Jump to content

Fuji X video...is it really as bad as everyone says?

Prabbit

By Prabbit
in General Discussion

 Share

Recommended Posts

Prabbit Rookie

Prabbit

Posted
Posted

Dear Fuji X buddies,

 

I read in a thousand places how dreadful the Fuji-X cameras are for video...how other photographers guffaw ("You're taking video with that?"), how kittens shrivel and die if you take video of them, and so on. 

 

But on a recent trip to Kauai I took lots of video: Waves, trees, things with horizontal lines, vertical lines, slanty-ish lines; things moving quickly, things moving slowly. And I loved every minute of it. As a techie I look for video artifacts; but I really couldn't see any.

 

So...what's the root of the X's rep as a crummy video shooter? What scenes break the X sensor's video capabilities? Are my aging eyes in need of something better than $6 drugstore readers?

 

Thanks for any thoughts,

 

Peter

Link to post
Share on other sites
Prabbit Rookie

Prabbit

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks epscott--much appreciated. Suppose I won't be taking video of gents in houndstooth jackets playing checkers in the sunshine. 

 

Faster sensor readout doesn't sound like anything that can be fixed in firmware. Guess we're waiting for next-gen sensors. 

 

Cheers Peter

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
bambam Apprentice

bambam

Posted
Posted

I was going to post a new thread, but thought it better to necro this one...

 

My X-E1 is a *great* family camera, and we have really valuable photographs going back many years and hopefully many years into the future with whatever X-series I upgrade to in due course (X-E3? X-T2?).  But when we're looking through the albums with the kids it's always the video clips they're most interested in, so it's good that capability is there. I'm just thinking of the use case where family members are looking back at this stuff after we're gone...

 

The hot tip for generic video on the X-E1 (so probably the others) is *always* put the camera into manual focus mode when you video, and use the AF-L (X-T1 AF-On?) button to autofocus before the recording. If you avoid the rookie error of moving the camera around too much the HD quality can be very good indeed (the 18-55 works well for video). Most of the Fuji videos I see are hopelessly wobbly and have the autofocus going in and out anyway. But videos have there place, IMHO.

 

To try and illustrate the point (not great, I admit), here's a pic and a video from the same place, this month:

 

SG0dXJB.jpg

 

 

And here's video (after Youtube transcoding) from about the same time:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyat1M5RIIU

 

Neither are going to win prizes, but for a family/holiday camera there's value (to me) in both images and video.

 

If your thing is 100% portrait, street, landscape or wildlife with creamy bokeh and characterful shadows (I like that too) then ignore my video comments, as that will never be for you.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Adam Woodhouse Proficient

Adam Woodhouse

Posted
Posted

For casual work, I've found the video to be perfectly fine.  For those that are looking for 'broadcast' quality, they are look at the wrong body.  Since most fuji owners are not wanting broadcast quality video, its perfectly fine.  I have shot video with mine that has been quite good and some that hasn't.  I have found the lens makes a difference.

 

Something that no one comments on that is a big win for the Fuji is the image stabalization in the lens keeps working when shooting video.  That is excellent.  My Nikon's did not do that.  VR on the NIkons is disabled when shooting video.

 

I puchased a low cost 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter for my external mic, so the audio is fine (actually the built in mic on the Fuji XT1 does quite well ... but with any wind noise the external mic is needed ... same if using a zoom lens as the moving of the lens will get picked up ... but that's normal for any camera).

Link to post
Share on other sites
aceflibble Collaborator

aceflibble

Posted
Posted

Depends what your standards are. If video is a casual, occaisonal thing for you, Fuji does fine. You're getting the same kind of thing a stock 5DmkII gives you, and that thing revolutionised the industry when it was released.

The problem is that things have evolved a lot since the 5DmkII was released, and these days, for people who are serious about video, that standard no longer cuts it. You need to have some kind of image stabilisation somewhere in the system, you need good audio monitoring support, you need a flat image profile, you need good external monitor support, you need every combination of 720/1080/24fps/25fps/30fps/50fps/60fps/120fps shooting, you need stepless aperture adjustment, you need 1:1 lagless manual focus and, very soon, you will need 4k.

People who are serious about video don't use SLR now. Actual video cameras re-took the lead a few years ago. That new Sony A7 has a lot of features to make it competitive, though it's still going to find a home more in the hands of people who primarly shoot stills and dabble with video; anyone who mostly does video has already moved into a proper video system. Canon's Cine line and Sony's system video cameras are blowing everything else out of the water and dominating that market.

 

So, is Fuji's video as bad as everyone says? Depends on how much you need to get out of video and what your standards are. If you're shooting video for a BBC documentary, Fuji—and every other SLR-like camera—is so unthinkably bad that you'll never consider them. If you're shooting a 2 minute clip of your grandkids running around the garden, Fuji will do everything you need. If you're tacking a little video of the cake cutting on to the back of a digital wedding album, Fuji will get the job done but you'll probably wish you had something better.

Link to post
Share on other sites
bambam Apprentice

bambam

Posted
Posted

I'm aware those of us that actually admit to using the video feature of the X-series are the untouchables of the photography kingdom, but there are some good tips in here... I do think the fact that DSLR's couldn't do video for a long time, but compact digital cameras could, introduced a bit of a 'quality' bias. I accept aceflibble's comments about being *serious* about video and by that definition that isn't me, but I like my amateur videos to be as good as I can make them using the X-E1, on the occasions I do take clips.

 

I've just worked out from Adam Woodhouse's comments I could have a microphone plugged into the mic socket, and mount the mike on the flash mount, and started browsing the interweb to find there's a Fuji accessory that's been around for ages... didn't know that though!

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
rsimko Apprentice

rsimko

Posted
Posted

Any suggestions on post? How far can the file be pushed before it breaks. I have feeling that threshold is very low at the moment. Also, did anybody try something like flat picture profile or you guys just use the photo simulation presets in the camera. I would actually welcome better video capabilities. I do not want to have another system just for video especially when I am traveling. That is more lenses, more cables, more chargers. Would be nice to do reasonable work withing one system. I don't want to break into Hollywood or so but I am also beyond family movies.

Link to post
Share on other sites
jeremyclarke Collaborator

jeremyclarke

Posted
Posted

Any suggestions on post? How far can the file be pushed before it breaks.

 

I've discovered Lightroom (CC/mac) can't even PLAY the files from my X-T10. Not that I was going to edit them there, but it's the logical place for me to catalog and watch them. 

 

Anyone else have that problem?

 

Also that example video was fun because it includes one of the worst elements of all Fuji videos: The moment at the end where the camera points down as the user fumbles to push the stop recording button. It seems stupid but it's SUPER IMPORTANT for casual video shooters, since it effectively means all our "little" videos need to be edited just to make them not look ridiculous. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 9 months later...
jonmacapodi Explorer

jonmacapodi

Posted
Posted (edited)

SAMPLE VIDEO

 

Taken from a shoot I had today. I was focused on stills but wanted to get some footage between looks. This is what the X-Pro2 is capable of, it really is a step up from 1st and 2nd gen Fujis. Just some slight grading in post in Premiere, boosted the blacks (they look crushed SOOC, but information is there). Filmed with classic chrome with a mix of 24fps and 60fps (shot in 1/50th and 1/125th shutter speeds respectively).

Edited by jonmacapodi
Link to post
Share on other sites
EddieX Enthusiast

EddieX

Posted
Posted

SAMPLE VIDEO

 

Taken from a shoot I had today. I was focused on stills but wanted to get some footage between looks. This is what the X-Pro2 is capable of, it really is a step up from 1st and 2nd gen Fujis. Just some slight grading in post in Premiere, boosted the blacks (they look crushed SOOC, but information is there). Filmed with classic chrome with a mix of 24fps and 60fps (shot in 1/50th and 1/125th shutter speeds respectively).

Hey that came out great!  And it answered my wonder about how well the 18-55 lens does in video.  I'm looking forward to what the X-T2 will bring to the table.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
karl_f Newbie

karl_f

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the suggestion of m-focus-mode and AF-C-button. Focussing is still a problem to talk about with fuji.  I´ll try it soon.

 

The "real" challenge for video-clips is that you should have more than only "1" camera. Just a sample:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMj0FHWPPzQ

 

..and how it was made with final cut pro (sorry, but it´s only available in german)

http://dr-claus-sassenberg.com/?p=3801

 

With this in mind, it´s better to have 3 or more different cameras at the same time on the spot than only one - even if it´s the best.

Link to post
Share on other sites
drushka Rookie

drushka

Posted
Posted

While we're talking about video, I can't believe the (Bayer) X-A2 doesn't have a mic jack. It would be the Fuji camera to use our existing lenses for video.
Like this, it's stuck with external recording, which is a much less attractive option for a casual user.

Link to post
Share on other sites
daanh Newbie

daanh

Posted
Posted

Hi, I recently bought a X-M1. Great stills, but for video, it's pretty terrible (moiré...). Does anyone know if the X-E2 or X-E2s is any better in this regard?

 

I wouldn't want to buy a X-Pro2 or X-T2 just for better video, but keeping my Olympus E-M1 for video alone is also kind of clumsy. But then again, the IBIS of Olympus is fantastic.

 

Thanks, Daan

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • jerryy
      Fuji Flowers

      By jerryy · Posted

      Hello, If you look in the top right-hand corner of each posting, there should be three dots in a row, like this —>  …  <—, click on them and after a moment or twelve, a small menu should drop down from the dots, the last entry in the menu is ‘Edit’. Choose that and after a moment or three you should be in edit mode for that entry. Note: Only you can edit your entries.
    • Fujiron
      Fuji Flowers

      By Fujiron · Posted

      Jerry I found out it's a Cherry Blossom but I can't figure out how to edit it.
    • N3v3r
      xPro1 can't change aperture with fujinon 27mm

      By N3v3r · Posted

      Up
    • Astigmatism
      Advertisement

      By Astigmatism · Posted

      What is most ironic about this is that there must be many of us here that would be interested in significant ads about the products we're discussing. I would be. I normally hate ads, but relevant ones here would actually be somewhat welcome. What are the recent new Fuji product announcements? Is anybody offering a sale? How about 3rd party products? I mean, I actually want to spend money, more or less.
    • Astigmatism
      CANNOT BACKUP OR RESTORE X-T4 SETTINGS WITH FUJI X ACQUIRE

      By Astigmatism · Posted

      I don't think I have your answer, but it's worth trying. It's been a few days, are you still struggling with this? I've used Acquire (on an iMac) and an X-T4 (also an X-T5 and an X-T30 ii) and it worked, at least as far as backing up. No error messages, and a computer file with stuff in it. I understand you get an error message when you attempt to restore the camera from a backup, but, does it look to you like the backup phase is working? I mean, do you get a saved file and no error messages? Do you have any other Fuji cameras, and does it work for them? I have had problems getting Acquire to detect the camera. I did all manner of playing around with starting the software, plugging in the camera, and powering the camera on, in various orders (including what the instructions say). I always got it to work eventually, but it took lots of playing some times. Lately it fires right up. Somebody here commented on this difficulty and the security obstacles in the computer. Are you getting a connection easily, or after trying things, or not at all? Does Acquire show your camera model and the few settings it displays correctly?
×
×
  • Create New...