FujiFilm FinePix S5 Pro
Starting with Nikon’s weatherproof D200 shell, Fuji added a Super CCD sensor and a new processing engine. The end result is a 12-megapixel camera with terrific color accuracy and what was, in 2007, a real rarity: broad dynamic range. And film simulation mode allows the photographer to opt for realistic or highly saturated colors to get the tonal results appropriate for the shot.
Other highlights include Live View on a bright 2.5″ screen, face detection, and a durable magnesium alloy shell.
Something stopped me from giving the Fujifilm S5 Pro the full five stars – always leave ‘em wanting more I say - but it comes as close as any DSLR I’ve tested. I found it a pleasure to shoot with, even if it is a little unwieldy compared with the Olympus E-410s and Nikon D40xs of this world
The question is whether it will appeal to the broader market of serious amateur photographers. Actually, we think it will. A lot.
The Fuji S5 excels at skin tones. It has the best out-of-the-box skin tones I’ve ever seen, over a broad range of conditions.
It’s not really an ideal camera for the general consumer, so if you’re looking for a similarly-priced general-purpose DSLR you’d be better off buying the Nikon D200 instead.
It’s hard to wholeheartedly recommend a 6MP camera that costs $1900 when you can get exactly the same model with 10 megapixels (and better continuous shooting) for quite a lot less.
The Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro, the successor to the popular S3, combines the picture quality of Fujifilm’s updated Super CCD SR Pro sensor with a fully digital and durable professional metal alloy body
Just before the beginning of Photokina in Cologne, Germany last year, Fujifilm announced the arrival of a new digital SLR camera from the S-series for spring 2007 - the Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro
Fuji had in the past always excellent sensors in their digital SLRs but the Nikon bodies they used were alsways derived from lower end Nikon bodies.
If you’re not used to Nikon’s controls, you may find yourself looking for a shooting mode dial but you won’t find one. Instead, hold down the mode button while turning the rear thumbwheel to change shooting modes.
The camera body is the tank-tough Nikon D200, with all its metering, exposure, focusing, and flash options, and straightforward control sequences.