Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro SLR Review

The mode dial has positions for "P"rogram AE, "S"hutter speed priority, "A"perture priority and "M"anual exposure modes.   It also activates the Custom Settings Menu on the color LCD with the "CSM" position and quickly change the "ISO" sensitivity speed.

(If you select "P", "S" or "A" exposure mode when you are not using a Nikkor lens with the builtin CPU, "F--" appears on the top display panel and the camera will not take pictures. You can take pictures using the "M"anual mode and the aperture ring on the lens. You cannot use the camera's metering system.)

The selector underneath of the Mode Dial is for changing the drive mode; Single, Continuous (7 frames RAW / 12 frames JPEG @ 2.5fps), Self-timer (settable for 2, 5, 10 or 20 seconds), Multi-Exposure. The lock button prevents accidental changes of the drive mode selector.

Looking down on the grip side we see the large monochrome data LCD which lets you know all of the most important camera settings at a glance. The button to the right turns on the LCD's back light when needed. Around the shutter release is the power on/off switch. Behind are the Exposure Compensation and Flash Exposure Compensation buttons.

The monochrome data LCD displays: Shutter speed/Exposure compensation value, Aperture, Exposure compensation, Flash exposure compensation, Auto exposure bracketing, Bracketing bar graphs, flexible program, Flash sync mode, AF area mode Focus area and Battery power.

The Main Command Dial is easily activated with your thumb and works in conjunction with many of the other control buttons to quickly change camera options. The AE-L / AF-L button lock the exposure and focus settings when desired. Around it is the metering selection dial with positions for center-weighted (meters entire frame but assigns greatest weight to the center 12mm), 3D matrix (ten-segment matrix sensor sets exposure based on all areas of the frame) and spot (only the center 4mm of the frame is metered.)

Located on the front below the shutter release is the sub command dial, it's used to select various camera options. Around the shutter release is the power on/off switch. Behind are the flash and exposure compensation buttons. Note that shutter release is tapped and accepts standard cable releases.

Also seen here is the AF illuminator (aka focus assist lamp) and the DOF (depth of field) preview button.

The two buttons underneath of the mode dial on the back are used in conjunction with the Main Command Dial to enable Auto Exposure Bracketing and change the Flash Modes.

The green dot under the BKT button indicates that when this button and the Exposure Comp button (which also has a green dot) are pressed simultaneously it performs the "two button reset." The following settings are cancelled; flexible program, exposure comp., AE-L, AE bracketing, flash exposure comp., the focus area is reset to center and flash sync is reset to front curtain. If the mode dial is on CSM then all custom settings are reset and the ISO is set to 100.

On the side is where you'll find the I/O ports. On top is the high speed USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 FireWire ports. The round connector is for optional remote control. On the bottom is the DC-IN port for the AC Adapter. The Video Out signal format is NTSC or PAL (user selectable) and allows for connection to a TV set or video monitor.

The S3 Pro is equipped with both a xD-Picture Card and CompactFlash Type II slot and is compatible with any capacity xD-Picture Card or any CompactFlash Type I or II solid state card.   It's also IBM/Hitachi Microdrive compatible. Accepts devices formatted with FAT or FAT32 file systems.

Approximate Storage Capacity

The S3 Pro, unlike all other professional digital SLR cameras, does -not- use a proprietary lithium battery pack. It uses four AA type batteries, high capacity NiMH type recommended, as the main power supply. The batteries fit into a holder that runs the length of the camera body.

Fujifilm supplies a set of four high-capacity 2300mAh NiMH rechargeable batteries and a small wall charger unit with the camera outfit. Fujifilm claims a battery life of approx. 400 shots per charge with the supplied NiMH batteries.

The S3 Pro was designed for photographers and features dual shutter release buttons and grips for both landscape and portrait compositions. In addition, the body has been sculpted and rubberised to provide a solid grip.