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The 6-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro captures high-quality images in a well-organized if somewhat cumbersome and expensive package. As you eye 6-megapixel competitors such as the Nikon D100 and Canon EOS D60, keep in mind that no matter what the S2's minor weaknesses, it's still a mighty fine pro camera with a quick-to-navigate interface and tons of useful features.
The camera's functions are located in two sections, top and rear, that logically separate commands. If you're already familiar with Nikon film cameras, you'll have no trouble with the S2's layout. Command-dial finger wheels; shooting-mode dials; and dedicated buttons to control aperture, shutter speed, and flash are all intelligently placed. An LCD panel on the top of the body displays conventional exposure settings and battery status.
For navigating through setup functions and displaying images and histograms, look to the rear LCD, which is protected under a removable, frosted plastic cover. Kudos to Fujifilm for including a separate set of four function buttons above the LCD that give you one-touch access to the most frequently used features, such as resolution; color, tone, and sharpening adjustments; and white balance, without changing out of the shooting mode. Though traditional shooters may need to spend a little time getting used to the extra buttons, they're incredibly convenient in the long run.
The FinePix S2 Pro possesses all the features we expect from a high-quality digital SLR. For Nikon fans, the good news is that the S2 is not only built on an N80 body but functions like an N80, as well. For example, you'll benefit from the 3D Matrix metering and have your choice of many compatible Nikon lenses and external Speedlight flash units. (We tested with Nikon lenses and a Fuji-supplied Tamron lens.)
Digitally, the S2 is pure Fujifilm, right down to its 6-megapixel Super CCD, which supports interpolated images up to 12 megapixels. The company supplements the sensor with a variety of settings to optimize any shooting situation. If you like to perform all adjustments in-camera, you can fiddle with many settings, from compression, sharpening, saturation, and tone to nine preset and two custom, manual white-balance settings. If you prefer the opposite, the S2 outputs a CCD-RAW format untouched by camera firmware. In custom settings mode, you can change the default behavior of advanced functions; for instance, you can specify which dials change aperture and shutter speed and the order in which exposure-bracketed shots occur.
This camera accepts both SmartMedia and CompactFlash cards, but we think you should opt for an IBM Microdrive to hold large images. Unfortunately, the camera can't automatically jump from one drive to another if a card fills up. For studio-friendly photography, you can tether the S2 to a computer via the included FireWire cable. During testing, we really appreciated the camera's sticky self-timer mode; many cameras make you reselect the mode before each shot.
A handy menu on the rear LCD provides a short description of each of the S2's 15 custom settings as you search. In review mode, this same bright LCD also provides a deep level of magnification to check images, as well as color bars and a histogram display. The S2 provides a 30-second voice memo, so you can record necessary information about your shots on the go.
No slowpoke here: With a flip of the power switch, this camera is ready to shoot. A large buffer and fast write times keep the shot-to-shot time negligibly small, even when you're saving uncompressed TIFF images. In continuous-shooting mode, the camera can record about two frames per second while holding up to seven images in its memory buffer. On average, the images recorded in the largest JPEG settings take 2 to 3 seconds to write without a post-shot view. The S2 can also produce interpolated files up to 35MB in TIFF and RAW formats, which can take close to 20 seconds to record, but the standard 6-megapixel uncompressed TIFFs take only about 11 seconds.
Surprisingly, the S2 will slow you down while you're reviewing your images. The camera creates a low-res thumbnail while it opens, taking close to 5 seconds for the largest JPEG files. However, strong battery life will see you through; while the S2 splits its power source to two CR-123 batteries to power the camera and four AA batteries for digital needs, both sets will give you more than 500 shots. And downloading even the largest files is a breeze, thanks to the FireWire interface.
The S2 shares a disappointing flaw with the Nikon D100: the viewfinder is simply too small. Also, the display information sits very low in the viewfinder frame and is hard to view from some angles, which can quickly result in a bad case of eyestrain when shooting for long periods of time.
The S2 doesn't miss a pixel. In program mode with all default settings, which includes a moderate amount of in-camera sharpening, the S2 produces a clear, well-balanced, eye-pleasing image. This results in properly exposed scenes, excellent skin tones, and true-to-life colors. As with some other digital SLRs, automatic white-balance errors under tungsten lights tend toward pink rather than the more common orange-yellow, but the presets and manual white-balance options cope admirably.
Typical digital artifacts such as noise or blooming of light colors into dark are hardly noticeable, even in the most difficult scenarios. Low-light images and shadowy areas show minimal noise. Thanks to the 6-megapixel resolution, this camera faithfully renders fine details such as hair and fur. As you'd expect, shooting 12-megapixel interpolated images introduces some visible color noise but not so much that it interferes with using that mode to produce larger prints.
The built-in flash gets a bit hot in program-mode shooting but still provides excellent coverage for snapshots. Try switching to aperture priority or adjusting the flash compensation for a more subtle touch.
Editor's note: We have changed the rating in this review to reflect recent changes in our rating scale. Click here to find out more.
Thanks to a black plastic body nearly identical to that of Nikon's N80 film camera, the Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro packs quite a photographic punch. By itself, the body with media and batteries weighs just less than two pounds, and thanks to about 3/4 of an inch added at the base to house four AA batteries, it's a bit more substantial. The camera fits comfortably in your hand; your fingers find a deep grip to the front and thumb-hold to the rear for added support and stability.If you're used to Nikon film cameras, you'll recognize many of the S2's dials.
The large body provides plenty of room for controls, LCDs, and a lockable rocker switch.
The camera's functions are located in two sections, top and rear, that logically separate commands. If you're already familiar with Nikon film cameras, you'll have no trouble with the S2's layout. Command-dial finger wheels; shooting-mode dials; and dedicated buttons to control aperture, shutter speed, and flash are all intelligently placed. An LCD panel on the top of the body displays conventional exposure settings and battery status.
A separate function menu provides quick access to the most frequently used settings.
The plastic cover protects the LCD from nose prints and other hazards.
For navigating through setup functions and displaying images and histograms, look to the rear LCD, which is protected under a removable, frosted plastic cover. Kudos to Fujifilm for including a separate set of four function buttons above the LCD that give you one-touch access to the most frequently used features, such as resolution; color, tone, and sharpening adjustments; and white balance, without changing out of the shooting mode. Though traditional shooters may need to spend a little time getting used to the extra buttons, they're incredibly convenient in the long run.
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 Included accessories |
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Digitally, the S2 is pure Fujifilm, right down to its 6-megapixel Super CCD, which supports interpolated images up to 12 megapixels. The company supplements the sensor with a variety of settings to optimize any shooting situation. If you like to perform all adjustments in-camera, you can fiddle with many settings, from compression, sharpening, saturation, and tone to nine preset and two custom, manual white-balance settings. If you prefer the opposite, the S2 outputs a CCD-RAW format untouched by camera firmware. In custom settings mode, you can change the default behavior of advanced functions; for instance, you can specify which dials change aperture and shutter speed and the order in which exposure-bracketed shots occur.
Though you can use both SmartMedia and CompactFlash, we suggest you stick with large CF or IBM Microdrives to handle the camera's 12-megapixel uncompressed images.
The Custom Settings mode lets you determine how advanced features work.
This camera accepts both SmartMedia and CompactFlash cards, but we think you should opt for an IBM Microdrive to hold large images. Unfortunately, the camera can't automatically jump from one drive to another if a card fills up. For studio-friendly photography, you can tether the S2 to a computer via the included FireWire cable. During testing, we really appreciated the camera's sticky self-timer mode; many cameras make you reselect the mode before each shot.
A handy menu on the rear LCD provides a short description of each of the S2's 15 custom settings as you search. In review mode, this same bright LCD also provides a deep level of magnification to check images, as well as color bars and a histogram display. The S2 provides a 30-second voice memo, so you can record necessary information about your shots on the go.
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 Input/output ports |
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Surprisingly, the S2 will slow you down while you're reviewing your images. The camera creates a low-res thumbnail while it opens, taking close to 5 seconds for the largest JPEG files. However, strong battery life will see you through; while the S2 splits its power source to two CR-123 batteries to power the camera and four AA batteries for digital needs, both sets will give you more than 500 shots. And downloading even the largest files is a breeze, thanks to the FireWire interface.
Two sets of batteries power the camera.
The S2 Pro uses the same viewfinder and eyecup as the Nikon D100.
The S2 shares a disappointing flaw with the Nikon D100: the viewfinder is simply too small. Also, the display information sits very low in the viewfinder frame and is hard to view from some angles, which can quickly result in a bad case of eyestrain when shooting for long periods of time.
Broad dynamic range and accurate colors are among the highlights of the S2 Pro's photographs.
The S2 doesn't miss a pixel. In program mode with all default settings, which includes a moderate amount of in-camera sharpening, the S2 produces a clear, well-balanced, eye-pleasing image. This results in properly exposed scenes, excellent skin tones, and true-to-life colors. As with some other digital SLRs, automatic white-balance errors under tungsten lights tend toward pink rather than the more common orange-yellow, but the presets and manual white-balance options cope admirably.
Mixed light temperatures give the S2's auto white balance a bit of trouble, as this combination of incandescent and fluorescent light shows.
Typical digital artifacts such as noise or blooming of light colors into dark are hardly noticeable, even in the most difficult scenarios. Low-light images and shadowy areas show minimal noise. Thanks to the 6-megapixel resolution, this camera faithfully renders fine details such as hair and fur. As you'd expect, shooting 12-megapixel interpolated images introduces some visible color noise but not so much that it interferes with using that mode to produce larger prints.
Shooting 12-megapixel interpolated photos with the default in-camera sharpening turned on (top) introduces some minor artifacts compared to 6-megapixel unsharpened images (bottom).
The built-in flash gets a bit hot in program-mode shooting but still provides excellent coverage for snapshots. Try switching to aperture priority or adjusting the flash compensation for a more subtle touch.
Pictures show very little noise.
