TEXT BY Douglas ALLAN WEITZ AND DOUGLAS DUBLER 3 IMAGES BY Dubler DOUGLAS DUBLER 3 Puts Fujifi lm’s FinePix S3 Pro to the Test

Once More, With Even More Feeling

www.imaginginfo.com 2/2005 studio photography & design 11 The Fujifilm nameplate always brings something new Though still based on a film camera, there is little to the marketplace. Think about it. What other camera of the original Nikon chassis to be found in the finished company has introduced a more eclectic batch of 120/220 product. Aside from the top-plate, lens mount assembly, film cameras—running the gamut from a 645AF to a set the metering and auto-focusing systems, the entire cam- of 6x7 and 6x9 rangefinders, a 6x8 studio camera, and era is built to Fujifilm specs around the newest Fujifilm a 6x17 panoramic camera? While only the GX617 and Super CCD SR II imaging sensor. GX680III remain in Fujifilm’s current film camera lineup, Fujifilm has never shied away from new technology Fujifilm continues to shake the nuts off the trees with its concepts, and its new Fujifilm Super CCD SR II sen- latest DSLR: the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro. sor employs dual photodiodes to capture and record The third-generation of Fujifilm’s foray into the DSLR the light image, as opposed to the industry standard market, the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro, in many ways, car- of using a single photodiode to gather the entire range ries on Fujifilm’s talent for thinking outside the box, of light. The ‘S’ photodiode resides within the pixel to Ttechnologically and otherwise. record the normal or standard range of image data. The second,second, oorr ‘‘R’R’ pphotodiode,hotodiode, rrecordsecords iimagemage ddataata bbeyondeyond thethe iimagingmaging rrangeange ooff tthehe sstandardtandard pphotodiode.hotodiode. TThehe nnetet resultresult ooff tthishis nnovelovel ttechnologyechnology ttranslatesranslates ttoo aaboutbout 22-- stopsstops aadditionaldditional ddynamicynamic rrange,ange, wwhichhich iiss mmostost aapparentpparent inin tthehe hhighlightsighlights aandnd sshadows.hadows. By positioning the ‘R’ photodiode between adjoining pixels,pixels, aass oopposedpposed ttoo ppositioningositioning iitt aalongsidelongside tthehe ‘‘S’S’ photodiode,photodiode, tthehe ffolksolks aatt FFujifilmujifilm aalsolso mmanageanage ttoo rrecordecord imageimage ddataata iinn sspacespaces tthathat wwereere fformerlyormerly ddeadead rrealeal estate.estate. TThehe nnetet rresultesult ooff tthishis llittleittle mmaneuveraneuver iiss a nnotice-otice- ableable iincreasencrease iinn rresolution.esolution. Fujifilm’s newly engineered 12-megapixel sensor foundfound iinn tthehe FFinePixinePix SS33 PProro iiss ccomparableomparable iinn rresolu-esolu- tiontion ttoo tthehe ccriticallyritically aacclaimedcclaimed FFinePixinePix SS22 PPro,ro, bbutut wwithith dynamicdynamic rrangeange ccapabilitiesapabilities 440000 ppercentercent ggreaterreater tthanhan iitsts predecessor.predecessor. While one can argue the criteria of this point, the resultsresults sspeakpeak fforor tthemselves.hemselves. TThehe FFujifilmujifilm FFinePixinePix SS33 PProro moremore tthanhan hholdsolds iitsts oownwn aagainstgainst hhigher-megapixeligher-megapixel ccam-am- eraseras iinn iitsts ppricerice cclass.lass.

HATS OFF TO THE S3 To see how the new camera holds up to professional scrutiny—notscrutiny—not ttoo mmentionention ccomeome uupp wwithith ssomeome vveryery ccoolool marketingmarketing iimages—Fujifilmmages—Fujifilm rrecentlyecently hhiredired bbeautyeauty aandnd fashionfashion sshooterhooter DDouglasouglas DDublerubler ttoo pputut tthehe SS33 tthroughhrough itsits ppacesaces aatt NNewew YYork’sork’s SSplashlightplashlight SStudios.tudios. WWorkingorking withwith hhisis tteameam ooff hhair,air, mmakeup,akeup, aandnd sstylingtyling pprofession-rofession- als,als, DDublerubler pphotographedhotographed GGerman-bornerman-born mmodelodel SSvenjavenja inin a vvarietyariety ooff mmakeupakeup aandnd sstylingtyling ccombinations.ombinations. A self-admitted technical junkie, Dubler has extensive hands-onhands-on eexperiencexperience wwithith mmostost aallll ccutting-edgeutting-edge ddigitaligital imagingimaging ttools.ools. MMoreore tthanhan a ffewew lleadingeading mmanufactur-anufactur- When the original Nikon-based Fujifilm FinePix S1 ers rely on Douglas for critical feedback on cameras, Pro debuted about five years ago, it was a whole lot of printers, and color management devices, and Douglas camera for a buck under four grand. Many film shoot- seldom turns down a chance to take new toys for a spin ers got their feet wet in the digital world with this around the block. He was more than curious to see how camera. Two years later, the much-improved Fujifilm the camera would perform in a real-world photo shoot. FinePix S2 Pro hit the streets. Enhanced tone and color The new Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro is, physically speak- qualities, RAW file capability, vastly improved camera ing, a much-improved product over the Fujifilm FinePix performance, and a street price of $2,499 brought yet S2 Pro. While slightly heavier than its predecessor, the another legion of analog shooters into the fold. new camera actually feels lighter and fits better in the The new Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro once again raises hand. A built-in vertical grip along with improved rub- the threshold of professional-quality digital imaging berized body panels offers up a noticeably secure feel- another notch or two for the same street price of $2,499. ing the moment you pick it up. The rear LCD display is

12 studio photography & design 2/2005 www.imaginginfo.com www.imaginginfo.com 2/2005 studio photography & design 13 MORE STAND-OUT FEATURES OF THE FUJIFILM FINEPIX S3 PRO

Super CCD SR II sensor aside, the new Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro incorporates many newnew ffeatureseatures aandnd uupgrades.pgrades. • The new camera offers the option of shooting CCD-RAW or JPEG (exif 2.2) imageimage ffiles.iles. GGoneone iiss tthehe ooptionption ooff TTIFFIFF ffoundound oonn eearlierarlier mmodels.odels. • While ISO ratings remain at 100 to 1600, overall image quality as far as tone, color,color, aandnd nnoiseoise iiss nnoticeablyoticeably bbetteretter tthanhan tthehe ffilesiles pproducedroduced bbyy tthehe FFujifilmujifilm SS22 PPro.ro. • If you shoot strobe, you will appreciate a top sync speed of 1/180 second, up fromfrom 11/125/125 ssecond.econd. FForor ooutdoorutdoor ffill-flash,ill-flash, tthishis iiss a nnotableotable iimprovement.mprovement. • Images can be saved to sRGB or Adobe RGB. If you miss being able to switch filmsfilms ttoo mmatchatch tthehe llookook aandnd ffeeleel ooff yyourour pphotos,hotos, yyouou nnowow hhaveave tthehe cchoicehoice ooff sset-et- tingting tthehe ccolorolor rrangeange ttoo eemulatemulate tthehe llookook ooff ccolorolor nnegativeegative ffilm,ilm, tthehe bbrighterrighter hhuesues ooff chromechrome ffilm,ilm, aass wwellell aass tthehe ooptionption ooff ccapturingapturing iimagesmages iinn bblacklack aandnd wwhite.hite. • CompactFlash cards (Type I & II) can still be used and there’s a slot for the newernewer xxDD ccards.ards. FForor sshootinghooting ttethered,ethered, yyouou hhaveave a cchoicehoice ooff FFireWireireWire oorr UUSBSB 22.0.0 connectors.connectors.

also a great improvement over earlier DSLRs bearing the ment. As advertised, the new sensor holds fine high- Fujifilm nameplate. With over 235,000 pixels, the screen’s light details without blowout. image quality is vastly brighter and easier to eyeball Dubler was quite impressed with the results from this when zooming in to check focus than earlier Fujifilm shoot: “Even digital backs which cost 10 times the price DSLRs. The totally redesigned menus are not at all intim- of the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro can occasionally have idating to those still making the transition from analog. problems resolving finely detailed materials.” The first thing you notice when examining the result- Like the man said, “We’ve come a long way, baby.” ❖ ing image files is the smooth tonal transitions between highlights and shadows when images are shot in the For more information on the Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro, extended-range mode. Compared to other cameras in visit www.fujifilm.com this price-point category, they are quite remarkable. Even when viewed channel by channel, there is only For more Dubler images, the slightest noise in the blue channel. The red and visit www.douglasdubler3.com green channels are smooth and whisper-quiet. Under studio lighting, the system per- formed in a positive manner. The camera burst rate DOUGLAS DUBLER’S GEARBOX of about 2.5 frames per second (up to 12 frames flat- out) was faster than the recycling times for Dubler’s DIGITAL CAMERA Broncolor Grafit 4A power packs at full power. Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro with a Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D AF If you plan on covering NASCAR races, you might feel squeezed, but for the average portrait or fashion LIGHTING Broncolor Grafit A4 power packs shooter, especially someone accustomed to shooting Broncolor 120 Lightbars medium-format, the speed is more than adequate. The fine lacy hats adorning the model, aside from DIGITAL DARKROOM being a design element in the photographs, also served Apple Mac G5 as a testing device to see how the new Fujifilm sen- Eizo CG-21 LCD monitor sor handles fine lines and moiré issues. If you shoot GTI SoftView 2E weddings digitally, you know this is a major cause for Adobe Photoshop CS concern. Blown highlights on a wedding gown—along Phase One C-1 Pro 3.6 with color artifacts shimmering on the bridal veil—can nik SharpenerPro ruin an otherwise successful photo shoot. Color Think The new camera proved quite worthy in this depart- ColorBurst X-Proof 3.8 RIP

CREDITS: Model: Svenja, Elite Models NY. Makeup by Sylvia (www.makeuprules.com). Hair by Noah Hatton, Kramer & Kramer NY. Stylist: Carlton Jones (www.carltonjones.com). Hats by Parish. Flower Hat by Anthony Maxwell (www.anthonymaxwell.com). Fashion by Sylvia Hiesel. Digital Augmentation: [email protected] 14 studio photography & design 2/2005 www.imaginginfo.com www.imaginginfo.com 2/2005 studio photography & design 15