 Fuji has prodigious been a artist fix the digicam arena, creating a pursuit of manifest consumer-level models whereas the go on clasp of years. From the email we receive, it's exterior that they've been powerful successful in doing so, as we consistently note a "happy" tone from Fuji users that really stands out amid the flood of correspondence we receive. A while back, Fuji teamed with Nikon to create a digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera (the E2S) that used "reflex optics" to match normal Nikkor lenses to the much smaller CCD sizes that were then prevalent.
The resulting unit was rather cumbersome due to the additional optics inside the body, and perhaps for that reason never achieved a high market penetration. Recently, Fuji has made waves with their "SuperCCD" technology, which has promised significant improvements in light sensitivity and resolution, but thus far has been packaged in a camera (the FinePix 4700) that offered only a heavily interpolated option as its "full resolution" mode. To our mind, this tended to obscure some of the potential benefits of the SuperCCD technology.
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| Fujifilm FinePix S1 Specifications! |
| Effective pixels |
3.1 million |
| Image sensor |
Sensor photo detector:3.4 million; Sensor size:1.1 inch; Sensor type:CCD |
| Image size |
Max resolution:3040 x 2016 (interpolated); Low resolution:2340 x 1536, 1440 x 960 |
| Storage media |
Storage types:SmartMedia + Compact Flash Type I or II; Storage included:16 MB SmartMedia |
| LCD monitor |
LCD:2.0 inch; LCD Pixels:200,000 |
| Exposure metering |
3D Matrix, Center-Weighted Average |
| Exposure Modes |
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye reduction, Slow Sync |
| Interface |
Yes |
| Power sources |
Battery/Charger:Yes; Battery:AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended) + 2 x CR123A lithium |
| Dimensions |
148 x 125 x 80 mm (5.8 x 4.9 x 3.2 in) |
| Weight |
820 g (28.9 oz) |
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Now, Fuji has entered the agitative causation between upper-echelon amateur further cost-conscious good photographers, rack an all-new digital SLR combining a SuperCCD sensor with a Nikon N60 film-camera body. The resulting FinePix S1 Pro SLR has been both strikingly awaited also glaringly debated on the Internet, not the head of which considering of its maximum file size of 6.1 megapixels. Now that the camera is actually shipping in the US and full-production test units are available for evaluation, we're finally able to bring you a full review of this remarkable new camera.
We say "remarkable" because of the exceptional image quality it delivered in our tests: The FinePix S1 Pro has the distinction of delivering some of the best color we've yet seen from any digicam at any price point. It also offers exceptionally good low-light shooting capability, and a really excellent user interface that makes using it a pleasure. Given the "consumer" genesis of its body, it wouldn't be your first choice to pack along on a safari with rain, dust, and mud, as it just doesn't have the level of environmental seals found in high-end professional film cameras.
By the same token, it wouldn't the first choice for high-speed sports action, due to it's maximum frame rate of 1.5 frames per second. For "the rest of us" though, who shoot under more moderate conditions, it could very well be the camera many have been waiting for, combining Nikon F-mount compatibility, superb color, and excellent ease of use. Compared to consumer-level digicams, its speed and capabilities aren't even in the same league, it's that far superior. Compared to other professional SLRs, it's color handling, low light capability, and ease of use could win it many converts. Overall, a dramatic entry in the SLR digicam arena, and one sure to significantly affect that market. |
