An outstanding camera for the price.
Written: Sep 29 '03
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Pros: Super performance all the way around and loaded with useful features.
Cons: Haven't found any yet in 25,000 shots!
The Bottom Line: The best prosumer digital camera for the money.
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| melrichter's Full Review: FUJIFILM FinePix S2 Pro Digital Camera |
I previously owned an S1, used it heavily, and was very pleased with it. I purchased an S2 shortly after they were released and have liked it even better. It's image quality and acceptance of Nikon lenses has allowed me to use it on a professional level.
I recently compared print quality with the much overpriced Kodak 14n with the following conclusions: The Kodak had slightly greater detail, but its advantages ended there. The fuji captured a much cleaner image (better dynamic range) and suffered far less from moire patterns.
Other reviews question the durability of the camera and the design of its battery compartment. I would like to praise both. Anyone who has ever shot from a tripod knows that their new compartment means the camera can stay in position while the batteries are changed (very useful) as opposed to the S1 that had a side loader with an easily broken latch, and required the camera be removed from the tripod. As for durability, how many cameras can boast this: My camera was accidentally left on the top of my car with only a soft case for protection. It naturally fell off when the car reached about 45mph. I expected a disaster as I turned around to see what had happened, and upon finding the case, found it rather beat up. Inside, however, the camera showed absolutely NO signs of damage. This was more than 10,000 shots ago.
As for features, I'd like to make particular praise of the dual memory card bay, particularly the acceptance of the microdrive. Also the firewire downloading is a great improvement. Both are a must for a high-res camera. In addition, the use of standard AA batteries is a very appreciated feature inasmuch as I sometimes exhaust 3 sets of NIMH batteries in a day, but never have to wait for an internal or proprietary battery to charge.
I will confess one design weakness of this camera which is shared by almost all others in the class as well: the sensor is not as large as a 35mm negative, and thus is not as useful for ultra wide-angle shots. Nikon has fixed this problem by offering a special digital camera wide angle SLR lens, but it is very expensive.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2500
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional
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Epinions.com ID:
melrichter
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Reviews written: 1
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