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Top Fujifilm Finepix S3 Pro UVIR Camera Reviews
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Fujifilm Finepix S3 Pro
UVIR News Release Summary:
Valhalla, NY, August 9, 2006 - With the recent announcement of
the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR, Fujifilm has unveiled the world's first
production D-SLR camera capable of taking photographs in the
ultraviolet and infrared light spectrums. But what does this
mean and how does a digital camera that can take pictures at
either end of the light spectrum help to empower photographers
in technical fields such as law-enforcement, medical research,
art history, science and fine art photography?
Ultraviolet & Infrared Light
The human eye is a remarkable imaging device to be sure, but it
can’t see everything. Its sensitivity range is limited to
wavelengths that normally start at 400 nanometers (violet) at
the short end of the visible spectrum and extend to 700
nanometers (deep red) at the long end. This is also the realm of
standard digital and film photography where, with certain
exceptions, what you see is what you get. But there are times
when ordinary visible-light pictures do not reveal everything a
criminal investigator, scientist, or medical researcher needs to
see. This is where ultraviolet and infrared imaging comes into
play.
Scientists define wavelengths shorter than 400 nanometers as
ultraviolet (UV), and wavelengths longer than 700 nanometers as
infrared (IR). Technically, neither UV nor IR is "light" because
humans can’t see it. However, photographs taken at UV and IR
wavelengths can capture and reveal information that is otherwise
undetectable by the human eye – literally "colors" we can’t see
but that cameras, sensitive to IR and UV wavelengths, are able
to record and make visible. It is the visual equivalent of the
dog whistle we humans cannot hear.
This uncanny ability to reveal the unseen is why technical
professionals in fields ranging from law enforcement, to
military surveillance, to medical research, to art history, to
biology have long used UV and IR photography to discover crucial
observational facts that would ordinarily elude the keenest
human eye.
Difficulties with UV and IR Photography
Until recently, both UV and IR photography were film based and
entailed the use of heavy filtration and long exposure times. In
the case of infrared, special, difficult-to-handle films were
required along with heavy filtration that extended exposure
times and often made focusing difficult.
Digital UV and IR photography had its own set of problems. Since
the CCD and CMOS imager sensors of digital cameras incorporate
strong UV and IR filters to achieve good color accuracy with
standard visible-light subjects, a normal D-SLR is not very
sensitive in the UV and IR ranges and is therefore inconvenient
to use in these applications. That’s why many technical
specialists, who needed UV and IR imaging in their work,
modified their existing D-SLRs by removing the UV and IR
filters, an expensive procedure undertaken by small private
companies. Even if properly done, this bit of modification work
voided the camera's warranty.
The solution: An advanced UV and IR D-SLR
In response to the genuine need expressed by many top
professionals in the law enforcement and scientific communities,
Fujifilm developed the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR, the world's first
and only factory-made D-SLR designed specifically for UV and IR
photography. It has many of the same features that made the
standard FinePix S3 Pro a stand-out -- like the Super CCD SR II
sensor for expanded dynamic range and a Live View CCD that
allows for real-time subject focus for up to 30 seconds -- with
some modifications.
The IR and UV filters were removed from the standard model and,
after exhaustive field and lab testing, replaced with a
specially formulated glass protective filter. The FinePix S3
Pro's menu system was also reconfigured to be more user friendly
for UV and IR shooters – for example, the Live Preview shooting
now mode comes up on the very first screen.
A Better Mousetrap?
Just how important are these advances? Mike Brooks, a well-known
consultant to law enforcement agencies who checked out a late
prototype of the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR put it this way. "Capturing
and displaying the alterations in a forged document, or the
information hidden in an obliterated one using IR photography is
now easier by leaps and bounds. With IR films, the amount of
light required often meant exposure times measured in hours;
with the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR typical exposure times range from
1/250 at f/16 to 1/4 sec at f/16. And with mirror lock-up and
Live Preview, you can focus easily via the LCD even when you
mount dark IR or UV filters over the lens to capture critical
details. With more precise focusing plus the instant feedback of
digital, you now have the ability to take sharper pictures in
less time. Even more important, you can judge which filter is
most effective in specific applications in real time, which can
literally save you weeks."
Brooks continued, "The enhanced image quality is another great
advantage of this camera – it has the ability to capture
mid-tones, which is crucial with the contrasty subjects we
commonly shoot and it provides a wider exposure latitude than
other D-SLRs. The software also makes it much easier to display
comparison images, a key element in law enforcement. Having a
factory-made UV and IR camera of this caliber available at a
competitive price is nothing less than a great step forward in
forensic photography."
How and Where UV and IR Photography works
While UV and IR photography are not really like the "X-ray
vision" of comic books that lets you see through solid objects,
both UV and IR can be used to reveal sub-surface details that
are invisible to the naked eye. In a recent example provided by
Brooks, police used differences in reflectance made visible only
with IR photography to positively identify a charred body in a
gangland murder. It revealed the victim's prison tattoo, which
was invisible under ordinary light.
In a similar manner, both UV and IR photography can corroborate
the presence of gunpowder, show altered signatures and the
difference between similar-looking inks on a document, or make
bone fragments stand out in a plowed field. Medical researchers
and police investigators use IR and UV photography to find
injuries below the skin. They can even determine whether an
assailant wearing a specific ring punched someone, or if a set
of two-week-old, no-longer-visible bite marks were made by an
alleged perpetrator's teeth.
Infrared photography is also a great tool for nighttime
surveillance with "invisible" IR flash or under IR-rich sources
such as common street lamps – the same basic principle used in
night-vision glasses. And since different plants reflect light
in different shades of color or gray under IR, it can be used to
detect illegal plants such as marijuana or opium poppies growing
in a farm field.
Applications Aplenty
While the primary markets for Fujifilm's innovative FinePix S3
Pro UVIR are undoubtedly the law enforcement and
technical-scientific communities, there are also legions of fine
arts, portrait, and wedding photographers who will be attracted
to this unique camera. Following in the footsteps of such
legendary greats as Minor White and Ansel Adams who brought IR
imaging into the art world with their stunning American
landscapes, they have long used IR as a way of creating unique
and beautiful images that set them apart from others in their
fields. Many of today's top portrait and wedding photographers
have made IR photography an essential part of the services they
offer to their clients.
Now, at last, they have a camera worthy of their highest
aspirations.
Fujifilm Helps Fight Crime with New Finepix S3 Pro UVIR
Digital SLR Camera
New, Specialized Camera Photographs in the Ultraviolet and
Infrared Light Spectrums; Helps Forensic Photographers Uncover
Evidence
Valhalla, NY, August 9, 2006 - Fujifilm, a pioneer in digital
imaging products and services, broke new ground again today with
the introduction of the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR camera. The FinePix
S3 Pro UVIR is the world's first production D-SLR camera capable
of taking photographs in the ultraviolet and infrared light
spectrums. It has been designed for use in the science, medical
and fine art disciplines, with its most intriguing applications
coming in the field of law enforcement investigation.
Law enforcement agencies have used ultraviolet (UV) and infrared
(IR) photography for years to uncover evidence not easily seen
by the human eye, such as gun shot residue and blood stains, as
well as to recover altered, burned or obliterated writing. IR
photography is also used in nighttime surveillance.
With its digital capabilities, the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR makes the
evidence-gathering process more efficient and accurate for
investigators. The FinePix S3 Pro UVIR has 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.
Moreover, FinePix S3 Pro UVIR carries the same photographic
technologies that have made the standard FinePix S3 Pro such a
respected camera. These include Fujifilm's unique, double
photodiode (6.17 million S-pixels and 6.17 million R-pixels)
Super CCD SR II image sensor for a dynamic range 400% greater
than cameras of single-pixel design. This wider dynamic range
contributes to the capture of finer detail, a paramount factor
in the gathering of key evidence. Another performance benefit of
the Super CCD SR II sensor is its high signal-to-noise ratio.
"Initially, the technology designed for the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR
was for traditional visible wavelength imagery. But upon testing
we found that the natural low noise tendencies of the Super CCD
SR II sensor produced an outstanding image within UV and IR
light bands," explained Darin Pepple, Marketing Manager,
Electronic Imaging Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. "Fujifilm
conducted a series of tests and after seeing the results, we
knew instantly the immense power this camera would bring to
forensic investigation.
"Fujifilm U.S.A. is thrilled to provide the brightest minds in
law enforcement with technology useful in solving the country's
most complex crimes."
Along with the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR, Fujifilm will bundle its
HyperUtility Processing Software. This program provides
investigators with side-by-side image comparisons along with
metadata analysis, a useful tool when examining images of blood
stains, documents or other forms of evidence.
"Fujifilm's new FinePix S3 Pro UVIR camera is a helpful tool in
forensic investigation. Not only does it produce outstanding
images, but the digital medium allows for immediate verification
of a captured image. This immediacy makes evidence preservation
easier and data cataloging more efficient," remarked Michael
Brooks, owner of Brooks Photographic Imaging, a law enforcement
photography consultancy.
Priced at $1,799.95, Fujifilm's FinePix S3 Pro UVIR is available
at select authorized dealers in the United States beginning
September 2006.
About Fujifilm
Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is a subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film
Co., Ltd. and delivers technology solutions to meet the imaging
and information needs of retailers, consumers, professionals and
business customers. As a global leader in digital imaging,
Fujifilm pioneered the development of digital medical systems,
and today is the leader in digital minilab systems. The company
was ranked number 18 for U.S. patents granted during 2005,
employs more than 75,000 people worldwide and in the year ending
March 31, 2006, had global revenues of more than $22.8 billion.
In the United States, Fujifilm is a leader in delivering high
quality, easy-to-use imaging and information solutions in the
following categories: Digital Imaging Systems, Film and Imaging
Systems, Recording/Storage Media, Motion Picture Film, Graphic
Arts and Printing Systems and Medical Imaging and Diagnostics
Systems. Fujifilm is an environmentally friendly, humane
enterprise and an exemplary corporate citizen.
Fujifilm
Finepix S3 Pro UVIR Best Price:
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