Product Description

2/8/200615-19-33...

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71644 in Camera & Photo
• Size: Medium Size
• Brand: Fuji
• Model: 43020209
• Platforms: Windows 2000 Server, Mac OS X, Mac OS 9 and below, Windows, Windows NT, PowerMac, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT 3.5, Windows NT 4, Windows NT 5, Mac, Windows Me, Windows XP
• Dimensions: 5.20" h x 5.60" w x 3.10" l, 1.70 pounds
• Memory: 16MB
• Display size: 1.8

Features

• SLR-type digital camera works with Nikon F mount lens, accepts majority of Nikkor AF lenses
• Dual media slots for SmartMedia and Compactflash Type II (Microdrive compatible)
• Continuous shooting: 2 frames per second, up to 7 frames
• Dual interface: Firewire IEEE1394 and USB 1.1

Amazon.com Product Description
The FinePix S2 Pro is the second-generation professional-body SLR to feature FujiFilm's next generation Super-CCD sensor system for professional photography. The FinePix S2 offers a full feature set that's perfect for professional photographers, including a resolution of 6.17 million effective pixels and compatibility with Nikon F-mount lenses as well as a majority of Nikkor AF lenses.

Optics and Resolution
The 6.17 million effective pixels translate to 12 million recorded pixels (4,256 x 2,848), or a 4.5 MB file size, due to Fuji's Super CCD (see below for more info). The FinePix S2 Pro has a Nikon F mount and accepts every AF Nikkor and most manual AI or AI-S Nikkor lenses. In addition, the camera has shutter speeds of 30 seconds to 1/4,000 second, and continuous shooting of approximately 2 frames per second, up to a total of 7 frames. Its wide range of ISO equivalents of 100/160/200/400/800/1,600 allow for picture taking under a variety of challenging lighting conditions.

Fuji's Super CCD
Instead of conventional CCDs with square photodiodes and pixel arrangements, Fuji’s Super CCD has octagonal-shaped photodiodes and pixels situated on 45-degree angles. This "honeycomb" pattern increases sensitivity, allowing pixels to be efficiently packed at maximum density. The area of the photodiode in a half-inch Super CCD with 2 million pixels is about 1.6 times as large as the area offered in the conventional CCD with the same number of pixels. The Super CCD improves overall signal-to-noise ratio and offers a much wider dynamic range.

Storage and Transfer
The S2 Pro offers a dual-media approach to storage: SmartMedia and CompactFlash Type II memory cards (offering compatibility with optional Microdrives, which can provide up to 1 GB of storage). It also incorporates dual PC connectivity, via typical USB 1.1 or super-fast IEEE 1394 (FireWire).

More Features
The FinePix S2 Pro boasts a variety of controls, including four shooting modes (single frame, continuous, preview, and multiple exposure), four exposure modes (multiprogrammed AE, shutter-priority AE, aperture-priority AE, and manual exposure) and five variable program modes (portrait, landscape, close-up, sport, and night scene). In addition, there are nine modes for white balance (auto, fine, shade, incandescent light, two custom settings, and three for fluorescent light).

The sharp, bright 118,000 pixel, 1.8-inch LCD monitor provides image review and menu control display; a protective LCD cover is included.

Other features include:

• Built-in, pop-up flash with five settings
• External flash hot shoe and sync socket for connecting up to two external flash units
• Video-out jack for reviewing images on a television set
• Variable self-timer

Power, Size, and Contents
The camera is powered by four AA batteries (alkalines included, but NiMH rechargeables recommended). It measures 5.6 by 5.2 by 3.1 inches and weighs 26.8 ounces. This package includes the FinePix S2 digital camera; four AA and two CR123 batteries; USB, FireWire, and AV cables; eyepiece cap, body cap, and LCD cover; and CD-ROM with FinePix viewer, Video Impression, Adobe PhotoShop Elements, and Raw File Converter LE.

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Customer Reviews

Great Pro Camera, but a battery eater
The Fulifilm Finepix S2 Pro improves greatly on the S1. I shoot very heavily with this camera, several thousand photos a week and beat the hell out of it. Having the Nikon constructed N-80 body helps with it's ruggedness, but it is not as sturdy as the D1-X, however it does capture 12.1 Million MegaPixels. I recommend setting the custom white balance often when attempting to shoot in various lighting conditions to insure optimum accurate colors, otherwise colors may lean toward the red. Also, do not trust what you see in the lcd, believe the metering, the display will tend make you want to push a few stops, which is fine if that is the look you are going for, but at first I blew out alot of shots. The ability to use all of my Nikon lenses is a plus, and there are plent of features to play with, so get a big memory card.
For the price most digital SLR's cannot touch the file sizes you can get with the S2. This camera is almost perfect, except....
IT EATS BATTERIES, EAT'S 'EM! The camera takes 4 AA's in the loading tray,(which is not the strongest of plastic things I have ever seen and cannot believe that I have not broken it while rushing to trade batteries out on a shoot) and 2 $ 123 lithium ions. On a full day shoot I go through at least 2 sets of the lithiums and usually 3 with AA(I do always leave it set to LCD previewwhich can be shut off to save juice). If I use a flash or hook it to any lighting equipment, even worse. They make a fairly expensive power pack for the camera, but for the locations I work in that is not always ideal.
Final word cool Professional camera, despite the batteries, but you get more than you pay for in image resolution and picture quality.

Great Camera For The Price
I gave the Fuji S2 Pro 5 stars. You can't really compare it to someting like a Nikon D2H because it's in a completely different price class. First, I've been shooting professionally for a few years, and about 15 years in total. I know 35mm cameras. The Fuji, by far, has produced the most realistic and useful images of any digital camera that I've tried. It also offers the lowest number of images that need to be retouched. The previous comments about build quality should be taken with a grain of salt. The camera can withstand pro use, as long as you are not into moutain biking or extreme sports, you should be fine. The user interface is somewhat intuitive, but it does take a little getting used to - just like any other camera out there. Nothing has been "jury rigged" - this camera is built on the Nikon N80 (I have one) and both cameras are light but have a solid feel. They are well built cameras.

Overall image quality is excellent. Skin tones are right on. I have very few, if any, white balance issues using my SB-80DX flash units. I never use the on board flash - they stink regardless of what camera you use, it's only for emergencies. If you are looking to buy a digital camera useful for shooting weddings, portraits, etc, this is a good camera for you. It's imperative you put good glass on this camera (f2.8 or brighter). The BEST lens for the money on this camera is Nikon's 50mm f1.8 AF-D. It gives about the same perspective as a fine 85mm portrait lens. If you can afford them, the AF-S lenses on this camera are outstanding. The only drawbacks I've experienced is AF speed can be slow with normal lenses (no AF-S) and Fuji's software takes some getting used to, especially if you shoot in RAW format. Prices have not dropped recently on this camera - it has a large following of Nikon shooters out there, and a TON of professionals are using this camera in the studio and on assignment.

Re: Photo Editor
Hi, I'm a professional who's making the switch to digital for some things and I bought an S2 to hold me over until the D2H comes out.

I want to comment on some of your points:

1) The autofocus noise is a characteristic of the lens -- not the camera. A 70-300 sounds like a plane taking off on any camera, not just an S2. I have several silent wave lenses, and they focus as smoothly on the S2 as on my pro film bodies.

Also, you mention that the S2 can take 7+ frames per second (FPS)-- actually it can only do 2 FPS. I think you're referring to the D1H.

2) I think most digital systems eat batteries. I don't use the rear display often, so I manage several hours from my S2 with the default battery setup that is the camera default.

I also use a Quantum battery pack, and have never been disappointed. Sure it's heavy (like you said -- carry an external flash -- the pop-up flash is just as bad as all of the other pop-up flashes out there), but pretty much all modern pro SLR systems are heavy.

People wonder why my Nikon FM-2n is still my favorite camera!

I'd give the Fuji 5 stars -- the only thing I completely hate is the "feel" of the camera. It's "plasticy" -- doesn't feel like it has the same build quality as other pro cameras. I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting with it in the rain, for example.

If this system was rubber armored, with a little higher build quality, I wouldn't even be considering a D2H next year.