Fuji FinePix S2 Pro

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The battery configuration. (AAs and 123s)

A good friend had a D100 and I read every single review from this side of the world around again before making such a important decision. I managed to get this camera and a lens + (2) 1GB microdrive units for the fabulous price of $1800.00 including shipping. (This was several months ago now) It is true that for the same picture, with the same lens, at the same time with the same technique, the S2 will take the prize over the D100. In its native .jpg mode, (which I tend to shoot a lot in for simplicity reasons) it is an -amazing- machine. This was a huge expense for me and my nativity with photography and my advancement from a N65 and Casio QV-3000 unit. I have learned so much about myself, photography and the skill involved in composition --- not just about the most expensive equipment on someone's shoulder bag.

The D100 and the S2 are both extremely good DSLR units and therefore I admire both of these tools. I have learned that the S2 like any piece of
photographic equipment is mearly a tool like a chisel to a woodcarver.
I would not be any more gifted nor my photographs any more well-composed using a D100, 10D, D60 or a D1x. To that end, I am cognizant that the S2 provides me all of the advantages of the modem DSLR in an extremely well-built and well-managed package. I would definately purchase one again over any other DLSR in the ~$2000 range. It is simply that good! I love my S2!!!!!!!!!! You will too!

HTH,
Andy

Like the title says, S2 is the ONLY reason why I'm still keeping several Nikkor lenses.

My only grin with the camera is its battery ... wondering why Fuji didn't have an integral solution for that, I really wish they would fix that in S3. Other than that, the camera is just perfect ... it's beats every one in the 6MP class.

Two sets of batteries - note if lithiums die, remove them and keep shooting. No vertical grip. Although it has built in firewire connection - is very slow downloading from camera. Bought an external Lexar firewire card reader that is very fast. Have to turn off auto image downloading on the Mac because it thinks this is a Nikon D1 - and gets confused.

When I was looking at this camera, I took a photo in the store and had negs made for offset printing at 11x17 with bleed (two page spread). Then I had a buddy -- who knows way too much about printing and scanning -- look at the negs. Based on his positive comments, I bought the camera. It holds shadows better than most of my medium format trannies drum scanned, and has great colour consistancy. There was some stair-stepping, but not enough to be objectionable. With my type of shooting I need a good image buffer, and almost never overrun it in this camera. I didn't buy a digital camera sooner, because this was the camera I was waiting for. I am not disappointed.

No mirror lockup Can't add a vertical grip with shutter release Some custom ballhead plates not yet available Can only assign sRGB color space if you don't use RAW Uses FAT storage format vs. Fat 32 on the D100 and Canon bodies.

I'm a Nikon user and tested this against the D100 extensively before purchasing. I didn't need the heavydutyness of the D1x series nor the high continuous shooting rates.
The in-camera 12mp interpolation is based on Fuji's "Super CCD" technology where the pixels are arrange in a honeycomb pattern vs. the standard grid format of most CCD cameras. There IS a difference in picture quality.

The same photo shot at 12mp RAW mode on the S2 vs the 6mp RAW mode on the D100, same lens, same time of day, same exposure, yielded a sharper 20x30 after enlarged with Genuine Fractals than the D100 was able to produce.

The benefits you get with this camera is worth the extra price you pay.

I highly recommend it. This weekly assignements photo was made with this camera. http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/27092