Family Portraits wall Portraits

[backroads]

Hi Guys! First time posting. My question is, I interested in talking with photograhers that shoot family portraits and at least sell a 20x24 in size of a group of 4 to 7 people full lenth outside I would like to know what lens, camera settings, what software they use to get big portraits, And what labs they use. Sorry about all the questions. P.S. I do have two fugi S1's one brand new in box never used! I currently photograph my Family Portraits with an Mamiya RZ , but I am so hooked on photoshop.I want to shoot with an S2 .thankyou

[ncphotoman]

I have done 24" prints from the S1 and had great success. It is not as good as medium format but beats 35mm hands down! With that in mind I am sure the S2 will do it with ease. As far as labs go, Millers in Pittsburg KS is a great portait lab I have used over the last 12 years for c-41 related work. They built an entire new lab based on digital and the work flow is great. Email me if you are interested in getting more info about them. They only take new customers at the beginning of the year in order to maintain quality and turnaround.

Later, Bill

[Lita]

Hi, I shoot quite a bit of portraiture on a Hasselblad for my clients, and have a black and white darkroom for traditional silver prints. Because there's no decent color lab in the country where I am based, I bought the S2 and intend to do my own prints for portrtait clients. Most of them order just 8x10s and smaller, anyway.

The printer I am eyeing for this is the Epson 2200. I have yet to get some sample test prints from this printer to make my decision.

I haven't decided this yet, but in Manhattan where I am right now I have a few portraits to do and have been researching on good labs for print output. I have seen samples of Fuji Pictrograph prints and the paper is very much like traditional photo paper (glossy and matt) which I prefer instead of the inket look.

As for getting prints size 20x24 and larger, I am looking into other options like *Large Format Digital Prints* offered by ALKIT DIGITAL IMAGING here in Manhattan. The people there are really helpful as I bought the camera from their Park Avenue store.

As 20x24 is $50 while a 30x40 is $124, for example.

I need to produce prints size 4x5 feet and bigger for an upcoming assignment, and am now studying the S2 to see whether I can come up with a big/good enough file for this. The dealer told me about GENUINE FRACTALS software which supposedly bumps up file size without much of a loss.

I have yet to try it out.

If you need to call ALKIT DIGITAL IMAGING, their number is 212 889 3443.

Shooting portraits in digital will give portrait photographers a lot more control because of Photoshop. I scan nearly everything I shoot in film already anyway, so the S2 is a welcome tool which will make things a lot simpler.

Good luck!

[fdonnino]

I want to use the S2 for families also. I have compared the images to the S1 and there is no comparison. Has anyone noticed softness on the image at mid to distant ranges?

I have a loaner from Fuji (had them check it) and the loaner is sharp.

Thanks

Frank D.

[Adrian Gilbert]

Like a lot of S2 owners , especially those that have used an S1 for a while - I too am having a few issues with image softness.
No problem with flash in the studio at close range - but middle to far distance appears to be more of a problem.

Is this just the fuji algorythm to eliminate any possible noise?
Certainly with S1 files I rarely ever used an unsharp mask , but now it looks like Nik Sharpener and I are going to become best friends:D

[fdonnino]

I don't know an algorythm from an Angora cat...but one thing I do know....
Kodak had a problem like this when the 760 came out. Kodak denied the problem until alot of screaming happened. I am not saying there is a problem until I hear from Fuji. But you are the 3 person in one week with the same soft problem. Mid to distance was better on the S1. What gives? I don't know. But I will let you know when I find out.

Frank D.

[SSonnentag]

Just for the record, my S2 produces the same soft to very soft images you've been experiencing. I'd like them to be sharper too. The pictures look great when they are scaled down in size, but you don't always want to scale down images to make them sharp and usable.

Shawn

[fdonnino]

Oh yeah....I would get on the phone with Fuji. I think I started something. Can we all be wrong? The other thing is the battery drop out without warning. I never know which set of batteries to change. I do the aa's first then the big gun 123's.

I guess we can't have everything....but sharp images? yes.

Frank D.

[SSonnentag]

There are two battery level indicators. The one on top is for the lithiums and the one on the back of the camera is for the AAs.

I think part of our lack-of-sharpness issue has to do with the S2 really only being a 6+ MP camera, but due to the staggered CCD design (honeycomb), in RAW mode we get 12MP. When the images are converted and scaled back down to 6MP the sharpness is a lot better.

Shawn

[fdonnino]

Yes but Shawn...if you are a volume shooter like me....I don't have time to convert these files. At High Jpg fine...I should have at least what I had on the S1 if not better. Right? :confused:

[SSonnentag]

I agree. In JPEG mode the S2 images should be every bit as sharp as the S1 images. My last comment would only apply to the 12MB mode (4,256 x 2,848). In the 6MP mode (3,024 x 2,016) I would expect the S2 images to be just as sharp as the S1. I don't have an S1 to compare with though.

In other words, I expect the uninterpolated modes from both cameras to yield equally sharp pictures. Comparing an interpolated image with an uninterpolated one is not a valid comparison in my opinion. But, like I said, I don't have an S1 to compare with.

Shawn

[fdonnino]

We have been looking at the images all morning after sessions

I am at high jpg fine. The images are sharp as can be. Skin tones great and I am pleased. I am shooting at F8 auto focus. What a pleasure with little babies.

I am staying clear of the wide angle setting on my tamron 2.8 lens until I can do further testing. I will keep you posted.

Frank D.