In every respect OTHER THAN dynamic range out of the camera in jpg/RAW mode the Cannon 5D is superior to the Fuji S5. No one will even contemplate saying otherwise.
Rock and Ice with sun thrown in require such a monstorous high dynamic range that I prefer the high dynamic range over everything else. If I could get 15+ in a modern sensor camera like on old film, I would and so would every other landscape photographer.
For instance my old Sony R1 has a DR of a whopping 7.8 according to Dpreview. Others reviewers put it about 8. Under RAW you can get "ALL" the way to maybe 9. M4/3 systems get 8 in jpg and about 9 in RAW. Now if you buy a newer dslr their jpg out of camera is about 9 for say Sony A55 and Nikon D7000 etc, but their RAW capability is around 12. The old Fuji S5 has jpg out of camera at 12 to start with without BOOSTING the ISO NOISE in the blacks like is being done on modern cameras. True, its not that bad as difference between black and mottled black with some detail isn't horrible and this boosts the DR about 1-2 stops from 8 upwards of 10+.
Yes, old Fuji is essentially only a 6mpix camera, but this is more than good enough for prints at 12". With Stitching programs, obtaining 200-300dpi prints is not difficult at all for MONSTER prints any size you wish. I am looking at White Rock Lakes at 36 wide and 17 high. I am looking at the Pickets from Luna 17 high and 60 wide. I am looking at myself sitting on top of Challenger sans rope with feet dangling 4000 feet straight down to Lousy Lake/Glacier 17 high and 36 wide. Note my limiting factor was my printer. Said pictures if looked at standard 3 foot distance would really have been able to be blown up twice this size.
Stitching does take some learning, especially needed is a manual operated camera so one does not get "lines" in the sky or scenery.
I'll be honest, I haven't looked at P&S quality in some time as their quality is generally Piss Poor due to horrible lenses and TINY sensors. Its NOT just the F stop on the lense that makes it a good or bad lense. That just tells you how much light is allowed to the sensor. Lower the F stop the more light is allowed to the sensor. Its how sharp said lense is. How much light fall off in the corners is your lense. This will limit what pictures you can stitch if your lense has significant light fall off in the corners and your pictures will have banding problems.
I originally started off with a "good" f stop lense P&S and sure it allowed quite a bit of light in compared to other lenses, but its light fall off in the corners was so significant that it was impossible to get a clean stitch. I went to the Sony R1 with its good lense and have not had such problems again. That and it has threads for the ability to use filters and split neutral density filters. I then picked up the old Fuji S5 and while its really only a 6Mpix camera body, it gives great skin tones and high dynamic range out of the body without POST PROCESSING. Now I know many just love pixel peeping on their computer screens for hours/days on end, but I am NOT one of them. I can do it, but I do not enjoy it.
Honestly, with today's cameras you really can't go wrong. They are all amazing. In my humble opinion it really just depends on how much you wish to spend or if you are looking for something VERY specific that you wish to have. For instance both cameras I have do not have image stabilization. I really wish I had it many times and for this reason am finally looking at maybe upgrading. Except of course its not in body in everyone cameras other than Sony and Olympus forcing one to buy ultra expensive lenses and since I own Nikon Lenses to go with the Fuji S5...
=)
No easy answer. Never has been never will be. Quality or convenience.
PS. I have carried 4x5 and 5x7 cameras into the mountains before. A tidy 80lb pack when all was said and done. Image lake, Buck Creek Pass and Liberty Bell, Shucksan, Coleman Demming route on Baker, Paradise, PCT north from Rainy Pass, etc.
PPS. While rock climbing I have found P&S clipped to rack get thrashed without a carry case and if you do this, buy CHEEP or get a carry case. I can rock climb with Sony R1(2lb) camera up everything other than chimneys comfortably. Note, its LCD screen flips closed so can't get scratched. Its LCD screen is also a piece of garbage, but... What do you want with a 6+ year old camera?
albanberg wrote:Hi Wastral,
Thanks for your input, I find this very interesting. Can you point me to some good images on the web from an S5 Pro? How do you think the S5 compares to a Cannon 5D? The 5D does not cost much more used.