Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro SLR Review

The rear controls and LCD displays:

• The "BACK" button lets you exit menu selections.
• The 4-way selector is used to change the active focus area.
• The switch around the 4-way selector locks it against accidental changes.
• The "MENU/OK" button is used to call up the menu and make selections.
• The "FUNC" buttons changes the display screen and the function of the four buttons underneath.
• The "PLAY" button enables playback mode (a quick tap of the shutter button quickly returns you to capture mode.

Pressing the FUNC button cycles through the following screens:

The default screen shows the ISO speed, battery condition, storage media selected, date and time and number of frames remaining. This is a display screen only, nothing can be changed directly.

White Balance: Auto, Fine, Shade, Incandescent, 3 modes for Fluorescent, Custom 1, Custom 2

Image Quality: Normal, Fine (JPEG), or High (CCD-RAW)

Image Size: 12M (4256x2848), 6M (3024x2016), 3M (2304x1536), 1M (1440x960)

Film Simulation: Standard, F1 (studio portraits), F2 (outdoor scenics)

Note: When Film Simulation F1 or F2 is selected, the dynamic range, color, tone or sharpness cannot be changed.

Dynamic Range: Auto (varies between 100% and 400% according to scene, suppresses white flaring and black patches), Wide 1 (230% fixed), Wide 2 (400% fixed)

Color: Standard, High (vivid), Org (low), B/W

Tone: Standard, Hard (high contrast), Org (low contrast)

Sharpness: Standard, Hard , Off (no sharpening applied)

(The "Org" [original] settings should only be used when the images will undergo processing for commercial printing.)

AF Area Mode: Single-Area or Dynamic

Lock: Enable/disable buttons

Reset Func.: Reset all Functions to default

Setup Menu

IMAGE DISPLAY - Off, On (show briefly after capture), Preview w/histogram

CUSTOM WB - Set a custom white balance value

COLOR SPACES - sRGB or AdobeRGB

D-RANGE - Wide (allows wide dynamic range but continuous shooting speed is slower and the maximum number of frames is halfed) or Standard

AUTO ROTATE - Portrait mode image: On or Off

MEDIA - Select xD-Picture Card or CompactFlash card slot

TEST-SHOOTING(NO CARD) - Allow camera to operate w/out card, On or Off

FORMAT - Format selected media

BEEP - Camera sounds Low or High

DATE/TIME - Set the internal clock

USB MODE - Downloading or Printing

1394 MODE - Downloading or Shooting

FRAME NO - Sequential frame numbering or Renew with new card

LANGUAGE - Select the menu language

VIDEO SYSTEM - NTSC or PAL

DISCHARGE - Discharge NiMH batteries

RESET - Reset all settings to default

LIVE IMAGE - Output live image to LCD or TV for 30 seconds

CuStoM Settings

Rotating the Mode Dial to the CSM position enables the Custom Settings Menu which is displayed on the color LCD. You change settigs with the Main Command dial and options with the Sub Command dial.