The interface of the FinePix
S3 Pro consists primarily of the indications that appear below
the viewfinder image. Many of these indications are repeated
on the external panel displays, either on top of the camera
or above the LCD monitor. The system is well thought-out and
learning how and where specific bits of information about
the status of a particular setting can be found is learned
easily.
The menu system proper is composed of 5 screen pages, each
identified by a number on a tab that appears at the top of
the screen. Navigation of the menu is simple, and once the
last page reached the system cycles back to the first. The
5 pages of the menu contain options which serve to configure
the camera:
Page 1:
Image Disp.: decides whether the photographed image
is presented after capture. Three settings are possible:
Off; On (displays the image for 2 seconds post-capture);
Preview (displays the image while it is being saved and
allows it to be deleted immediately).
Custom WB: serves to set up to 2 custom white
balances, which can be recalled later as part of the white
balance settings using the F buttons.
Colour Space: (sRGB, Adobe RGB) allows selecting
the colour space to use for images. sRGB is preferred for
standard photography, while Adobe RGB is preferred for commercial
printing.
D-Range: (Wide or Standard) Specifies whether the
standard dynamic range (100%) or an extended dynamic range
(400%) is used. (See the Characteristics section
of the review for more information about the S3's dynamic
range.)
Page 2:
Auto Rotate: (On/Off) detects whether the camera
is used horizontally or vertically, and allows images to
be automatically rotated when played back.
Media: (xD-Picture Card, CF) decides which memory
format should be used first when both types of cards are
present in the camera.
Test Shooting (no card): (On or Off) when On, the
shutter release will remain functional even if there is
no memory card in the camera.
Format: serves to format either an xD or CompactFlash
memory card.
Page 3:
Beep: (Low, High, Off) controls the sounds produced
by the camera during operations.
Date/Time: sets the date and time on the S3.
USB Mode: DSC (digital still camera) or PictBridge.
Serves to select the USB protocol.
1394 Mode: DSC (digital still camera) or 1394 Shooting.
Decides that the Firewire connection will be used to download
images, or allows control of the camera from the computer.
Page 4:
Frame No.: (Cont., Renew) determines whether image
files are numbered sequentially or if images restart at
1 if a new or formatted memory card is used.
Lang.: selects the interface language (Japanese,
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese).
Video System: serves to choose the video output
signal (NTSC or PAL).
Discharge: serves to fully discharge the Ni-MH
batteries, so they can be fully recharged. The process lengthens
the life of rechargeable batteries.
Page 5:
Reset: returns all settings with the exception
of the time and date, custom white balance settings, interface
language and video system settings to their original factory
values.
Live Image: (On or Off) makes it possible when
the camera is set to manual focus to preview the image in
black and white on the monitor. The live image is displayed
for 30 seconds and at the selected aperture, which reveals
the depth of field. The centre of the image can be magnified
to assist in focusing.
A very detailed and complete manual accompanies the FinePix
S3 Pro. The manual, which runs close to 150 pages in English,
covers all aspects and functions of the camera quite understandably.
Still, the explanations concerning a few of the functions
— most notably those linked to the dynamic range settings
of the S3 — could be more in-depth and better explained.
Software
In North America
the FinePix S3 Pro is sold with 2 CD ROMs. One is called Software
for FinePix. It contains FinePix Viewer (v4.2 for
Windows and 3.3 for Macintosh), the USB driver for
both Mass Storage and webcam, RAW File Converter LE,
a basic RAW file converter (v1.1 for Windows and Macintosh)
and Pixela ImageMixer VCD2 for FinePix.
FinePix Viewer can
be used to view images that are still in the camera on the
memory card, or images on the hard disc. FinePix Viewer presents
photos as thumbnails, or as a film strip at the bottom of
the main pane while the currently selected image is shown
at a larger size above. FinePix Viewer is a relatively simple
program but it can be used to print images, or even be set
to start automatically when the camera is connected to the
computer.
A few basic corrections can be
made to images (brightness, saturation, tone and contrast)
and RAW images can be converted using the RAW File Converter
LE utility into a more common format such as TIFF or
JPEG.
ImageMixer VCD2 is designed to allow the creation
of photo albums and saving them to CD or DVD. Video CDs can
also be created so that images can be read directly on a compatible
DVD player, but the full version of the program must be purchased
for that particular function to work.
The second disc included
with the FinePix S3 Pro is called Hyper-Utility2 (version
2.3.0.23). While the program offers some functions that are
similar to those of FinePix Viewer, it is more complete and
powerful, and is clearly aimed and designed for professional
users that need to process many images.
The RAW image converter is much more advanced than what is
available with FinePix Viewer. With Hyper-Utility2 it is possible
to modify the capture parameters, apply the changes, and then
save the edited image as a 16-bit TIFF.
Complete image capture parameters,
curves and histograms for the primary colours can be displayed
in the left side pane of the program window, below the directories
of the hard disc; and a wide variety of tools are available
to modify the images.
In addition, Hyper-Utility2 provides a tool that is contained
in the right pane of the program's window that makes it possible
to remote control a series of FinePix cameras (S20, Pro, S2
Pro and of course S3 Pro) when any of these is connected to
the computer via Firewire (IEEE 1394). Worth noting however,
the software currently supplied with the camera, and the S3's
firmware need to be updated to provide full control over the
S3 from a computer.
The update is available from
Fujifilm's web site, upgrading Hyper-Utility2 to version 3.1f.
And, as noted above, the S3 Pro's firmware must also be upgradeds
to version 2.16, and to do so the camera requires the
use of the optional AC-DC adapter. Once upgraded, it becomes
possible to select all the shooting parameters directly on
the computer and "apply" them to the camera when
shooting remotely.
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Interface & Software
