Maximum print size, magnification factor

[brmckelvy]

I have been considering purchasing a high-end digital camera and the S2 has my interest. A few questions. I shoot mostly youth sports and weddings. What is the biggest print I can make with good quality? 16 x 20? Larger. Is there any grain. Also, does the S2 have a lens magnification factor so that the chip is smaller than a traditional 35mm negative? Is this suitable for portraits and family groups? Kodak is promising a 14 megapixel camera this year. How does it compare to the S2? Glad to find this site before making a purchase.

[memobug]

Hi brmckelvy,

Yes, the S2pro has a limited field of view, so the effective focal length is 1.5x.

Image quality and maximum reproduction size, as with 35mm, depends on the lens quality, camera and subject movement and the standards you apply. You can download some S2Pro samples here (http://home.fujifilm.com/products/digital/digitalcamera/fxs2pro/sample.html) and examine the size and digital "grain" for yourself. Printing them is also a good idea. There are some more direct links in the FAQ forum on this site.

The reason I can't give you answer on size is there are so many variables - e.g., how large can you make a conventional 35mm print?

The S2 was designed for portraits, so the flesh tone and color will look good. I don't think anyone knows when the Kodak 14n will be available, or exactly what the quality will be. There are some samples on the Kodak website. It sounds ( from discussions on DPReview and other sites) that Kodak is addressing noise issues, and hopefully they will get the color nailed before its release, whenever that is.

Regards,

Matt

[Chris G]

From what I hear the 14n will be in the $4,500 price range. Almost twice the S2. Personally, I think 14 megapixels is overkill for everyone except the most demanding Pro that plans on making huge prints.

My own subjective opinion is that I will be able to get acceptable quality 16x20 print from the S2. I have some real nice 8x10's from my 3.3 MP Sony. With the S2 being a minimum 6MP camera (some refer to it as a 9; another story) I have to think 16x20 would turn out great.

As far as grain goes, I purchased the S2 so I could use it for low light indoor sports using its ISO 1600 ability. I was very concerned about "noise" or grain as it was in film cameras having been a victim of consumer level 800 ASA film. So far, I have been extremely satisfied with the S2 in this regard. Keep in mind I am an amateur taking photos at my childrens events and family functions.

Mine is currently at Fuji hopefully having its focus issues resolved. Check other sites as well to see if your perception of the S2 is what you are looking for. dpreview.com is another great site for info and opinions.

[jeffinkansas]

I don't see why 16X20 should be your ceiling. However it depends on your ISO and many other factors, such as what setting your image capture is set to. I don't know what you shoot right now, but I think that if it is not digital you should buy a camera and then practice with it a lot before you shoot a wedding with it. These are strange birds, and while they are SLRs, there is something different (other than duh, digital). I go back and forth on the focus issue. I have settled on the idea that one must be more precise with a CCD. Why? I don't know but I always double check myself. Three months after my purchase I am really getting comfortable with this thing. I am in no way saying it would take you a similar amount of time, but it might.

The kodak seems to be a pretty spectacular camera. It is meatier and has 1:1 ratio, not to mention some of the best software that will be available. It is just a different beast. I think that if you have the money buy up. If you really have the money, get the new Cannon. That camera is great. ($8000) You get what you pay for and not even that sometimes. But, can you do a wedding well with the S2? You bet! Is it a great camera? Absolutely! Good luck.

[pittman]

I've gotten 20x30s off of my camera at both Tiff and JPEG fine settings. The important thing is to talk with your lab on how to "process" your image. If the lab is using a Light Jet you only need 150 dpi. For my 20x30s I set my dpi on 200 using photoshop.
Hope this helps,
pittman
http://www.pittmanphotography.com