Fujifilm S2 Pro vs Fujifilm S3 Pro Comparison

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Fujifilm S2 Pro

6 MP | APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) CCD Sensor

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Fujifilm S3 Pro

6 MP | APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) CCD Sensor

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Fujifilm S2 Pro vs Fujifilm S3 Pro Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the S2 Pro and the S3 Pro, two Pro DSLR cameras by Fujifilm. Fujifilm S2 Pro was introduced to the market in August 2002 and Fujifilm S3 Pro was launched in March 2005. As you can see, S2 Pro is 3 years older than S3 Pro. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Fujifilm S2 Pro Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2002-08-02

6MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

Nikon F Mount

1.80" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

2.0fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

850g. 142 x 131 x 80 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Replaced Fujifilm FinePix S1 Pro Compare

Fujifilm S3 Pro Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2005-03-16

6MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

Nikon F Mount

2.00" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

930g. 148 x 135 x 80 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Replaced Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro Compare

Fujifilm S3 Pro was replaced by Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro vs Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro
Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro vs Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro over Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

Weight	850 g vs 930 g	80 g lighter

CHECK S2 Pro PRICE

Reasons to choose Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro over Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro

LCD Screen Size	2" vs 1.8"	0.2 inches larger display
LCD Resolution	235k dots vs 117k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage	94% vs 92%	More accurate viewfinder
Top LCD	Yes vs No	Help viewing and changing settings easily
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs No	Connect off-camera flash

CHECK S3 Pro PRICE

Common Strengths of Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro and Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions

Common Weaknesses of Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro and Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Max Resolution	6 MP vs 6 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Size	2.00" vs 2.00"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	117k dots vs 235k dots	Low resolution screens
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)	No vs No	no option to fine tune Auto focus

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Fujifilm S2 Pro vs Fujifilm S3 Pro: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Fujifilm S2 Pro has external dimensions of 142 x 131 x 80 mm (5.59 x 5.16 x 3.15″) and weighs 850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz) (including batteries). Fujifilm S3 Pro has external dimensions of 148 x 135 x 80 mm (5.83 x 5.31 x 3.15″) and weighs 930 g (2.05 lb / 32.80 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Fujifilm S2 Pro and the Fujifilm S3 Pro.

Comparison image of the Fujifilm S2 Pro and the Fujifilm S3 Pro Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro.

Comparison image of the Fujifilm S2 Pro and the Fujifilm S3 Pro Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Fujifilm S2 Pro is 80g lighter than the Fujifilm S3 Pro but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro have the same Nikon F lens mount and APS-C sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

S2 Pro

S3 Pro

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

S2 Pro

S3 Pro

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both the S2 Pro and the S3 Pro have weather sealings in their bodies, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Fujifilm S3 Pro's 2.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Fujifilm S2 Pro's 1.8" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Fujifilm S2 Pro vs Fujifilm S3 Pro: Sensor Comparison

Both Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro have 6.0 MP resolution sensors but Fujifilm S2 Pro's sensor is APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm ) and Fujifilm S3 Pro's sensor is APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm ).

Since Fujifilm S3 Pro's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Fujifilm S2 Pro.

Below you can see the S2 Pro and S3 Pro sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro Cameras

Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Fujifilm S2 Pro vs Fujifilm S3 Pro Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro have the same Nikon F lens mount and currently there are 316 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 107 lenses with Image stabilization for Nikon F mount.

Lens Type	# of Fujifilm S2 Pro Lenses	# of Fujifilm S3 Pro Lenses
Standard Zoom	32	32
Standard Prime	22	22
Wideangle Zoom	33	33
Wideangle Prime	50	50
Telephoto Zoom	55	55
Telephoto Prime	46	46
SuperZoom	30	30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	8	8
Macro Prime	26	26
Perspective Control Prime	11	11
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	316	316

Here are some of the most popular Nikon F Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Nikon F Mount Lenses for the S2 Pro and the S3 Pro

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G	35mm FF	425gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR	35mm FF	1340gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR	35mm FF	745gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD	35mm FF	1951gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR	35mm FF	2300gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Micro-Nikkor 105mm f2.8G IF-ED VR	35mm FF	720gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM	35mm FF	5880gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f1.8G	APS-C / DX	200gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Fujifilm S2 Pro for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm S3 Pro for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Fujifilm S2 Pro for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm S3 Pro for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Fujifilm S2 Pro for Sports Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm S3 Pro for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Focus Points
Read the details

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No Image Stabilization
Focus Points
Read the details

Fujifilm S2 Pro for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm S3 Pro for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
850g
Body Thickness 80mm
Read the details

Large APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
930g
Body Thickness 80mm
Read the details

Fujifilm S2 Pro for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm S3 Pro for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large APS-C (23 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Live-view
Read the details

Fujifilm S2 Pro vs Fujifilm S3 Pro: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Fujifilm S2 Pro and Fujifilm S3 Pro scores compare:

Fujifilm S2 Pro

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #30 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #786 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Fujifilm S3 Pro

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #25 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #677 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Fujifilm S3 Pro has a higher Overall Score thanks to its better image quality and more features compared to Fujifilm S2 Pro. On the other hand the Fujifilm S2 Pro beats Fujifilm S3 Pro in two significant areas: Value for Money and Compactness.
If you are a price conscious buyer and looking for a small and relatively low priced camera where you can take everywhere with you, Fujifilm S2 Pro is the right choice for you.
If you are after the better photographic performance with all the advanced features, definitely get the Fujifilm S3 Pro

Fujifilm S3 Pro vs Fujifilm S2 Pro Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro	Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro
Brand	Fujifilm	Fujifilm
Announced	2002-08-02	2005-03-16
Body Type	Large SLR	Large SLR
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	23 x 15.5 mm	23 x 15.5 mm
Area	356.50mm²	356.50mm²
Megapixels	6 megapixels	6 megapixels
Max Resolution	4256 x 2848	4256 x 2848
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	1,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	n/a	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F	Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses	316	316
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	1.80"	2.00"
Resolution	117k dots	235k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	92%	94%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	15.00 m	15.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/125s	1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	n/a
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None	None
Video Formats	n/a	n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	850g	930g
Dimensions	142 x 131 x 80mm	148 x 135 x 80mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	60
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.9
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	13.5
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	346
	Report a correction	Report a correction