Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro UVIR

[Glen]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0608/06080 ... rouvir.asp

Fuji have just released a camera which can take UV and IR images. They expect it to be of great use to nnnnsic photographers.

[ABG]

[Nnnnsic]

I want one!

I'm willing to forgive Fuji for their absolute lack of speed and design qualities for this feature that Nikon (and Canon outside of Japan) should be kicked in the pants for for not releasing first.

[Alpha_7]

FinePix S3 Pro UVIR was the first D-SLR to feature a live CCD previewing feature, a significant aid to the forensic photographer. This feature enables manual focusing while dark filters are attached to the lens as well as pre-capture verification.

Interesting, live CCD preview sounds like a nice feature, especially for those used to P&S LCD "view finders",.

[Nnnnsic]

I thought the new Olympus was the first to have this feature.

[padey]

FinePix S3 Pro UVIR was the first D-SLR to feature a live CCD previewing feature, a significant aid to the forensic photographer. This feature enables manual focusing while dark filters are attached to the lens as well as pre-capture verification.

Interesting, live CCD preview sounds like a nice feature, especially for those used to P&S LCD "view finders",.

It comes with the standard S3 and it's the most useless feature ever given to a standard DSLR.

Well i was expecting a new DSLR from Fuji, but not this one. Bring on the S4!

[DaveB]

I was wondering when a major manufacturer would do this. It probably hasn't been seen to present enough market for the "major" players such as Canon and Nikon to be interested up til now, and as a smaller player Fuji have stepped in. It will be interesting to see what happens to this market over time.
As well as the law-enforcement markets referenced in Fuji's press release, I can see the aerial mapping market also being interested.

Note however that the S3 Pro UVIR does not seem to have an option for an internal IR-only filter, and thus when you add a filter that will affect the viewfinder as well as the sensor (although the live preview function is a help here, and is apparently the only means of tweaking the focus for non-visible wavelengths). So shooting IR handheld is probably not a convenient option.
This is roughly equivalent to the "CLR" conversion option I offer on other camera models, BTW.

Hopefully I can get my hands on one of these later in the year.

[wendellt]

excellent News

Leigh when you get one i want my 52mm IR filter back please

[Glen]

Dave I was thinking that the manufacturers have been slow to see your niche market. Maybe all the different CSI just got released in the prefecture that Fuji is in and they think that everyone works in forensics?

[xerubus]

these features are great and would make me think very closely about switching to a fuji body in the future. hopefully nikon will follow suit in the not so distant future.

the live ccd though puts me off alot!! p&sdslr doesn't work for me at all!

cheers