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Archive 2016 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

Snakecharmer-
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

I too have the same problem as you and am in discussions with Fuji about this.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33843082@N08/albums/72157716161386401

Sep 29, 2020 at 12:49 AM

Snakecharmer-
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

I am having a similar experience with my Fuji 100-400. At one point I had my camera (X-Pro2) set to AF-C as I was shooting a video and the lens focused about six inches in front of the target. I also thought using a UV filter had a problem. Both of those issues now resolved my lens is still not performing and just like yours. Its almost as if its a 200mm tele with a digital zoom to 400mm. Looks Ok until you try and go to 100% and then its out of focus and noisy.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33843082@N08/albums/72157716161386401


	https://www.flickr.com/photos/33843082@N08/50394289042/in/album-72157716161386401/

Sep 29, 2020 at 12:58 AM

hauxon
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

uhoh7 wrote:
A nikon 500/4 is a very strong (and expensive) lens. If you know that lens well, you should know no zoom on earth is going to equal it. Used they are around 4 grand

I think this outlines the problem. The XF100-400 is in no way comparable to a super-telephoto prime and focusing of even the X-T4 is nowhere near a DSLR machine gun.

I however do find the images you display softer than what I expected from my 100-400 when I had it, especially for near static subjects (bird on a branch, person, mountain, etc.). For mountains I found it to be excellent. Since you're used to a 500/4 I would assume that technique is not the problem, so possibly a faulty lens.

Sep 30, 2020 at 07:34 AM

Sauseschritt
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

Rand47 wrote:
The camera firmware has two OIS modes. 1. = the OIS is only enabled when you actually shoot. 2. = OIS operating continuously. Mode 2 does eat batteries.

Err ...

It also famously leads to many soft images, which is why you really shouldnt use it, EVER.

Personally I dont understand why Fujifilm even offers that mode.

hauxon wrote:
[...] focusing of even the X-T4 is nowhere near a DSLR machine gun.

The X-T3 let Sony to admit that they dont have a camera with such a good autofocus and apparently inspired the development of the A9, which is now considered to be the autofocus king.

And the X-T4 didnt get worse with autofocus.

Oct 01, 2020 at 10:04 AM

uhoh7
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

500/4 P by unoh7, on Flickr

Dreamy Eyed by unoh7, on Flickr

Might even be handheld on the elk, but sort of shows one trick a 500/4 can do, and why I was obcessed with it. I went through a bunch of long MF focus glass, and it was less than meh. My 180/2.8 Nikkor with gold ED stripe was super sharp, but jagged bokeh. Only when I discovered the 300/2.8 ED and the 500/4 P was I constantly suprised and inspired to shoot long lenes often.

Honestly, I think they might be the nicest lenses ever made by Nikkor. The 300/2.8 ED "saved" nikon from a Canon onslaught, or so I read, in the then important journalist market. The lenses were bought by magazines etc, for their shooters to cover stories. For about 4 or five years many famous press photos came from it. It can be shot handheld without stabilization, and it is fantastic with converters, not a given.

300/2.8 by unoh7, on Flickr
Rockwell shows what a heavier hitter it is/was:
https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/300mm-f28.htm

Linda Bailar by unoh7, on Flickr

The 500/4 is OK with monopod or over a car roof, but it is past the practical handholding. I think this was off a fencepost:

On the Wing by unoh7, on Flickr

Bodies are A7v1 with thin filter, and A7r2 stock.

Oct 01, 2020 at 06:22 PM

rsk7
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · I think my Fuji 100-400 is soft!

1. Put it on a tripod and shoot bricks from various focal lengths at f8 and at least 1/600th and see what your copy does as you go from 100-400. Then do it again with the 1.4 on. I find my 1.4 makes a very slight difference at extreme pixel peeping but so little I leave it on unless I need to get that stop of light back. You will learn what your lens can possibly do and then you will be able to assign blame to lens vs settings vs technique.

2. Maybe it shouldn't matter but upgrade the body. X-T1 to just the X-T2 was a big leap in resolution and AF and then to X-T3/4? (I have X-T2, never shot the 3 or 4) IMHO. The X-T1 just didn't have the output resolution of my 5D3 but the X-T2 was so close. IMHO.

3. If at all possible avoid the zooming all the way in to 400/560. If at all possible I try to keep from going past 350. It just gets softer beyond that. It was similar on my Canon 100-400 II. The range is just too large for zooms. Wish they would just make it a 300-400 with better sharpness on the long end, not the short.

4. Take multiple shots. Handheld even with OIS at 400/560 is FF equivalent of 600/840 right? That is just a tough shot to nail. Give yourself the odds of multiple frames to choose from.

5. Practice. I don't shoot this much as I shoot more landscape but I've definitely gotten better results the longer I have had the combo and shot with it. I still get lots that look like yours but the number that are good or really nice has increased.

Oct 10, 2020 at 12:13 PM

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