News S1Rii - Read all about it!

[GeorgeHudetz]

It's great to see the S1RII on this list so early after it's introduction, particularly in a country that places a high priority on size & weight.

 

[cmmn64]

Hi,
I´m new here, have had several cameras (Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Leica ) and am considering buying a Lumix S1R II, because I`m struggling to get sharp pictures with the Sigma 500mm F5.6 on my SL2, that doesn`t have EFCS.
I never use my cameras for video.
As users of the S1R II, S5 II and S5 IIx, do you consider the S1R II the best option or one of the S5 II would do just fine, beside the extra resolution, just considering the auto focus and speed ( 9 fps vs 10 fps on mechanical shutter doesn`t make a diference to me ) ?
Thanks.
Carlos

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Hi,
I´m new here, have had several cameras (Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Leica ) and am considering buying a Lumix S1R II, because I`m struggling to get sharp pictures with the Sigma 500mm F5.6 on my SL2, that doesn`t have EFCS.
I never use my cameras for video.
As users of the S1R II, S5 II and S5 IIx, do you consider the S1R II the best option or one of the S5 II would do just fine, beside the extra resolution, just considering the auto focus and speed ( 9 fps vs 10 fps on mechanical shutter doesn`t make a diference to me ) ?
Thanks.
Carlos

I'm a little suspicious that you believe the lack of EFCS is causing the un-sharp images.

Apologies if you have already gone through all of this, but are you confident with the shutter speed you are using? Long tele lenses are notoriously picky about shutter speed. Does this happen regardless of shutter speed? For example, if you push it to 1/1000 or faster, does it still happen? And, are you shooting wide-open? The 500/5.6 does not need to be stopped down to reach peak sharpness according to Lenstip.

I'll also point out that long lenses can exaggerate atmospheric problems like haze. Again, you may already know this, but be sure & test it on closer objects (like 30 or 40 feet) to eliminate atmospheric issues.

FWIW, I have used the Sigma 150-600 - both with and without the Sigma TC - on both my S1R & S1RII, and have no problem getting good pixel-level results out of them (check my bird shot in the current monthly photo thread for an example). So I'd be surprised if the SL2 couldn't. But then I do normally use EFCS. I suppose you could try ES on a static object and see if that clears things up.

As to your original question, while I do not have an S5II, I do have an S5, and I'd be reluctant to give up the cropping advantage of the higher-res sensors for telephoto work, unless we are talking landscapes or some other situation where you rarely crop.

 

[cmmn64]

Thanks for your answer.
I didn`t mean that the lack of EFCS is the cause of the problem, but it might have an influence on the results.
I didn`t have enough time with the lens to come to a conclusion, did some test photos with electronic shutter on a tripod and the pictures didn`t look good, at longer distance (beyond 70 meters / 76,5 yards) so I returned the lens and am now waiting for a solution.
But the auto focus on the SL2 is not the best, so I`m trying to find out if the extra cost of the S1R II is worth considering the auto focus performance of the S5 II/S5 IIx.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Ah. Well, I find the AF on the S1R to be reasonable for bird photography, for example, if if the bird is perched and not moving. The S5II & S1RII are in a different league, however, particularly if the bird is moving. The S1RII has 40 fps & pre-capture, and I have used that combination to capture a robin as it launched off a fence post. I don't use 40 fps very often, but it can be helpful in certain situations. Regardless, even at 10 fps, the new autofocus is WAY better, especially if things are moving. I waited a long time for a hi-res sensor in an L-mount body with PDAF, and while I might complain about this or that with the S1RII, I'm generally quite happy with the results. It's a big step forward over the S1R for wildlife & sports, IMO.

As for that lens, it's not uncommon for photographers - even experienced photographers - to be frustrated with image sharpness when they first acquire a long telephoto. Haze coupled with longer focus distances is one of the culprits. If you do order another, again, I suggest you first start with closer subjects to assess the fitness of the lens.