The early 2000s were the golden age of digital cameras. Companies like Olympus, Nikon, Sony, Canon, Ricoh, and others seem to roll out a bunch of unique, quirky, and often brilliant cameras. I was lucky enough to work at a major camera store at the time, and almost every day I remember unboxing some new device that was pushing the boundaries of design and resolution. The happiest days are when a new DSLR comes out.
Some of the weirdest and most amazing cameras from this era are the joint Frankenstein-esque collaboration between Kodak, Fuji, Canon, and Nikon. Kodak merged the digital back with some of the best professional film cameras of the time, including the Nikon F5 and Canon EOS-1. In 2000, Fuji released the Finepix S1 Pro, which was based on the less prominent Nikon N60 and looked like a Nikon with some sort of warped grip included (it was ugly). The camera only received a lot of criticism for being based on a low-end consumer model, as the N60 is by no means a professional body to begin with.
Two years later, Fuji released the Finepix S2 Pro, based on the more powerful Nikon N80. Unlike the S1, the S2 has a much sleeker design and the integrated grip and rear overhang that houses all the digital bits is part of the overall aesthetic and doesn’t look like a rear like with the model. before.
I remember when this camera was released, because it was surrounded by a lot of hype. At the time, Fuji sensors used a single interpolation that we were told effectively doubled the camera’s pixel count. So even though the S2 Pro is a 6-megapixel camera, it is said to deliver an effective 12-megapixel image. If this doesn’t make sense to you, don’t feel bad, because none of us understood it at the time, and I still don’t understand it 20 years later. But I digress.
A few years ago, I stumbled across a Finepix S2 Pro equipped with a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens when a friend gave me a bunch of boxes full of old cameras. It immediately brought back fond memories, and since 2002, we’ve only been allowed to inspect the camera carefully before putting it back in the box (all with white gloved service), I was delighted to own one that actually works perfectly.
I hope you enjoy my review of this DSLR relic that has brought me so much joy 20 years later.
Great design and ergonomics
The first thing you notice about the S2 Pro is that it feels great. The camera’s size, shape and grip make it a pleasure to hold and hold in your hand. And, since it’s based on the N80 (a mid-range camera with a lot of plastic) it’s not too heavy or bulky. It’s really, really good in the hand, even by today’s standards. One of the best parts is the indented thumb on the back of the camera, which offers a good user experience and grip.
The button and dial layout is also excellent. The basic functions are identical to those of the typical Nikon camera of the time, with a front and rear command dial for controlling shutter speed and aperture, and a four-way switch dial on the back for allows the user to choose from among five AF points.
But the best part of the menu system has to be the four unmarked buttons below the small dot-matrix display. They weren’t labeled, which was confusing at first until I realized that by pressing the Function button, the menu icons on the dot-matrix display scroll through different options, so each button unchecked can change various settings. It is really intuitive and easy to use.
Auto focus
For a 20 year old camera, the autofocus is excellent. It’s fast and flexible, and usually doesn’t have trouble locking objects. Even in backlit situations where the subject was shadowed, I found focus steady and quick with my Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens.
I also like the simplicity of the focus system. The five AF point circular cluster (which essentially all covers the center of the frame) can be adjusted using the rear switch dial, and is bright red when focus is achieved. While I mostly kept the point centered and did the old trick of pressing halfway and recompose, it was easy to choose an alternate focus point as needed. In an age of hundreds of AF points, drag and focus LCD screens, and dozens of focus options, I can’t appreciate how simple this system is.
Two sets of batteries
One of the weirdest parts about this camera (aside from being Nikon with the Fuji nameplate) is that it has two completely separate battery compartments, and while it looks like it should have a vertical shutter button, it doesn’t. The grip houses four AA batteries and is accessed from the side, while the second battery compartment, located at the bottom of the camera, houses two CR123 lithium batteries.
At first I thought the camera required both sets of batteries to work, but it turns out it can work with both, so I went with it separately with AA batteries instead of buying the expensive and hard to find 123A . When the S2 Pro was released, most cameras used disposable lithium batteries, so this was the norm for that time. I think the idea is to have AA batteries for backup just in case, that’s a really cool idea. However, if you use AA alkaline batteries, you won’t be able to use the pop-up flash and they don’t last long. The camera won’t die, but when the battery is low, it will beep and flash the battery icon in between each shot.
Odds and other endings
Cameras that use Compact Flash cards or Smart Media cards are now defunct. Smart Media cards contain very little data and have exposed contacts, which means they are easily damaged. The S2 Pro also has a pop-up flash, ISO capability from 100–1,600, and a whopping two fps burst mode, up to 7 fps. The camera has a 1.8-inch LCD display, which doesn’t really tell you much about the final image given it’s such low resolution, although it does add to the charm.
Image quality and sensor
The S2 Pro has an APS-C sized sensor and a resolution of 6.17 megapixels. As I mentioned above, Fuji used interpolation at the time and claimed that their cameras effectively doubled the stated resolution, but I’ve never really taken it seriously. problem, because the result for me was six megapixels.
I’m really amazed by the pictures for a couple of reasons. Overall, they’re sharp and have a very nice look, although there’s a bit of a smack to them (which I think adds to the nostalgic effect). I was extremely impressed by the in-camera black-and-white film simulation, which I used to capture Jesse and his guitar. Check dynamic range and details are retained throughout. Not bad for a 20 year old.
I also tried some shots at my studio. In auto white balance, things tended towards cooler colors, so I wasn’t satisfied with the results. Brandon’s color photo is unedited and the colors still leave a lot to be desired, but I’m happy with the black and white edit I made in Relationship Photo using the Tone Map. If I were to retry the camera in my studio, I would manually set the white balance and see what results I got. My favorite way of using the camera is in natural light and I think it really shines here, like in the image of my son reading a book.
Conclude
The Finepix S2 Pro is a joy to use and performs incredibly well for such an old camera. Since it’s essentially a Nikon with the Fujifilm branding, the functionality and build quality are what you’d expect to find in a classic Nikon (I hate to say it, but the N80 probably can. considered classical at this point). Since the camera uses AA batteries and CF cards, it’s also easy to use in 2022 without any expensive or hard-to-find accessories, and since it has a Nikon bayonet mount it can be fitted an almost endless amount of inexpensive autofocus and manual focus lenses.
