using the SD card and the card reader on the computer tower. I did the 1.02 update with no problem. I think the trouble is that when I check the current version and press ok I get the FIRMWARE NOT BE FOUND TURN OFF CAMERA. I think that I hit the cancel button instead of tyhe ok button. My camera still seem to be working fine.
Hi…. i just got my hs10 today… it has fw of 1.03 from the factory… do i need to update it to 1.04? or this is more stable than the latest version?? any significant upgrades for this version??
thanks
Macky
Macky,
Firmware version 1.04 is completely stable, you can find out more info about the upgrades here.
- Moose
I am getting my HS10 on Friday, With regard to firmware updates, do i need to install all that have been released? Or just the latest?
Tom,
Just the latest firmware…the current update includes all previous versions in one download.
- Moose
Excellent thank you
just bought my hs 10,after reading your forum.great forum,since iam a novice can u tell me how to select raw +jpeg.thanks in advance
Yash,
You can select RAW+JPEG inside the setup menu (read page 105-106 of the HS10 manual).
- Moose
Hi Guys,
I am just starting with the photography and pretty happy with my HS10. However, things can become complicate when you go deeper.
Q1: I have read in many blogs pro photographer saying “I am shooting at 30mm”. What does it mean? how can I get that in my HS10
Q2: When people say focus your camera at 3ft or 2mt, what does it mean? is it something related with the manual focus?
Q3: I have taken some landscape pics in manual mode to keep the ISO100, however they are not sharp and it seems to be I am not focusing well. I looked for more info in internet and now I am triying to calculate the hyperfocal distance! Ho my gosh!!! Any simple way to get my landscape sharp with ISO100?
Any comment will be more than welcome.
Alexis, happy to hear that you like your HS 10. When a photographer references that he/she is shooting at 30mm, they are referring to the lens extension (HS10 extends from 24mm-720mm. This is usually the distance from the lens glass to the film plane and/or sensor. The 3ft or 2mt is the distance from the camera to the subject measured in feet in the first instance and meters in the latter. You can start out by using “auto” setting, where the camera chooses the ISO, shutter speed, aperature and automatically focuses. In most instances Alexis, this will produce satisfying images. I would recommend that you get a book or take a course on basic photography. If available near where you live, joining a camera club would be helpful. The other members are usually willing to help and advise novices.
Norman
Alexis,
Sounds like Norman answered your questions (thanks Norman). The only thing I would add about landscape pics, is that you want to shoot using a higher aperture f/number. This will increase your depth of field, allowing subjects near and far to be in focus. To control the aperture, enable Aperture Priority mode (A) and rotate the command dial so you have an aperture f/number of f/8. I also highly recommend shooting with a tripod. When using higher f/numbers, you’re going to encounter slower shutter speeds…especially when shooting with an ISO of 100. Happy shooting!
I’m an enthusiastic amateur photographer for 40 odd years and have owned many cameras. I currently have a Fuji S5500 and an HS10, my family have a selection of other brands.
My post is about the HS10. Yes, it’s a nice toy with lots of functions. But let’s not forget that a camera is supposed to be for taking pictures. The HS10 has very long shutter lag, takes several seconds to save the picture, several seconds to recharge flash. The best speeds can be obtained by switching off all of the bells and whistles but it’s still SLOW. Now, as for the picture. Well – 10megapixels it may have, but the JPG processing is so awful that the resulting picture bears little relation to the subject. I am really fed up with female subjects with missing eyebrows, and smudgy detail.
Yesterday I reverted to the S5500 and was so delighted to be able to take a photograph and save it so quickly the subject did not have time to get bored. Comparing the resulting photos on my computer all of my family said the S5500 picture was sharper and better than the HS10.
Sometimes we tend to forget that technology gets in the way of progres. The HS10 may be a nice computer, but it is a really terrible camera.
Fuji, are you listening?
I agree whole-heartedly with your comments John. I have said pretty much the same thing on 29th November thread.
I have the same cameras as you. A Fuji S5600 and the HS10 .
Of the two the S5600 takes a clearer picture with more detail in my opinion.
I lament the loss of fine feather detail on the HS10 as I predominantly take pictures of birds. I love the zoom and HD video and many of the other features .I think its a great introductory camera and I am still enjoying mine immensley.
I suspect that it is the image stabilisation software over-processing to compensate for camera shake resulting in a soft image.pity it cannot be manually adjusted or turned off
I think the camera will reward someone with the expertise and patience to set it up to get the best out of it . I’m looking forward to the rumoured sensor upgrade .In the meantime I keep the batteries in my S5600 charged at all times as it still takes fabulous images and is a brilliant backup
I missed the news about a sensor upgrade, it seems. In my opinion, the main problem with this camera is the processing to make the noise seem acceptable. Just a firmware upgrade to allow it to be toned down or even turned off would be all that is needed to keep me happy.
I have taken several thousand shots with this camera, and some of them have been superb. But oh, where is the detail? Why has my wife got a smudgy black hat instead of beautiful hair – where are my daughter’s eyelashes, and what happened to my cat’s whiskers? Why does a bird with beautiful feathers look like a duck covered in mud? What happened to PHOTOGRAPHY?
Oh, by the way …
The reason I was prompted to buy a new camera was the battery cover’s crappy plastic lugs breaking on my S5500. I see that Fuji did not learn anything from this as the cover on the HS10 is almost identical.
This could have been a wonderful camera. I am a Fuji fanboy but this is, I’m sorry to say, a real disappointment. The only reason I still have it is that in this country, the sellers will not take it back.
Howdy boys (John and Nick),
In regards to the S5500/S5600 being better than the HS10, this is a very common complaint.
When comparing the image quality of a 5 megapixel camera to a 10 megapixel camera on your monitor, chances are the 5 megapixel image will appear sharper. Think of it like looking at a billboard. With a 5 megapixel camera you’re viewing the billboard from about 50 feet away. With a 10 megapixel camera, your viewing the billboard 10 feet away. The closer you are to the billboard, the more you notice that the image or graphic isn’t as sharp as it was from viewing it at a farther distance.
It’s a very hard phenomenon to explain, but I hear it all the time…not just with the HS10, but with many of the newer high megapixel cameras.
As for speed, I can’t fault you there. The S5500/S5600 is saving a much smaller file to the memory card, so chances are it will be written faster than a 10 megapixel file. You have the option of reducing the image size on the HS10, although I’m not sure of how much improvement you’ll actually notice.
The other thing you have to take into account is the lens. The 24-720mm lens is a modern marvel, especially when comparing it to the 37-370mm zoom of the S5500. Chances are, Fuji sacrificed a bit in the image quality department in order to obtain the extreme focal range.
Both of you are entitled to your opinions, in fact I welcome them…happy shooting! :)
- Moose
thank you for your explanation Moose although I do not understand much of it I’m afraid.
You say that we have the option of reducing the image size on the HS10 to the equivalent of the S5200 in order to increase the speed of file transfer to the memory card yet we may not notice any improvement ? This kind of defeats your own argument doesn’t it.?
I don’t accept this anyway. The Fuji S5200 camera technology is nearly 6x years old now and file data transfer rate technology has inproved dramatically since then.
When I have to wait up to 3-4 seconds for an image file to transfer before I can take my next picture I know there has to be something wrong somewhere.
I love the camera and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am the typical brand loyal consumer but I do feel the HS10 design is a triumph of feature marketing over basic photographic function.
I doubt whether Fujifilm would ever consider offering a firmware upgrade with more user control over image quality because they would be likely to receive even more critism over image quality than they have already.
Hopefully Fujifilm will take consumer feedback on board and make some firmware improvements but I suspect they are probably already looking at a new bridge camera design
Howdy Nick,
Shot to shot speed can vary depending on what settings you have enabled. For me, it takes roughly 1.5 to 2 seconds before I can take another photo on the HS10.
I acknowledge that the S5200 may be “faster” regardless of image size. I was just pointing out that you have the option to dial things down a bit on in order to speed things up, although I don’t know if you’d notice much difference…partly due to the image processor and write speed of the HS10 internal components.
Fuji does take consumer feedback seriously. I’ve seen suggestions implemented in newer models. At the same time, they’re a business and they have to make decisions that will result in the most profit for their company. Sure, they probably could add many of the features and improvements that have been suggested, but chances are the price point would be too high for the general public. You, me and and few other photogs would probably pay double for faster performance, better low light ability, and more image detail…however, a $600 to $900 bridge camera would be a tough sell, especially considering the price point for entry level DSLR’s.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
John – Must agree, that the JPEG processing, even after the firmware upgrades, isn’t too brilliant. The “out-of-camera” JPEGs would be rather better if Fuji allowed a “Superfine” save option above Std and Fine. This is only a firmware “upgrade”.
I bought the HS10 to complement my Canon SX10 – “to do the things it doesn’t do” – RAW, Fast Continuous, Twist-Zoom, HD Video, 30x over 20x, so on.
While I didn’t expect the HS10 JPEGs to be “better than” the SX10 Superfine, I did expect “good snaps” JPEGs – which the HS10 does if used properly, and “told what to do.” The Auto Mode is pretty woeful, and Program not a lot better.
My “carry mode” with the HS10 is Shutter Priority and ISO-200. When turned on – daytime, that will give you a quick shot, as you’re deciding if you actually need Aperture Priority or Manual. Letting this camera “decide settingd for itself” doesn’t give good results.
The HS10′s “Fine” JPEGs are similar to the SX10′s “Fine” (the intermediate option) – and both give 2.5MB to 5MB file sizes, depending on detail content.
Put the SX10 on “Superfine” – and file sizes jump to 4MB to 8-9MB, depending on content. Canon claims that Superfine has considerably lower compression and far less JPEG ‘artifacting’. For once, I have to say that a camera company claim is correct.
And for some time (a lot about this on Canon Forum) – the SX10 has been setting the standard for JPEGs from a 1/2.3 size sensor. Canon dropped the “Superfine” option from the SX20 – and the current SX30. A very popular “tweak” for SX20 users is to run the CHDK “hack” (runs from an SD card and doesn’t harm the camera) – to get Superfine back – and gain RAW, which the SX10/20/30 don’t have from factory.
There is much more “information” retained and not “compression algorithm dumped” in a Superfine JPEG, and more detail and sharpness in the higher IQ images – as well as much less JPEG artifacting.
When I go out for a bit of a shooting session – I take both cameras and my light Slik-F740 tripod. While getting to where I’ll set up – the HS10 tends to stay in the rucksack with the tripod. The SX10 on the neckstrap for quick-shots. When I get there, the HS10 goes on the tripod – in Shutter or Aperture – and for longer zoom, Manual and MF. Used like that, the HS10 works very well indeed.
Not because the HS10 can’t, if carried in Shutter Priority, do quite adequate offhand snaps – it can. But because the SX10 in Program (ISO locked off auto-range) – with Superfine, does better IQ images, even at 20x. Change to Aperture or Shutter, after the first “quick-response” shots in Program – better still.
The HS10 can indeed “beat” the SX10 for offhand shots – but you need to do RAW or RAW+JPEG, and post-process the RAWs, to do it.
The RAF RAWs aren’t processed in the camera, like JPEGs are (in any camera) – a 15MB+ RAW holds a lot more information – and you can see that the Fujinon lens setup in the HS10 is very good indeed. If you shoot RAW+JPEG, you can rapidly check via the JPEGs which RAWs are worth processing.
However, using RAW to get better images in carry-around mode, brings in the severe delay problem caused by the HS10′s very slow 5MB/sec process and save problem.
So the SX10 continues to be the carry-and-snap camera, and the HS10 the convey-and-set-up one.
Dave.
thank you Dave thats a very comprehensive and detailed response. No wonder your owl image is so good !
I wish that I knew more about how digital cameras processed the images and how all of the various modes operate and compare .Its frustrating knowing that there are some super quality images available with the HS10 and yet,due to my lack of knowledge and experience, I’m stuck with Auto mode .
I am going to try using your ‘carry mode’ and compare the results with auto so that I can appreciate the difference. I had intended to learn to use the program mode .
I’m probably never going to learn much about photography as I already have far too many hobbies and interests and my time and attention is spread pretty thin. What is it about retirement ? Some folk sit and do nothing …me ? I’ve taken up vintage target shooting ,photography, I am still an avid cyclist and plan on competing in some time trials next year and then there is English longbow and I’m definitly going to buy a kayak next spring to paddle up and down the rivers and canals capturing all the wildlife . I also build computers and I’m currently hacking a digicam to make a timelapse camera
There just isn’t enough hours in the day lol.
Thanks once again Dave for taking the time to give us such a detailed and practical reply.
Nick
Nick – Firstly, I’m not the ‘Dave’ who did the Owl image, though I do agree it’s very good!
You don’t have to “know” a vast amount to get very adequate images when using a good P&S camera. The 3 basics you do need to know, are ISO, Shutter and Aperture.
ISO has a lot of complicated explanations – but they all mostly mean, how sensitive the camera (sensor or film) – is to the available light. The lower ISO you can use, the “cleaner” the image. As light available decreases – on a dull day, or early evening – you need to increase the ISO setting to keep the camera in its working range for the Aperture/Shutter combinations.
But raising ISO increases “noise” (graininess), as a result. Cameras differ a lot on this – with my Canon SX10 ISO 80 or 100 are clean, but at 200 noise is visible at 100% image size. That increases at 200, and at ISO 400 is getting intrusive. At ISO 800 – that’s an “only if you have to”.
The HS10 is very much better. There’s almost no noise at ISO 100 or 200. ISO 400 is fairly clean, and 800 just becoming intrusive – and at 1600 you still get very usable images, but they need some cleaning-up in an image-editor – Photoshop or Gimp are among the better ones. At ISO 3200 or 6400 – the HS10 gets onscreen or shareable images – if the display size is well reduced – say, to 1024 x 768 or 800 x 600. They wouldn’t be printable unless done in RAW and cleaned-up a lot in post-processing.
Aperture is the control of “how much” light gets in – and Shutter, how long it’s doing that.
There’s a site named “Cambridge in Colour” that has a set of fairly short but informative free tutorials “in plain English” that explain and show how the 3 basics – ISO, Aperture and Shutter – relate to each other.
You can also Google “digit camera tutorials” – and will get many, some very good, some rather a waste-of-space.
When I earlier said my HS10 carry-mode was Shutter Priority at ISO 200 – what that does is start the camera in a mode that isn’t Auto or Program – and the ISO 200 gets the sensitivity up enough to be into the Aperture/Shutter working range if on a fine day you’ve walked into shade, or need to shoot into shade.
In bright sunlight at ISO 200 – you might need to spin the Command Dial up to a fairly fast Shutter speed to get into the Shoot-range the camera will indicate. After a first couple of “urgent” shots, you’d drop ISO to 100.
But in shade (on a sunny day) – ISO 200 should give a Shutter speed above 1/80th second, for hand-held. If you are “very steady” you’ll get away with slower – 1/60th, say – if not using much Zoom.
That might sound a bit high – but the HS10 is very sensitive to camera movement at slower shutter speeds – particularly if well out into the Zoom.
With the HS10 there is little difference in good light between ISO 100 and 200 for noise. You’ll pick it if you mag-up to 100% on your PC and “pixel-peep”. At usual display sizes – 1600 x 1200 and down, it isn’t noticeable…
In Shutter Priority you can use ISOs 100 and 200 to alter the speed range the camera is using, the image quality difference is that minor.
If you have a tripod – have a look at the HS10′s Manual Mode – it’s both easy to use and gives excellent control. If you’ve read and understood about the relationship beween ISO, Aperture and Shutter – Manual Mode in the HS10 is very easy. It even shows you on a “Minus to Plus” bar when you have the correct exposure – just centre the needle on that bar.
Put the camera on a tripod – or use a good rest – read the Manual – it’s on Page 32. Then just play about for a while, doing some shots at different settings. This camera shows you what it’s doing in Manual Mode.
And if you never use Manual while walking around – you’ll know how to “set up” on a tripod – and also know what the camera is doing in Shutter or Aperture Priority.
PS: – I did target shooting, range officer, and handloading for nearly 30 years… If you do target shooting – trajectory, windage, distance, etc – you’ll pick up ISO, Aperture and Shutter – very quickly!
Dave.
thank you Dave for your fantastic response . I’m sure it is going to be useful to anyone coming across this forum. I’ve printed it out so I can refer to it and am currently filing all the helpful tips I can find into a folder.
I expect in the new year someone will write a ‘Dummy’s guide to the HS10′ but until then the help and advice that you , Moose and others so willing give is a godsend thank you all.
Incidentally off topic I guess you were a full bore pistol shooter like me ? I was a UKPSA member and loved all my practical pistol shoots especially at Thornlands & Bisley. Equally enjoyable were all the service pistol disciplines and the gallery shoots with wibbly wobbly’s & 1911′s etc . Great times eh !
Nick – By the time an “HS10 for Dummies” was out, Fuji will have the revised HS10B – or HS20-”changed-body”, out. Changed to alter the twist-zoom gearing from the about 90-degrees it is – to at least 180-degrees, if not more. That would make “zoom” in Video usable. And if they couldn’t make starting/stopping the zoom non-sticky-jumpy – add a grease-nipple so users could lubricate it… Well…, or something!
I’m buying a Pentax K-R DSLR next year, and already have some older M42 and K-Mount lenses for it (I’m on disability pension, and the Pentaxes have a vast range of low-cost but very good optics older lenses that work partly or fully manually.) Fuji could perhaps look at some lenses to see how they zoom so smoothly and without a “sticky” stop-start…
The HS10 has excellent Manual Focus – and Exposure Compensation – and neither work with the Video…. Needs fixing.
The RAF RAWs are of course far better than the “Std and Fine only” JPEGs… But the 2x Digital Zoom doesn’t work with the much more post-processable RAWs – why not, I keep asking…?
And an upgraded or new Camera will need a Proper Manual – no use whinging further about the HS10′s PDF-Mess…
- Re the other sort of “shooting” – No, I was rifles only – handguns in private use have been banned in Australia since 1911. Self-loading rifles and shotguns – also lever and pump action (including rimfire .22s) – have been banned here since 1997, as terrorists and mass murderers use them…
Dave.
Lots of replies here :-)
Moose, thanks for the comments, but I don’t agree. I have used other 10 MP cameras, even quite cheap point’n'shooters which are available these days and almost all of them give far, far better pictures than the HS10. I believe the whole design was compromised by the use of a CMOS sesor and the push to get video out of the camera, which is really not the function of a still camera now, is it? As a video camera it also fails to astound, because the images it gives are awful compared with a real video camera.
Now, many people on this forum go on about the fact that noise is acceptable at 400ASA. Well, yes of course it is. With so much processing that almost all fine detail is washed out of the picture! Buy what’s so damned clever about that? I have a 10MP “High Speed” expensive “top-of-the-range” FLAGSHIP camera but the pictures it takes are worse than some camera phones? How is this possible and why on earth is everyone defending what is basically bad engineering and design?
I actually love the concept of this camera and I must admit I bought it primarily for its lens, which is incredible. I also have to admit to being a software engineer, and I do understand video processing and compression far better than most people. I therefore maintain that this camera is a big disappointment, and how on earth the term “HS (for High Speed) came to be associated with it I really find too much.
John,
Thanks for your comments…I think the thing to remember is that ultimately it comes down to a business decision for Fuji.
We as photographers demand the world, especially when forking over 3, 4, 5 hundred bucks.
At the end of the day, Fuji has to balance price to performance.
I’m completely biased when it comes to camera gear. I have pro equipment from both Nikon and Canon, and have owned hundreds of cameras from all different manufacturers.
What I’ve found, is that some companies pack more features into a smaller price point than others. This may be one of Fuji’s weakest areas.
I look at the Fuji HS10 sort of like an all-in-one printer. It may not produce the best prints, but it can do a lot more that a dedicated photo printer. Some people prefer all-in-one solutions, while others prefer optimum image quality.
While you won’t get the same exact zoom range, I would suggest you look at buying an entry level camera like the Canon XS and match it with a Tamron 18-270mm. The effective zoom range comes out to 28-432mm. You’ll be sacrificing a bit in the telephoto department, but image will have more detail, dynamic range and lower image grain.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
I started using a HS10 about 6 months ago. My main gripe with this camera is the sloooow response time capturing action stuff – particularly using flash. I am a former nikon motordrive old film guy who used to shoot a lot of sports. I have tried disabling the focus led, using only the eyefinder vs. the large screen, and high speed shooting mode. The burst mode is okay if strobe isn’t needed – but if I’m covering an indoor event, a quick response time is essential. I love the 24-720 optics package, and have done some nice theatre work with the camera – now if I can just make the beast respond a little faster – thanks!
I agree with you, this is a very slow camera to use. Many of my subjects have actually walked off before the darned camera fires. But the lens – oh, the lens!!
Jim,
This is a common problem with superzooms. The flash recycling time for built-in flash units are notoriously slow. You’re best bet is to experiment with an external flash. Fuji didn’t produce any TTL flash units for the HS10, so you’ll have to use a manual flash like the Vivtar 285HV.
Also, make sure you always have a fresh charge. Batteries that are depleted will not only slow down flash recycling time, but will also lengthen your shot to shot speed. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks for getting back. I actually have the Vivitar flash you mentioned. Using an external flash doesn’t help the response lag that much. I believe this is an issue that Fuji really needs to address. I shoot a lot of pictures of people – some for my websites, and occasionally newspaper use. If a work-around cannot be found, I’m going to have to replace this camera with some faster hardware. It’s a pity, because the incredible zoom does a nice job at 800 and 1600 (abeit pixally images). Perhaps a download will become available in the future to put some more zip into this creature.
Is there any patch to permit Adobe Photoshop CS3 to process .RAFfiles?
Kent,
I’ve got no idea…might try contacting Adobe support.
- Moose
Kent – There’s not a lot of support for the HS10 RAFs on Windows side. The new PS/CS5 and Lightroom have updates for it. Earlier versions of PS, apparently not.
However, you can download Adobe’s current DNG Converter – 6.2, I think – and convert HS10 RAFs to DNG. Those will run in most Windows programs intended to handle RAW.
If using Linux, all apps and utilities for RAW which call DCRAW have for months been able to handle HS10 RAFs (Also S200EXR and other Fuji ones) – as long as you have DCRAW-9.03 or later installed from your Distro repository.
There’s also Linux DNGconverter (uses no Adobe code) – to convert, also batch-convert, the Fuji RAFs to DNG.
If you use UFRAW and/or Gimp-Ufraw – you must have DCRAW-9.03 or later installed to do the Fuji RAFs.
Dave.
David,
Thanks for sharing…very useful info!
- Moose
Hi There!
Just got my hs10 couple days ago and am really overwhelmed! I’ve been playing around with it but when I do the multiple motion setting, where it’s suppose to snap 5 pictures of something in action then but it on one photo, it doesn’t do it. …..well, it processes it like it DID do it, but then when I look back, there’s only one photo which looks completely normal, like a still photo. How do I get that on there, the 5 snap shots of motion on the one photo?
Thanks
Wendy
Oh, and why does the little yellow camera on the screen seem to always be there despite me being super still?
one more question…can I get a complete book/paper manual?? I dont want to have to use the computer every time to look this stuff up!
Hi, Wendy! The quaint “Manual” can be less than helpful on some things, and Multi Motion capture is one of them… Page 23 is rather less than “explanatory”.
It CAN work rather well if you “do all the things” carefully not mentioned in the Manual.
Firstly – you have to get 5 images to fit in the space of 1 image frame. If Fred-the-Cat is strolling across your front lawn – there must be space across 1 image frame to fit-in 5 Freds, one after the other – with enough space between that one Fred’s tail doesn’t overlap the next Fred’s face – unless you wanted that effect.
So the amount of Zoom you’re using must allow Fred to be “small enough” to fit 5 times across the frame – with some spacing.
Now work out how long it will take Fred to walk about 6 of his own nose-to-tail lengths – for 5 Fred-images and a little spacing.
You have 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 seconds selections to make – turn the Command Dial after selecting the M-M mode – times show at the bottom right of the EVF or LCD. If not using a tripod it’s easier to hold the camera steady using the EVF, and tucking elbows in to body.
Just practise a bit with the target size and speed – and amount of Zoom used – against the timing.
The Yellow Camera is the Shake or Blur warning. You need a faster Shutter Speed – might need a higher ISO for that – or, the IS might be turned off. Check in the Menu – for most purposes “2″ – Shooting Only – is best. “1″ – Continuous can smear, unless you’re careful with it.
You can also use a Tripod – I tend to quite a lot with the HS10. For convenience, I bought a new light-alloy Slik F740. That’s light to carry around (I use a small light backpack) – and to set up, and is quite “firm-stable” for its light weight.
It can hold cameras to 1.5 kilos (about 3.25 pounds), so is quite safe for an HS10. In Sydney it’s AUD$55.00 – about US$50.00.
With the HS10 on a tripod – use the timer to shoot. The Timer will work with Multi-Motion (for slower targets – e.g, a ship out at sea) – Fast Continuous – and Auto Exposure Bracketing.
Dave.
Hi Dave! WOW! Thanks for all the info! I dont’ know alot of “camera” talk, I’m pretty green -greener than novice level!!! LOL! Well anyway, the yellow camera still comes even in auto mode…can I adjust ISO in that mode? and what is IS?
I’ve been trying to do what you said for the motion shots but still I can’t see the shots it took, except for the last….do i have to go somewhere else in the camera to find them (other than the sideways triangle in a rectangle at the bottom right?????
Wendy – Yes, it can be a little confusing if you haven’t done it with cameras before. The “IS” is Image Stabilisation. The “Anti-Shake” that helps you hold the camera steady. The HS10 has 4 modes of IS – and all should be adequately explained in the Manual. The IS function is one of the most important parts of using modern digital cameras.
Fuji doesn’t mention IS under the “Manual’s” Table of Contents. In the camera it’s 5th line down on Page 3 of the Setup Menu. It should be listed under “Setup Menu” in the Table of Contents, but isn’t.
Go to “Using the Setup Menu” on Manual Page 104. Then go through the Options, until on Page 106 “IS Mode” is described at the top. In the camera, set the IS to “2″ – Shooting Only, until you are more familiar with the camera.
The HS10 isn’t at all at its best in Auto mode – that leaves the camera “making all the decisions” – and you won’t get best results with an HS10 unless YOU “Tell it what to do!” The easiest Mode with some User Options is Program AE – the “P” setting on the Mode Dial. There’s a description of P-Mode on Manual Page 29.
In Auto Mode you can’t set the ISO – but you can in Program. In that the camera still sets the Aperture and Shutter, similar to Auto. (Also see Program Shift in Program, on Manual Page 29.)
With Motion Capture – are you hearing the shutter go “click – click – click – click – click” – 5 times when you shoot that?
Are you sure you selected an image size smaller than “L-large” before going to Motion Capture mode? As it says on Manual Page 29. It will click away and not “register” if Large is preset. I use the M-medium 5Mpix size at 4:3 aspect ratio.
The result should be that it combines 5 images into 1 image, with the “moving target” 5 times across the 1 image. That should be the first thing you see when you push that back-bottom-right button.
Check how you’re setting up for Motion Capture, and if you’re “doing all the things” and it still isn’t co-operating, Post back.
Dave.
Wendy,
David answered your questions about the same as I would. FYI…you can get a printed manual for free by calling Fuji support in your area. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Dave,
Thanks, I figured out the “IS” mode and set it to “2″ shooting only. As for the motion capture, Yes…I do hear and see the 5 clicks when taking the picture and I checked the setting as you said…it already was on M, size 4:3 ratio 28 frame and says 2592×1944 (5M) at the bottom….the end result…its still not co-operating!
Wendy – The LCD/EVF will say it’s on “M” size anyway, when Motion Capture is selected. However, before selecting that on the Mode Dial – go to the Shooting Menu and change the Image Size to M – or smaller. Then go back to the Mode Dial and to Motion Capture.
Dave.
Dave,
I’m getting frustrated!!!! I’ve been trying everything you’ve told me, I dont know what I’m doing wrong! It kinda worked once, but not very well, I’ve been practicing on my dog, or having my daughter walk across the room-it doesn’t work at all on my daughter, just gives me the last photo it snapped, and the one time it DID do “something” different it just made my little shih tzu look like a blurry,m elongated “wiener dog”!!! Hehehehe!!! ugh!!!!
Do I have to be further away, though I AM keeping in mind about how you said there has to be enough space on camera to make room for the 5 images, so I’ve been playing with how fast it snaps the pictures too! This mode is going to be the life of me! It’s not like I’m going to be using this feature much, but it’s a neat to have and I want to be able to understand HOW to use it IF I want. I’m really wanting to learn how to use this camera “inside and out”, but like I said before…I’m very green, just a mom that loves taking pictures, mostly portrait style of my daughter and some nature, but only used auto mode before!
Also, I’d like to get a book on digital photoghapy, which do you recommend-remember I KNOW NOTHING! I’ve seen Moose make reference a couple times to a Scott Kelby???? book?
Wendy – Two very good books on Photography are, “Understanding Exposure”, by Bryan Peterson – I have the Second Revision, there’s now a Third just out, with most emphasis on digital cameras, and “Understanding Photography Field Guide” – also by Peterson. Read – and re-read – Understanding Exposure, it has a lot of information. Then read the Field Guide – and stick it in the side pocket of your bag when you go out shooting. It’s good for “ideas”, as well as for the “how-tos”.
As for that pesky Motion Capture function – you do seem to be “doing all the things”, for it. So there just “could be” the possibility that something set, or preset, is interfering with its setup.
This might be time to “Reset” the camera back to the Factory Defaults. This is not, of course (being used to Fuji “Manuals”….) – mentioned under the “Table of Contents”. It’s on Page 105 of the Manual, 5th down. And on Page 1, Setup-Menu, 5-down, in the camera.
Having done that, go through the required routine:
1. Set the image size to “M” – 5Mpix – in the Shooting Menu. Exit that.
2. Go to Motion Capture via the Mode Dial.
3. Set the Delay between Captures so the choice reads on bottom-right, 0.5, 1, 2, 5-etc, seconds.
4. Zoom to suit target composition.
5. When you shoot – go half-down on the Shutter until it Beeps to say it has the Focus.
6. Press full-down on the shutter.
If after that the camera isn’t doing Motion Capture properly, the camera itself could have a problem….
- For the HS20 – Fuji will do a really nice, proper Manual. One in which the Diagrams actually belong to the HS20, and the Text also not only refers to the HS20 – but actually explains all of the camera’s functions….
That would be a 90% distinct improvement on the HS10 “Manual”. (The S2000HD and earlier camera diagrams, drawings, and text, are getting old and boring, and for some reason, refer little to an HS10….)
- If they could also afford to get somebody (who has used cameras to take photos, before…) – to actually take an HS20 outdoors, and attempt to use all the functions – then fix the ones they can’t do properly, that would be nice. Obviously, they didn’t, with the HS10.
- The “gearing” – and “sticky” Start-Stop of the twist-zoom for Video probably can’t be fixed until Fuji does a completely new Body. Until then, adding Video controls – Exposure/Brightness and Manual Focus – probably isn’t worth doing… Those wanting proper Video will buy a Panasonic FZ100 or Canon SX30 instead.
Dave.
Hey folks,
I’ve been trying the motion capture option too.
And sometimes it works and sometime it doesn’t.
My opinion is that it doesn’t matter what photo size you choose, if your camera is set on L, this motion capture-setting is automatically set to M.
I think the background is of some importance, especially the upper and lower part of the frame.
I’ve been testing with some objects en also using my hand moving in front of the camera.
And I noticed that if a big part of the upper or lower background is missing, motion capture don’t work properly. (if you use your hand, your arm is covering a big part of the background).
Moving a pencil in front of the camera seems to work fine if the pencil is far enough. (only a small piece of the background is covered)
If an object throws a large shadow over the lower part of the frame the motion capture doesn’t seem to work. The background or foreground in this case is also changing (moving shadow).
The camera seems not having any problem if an object is over de side of the frame (coming in or going out of the picture) or if an object is overlapping.
My conclusion is to get a stable background and foreground, not to zoom in to much. (zooming in = less background)
Best to use a tripod but if you hold the camera very still and the background/foreground is not to close to the camera it is possible to shoot hand held.
my advice
- Stable camera
- Zooming out (moving object significantly smaller than photo frame)
- Nothing overlapping the bottom edge or top edge
perhaps not entirely correct, but the effort to try
Grts
Andy
Love the HS10, but can’t get the flash to go. When I pop up the flash a flash sign with a diagonal line through it shows on the screen. When I press the control right I get an information flash about turning on sounf and nothing else. Can anyone tell me how to make the flash work?
- Alan
Alan, you have to enable sound on, press and hold the “DISP/BACK” button to activate sound……then your flash should work.
I too had that problem way back……sure hope it does for you.
Alan,
Some of the creative shooting modes disable the flash…try rotating the mode dial to Program mode (P) and activate the flash. Let us know if you figure it out.
- Moose
Moose, I see that Fuji have released a new firmware update(1.04) apart from a couple of comments on white balance and HDMI recording, do you know if there is anything else going on with it. Improved *.raw processing for instance?
John,
Details are still a bit sketchy, but version 1.03 was never released to the public. If I find out more, I’ll let you know.
- Moose
Great site I just found it after doing a lot of research and ordering an HS10 from Amazon.
I had narrowed my search down to the HS10 and the Nikon P100. Your comparison of those two cameras is very well done. I’m just glad it didn’t make me change my mind after ordering the HS10.
I used to be very interested in photography in high school and even had my own B&W darkroom. I too started with a Canon AE-1 but switched to a simple 35mm point and shoot and then a simple digital point and shoot.
Now I want to be able to take some better shots of my kids playing sports. I’m a little nervous about the response time of this camera but I think the best frame capture burst mode will allow me to get the results I want. I’ll be testing this feature right away to make sure I want to keep the camera. Who knows I may start getting back into the artistic side of photography as well.
Now that the intro is done a question: Is the software supplied with the camera any better than Picasa? I’ll be using a SDHC card reader to download the pictures so I don’t need it for that.
Howdy Kevin,
You’re going to love the zoom range, especially when it comes to outdoor sports. You’ll be able to get extremely close to the action which will allow you to capture some great shots of your kids.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with a new camera…so if you have any questions about sports settings or anything else, just let me know.
Honestly, unless you’re shooting in RAW I would stick with Picasa.
- Moose
Moose and troops, does anyone have anything other than anecdotal information on the new Canon SX30IS 14.1MP Digital Camera w/ 35x zoom? The “superzooms” keep getting more and more powerful.
Norman
Norman,
I’ve been playing with the Canon SX30IS for a bit…video recording is much easier thanks to the ultrasonic zoom switch that lets you smoothly zoom during recording. The HS10 zoom barrel makes it hard to zoom and causes jerkiness in the videos. The HS10 feels a bit more “professional” and has a slightly better build quality. I’ve got a buys work schedule right now, but I may do a SX30IS vs HS10 comparison.
- Moose
Have spent some time reading what people are saying about the hs10. I’ve been looking at all the comments and reviews everywhere before deciding on either the this or the Nikon P100 and I feel the hs10 probably has the edge. Will be making the purchase before Xmas so expect to hear from me in due course.
I thoroughly enjoyed my old EOS 1000 film job but am afraid it is now redundant being replaced some time ago with compacts and lmore recently with a Fuji Z5 which does well with the menu settings it has. I bought the Z5 after going through the same invetigative proccess as I am now and was not disappointed so here goes……
Mally
Howdy Mally,
Congrats on the new cam! We got lots of helpful people around these parts, so you’re welcome here anytime if you have a question!
- Moose
Hi Moose
Wow. That was a very objective HS10 v p100 review. It all comes down to how each feels to the individual methinks. The sx30is has now dropped into the same price range as the HS10 and I guess if you were to compare these two the end result would be similar. I still feel the hs10 is the better one for me but will have a play with them at my local dealer. I am not very decisive as you will gather as each has downs as well as ups and if you add all the +s and -’S you will end up with ZERO. Decision time approaches. Ay least there is loads of help when needed which is very comforting
Mally
Mally,
You’re exactly right…choosing a new camera can be very difficult, especially after reading tons of ‘expert’ reviews and opinions.
It may sound cheesy, but when a camera is in your hand there’s a “bond” that’s formed almost instantly. Sometimes it’s the build quality, the ergonomics, the menu system, the LCD screen, the EVF, the powerful zoom, etc…
I highly suggest heading down to your local dealer for a test drive. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Price obviously comes into the equation and this week the sx30is price dropped as I mentioned then down came the hs10 as well. On price grounds the hs10 won and I’ve bought it today. Just opened the box and starting to get to know it. This will take some time just hope our weather imoroved so I can get outsid.
Mally
Well now—-had the hs10 for a few days now and getting to know a “little” about the capabilities, so far highly delighted, it is doing everything it says on the box. Have printed off the relevent pages from the manual that I think I need to refer to but it is going to take some time.
As I get stuck with a problem it is good to find solutions on the forum that someone has spent time resolving, like battery usage. I generally prefer the viewfinder so cutting down on LCD usage this prolongs battery life.
The zoom is terrific and editing images on Picasa is giving me the results I think I can work on. Do wish the squirrals would keep still though whilst I am composing shots. Gradually, using PSP7 or Gimp 2 software may, I repeat may, help me further. Great forum
Mally
Hi Moose
Advise on Sunset Photography. Am using the HS10 (using Auto setting),seems I am getting flair around the sun. How do I stop this and what am I doing wrong?
Marsha,
Try enabling spot metering (page 49 of the HS10 manual) and pointing it towards the brightest part of the sunset. Half-press the shutter to lock focus and exposure, then re-compose to get the composition that you’re happy with.
- Moose
I am appreciating the fantastic HS10 more and more each day. It would be worth the price with half the features in my opinion.
There is however one important issue to me regarding image quality,(which has been mentioned on other forums by other users.)
In comparing many of my images of birds with those I have taken with other Fujifilm cameras (S5600) It is noticable that there is a loss of fine detail particularly feathering of birds on the HS10 at full or near full zoom
I assume that this is due to software image processing within the camera to compensate for camera shake.
Is there a way to turn off the processing / or will taking pictures in Raw make any significant difference ? Or can anyone suggest how I might get better fine detail . I have tried using a tripod with little or no improvement.
The problem is there is no remote shutter facility and there is often simply not enough time to take pictures of garden birds using a tripod with internal timer settings.
Nick,
There are so many variables when it comes to shooting wildlife. Shooting in RAW can help bring out more detail, but before you get to that step you need to ensure that you have accurate focus, a fast enough shutter speed to “freeze” the subject and a low enough ISO to prevent the loss of small details.
Shooting on a bright sunny day will help in all aspects. Focus becomes more accurate due to increased contrast, shutter speeds speed up with more light and at the same time the ISO will drop to lower levels.
I usually start by enabling shutter priority mode (S) and selecting a shutter speed of 1/1000 or higher. This will eliminate camera shake and prevent motion blur for most wildlife subjects. If you’re looking to stop wing movements in-flight, you’ll have to use an even higher shutter speed. Do you’re best to track the subject, half-press to lock focus and snap away. Try using the continuous (burst) mode to rattle off a series of images in quick succession. This will help increase your odds of capturing a keeper. Happy shooting!
- Moose
thanks for your advice Moose .
I mostly shoot on Auto because I am not yet familiar enough with all the camera settings to fiddle about in various menus and manage to capture a bird that is probably only going to be perched for a matter of a few seconds.
I have shot thousands of pictures over the past 3x summer months alas it is now the coldest winter on record in England and not a good time for good lighting so I’ll have to wait a few months to experiment with manual settings in good light.
I’m inclined to think that it is the cameras software not my photographic skills however as most of the images I shot on my S5600 have excellent feather detailing in any light at all sorts of speeds even on auto setting
I never take pictures of birds in flight as I find I only get 1 useable image in hundreds. Its almost impossible to dictate background .Far better to take pictures of perched birds I find, where you can compose the setting to a large degree, both photographically and physically.
I will try the burst mode and compare the detail with single image shots but with so much critism of this lack of feather detail generally on the net I’m inclined to think that it is the camera .
My next task is to set the camera up semi-permanently, on a tripod to take pictures of one specific feeding station. I’ll experiment with some manual settings and test my results.
many thanks
Nick,
No problem, glad to help! Report back here after your next set of tests. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hey Moose!
First of all, fantastic website! It’s a must for anyone interested in getting to know better their equipment. Anyway, how about listing the best HS10 compatible accessories (filters, lens, tripods etc) and their usage? Thanks!
Regards,
Gabriel
Gabriel,
Excellent idea…in fact I’ve been working on a post very similar to what you just mentioned. I’ve been busy with some commercial photography work, so when I get a few spare moments I’ll finish it and get it posted. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose – Just wondering if there’ll be a firmware update – or a possible hack – enabling the 2x digital zoom with RAW…?
The digital zoom is surprisingly usable, particularly to 40-45x. But can need a bit of cleaning-up. Which would have a lot more options and functions in RAW.
And, while the HS10 is a mainly buttons-controlled frequent settings changes device – some things remain deeply buried in Menus. The RAW options being one example. Being on the Setup Menu after Shooting Menu, then on Page 4 of that, isn’t very helpful.
My Canon SX10 has a “programable button” to which you can assign functions. I put mine on the internal Teleconverter > Std > 1.4x > 2.3x – function, and it cycles through those with 3 presses.
One such for the HS10 could cycle > JPEG > RAW > RAW+JPEG – in a similar 3 presses, or use it for other functions.
At present, I preset the Custom Mode to Manual with RAW+JPEG. Which does give RAW in a couple of clicks of the Mode Dial. And Manual, because there’s only 1 Custom preset, and Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority might not be where you want to be for the shot. Manual gives all options, and at least in the HS10 is easy to use.
If the button isn’t possible, a “Personal Menu” might be, as that’s only a software add-on. On that, as with the SX10, you can “Save To” often-needed functions, on a “Short List”, fast to access.
The HS10 has “Two” Special Scenes presets on the Mode Dial. Folk might occasionally use One of those – but hardly, Two. Why not make the Second of those another Custom Preset…? It could still be preset to a Special Scene, if anyone actually wanted a second of those – but would be more use for actual Custom setups.
Perhaps Fuji uses the Mode Dial from another camera – and just had a “spare” Dial position to fill-in. Maybe, that’s where the Video Settings and Controls access would go – if it had any.
Perhaps if instead of having so many near-useless “gimmicks”, and didn’t try to do 1920 x 1080 AND 1280 by 720 – and that latter is the better quality – they’d then have Processor capacity to add some controls to the 1280 x 720…?
If it just had Exposure control (“brightness”, in video) – and enabled the Manual Focus ring, that’d be much better. (My old SX10 actually has both, though is only 640 x 480 – it also uses the 1.4x and 2.3x Teleconverter in video – OR, the 80x digital zoom – usable to about 50x…)
I’m aware that Fuji would need to re-design the whole lens setup to extend the too-high-geared twist-zoom to be smoother for video – maybe that’ll be in the 50x HT-series….
At present – and I’m on 5 Camera Forums, so noticing the comments – Fuji is losing a lot of Sales to the Canon SX30′s very good video and controls… Some folk seem not to mind that the SX30′s stills could be out-done by my old Fuji S2000HD…
That might sound like a lot of “whinges” at poor old Fuji – but if nobody mentions them, they’ll never even consider fixing them.
Dave.
David,
Thanks for bringing this up. I recently spoke with a Fuji rep and they’re working on another downloadable firmware version (1.03) for the HS10. I wasn’t able to get all the details of the update, so I can’t say if we’ll see any of the improvements that you suggested.
Fuji reps visit this site frequently and take note of the features requested here. Whether or not this translates into improvements for the HS10 or a newer version of the HS10 remains to be seen.
- Moose
Moose – I’m glad the Fuji folk do look at this Forum…!
Because there are some things that could quite easily be done without “rebuilding” the camera. Adding a “programable” button might require mechanical changes.
But adding a “Custom Menu” wouldn’t – that’s just software. Things like the RAW options could be Saved to it – and Removed from it, as well as other things. Such as the IS settings. That Menu could be optioned to open at first click of the button. (If Fuji doesn’t follow that, they might borrow a 2008 Canon SX10, look at the function, see the Manual, about how the “My Menu” works…)
As for the Video – the current Processor in the HS10 has a limit of 5MB/sec. That probably limits Full HD – 1920 x 1080 – functions anyway. Possibly that forced them to reduce the filesize per second of the 1920 x 1080 (just over 2-million pixels/frame), compared with the 1280 x 720 (under 1-million pixels.) So you’d expect the Full HD Video to be around twice the filesize per second, or minute, of the Std HD. It’s nowhere near that….
Perhaps they could drop the 1920 x 1080 – it’s a Consumer Zoom camera, not a Pro-Level “Video-DSLR”. And concentrate on the more-editable by Users with average Home PCs, 1280 x 720.
Either that, or dump the HD Video completely, just leave the VGA, which is actually quite good. People who are including a Fuji Zoom in their lineup of choices in Zoom cameras, because the Ads say “HD Video” – expect it to be of good quality, and have adequate and usable while-video-ing – video-zooming, exposure/brightness controls, and focus – and with a manual Focus-Ring on the barrel, the HS10 hints at very good video-focusing – not “none”…!
Also – the Video in P&S cameras doesn’t use the whole sensor anyway, so having digital zoom is a big advantage. The HS10′s 2x digital zoom is quite usable – if necessary – with stills, if not overdone. It should work well with the video – out to the virtual 60x it has with stills. But – no-go! On video – the optical 30x is where the video zoom stops.
If I want more than 30x for some reason – it’s out with the Canon SX10 in 640 x 480…. That goes to 28x in 1.4x Teleconverter, 46x in 2.3x Tele (very usable, too!) – or in plain digital – 80x – usable to about 50x.
When I bought the HS10 – and the Ads said “2x digital” – I assumed that meant the 30x optical x 2x digital, for 60x. After all – most P&S digital-extension is used for video, rather than stills.
And – dear trying-to-help Fuji – could you Please throw that wacko EVF/LCD “Auto-Changer” away? I don’t use it – and from remarks around various Camera Forums – nobody does. It’s just another “Ads gimmick” that detracts from the camera!
The HS10 has quite a large VF-housing for a P&S – it hints at having a big, sharp – 460k pixels? – EVF. Which would be nice. Instead, over a third of the housing is given to the useless Auto-Change – that after the first maddening hour, won’t be used – and the poor old EVF – yes, nearly as big as the old S2000HD’…, is squished in beside it.
I’ll pay $25.00 Extra for the HS20 – if it drops that daft Changer and gains a modern sized and resolution EVF!
While you’re at “easy fixes” Fuji – could you shift the Tripod mount to line up with the Lens Centre? The off-set can be rather off-putting…. And, as the long-zoom HS-series is a camera type that will spend a lot of its life on a Tripod – could you spend $5.00 putting in a solid metal mount with a metal thread?
If that doesn’t seem to be possible – while you have an SX10 seeing how the My Menu, video controls, and digital-zoom with video work – you might see how a very solid metal tripod mount, with metal thread, works.
And if you can’t add for the HS20 a Remote Control for Shutter (having a function I can use my S2000HD’s Remote Control for would be nice) – could you add Custom Timer setting? 2 seconds might not allow tripod vides to settle, 10-seconds is a long time, so 5 seconds does nicely… You might look at that on an SX10, too.
Can somebody explain why the 2x digital zoom doesn’t work with RAW? Because if a camera has RAW and digital zoom – it’s logical to think that the “noisy” digitally zoomed RAWs would clean-up in PP rather better than JPEGs – RAWs have a lot more info, so a lot more “correcting” leeway. Maybe that one could be a firmware fix?
A lot of Whinges? So why didn’t I buy the later Canons? Because after the SX10 they’ve gone downhill in JPEG IQ – the SX20 and SX30 don’t do the SX10′s up to 8-9MB Superfine JPEGs, and none of those 3 do RAW or have Fast Continuous shooting…
Where I am, Sydney, Australia – we pay through the neck for anything Camera related. The HS10 was not a “cheap P&S” here – it was AUD$545.00 – about US$540.00 at present. (When it was US$380.00 in the US, with cashback.)
PS: If the 1.03 firmware update is as described on other Forums – it adds some languages for the Menus and not much else.
Dave.
Picasa 3.8 now can open FujiFilm RAW files. It also comes with a quick preview application that can replace the standard preview of Windows.
nice one ! thanks for letting us know Roberto. Now if I can just stop Picassa duplicating some of my picture files at random Grrrrr……
Roberto,
Thanks for the heads up!
- Moose
Has anyone had experience with the Vivitar 3.5X multiplier lens? Another brand I got with the camera would not focus at full focal length of the camera lens.
George,
I haven’t had any experience with it, but I know a few readers have had some success with the Olympus TCON-17 setup (here).
- Moose
Hi! I’m brazilian guy, buy my hs10 in september/10
and I wanna know, about zoom!
30x optical + 2x digital = 60x zoom ?
and, how make a selection digital zoom?
sorry, but I’dont speak english, very good!!
tks a lot! o/
xoxo!
- Jnr Cucatti (brazil)
Jnr Cucatti – Your English is just fine for getting the ideas over…!
You get to the 2x digital zoom with the up “^” Arrow on the 4-way pad.
A box then shows in the EVF or LCD, showing the area that will be in the photo, with the area around the box dimmed.
It works in all modes including Auto. But it doesn’t work with RAW, just JPEG.
On the left of EVF/LCD is a vertical bar – turn the twist-zoom, and the bar shows how much you are using.
You’ll find that when using the digital zoom extension, it’s more difficult to hold the camera steady. Use a tripod, or at least a good firm rest.
You will already know that the Autofocus can “hunt” – be uncertain – even at 25-30x optical, unless it’s in good light.
It does that more when using digital zoom. You must keep the camera very steady or it won’t focus properly.
I tend to use a tripod and Manual mode with Manual Focus when trying for images at 40-60x!
At those zooms the camera is sensitive to the “slightest” movement, and that will blur the shot.
You’ll find your own style and best way to do it, after experimenting a few times.
Here’s how I do it – others might have some better ideas – for 60x. Set up the tripod and adjust until it’s firm and steady. Mount the camera and lock securely.
Select Manual mode and Manual Focus. Adjust the tripod tension screws until you can aim the camera, but the movement is quite firm.
Aim at where the target is – zoom to 30x optical, and press the AE/AF-Lock button. The camera will use the AF function to get an approximate focus. This is close enough to then adjust the aim of the camera, and compose the image.
Now – press the “^” Arrow, and the “digital” box appears. Set the 2-Second Timer (the “v” Arrow on the 4-way.) Then press the AE/AF-Lock button again. Now move the Manual Focus ring on the barrel slightly either way to “centre” sharpest focus.
Press the shutter button fully down to start the timer – and “Hands clear!”
You can also set Continuous Shooting – at virtual 60x zoom, it’s surprising how, out of 7 images, 1 or 2 can look rather sharper than the others!
If you prefer – the magnified “Focus Check” mid-image display can be turned off in the Menus.
When using MF for more usual optical zoom range shots, particularly in lower light when the AF is starting to “hunt” – turning the magnified Focus Check off can make MF easier to use, hand-held.
Make sure the diopter adjuster – the little wheel on the left of the EVF housing – is adjusted to suit your sight – just 1 click can made the difference between a sharp view – and “not quite”.
Very tnks David Doak…..
Yeaaap! Now I have 60x …….. Muito Obrigado!
David,
Thanks for your detailed and helpful response…you’re invaluable! :)
- Moose
thank you David for the excellent guide…Another feature for me to try out on my HS10
Spent a little time with the Fujifilm W3 3D camera. Although I don’t know yet if I am a fan of 3D photos it was pretty cool.
Would be interesting of Fuji would design an add on twin lens 3D adaptor that would screw on like a filter and the software required for the HS10 to take 3D pics
Canon just came out with an interchangeable 3D dual lens for some of their interchangeable lens cameras.
Joe,
The Fuji 3D W3 is a really interesting camera. I think it shows a small glimpse into the future of digital photography. A 3D adapter for the HS10 would be very cool!
- Moose
Hi Moose
Back on Nov 4. I asked about Bayonet Lens hood for the HS10. I got the Hood that you recommended from e-bay and it is great fits just right.
Thanks so very much for your help. Moose you have a great site. keep up the good work
Marsha,
Glad it worked out for you…happy shooting!
- Moose
I’m still trying to get comfortable with my HS10, and I would appreciate any feedback regarding the “Tracking” option in Autofocus Mode. A few questions:
1) In a practical sense, how does Tracking mode differ from Continuous Focus (AF-C)? When and why do you choose one vs. the other?
2) The instructions indicate that tracking is started by pressing the left menu select button. It also seems to activate by partially depressing the shutter. Is that correct or am I misinterpreting what the viewfinder is telling me?
3) My current project is to improve my skills photographing birds in flight. Which is the preferred setting for this type of shot – Tracking mode or Continuous Focus?
Thanks very much for your help and feedback.
PawleysDude,
1) Tracking mode is a bit of a gimmick. The HS10 tries to identify the subject and adjusts focus as the subject moves around the frame. Continuous focus mode adjusts focus for anything inside the center focus point. If I had to choose between the two, I would go with the continuous focus mode.
2) The left arrow initiates subject tracking. I’m not sure about partially pressing the shutter button to initiate subject tracking.
3) Neither, I almost always use the AF-S (single) focus mode along with the “Top 7″ burst mode for moving subjects. Sometimes the continuous focus mode will cycle back and forth when there are multiple objects (trees, branches, leaves, etc…) between you and the subject you’re tracking. With AF-S and burst mode enabled, I pre-focus on an area close to the bird and begin tracking it using the viewfinder. Once I get a composition that I like, I fully depress the shutter button and the HS10 will quickly focus and snap off 7 images in a burst. Chances are you’ll get a few keepers and a few throw-aways, but that’s photography!
- Moose
Thanks, Moose. I use AF-S focus for the vast majority of my shots, but haven’t had much success with flying birds. Using the burst mode is a great tip. Thanks for your help.
PawleysDude,
No problem…happy shooting!
- Moose
PawleysDude, Hi.
I’ve had the HS-10 since April and now some 5,700 images. Recently, I started using AF Tracking and have not turned it off since. I am using it simply with ‘half-press’ and without initiating tracking from the four-way controller. Brilliant !
Cheers, Dave.
EyeMindSoul,
Thanks for sharing your experience with AF tracking on the HS10!
- Moose
can you please tell me how to play back video in slow motion on my hs 10, I enjoy watching all videos in slow motion on utube, but I am not sure how to do it, Many thanks Paul.
Paul,
You can trim and splice movies inside the playback menu, however, there isn’t an option for saving ‘slow motion’ video….you’ll have to do that using a video editor. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Paul – Did you mean, saving the HighSpeed video so it plays back slowly in the camera – or on PC?
Whenever I’ve used the HighSpeed feature, I’ve just downloaded the Card with a Card-Reader – Video along with Images.
But I just tried it to see if it “will” play back slowly in the camera. I just took a 640 x 480 120fps HighSpeed video of a clock with a sweep-second hand.
I used the full 30-seconds, until the camera turned the recording off.
Then went to view mode, selected the video-clip, and pressed the “v” Down-Arrow.
The Highspeed 30-seconds at 120fps played-back at Quarter-Speed – that is, at 30fps in the camera. The displayed timer went to 1-min 58-sec displayed, then ended playback. So elapsed time was within a frame or so of 2-minutes.
I think we tend to get mixed in terms about “recording slow motion” – you’re actually recording high-speed – say, 120fps – which then plays back in camera or PC player at the “normal” 30fps. As the recording was at 4 times the usual 30fps – the playback runs at quarter-speed.
You can also use Avidemux – free for Windows, Mac and Linux – to create “slow-motion”. It does it by doubling frames – and will do that without a 30-second limit. That halves the speed – run it through twice to quarter the speed, so on. However – as it hasn’t used high-speed recording – it doesn’t of course have the detail that such recording does.
Dave.
David,
Thanks for the assistance…I think you interpreted his question better than I did. Very useful info!
- Moose
Moose and troops, just wanted to let you know that I joined a local camera club here in the West Coast of Florida. The club meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month. There are layers of expertise with me bringing up the rear. They hold instructional classes (all levels) for photography, how to use and understand digital photography as well as photo-finishing. The members were very welcoming and friendly, and there are plenty of field trips; both local and distant. The club that I tried to join in New Jersey had disbanded. I went to my first meeting on Thursday and there were forty+ members. I am very excited to learn more about my camera and more about digital photography. Some of the people still shoot film, some shoot both.
Norman
Norman,
Fantastic! Sounds like a great club. Happy shooting!
- Moose
A few folks have mentioned that they could not view their pics on their TV.
I also ran into this problem.
Put some photos on a USB memory devise and tried to play through first my blue ray player and then through the USB slot on the TV.
Both did not recognize the file format.
Joe,
Interesting…not sure why it wouldn’t recognize a (.jpg) file.
- Moose
Joe are you sure that the USB port on the TV is not just a service port ? most of them are. Have you checked your TV manual ? Are you plugging in the camera or a USB memory card reader ?
If your TV is able to input media through the USB port you will need to select the appropriate input on the TV . If it does not offer the option of USB I think you have your answer
Note to Bonnie
Don’t forget that Amex and some other credit cards give a free 1 year extension on warranties on cameras and electronics purchased with that card.
Check to see if you have this then supply the card company with an estimate and they will pay to repair or replace.
Almost no one that I discuss this with realizes they have this credit card benefit.
Joe,
Thanks for sharing…great info!
- Moose
When I talke some random shots I tend to download these to a general folder where I can look at them and then either delete or keep what I want before relocating them to a selected folder.
My question is relating to the Frame Numbering system. In the setup menu you have the option of Continuous or Renew. I assumed that Continuous would have meant that the frame numbering would continue indefinitely or until reset (even after clearing down the photos) and that renew would have meant that each time you cleared down your photos the frame numbering would again start at number one.
I find that on my HS10; even though I have the Frame Numbering set to Continuous; every time I clear the photos off the camera the frame numbering starts again.
When I download my photos to the General Folder; any photos with the same number will be overwritten which of course could not happen with a full continuous numbering system.
Is this something that anyone else has had an issue with or am I misunderstanding the settings?
Thanks for any replies.
Dave
Mmm, well… I must admit I’ve never taken much notice of the HS10 frame numbering system. Having been spoilt previously by the Canon system where the camera places each day’s pics in a new folder for that day, I wasn’t impressed by the Fuji system.
I use a similar process to you, but I create a new subfolder in my main ‘Pics’ folder for each batch of photos, then copy the relevant files from the memory card to that folder. So now I have lots of folders called ‘Park_101110′ or ‘Whitby_080910′ etc. Its fairly easy to highlight the relevant files (if you have ‘Details’ set in Explorer) from the dates on them. Any duplicated filenames won’t matter as they would be in separate folders anyway.
I leave the originals on the card until such a time that I want to get rid of them.
I always make a backup of all my images – good and bad – on another drive and I make copies of my favourites on Microsoft Skydrive (for free!).
Thanks Paul,
The Fuji does indeed create a new folder with the days date plus an optional tag. It’s just that I thought it reasonable to have interpreted continuous frame numbering as continuous frame numbering. Unless of course it turned out to be a BIOS bug.
Dave
Well I can’t get my HS10 to create a dated folder, maybe it has a fault. Tried everything and all it does is create a folder called DCIM on the card containing a subfolder called 100_FUJI – and sometimes one called 101_FUJI – but no sign of the date.
Followup…
Ok, think I’ve cracked it!
Dave have you considered using Google Picassa ? its free to download.
If you use a USB reader Picassa will automatically download your camera images from the memory card into the relevant dated folder in your My Docs /Picture folder (or wherever you choose.) when you insert the memory card. It will automatically exclude duplicate images also
Picassa will also automatically search your PC for moved or added images and update your folders and gallery every time its first opened.
it will also batch rename or re-number images .
Plus it has a basic editing feature and an excellent image gallery feature far better than Fuji it has to be said.
There are various other useful features like a one button select to process and upload images to youtube for example or batch upload to flickr etc
You can always uninstall it if you don’t get on with it.
Dave,
When you “clear” the images off your memory card, are you deleting them or are you reformatting the card?
If you reformat the card each time, then the file numbering system will start over. Try using the “Delete All” option for clearing your memory card. That should allow you to use a continuous filing system.
- Moose
My HS10, which has been working perfectly and beautifully since I received it last summer, has very suddenly begun malfunctioning.
While set to “S”, for shutter speed control, the camera slips to “A” mode, for Aperture size control.
When this happens, I have no control over shutter speed, and no way to access that function … any adjustments with the command dial, results only in aperture changes.
Please advise – thanks! :)
Hi Bonnie sorry to hear that you have a problem with your HS10 . You say that you purchased the camera last summer so you must have been a very ‘early adopter’ as they say. i hope that this fault is not going to turn out to be an early failure mode of the HS10
I take it that your warantee has expired ? and you did not opt for an extended warrantee.? Never the less I would recommend that you return the camera at least for an assessment and report/quotation from Fujifilm.
It rather sounds like your selection switch has developed a fault. The switch assembly is easily replaced but it will require partial dismantling of your camera. Its likely to be an expensive repair outside of warrantee cover .
If you have household ‘accidental damage’ insurance cover you might perhaps consider claiming for a replacement camera through your insurers.
Yes, sounds like it might be the switch. Do you feel a positive ‘click’ when you turn it? Can you adjust Shutter Speed in other modes?
I think Bonnie must mean summer of 2010 – surely the camera hasn’t been out long enough for the 12 month warranty to expire. Or am I mistaken in that?
Anyway, even if it has, it should not develop a fault so soon and you should be entitled to have it repaired. This is true in the UK – the 12 month warranty is just an optional extra offered by the vendor and does not affect your ‘statutory rights’. (Not sure about the regs in the USA.)
I did wonder about the ‘last summer’ bit but I assumed that the HS10 was available in the US long before the UK ?
I have replaced countless Fuji Finepix switches on the S2800, S5000 ,S5500, S5600 etc using broken cameras from a well known online auction site but there are unlikey to be any for sale yet I shouldn’t have thought . If its under warrantee then it should go back of course.
I think I will look into an extended warantee for mine as it was purchased on Amazon and not through a shop which I now regret.
Bonnie,
As mentioned above, it sounds like a mechanical issue with the mode dial. Try contacting Fuji support in your area and let us know what they say.
- Moose
Hi, I purchased HS10 two days back. Too early to make clear my view on satisfaction level as I really have not been able to do outdoor shooting (the sky in Delhi nowadays is too hazy). What has puzzled me is that I am not able to set max ISO in auto mode. In PASM I can set auto(400). But the option is not available in auto mode or SR mode or Adv modes. Is it possible to set max ISO in auto?
Well, thats the nature of “Auto” modes, the camera takes over your settings. It’s the same with my Canon camera. Try the full or part Manual modes to set it yourself.
Thanks Paul.
I hope they put this option in next update, It can be really useful. Have seen it in Panasonic Lumix, pretty handy.
Hi all,
I finally found a way out for taking pics on low ISO without bothering about P,A,S,M.
In the advanced mode select night shot on tripod. The camera adjusts exposure on its own and sets the max ISO not more than 200, generally.
I recommend it only for day shots.
On the flip side, this procedure loses out on image stablisation, which is off during the tripod mode. Still, in case one wants to take a shot during day at low ISO its a good option.
Guys please try this and forward comments.
Arshad,
In your case I would start with aperture priority mode (A) and select an ISO of 100. Choose the lowest available aperture f/number available and snap away. If you start getting subject blur or camera shake then increase the ISO to 200, take a few test shots and confirm that subject blur is gone. By slowly increasing the ISO, you’re also increasing the maximum shutter speed which will help “freeze” your subject. As for haze, I recommend getting a 58mm circular polarizer from Hoya. This will allow you to get deeper blue skies and more cloud detail.
- Moose
Thanks Moose. Will try this weekend
Is there a reset sequence or button on the HS10? I was taking photos at a festival in town last night, I switched the camera off after taking some shots, tried to switch it back on, nothing, completely dead. I tried new batteries to no effect. Before I send the camera back to Fuji, has anybody got any ideas?
How stupid is this! batteries ran flat so I changed them for new lithium which generally last forever. As a last resort I checked the new batteries with a multimeter, Bingo!! Brand new battery completely dead. I threw in a set of used alkalines just to try, and the camera worked, what a relief!!
I think we have all ‘been there’ at some point . It often surprises me how often a single battery will suddenly develop a low charge characteristic.
You put a freshly charged batch of rechargable batteries in and the camera doesn’t switch on ? Aghghh …wt? .frantic change/test of batteries and instant relief when you hear the conforting beep and whirr of the camera switching on.
Would be good to see some of your pictures from the Carnival . Was it a UK one ?
John,
Good to hear it was dead batteries! How was the festival?
- Moose
Hello,
I am an amateur photographer and recently purchased the SUPER WOW HS-10 :). I am now slowly drifting from SP1/SP2, Auto modes to Manual. I am still understanding photography and learning Manual Mode with HS-10. Kindly help me with Manual mode settings for indoor photography. Night indoor party snaps with the while fluorescent tubelight in the room. Ofcourse i dont expect the exact settings (ISO, shutter speed, Focal length etc.) but a general settings for best indoor party photography with HS10
Thanks in advance,
Kiran
Kiran,
The best starting point is aperture priority (A) with an ISO set to 100. From here, you need to decide if you’re going to use flash or no-flash. If you’re using flash, enable the slow synchro mode (instructions on page 38 of the HS10 manual). This will lower the shutter speed to get the subject and background exposed, giving you a more natural looking low light photo. Just remember, that your subject will need to remain very still.
If you’re shooting without flash, then you’ll need to raise the ISO somewhere between 400 and 800 depending on how much light you have. Again, both you and your subject will need to remain very still.
The best option is to use an external flash which can take some practice to get right. I suggest reading…”Fuji HS10 External Flash Tips and Advice” for more info. Best of luck!
- Moose
Thanks a lot Moose for your tips. Didnt knew of the slow synchro feature :)
Is there another Bayonet Lens Hood that fits the HS10? Fuji is out of there bayonet mount lens hood,(which was for the S9100),or they are not going to carry it any more, They cancelled my order which had been ther since July. Do you have any suggestions?
Marsha, any 58mm threaded lens hood will fit the HS10. I just ordered one from e-Bay for $3.89 with free shipping. Item number is: 180442970949. It is a petal type which I understand to be the preferred type to prevent vignetting. Hope that this helps.
Norman
Marsha is looking for the Bayonet-type fitting, there are lots of ’58mm’-type hoods which would fit. I tried my old Canon screw-in 58mm hood on the HS10 and it caused some vignetting – although using the zoom avoided this. A post on another site recommended a particular Olympus lens hood for the HS10. I fell for this and sent for one. When I tried it, it wouldn’t fit. Too pricey to discard so I used a file here and there, and MADE it fit!
Why not try Ebay. Search for “LH-HS10″. Lots of results.
I read that the hood for the S6500 or S9500 or S9600 will fit. (this info from the MyFinePix forum)
Marsha,
Fuji is known for having low quantities of branded accessories. You’re best bet is to find one on eBay. Make sure you get the branded Fujifilm LH-HS10 bayonet lens hood to avoid any issues with vignetting. best of luck!
- Moose
Hi Moose,Norman, and Paul
Thanks so much for all your help. It is not esy finding a Bayonet Lens Hood. You are right about the multitude of 58mm Threaded ones out there.
Thanks again
Fuji has a bayonet lens hood for the HS10 (part # P10NA02680A) available in the UK.
Which Hoya Pl filter suits best to HS 10?
Laszlo,
The HOYA 58mm circular polarized filter will fit the HS10 and is also the same filter I use on a daily basis to get deeper blue skies and more cloud detail.
- Moose
Hi, I have just bought a HS10, All is well, I have installed the software to my mac, but when I connect the usb to the camera, turn the camera on, nothing, I cant get the photos to upload? Any advice please?
Hi Russ.
Have you followed the procedure on page 80 of the manual?
Pretty straightforward, so you probably have!
I don’t have a Mac so I’m not familiar with them, and I have never used the USB cable, I always remove the memory card from the camera and slot it into a reader attached to the PC. Much easier.
Hope you get sorted.
Hi Russ
I’m another non-mac user I’m afraid and like Paul i too remove the memory card and plug it into a built -in reader on my PC.
Windows usually require you to reboot your PC in order for new software and drivers to update the system . Have you tried rebooting ?
I recommend that you get a USB2 multi-card -reader and use that instead. Personally I prefer to use Google Picassa (free to download ) to import and edit my images. It is also an excellent image sorter with gallery.
Russ,
I’m in the same category as Paul and Nick. I’m a PC user, and almost always insert the memory card into a memory card reader. You may try giving Fuji support a call, they should be able to walk you through the correct procedure.
- Moose
I had that problem.
“object not recognised,please check connections”,or similar error messages.
My HS10 wouldn’t even work on my HDTV,so I contacted Fuji,who suggested a couple of things,which didn’t work,so I had to return the camera to Fuji.
Even now,occassionally my pictures won’t download,unless I tinker around with the PC,so I tend to use a USB SD card reader,(cheap on Ebay),which works every time,and the pictures download in seconds!
Despite what Fuji say,It must be related someway to Fuji’s HS10 firmware,as have never had a problem with any of my previous Fuji cameras(or Panasonic,Nikon,or Canons come to that!)
I can never get the “multi frame capture” or “motion remover” to work as it should either,which looked a useful feature,but in practice looks very hit or miss to me.
Hi Russ, I have a mac and the fuji finepix HS10. When you have installed the software which came with the camera, i.c. finepixviewer, that wil open automaticly. At least with me. When i open iphoto it shows my fuji, by name, in the left pane. So no problem overhere. It works well with my mac. Only raw is not recognised by either iphoto or apperture
I think you will find that tethering the HS10 through the various available cabling to a USB which is not powered will produce the problems discussed. Few USB hubs and some front USB connections are not powered. After running through problems similar to those discussed, I connected to the main rear USB connection and the Finepix Viewr Software worked as it was supposed to work. The Finepix Viewer Software worked so well through the powered USB connection that when I pulled the HS10 camera cable out and put my Samsung Jack celll phone in, the Finepix Viewer started looking for photos.
Hello,
My question is, why did my flash stop working? It was fine one day and no mas the next. I poured through the manual, as much as I could understand and then had a friend who is much better photographer than I am and he also was at a loss. Is anybody out there. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. This is a great camera and I am really glad I got it, I would recommend it to anybody. But, I’ve even seen a Ferrari in the shop.
So, thanks for your site Moose, I did subscribe.
Thanks again,
Don
Hi Don
First check you are not in SILENT MODE. See setup menu.
If it still does not work wait to see what Moose advises.
Pete
Don,
Follow Pete’s advice first, if that doesn’t solve your problem then try putting your HS10 in program mode (P) and enabling your flash which can be found on page 38 of the Fuji HS10 manual. Let me know if that fixes it.
- Moose
In some modes,if the flash is set to “auto”,will only work if it thinks it’s necessary,and in any continuous shooting mode it won’t work at all.
There’s nothing wrong,I would think,with your camera,it all depends on the flash settings,or the mode setting.
Sometimes the manual isn’t very helpful,so you’ll have to learn by trial and error.
Just as a check,set your HS10 to the “P” setting,(usually best for snap shots) make sure the flash is set to “forced flash”(see P38 in the manual),and it should fire every time.
Remember,the HS10 needs a few seconds to recharge between flashes,assuming the batteries are OK.
Hi all
My employer has asked me to take portrait photos during the children’s Halloween party tonight using my Fujifilm Finepix HS10. The background colour is going to be black, with Halloween decorations. Please can someone recommend some suitable camera settings so that I can get the best out of this already excellent camera.
Please note that these photos, once taken will be given to parents (mounted) as a reminder of their experience at the Halloween Party. So it is important i get this right.
Any help would be appreciated….
Niz,
Couple pointers for you…
Best of luck with your photo shoot!
- Moose
Moose,
Thank you for the pointers. Photos came out terrific.
Niz
Howdy Niz,
Great news!
- Moose
I have found if you set your HS10 to Aperture Priority,around f5.6,the flash on “Auto”,with redeye removal,it works fine,the pictures seem nice and sharp,or set it to “Intelligent Program”,with Auto flash.
Make sure you have a spare set of batteries,in case,and take a few practise shots at home first!
And use maximum wide angle,so you’re not too far away,if you’re doing a group shot,you can always crop it later if you need to.
Also,be aware,the HS10 takes a few seconds to recharge between shots,assuming your batteries`are charged up.
Have had my HS10 since May of 2010. It takes great pics. One major issue that I have with it is if it’s off for a few days and I turn it on nothing happens. I get the initial beeps but then a blank screen. Turning it off does nothing I have to remove the battery cover, turn off then on again sometimes 3 or 4 times before it finally boots up. Batteries are fine. Has anyone had this same issue? If so can it be fixed? Is it the software maybe or a bad switch? It only seems to happen when the camera has been off a while. I missed a great shot of a double rainbow yesterday because of this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Tom
Hi Tom
It does sound rather like your camera has a fault. The only other possibility I can think of is that there is a setting that prevents the screen coming on.
have you tried re-setting factory defaults ?
Its clearly still under warrantee so the best course of action is to return it to the supplier or contact them initially to request some technical support
Tom,
I would follow Nick’s advice. Try resetting your HS10 to factory defaults and see if the problem persists. If it does, then call Fuji support in your area.
- Moose
Timelapse . I’m dying to try some timelapse photography but I am unsure if there is a way to use the HS10 for this.? I know that some Canon and Nikon cameras have a socket to attach a Intervalometer but the HS10 only has a HDMI output and a mini USB output .I’m not even sure if the mini-USB can be used to power the camera off a PC ?
I also read somewhere that some cameras can do timelapse with some software added to the SD memory card ?
I think your’e out of luck with timelapse on the HS10 – beyond its capabilities.
I have the Canon Powershot S3 IS, which has the Intervalometer function. I also have the S5 IS, which, strangely, does NOT have the function. You can install software – called “CHDK” – on the SD card which runs when the camera is switched on and this enables a software version of the Intervalometer on the camera. Might be worth considering buying a Canon just for time lapse, used ones are quite reasonably priced now.
I have used third party software, free to download for webcams that do timelapse. I plugged my old Fuji S304 into the pc and used it as a webcam. I think I was constrained by the software as to the resolution, but the results were still impresive. I can’t honestly remember what software I used, so if anyone else can help that would I am sure be appreciated.
thank you Paul. I have a couple of old Fuji A800 cameras (one of which still works) as well as a Velleman interval timer kit
I was thinking of connecting the timer to the camera to see if I could get any reasonable results.
The main problem I can forsee is that without the half stop-down focusing operating there might be issues with the focus ?
I should have some time today to lash something together .I’ll wire up a permanent power supply whilst I’m about it so I can leave it for 24 hours .
I’ll report back with the result. If it doesn’t work I’ll look into getting a cheap Canon off ebay .
Shame more cameras do not have the timelapse facility or at least a remote trigger socket at least.
Hi thesim thanks for the suggestion.
I did look into this briefly as I trawled the net the past few nights. I have a couple of webcams but to be honest the picture quality is diabolical and they are not so cheap to buy either ?
I had the idea of setting up a webcam on my home PC and using remote desktop control with a portable Wi-Fi netbook keep an eye on home security whilst I was away at work. Now i am home as a full time carer the project is shelved .
Nick,
Yes, there are cameras out there that come with a time-lapse mode built-in, but the HS10 isn’t one of them. At the moment there aren’t any hacks to use the HS10 for time-lapse photography so you’re limited to doing it the old fashioned way. :(
- Moose
Hiya I got the HS10 and it is great.
But I am having trouble with landscapes being too dark and not showing colour and details on lovely Autumn days. I have been told there is different settings for metering, exposure etc or you can fix the photo after with software but I wondered if there is just a simple idiots way of setting the camera so this wouldn’t happen.
It can be a beautiful bright day with lovely Autumn colours but my photos can come out dark. I have tried various settings and angles. It was strange when I was trying them all out today I noticed that when I angled the camera down the way for the landscape it came out nice and clear, coloured and bright with the details but as soon as I raised the angle up to get the landscape I wanted it went much darker and I lost the details.
You can see the lovely green grass and the colours and details in the trees but not the beautiful blue sky in one photo. Another one shows the beautiful blue sky but you can’t see the lovely colours and details in the trees.
Any help would really be appreciated.
You can see to examples of the photos at my blogsite post 24 Oct, 2010. The first landscape photo shows nice green but no lovely blue sky. The next landscape photos shows the lovely blue sky but not the details and colours in the trees.
you have some beautiful pictures on your bog Blanche. I love those of the forest/ woods particulary and the red squirrel and other wildlife are exccellent . Really puts my efforts to shame. I’ll be following your blog in future
I am still a novice at digital photography and I know Moose or someone will be along shortly to give you some advice but in the meantime i would guess that it is essentially because when you focus on a landscape that is predominantly sky the lens will shut down to avoid over exposure which will darken the non-sky parts of your picture .
It might be worth trying to focus first on an area of trees /vegetation then, with your button half down, reframe your landscape picture before taking the shot.
I have just purchased a circular polarising filter (CPF ) on Amazon to see if I can improve my skies and lanscape capturess. I bought a EXpro lens for about £6.00 but I believe the better lenses are the Hoya at quite a lot more.
Lovely moon shots by the way. you have inspired me to try some myself.
Hiya Nick, thank you for your advice. What you have said makes sense to me and I will give the pressing the button half way thing a go. I look forward to the weekend to try it out.
Also thankyou for your lovely comments it is always good to give inspiration. I am really enjoying trying out the moon photos, it is amazing seeing the marks on the moon! I always hope the neighbours don’t think I’m nosing at them though!! ;-)
Blanche, loved you photographs, especially the floating leaves and eel grass on a pond (I presume). You have a great eye for seeing and capturing nature. I too think that a circular polarizing filter may be of some benefit. It’s a handy filter to have when photographing reflective surfaces as well. Keep up your fine work.
Norman
Thanks Norman
I don’t really know about the filters, how they work or what they do or when you use them. I wanted a really good camera that I could carry easy on my walks and not need extra bits for, which I got. But I will have a look at the filters and read more about them.
BCH :-)
Hiya Harry thanks for the links. I suppose I should get into all the different settings that are talked about but I always think I’ll never get it back to how it was in the first place!! The photos under the tips that you sent the link to do look very professional and it just shows what can be done if I was brave enough to mess about with all the settings.
I also enjoyed looking at your photos. My favourite ones are the flowers with raindrops and I love the one of the small parrots (whatever you call them) flying.
B-)
G’day again Blanche, you have a beautiful lot of photos on your blog and enjoyed looking thru them.
As what Nick said a circular polarizer and possibly a Hoya Neutral Density #4 filter. They both sure help make a difference.
My email addy hazz58@hotmail.com
the examples you refer to are the same/similar to what I was getting until I bought the polarizer.
I’ve been looking at the polarising filters and trying to find one that looked reasonable but cheap! I noticed that the advice is for a thin-framed one.
Blanche,
Getting the sky and the landscape to expose correctly can be very tricky. Pro photographers use a technique called ‘HDR’ or high dynamic range. They take a series of images to correctly expose the sky and another to expose the landscape. The images are then ‘merged’ together in an editing program like photoshop. There are many HDR tutorials on the web that can walk you through a step by step process.
A circular polarizer will definitely help give you deeper blues in the sky and more cloud detail. I highly recommend going with a 58mm circular polarizer made by Hoya.
Whether you’re using HDR techniques or a circular polarizer, try using the AE/AF lock button on the back of your HS10. That button will allow you to lock the exposure, on the sky or landscape, and allow you to re-compose the shot to your liking. Once you’re happy with the composition you can focus and capture your image. You can read more about the AE/AF button on page 36 of the Fuji HS10 manual. Best of luck!
- Moose
Thankyou Moose I will try that out on my walk tomorrow. B-)
Set the camera on the “Pro low-light Setting”,and use your camera at the wide angle settings,to ensure sharp pictures.
May I also suggest you try reading your manual?
Would you please explain the Rule of thirds in relation to the HS10?
Thank you very much
Hi Marsha and welcome . The rule of thirds is a general rule-of-thumb guide that can be applied to composing any two-dimentional image, be it a painting or photographic picture etc.It applies equally for all cameras because it is what you see through the lens not the equipment you use to view it with.
In simplistic terms it is a way of assessing what you see through the viewfinder, in terms of how you wish your viewer to view and interpret what you have seen, in the final image.(naturally a lot can be altered later post-picture in the editing software on your PC)
It isn’t written in stone however it is a useful guide which can offer the novice a starting point .and like all rules can be ‘broken’ to produce some interesting and exceptional results when we understand more about how composing our pictures can ‘make or break’ our images.However it is a useful guide which can offer the novice a starting point .
Good composure can transform an image with relatively poor content into something excellent whilst poor composure can easily ruin a picture with otherwise exceptional content.
There is a prodigeous amount written about composing images on the net and your best bet would be to do a Google search and a bit of reading . Once you understand about composing pictures and the way we all actually look at pictures or the landscape you will never view anything in quite the same way ever again!
Nick,
Thanks for helping Marsha with her question…couldn’t have said it any better myself. Gonna have to start putting you on the payroll! :)
The only thing I’ll add is the added “Best Framing” feature (page 17 of the HS10 manual) on the HS10. This basically overlays the rule-of-thirds grid on your LCD for composing your photographs.
- Moose
Marsha,
You can enable “Best Framing” mode on the Fuji HS10, which basically overlays the rule-of-thirds grid on your LCD screen. This guide can help you to position your subjects for a more creative composition. You can read more about it on page 17 of the Fuji HS10 manual.
- Moose
oops sorry Moose I wasn’t aware of that feature yet. That is exactly what Marsha was referring to really wasn’t it. Thank you for bring that to my attention, Yet another feature for me to enjoy experimenting with.
Thnak you both so very much. this info really helped
Hi Moose
Some help please on ‘IS MODE’ page 106.
I do not understand the difference between ‘normal’ and ‘+ DIGITAL’
Also when IS MODE is on does it detract from picture quality.
Thanks in anticipation
Pete
Pete,
“Digital image stabilization” is a fancy word for increased ISO which helps speed up shutter speeds to prevent subject blur. Continuous and shooting-only image stabilization stabilizes the image by mechanically shifting the sensor…left, right, up, and down to compensate your hand movements.
The only time I.S. can affect image quality is when you’re shooting from a tripod. Image stabilization minimizes camera shake, so when the camera is motionless on a tripod the I.S. should be turned off.
- Moose
Has anyone had any sucess with using the Auto bracketing feature for sports captures ?
It would be good to see a section in the Tips section.
I tried using the Auto bracketing to capture some cyclists competing in a local hill climb yesterday without much sucess.
A large percentage were taken at half zoom resulting in poor focus on the cyclist (great landscape detail !)
I switched the camera off at first between competitors as there was a minute plus between cyclist. I soon realised that this made the camera default back to standard settings grrr.
You cannot see all 3x pictures as they are taken, just the first, so I frequently lost their heads on the last shots (because they were cycling up hill and I didn’t move the camera sufficiently)
I think for the next event I might use less zoom and pre-focus on a certain point and wait until the cyclist moves into the focus zone . I am not looking to get a blurred background because its a hill climb and the cyclist’s are moving at under 10Mph
What are your thoughts on this subject area?
Nick,
It sounds like you were using the Zoom bracketing feature on your HS10. The Zoom bracketing feature takes the first photo at the current zoom level, the second photo is then cropped to 1.4x and the third is cropped to 2.0x. A much more effective method would be to use the ‘Top 7′ mode which will allow you to take a burst of 7 photos at your current zoom level. You can always crop the photos in post processing software which will give you complete control over the composition. I would test out the different burst rates (10,7,5,3 frames per second) and see which one suits you best when shooting cyclists. If you only have the cyclists in your frame for a few seconds, I would enable the fastest rate…10 frames per second.
- Moose
thanks Moose ….yes sorry I should have said ‘zoom bracketing’
I am really not getting enough time at the moment to experiment with this camera which is a great shame. I’m getting some fantastic pictures but more by luck than judgement.
I’ll try the Top 7 mode next time
Probably the best way forward is to set myself a specific task for a day or week and prepare and go out to complete that task (ie macro or landscape or whatever ) and in so doing learn more about the camera’s extensive features.
Thanks for your suggestion.
Nick,
You’re exactly right…with the purchase of a new camera it can be overwhelming to learn all of the features and settings. The best thing you can do is to practice one type of photography (macro, landscape, portraits, etc…) at a time. This will allow you to find the best settings for different types of situations. There are more tips and tutorials on the way, so stay tuned! :)
- Moose
Hi Everyone,
I’m planning on buying a camera the coming weeks. I’ve been reading a lot about the Fujifilm HS10(I had a fujifilm s6000fd, till it got stolen) and I’m actually crazy to buy one.
But I have a friend that selling his Nikon D70s and I was wondering what will be the best one to buy.
I know that the nikon has a larger censor then the HS10, this because it’s an DSLR, but the 10megapixel and the 720mm tele lens of the HS10 is really calling me.
I can get the Nikon D70s for the price of $800,- with 2 lenses.
Any suggestion would be very much appreciated.
Regards,
Alfred
I looked at a couple of reviews of the D70s and it looks like an excellent camera, although I’m no expert. What attracted me to the HS10 is the zoom capability and the tilt screen. The zoom gives pictures an extra ‘punch’ and I treat (‘treated’?) myself to the Sony VCL-DH1758 x1.7 converter lens. The tilt screen is really useful to me – I’ve used it lots of times for low-level shooting, subjects like flowers and insects.
Hello Alfred,
1) Dont compare HS-10 with any DSLR. Images shot on a DSLR will be a notch up definitely but that doesnt mean HS-10 doesnt do a good job.
2) If you are a guy who constantly upgrades equipment at regular intervals, then suggest go for HS-10 currently.
3) The DSLR segment is undergoing a huge shift in technology, Now you will soon be able to see mirrorless DSLR cameras even by Nikin and Cannon. These are more compact than a shift mirror type DSLR currently available. Sony’s Nex, Olympus’s Pen, Panasonic G series have been in the market since about 6 to 8 months now, Just read that Nikon and Canon are also developing these kinds. But just wait for another year and you will find the prices going down and new innovations in this segment too. Until such time HS-10 is a good economic option.
b rgds/
Alfred,
The Nikon D70s and Fuji HS10 are excellent cameras in two very different categories.
Here are some things to consider…
Best of luck!
- Moose
Paul,
Thanks for sharing your recommendations! :)
- Moose
Hi guys,
Thank you very much for your recommendations.
Appreciate it very much.
Regards
Just got my new Fujifilm HS10…have been shooting Nikon D70s and D80…use Adobe Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom.
Here’s my problem….I cannot get Lightroom to recognize the RAF files..the camera is set to shoot RAF/JPEG and I can see the jpeg’s even just opening my flash drive but not the RAF files….Lightroom will not open the RAF files either….what do I need to do? thanks
Hi blueflame50, you will need adobe camera raw 6.2, a free download from adobe, I think CS5 and Lightroom shipped with ACR 6.1. Ver 6.2 is their latest release and opens Fuji HS10 *.raf raw files
BlueFlame,
John is correct…you’ll need the Adobe Camera RAW 6.2 plugin to get those RAF files to show up.
- Moose
thanks I’m off to download it now….I also downloaded the upgrade for lightroom as that is suppose to open them also but still cannot see them when trying to view directly on the USB flash card drive.
Moose,
I am going to a beach side for vacation this week-end with my HS10 (of course with family too). Please suggest an ideal setting for shooting on the beach. Normally I click everything in SR AUTO mode. The weather would be sunny.
Ravi,
You might try enabling ‘Beach mode’ which does a pretty good job of managing highlights. You can enable it by rotating the mode dial to ‘SP1′ and then selecting ‘Beach’.
I also highly recommend getting a Hoya 58mm Circular Polarizer and attaching it to the front of your HS10. This will drastically improve the sky, giving you deeper blues and more saturated colors. Hope that helps!
- Moose
I just got the hs10 and it has Extreme focus issues Why? Please help
Michelle – I can understand your disappointment if a new Camera isn’t behaving as you expect…
But saying “it has extreme focus issues” – doesn’t actually describe what it is – or isn’t – doing.
If you could reply with more detailed descriptions, Moose and others will know what to advise or help with.
You might look at the Set-Up Menu, Page 4, second item down, AE/AF-Lock Mode. For general uses, it should be in “A” – Lock Only mode.
Go down one item to AE/AF-Lock Button. Set that to AE Lock Only. So that in general use, the Button doesn’t lock the Focus. The AE/AF Button – the one just below the Red Video button on the back – could be pressed in error while handling the camera or feeling with thumb to start Video.
(Focus-Lock, etc, is on Pages 34-36 of the Manual.)
Those other settings for the button do have specific purposes, but probably won’t be used until a user is familiar with the camera.
Check that the settings are as above, then try the Shutter Button again. Hold half-down until the camera beeps to Confirm Focus – then fully down to take the shot.
If it doesn’t beep – you might be in Manual Focus. To check that – press the second from bottom of the 5 buttons on the back left of the camera. For general uses – it should be on the middle option at the bottom of the display. That is – AF-S – AutoFocus Single.
To the left of that is AF-C – AutoFocus Continuous. Use that after you have read-up how to use it.
The instructions for Single, Continuous and Manual Focusing Modes are on Page 51 of the Manual.
If the Camera isn’t “half-button-down” beeping and focusing – you might inadvertently while handling the camera have set it to Manual Focus.
If so – while holding the second from bottom button on the back-left down – use the Command Dial – of Left-Right arrows on the 4-way – to reset to AF-S.
For folk who have come from a lower or midrange P&S Camera – the HS10 has so many controls and adjustments that it can be quite confusing. Sadly – Fuji’s idea of a Manual doesn’t explain everything in detail – but reading it through does cover the main functions.
Regards, Dave.
Hi,
Also having Some “focus issues” / blurry images. Just received my new HS10. FW 1.03. AE/AF-Lock = A Lock Only. AE/AF-Lock Button = AE Lock only. Face Detection = Off, IS = Tried all modes.
In, SRAuto mode: blurry when zoom < 3x / 80mm.
When shutter is half-down, camera beeps but image is quite blurry.
Only reasonable but still blurry image is Aperature mode w/ F8.
Is this normal for the HS10?
Thanks,
Po,
It may seem like you’re experiencing “focusing issues” when in fact it could be slow shutter speeds causing the blurriness in your photos. Slower shutter speeds usually occur when shooting in low light and zooming from wide-angle to telephoto. To get faster shutter speeds in these situations, you’ll need to enable shutter priority mode (‘S’ on the mode dial) and select a shutter speed that matches the level of zoom. For example, if you’re shooting at full telephoto (720mm) you’ll want a shutter speed of 1/720 or higher. A good rule of thumb is to shoot around 1/250 to 1/1000 for quick moving subjects or when shooting in low light without a tripod. This will eliminate “camera shake” and subject blurriness.
- Moose
Michelle hasn’t said if the focusing problems She is experiencing is with the LCD image or through the electronic viewfinder (EVF ) . I assume that the images actually taken by the camera are not blurred ?
Is the issue with the EVF needing diopter adjustment ? or is the image blurred on the LCD screen which would suggest a faulty camera
Mine was a defective camera. Recevied the new one from Amazon and pictures are looking good so far. Will test further.
good to hear that you got a speedy replacement Po. I bought mine through Amazon with some trepidation re warrantee it has to be said.
Hi, Great site.
I am having trouble to photo moving subjects without blurring. The manual is not clear (for me) to work out how to do it. Has it got “Follow Focus”? Thanks.
Robert,
Subject blur can be fixed by enabling shutter priority mode (‘S’ on the mode dial) and then selecting a shutter speed that’s higher than your focal length. If you’re shooting at 720mm or full telephoto, then you’ll want a shutter speed of 1/720 or faster.
- Moose
Moose,
I just got back from a vacation in the Baltimore Maryland / Washington DC. I shot about 325 photos while I was there with my new HS10. I’m still learning how to use the settings so I used the Auto Program setting for most of my shots. I don’t have confidence in my skill sets yet and since I didn’t want to miss my shots I just let the camera do most of the work. But I was still very happy with most of the pics I took. The 30x zoom allowed me to get shots that I’ve never been able to capture previously. I’ve posted a few online and they can be viewed here.
Thanks again for all of your help and your wonderful site!
G’day mate, you did good, love the shoots of the fish and rotunda, well done.
Good pics David.
David, “capital” shots of the Capitol and surrounds. are you certain that was a caveman and not an Aborigine? You did a marvelous job.
Norman
David,
Great photos! I love the first frog photo…it looks like he just got done with a big meal. :)
- Moose
Thanks everyone! I love the HS10! The camera makes it so easy to get great shots. I’m already putting together my Christmas list for some accessories.Our location television is having a contest for best Fall picture. So I’m hoping to capture that winning photo! :)
David,
Best of luck in the competition!
- Moose
Great pics using the auto !
Is there a ‘remote release’ available for the HS10.
Thanks
Steve,
Many people, including myself have asked the same question. It appears there’s no remote release available for the HS10. Your only option is to use the self-timer or buy one of the shutter pressing contraptions off eBay. Best of luck! :)
- Moose
Steve – Or get your Fuji S2000HD out of storage – although a much older, and cheaper, camera, it does have a Remote. Effective about 12-metres / 40ft. It’s an Extra – doesn’t come with the Camera.
Also, it’s included in the Fujifilm HD-S2 HDTV HDMI Connection Kit. Mine cost about $60.00, in Sydney.
Apparently the HDMI connector for the S2000HD doesn’t fit the HS10 socket…
Dave.
I’m still wondering – is there no cunningly hidden Fuji-method to use the 2x digital-zoom in Video mode?
The 2x digital-zoom does work with still images – but video is rather more forgiving of digital zoom than still image.
As we’ve been saying here – the 2x digital-zoom with still images is fairly well “hidden” – that is, it’s where you don’t think it would be, so is there something like that with it for Video….?
After all – it’d be sad indeed if one’s nice new HS10 can be out-video-zoomed – to 80x (actually quite usable on tripod to 50x) – by Canon’s now 2-models-old SX10…!
Dave.
Maybe, I tried with the camera set at ‘P’ mode….zoom almost full in 600mm , then went to x2 digi (blue box) then hit the video button……I’m convinced it took the video at the setting described above.
Hope this helped
Well it’s me again…..I had taken a still photo as per above….then took video…..the video is shooting exactly the same frame as the still photo.(in 2x digi)
So hope that helps.
David,
I don’t think digital zoom is available when recording video….I could be wrong, but in my testing it didn’t seem to work. I’m not sure why Fuji decided not to include this feature especially for lower quality video recordings.
- Moose
Harry – I can’t get it to do as you say… Even by holding my face nicely and chanting “Blessings to Fuji”, mantras…
Moose – Seems that you might be right again… But why, particularly for low-resolution videos? Wouldn’t HD, say the Std 1280 x 720, having more resolution, survive digital zooming rather better than VGA?
That’s what I was hoping from the HS10. I already have VGA to 80x (20x optical x 4x digital) – in my Canon SX10. At 40-50x on a tripod the 640 x 480 is reasonable.
With that camera, you can turn to Video on the Mode Dial, enable digital-zoom, then Manual Focus. You can then MF while video-ing, with a range/focus indicator on right of screen. Press the +/- button – and then you have Manual Exposure Compensation – press again, and back to MF. That works with or without digital-zoom enabled.
If we don’t have digital-zoom with the HS10 – it’d be nice if MF and Exposure comp could be enabled – by a firmware update, maybe?
Is there any other Bridge Zoom – or indeed upper-rang P&S – that doesn’t have digital-zoom, and at least Exposure – in Video?
It would indeed be odd, if on a $545.00 camera – with 2 levels of HD Video – if the ONLY Video Control or Setting it has – is the Red Go-Stop button.
If so – that would be a “decider against” for quite a lot of prospective buyers. Families want Video of their Babies, Toddlers, Primary-School and older Kids, Pets, so on.
One might be able to use a Polariser – turned off polarising angle – to get 1-2 stops down for very bright scenes – sunny beach, or backyard around a pool – but to push Exposure “up” indoors….?
Put the Kids’ indoor Christmas Party under heavy floodlighting – to use one’s HS10 Video?
Hardly… It’ll be out with the SX10 again – which does the above types of indoor scenes very well. Even if only at 640 x 480… The H264/MOV quality is reasonable…
It even converts quite well to MPEG2 DVD (sidebars 40+40, top-bottom 48+48) – for std 720 x 576 PAL digital TVs.
That’s one of the things I was hoping to do this coming Party season with the HS10 in 1280 x 720 HD mode…. Oooops, Fuji…!
Bests, Dave.
Well, I’m going to apoligize…..I really was sure that the video ‘jumped’ into and ‘filmed’, expanding as per the ‘blue box’ of digital 2x. Cos it sure looked closer…..maybe time for new glasses.
Again sorry guys.
Harry – No need for sorries! Fuji’s made a very nice camera – with a few unusual habits.
The more you look at the Manual – and compare it with a previous model’s Manual – in my case the S2000HD – the more similarities you find, diagrams, text, descriptions, and more. So expecting the “HS10 Manual” to describe all of the many functions of the “actual” HS10 – seems to be “too big an ask”…..
Fuji saves money by not doing printed Manuals (and before Fuji says “Nobody does that” – I do have a Full Manual for SX10 – all 292 Pages, same as the on-CD PDF – of it) – so as they only do an on-CD PDF – and it’s very easy to edit and create PDFs – why not do a fully comprehensive on-CD PDF that fully relates to the HS10?
So they’ve created a $545.00 camera with “looks good in the ads” – Std HD and Full HD… But nowhere in the ads – or the mish-mash from earlier models’ manuals “HS10 Manual” – does it say, “Yes, it has 2 levels of HD, VGA, slow-motion, etc, Video – but, er – and ummmm – it has no Controls whatever for any of that… Just a big Red Idiot-Button – for “ON-OFF”.
If you told an audience at a Camera-Show that – they’d think you were the Comedy-Relief Act – and would roar with laughter…!
The HS10 has perhaps a dozen weirdo-gimmicks that few will ever use after one look to see what each does. Perhaps the HS20 could ditch half a dozen of those, and in their place put some Video Controls.
Fuji might say, “But, while your old SX10 might have Video Manual Focus and Manual Exposure Control – with Locks, nobody wants that any more – it’s not Trendy…!”
If not – Canon’s blown it badly with their new SX30 – it has 4x Digital Zoom – and MF with Lock, in Video – and Exposure Control with Lock, in Video….
- Fuji might also consider dropping that daft, blurry, 4-images “low-light” gimmick – and instead, with the HS20 – put in proper AEB… Some of us do HDR – and AEB that “only uses half” – of the +/- 2EV Exposure Comp that a camera does have – is very slack.
And no, Fuji can’t say “Nobody does +/- 2EV AEB in P&S” – they do… Need I type “SX10″ again…?
So, yes – my 2 cameras – HS10 and SX10 – complement each other – and that goes both ways.
Dave.
Hey David, yeah well thanks….was so so sure I found how to
mate is there any chance you can email me…..feel like I am ‘hogging’ the forum, tho guess others are also learning fro it.
Was curious to which program you are using for converting HS10 videos to “Pal” as I wish to do same
David,
You have lots of valid points, all of which Fuji should consider in a firmware upgrade or model replacement. I know Fuji reps visit this site, so your wishes will be heard. I really believe Fuji put HD video on the HS10 as an afterthought or as a marketing ploy to get those interested in photography and HD video to spring for the camera. As you’ve pointed out, the HS10 is missing many of the basic video tools which makes the video mode pretty much useless. I still have yet to figure out a way to “smoothly” zoom during video recording. Any ideas? When friends and family ask for a camera capable of photos AND video, I almost always point out the SX10IS or SX20IS. Since video isn’t an important feature to me, the HS10 suits my needs…but for someone who needs HD video recording, I would look elsewhere. Just my 2 cents :)
- Moose
To add to David’s comment re “Fuji can’t say “Nobody does +/- 2EV AEB in P&S” – they do”
My old Panansonic FZ20 now approx 6yrs old HAS the +/- 2ev.
So sorry Fuji, you slipped up.
Harry – You can get around Fuji’s quaint “crippled” AEB at only +/- 1EV…
Firstly have a solid tripod, mount the camera and line up the scene and amount of Zoom. For “same depth” HDR series shots, neither Zoom nor Aperture can change.
So use Aperture Priority Mode – and the 2-second Timer. Unlike the Canon SX10 – on which I use Custom 5-seconds – the HS10 has just the 2 and 10 second Defaults.
Press the +/- Button and alter the Exposure. Assuming you wanted 5 shots, 1 EV apart – move the Exposure Indicator to the far left of the displayed bar. (The bar stays visible whenever off the centre “0″ setting.) That’s -2 EV.
Set the 2-second Timer, pre-focus – then full down. After that shot, Very Gently adjust the Exposure to -1 EV, set the Timer, prefocus, and full down.
Continue to “0″, +1 EV, and +2 EV.
So long as the Camera is very firmly mounted, while you might move it a tiny fraction as you reset exposure, then do Shutter – I find that during that “hands-off” 2 seconds, the Camera does retain its “set position” quite well.
(Use the “Align” tool in your HDR program to set it exactly.)
If you want to “Centre” the HDR set beginning other than “0″ on the bar – change the shot-increments to suit… So if your ‘middle shot’ will actually be -1/3 EV – reduce the increments to maybe 2/3 EV so you don’t run out of spread for 5 shots
If you’re doing just 3 shots – with “middle” offset from “0″ – that of course would give you +/- 1 2/3 EV, if ‘middle’ is offset by 1/3 EV, so on.
Dave.
Whoa Dave, now my old brain really hurts, but thanks for that. I only asked if you could email me cos I wanted to check on some specifics re your other camera and what program you use for transfering to dvd’s etc.
Many thanks again mate
David,
Again…you’ve outdone yourself! Thanks for sharing your tips and advice with everyone, it’s greatly appreciated.
- Moose
HELP!
HS10 ‘auto’ shut down is there any way of re-starting the camera other than having to re-do the on-off switch.
My old Panasonic one would simply re-press the shutter button and camera would come back to ‘life’.
Harry,
Unfortunately the only way to turn the HS10 on after it does the ‘auto’ shut down is to flick the On/Off switch. You’re only other option is to change the length of time of the ‘auto’ shut down or just turn it off.
- Moose
Thanks Moose, I had a horrible thought someone would say that, oh well just another ‘quirk’ in a great camera.
Hi I am pretty happy with my HS10, It has some quirks and foibles, but it suits what I want to do. All you seem to here or read about is this DSLR or that DSLR, but it hasn’t stopped me gaining awards and merits in my local camera club. See my photostream on Flickr (click here), there are a few photos taken wit my old Panasonic but the majority are taken with my HS10.
PS I hate criticism, it will crush me, so only say nice things!!(not really)
I’ve just noticed my dreadful spelling, I apologize.
Hey John, yep the spelling is shockin…..well ok for another Aussie…..hehee……anyways enjoyed going thru your Flickr site…..and hope I get the same enjoyment from the HS10 as you obviously are having
John,
You’ve got a talent my friend…fantastic photos! Keep up the great work.
- Moose
Just bought a HS10. Previously had S5000 and S9600, taken 1000s of pics. First pics from HS10 included some with horizantal or vertical coloured panels. Have used a variety of familiar software to download and am planning to return camera to Fuji. Is there anything I might have done wrong?
Also, is it possible to insert a mains power adaptor? A 5v one is offered for sale but where do you plug it in?
Many thanks to everyone
Phil
Phil, can’t help with your photographs as you did not indicate the problem you encountered, but can tell you that according to Fuji customer service, that you will need a DC coupler: (CP-04) in conjunction with the 5 volt Power adapter: (AC-5VX). I believe, that it is the coupler that plugs into the camera.
Norman
Many thanks Norman, I’ll follow up that coupler suggestion. To illustrate the different coloured panels that appear on some of my pictures I need to send a couple of examples somewhere to be viewed. I haven’t got my own website, do you have any ideas?
Regards
Phil
Hello Phil,
You could upload it to flickr or picasa and share it with us. And i think I know what you are speaking of as I had the same issue last weekend when i was shooting pictures at night in auto mode (party) and i saw a vertical pink streak when a portion of the florescent bulb was in the picture. I could avoid it by changing the shooting angle. It happened only in auto mode.
Phil,
Couple questions…
1. Are you shooting in RAW and then converting?
2. Have you updated your HS10 to the latest firmware?
You can check my post on the HS10 firmware update for more info.
- Moose
Dear Moose,
On the HS10, I use a Osaka UV filter, which my local store bundled it when I bought HS10. I use it mainly as a lens protector. Will this have any degrading effect on the quality of image. Friend of my mine recommended a Hoya UV filter. Your advise on using a UV filter vis-a-vis not using one.
- Ravi
Ravi,
Your friend is correct…many third party manufacturer’s will slap together some low grade glass with a thin piece of film and call it a UV filter. These low grade filters can have a negative effect on your images. Hoya is by far one of the best manufacturer’s on the market and produce excellent filters with high quality glass, like this one for the HS10. I only use a UV filter when I’m near the ocean or near flying debris like dirt, water, etc…
- Moose
good day all;
I was reading the posts and found this changeing to digital zoom giving 60X instead of the optical 30X.
I tried what was posted and can’t for the life of me get it to work. I probably have a wrong setting. Would you please tell me how this works. And again don’t forget treat me like I was a 2 yr old
Thanks all
Jake
Jake, Don’t feel like the lone ranger. I haven’t been able to get it to work either. If you figure it out will you post here. Thanks in advanced.
Jake, Roland and others, I’ve just learn’t from reading here…..hope my explantation will help
1. It does not appear to work in the SR (Scenic Recon} mode
2. Just press the “^” on the 4-way on the camera back. You will see a ‘+’ sign just above it You then get the “crop” outlines, (usually in blue) – landscape, hit the button again and it goes to oblong for portrait. Using the zoom you will see the figure changing up to 60X.
Guys I hope this helps…..took me a while to get it.
THANKS Harry
Like I said so simple yet so stupid (lol)
It was on the wrong setting
Alas I will keep going, nice to see so many people just learning.
To Moose for his huge effort and time. All the Posters;
THANK YOU
Jake
No worries Jake, I’ve had a fair few digital cameras and HS10 is just not quite as easy to use…..guess still doing somethings as I would my older Panasonic FZ20…..Kodak 880 too. It will take a lot to master it I think.
Thanks Jake, I found out it doesn’t work when the camera is in raw. Once I changed to JPG it worked.
G’day Moose and David for lots of ‘tips’ and everyone else, I’ve finally got some photos up (click here). Some are ok others were taken under not so good light conditions….anyways here they are. Comments are welcome.
Hazz
Hi Harry I looked through your images on PBucket . Some excellent captures there. I see that you haven’t yet got around to cropping and editing them.!
I have just got around to sorting my images for this past year and managed to further dispose of over 1.5 Gb ! It took me 4 hours work to delete, crop, edit and back up the rest.
My advice is sort, crop, edit ,and delete etc within a day or two of taking the pictures or like me you’ll end up with days of work further down the line.
I selected image 14 to crit. I do not wish to register with facebook to comment so hope its ok here. Perhaps Moose will remove my critique if its not appropriate.
Very difficult shot to compose this. I would suggest some cropping to remove the bottom 1/4 of the picture and some of the width too. As an example of max zoom caperbility I took the exact same shot myself the first time I used my HS10. I also took a zero zoom shot for a comparison.
[img]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p261/peanutNboo/DSCF0058.jpg[/img]
Remember the ’1/3rd rule’ and try to get some foreground in show your viewing point and to provide some interest and a ‘lead in ‘to your focal point for the viewer.Unfortunately the only other object is the marker post which competes for interest at the same focal distance in the centre of the frame.
Looks like the sun was in front of you to the left so the picture is a little washed out.Try to keep the sun behind you for shots like these .
Sorry if my critique appears overly negative. If its any consolation I only had 3-4 shots from 30+ that were worth keeping on my first day out with the HS10
Hey Nick, as I said comments are welcome, at least by me. And thanks for looking.
Hope someone can help I am new to photography and recently bought the HS10 but am struggling with the macro for close up as I wish to take some photos of insects. Can anyone advise what I should be doing and is it worth investing in the Raynox DCR-250. The photos I have seen of insects taken with the camera by other people are great mine are just a blur I just seem to be getting the focusing wrong. Any hekp would be much appreciated as off to South Africa soon with the camera.
Karen,
You’ll want to enable macro mode…
1. Press the selector left arrow (little flower icon)
2. The Macro mode menu will appear
3. Select Regular macro mode to get close-ups from a distance of two to three feet and select Super macro for extreme close-ups
You can also read my post on “How to Take Great Close-ups with the Fuji HS10” which may answer most of your questions.
- Moose
Many thanks for your reply I have had the macro mode on but the bugs I have taken are just blurred things in the middle of the photo and everyone elses pictures look great. Mabye I am trying to get too close or something. Will just have to keep practising. Would a tripod help.
Thank you
Yes Karen a tripod can help a lot, sometimes just a fractional little hand-shake can blur the ‘bug’, I often use the second-timer mode as well. True tho it’s not always easy to set tripod just when you see what you want to picture.
Karen,
Yes, a tripod would help (I like this one for the price). It would also help to use a fast shutter speed. You can do this by rotating the mode dial to ‘S’ or shutter priority. Then select a shutter speed above 1/250 for macro photography. You may have to adjust the ISO in order to get a proper exposure, depending on the lighting.
- Moose
Karen, just because our HS10 can do 30X zoom, doesn’t mean we can use up to 30x zoom for insects Macro photography.
Many factors need to be taken into account including the size factor of that insect – ants, fly, dragonfly, grasshopper etc.
If you really like insects and Macro photography – I personally would recommend you to buy the Raynox DCR-250 macro lens – it works very well with our HS10, and once you become good at it, you can then consider buy the upgrade set – Raynox CM-2000A MacroExplorer 3-in-1 Set
You can see some of my samples below (mine only using the single Raynox DCR-250);
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
Good luck and all the best
HS10 rock!!!!
John,
Thanks for your recommendations and photos!
- Moose
Great to see this site
I am in WAAAAAAY over my head
Last camera was a fuji S3000
Any sugestions for tips and tricks to augment the plain (online, CD) manual or should i just drive you all crazy with my stupid questions.
Thanks for being here
Jake
Jake,
Fuji cameras never get any love when it comes to field guides or step by step books…so bring on the crazy, stupid questions! Ha! :)
- Moose
A lot of us are Jake with this camera, all in the ‘learnings’ and trial and error…..but its sure a fun camera to use.
aww by the way great idea moose for thinking of this forum,experinced far out ways reading books,
Adam,
Thanks for the kind words!
- Moose
had hs 10 now since june,very happy with results,from aircraft photography to still subject photography. :) just one question i have,how do i print panorama photo,s?
Adam, a reader posed this very question in Shutterbug a couple of months ago. Here is one of the labs that they recommended;
http://www.newhopephoto.com/. I had saved this particular lab to give to my son. You may be able to source the others via Shutterbug. Hope that this is some help.
Norman
Adam,
I’ve been happy with AdoramaPix, here’s what you do…
1. Upload the panoramic image file to AdoramaPix.com
2. Select the paper size (you can go all the way up to 36″)
3. You’ll receive the panoramic print with white borders on the top and bottom. You can trim these off and then frame your panoramic print.
- Moose
MANUAL FOCUS?
I seem to have trouble with the MANUAL FOCUS especially towards infinity. Should the manual focus ring rotate continually (without reaching a stop) or is mine faulty?
Pete – At the zoom you want, aim at the horizon, and press the AE/AF-Lock button (below the Red Movie button on the back) – to get an approximate at infinity – then just move the MF ring a few mm each way to fine-tune.
Do the same pre-focus with the AE/AF-Lock at any selected distance – and that will be close… Then just use small movements of the focus ring to fine-tune. It has the “bar and dot” visible in EVF or LCD as a confirm-focus indicator.
You might want to turn off the ‘magnified’ Focus-Check centre for some purposes. That’s an On-Off, fifth down on page 4 of the Set-Up Menu.
Regards, Dave.
David thanks for that info, things have now improved for me dramatically.
One more thing if tou can spare the time.
Page 52 of the manual states “the camera will not focus when the focus ring is rotated all the way to the right”
My focus ring rotates continually, in either direction, without reaching a stop, is this correct.
Many thanks in anticipation of you answer.
Pete
Pete – Seems to be so on mine, too. So must be “how it’s made”.
In the Manual, some of it seems to be “Copy > Pasted” from other or earlier Fuji Cameras. Example – the drawings and diagrams on Page 47 for Exposure Compensation – are identical to the ones in the Fuji S2000HD (a camera I also have) – Manual.
Actually, at first I thought the AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) function in the HS10 Manual had been wrongly Copied from the S2000HD Manual. After all, no $545.00 (in Australia) – Camera would only have a +/- 1EV AEB limit….
Well – they did get that right! That’s all it has – check item 3, Shooting Menu, Page 3.
I rang Fuji to ask if this might be fixed with a later Firmware update. The person I spoke to at Fuji stated that NO P&S cameras have +/- 2EV AEB, you need a DSLR for that….
To which I said (after reaching along the bench for it) – “I’m holding a P&S camera that does – the Canon SX10…”. He sounded doubtful – I offered to send a photo of the screen…
Actually – with the HS10 – you can get good EV spread, across the +/- 2EV – 3, 5, etc, images for HDR…! Put the camera on a tripod, tighten the tripod adjusters so it can’t move – then use the Compensation Button and Command-Dial – with the 2-second Timer.
Have you tried – just for fun – the 2x digital – out to 60x / 1440mm – yet? You can get usable images (if you reduce the size later to ‘false sharpen’ images) – out to 35-40x… After that, gets fuzzier.
However – I’m still trying to find out how to do Exposure Compensation in Manual Mode – where that button is used to change the Aperture…
Best Regards, Dave.
David, thanks for all the extra information, fascinating and informative.
Pete
Pete,
Sounds like David answered all your questions! :)
- Moose
David,
Thanks again for the informative answers…gonna have to put you on the payroll! :)
- Moose
Hi, Moose – Love the idea of a forum just for Fuji addicts! A lot of very good Q&As here already…
I’ve had my HS10 for a few weeks, and love it. Takes a bit of a learning curve, but that’s more than worth it! I try to do a bit of Birding, and bought a Slik F740 tripod to help with that.
I’ve found that at long Zoom, tripod gives much sharper images. Also that using Manual Mode, and Manual Focus helps. If you back-off just a little from the indicated 30x to 27x, the images are rather better.
However – an oddity – in Manual Mode, you seem to lose access to Exposure Compensation – the “+/-” button is used to change Aperture. Does anyone know how to get around that, please?
Best Regards, All, Dave.
G’day David, I just finished reading your above comments, reply to Pete’s questions, I thank you too. You have mentioned the ’2 x digitalzoom’, I’ve been everywhere in the camera and can’t find the ‘switch’ to turn it on…..please help.
Harry S
Hi, Harry – Ahh, well, with that, Fuji’s just being ‘Very Mysterious’…. Actually, it’s where it is – but apparently isn’t…. Do hope that’s clear!
Just press the “^” on the 4-way on the camera back. You get the “crop” outlines – landscape, or portrait if you press again.
Now – rotate the zoom on the barrel – and watch the numbers on the Zoom Indicator at the left… They go up to 60x. Easy, see…, er, when you ‘see’ where it is!
That works in all modes, including Auto, Program, and Manual. Also – Manual Focus works with that in all Modes.
Use the 30-60x on a tripod, or a good steady rest on a camera-bag, etc, and the Timer – ANY movement in the “enhanced” zoom is disastrous!
The MF is a big help here – at any part of enhanced-zoom – just hit the AE/AF-Lock button below the Movie button. This still works the Auto-Focus – and gives a nearly-correct focus.
Then gently “rock” the Manual Focus ring “either side” a few mms. You’ll see the focus blur more each way – reduce the “either side” movements until the focus is “centred”.
If you set the 2-second Timer – the “v” on the 4-way – before you set the MF – you can then just gently press the Shutter Button full-down, and get your hands clear!
Here’s the surprising bit…! We tend to think from our previous small P&S cameras, that ANY digital-zoom will fuzz-out badly. On the HS10 – while it won’t give top image quality – it’s not too awful – particularly 35x or 40x – sometimes even more.
If you’re not “pixel-peeping” 100% crops – and reduce the full image to 1280x 1024 (okay for Wallpapers at monitor resolution) or 1024 x 768 for looking-at – the “false sharpening” effect of reducing the image size can cover a lot of sins!
I’ve had images done – very gently – at ‘enhanced’ 50x – that weren’t at all “crisp”, of course – but reduced to 1024 x 768 weren’t worse than “snaps” done with a smaller camera, and shown at that size…
Rude persons – not us, of course! – could do images at an ‘enhanced’ 35x… and say they were “Just like the Canon SX30′s 35x ones…”
Bests, Dave.
I don’t believe it, I’ve looked at that and ‘thought…nah don’t need to use that’ duh!!!! I was looking for something similar to what my Pana FZ20 had. It’s whole new learning curve with the HS10. Many thanks for your help David…..now I’ll go and enjoy more ‘shooting’
Hey again David, meant to include my hotmail address: Hazz58@hotmail.com
Harry – Quite! I did a “nearly microscopic” analysis of the Manual looking for it…. Fuji does say on-site, that it has 2x digital zoom… The Manual “could” helpfully include a “where and how”….!
However – it seems not to have any “obvious” – or sneaky – way to use digital-zoom with Video.
Okay – some might think that 30x zoom is plenty for Video.
But I have here a Canon SX10 – 20x optical – that goes to 80x on digital zoom. That’s not as bad as it sounds – if you use a tripod. Of course, one might not need 80x – but from 20x optical – being able to go to 30 or 40x is very useful. As it doesn’t use all of the 10Mpix sensor even at that, providing that you can keep the camera steady and in focus – it actually works well.
The SX10 has good Manual Focus for video – also Manual Exposure adjustment. I – so far – haven’t found Video MF or Exposure adjutment in the HS10.
The Stabilisation in Video doesn’t seem too enthusiastic in the HS10 – so I mostly do HD on tripod. The “start-stop” of the twist-zoom is too “sudden” to zoom while video-ing.
So I usually begin in Aperture or Shutter Priority, set the zoom distance, and pre-focus – seems to speed the “delay” in Video-Start and avoid too much Auto “hunting” for focus. Do short bursts – easiest to use in an Editor later, anyway – and do that “setup” between each “take”.
I’ve found that the 1280 x 720 Std HD seems to be better quality than the 1920 x 1080 – there’s not a huge difference in filesize per minute between them. That’s fine – I’m converting down to MPEG2 DVDs at std PAL Digital TV resolution anyway.
On the other hand, handheld, the 640 x 480 works very well, and is also in H264/MOV, like the HD.
If it turns out that the HS10 doesn’t actually have MF or Exposure Control for Video hidden away – that’s an essential for the HS20!
Fuji can’t say that those controls “can’t be done” in a Bridge Zoom – I have the 2008 Canon SX10 here that does both…
Will drop you a mail,
Bests, Dave.
Hey Dave, thanks for another bunch of info, think my email address could be incorrect…should possibly have a small ‘h’
David,
First, I want to thank you for sharing your insightful tips and for helping others. :)
Secondly, exposure compensation basically forces the camera to use a faster/slower shutter speed when shooting in Aperture priority mode and a larger/smaller aperture when shooting in Shutter priority mode. When shooting in Manual mode, this feature is disabled because exposure (aperture/shutter speed) is completely controlled by you. Hope that makes sense.
- Moose
Moose – Yes, thanks, I’d been using Aperture and Shutter in Manual Mode in my Canon SX10 for a long time. Thinking that was how it did it because it didn’t have more Controls.
So I was doing the same with the HS10, while looking for an “Exposure Adjuster in Manual”, Control, thinking that as it’s a more advanced camera with more controls, it’d have one for that. After asking about it here, I did call Fuji Australia about it.
I spoke to a very polite and most helpful person named Neil, who wasn’t sure about this camera model, but said he’d phone back.
Which he most kindly did, some time later. He said he’d asked the Tech folk there, and gave the same answer you just did.
So apparently, by just using Shutter and Aperture in Manual, I’d been doing the right things – and just not realising it!
But we seem not to have that 2x digital zoom, that does work for stills, in Video Mode.
The Canon SX10 does use its 4x digital in with the 20x optical zoom, for Video – but the Mode Dial has to be in Video (the Camera icon) Mode, to do it. It does go to 80x, though that’s a “bit hopeful” – but 30-40x works quite well.
I was more looking for the Manual Focus and Manual Exposure functions for Video – when I wondered about the Digital Zoom as well.
My HS10 (the Made in Indonesia version) – seems not to have a Video setting on the Mode Dial. Surely a $550.00 camera with 2 levels of HD Video, etc, should have more video control than just the one Red Button….?
The now 2 models old 2008 Canon SX10 does have MF and Exposure Adjusting in Video Mode.
I’m thinking, that as there are different versions of the HS10/11 for different Regions, the ones made in Indonesia might differ from those made for the US and EU markets…
Best Regards, Dave.
Thanks for yet more info, oh my brain hurts. Mine too is made in Indonesia…..must admit it didn’t make me at all happy.
Guess as time goes on we will learn to love the all the ‘quirks’ this camera has……good and not so goods.
Again thanks guys
David,
Thanks for sharing!
- Moose
Hey good people and to you Moose, great site and slowly getting use to the HS10…..after having the Panasonic FZ20…this is a whole new ball game.
question, for some reason Fuji photos change their numbers for the photos eg.most have DSCFO1234 and others start with an ‘S’ folowed by a number.
Keep up the great work guys, I’ve enjoyed going thru the comments
Right I got it, the letters b4 the photo numbers change if one takes photos using the ‘continuous shot mode’.
Also for those that may want to know,
I’ve put a step-up ring 58-62 on my HS10 cos all my filters, Nikon 6T and Oly T-Con 1.7 can then fit on.
So far all are working fine…..when I stop ‘clicking’ photos I’ll get some up on my web site.
Harry,
Glad you figured it out…thanks for sharing the step up ring info! :)
- Moose
Hi there again, I wonder if you would be interested in this link (click here), it was a small project i did with my daughter for the ABC(Australian national broadcaster). Apart from about 4 photos, which were archival, all the rest were taken with my Fuji HS10in the last 5 weeks.
Thanks
John Milligan
John,
Very inspirational…great photos!
- Moose
John, wonderful photographs; both technically and emotionally in the way that they portray the subject matter. And in B&W, my favorite tone.
Norman
I have a question. Will I be able to use any 58mm teleconverter lens on my Fujifilm hs10? Or is is that i need to use brands like Nikon or Olympus.
Hi Radha, (if I may call you so ?)
I read on some other blog that a sony conversion lens – VCL-DH 1758 can also work by screwing at the end of the HS-10 lens.
17 is for conversion ratio of 1.7 and 58 is for 58mm lens size therefore – 1758.
If anyone else has anything to share on this – pls enlighten me too.
Hope this would help.
rgds/Nauzer
Rad,
Yes you can add a 58mm teleconverter to your HS10, but you’ll experience vignetting (darkening) in the corners of your images. You should also be very careful, as the added weight of the teleconverter may damage the HS10 lens element when fully zoomed at telephoto.
- Moose
Hello Nauzer and Moose,
Thank you for the tips. Now i know that i need to buy a support or buy the lens which don’t weigh much.
I have the Sony VCL-DH1758 lens and have had no problems with it at all. The only small disadvantage is that when I want to take normal closer shots, I have to unscrew the lens to get them, but this isnt too bad if you are able to plan your shots in advance.
Heres examples normal and zoomed images.
Thank you Paul,
Now i see more of VCL-DH 1758. That should not be hard for you to guess as what i will purchase.. :)
Paul,
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Sony DH1758 Tele Conversion Lens and for showing us some examples! :)
- Moose
I wouldn’t bother with a teleconverter!
After all with the HS10 you’ve already got a 35mm equivalent of 724mm telephoto lens,or double that if you use the two times digital mode.
Plus any distortions`in your add-on lens will be magnified,(unless it’s a VERY expensive teleconverter!)and spoil the resolution of your Fuji lens,and it will detract from the handling of your HS10 quite significantly.
So in my view,supplementary lenses are waste of time,and money!
I would appreciate some advice on taking pictures of fast moving subjects with the HS10 .
I’ve had mine scarcely a week now and today attempted to take some pictures of a cycle race.
Its often very difficult to get any vantage point that isn’t with the cyclists coming straight at you at about 30mph+ From the moment I saw the peleton in the distance to when they shot past was about 6-7 seconds and trying to use the zoom was impossible.
What mode and settings would you suggest for this type of shot ?
Hello Nick,
There are two ways you can shoot a fast moving object.
1) to create a background blur giving a movement effect. For this use the manual mode. Set a very slow speed of approx 20 sec on the shutter speed. Set the F-stop to a point where the light meter is in the centre. ( I prefer a slight over compose) Then choose a predetemined point in the frame where and when you want the cyclist or motorcar to be shot and focus the camera at that spot. Keep the shutter button half pressed and track the cyclist / car from some distance ahead of your predetermined point. Press the shutter full at that predetermined point but keep following the subject (car or cyclist) till the shutter clicks shut. This way you will create a background motion blur but the subject will be clear. Please be careful to pan the camera with the movement of the cyclist or car at the same level if hand held. Else use a tripod.
2) to freeze the background and the subject (cyclist/car) – use a manual mode again. Keep the shutter speed at approx 1000/sec. Chose the correct F-stop, by keeping the light meter bar in the centre. ( I would again slightly over expose, ie the bar to be little more on the RH side) Chose a prefocused spot where you want the cyclist or car to be clicked and keep the shutter button half pressed to keep that frame focused. As soon as the cyclist or the car is in your pre-focused frame, press the shutter button fully to take the picture.
3 – Simplest of all is to chose the Intelligent Auto mode or the “Sport action” mode and click.
Trust this helps.
Rgds/Nauzer
Hope this helps.
thank you both for your replies.
My digital camera skills are extremly limited so I’ll need a nice simple automatic setting to start with as the action is literally gone in 7 seconds.
When you are perched on the side of a one -car- wide road bridge with dozens of motorbikes and cars whizzing through at 30mph + and 50 cyclists shoot by at 30mph+ you only have one maybe two chances of a picture depending on the speed of the lens.
I was very concious of the 15 foot drop off the side of the bridge which only had a 18″ paraphet and the car tyres that were inches from my feet!
Very exciting but i was completly unprepared and only managed one or two reasonable captures unfortunately.
i was looking for the sport mode but couldn’t find it and wasted some time on the S setting before I realised it wasn’t ‘sport’
I now realise that you need to press and hold down the multiple frame button whilst adjusting the number of frame captures with the command button. It doesn’t tell you that in the manual!
In the heat of the moment I couldn’t work out why the settings wouldn’t stay on the screen doh!.
Thanks once again for your advice. I’ll probably use the multiple frame mode initially whilst I familiarise myself with the camera and settings .
Nick
(Click here to view photo)
Nick,
Couple tips to help you out…
1. Enable Continuous/Burst Mode and select Top 7 – page 43
2. Enable Continuous Autofocus (AF-C) – page 51
3. Switch the mode dial to shutter priority mode (S) – page 30
4. Select a shutter speed of 1/1000
When you see the bikers in the distance, zoom in, focus and hold down the shutter button to snap off a burst of images. Each burst is capable of taking 7 frames at a speed of 10 frames per second. As they approach you, adjust your zoom, focus and hold down the shutter button for another quick burst of images. This technique will help you get a few more keepers.
- Moose
You “prefocus” on the best spot in the road for the shot you want,and just wait for the cyclists to fill your screen,and then press the shutter.
Swing the camera(i.e “pan”) to follow the cyclists as you press the shutter to try to ensure a sharp picture.
Use the “sport mode”,and “multi-frame” shooting,and you should get a few good shots.
A lot of it is trial and error,but keep at it,and you’ll find out what’s best for you.
The literature I read prior to buying my HS10 indicated a maximum exposure time of 30 secs. I have only been able to max out at 4 secs. What do I need to do to get the full 30secs? Thanks in advance
Silly me. Read the manual! it must be in the manual mode. Thanks anyway. Great sight.
Roland,
Sorry I didn’t get to you sooner…sounds like you figured it out! :)
- Moose
Hey Roland had my hs10 just a week and I can’t figure out full 30 secs exposure so could you reply here for anyone else who has same problem? thanks will post results if they turn out any good!!!
Karly,
You need to rotate the mode dial to ‘M’ or manual mode and then select a shutter speed of 30 seconds (30″).
- Moose
Hi Moose,
Can you give me some advise on shooting in midday light? What settings have you found that works best to get good results without things looking washed out or not much color.
Kevin,
Midday light can be hard to get right. My best advice is to try to shoot in the opposite direction of the sun. This will give you deeper blues in the sky and better overall color. If you have to shoot towards the sun, I would consider adding a circular polarizer which will get rid of the washed out look. I recommend the circular polarizers by Hoya, click here for the size that fits the HS10.
- Moose
Thanks so much Moose.
I would like to know what is the difference with the fstop settings with the double quotes beside it and just numbers. Frt example fstop 2″ and just fstop 2.8
Rad,
The number with the double quotes next to it is the shutter speed. When you see (2″) that actually stands for a shutter speed of 2 seconds. Hope that helps!
- Moose
That explained everything. Thank you.
Hi,
Have anyone experienced the following issue? The MOV files of my Fuji HS10 are seen without any problem on the PC. However, my multimedia HD (a Gigaset HD790) will read them with jumps. This multimedia drive is however able to see flawlessly MOV files from other sources, such as Nikon or Canon cameras. Do you know if the Fuji MOV files are somehow “special” or with a non standard format?
Thanks!
Jack,
Are you recording at 30 frames per second or are you using the high speed mode? Just curious. I haven’t heard anything specifically regarding video encoding differences between the Fuji MOV files and those from Nikon or Canon. I’ll ask around and see if I find out anything.
- Moose
I am recording at normal mode, 30 frames per second. Thanks for your help, Moose.
Jack,
Thanks for the info…I’ll let you know if I find out anything from my video buddies.
- Moose
Dear friends ,
Recently i faced to a matter in compare with my previous camera Sony cybershot.
In Sony i have color’s exaggeration in pictures on the other hand ,The Color in Fuji HS10 pictures seem to be very less than a real view specially in night .
It would appreciated if you advice me how to correct mentioned problem or advice me how i could have a real color at nights with flash and without it .
kind regards.
Reza Moghadam.
Reza,
Could you post a few examples for us to look at? Maybe post a link to your online photo gallery so we can give you better advice on what to do. :)
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I just read info from here that Doug Sinnott on 3rd September just got the third firmware update for his camera after his camera returned from Fuji UK, here I copy his message:
“Doug Sinnott said on 3rd September 2010
Please note all you Fuji HS10 Users.
I have just had my HS10 camera returned from Fuji UK who have installed the third,and latest,firmware update.It’s that new it’s not even on Fuji’s website yet!
They have not listed the improvements it has made,(I have asked for more info)but the focussing is better,particularly at the long end of the zoom,and overall,it’s feels more responsive.
This latest V3 update has made an alredy very good camera,even better,so get your camera up to speed,and contact FUJI UK ASAP!!!
”
Is this correct, could you or someone here confirm about this?
Thanks,
-iip-
IIP,
Thanks for the info…my Fuji sources are pretty tight lipped and right now the only firmware update available to the public is version 1.02. It’s possible they are still testing version 1.03, but it’s not yet available to the public. We should see the new firmware shortly.
- Moose
I have tried shooting in Raw+jpeg, all the raw editors i have tried, including silkypix and the new adobe raw 6.2 seem to load the raw files with heavy dithering which I cannot get rid of(almost like low light noise). Am I doing something wrong?
John,
RAW support for the HS10 has been really inconsistent. Fuji has already addressed one of the problems with RAW processing in their latest firmware update and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see another update that addresses RAW processing. At this point, I’ve abandoned RAW on the HS10 until some of these converting/processing issues are fixed.
- Moose
Thank you for your prompt reply, I suppose I am happy that its not just me!!
John and Moose – Yes, the Software folk – including Adobe with their DNG Converter, seem a bit slow with the HS10 and other model RAF RAWs.
However, if you’re using Linux – or know sombody who does – so long as they’ve updated their DCRAW to 9.0x (our Distro, PCLinuxOS – has DCRAW-9.03 in the repository) – Digikam, a highly multifunctional RAW post-processor) – can handle HS10 RAFs very well.
Or, if you prefer to use your Windows programs to post-process your RAF RAWs – the Linux-DNGconverter will batch-convert (hundreds, if you have them) – of RAFs to 100% quality DNGs quite quickly. You can then use those in Windows with the usual Windows post-processors.
Regards, Dave.
David,
Thanks for the great info…will try your suggestions. :)
- Moose
Moose, did you try it yet?
John,
No, not yet…hope to in the coming weeks.
- Moose
Mr. Moose,
Can you tell me how to get moving water to have the misty white look every time. I have taken several shots and have gotten great results but there is one in particular I want a shot of and now matter where the light is coming from it alway turns out either under exposed or over exposed. Any tips?
Kevin,
The key to capturing moving water is a slow shutter speed. In order to get a slow shutter speed and still get a proper exposure in bight daylight, you’ll need to use a Neutral Density filter. A neutral density filter will reduce the amount of light entering the camera, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds in bright daylight. After you attach the ND filter to your HS10, enable shutter priority mode (S) and select a shutter speed around 1 second. This will get you started in the right direction.
- Moose
Kevin,
I believe what you need to do is to slow your shutter speed way down. This will cause the water flowing to blurr, giving it that misty white look.
Here is a link (click here) with a video that explains it better than I can. Let me know if I’m stepping on any toes by posting a different site so I won’t do it again.
David,
No you won’t step on any toes by posting links to other resources. Thanks for the resource!
- Moose
Thanks guys, I’m sure this will be very helpful!
Can someone explain the IS on the Fuji HS10. I would like to know more about how it works and the applications that it should used.
Kevin,
The Fuji HS10 claims to have 3 forms of image stabilization (sensor, ISO and digital), however, the ISO and digital stabilization features are just gimmicks. The real image stabilization is the built-in sensor shift stabilization. The sensor will ‘shift’ to compensate the small movements that are made when hand holding the HS10.
- Moose
Thanks Moose
Hello Moose,
Do you mean that the IS + digital in the settings will not make much of a difference?
Hi Moose – Great website! 2 questions. 1.) Is there an easy way to keep track of the settings you used for each pic taken? I’ve been
trying to figure out the settings needed for a blurred background. I have managed to get 1 pic with a decent blurr background but I can’t remember for certain what settings I used. I think I was 3 – 5 feet from the object, very little zoom,lowest aperture and the background was probably 40 yards away. 2.) Does the background always have to be that far away? Thanks!
In Windows 7 right click picure in file then look in properties/details.
Thanks Mick – I guess I didn’t dig deep enough into the Properties but that is exactly what I was looking for
David,
Sounds like Mick answered your first question, thanks Mick! :)
As for your second question, no…but the farther your background is from your subject the better the “bokeh” (blur). The key to getting your subject in focus with the background blurred, is to zoom as far as possible into your subject and use the lowest available aperture in aperture priority mode (A) on the mode dial.
- Moose
Moose,
I took a few test pics last night using your suggestions on getting the background blurr. It worked great and was consistent with every picture I took. Thanks a million!!
David,
Good to hear! :)
- Moose
You need to be in “M”, or manual mode, to get the 30sec shutter speed,so it is there!
Dear Moose,
just checking if there is a third party corded or wireless shutter release for the HS -10 ? I am on tour in Melbourne and have tried all possible camera stores including Tedds & Michaels and even the Camera exchange shops, but no one has any clue ?
Have written to Fuji film Australia whether RR-80 works with HS-10 and they said NO but did not respond to giving an alternative.
Request any reader on this blog to also advice.
Thanks – Nauzer
Nauzer,
I looked into it and right now there’s no corded or wireless shutter release available for the HS10. If I hear anything new, I’ll be sure to update the site.
- Moose
Hi Nauzer – I’m not sure if this is what you are looking for but I did see this type on Ebay for sale (click here). It doesn’t look like it would be much different than pushing the button manually but it’s all I have seen.
Hi David, many thanks for the update and website address.
By Joe ! thats a clever invention, but doubt the camera’s accuracy with this mechanical gadget, as there ability to half press the shutter button for camera to focus wont be there. Or maybe it could work well with continous auto focos mode.
Dear Moose, whats your comment about this one ? Will it be worthwhile to order at 20 $ ??
Thanks again David.
Rgds -Nauzer
I’ve never used a setup like this, so I really can’t comment. Seems like it would work.
- Moose
It’s easier just to put the camera on 2 or 10 second delay.
Most cable or remote releases are just a nuisance to use,and I’ve bought them in the past,but seldom used them,preferring to use the delayed action setting.
Obviously the camera should be on a tripod,or a wall,or some other firm support.
Hello Moose,
In the shooting Menu, there is a option for “Dynamic Range”. what does it mean? In the users manual not much is said about this feature. And there are 3 options under this feature(100%,200% & 400%) but the 100% option is selected always and the other two are disabled and couldn’t be selected.
Please explain this feature and how to select the other 2 options?
Raj.
Raj,
Dynamic Range is basically the range from light to dark in your photo. If you’re taking an image of a coastline seascape, you’ll have super bright highlights in the waves and very dark shadows on the cliffs. Increased Dynamic Range basically preserves the highlight and shadow detail across the image. I’m pretty sure you have to shoot in aperture priority (A) or shutter priority (S) to access the higher dynamic range options.
- Moose
Moose, Thanks for your clarification.
Moose, In the A & S priority modes its possible to select only the 200% option. The 400% option remains inaccessible. How do I choose that option?
Raj,
Not sure…will have to experiment with my HS10 to find out.
- Moose
Saravanaraj – The 100% DR is always available because the HS10 ISO range doesn’t go below ISO-100.
To be able to use 200% DR, you just manually set the ISO to ISO-200, and for 400% DR – set to ISO-400.
Depending on how you’re holding the camera, when you use the top-left ISO button to hold down and change – it can be easier to use the Left and Right pointers on the 4-way control, rather than re-position your right hand to use the Command Dial.
That works with all of the 5 Buttons on the left of the LCD. Can make it easier to change ISO, Focus type, so on, with the camera to face, using the Viewfinder, while perhaps keeping on-target – without changing grip or lowering the camera, to use the Command Dial.
Bests, Dave.
Saravanaraj – With the DR, the HS10 will “let you have it both ways”…!
You might have a time of day or place you go, when you might want DR 100%-200%-400% immediately – just by changing the ISO with the back-button – but, at all other times and places you usually leave the DR at the “default 100%” in all Modes.
If your “usual carry-around” mode is Program, you might use that for it. Set the camera in Program, and ISO at 400. Open the Shooting Menu, go down to Dynamic Range and open that. As the Camera is set at ISO-400, you can select-down to “DR1400 -400%”. Select that, exit back to Shooting Mode Menu. Now go to Custom Set – the only one on Page 4 of that Menu. Go into that, select “OK”, and press the Menu-OK button to set it.
Now exit back to Shooting Menu. Now go back to the Dynamic Range entry on Page 1. Select “DR100-100%”, exit to Menu, and exit Menus, back to ready to shoot mode. Reset the ISO to the usual 100. From then on, all Std Modes will be at the default DR-100.
Now turn the Mode Dial to Custom. That will be in Program Mode (or Shutter, etc, whichever you used for the Custom setting.) But you will now have the “DR-100″ in a Yellow, not White, box.
To change between DR-100-200-400 – hold the ISO Button on top-back of the camera – and click between ISO-100-200-400. The DR-number in the Yellow box will change from DR-100%-200%-400%, as you do. And there will be a same-size Yellow box with an Arrow, showing which DR-level you changed from – and it’s 1-click of ISO to go back to. If you went from 100% to 200%, the Arrow box will show 100% to go back to – and when at 400% – it shows 200% as the “1-back”.
When you leave Custom Mode – the DR100 setting in the White box will show in all Modes.
Very nifty device, this HS10…!
Regards, Dave.
Raj,
David answered your question exactly right! Was experimenting last night and came to the same conclusion.
- Moose
wow… Dave thanx for your advice. Awesome explanation. But why didnt Fuji print these stuff in their manual.???
Moose, this place is exciting me a lot…. the recent tip on Owl Portrait is great. Thanx for all you do. I’m really happy I decided for an HS10 :)
Raj
Raj,
Thanks for the kind words! :)
- Moose
Hiya Moose .
Well done for starting this excellent resource. I’ve been thinking about buying the HS10 for several months now and finaly took the plunge last Saturday. Its a huge step up from my Fuji S5600 and I’m still rather overwhelmed by all the settings.
A friend has asked me how the date can be reset once the initial date setting opportunity has past . I’ve checked the manual but can find nothing at all other than leaving the batteries out for a week+?
Best regards,
Nick
Date and time are the first item in the setup menu, see page 14 of the manual.
Nick,
Inside the setup menu you should see an option for changing the Time/Date. This will allow you to set the Time/Date to whatever you’d like. You can also do a factory reset inside the setup menu which will bring you back to the Time/Date setup screen.
- Moose
thank you for your replies
how do you get to the setup menu ?
Neither of us have found any setup section within the menu.?
if you look at page 14 it refers to the very first time you turn the camera on only., Once that opportunity has past we cannot find any option in the menu called ‘setup’
ok I have found how to get into the ‘SET’ menu on the left.doh!
By default the ‘camera settings’ comes up on the Lcd when selecting MENU.
You need to press Menu then left once then press down once then press OK to get into the set-up menu.
I bought a HS10 a month back and very happy with the results. But occasionally i have a problem. Even after the power button is turned ‘OFF’, the camera still stays ‘ON’. Is this a problem any other users have experienced? Should I take the camera back to the store asking to fix the issue? Pls advice.
Never heard of this problem before. I would ask for advice from the seller.
Sara,
Not sure why it would stay on, I would call Fuji support.
- Moose
Same thing happened once with my hs10 also.
I have had that happen several times. I just move the switch back to on and then off again. Has almost become a reflex after 40k shots
I’ve heard that after shooting 7 frames in Burst mode, the camera has to wait about 12 seconds before you can shoot again. Can I speed things up by using a Class 10 memory card?
Also, any suggestions on in-camera settings to help reduce noise? I’ve seen complaints of noise even at ISO-100.
Finally: Any suggestions on settings so as to avoid blown-out areas when shooting white-water surf or boat wakes in bright sunlight?
Burst mode: Haven’t tried a Class 10 card, just have a standard one. You could try reducing the image size – in my little test, Small 3:2 took about 7 seconds, Medium 3:2 took 11 seconds and Large took 14 seconds. Still not brilliant whichever size you choose, and the camera’s so-called ‘continuous’ mode was a disappointment to me. Best Frame Capture is more useful to me.
Noise: had no problems at ISO 100. I’ve played around with all the ISO settings but settle for up to 800 in normal use.
Burn out: theres several threads on dpreview forums about this, try using the histogram (page 47 of manual) or in the meantime use the Silkypix Raw File Converter to detect burnt out areas (View menu, Display Warning, Both) then adjust Exposure Bias to reduce to glare.
Dave,
The Fuji HS10 hardware is limited to 7 frames per second in each burst. A faster memory card won’t be able to extended the amount of images captured, but it may speed up the write time. I just did an informal test and the Class 10 card was able to refresh in about 8 to 10 seconds, versus 11-13 with the Class 6 card.
Noise levels are on par with other cameras in the same class as the HS10. Outside in bright light, ISO 100 will give you excellent results. As the light drops, noise levels will increase a bit even at ISO 100.
To preserve highlight detail, you can enable spot metering and meter the brightest part of the image (white-water or wake). You can also experiment with exposure compensation to get the highlight areas under control.
- Moose
- Moose
There’s NO discernable noise with the HS10 at 100 ISO,and even at 800 ISO you could still get a good 10×8 print.
There are some cranky people on the net who just won’t accept that a “superzoom” can produce some very acceptable prints,often up to A3,and at quite high ISOs,so they bang on about “noise”,or “image smearing” .
Don’t spend your time “pixel peeping” on your computer,like they do,get a decent printer and you’ll be more than happy with your photos from your HS10!
I have HS10 too, the problem with the camera is sometime the camera take the focus very slow, and some time it doesn’t take picture immediately when the shutter pressed…so I lost some great pictures… :(, Is there a settings or tricks that I need to set to solve this problem?
thanks,
-iip-
IIP,
The HS10 will slow down a bit when shooting indoors or when using full telephoto. You can try the following…
1. Enable ‘Center’ Autofocus mode
2. Pre-focus by half pressing the shutter button with the center focus point positioned over your subject
3. Ensure you’re using a fast enough shutter speed. When shooting indoors or when using full telephoto, you will need faster shutter speeds to prevent camera shake and subject blur. Try increasing your shutter speed to 1/100 when shooting wide-angle indoors and 1/500 or higher for full telephoto. You may have to increase the ISO at the same time to get an accurate exposure.
Hope that helps!
- Moose
Has any one used Cokin filters with the Fuji HS10? Does the Autofocus cope with them and is any exposure adjustments needed?
Mick,
Yes the HS10 can focus properly through the Cokin filters. You may need to use some exposure compensation based on the type of filter and the amount of light available. Which filter are you looking at purchasing?
- Moose
I have a collection Graduated Cokin filters starburst and polarising filters from my 35 mm days.
Hi Moose,
Great idea you got here, I’ll tell my friends on dpreview about it!
Have a little tip for everyone with large hands, have just molded a small amount of black Milliput around the playback button to prevent accidental contact with the palm of the hand during shooting, lost count of the amount of times I’ve gone to take a pic, only to find myself looking at the last pic taken in payback made, very annoying if it’s a flighty bird or animal.
It’s a thing of the past now, and will be posting some pics on my blog soon, where I have also done a layman’s review on the HS10 as a travel camera!
Got to love that lens ;-)
All the best.
David,
Funny you mentioned the accidental contact with the playback button…happens to me all the time. Thanks for sharing your fix!
Just got done reading your review of the HS10, absolutely fantastic! I’m posting a link to it here so other people can check it out: David’s Review of the HS10
- Moose
Thanks for starting this…it has been a long time since I have had to deal with manual photography and it sure looks like plenty to learn. For me, the number one issue currently is how to compensate for a light background to keep the subject from being underexposed. Back when, I had a canon with a button you held in for exposure compensation. Preferably this setting could be applied while in an automatic scene mode. Thanks again!
ken
Ken,
If you’re trying to correctly expose a subject against a bright background, you can try the following…
1. Enable flash and use it as fill light – When taking portraits outside, position the sun behind your subject and use the flash to illuminate your subject.
2. Use spot metering – With spot metering you can ensure that your subject will be correctly exposed. The only problem with spot metering is that your background will most likely be blown out (over-exposed).
- Moose
Quick tip…forgot where I read this but it worked.
Out the other day shooting with the HS10. Through on a 58mm filter just for lens protection.
Got home and the filter was locked tight and would not come off.
Remembered two tips. First was to put the camera in the refrigerator for a few minutes (at your own risk of course if you forget it is in there) and the 2nd was to wrap a couple of large rubber bands around the filter to give some grip. Worked like a charm.
Joe,
Thanks for sharing, great tip!
- Moose
it is a little disappointing to find out that the EVF of the HS10 is not very bright. The EVF of the S9600 was brighter and easier to use, even with spectacles. Is there something to do about this?
Even my Kodak DX6490 has far bigger n better EVF. This is the dark horse of the HS10!
Ben,
I’m not sure why Fuji skimped on the EVF, but it’s very small and has almost no image detail. I’m a big EVF user, but with the HS10 I’ve had to train myself to use the LCD screen instead.
- Moose
Ben – The defaults set on the HS10 EVF/LCD are indeed rather “dim and grainy”. As I prefer to use the EVF with the camera off tripod, I was a bit worried about that at first.
You can change the Brightness level – that’s the top item on Page 3 of the Setup Menu. In the Manual – Page 111, lower left item. I’m running mine up from the default “0″ at “+3″. That’s plenty bright!
What isn’t explained well in the Manual – is that the “default refresh” is set at 30fps.
That can be changed to 60fps – the item below “LCD Brightness” in Setup Menu Page 3. I went looking for it, as my Fuji S2000HD has the function. Go into the “EVF/LCD Mode” item – and change 30fps to 60fps.
That doesn’t make the EVF/LCD views look like a DSLR setup – but it’s a big improvement.
Note that using the “High Speed Shooting” mode will, while in that, revert the display to 30fps. It returns to 60fps (if pre-set at that) – after leaving it.
I’m in a fairly dimly lit room, mid evening – and I just tried the EVF and LCD. At f/2.8 I’m getting a focus-in at 1.5 seconds – and both EVF and LCD show the “brightness level” change for the shot at half shutter press, in Aperture or Manual modes.
At that shutter speed it needs a rest – placing it on a book on a dresser was okay – and the image was quite okay. In either Aperture or Manual, LCD and EVF were clear. Manual Focus in either, with or without the magnified “Focus Check” centre rectangle, was very usable. AF also locked-in and beeped in Aperture Priority.
And no – I wasn’t using Flash…
If you wear glasses – as I do – I’m 62 this week – note that there’s a very adjustable diopter control on the left of the EVF. Angle the camera so you can turn it while looking through the EVF. That adjusts so well that I can use the EVF without my glasses on. And even use the MF in screen or magnified centre modes.
Using the 60fps rate seems not to alter the life of a set of Eneloops much, if at all. Though I do have the 1.5/3-sec Review and other “automatics” turned off.
Bests, Dave.
David,
Great tip! Thanks for sharing. :)
- Moose
Anyone thinking of buying the Giotto Optical Screen Protector. The 3″ one fits fine on the HS10, just bought one!
Giottos Website: http://www.giottos.com/SP.htm
Paul,
Thanks for sharing! Good to hear that it fits the HS10 LCD screen.
- Moose
Howdy friends, just wanted to kick off the Fuji HS10 discussion!
- Moose
@Moose Good thing u got started out here. Hope ppl come out n make the best use to learn the intricacies of digital photography. Hats off to ya for taking the step!
Namgyal,
Thanks for the kind words!
- Moose