S2Pro Advice

[Cal V]

I just picked up a Fuji S2Pro locally and was wondering if anyone had any advice about how to get the most from this camera. I normally shoot Canon, but wanted to try a Nikon mount body and I've always heard good things about the Fuji sensors.

The lenses that I'm using are the ZF25/2.8, CV Ultron 40/2, Nikon 18-55VR, Nikon 50/2 AI, and Nikon E 75-150.

Thanks in advance.
Cal

 

[Mark Carr]

I used the S2 for a long time before purchasing a used S3. My S2 always produced images with a greenish cast, so I took every picture in Raw and adjusted the WB setting using Adobe CS. Your might be different, the auto WB feature on that camera received terrific reviews, I just had bad luck I guess. The camera takes wonderful pictures, good luck with it. I'm sure you'll be pleased.

Kind regards,

Mark

 

[Mr Pixel]

My wife uses a S2 with the 18-55 VR. Great combination. We love it.

 

[Anthony32599]

Read the the posts here in this forum, particularly from years back when the S2 Pro was new.

Generally though, here's some tips:
Jpeg shooting: Org Color, Org Tone, Std or Hard sharpening.

Turn the LCD brightness all the way down; the default setting is too bright.

Disable closest focusing priority (use the CSM setting on the top left dial, then select the focus settings)

The center focusing sensor is the most sensitive one.

Flash metering: spot metering gives you true TTL, but the spot has to be on a neutral color (not black and not white) to get accurate exposure.

Compact flash cards--superfast ones don't work any faster in camera, but using a good external card reader will take advantage of any speed in the card. It's worthless to use the camera as a card reader.

Always use CR123 batteries if you want reliable power (the S2 Pro uses both AA and CR123). Without them, the AAs get too much drain on them, causing erratic behavior in some instances.

good place to get CR123A: http://www.botac.com

Not sure if the Series E lens will fit/work or I don't think you'll get metering with the AI lens.

Anthony

I just picked up a Fuji S2Pro locally and was wondering if anyone had any advice about how to get the most from this camera. I normally shoot Canon, but wanted to try a Nikon mount body and I've always heard good things about the Fuji sensors.

The lenses that I'm using are the ZF25/2.8, CV Ultron 40/2, Nikon 18-55VR, Nikon 50/2 AI, and Nikon E 75-150.

Thanks in advance.
Cal

--
check out my blog at http://anthonyonphotography.blogspot.com

 

[Cal V]

Read the the posts here in this forum, particularly from years back when the S2 Pro was new.

Generally though, here's some tips:
Jpeg shooting: Org Color, Org Tone, Std or Hard sharpening.

Turn the LCD brightness all the way down; the default setting is too bright.

Disable closest focusing priority (use the CSM setting on the top left dial, then select the focus settings)

The center focusing sensor is the most sensitive one.

Flash metering: spot metering gives you true TTL, but the spot has to be on a neutral color (not black and not white) to get accurate exposure.

Compact flash cards--superfast ones don't work any faster in camera, but using a good external card reader will take advantage of any speed in the card. It's worthless to use the camera as a card reader.

Always use CR123 batteries if you want reliable power (the S2 Pro uses both AA and CR123). Without them, the AAs get too much drain on them, causing erratic behavior in some instances.

good place to get CR123A: http://www.botac.com

Not sure if the Series E lens will fit/work or I don't think you'll get metering with the AI lens.

Anthony

I just picked up a Fuji S2Pro locally and was wondering if anyone had any advice about how to get the most from this camera. I normally shoot Canon, but wanted to try a Nikon mount body and I've always heard good things about the Fuji sensors.

The lenses that I'm using are the ZF25/2.8, CV Ultron 40/2, Nikon 18-55VR, Nikon 50/2 AI, and Nikon E 75-150.

Thanks in advance.
Cal

--
check out my blog at http://anthonyonphotography.blogspot.com

Thanks for the insight. I've been checking past posts, but that's a lot of time

You are right there's no metering with the ZF25, E75-150, or the 50 so I've been shooting in manual and chimping to get the exposure right. This shouldn't be necessary...this is a firmware issue. Oh well, I have a dandelion chip on the way to try out.

 

[Cal V]

I used the S2 for a long time before purchasing a used S3. My S2 always produced images with a greenish cast, so I took every picture in Raw and adjusted the WB setting using Adobe CS. Your might be different, the auto WB feature on that camera received terrific reviews, I just had bad luck I guess. The camera takes wonderful pictures, good luck with it. I'm sure you'll be pleased.

Kind regards,

Mark

I haven't noticed that so far, but I'll be watching for it now. Thanks Mark.

 

[Cal V]

My wife uses a S2 with the 18-55 VR. Great combination. We love it.

I'm liking it so far as well, but I have noticed an improvement with the primes. It's just not as convenient though since none are autofocus.

 

[David Grabowski]

Org Org Std were basically the standard settings for the S2 used by almost every forum member here back a few years ago. mine went back to Fuji for a metering problem when six months old ( the meter fies) but for what ever reason when it returned the results were way under saturated with those settings, so I've bumped it up to Std Std Std.

I have not found a single RAW converter that will do as good a job as Fuji"s Hyper Utility, including Lightroom 3. Maybe an iteration of Photoshop CS will, don't know since I still use PS 6 for final edits.

I noticed that one poster mentioned the green cast. This was a common enough complaint back in the day., mine in certain conditions will exhibit this output. If I want to be sure not to capture such an image it seems to be gone by taking custom WB readings. Or, as mentioned, shoot RAW and correct the WB on conversion.

IMO , the S2 jpegs are reliable. It has a decent jpeg engine where often you can't do a lot better converting RAW files but you do lose head room in the highlights by shooting jpeg. Best to underexpose slightly, however adjustments in metering are in half stops only. I have always found this to be annoying, since my Nikon's are 1/3 stop incremental EV correction/fudging machines. Still my S2 is used 90% in jpeg and the Nikon's 90% RAW.

ISO 800 is about max for livable noise with some cleaning software. It has 1600 and I have used it even doing wedding work with the camera but by today's standards I guess the results would be pretty bad on screen. ISO 800 I think cleans up nicely but I'm not the noise warrior that so others are in these forums either !. ISO 400 I'll use right out of the camera.

Limit on external TTL or dedicated flash is ISO 400 incidentally. The flash controlling features of the S2 never intended for use of ISO ranges above this. In manual you can go higher, I've often shot flash at ISO 800 in dark reception halls using the Q Flash or 285 Auto Flash and manual flash.

Batteries have been mentioned , I won't go there as to what to use, except to say I agree with what was put forth. I will mention beyond that, that my advice is to not leave a VR lens mounted on the S2 body while it rests between usages ( say a few days or more, not on a single shoot), as mine at least will have the batteries drained in a couple weeks of sitting in so doing, with the CR123s going first.

David

 

[Bernie Ess]

The lenses that I'm using are the ZF25/2.8, CV Ultron 40/2, Nikon 18-55VR, Nikon 50/2 AI, and Nikon E 75-150.

Thanks in advance.
Cal

Hi Cal,

S2pro was my first love, camera-wise, it made or makes wonderful images. In order to get metering etc, you would have to use the ZF-2 lenses with CPU. I only have one ZF.2 (and 3 ZF.1), but that one also functions perfectly on my S2 and S3. I don't know if the Dandelion chip makes it possible - AF LED sould work even on the S2, no?

Shooting the S2 nowdays is a bit strange to me, the shutter/ mirror operation is strange and slow, it always makes me think the camera will collapse or break anytime.

The S3 is a bit better in this respect, the S5pro is a modern (although a bit slowish) DSLR. If you feel that too many photos you make have burned-out highlights, try out the S3 or S5, they have still the best useable dynamic range and the best highlight protection of any digital camera.

regards
Bernie
--

'All the technique in the world doesn’t compensate for the inability to notice.' (Elliot Erwitt)

 

[veroman]

Hi Cal,

S2pro was my first love, camera-wise, it made or makes wonderful images. In order to get metering etc, you would have to use the ZF-2 lenses with CPU. I only have one ZF.2 (and 3 ZF.1), but that one also functions perfectly on my S2 and S3. I don't know if the Dandelion chip makes it possible - AF LED sould work even on the S2, no?

Shooting the S2 nowdays is a bit strange to me, the shutter/ mirror operation is strange and slow, it always makes me think the camera will collapse or break anytime.

The S3 is a bit better in this respect, the S5pro is a modern (although a bit slowish) DSLR. If you feel that too many photos you make have burned-out highlights, try out the S3 or S5, they have still the best useable dynamic range and the best highlight protection of any digital camera.

regards
Bernie

Bernie: I'm under the impression that the S3 files aren't quite as clean, clear and sharp as the S2 files. What's your take on this?

--
SteveG
'When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.'
— Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie
http://www.stephenmichaelgarey.com

 

[Bernie Ess]

Bernie: I'm under the impression that the S3 files aren't quite as clean, clear and sharp as the S2 files. What's your take on this?

Hi Vero,

this is true to a certain extent: In ISOs higher than 100 or at least 200, there are jaggies in the files, however almost only in the JPEGs, not in the RAWs. As for sharpness I don't have the impression that there is a significant difference, other than the S5pro files that are visibly softer and with less resolution in the finest detail due to it's overly agressive AA filter.

Nevertheless the S3 delivery stellar JPEGs with excellent skin tones. The S2 files with it's lower DR seems to have more punch, but the S3 can probably do the same with DR= 100%...

In many points all 3 Fujis (S2-S5) share similar "family qualities": Very malleable files with low colour noise, excellent, film- like intense colour and - for the S3 and S5 with their high DR - a overall look that seems very life- like "as the eyes have seen it". My Canon 5d2 is a good, a very good camera, but it lacks those qualities mentioned above.

regards
Bernie

 

[veroman]

Bernie: I'm under the impression that the S3 files aren't quite as clean, clear and sharp as the S2 files. What's your take on this?

Hi Vero,

this is true to a certain extent: In ISOs higher than 100 or at least 200, there are jaggies in the files, however almost only in the JPEGs, not in the RAWs. As for sharpness I don't have the impression that there is a significant difference, other than the S5pro files that are visibly softer and with less resolution in the finest detail due to it's overly agressive AA filter.

Nevertheless the S3 delivery stellar JPEGs with excellent skin tones. The S2 files with it's lower DR seems to have more punch, but the S3 can probably do the same with DR= 100%...

In many points all 3 Fujis (S2-S5) share similar "family qualities": Very malleable files with low colour noise, excellent, film- like intense colour and - for the S3 and S5 with their high DR - a overall look that seems very life- like "as the eyes have seen it". My Canon 5d2 is a good, a very good camera, but it lacks those qualities mentioned above.

regards
Bernie

Thanks Bernie. This is all good to know. I've been considering having an S3 in my collection just in case the S2's lose their cool. It would also be nice to have those extra stops of DR and a 1-battery system.

I agree with you about the 5D II (which I also own) compared to the authentic captures of the Fujis. As good as my Canon is, it does lack that special "as the eyes have seen it" quality ... as do all other DSLRs I've used besides the Fujis.

Thanks again.

• Steve

--
SteveG
'When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.'
— Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie
http://www.stephenmichaelgarey.com