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Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro Review,

Review based on a production Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro

The successor to Fuji's FinePix S3 Pro made its first, fleeting appearence at Photokina in September 2006, though it didn't start shipping until the spring of 2007 - keeping in line with Fuji's approx two-year gap between SLR models. The S5 Pro may have the same sensor (well, almost - more about that later) as the S3 Pro, but as a camera it is a quantum leap forward over the models that preceded it, being based on the highly-regarded Nikon D200 (all the previous models were based on consumer level Nikon film cameras).

Being essentially a D200 with a Super CCD sensor and Fuji processor means the S5 Pro enjoys all the benefits of Nikon's superb 'semi pro' body; weather-sealed body with a magnesium alloy chassis, latest generation focus, flash and metering systems, better shutter, better viewfinder and expansive lens compatibility. It is also the first Fuji SLR to be a truly 'integrated' digital camera; previous models were based on film cameras (supplied by Nikon) which forced Fuji to use a clunky 'camera of two halves' design, complicating control (and in the early models meaning the 'digital' and 'camera' parts had separate batteries). Finally there are some changes under the hood, including a tweaked sensor, new processor and a host of minor (and a few major) feature upgrades.

The S3 Pro - despite a hefty price tag - carved out a niche for itself amongst wedding and portrait photographers willing to sacrifice speed and durability in order to take advantage of the extra dynamic range offered by the SR sensor. On paper the S5 Pro (which has a smaller $400 price premium over the Nikon D200) seems to address most of the issues we - and many potential purchasers - had with the S3 Pro, so let's find out if it delivers...

Improvements of FinePix S5 Pro over FinePix S3 Pro

Where the original S1 Pro and S2 Pro did well because they offered high resolution at a low price (the S1 was the first 'affordable' digital SLR in the days before the consumer DSLR even existed), by the time the S3 Pro surfaced it looked expensive and under-powered. This was due in no small part to Fuji's reliance on Nikon for the 'photographic' part of the camera, and Nikon's obvious reluctance to give them anything too good. That's all changed with the S5 Pro, which is the most significant upgrade the FinePix Pro series has ever seen. Based on a Nikon D200 it really is a totally different kettle of fish. The key improvements (adapted from Fuji's press release) are listed below:

• Improved Super CCD SR Pro features an optimised low-pass filter to reduce moiré
• Newly developed RP Processor Pro features two cycles of noise reduction with a claimed reduction in noise at higher sensitivities (camera now allows shooting at ISO 3200)
• Users can now choose from up to six preset Dynamic Range settings between 100% and 400%
• Three new variations of the original film simulation mode (F1) have been added (five modes in total
• Improved Nikon lens compatability (including manual focus AI lenses)
• RAW+ jpeg (4,256 x 2,848 pixels, 3,024 x 2,016 pixels, 2,304 x 1,536 pixels) dual-save mode
• Robust lightweight magnesium-alloy body with moisture- and dust-proof seals
• Durable shutter unit stands up to approximately 100,000 cycles
• Adoption of high-precision i-TTL flash control
• 11-point AF sensor with faster autofocusing than the FinePix S3 Pro
• Supports 1/3, 1/2, and 1 stop lens aperture control
• Shutter speed 30 sec. to 1/8000 sec, maximum flash sync speed of 1/250 sec.
• 3 levels of custom function locking with password protection
• 2.5 inch LCD with 235,000 pixels, gives 100% frame coverage.
• Colour and monochromatic 30 seconds live view function to check focusing
• Li-ion rechargeable battery
• Face Detection Technology for post image verification

Compared to the S3 Pro, major feature and specification differences

	Fujifilm S5 Pro	Fujifilm S3 Pro
Body	• Magnesium alloy • Body seams sealed	High-impact plastic (metal sub-structure)
Image sizes	• 4256 x 2848 (12.1 million) • 3024 x 2016 (6.1 million) • 2304 x 1536 (3.5 million)	• 4256 x 2848 (12.1 million) • 3024 x 2016 (6.1 million) • 2304 x 1536 (3.5 million) • 1440 x 960 (1.4 million)
Raw + JPEG mode?	Yes	No
Auto focus	• 11/7 area TTL • Multi-CAM 1000 • TTL phase detection • Detection range: EV -1 to EV 19 (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)	• 5 area TTL • Multi-CAM 900 • TTL phase detection • Detection range: EV 1 to EV 19 (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
AF area mode	• Single Area AF • Dynamic AF with Focus Tracking and Lock-on • Group Dynamic AF • Closest Subject Priority Dynamic AF	• Single Area AF • Dynamic Area AF • Closest Subject Priority Dynamic AF
Metering	• 3D Color Matrix Metering II • 1005 pixel CCD	• 3D Matrix Metering • 10 segment sensor
iTTL flash?	Yes	No
Sensitivity	• ISO 100 - 3200	• ISO 100 - 1600
Shutter speed	• 30 - 1/8000 sec • 1/250 sec X-Sync speed	• 30 - 1/4000 sec • 1/180 sec X-Sync speed
AI aperture ring	Yes	No
Continuous	Standard dynamic range • JPEG 12 MP / Fine: 3.0 fps, up to 21 frames * • JPEG 6 MP / Fine: 3.0 fps, up to 21 frames * • RAW: 3.0 fps, up to 21 frames * Wide dynamic range (Auto DR) • JPEG 12 MP / Fine: 1.6 fps, up to 7 frames * • JPEG 6 MP / Fine: 1.6 fps, up to 7 frames * • RAW: 1.4 fps, up to 8 frames * * Before slowing down significantly	Standard dynamic range • JPEG 12 MP / Fine: 2.5 fps, up to 12 frames * • JPEG 6 MP / Fine: 2.5 fps, up to 12 frames * • RAW: 2.5 fps, up to 7 frames * Wide dynamic range (Auto DR) • JPEG 12 MP / Fine: 1.2 fps, up to 9 frames * • JPEG 6 MP / Fine: 1.1 fps, up to 6 frames * • RAW: 1.2 fps, up to 3 frames * * Before slowing down significantly
White balance	• Auto • Nine presets • Manual preset (five) • Kelvin temperature • Fine tunable	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset (two) • Fine tunable
Film Simulations	• F1 • F1a • F1b • F1c • F2	• F1 • F2
Dynamic Range	• Auto • 100% (Std) • 130% • 170% • 230% (W1) • 300% • 400% (W2)	• Std • Auto • Wide 1 • Wide 2
Shutter speeds	• 30 sec - 1/8000 sec • Bulb	• 30 sec - 1/4000 sec • Bulb
Flash Synch	1/250 sec	1/180 sec
Exposure control: steps	1/3, 1/2 or 1	1/2 or 1
LCD monitor	• 2.5 " TFT LCD • 230,000 pixels • Removable protective cover	• 2.0 " TFT LCD • 235,000 pixels • Removable protective cover
Live View	• Color or mono • 30 secs max	• Mono • 30 secs max
Interface	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed	• USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) • IEEE 1394 (Firewire)
Remote	• 10-pin remote terminal • USB 2.0 remote control using optional software	• Mechanical release socket on shutter button • IEEE 1394 remote control using optional software
Battery	Lithium-Ion NP-150 (7.4 V, 1500 mAh)	4 x AA batteries (2300 mAh NiMH supplied)
Storage	Compact Flash Type I/II	• Compact Flash Type I/II • xD-Picture Card
Vertical grip	MB-D200	Built-in
Dimensions	170 x 113 x 74 mm (6.7 x 4.4 x 2.9 in)	148 x 135 x 80 mm (5.9 x 5.3 x 3.2 in)
Weight (no batt)	830 g (1.8 lb)	835 g (1.8 lb)
Other	• New version of 'Real Photo' processor and 'improved' Super CCD SR Pro sensor • GPS and barcode reader compatible • Function locking (password protected)

Compared to Nikon D200

Unlike its predecessors the S5 Pro isn't just 'based on' a Nikon body, it is essentially the same camera with Fujifilm innards. It's got a different sensor and a different processor (at the very least), and it doesn't have Nikon's 4-channel readout or amazing buffering capabilities (so the continuous shooting is a lot less impressive), but there's no doubting the S5 Pro's pedigree - it's as close to a Nikon as you'll get without actually buying one. Feature-wise there are some minor differences:

• Separate 'setup' menu for custom functions (and no shooting banks to store custom settings)
• No White Balance bracketing
• No interval timer
• No 'Shade' white balance setting but extra Fluorescent presets
• S5 Pro's ISO and flash compensation can only be changed in 1/3 EV steps
• No 'basic' JPEG mode, missing D200's JPEG compression options
• No Raw compression option
• The two cameras have totally different menu system
• Several buttons on the rear have different functions
• Face Detection (playback mode)
• Film simulation modes and D-range options
• There are slight differences in image parameters and only one Adobe RGB option
• Slower continuous shooting speed, smaller buffer
• Slightly different (and incompatible) battery
• Not compatible with WT-3 wireless transmitter (and no Fujifilm alternative)
• S5 Pro has option to attach a barcode reader (inserts data into EXIF)

Lens compatibility

Thanks to its new AI aperture ring connector the S5 Pro supports A / M modes and metering with AI manual focus lenses (essentially anything made since 1977) - as well as the majority of AF-G, AF-D, AF-S and AF-I Nikkors, bringing the Fujifilm DSLR series in line with the Nikon semi-pro and pro cameras for the first time. The full lens compatability information is available in our Nikon D200 review (click here).

Fujifilm SuperCCD SR II

Like the S3 Pro before it, the S5 Pro utilizes Fujifilm's unique "extended dynamic range" SuperCCD SR sensor. This features two photodiodes at each photosite (a single 'input pixel') and is designed to overcome the inability of standard CCD sensors to capture the full range of tones in scenes with a wide dynamic range (from deep shadows to bright highlights).

The 'S' pixel has normal sensitivity and captures the same range of light as a conventional CCD photosite, the 'R' pixel is smaller and has a lower sensitivity and is designed to capture detail above the saturation point of the 'S' pixel (in other words the brightest highlights). The 'Real Photo Processor Pro' can then combine the information from the 'S' and 'R' pixels to produce an extended dynamic range and avoid the loss of detail due to over-exposure.. (click here for more information).

Like the S3 Pro the S5 uses some nifty processing to turn what is effectively a six megapixel capture into a twelve megapixel output image (in its earliest incarnations Super CCD always came with a healthy dose of interpolation). This is despite the fact that the S and R 'pixels' are in fact dual photosites that are combined to produce a single input pixel.

Although details from Fujifilm are rather thin on the ground they have confirmed that the Super CCD sensor in the S5 Pro is not the same as the one used in the S3 Pro, but is a refined/improved version. It would appear that the difference is fairly minimal, there is mention of a stronger low-pass filter (to reduce moire), but that's about as much as we can get. We think it's safe to presume that if there were any really fundamental differences Fuji would be making more of a fuss about it. Any image quality improvements over the S3 Pro are as likely to be a result of the new Real Photo Processor PRO (the image processor) than of tweaks to the sensor itself.

edit @ 13 Dec 2007 03:02:32 by steven

edit @ 13 Dec 2007 03:02:53 by steven

edit @ 13 Dec 2007 03:18:27 by steven

Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd Review

Review based on a production Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd

Having recently taken its long zoom cameras into ever more DSLR-like territory, Fuji's S8000fd is something of a departure. The S8000fd places a smaller sensor behind a much longer-range zoom lens in a less SLR-like body. Going head to head with the Panasonic FZ18 and Olympus SP560UZ the S8000fd is Fuji's most ambitious zoom compact to date. It is also the first long-zoom camera from Fuji to offer image stabilization (in this case a CCD-shake system), which is offered by most competing brands and is pretty much essential with a zoom this long.

The S8000fd packs an awful lot into its compact body, and seems to be trying pretty hard to be all things to all people, with manual exposure controls sitting alongside point-and-shoot convenience features such as face detection. There is a high-speed shooting mode (at reduced resolution), and some extremely high sensitivity modes (again at lower resolution), for shooting in low light. What compromises this all-encompassing approach brings, we shall see.

http://astore.amazon.com/steve-digicam-review-and-store-20

Headline features

• 18X optical zoom, giving a 27mm-486mm equiv. range
• Dual IS, combining sensor shift technology with high ISO settings
• 8.0 million pixel sensor
• ISO 6400 at 4MP
• ISO 1600 at full resolution
• Face detection (up to 10 faces per shot)
• Face detection-combined In-camera red-eye reduction
• High-speed focus mode
• Rapid continuous shooting (up to 15fps at 2MP)
• 60 fps LCD refresh rate
• Accepts both xD and SD cards, including SDHC

S8000fd Key specifications

http://astore.amazon.com/steve-digicam-review-and-store-20

edit @ 12 Dec 2007 16:54:31 by steven

Fujifilm Finepix F50fd Review

As the replacement for the Fujifilm F30/F31fd, a camera that has reached an almost legendary status since its launch back in 2006, the Fujifilm F50fd has some big shoes to fill. If anything deserves to be called a 'classic' camera in the shortlived world of digital compact cameras it would have to be the Fujifilm F30/F31fd. It wasn't very pretty, it wasn't very feature packed and it wasn't even very cheap. But the F30/F31fd produced some of the best results we've ever seen in a compact camera, and was leaps and bounds ahead of all its competitors when it came to low light / high ISO performance, proving that just because a camera has a small sensor it doesn't have to be completely useless at anything over ISO 400.

The F30/F31fd's outstanding performance in low light was the result of some clever technology (Super CCD sensor and Real Photo Processor) on the one hand and Fujifilm's admirable refusal to succumb to the pressure to compete in the 'megapixel race'. In an almost unique attempt to optimize image quality (rather than marketing potential) they limited the F30/F31fd's resolution to 6 megapixels, on a sensor that is slightly bigger than the competition's.

Although the F30 and F31fd sold in pretty decent numbers, proving that it is possible to sell a camera on image quality rather than numbers, Fujifilm has finally caved under the pressure and joined the mainstream with the F50fd, doubling the F30/F31fd's pixel count to squeeze a whopping 12 megapixel on the tiny 1/1.6in sensor.

The F50fd also ups the 'whiz bang' factor condsiderably, adding a range of new features including a mechanical CCD-shift image stabilization system, improved face detection and a 2.7" LCD monitor. But can it match its predecessor's peerless image quality or has Fujifilm thrown the baby out with the bathwater by not only joining the megapixel race, but going right to the top with a full 12 megapixels? Let's find out, starting, as ever, with the headline specification.

• Face Detection 2.0 Technology built-in to the camera’s processor
• Dual Image Stabilization (High sensitivity + CCD shift)
• 2.7-inch TFT screen with 230.000 pixels
• ISO 1600 sensitivity at full resolution
• 12 million pixels Super CCD HR VII sensor
• 3.0x optical zoom
• IR Communication (IR simple™/IR SS™)
• VGA movie capture of 25 frames per second with sound
• Micro thumbnail view (up to 100 thumbnails visible)
• 5fps continuous mode (3MP, 12 frames max)
• Aperture and shutter priority modes

Changes over the F31fd

While the upgrade from the F30 to the F31fd was fairly minor, the F50fd is a completely new camera. The new 12 megapixel sensor and the image stabilization system are the most obvious changes but there is also a larger screen and some minor new features. The color is now a slightly warmer silver and Fujifilm has moved from the boxy design of the F30/F31fd to more curves and edges, something which they call 'Aero' design. It also makes the camera quite a bit slimmer.

	Fuji F50fd	Fuji F31fd
Sensor	• 1/1.6 Super CCD HR VII • 12 million effective pixels	• 1/1.7" Super CCD HR • 6.3 million effective pixels
Lens	• 35 - 105 mm (35 mm equiv) • 3x optical zoom • F2.8 - 5.1	• 36-108mm equiv • 3x optical zoom • F2.8-5.0
Digital zoom	Up to 8.2x	Up to 6.2x
Maximum Image Size	4000 x 3000	2848 x 2136
Sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 80-6400 • Up to ISO 1600 at full res	• Auto • ISO 100-3200 • Up to ISO 3200 at full res
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps max 3 images 5.0fps max 12 images at 3MP	2.2fps max 3 images
Shutter speed	8 - 1/2000 sec	3 - 1/2000 sec
Flash range, Auto ISO	Up to 4.4m (wide)	Up to 6.5m (wide)
LCD screen	• 2.7-inch TFT • 230,000 pixels	• 2.5-inch TFT • 230,000 pixels
Battery life (CIPA standard, using LCD)	230	580
Image stabilization	Dual-IS (High ISO + CCD Shift)	None
Face detection	Version 2.0	Standard
Movie mode	25fps	30fps
Dimensions	92.5 x 59.2 x 22.9 mm (3.6 x 2.3 x 0.9 in)	92.7 x 56.7 x 27.8 mm (3.6 x 2.2 x 1.1 in)
Other	Portrait Enhancer Blog mode Micro thumbnail view Anti-red eye flash

FinePix F50fd specifications

check price at link menu  , right hand

edit @ 12 Dec 2007 05:37:50 by steven