Fuji S2, S3 or S5 PRO?? Assistance Needed!

Hi guys,

i am looking into buying the S5 PRO, but i just found that a friend of mine is selling a S2 and S3, and i don't know ANYTHING about the S2 or S3.

All i know is that the S5 PRO is really really good for portraits/skin tones. Do any of you know the differences and which of these three would be the best?  And by the way, can i use ALL of my Nikon lenses on ANY of the three???

The S2 has around 60K actuations for $150 dollalrs.

The S3 has around 20K actuations for $200 dollars.

The S5 PRO i could get it for around $400 dollars with around 20K actuations or less.

rattymouse wrote:

mistermejia wrote:

Hi guys,

i am looking into buying the S5 PRO, but i just found that a friend of mine is selling a S2 and S3, and i don't know ANYTHING about the S2 or S3.

All i know is that the S5 PRO is really really good for portraits/skin tones. Do any of you know the differences and which of these three would be the best? And by the way, can i use ALL of my Nikon lenses on ANY of the three???

The S2 has around 60K actuations for $150 dollalrs.

The S3 has around 20K actuations for $200 dollars.

The S5 PRO i could get it for around $400 dollars with around 20K actuations or less.

Here's what I know.

S3 and S5 have the same sensor, but the S3 is sharper due to weaker AA filter. S3 is MUCH slower than the S5. S3 has a built in hand grip which is nice. S5 has a very nice Nikon D200 body.

S2 has an older type sensor that has less dynamic range but is VERY VERY sharp. Amazingly sharp. S2 sensors have been known to fail with no replacement available from FUJIFILM so your camera is dead if that happens. S2 has a very weird dual batter system.

I would buy the S2 at that price, just for the experience to shoot one. S5 price is very good too.

Does the S3 have the same fantastic dynamic range as the S5 PRO, or is the S5 in a much better and superior category?

Novens2 wrote:

Hi have the s3 and love it but the s5 would probably be a better bet for speed layout and flash photography but having said that I still like my s3 and leave my nikon d300 home and take the s3 most times when it comes to portraits or people.

what do you mean better flash photography? Will my Nikon SB600 not work so well on it?

Also I do like the S3 body alot, but i think the S5 has a bigger LCD.

I have an S3 and S5. Despite being older and more limited I prefer carrying the S3. Dead easy to use and handle despite being a big camera. Also better menus and controls. IQ is much the same. Sadly the S3 will not meter with older AI-AIS lenses. With the S5 I have added a split image focus screen and can use all the old lenses on manual or aperture priority. The build quality of the S5 is better than the S3.

Although I agree on the fine qualities of the S2, too many appear on Ebay that are not working and for parts only which is a worry.

Mark Carr wrote:

Hi,

You mentioned that with the S5 you can shoot using aperture priority, I didn't know this. Thanks for mentioning it.

Regards,

Mark

Hi, I was referring to the old Nikon AI and AIS lenses. I can get full metering using Manual and Aperture priority on the S5. I will not get metering on the S3 with these old manual lenses.

Cheers.

This comming sunday i will be going to a camera show for used stuff, if i find a S5 pro with low actuations and less than $400 dollars i am snatching one.  I used to have D200, so i will feel right at home.  I'll let you guys know what happens.

Thanks for your quick responses.

chooflaki wrote:

I have an S3 and S5. Despite being older and more limited I prefer carrying the S3. Dead easy to use and handle despite being a big camera. Also better menus and controls. IQ is much the same. Sadly the S3 will not meter with older AI-AIS lenses. With the S5 I have added a split image focus screen and can use all the old lenses on manual or aperture priority. The build quality of the S5 is better than the S3.

Although I agree on the fine qualities of the S2, too many appear on Ebay that are not working and for parts only which is a worry.

chooflaki, does the S3 and S5 have the same exact "film modes", such as F1 and bla bla bla? And also is the LCD size the same on both these?  What i REALLY like about the S3 is the built-in grip, very nice!

thanks.

mistermejia wrote:

chooflaki wrote:

I have an S3 and S5. Despite being older and more limited I prefer carrying the S3. Dead easy to use and handle despite being a big camera. Also better menus and controls. IQ is much the same. Sadly the S3 will not meter with older AI-AIS lenses. With the S5 I have added a split image focus screen and can use all the old lenses on manual or aperture priority. The build quality of the S5 is better than the S3.

Although I agree on the fine qualities of the S2, too many appear on Ebay that are not working and for parts only which is a worry.

chooflaki, does the S3 and S5 have the same exact "film modes", such as F1 and bla bla bla? And also is the LCD size the same on both these? What i REALLY like about the S3 is the built-in grip, very nice!

thanks.

The S3 has STD, F1 and F2 modes. FI more for studio work and using lighting and F2 for landscapes and vivid skies etc. The LCD is smaller than the S5 and slower to refresh. However it is very sharp, good colour and easy to view. With the grip the camera is a joy to hold and well balanced. I can hike all day with the S3 swinging from my hand without any bother and no strap. No need to hang around my neck.

chooflaki wrote:

mistermejia wrote:

chooflaki wrote:

I have an S3 and S5. Despite being older and more limited I prefer carrying the S3. Dead easy to use and handle despite being a big camera. Also better menus and controls. IQ is much the same. Sadly the S3 will not meter with older AI-AIS lenses. With the S5 I have added a split image focus screen and can use all the old lenses on manual or aperture priority. The build quality of the S5 is better than the S3.

Although I agree on the fine qualities of the S2, too many appear on Ebay that are not working and for parts only which is a worry.

chooflaki, does the S3 and S5 have the same exact "film modes", such as F1 and bla bla bla? And also is the LCD size the same on both these? What i REALLY like about the S3 is the built-in grip, very nice!

thanks.

The S3 has STD, F1 and F2 modes. FI more for studio work and using lighting and F2 for landscapes and vivid skies etc. The LCD is smaller than the S5 and slower to refresh. However it is very sharp, good colour and easy to view. With the grip the camera is a joy to hold and well balanced. I can hike all day with the S3 swinging from my hand without any bother and no strap. No need to hang around my neck.

Nice! Does the S5 have more picture modes beside F1, and F2?

How is the view finder on the S3 ? i will be using manual focus lenses on it.

Last, is there a way to find out how many actuations a S3 has?? I know how to do it on a S5 but not on the S3. Some guy is selling a S3 for $400 and he says he has taken only around 1000 shots. I don't trust him. But my friend that is selling his S3 is giving it to me for $200 with around 20K to 30K actuations.

what is your suggestion on the best bang for the buck, or should i just get the latest S5 that everyone raves about ??

mistermejia wrote:

chooflaki wrote:

mistermejia wrote:

chooflaki wrote:

I have an S3 and S5. Despite being older and more limited I prefer carrying the S3. Dead easy to use and handle despite being a big camera. Also better menus and controls. IQ is much the same. Sadly the S3 will not meter with older AI-AIS lenses. With the S5 I have added a split image focus screen and can use all the old lenses on manual or aperture priority. The build quality of the S5 is better than the S3.

Although I agree on the fine qualities of the S2, too many appear on Ebay that are not working and for parts only which is a worry.

chooflaki, does the S3 and S5 have the same exact "film modes", such as F1 and bla bla bla? And also is the LCD size the same on both these? What i REALLY like about the S3 is the built-in grip, very nice!

thanks.

The S3 has STD, F1 and F2 modes. FI more for studio work and using lighting and F2 for landscapes and vivid skies etc. The LCD is smaller than the S5 and slower to refresh. However it is very sharp, good colour and easy to view. With the grip the camera is a joy to hold and well balanced. I can hike all day with the S3 swinging from my hand without any bother and no strap. No need to hang around my neck.

Nice! Does the S5 have more picture modes beside F1, and F2?

How is the view finder on the S3 ? i will be using manual focus lenses on it.

Last, is there a way to find out how many actuations a S3 has?? I know how to do it on a S5 but not on the S3. Some guy is selling a S3 for $400 and he says he has taken only around 1000 shots. I don't trust him. But my friend that is selling his S3 is giving it to me for $200 with around 20K to 30K actuations.

what is your suggestion on the best bang for the buck, or should i just get the latest S5 that everyone raves about ??

The S5 has 6 picture modes. The viewfinder is much bigger on the S5 and far more suitable for manual focus. Plus it can meter with manual focus lenses which the S3 can't do. I do not think it is possible to have a shutter count from the S3. I would be wary of very low stated shutter counts as this now quite an old camera. 20,000 would be reasonable for an amateur use camera. If you want to shoot manual focus then the S5 is by far your best option.

i have all 3 of the cameras.

the reason to buy the s2 amazing simple fuji color.

the reason to buy the s3 - amazing simple fuji color built in had grip fits my hand expanded dr

the reason to buy the s5 - d200 body better af, fuji color with little tweaking, i-ttl flash

for me id get the s3 but in raw you get 3 frames until buffer lock, other wise get tge s5 and s2 if you can

mistermejia wrote:

All i know is that the S5 PRO is really really good for portraits/skin tones. Do any of you know the differences and which of these three would be the best? And by the way, can i use ALL of my Nikon lenses on ANY of the three???

The S2 has around 60K actuations for $150 dollalrs.

The S3 has around 20K actuations for $200 dollars.

The S5 PRO i could get it for around $400 dollars with around 20K actuations or less.

Get the S3 if you value sharper images and a grip. For quite some people film simulations from S3 are also better than these from S5.

Get the S5 if you value D200 body, better AF, metering with AI lenses and I-TTL flash system.

Both of them are very slow and clunky 6-mpix cameras (not interpolated) but take amazing portraits.

Regards

Everything has already been said. I'd add that out of the three, the body of the S2pro is the most outdated. The awkward dual- battery system is not convenient, and the operation of the mirror always let me think that this will be it's last actuation.

So, out of the S3 and the S5 it is a question of taste. The S3 is crisper, the S5 more modern and convenient, with a slightly different in- camera processing. I have both, and may even rebuy an old S2 for nostalgy reasons. S2 was my first DSLR and made gorgeous (!) images with phantastic colours.

Bernie