JPG softer on X-T1 than X100S

[rogerjeffs]

About a year ago I sold all my Canon gear and bought an X100S. I started off shooting in both RAW and JPG, as was my custom with my Canon. I quickly discovered that the JPGs looked as good or better than the raw files, at least when viewed in Lightroom, so I turned to shooting in JPG exclusively. I never changed any of the JPG settings.

Now I have acquired an X-T1 with a 18-55mm and a 14mm. I plan to use both cameras but for different situations. I started off shooting just JPG on the X-T1, as was my new habit , but I found that the images didn't seem as sharp as the ones I am getting from the X100S. I then reverted to shooting both RAW and JPG, and it seems to me that the JPGs look a bit soft (less detailed and less sharp)  compared to the unedited RAW images, and softer than the JPGs that come straight out of the X100S (same film simulation on both cameras). I am using the default JPG settings on the X-T1. I want the image quality on the X-T1 to be nigh identical to the X100S, which I really like. Is there a difference in the way the two cameras convert to JPG, should I be using other settings, or does this sound like there could be something wrong with my X-T1? Does anyone have any similar experience?

 

 

[x-tc]

How about posting two photos at the same FL and exposure settings. same DR mode, same film simulation, shadow, highlight tone and sharpening offsets. Both raw and JPEG.

[SmuggySmith]

I have the same two cameras.  I haven't seen any real differences.  I shoot the  t1 with the 56mm lens.  What lens do you use?

[rogerjeffs]

I think I may have identified the cause myself in the process of trying to find or make comparative exposures as suggested by x-tc. I think there were 2 things happening:

1. When I compared RAW vs JPG from the X100S, i had an earlier version of Lightroom, and I think maybe it wasn't doing the RAW-files justice. The CC version of Lightroom is vastly superior at rendering RAW files from the X-trans sensor, so now I am seeing better resolution.

2. Most of the images from the X-T1 that I have taken so far have been i low light with high ISO. On careful examination, I think that the softening I was seeing is probably due to noise reduction in Fuji's converter. In the RAW files (default import to Lightroom) there is more noise than in the JPG files. If I reduce the noise in the RAW files to the same level as the JPG I seem to end up with pretty well the same result, though the Fuji noise reduction is marginally nicer, its got that Fuji touch. This is what made me sold on Fuji's system. It's difficult to define what is so good about the quality Fuji's X-trans images, there is something 3-dimensional and tactile about them, even when I get the shot wrong.

 

Sorry if I wasted other people's time on this.

[x-tc]

Glad you figured it out. thanks for the update.