Fuji Fuji X10 - Settings to start with?

BB, another thought. Do a handful of test shots in RAW. Then, use the in-camera raw processor to process them to your liking. You can tweak all of the same settings in the raw processing that you can set for jpegs - and then it will write jpegs for you. You can process any given raw file as many times as you want and it creates a jpeg. So, if you shoot a raw file and then process it a few different ways (and try to document what you did on each), then you can see which results you like the best. Then you just set the jpeg settings just as you did to process those raws. If you find one group of settings for bright light and maybe another for indoors, you could set them up on the C1 and C2 spaces on the mode dial...

Or you can just shoot test jpegs and change the settings as you go, but just shooting a single raw file and changing the processing seems like a more controlled way to get at what you're after. BTW, its not hard to do - I never ever use the in-camera processor but I tried it a couple of times just to see what it was like and its incredibly easy to do. You just pull up the raw shot in the image review mode and then there's a menu option for "raw conversion" - go into that and play with settings to your heart's content.

Just a thought,

-Ray
 
For those shots that I consider "keepers", I create my final OOC JPEGs at home, when I have the time and the correct ambient light for this – and my calibrated PC monitor, which helps me to see what's wrong or missing on the imported "rough" standard setting OOC JPEG that was created when I pressed the shutter button. This results in better looking and well-balanced OOC JPEGs that can easily be used for further PP.
 
A newbie to the forum, a previous Leica M3 owner, a new X10 owner and so far enamoured with the camera.
The only problem I have is with hand-held shots indoors.
In P mode and auto mode my X10 will meter a shot indoors for example, at 1/15th of a second at f2.0. Obviously difficult to take, hand-held, but if I pop the "super-intelligent flash" up, it takes the shot at the same settings, with the little yellow camera shake icon in the viewfinder. What gives? My Canon SLR uses minimum 1/60th of a second for its not-so-super-intelligent flash shots, and there is no camera shake in those shots.
I have no problems with anything else about this camera, and understand the modes but for my wife to take shots in low light we can't have her paying attention to shutter speeds. She just needs to point and shoot. Her shots of our daughter before a semiformal are very poor due to camera shake, and she used the flash in automatic mode.
Help?
 
First of all, welcome to Serious Compacts, Nyty-Nyt.:D

What do you have the ISO set to? (ISO is like our old ASA in film - which of course you know.) If you don't want to think about it, I'd suggest setting the ISO to "Auto ISO" - there are several options. You could try up to Auto ISO to 3200, I believe that's an available setting...I don't have my camera handy at the moment, and see how that works. It should be just fine. You should try the ISO choices and see what you think looks best - it might be fine up to ISO 800, or 1600, as well.

If you have the time, please stop by and introduce yourself over in our Welcomes and Introductions forum.;)
 
Welcome aboard Nyty-Nyt!

I agree with BB. Check the auto-ISO setting, and make sure you have it set on auto-ISO 3200. Unlike most other point and shoot cameras, the X10 actually allows you to set the upper auto-ISO limit.

As for flash usage, I'll have to defer, because I haven't really used the flash on the X10 yet (except for fill in purposes).
 
Hi folks, thanks for the suggestions.

I had the ISO at 400. I wasn't sure what setting to Auto800,1600,3200 would do. I was afraid I might get some weird purple effects because it would just use 3200, and hadn't done any test shots to see the ISO limit for this camera. If that is still in the good range, and my X-10 will use something less than the maximum ISO, I see where this tactic could work.

That said, I have tried some test shots in Program, ISO Auto3200 and the flash raised. The result is 1/30 sec and f2. Sam ting. With any Auto ISO setting the camera doesn't allow program shift to a higher shutter speed either.

Honestly I don't know why they call the flash super-intelligent.

The only way I can see to take flash shots indoors at a decent shutter speed is to use the Auto-3200 in S-mode, choose a shutter speed of 1/60th and go from there. I haven't had any luck in any other mode; scene (party), Natural&, Night, P, full Auto and EXR all take indoor shots with flash at slow shutter speeds. I was hoping there would be a flash setting for 1/60 second priority.

Shutter priority and AutoISO it is.

I love this camera otherwise. I've always hated looking at an LCD screen to shoot, and wanted a small camera to take on vacation in Argentina; lugging a kit bag makes you look touristy (read "potential victim"). This little retro unit does a good job of replacing my SLR for the most part and I'm excited to take it with me.

By the way, this reminds me of my Leica, which disappeared from my car years ago and broke my heart; the colour and clarity of photos made with it were amazing and I think I can see getting the same results with the X-10.
 
"Honestly I don't know why they call the flash super-intelligent."

Who would buy it if they called it the "really dumb flash"?

Welcome. The X-10 is a really fun camera. I recommend experimenting with the settings, especially the EXR settings. This camera has a lot of interesting options, and you have to look to see which ones will appeal to you. I second the idea of RAW + JPEG, however, as it will speed up your experimentation if used with in-camera processing. Just buy a bigger card if necessary.
 
I am shooting lots of shots in preparation for a vacation, and the EXR is very useful. I was blown away by the panorama feature too. Most impressive for me is the ability to easily bracket scenes for ISO, exposure and Dynamic Range.
I was going to use RAW + JPEG but my thousands of photos are all in iPhoto in my Mac. I'm sure this offers amateurish post-production options but my time is limited, and hitting "enhance" has served me well, as have the other editing buttons. Unfortunately, while iPhoto now accepts RAW from the X-100, that camera was out of my price range, and the X-10 was spot on the price I was looking to spend. RAW files are not recognized by iPhoto from the X-10; I'm certain that iPhoto will soon accept RAW from my new camera after an update.
I didn't load the Fujifilm software...is it worth it on a Mac? Is there any point in adding Aperture for editing? Will it accept the RAW files from the X-10?
 
It's impossible to work X100 RAW files in iPhoto. iPhoto lacks the tools for it. Aperture is capable of working X100 RAWs, but it takes some effort to process DR200 and DR400 files. I doubt that Apple Camera RAW will ever offer support for the X10 or X-S1. May not even the X-Pro1. Adobe Camera RAW is more flexible, so get Lightroom 4 or Photoshop (Elements) if you are onto RAW processing. Or simply use the assorted Silkypix RAW processor that supports (more or less) all Fuji X cameras.

Personally, I mostly use the internal RAW processor of my X cameras to produce enhanced JPEGs with optimized exposure, film simulation, sharpness, color, NR and highlights/shadows tonality. It's simples and effective, I can do it in-camera (after screening the assorted JPEG on my PC as a reference) and it works the same with all X series cameras.

Obviously, I don't use ISO and DR bracketing, as these options do not save the RAW. Additionally, DR bracketing can result in quality loss, as the camera will use the high ISO it needs for DR400 for all three shots.
 
Okay, I've finally stopped working long enough to dig into the X10; thanks to everyone who has been adding to this thread!

Only one really minor issue so far:

When I go into Shadow Tone to choose a setting, there are five: Hard, Medium Hard, Standard, Medium Soft and Soft. However, the "soft" choices are grayed out and can't be selected. Is there some other setting that enables those choices? Not a big deal, but the engineer in me wants to fix it!

Thanks in advance,

Chuck

EDIT: Found the answer: soft settings only available at ISO 800 or below. Sorry for asking before I resorted to Google...
 
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