Fuji S3 Pro...

[greypoint]

.....any thoughts now it's so cheap?

[Andy]

Sluggish in operation and quirky but it can produce absolutely stunning images. I had the S2 Pro and that was much the same... and in some ways the S2 still may be better value if you can find one, it's not much less of a camera than the S3... both use some old Nikon technology (Nikon F80 + old AF system). Threaded shutter button for cable-release is nice touch, but everyone else has nice wired or wireless remotes these days.

Colour repro has always been a very strong point with the Fuji's and noise at high ISO settings is excellent as well.

I felt there were some serious moiré issues with the S2, with fine feather detail it could be a nightmare... for taking a brilliantly detailed photo, you were penalised with moiré... and although the colour in the moiré banding could be dealt with quite easily, tonal banding remained to spoil the shot. I'm not sure if this is the case with the S3 or not.


Regards,
Andy

[Leif]

There's a review on www.bythom.com and another on www.luminouslandscape.com. It is supposed to have better dynamic range than other cameras and better than 6MP resolution. And at £700 I would have thought it a bargain for landscape and weddings (the dynamic range would handle white dresses). I was tempted to wait for the price drop but I was turned off by the handling and the F80-ish body.

I would love to have a conventional cable release socket on my D200. I've had to order an expensive electronic gadget, and its going to take at least 1 month to get the damned thing. Whereas the old style cable is cheap, and easily replaced if lost.

Unless I am mistaken, the reviews I've read don't say how the view finder and sturdiness compare to D100, D70 etc. The F80 ion which it is based s not sturdy being plastic fantastic.

Leif

[greypoint]

And better dynamic range should handle white swans! Ploughing through user reviews etc. it does seem popular with those who use it. I have bought an old S1 as a backup body - I keep a 50mm on it for snaps of the dogs etc. So I know roughly what an S3 would handle like - although obviously it's based on a different model, is more up to date, faster etc. as well as the extra mp, features etc. It does seem quite a bargain for what you get - and from what I've read the JPEGs are really good if you set it right.

[greypoint]

.....Oh dear.....bread and water again....I just can't resist a bargain......

[Buckster]

All I can say is I've been VERY VERY impressed during the first 2 weeks of ownership of the Fuji S3 Pro - shots are a fair way better compared to my 2 previous DSLRs. (350D and D70S) .. Yes its a bit slow - but nothing much to worry about- especially if you use XD cards as they are twice as quick within this camera.

At the current price it can't be beaten in my opinion.



Benefits over D70S and Canon 350D:

Much better shots straight out of the camera in particular JPEGs, but RAWs also:

(i) Skin tones better than the 350D and MUCH MUCH better than D70S
(ii) Landscapes have a lot more impact - especially in the Film 2 mode (Velvia simulation)
and even after processing I couldn't get the D70S's landscapes to look as good

Much better Dynamic range - 2 extra stops of latitude/range over the D70S- thats rather a lot I can tell you.

Better larger and brighter viewfinder - Pentaprism vs Pentamirror

IMO better detail resolution than both the D70S and 350D

Has a portrait shutter button - so you don't have to fork out for a grip


Disadvantages

Rather heavy and bulky - although some would like this

RAW files in full dynamic range mode are very big - 25MB each, and on a compact flash card take about 8 seconds to write

Rather slow in RAW mode, in JPEG not too bad, takes less than a second to write to XD cards

I don't like the fact it uses AAs as I get about 200 shots to a set of 4 AAs vs about 900 shots on one charge of the D70S's batteries
It could be the amount of flash/previewing etc I've been using though, as some people have reported up to 800 shots or so


Here are some sample piccies all taken with 18-70 Nikon lens.

http://www.mark-buckley.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/new-1.jpg

http://www.mark-buckley.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/new-3.jpg

http://www.mark-buckley.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/new-4.jpg

http://www.mark-buckley.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/new-5.jpg