FUJIFILM FINEPIX S2 PRO DSLR

[Master Tasuke]

found this, a $5000.00 pro-grade digital camera, at my local GOODWILL for a whopping $10.00.

scare up some memory cards for it, find that, being based upon elements of NIKON design,
using lots of off the shelf NIKON parts, and employing NIKON's F-MOUNT lens mounting system,
it is fully compatible with my existing NIKON D5000's lenses.

four AA alkaline and 2 CR123A lithium later, it works, damn well indeed for a 2002 DigiCam.

here are comparison shots, my 2009 D5000 vs this 2002 S2 Pro.
the S2 has a VERY bright built-in flash, and i haven't figured out how to adjust it yet;

-D5000-

-S2 PRO-

 

[orange]

That's quite a find!

And I can recall seeing an old episode of the $ale Of The Century game show where the lady had an opportunity to buy a Hasselblad in the bonus round...wow, the 80s!

 

[Lazarus Short]

Really, really nice find!

 

[Master Tasuke]

i figured out how to adjust the flash brightness way down.
even so, i have to pull WAY back from my subject when employing the flash, something i DO NOT have to do with the D5000.

any way, this S2 is mighty impressive for a DSLR the better part of two decades old.
even so, the 2009 mid-level D5000 is the clear winner, providing far more natural images
without hardly any of the tweaking that the TOTL PRO S2 requires to get even close;

NIKON D5000

FUJIFILM S2 PRO

 

[Northwinds]

Nice camera, I have several Fuji's myself

 

[Bradrock]

I like my D5200, but that is a fun find! What's Ebay prices on those?

 

[jbeckva]

Very nice find and stupendous pics from it, John! I really have to dust off my Rebel T5 and get shooting...

 

[orange]

I either turn the flash off at close distances or partially cover the sensor with my finger. Works, sorta.

​

Yes, the Super Bowl pizza won as well as the Eagles!

 

[Master Tasuke]

-S2 PRO-

-D5000-

 

[Master Tasuke]

now THIS... is really starting to look damn good... especially for a 15+ year old DigiCam...

 

[Master Tasuke]

i'm just being a plebeian amateur and all, but after days of dinking around, this is the best i can wrest out of the S2 PRO.
it looks good, save for the moire' quite visible on the texture of the right-hand girl's pink dress, an overall coarseness of edges in high image magnification,
and, of course, that damn-blasted Vacuum-Tubey flash warmth.

compare that to the NIKON D5000 in AUTO mode; i think we've a clear winner here;


FUJI S2 PRO

NIKON D5000

 

[orange]

You are managing to learn your photo skills very well, the new shots show much improvement from early shots of your bedroom system and computer desk!

I still miss my 35mm Mamiya though, it was a very nice camera.

I have a favorite photo or two I took with it, one of my old Chevy Miriya and another I think I took on the way to either Aberdeen, WA or Lewiston, ID, can't remember as it was maybe 2002.

I'll have to scan and post them.

 

[Master Tasuke]

what ever happened to the MAMIYA? did it break down/wear out?

 

[orange]

Nope, I sold it to my photographer friend to give to his niece, 1000 DTL, triggered flash (no hot shoe on that model), and a camera case for it.

It had features that were fairly new and advanced for a 1966 design and a really great Sekor lens.

It was to the credit of any gameshow that gave away a Mamiya. The company shifted away from consumer cameras to professional some years back.

 

[stuwee]

John, congrats on the Fuji S2 Pro , Nice pics, hard to tell the difference on some.

I'm a diehard, old school 35mm buff. Cut my teeth with the best, learned how each film reacted to light and processing chemicals, including slide and print films...

I got an older Nikon D5000 DSLR, it's ok, I might just not understand it at all, kinda like digital and analog music...

I will tell you folks that you will NEVER get a better photo than with a Carl Zeiss lens from the 1950's EVER!

I was gifted my Gramps Contax T3 rangefinder, 50mm 1.7, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contax

Fuji B&W film always had a warmer tone than Kodak, same for their printing papers. I never cared for their color print or slide film in my old Canon 35mm rig.

Still learning about this digital stuff, help me John!!

 

[Master Tasuke]

i always did want to own a pro SLR, 35mm or Digital, at least for the mere sake of having one. this pro S2 shows up, pretty much exactly what i was looking for,
a PRO/TOTL DSLR i can actually use freely and experiment with off the hip, free of any concerns regarding cost of film and it's processing.

still, my first DSLR was a NIKON D5000, got it as a kit from COSTCO WHOLESALE in 2009, probably not long after it first came out,
and every single self-generated photo i've posted since 2009 has been via the D5000 in AUTO mode, up until this pro-level FUJI essentially fell into my lap.

even so, as pleasurably beefy, sexy and capable as this FUJI S2 feels to hold and use, i am compelled to pronounce the NIKON D5000 as the superior camera.


with years of use, i can say that the D5000 is a superb SLR, with a fantastic AUTO mode that will get you fine shots with minimal effort.
skilled photographers can doubtless wrest it's maximum performance in it's manual operation modes,
but, on the whole, it makes for a truly superb automated, point-and-shoot beginner's DSLR, pretty much faultless, IMO...

 

[Northwinds]

Yesterday is the first time since we bought it that I brought out the Nikon 1 J1 w/ the extra 30-110mm lens. Shoots pretty good but what a pain in the ass these heavier cameras are to use. I can't stand the strap either, especially with the bigger zoom lens installed. Still cool, just more work

 

[Master Tasuke]

then again, this does seem rather impressive after all, the sort of razor sharp detail this 15 year-old DigiCam can render up close,
with the ISO dialed back. (ISO 100) i just might, -MIGHT- be getting a feel for this old beast;

 

[laatsch55]

Her earings don't go with that dress....

 

[Fishoz]

Didn't notice....