Just when I thought I might be done with my tripod, I started wondering about the usable range of ISO on this camera. Like my other tests this is done mostly for my own benefit, so that I know the constraints I'm working with.
Everyone has different tolerance to noise but most photographers would prefer it to be as low as possible. Adding film-like grain is a different matter since this has quite a different look from sensor noise. The aesthetic appeal can be gauged by the number of software applications just waiting to add grain to your shots.
You can read my previous post for my testing method. Let's see how this camera performs!
ISO crop comparison
Starting at ISO 100 I doubled the setting to the maximum of 102,400, resulting in 11 images. These were processed in Affinity 2 using the default noise settings which are actually not "off" but set to 20% colour noise reduction. I have never found this to do anything but help an image.
Here are 100% crops after down-sizing the total image by half. Click on each image below to expand to full size. View on a computer, not a mobile screen.
The noise increases quite gradually until ISO 12,800. Here it's noticeable but the quality is not offensive.
After this point the noise gets significantly more objectionable with every stop. Indeed, Fuji labels these as "High ISO" and provides a special setting to apply noise reduction automatically in these cases. I have not experimented with this feature since I prefer maintaining control over post-processing.
Instead I altered the development settings in Affinity. I set 20% luminance noise reduction and then to make up for the detail loss I added 50% detail / 50% radius sharpening. More aggressive noise reduction is always a trade-off between detail loss and noise smoothing. The final row of crops shows the results.
I would say that these more aggressive settings do a great job at 12,800 and 25,600. But areas of constant colour get quite blotchy at the last two settings. This is likely too objectionable. However acuity is maintained and there is little detail loss in those areas that have detail.
Full images
But we are still looking at crops here. What about a full image? In poor light I shot a fruit bowl with the same process (f/8, tripos, etc.). I used ISO 12,800 with the same minimal noise reduction as specified above. Then I switched to increased NR for the three highest ISO settings. The centre of the image has been cropped and the document then resized to 3000 pixels square. Certainly the image could do with some sharpening and better lighting, but this is supposed to be a worst case scenario.
ISO 12,800 with default development
ISO 25,600 with NR applied
ISO 51,200 with NR applied
ISO 102,400 with NR applied
Conclusions
Your interpretation might be different but I will now limit myself to the "normal" ISO range (up to 12,800) unless I have no other choice. Or if I am shooting black-and-white and deliberately seeking a rougher aesthetic. That said, post-processing can get something usable from all these sensitivities except perhaps the last.
You may wish to compare these results to the Panasonic Lumix S5. Spoiler: it performed just as well despite the smaller sensor.
No comments:
Post a Comment