Fuji FinePix S20 Pro Digital Camera. Reviews, Price Comparison and Ratings.

The FinePix S20 Pro is the latest in a line of successful products that have included the S602 and S7000.
The S20 uses the same sturdy metal/plastic body as its predecessors. So what merits the new designation? First and foremost, there's a PC-sync socket for triggering external flash systems. There's also a threaded cable release socket on the shutter button, which should further endear the S20 Pro to studio enthusiasts and there's a choice of either USB 2.0 or FireWire connectivity.
Perhaps the most important is the choice of sensor used. Fujifilm has stuck with the new 4th Generation Super CCD format, but rather than one of its High Resolution (HR) sensors, the S20 employs the SR type. This uses two photodiodes at each photosite location on the sensor. One photodiode captures highlight information, while the other captures mid-tones and dark area detail.
Like its younger brother, the S7000, controls on the rear of the S20 Pro are very well positioned and clearly labelled.
The 118,000-pixel LCD monitor gives an excellent display during playback.
The electronic viewfinder presents the user with a clear view of events. Offering 100 per cent coverage, the 1.8" LCD monitor is superb for viewing your pictures. You can also adjust the brightness level.
The S20 is a chunky, comfortable-to-hold little beast. One of the best features that the S20 has inherited is the focus-by-wire ring on the lens barrel. Turning this zooms the lens in and out, or adjusts the focus when in manual focus mode.
One area where the S20 knocks the spots off the competition is its macro performance. Super Macro mode is perhaps the best of any prosumer digicam currently available – the S20 can focus on objects as close as 1cm away.
In comparison with some other leading models, the dynamic range is very good and delivers nice images with a fair bit of highlight and shadow detail. 6-megapixel images look very smooth, though sharpening can be adjusted in camera.
The Fujifilm handles well, produces some good-looking pictures, and has a range of features that make it well suited for both studio and location work. Given its connectivity and great close-up capabilities, we think the S20 is an excellent camera for taking small-scale product shots or portraits in an environment such as a home studio, at a very reasonable price.

The Lowest Price is not always best !

When you buy a digital camera, the basic package almost always includes extras such as a battery charger, lens cap, batteries, flash memory card, and software. One of the more disreputable practices a dealer can engage in is called unbundling. These dealers remove items from the package that are normally included in the price and price them separately.

When purchasing a camera you have three components of the price to consider - the camera price, postage and handling, and taxes. Many dealers lower the price to make the camera more attractive, then increase the postage and handling to boost their profits.

Hesitate before accepting extended warranties. Every knowledgeable consumer expert says it's better to gamble. Most of a company's profit is in the sale of these warranties so they press, and press hard. Your job is to resist, and resist hard. The only thing to keep in mind is that digital cameras can be horribly expensive to repair. If you want peace of mind, you may want the warranty, even though it's probably overpriced. The cost of a repair can approach, or even exceed, the original purchase price.

When you buy a camera from a reputable dealer, you expect to be able to return it if you aren't satisfied. Some dealers try to discourage this by requiring a restocking fee for returned merchandise. This is always explained as a way to recover their costs of checking the merchandise and restoring the packaging you may have opened.

Many dealers is truly a false, deceptive and a total crook. Bait and switch tactics used. Does not sell new merchandise and will ship used or refurbished goods without notifying customer. They then try to charge a restock fee on top of their exobitant shipping fees to make a profit where they could not on their goods. A try case of buyer beware.