Rear of Camera Controls
The control layout on the S3 Pro has been cleaned up with a more logical layout for the BACK, 4-way controller and MENU/OK buttons. At the top of the rear are four photographic setting controls (Bracket, Flash, Metering mode, AE/AF Lock), on the left the Control Panel and FUNC button. Sadly, just like the S2 Pro the camera can only be woken from 'sleep' mode by half-pressing the shutter release button, it is not possible to wake it by pressing any of the rear buttons (such as PLAY or MENU).
Photographic settings buttons
Button | ![]() |
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---|---|---|
BKT | Auto Bracketing Enable![]() On Off |
Auto Bracketing: Shots / EV |
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Flash sync mode![]() Front-curtain sync (normal flash) Red-eye reduction Red-eye reduction with slow sync Slow sync Rear-curtain sync |
No function |
Metering Mode
Metering |
Description |
---|---|
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3D Matrix Metering with 10-segment SPD |
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Center Weighted Metering![]() The camera uses the entire frame for light measurement but assigns a greater weight to an area in the center of the frame (indicated in the viewfinder by the circle). |
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Spot metering |
Other controls
Button |
Description |
---|---|
AE-L AF-L |
Auto Exposure and Auto Focus Lock |
Control Panel buttons
The function of the four buttons below the control panel display panel depends on the status of the display and selected menu. By default the display is used to relay information such as ISO sensitivity and frames remaining, press the FUNC button and the display switches to a menu of four options, each controlled by one button. In play and preview modes a menu is always displayed. Each of the available menus and the function of each button is described below.
Menu |
Button 1 | Button 2 | Button 3 | Button 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Record / shooting mode | ||||
Record 1 | White balance![]() Auto Custom 1 Custom 2 Sunny Cloudy Fluorescent 1 Fluorescent 2 Fluorescent 3 Incandescent |
Image quality![]() High (RAW) Fine (JPEG) Normal (JPEG) |
Image size![]() 4256 x 2848 3024 x 2016 2304 x 1536 1440 x 960 |
Film simulation ![]() Standard F1 (Portrait) * F2 (Velvia) * |
Record 2 | Dynamic Range ![]() Auto * Wide 1 * Wide 2 * |
Color![]() Standard High Original Black & White |
Tone![]() Standard Hard Original |
Sharpening![]() Standard Hard Off |
Record 3 | Focus area mode![]() Single Area AF Dynamic AF |
Lock![]() Off On |
Reset Function ![]() Ok |
|
Play mode | ||||
Play | Histogram![]() None Master (Lumin.) Red Channel Green Channel Blue Channel Blinking highlights |
Erase![]() No Ok |
Protect![]() On Off |
Thumbnail index![]() On Off |
* Camera must be in 'Wide' Dynamic Range mode (record menu option)
Rear controls
Button |
Description |
---|---|
FUNC | Rear Display Panel Function |
PLAY | Playback |
MENU /OK |
Camera menu / Confirm![]() Display or cancel the camera menu or confirm a selection (detailed later in this review). |
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4-way controller![]() In shooting mode where AF point selection is enabled the 4-way controller is used to choose AF points. In playback mode this control reverts to image navigation / menu movement. The 4-way controller can be locked by turning the small lever below the dial to the 'L' position. Unfortunately the 4-way controller lock is a physical lock which disables the controller for use in menus too. |
BACK | Back![]() Back out or cancel the display of a menu. |
Front of camera controls
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On the front of the camera are two controls, on the left side of the lens is the depth of field preview button, pressing this button stops the lens down to the selected (or metered) aperture allowing the photographer to preview the depth of field of the final shot. On the right side of the lens mount is the focus mode selector (modes defined below).
Focus modes
Mode |
Description |
---|---|
M | Manual Focus |
S | Single servo AF (focus priority)![]() If the subject is stationary, the camera focuses when the shutter release button is pressed halfway. Focus remains locked while the shutter release button is held in this position (focus lock). The shutter can only be released when the in-focus indicator is displayed. |
C | Continuous servo AF (release priority) |
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