Fujifilm IS Pro Review

The Fujifilm IS Pro replaces Fuji's previous infrared and ultra-violet sensitive SLR: the S3 Pro UVIR, which, according to the company, has proven popular with technical, law enforcement, medical research and scientific communities. The IS Pro uses Fujifilm's Super CCD Pro, a specially formulated protective CCD glass filter providing maximum UV / IR sensitivity and Real Photo Processor Pro technology to capture light from the ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) portion of the spectrum (approx. 380nm - 1000nm) - a much wider range of wavelengths than normally captured by digital cameras. The IS Pro is based on the FinePix S5 Pro DSLR, which is itself based on rugged Nikon D200 mechanicals.

Other IS Pro features include a 12.3 megapixel Super CCD with 6.17 million S-pixels and 6.17 million R-pixels for enhanced dynamic range, a 30-second B&W or color Live Image preview mode with adjustable magnification to aid in precision manual focusing when using dark filters, Fujifilm's Post Capture Face Detection which automatically zooms in on faces during playback to confirm focus and exposure of up to 10 faces per image, and compatibility with a wide range of Nikkor F-mount lenses, Nikon's excellent i-TTL flash system and many other Nikon accessories.

The Fuji IS Pro is powered by a proprietary NP-150 lithium-ion battery (which incidently is not compatible with the D200's battery), and a charger is included. Connectivity includes High-Speed USB 2.0 capable of transferring Live Image preview to a PC or Mac running Fuji's optional HS-V3 software, NTSC/PAL video out and a 10-pin digital interface connector compatible with Nikon accessories such as GPS, magnetic strip and bar code readers.

The Fujifilm IS Pro begins shipping August 2007, and is priced at US$2599.95 for the body only, or in various kits ranging in price from US$2699.95 to US$4999.95.