Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W, Ruggedized

Cameras-n-Lenses: A 6MP CCD ruggedized waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof all-weather digital camera built for the construction industry.

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The Fujifilm BigJob HD-3W, a 6MP CCD digital camera, built with a ruggedized waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof all-weather body built for the construction and engineering industry, was initially made available only for the Japanese domestic market before it was introduced to Europe in 2007. The camera, a rather plain and boxy brickbat, comes with a shutter speed range from 2 to 1/2000 second, a 3x wide-angle Fujinon 4.7-14.1 (28-84mm equivalent) lens, a 3-inch LCD with reinforced glass coating, hot shoe, a powerful built-in flash, and ISO 1600 capability is powered by 2x AA batteries.

The Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W is highly usable by both the casual user and the outgoing outdoorsman. The operation of the autoexposure camera is made simple with easy access buttons, mode dial, and menu systems that are accessible even for users with gloves. Exposure modes can be configured for Auto (the BigJob HD-3W does not have PASM modes), Manual (where you can manually adjust the ISO and Exposure Compensation), Scene Position (with selection for Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, and Text), and Movie.

Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W

The Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W is also accredited with two worlds first, the CALS mode which records images at 1MP for attaching and easy distribution via email, and Detection Manipulation, a feature that highlights tampering to pictures after the photo has been taken (via viewer software check). The camera is also programmed with a Shot Date function, making the camera functionally useful for monitoring and reporting work progress, insurance, and forensic applications. CCD images captured with the camera are, of course, par excellence.

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Pentax Optio W90, Out And About

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a 12MP CCD Pentax Optio W90, a very versatile all-weather compact digital camera.

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Had the chance to take the Pentaz Optio W90, the go-anywhere camera that's perfect for the outdoors, for an out and about recently, and came away with this set of images which were captured from the shaded entry and egress of an LRT station, looking across to the midst of the very warm and bright mid-morning sun.

Designed to be dustproof, and waterproof up to 6 meters, the camera is coldproof down to -10°C (14°F), and shock-resistant for drops of up to 1.2 meters. The W90 comes with a 5x zoom (28-140mm equivalent) lens, a 2.7-inch LCD, a Digital Microscope mode, HD video recording, and a face detection system that also recognizes up to three pet faces. The strength of the camera is, of course, with its CCD sensor, the standard for digital camera sensors from the early 80s till the late 2000s, which were acknowledged for their high-quality low-noise images

Pentax Optio W90

On the downside, the W90 does not have any optical image stabilizer for its lens. What is available, instead, is Pentax's Pixel Tracking Shake Reduction (which can be turned off), which applies digital processing to the images to smooth out the jitters. or a high-sensitivity anti-shake mode, which pushes the shutter speed and ISO up while giving you a 5-megapixel photo. Though neither is optimal, there wasn't much visible camera shake at maximum telephoto when standing still. There's a digital stabilizer for movies as well.

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Photo of the Day

Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W

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Photo of the Day

Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W

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Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W, At The Stop

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a 2007 vintage 6MP CCD Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W, scenes at the stop.

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Took the 6MP CCD Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W out on a short outing recently, and the images shot with the camera, showing the ambiance of my regular start to and drop-off from LRT station, as usual, did not disappoint. The all-weather dustproof, waterproof, and shockproof workhorse has been the constant companion on my recent outings and has proven itself, at least for CCD image enthusiasts, as a compact digital that is completely capable of delivering sharp and sure images.

The camera, designed for the engineering and construction industry and was made available initially only to the Japanese domestic market in 2007, also comes with a couple of deft features (image manipulation check, and micro 1MP image shots) which makes it equally useful for forensic and insurance investigations. Fast forward to 2024, the easy-to-use point-and-shoot camera with buttons designed for the gloved hand and toughened glass lens cover is all set for the rough-and-tough outdoors, and occasionally, the extreme environment.

Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W

While the Fujifilm FinePix BigJob HD-3W may not be seen as a common feature on online auction sites and brick-and-mortar stores, it is, at least for the CCD enthusiast, an all-weather compact digital capable of capturing images with excellent IQ. Prices are still for the asking, and all you need is a small-capacity SD card, and a pair of AA batteries to get the camera going. Highly recommended!

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Olympus VR-370, Kampar Drive-Through

CCD Resurgence: A Sunday detour along the main street of Kampar, Perak, a township between Ipoh and the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

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The short trip we planned for a drive up North to Perlis and back to Kuala Lumpur on a recent weekend went smoothly on the way up but turned out to be rather sour for the return leg. Traffic on the North-South Highway was already filling up as we left Penang and by the time we passed Ipoh, it was already a bottleneck. Waze advised us to go a detour, which we did, but traffic along the alternative route was just as heavy, if not just as bad.

The detour took us right through the main street of Kampar, the main one within the Kinta Valley tin mining region, which was at its height during the industry boom of the late 1880s. Aside from the unending stretch of pass-through traffic, the town (on a Sunday) is otherwise a forlorn sight, with hardly anybody around along the whole stretch of the main road. Shophouses look derelict, some abandoned, while the five-foot ways are dirty and unkempt.

Olympus VR-370

I used the 2013 vintage 16MP CCD Olympus VR-370, a low-cost buy on the auction market, for the shoot and some other shots during the trip. The camera has Dual Image Stabilization to compensate for the image blurring and camera shake, a 12.5X optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent of 24-300mm lens, and a 3.0-inch LCD with 460k-dot resolution, enough to keep me occupied and elated with not being the driver for the whole trip, and with images from the CCD sensor that speaks for itself.

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Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro, A New High

Cameras-n-Lenses: The 2002 Nikon F-mount Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro digital SLR camera is a new high for enthusiasts of CCD digital cameras.

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I had a new high recently with the purchase of a 2002 Nikon F-mount Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro digital SLR camera to add to my CCD camera collection. The S2 Pro, an update of the S1 Pro, comes with a unique (just like the S1 Pro that had a 3.1MP sensor) APS-sized 6.2MP SuperCCD sensor designed with its photodiodes oriented diagonally rather than horizontally and vertically as found on other sensor types. The sensor enables the camera to generate huge 12.1MP images after processing.

The camera is a 'Frankenstein' effort between FujiFilm and Nikon, built around the top and front of a Nikon N80 (F80) body (except for the nameplate), with a fixed back that houses FujiFilm's proprietary image sensor and electronics. The earlier S1 Pro was based on the Nikon N60 (F60) body, and the S2 Pro itself was replaced by the S3 Pro, which came with a 12.2 MP SuperCCD SR sensor, in 2006. I mounted an AF-Nikkor 35-70mm 1:3.3~4.5 on the camera for its initial test run.

FujiFilm FinePix S2 Pro, AF-Nikkor 35-70mm 1:3.3~4.5

For what it is worth, the S2 Pro is a great camera, professional-looking, solid, and robustly built with a body size and shape, and contoured grip that feels just right in your hands. The camera is a joy to hold and lug around, none too heavy with a body weight of 760 grams without batteries or other add-ons. The S2 Pro also features a control layout that does ring a bell with the Nikon D100 (as both were based around the F80/N80): Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro, 6.2MP SuperCCD DSLR Camera

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