Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro - Sensor
Fujifilm has already gathered sufficient experience with the phenomenon of the two different pixels on a sensor. It has become common on the Fujifilm compact
Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro - Semi-professional camera
The FinePix S3 Pro is the successor of the FinePix S2 Pro. Both cameras are based on the Nikon F80, just like the Nikon D100 and the Kodak Pro SLR/n. The FinePix S3 Pro is a so-called semi-professional camera and finds itself in the ?2000.00 class. This means that the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro has some strong competitors, for example the Canon
Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro - Features
A lot has improved compared to the Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro. Which already shows on the outside; the Fujifilm S3 Pro looks better. And finally the FinePix S3 Pro has a release button for vertical photography. The monitor on the back of the camera is also larger than the one on the FinePix S2 Pro. The second screen has been changed slightly and so have the buttons. Although the latter ones are still more or less on the same position. The Fujifilm S2 Pro user doesn't have to search for them.
Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro - Battery
Whereas the FinePix S2 Pro used 2 kinds of batteries, the FinePix S3 Pro only uses (rechargeable) AA batteries, four of them. The camera is standard delivered with a set of 4x 2300mAh and a quick battery charger. The SmartMedia slot has been replaced by an xD slot which means the Fujifilm S3 Pro supports the CompactFlash as well as xD. Another improvement is the flash system, Fujifilm now also uses Nikon's D-TTL metering. So a so-called DX flash unit is required. Read on to learn more about the tests we made with the Fujifjilm FinePix S3 Pro, that accompanied us for a while.
FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro | Digital Camera Review | Camera
| The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro is a beautiful camera as far as appearance is concerned. The FinePix S2 Pro had a bit of a dull look, the S3 Pro looks better, with its rounder appearance and the use of more rubber on the hand and thumb grip. It is easy to see the comparison with the Nikon F5. The top of the camera comes directly from the Nikon F80. So do the buttons for lens unlocking, the auto focus system and the depth of field control. Other than that the | |
 |  |
| On the FinePix S3 Pro's left side we find the connections for USB, FireWire, remote control, external power and video out. The connectors are nicely closed, but not completely water- or dustproof. On the right side, the welcoming release button for vertical images is placed. This button can be locked, so one doesn't make pictures accidentally. Unfortunately doesn't pressing the second release button wake up the camera when it falls into the ?sleep’ mode. We find two monitors on the back of the camera and a rather small amount of buttons. The top monitor is used to quickly set the main functions. Pushing the Func button several times makes you browse through the settings. Every setting offers access to a button. Once used to it, it's great to work with. The largest monitor is 2-inch and has an obvious better resolution than the monitor on the FinePix S2 Pro. A cover protects the two monitors from getting scratched or otherwise damaged. An opening in the cover enables operating the buttons in between the monitors. The tumble switch, to change the focus field for example, sticks out quite a bit. Photographers looking through the viewfinder with the left eye, will undoubtedly regularly operate the tumble switch with their nose, accidentally that is. Beneath the tumble switch we find the buttons to activate the menu and to confirm or cancel an adjustment. The card cover is rather large, but of a firm construction. A small lamp top left of the cover shows when something is being done to the card. | The NiMH batteries are placed on the bottom of the camera. Fujifilm used the same battery holder as used on the FinePix S2 Pro. It is useful to purchase a second holder and carry it along with fully charged batteries. That way it is easy to change batteries in case the camera runs out of power. The auto focus system is identical to that of the Nikon D100 and F80. The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro therefore features a Nikon F-mount. It supports many lenses. Also the special CS lenses can be used on the S3 Pro. In order to achieve a quick focus, AF-S lenses are recommended. The built-in flash pops up rather high and is average with its guide number of 12 (ISO 100). It may well serve as fill in flash, unless you use lenses that stick out a lot, because that would cause a dark edge on the bottom of the picture. A unique feature on the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro is 'live view'. Which comes in very handy when focusing or framing needs to be done very precisely. The auto focus is then deactivated because the sensor won't pick up any signals anymore. In live view you see exactly what falls onto the sensor, for 30 seconds. The sensor will be completely open during that time so don't zoom in too much. It will attract a lot of dust to the sensor. You also have to focus with open aperture otherwise the image is much too dark. In practice it worked excellently but there should be a real purpose to use this feature. Many automatic functions don't work during live view, so beware! |
| If you are used to working with Nikon, you won't encounter many problems working with the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro. The main photographic functions are found on a typical Nikon spot. The step from an analogue reflex to a digital reflex therefore is easy to make. But also if the FinePix S3 Pro is used as second camera it is handy to find the main functions on the same spot. The on/off switch is placed together with the release button. A logical spot, but there is a chance of activating the camera unintentionally. Start-up time is very quick, you can start taking pictures almost immediately. The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro has two release buttons. Each button has a different pressure point. The normal release button is rather unclear when pressing it, like the one on the D100 and F80. The vertical release button has a clear pressure point, which I find more enjoyable to work with. The wire connection in the horizontal button is a | |
 |  |
| The settings are roughly divided in two sections. The pure photographic functions can be set on top of the camera, and the digital functions are controlled on the back of the camera with the aid of the monitors. Top left the command dial is found for the exposure programs. Program settings through pictograms, like Portrait, are missing. This is not a camera for the inexperienced photographer, that’s obvious right away. On the command dial we find the settings to adjust the sensitivity and the custom functions. It is not the most obvious place, specially where sensitivity is concerned. This latter one is adjusted frequently, depending on the amount of light. The button has to be switched to ISO on the S3 Pro, and after that you have to adjust the sensitivity with the command dial. To be able to photograph again, you have to turn the button back to the required exposure program. Many times I forgot to turn the button back to the right spot, so I was unable to take a picture. The same thing happens with the custom functions, but these are adjusted less frequently. It would have been better if these two functions could be operated through the menu, or even: also through the menu. The remaining photographic functions are positioned in a more logical spot. Typically Nikon, and adopted by Fujifilm is the switch on the front of the camera next to the lens. This button decides whether continuous focus takes place, or capturing can only happen when focus is ready, or manual focus takes place. There are many different views concerning the position of this switch. I myself think of it as a good spot, but that might be so because I worked with Nikon | The light metering adjustment is placed around the exposure lock. A logical place to put it, because everything that has to do with exposure can be found at the same spot. The button lets itself turn rather heavily which is more of an advantage than a disadvantage. The viewfinder shows which metering system is set. And that is very pleasant. The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro has one button for the exposure and focus lock. I would have rather seen two separate buttons. Although you can separate the two locks through the custom menu by putting selection of the two buttons to the release button. Particularly functional is the second monitor on the back of the camera with the function buttons. Func lets you browse through the various functions that appear in a group of four on the screen. Pressing the button below the concerning function will change the value of it. The main digital settings, like white balance and quality are housing here. No more searching through the menu, but directly accessible. You might have to get accustomed to working this way, because no other camera works like this, they all work with menus. In play mode, different functions appear, like the easy way to delete a captured photo. The menu can be operated easily. Just press the menu and browse through it by means of the 4-way controller. Pressing the OK button confirms a setting, and Back cancels the setting and puts you one step backwards. |
| FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro | FujiFilm FinePix S3 |
| The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro has a heap of settings. Not only well-known functions like light metering, auto focus, sensitivity, white balance and quality, but also the dynamic range. This makes the FinePix S3 Pro unique. Also different types of films can be simulated. Fujifilm has a lot of experience with films and it clearly shows. But let’s start with the photographic functions. The camera features various settings for the auto focus. Single AF enables the user to choose the focal point himself. Dynamic AF lets the camera do it, and the camera will keep following the movement (focus tracking). But also in Dynamic AF a specific focal point can be selected. The camera will focus on the selected segment, but will move over to another segment when the subject is out of the focus field. This is the most useful setting. The auto focus speed relies very much on the lens in use. AF-S lenses are advisable. The FinePix S2 Pro still had some focus problems where as on the FinePix S3 Pro they seem to be solved. | |
 |  |
| Light metering gives you a few options: Custom Functions mode gives the photographer the opportunity to completely adjust the camera according to his own wishes and preferences. There are numerous functions, so reading the manual thoroughly might be a good idea. The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro offers photographing in JPEG as well as RAW format, of course I’d say, but both formats at the same time is not possible. On the one hand it’s a pity, a small JPEG format can come in handy for archiving. Or to send a journalistic picture to your newspaper. But the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro produces large RAW files. In normal dynamic range, a RAW file might be some 12MB of size, and in large dynamic range even double! It requires a lot of storage space on your memory card! Storing the photos takes a while. Too much time in fact, even if you’re not into fast photography. You also have to wait until storing the picture is completed before being able to see it on the monitor. This is annoying and after a while it even started to irritate me. It wouldn’t harm the FinePix S3 Pro to have more computer power and a larger internal memory. The standard delivered converter cannot change anything, and unfortunately Fujifilm doesn’t deliver a proper converter. The optional Hyper Utility HS-V2 software can do it, it serves also as (studio) shooting software. The new version HS-V2 version for the FinePix S3 Pro underwent a large number of improvements, compared with the previous versions, and is worthwhile being studied. | Another option is the extended dynamic range, with optimum use of the two different kinds of pixels, the S and R pixel. A normal dynamic range will be sufficient under common circumstances but there are many situations in which shadow parts of an image don’t show any detail anymore, the same happens to the bright white segments of a photo. The extended range has 3 modes: 230%, 400% and auto. In auto mode the camera will automatically choose the correct dynamic range depending on the contrast. The other two are fixed settings, 400% benefits from two stops. Question is, is it worthwhile? And the answer is yes. A comparison image made from the same street shows the differences clearly. Standard range delivers about the same result as the FinePix S2 Pro. At 400% you’ll find rich detail in bright white parts that would be completely white in standard range. Measuring afterwards does prove that the difference is 2 stops. It is more than an advertising stunt. Still I have to warn for exaggerated expectations. The extended range is not a miracle maker, you have to know what you are doing. But still that’s why you’re the photographer! Beside sRGB photos can also be stored in AdobeRGB. Which is the best setting if you plan to edit the photos afterwards or send them to the retailer for prints. It shows more nuances than the sRGB. However, the various film simulations can only be used at sRGB. Although the differences are very small, I prefer AdobeRGB to adjust the photos in Photoshop myself. When using JPEG it is advisable to choose the standard settings for contrast, colour and sharpness. In order to get a good colour rendition, white balance should be set correctly. The FinePix S3 Pro has many pre-settings and if desired, you can add your own. Automatic white balance is fine, during our tests it delivered excellent results. An important setting is the sensitivity. The FinePix S3 Pro offers a range of ISO 100 to 1600. Settings are available at one full stop, but the camera also features ISO 160. That is probably the nominal mode, with ISO 100 as a possible enhancement. Fujifilm is in control of the noise, compared to the FinePix S2 Pro, there is less colour noise. The ISO 800 can be used without problems and also ISO 1600 delivers superior results. |
FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro | Digital Camera Review | Storage and Energy
| Fujifilm is one of the initiators of the xD card so it is quite obvious that this card can be used in the FinePix S3 Pro. The CompactFlash or Microdrive can also be used, because the S3 Pro has two slots. Fujifilm doesn’t mention the CompactFlash in its manual, it does mention the Microdrive though. The latter one however is rather vulnerable, it contains a rotating hard disk, so I prefer the flash memory. The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro benefits from a fast card such as the new San Disk Extreme III CompactFlash. The xD Picture cards are faster than the standard CompactFlash memory cards as turned out of the comparison tests we made. Beside high read and write speed the xD Picture Card is characterized by its ultra compact and light weighted format. Just like the CompactFlash, the xD Picture card is available with high | |
 |  |
| As mentioned before, the FinePix S3 Pro’s files are extremely large, most certainly when photographing in RAW format. Which I recommend, looking at the possibilities it offers. A 1GB card will only be able to store 41 images in extended dynamic range. A 2GB card therefore is advisable. Fortunately the prices of these high storage memory cards have dropped drastically lately, and fortunately for us, they are still dropping. Considering a 1GB storage capacity: Resolution FINE - JPEG - 4256x2848 - 4,7MB - 220 images Resolution NORMAL - JPEG - 4256x2848 - 2,4MB - 427 images Resolution FINE - JPEG - 3024x2016 - 3,0 MB - 349 images Resolution NORMAL - JPEG - 3024x2016 -1,5MB - 698 images Resolution FINE - JPEG - 2304x1536 - 1,7MB - 597 images Resolution NORMAL - JPEG - 2304x1536 - 880KB - 1173 images Resolution FINE - JPEG - 1440x960 - 1MB - 995 images Resolution NORMAL - JPEG - 1440x960 - 520KB - 1932 images Resolution RAW - extended - 4256x2848 - 25MB - 41 images Resolution RAW - normal - 4256x2848 - 13MB - 81 images | Images can be transferred onto a computer through Firewire or USB2.0 High Speed. I’d recommend a separate card reader, to save energy from the camera. In standard dynamic range, about 2.5 images per second can be captured. The buffer will then store 12 JPEG or 7 RAW photos. In extended dynamic range image speed drops to 1.4 images per second in RAW with a buffer of 3 images. In JPEG the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro gets even slower with 1 image per second, but the buffer is larger with 6 images. I’d expect more from a camera in this class, and that that is also possible prove Canon and Nikon. Unlike the FinePix S2 Pro the FinePix S3 Pro needs only one type of battery. Fujifilm has chosen for rechargeable NiMH batteries, AA format. This is quite useful because you can buy them everywhere. And in case of an emergency you purchase common AA batteries, which are available in far away places, in the middle of nowhere. A fully charged camera can take hundreds of images. Fujifilm says: 400 with the use of the monitor and 50% flash. I noticed that as being too optimistic, I’d say it takes that amount without flash, as I found out testing the camera, which is more realistic. Measuring the battery life is not easy, it depends on many factors, amongst them the temperature. Batteries last less long in the cold for example. |
FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro | Digital Camera Review | Conclusion
| Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro camera for the professional photographer Compared with the FinePix S2 Pro Fujifilm improved an awful lot and added some useful functions to the S3 Pro. It is obvious right away that the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro is a camera for the professional photographer. Speed is not the strongest side of the camera, to put it mildly. But then, speed is not of great importance to the portrait, wedding and nature photographer. He needs high resolution and the FinePix S3 Pro delivers 12 Megapixels which is the top at this moment. And of course the camera has an attractive price tag. It’s a good alternative for the Kodak Pro SLR/n and the Nikon D2H for example. Although the other Fujifilm S3 Pro digital camera - Well-organized housing Fujifilm has housed the FinePix S3 Pro in a nice housing, which is clear and well-organized. You might have to get accustomed to one or two things, but once you are, you will enjoy working with this camera. The grip is incredibly improved, the vertical shooting release button was a anxiously awaited item. Fujifilm S3 Pro camera - Special characteristics The S3 Pro’s image quality is convincing. A fine signal/noise ratio and beautiful colours offer a huge range of possibilities. The brightness is excellent and the colour edges are no problem. The extended dynamic range is obviously more than just an advertising stunt. It offers a solution in certain circumstances. The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro might not be that much better than for example the Canon Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro - Excellent digital camera Resuming we can say that the Fujifilm FinePix Pro S3 is an excellent camera, worth every penny! The camera is professional and offers sufficient possibilities. It is a camera you have to get accustomed with, but once you know this camera inside out, it proves to be a faithful companion. Third time lucky, we’d almost say! our user review section. | 
|
No comments:
Post a Comment