Отзывы о Фотоаппарат Canon PowerShot S3 IS
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Скроменый эксперт
15.12.2006
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I had my doubts. Since my work requires photography, I'm very picky and only used to professional cameras. I've always hated non-SLR digital cameras because of slow response times, slow shutter speeds, noisy/grainy image quality, and just the hassle of not being able to see my actual shot through the viewfinder. On the other hand, I was tired of carrying around all my heavy bags and lenses every time I just wanted to shoot some fun shots for myself. So, I decided to buy something lighter with a fixed lens just for snapshots, and live with the compromises.
I had a hard time deciding between this and the A640, but chose this for the zoom and the extra creative features, even though it is not as compact and the pictures not quite as sharp.
Well, let me tell you, this little camera is not much of a compromise at all! I've been extremely impressed with both the performance and the handling. The features are simple to learn and use and photos are much better than the test photos I saw online. In fact, the chromatic aberration / fringing problem inherent in these compact zooms has not been a problem in any of my pictures, so far, and the color and image quality are very impressive. The camera is fast - not as fast as an SLR, but sure faster than any of the other digtial point-and-shoots I've tried. The unlimited continuous shooting mode, which is perfect for catching fast-action sports shots, solves the problem of slow shutter speeds and is not found in any of the other camera's in the S3's class. I've also been very surprised by the functionality of the EVF (electronic view finder). I've never used one and was prepared to dislike it, but I actually love it. Since the "real" viewfinders in non-SLR's don't show the actual shot, you can't really use them to hold your eye up against, which helps to steady the camera during zoom shots. I assumed the EVF, with it's low resolution, would be dificult to see through and too annoying to use, but it's not at all. The picture, though a bit fuzzy, is easily used to frame the shot and it makes the camera function almost like an SLR. So, far, I have never found the EVF difficult to see through and now that I've used it, I'm glad it has this feature. The camera is also much lighter weight to use than it seemed in the store. Yes, it's heavier than the smaller compacts, but it's still very light compared to an SLR and I barely notice it when I'm hiking along.
The bottom line is, this is a fast, fully-featured, easy to use little camera that takes fabulous pictures and has more going for it than any of the other long-zoom compact digitals on the market. The quality of the photos is what has surprised me the most - they really are very good. I would not hessitate to recommend this camera to anyone looking for a point-and-shoot with a few more features and a good zoom. If you don't care about the zoom, fast sports shots, or better movie mode, I'd recommend the Canon A640 or A630.
I had a hard time deciding between this and the A640, but chose this for the zoom and the extra creative features, even though it is not as compact and the pictures not quite as sharp.
Well, let me tell you, this little camera is not much of a compromise at all! I've been extremely impressed with both the performance and the handling. The features are simple to learn and use and photos are much better than the test photos I saw online. In fact, the chromatic aberration / fringing problem inherent in these compact zooms has not been a problem in any of my pictures, so far, and the color and image quality are very impressive. The camera is fast - not as fast as an SLR, but sure faster than any of the other digtial point-and-shoots I've tried. The unlimited continuous shooting mode, which is perfect for catching fast-action sports shots, solves the problem of slow shutter speeds and is not found in any of the other camera's in the S3's class. I've also been very surprised by the functionality of the EVF (electronic view finder). I've never used one and was prepared to dislike it, but I actually love it. Since the "real" viewfinders in non-SLR's don't show the actual shot, you can't really use them to hold your eye up against, which helps to steady the camera during zoom shots. I assumed the EVF, with it's low resolution, would be dificult to see through and too annoying to use, but it's not at all. The picture, though a bit fuzzy, is easily used to frame the shot and it makes the camera function almost like an SLR. So, far, I have never found the EVF difficult to see through and now that I've used it, I'm glad it has this feature. The camera is also much lighter weight to use than it seemed in the store. Yes, it's heavier than the smaller compacts, but it's still very light compared to an SLR and I barely notice it when I'm hiking along.
The bottom line is, this is a fast, fully-featured, easy to use little camera that takes fabulous pictures and has more going for it than any of the other long-zoom compact digitals on the market. The quality of the photos is what has surprised me the most - they really are very good. I would not hessitate to recommend this camera to anyone looking for a point-and-shoot with a few more features and a good zoom. If you don't care about the zoom, fast sports shots, or better movie mode, I'd recommend the Canon A640 or A630.
Скроменый эксперт
16.12.2007
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
Though I own a couple of low quality snapshot digital cameras, this camera was my first move into a serious digital camera. Before, when I wanted good quality photos, I would resort to using my old Canon A1 SLR film camera, which I have been using since the mid eighties.
I was very pleased to see this camera not only took excellent pictures, but also included most of the features of my old SLR, such as the ability to set the apertures and shutter speeds manually. Also with a lens adopter(I prefer the aluminum ones made by Lensmate over Canon's plastic ones) and stepping ring (both purchased separately) I could also use my collection of lens filters from my old SLR.
This camera works much like an SLR, only it uses a digital viewfinder instead of an optical one. This is one of the reasons I like this camera, as I like to shoot pictures of wildlife and the ability to turn off the shutter sound is a real boon. With an optical viewfinder on a SLR there is a little mirror inside the camera to reflect the view into the viewfinder, the mirror must be raised to take a picture, causing an unavoidable `thunk' sound which can make wildlife photography very difficult.
Though the automatic modes make this camera accessible to anyone, it might not be the best camera for those looking for a simple point and shoot camera. The ones who will benefit most from this camera are serious amatures and professionals looking for an alternative to a DSLR. Also worth mentioning, there are 1st and 3rd party lenses and accessories available for this camera.
Summing this up, I must say I am very pleased with this camera and would recommend it to anyone looking for a serious high quality digital camera.
I was very pleased to see this camera not only took excellent pictures, but also included most of the features of my old SLR, such as the ability to set the apertures and shutter speeds manually. Also with a lens adopter(I prefer the aluminum ones made by Lensmate over Canon's plastic ones) and stepping ring (both purchased separately) I could also use my collection of lens filters from my old SLR.
This camera works much like an SLR, only it uses a digital viewfinder instead of an optical one. This is one of the reasons I like this camera, as I like to shoot pictures of wildlife and the ability to turn off the shutter sound is a real boon. With an optical viewfinder on a SLR there is a little mirror inside the camera to reflect the view into the viewfinder, the mirror must be raised to take a picture, causing an unavoidable `thunk' sound which can make wildlife photography very difficult.
Though the automatic modes make this camera accessible to anyone, it might not be the best camera for those looking for a simple point and shoot camera. The ones who will benefit most from this camera are serious amatures and professionals looking for an alternative to a DSLR. Also worth mentioning, there are 1st and 3rd party lenses and accessories available for this camera.
Summing this up, I must say I am very pleased with this camera and would recommend it to anyone looking for a serious high quality digital camera.
Скроменый эксперт
14.08.2007
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I have gotten very into digital photography. When my Nikon point-and-shoot (Coolpix L4) died, it was the perfect excuse to upgrade to a nicer camera. I don't have the money for an outright DSLR, but I wanted something more substantial than another "credit-card" camera. I also wanted to be able to switch things up with lenses and accessories, allowing me to be more creative and have more options when shooting.
Enter the Canon S3 IS. More substantial than the traditional point-and-shoot, less expensive than normal DSLRs, compatible with lenses and various creative accessories. (Plus it looks darn cool.)
How are the pictures? They are wonderful. The Canon gives me rich, beautiful colors, has little trouble with camera shake, and subjects generally show up appropriately sharp and clear. The zoom is really amazing, being quick, smooth, and capturing clear images. I think there is a definite learning curve to understanding how to adjust various settings. If one is motivated, this learning curve is surmountable.
In terms of features: I can adjust settings to be more creative than I could with most point-and-shoot digital cameras. ISO, exposure, aperture, shutter speed, focus, white balance, flash, metering, and other settings can be manually changed. While the highest ISO setting is 800, I don't really care, since I rarely raise ISO anyway.
The grip is wonderful and I feel comfortable handling it. Having a viewfinder makes a world of difference in stabilizing shots and taking shots in bright light. I am not a fan of the plastic mounting threads on the bottom. My old Nikon camera's plastic threads were ripped up pretty good after about a year! Let's hope it's not going to happen with the Canon.
This camera would be very appropriate for people who have discovered a love for digital photography, who are upgrading from a $100-$200 digital camera, but who are not ready to plunk down $1000+ for a digital SLR. If this describes you, then by all means I would consider this camera. I haven't tried, or know much about, the S5, but it may be worth a look as well.
Enter the Canon S3 IS. More substantial than the traditional point-and-shoot, less expensive than normal DSLRs, compatible with lenses and various creative accessories. (Plus it looks darn cool.)
How are the pictures? They are wonderful. The Canon gives me rich, beautiful colors, has little trouble with camera shake, and subjects generally show up appropriately sharp and clear. The zoom is really amazing, being quick, smooth, and capturing clear images. I think there is a definite learning curve to understanding how to adjust various settings. If one is motivated, this learning curve is surmountable.
In terms of features: I can adjust settings to be more creative than I could with most point-and-shoot digital cameras. ISO, exposure, aperture, shutter speed, focus, white balance, flash, metering, and other settings can be manually changed. While the highest ISO setting is 800, I don't really care, since I rarely raise ISO anyway.
The grip is wonderful and I feel comfortable handling it. Having a viewfinder makes a world of difference in stabilizing shots and taking shots in bright light. I am not a fan of the plastic mounting threads on the bottom. My old Nikon camera's plastic threads were ripped up pretty good after about a year! Let's hope it's not going to happen with the Canon.
This camera would be very appropriate for people who have discovered a love for digital photography, who are upgrading from a $100-$200 digital camera, but who are not ready to plunk down $1000+ for a digital SLR. If this describes you, then by all means I would consider this camera. I haven't tried, or know much about, the S5, but it may be worth a look as well.
Скроменый эксперт
30.06.2008
6/10
Оценка пользователя
Плохо
I did weeks of research looking for a camera with a good zoom, a wide choice of aperture settings and good picture quality! I purchased this camera in April of 2007. It seemed to be working fine and I've taken hundreds of pictures with it. Now a year and 2 months later (2 months after the warranty expired) I went to go on a hike and tried to turn my camera on only to find that it was dead. We tried putting new batteries in with no avail. After returning home from my hike I started doing some research on the internet. I have found quite a few different posts that detail the very same problem as mine. One post mentions that a circuit board in the camera went out and it was almost $200 to fix it. I am a very disappointed customer at this point. I figured a camera that cost $ 350 would last longer than a little over a year. Canon has not issued a recall and hence will not repair it for free. I'm thinking I might need to look elsewhere for my next camera.
Скроменый эксперт
31.08.2006
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I am an artist, a traditional painter, and I needed a camera to create my own images for prints and cards of my paintings. This camera is more than enough for what I need, but when it comes to detail, resolution, and color clarity, you can never really have too much.
And I am NOT a camera techy, as many of the reviewers on this camera seem to be. However, with that said, and with all of the features this camera has, the functionality of this camera became VERY intuitive after just a few hours of referencing the manual and working directly with the camera.
Another thing I want to point out is the bundle this camera is packaged with. Personally, I give Canon a great deal of credit for making this package. The 16MB SD card it comes with is NOT useless! It is perfect for grabbing the camera right out of the box and putting in the batteries (4 included!), and giving it a whirl. I know 16 MB is very little space, but slow down------it's not a "scam" to get you to buy more and more products, or to spend $600 when you thought you were only going to spend $350 on your new camera, etc. Yes, you will want a bigger card---of course you will! But this package gives you another opportunity to save more money, and to expand your options on your own personal terms. I can only imagine if the camera was bundled with a 1GB stick that people would complain about the size or quality or the rise in price, etc.
No, it doesn't come with a carrying bag either. But do you determine what golf club to buy based on wether or not it comes with a sleeve/cover?
I have the lens adapter/converter to 58mm and the lens hood as well, and I am definitely glad I purchased them all together.
NOTE-----I HIGHLY reccomend also buying a UV filter for the camera, if for no other reason than protecting the lens. You will be much more nervous and meticulous if you have to clean the camera's own lens rather than a filter.
I can't argue much about the technical specifics of cameras, etc, but the setup on this camera was a breeze. I plugged the A/V cable into my TV, and there it was----stereo sound from the movie I had just recorded, no messy setup, and immediate results. Easy! It even functioned to display the viewfinder contents on the TV itself when in camera mode, which was a nice surprise if nothing else!
For my two cents, if you are looking for better quality pictures but, like me, you are NOT a techy or a professional photographer, and your budget is NOT $9000 (there IS a guide on Amazon for a $9000 budget), I recommend this camera to you. The camera DOES look like a big, complicated mess and it can certainly be intimidating. But you probably thought the same thing when you first started to drive a car. By now, you don't have to put too much effort into driving your car, and this camera quickly became as familiar and intuitive to me as well. And the results speak for themselves----the pictures are remarkable, and every time a friend sees a movie clip I have taken with this camera they smile and laugh and often tell me how surprised they are that a camera can do all of that. I am very pleased with this camera, 5 stars in any category that is relevant to me and my needs.
And I am NOT a camera techy, as many of the reviewers on this camera seem to be. However, with that said, and with all of the features this camera has, the functionality of this camera became VERY intuitive after just a few hours of referencing the manual and working directly with the camera.
Another thing I want to point out is the bundle this camera is packaged with. Personally, I give Canon a great deal of credit for making this package. The 16MB SD card it comes with is NOT useless! It is perfect for grabbing the camera right out of the box and putting in the batteries (4 included!), and giving it a whirl. I know 16 MB is very little space, but slow down------it's not a "scam" to get you to buy more and more products, or to spend $600 when you thought you were only going to spend $350 on your new camera, etc. Yes, you will want a bigger card---of course you will! But this package gives you another opportunity to save more money, and to expand your options on your own personal terms. I can only imagine if the camera was bundled with a 1GB stick that people would complain about the size or quality or the rise in price, etc.
No, it doesn't come with a carrying bag either. But do you determine what golf club to buy based on wether or not it comes with a sleeve/cover?
I have the lens adapter/converter to 58mm and the lens hood as well, and I am definitely glad I purchased them all together.
NOTE-----I HIGHLY reccomend also buying a UV filter for the camera, if for no other reason than protecting the lens. You will be much more nervous and meticulous if you have to clean the camera's own lens rather than a filter.
I can't argue much about the technical specifics of cameras, etc, but the setup on this camera was a breeze. I plugged the A/V cable into my TV, and there it was----stereo sound from the movie I had just recorded, no messy setup, and immediate results. Easy! It even functioned to display the viewfinder contents on the TV itself when in camera mode, which was a nice surprise if nothing else!
For my two cents, if you are looking for better quality pictures but, like me, you are NOT a techy or a professional photographer, and your budget is NOT $9000 (there IS a guide on Amazon for a $9000 budget), I recommend this camera to you. The camera DOES look like a big, complicated mess and it can certainly be intimidating. But you probably thought the same thing when you first started to drive a car. By now, you don't have to put too much effort into driving your car, and this camera quickly became as familiar and intuitive to me as well. And the results speak for themselves----the pictures are remarkable, and every time a friend sees a movie clip I have taken with this camera they smile and laugh and often tell me how surprised they are that a camera can do all of that. I am very pleased with this camera, 5 stars in any category that is relevant to me and my needs.
Скроменый эксперт
01.12.2008
2/10
Оценка пользователя
Ужасно
So I purchased this camera for use to take photo's at school sporting events and functions. I have used the camera about 50 times in the two years and I now have a lens that won't retract. Now that I have searched for this problem, I see it is very common. I found this site for people who don't have the money to send for repairs on some common things to try to fix the problem [...]
Good luck,
Good luck,
Скроменый эксперт
25.04.2007
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I've had this camera for 2-3 months and LUV it. This is my 5th digital camera and I did extensive research before my purchase. This is as close to an SLR as you will get without actually buying one. Technically this IS an SLR because it does "See through the lens". One thing I love about the EVF is what you compose/crop/see in the frame is what you get. Not an extra 5 feet to either side or whatever. The EVF is a little weird to get used to if you've used an optical viewfinder all your life.
The camera does have some chromatic aberration issues but you still can't pry it out of my hands.
This review is mainly in response to Ana y lat's review, that I found interesting as well as answer some not quite questions you have.
The flash issue: Recycle time for a flash is, well, recycle time. We have to live with it. Some maybe faster than others. Most modern day flashes have what's called a thyristor (sp). This device, usually a little window pointing the same way as the lens, measures the light reflected off the subject. If the subject is close, a lot of light is returned to the thyristor, and the flash only discharges what it needs from the internal capacitor. You may get 2,3 or more pictures depending on how depleted the capacitor charge is. Once depleted, you have to wait for the capacitor to charge again.
Your focusing issue on your baby's face: Auto focusing - Some older cameras used to use sub-sonic or ultra-sonic audio waves that get sent out of the camera and bounce back. Similar to radar/doppler effect. Much more expensive than software. Today's cameras use software to focus. But it needs something to focus on. Point your S3 to a plain wall or up to a blue sky with no clouds will do the same, and push the shutter release a little. It will not focus. When your camera will not focus on your baby's face, point the camera left or right a little on a blanket or pillow, anything with information enough for the cam to focus, but the same distance as your baby's face or your focal point. Push the shutter half way to let the cam focus. Then compose your shot and push the shutter release the rest of the way. You can use the same concept outside to over/under expose your shots, tricking the light meter instead of the focusing unit. You can also, of course, use the manual focus.
Hope this helps.
Keep snapping.
The camera does have some chromatic aberration issues but you still can't pry it out of my hands.
This review is mainly in response to Ana y lat's review, that I found interesting as well as answer some not quite questions you have.
The flash issue: Recycle time for a flash is, well, recycle time. We have to live with it. Some maybe faster than others. Most modern day flashes have what's called a thyristor (sp). This device, usually a little window pointing the same way as the lens, measures the light reflected off the subject. If the subject is close, a lot of light is returned to the thyristor, and the flash only discharges what it needs from the internal capacitor. You may get 2,3 or more pictures depending on how depleted the capacitor charge is. Once depleted, you have to wait for the capacitor to charge again.
Your focusing issue on your baby's face: Auto focusing - Some older cameras used to use sub-sonic or ultra-sonic audio waves that get sent out of the camera and bounce back. Similar to radar/doppler effect. Much more expensive than software. Today's cameras use software to focus. But it needs something to focus on. Point your S3 to a plain wall or up to a blue sky with no clouds will do the same, and push the shutter release a little. It will not focus. When your camera will not focus on your baby's face, point the camera left or right a little on a blanket or pillow, anything with information enough for the cam to focus, but the same distance as your baby's face or your focal point. Push the shutter half way to let the cam focus. Then compose your shot and push the shutter release the rest of the way. You can use the same concept outside to over/under expose your shots, tricking the light meter instead of the focusing unit. You can also, of course, use the manual focus.
Hope this helps.
Keep snapping.
Скроменый эксперт
04.07.2006
6/10
Оценка пользователя
Плохо
Since no camera is perfect for everyone, I truly hesitated (for over a month) to write this review. But, since I wrote a glowing review of another Canon camera model (the A620), fairness almost demanded a less positive review where equally warranted.
Like a previous reviewer, I also returned the Canon S3 IS recently purchased. And, just like that other reviewer, a significant reason was the small LCD display. I found it nearly impossible to use without reading glasses - not an obvious issue until actually using it in the "real world." Of course, the Canon A620 has the same small display, but one is more willing to overlook an annoyance such as this in a product costing considerably less. But, with a camera costing as much as the Canon S3 IS, there is little excuse today for such a small display (indeed, several other cameras in this price range offer a larger display).
Regardless, if this were the only issue with the Canon S3 IS, it might have been possible to live with this annoyance as well. But, added to that, the overall quality of this camera bothered me. Some aspects of the camera, such as the plastic tripod mount, suggests cheap construction. I seriously doubt a plastic mount can survive the repeated punishment of the often sharp metal screws found on the typical camera tripod. Plastic into plastic, perhaps. Metal into metal, of course. But not metal into plastic. Canon should know this, but went ahead with the plastic anyway. Since I use a tripod often (anyone seeking good images should), this annoyance was a little more difficult to ignore. But, moreover, this got me thinking about the rest of the camera. If Canon was so willing to cut corners with a plastic tripod mount, one has to wonder how far they went to cut corners in places consumers cannot easily see - the electronics and mechanics inside the camera.
There were other minor disappointments (weak flash, noisy EVF, and so on), but I could reasonably live with those. None, including the above, were enough to cause me to utterly rule out the Canon S3 IS. The early reviews of the newer Sony DSC-H5 were the final straw. A look at the features, and a trip to the store to actually handle the camera, was enough to finally cause me to switch.
The Sony offers an additional 1.2 million pixels of image resolution (even if one doesn't make larger prints, the extra resolution gives more room for cropping images), a larger LCD display, a better EVF, a metal tripod mount, a stronger flash, and more. It also performs better at ISO-400, offering another full stop of usable exposure over the Canon S3 IS (important to me during the long dark winters of northern Europe, but a benefit to anyone shooting in low-light conditions). The Sony doesn't perform exceptionally well at the larger ISO settings (ISO-800 and 1000), but neither does the Canon (no ISO-1000 setting, but similar performance at ISO-800). Otherwise, both the Sony and Canon are pretty evenly matched - little else gained or lost by chosing one over the other. I did lose the articulating display offered on the Canon S3 IS, but, more importantly, gained significantly in the other areas mentioned in this paragraph.
Like the other reviewer, perhaps a future Canon S(?) IS camera addressing these issues might tempt me to return to the Canon fold. But, in the meantime, Canon has lost this customer to Sony.
Like a previous reviewer, I also returned the Canon S3 IS recently purchased. And, just like that other reviewer, a significant reason was the small LCD display. I found it nearly impossible to use without reading glasses - not an obvious issue until actually using it in the "real world." Of course, the Canon A620 has the same small display, but one is more willing to overlook an annoyance such as this in a product costing considerably less. But, with a camera costing as much as the Canon S3 IS, there is little excuse today for such a small display (indeed, several other cameras in this price range offer a larger display).
Regardless, if this were the only issue with the Canon S3 IS, it might have been possible to live with this annoyance as well. But, added to that, the overall quality of this camera bothered me. Some aspects of the camera, such as the plastic tripod mount, suggests cheap construction. I seriously doubt a plastic mount can survive the repeated punishment of the often sharp metal screws found on the typical camera tripod. Plastic into plastic, perhaps. Metal into metal, of course. But not metal into plastic. Canon should know this, but went ahead with the plastic anyway. Since I use a tripod often (anyone seeking good images should), this annoyance was a little more difficult to ignore. But, moreover, this got me thinking about the rest of the camera. If Canon was so willing to cut corners with a plastic tripod mount, one has to wonder how far they went to cut corners in places consumers cannot easily see - the electronics and mechanics inside the camera.
There were other minor disappointments (weak flash, noisy EVF, and so on), but I could reasonably live with those. None, including the above, were enough to cause me to utterly rule out the Canon S3 IS. The early reviews of the newer Sony DSC-H5 were the final straw. A look at the features, and a trip to the store to actually handle the camera, was enough to finally cause me to switch.
The Sony offers an additional 1.2 million pixels of image resolution (even if one doesn't make larger prints, the extra resolution gives more room for cropping images), a larger LCD display, a better EVF, a metal tripod mount, a stronger flash, and more. It also performs better at ISO-400, offering another full stop of usable exposure over the Canon S3 IS (important to me during the long dark winters of northern Europe, but a benefit to anyone shooting in low-light conditions). The Sony doesn't perform exceptionally well at the larger ISO settings (ISO-800 and 1000), but neither does the Canon (no ISO-1000 setting, but similar performance at ISO-800). Otherwise, both the Sony and Canon are pretty evenly matched - little else gained or lost by chosing one over the other. I did lose the articulating display offered on the Canon S3 IS, but, more importantly, gained significantly in the other areas mentioned in this paragraph.
Like the other reviewer, perhaps a future Canon S(?) IS camera addressing these issues might tempt me to return to the Canon fold. But, in the meantime, Canon has lost this customer to Sony.
Скроменый эксперт
28.12.2008
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I've had this camera for years now and it still continues to impress me. With its swivel screen and interchangeable lenses, settings for super macro and manual focus and so many specialty uses, this camera has everything you could ever want!
Скроменый эксперт
18.04.2007
8/10
Оценка пользователя
Хорошо
Excellent camera for advanced hobbyists who want control (like me), as well as those who just want to push the button.
PROS: Fantastic 12x zoom range (wish it had a little more wide angle though). Image Stabilization works like magic (I can hand-hold 400mm shots even on overcast days). The folding LCD is more useful than I thought (great for low macro shots). Love the size (feels like a real camera, not a disposable). Shutter lag & focus speed are very good. TV quality videos with dedicated button. SD card (best format). Common AA batteries (but get NiMH rechargeable).
CONS: More purple fringing (in high contrast areas) than I expected - not as good as my Nikon CoolPix 7600. This is not a problem for 4x6 prints and TV/DVD slideshows, but I think it will start being noticeable in prints larger than 8x10. High pitched whine in video, but it improves if you lower the sampling rate (plus I was able to filter it out with a Low Pass filter in Premiere Elements). Zooms a little too fast for my taste. Wish I could attach filters without an adapter.
OPINION: Electronic View Finders are better than SLRs because SLRs don't take movies, which really add pizzazz to a slideshow (now on DVD, or search for "worldjim" on YouTube). The clunky mirror mechanism was needed in a film world, but not in digital; LCDs (even on the cheapest cameras) do exactly what SLRs do - view through the recording lens. However, EVFs are still geared for the less serious photographer. EVF LCDs and CCDs still need improvement, but that will come in time. Plus interchangeable lenses would be nice.
ACCESSORIES: I got an adapter (on eBay) so I could use a polarizer - a must for serious photographers. It works, but it's a little tricky to use with the EVF or LCD.
OVERALL: Not perfect, but no digital camera is. Even though it needs some improvement, I still think it's the best compromise on the market today (for what I want to do). I consider this my first serious digital camera, and I'd buy it again.
UPDATE (4/19/07): I hope I didn't sound too negative. On the contrary, I love this camera. It's just that I'm picky when it comes to cameras (I'm a Nikon FM2 guy at heart). And like I said, I didn't like anything until now. The S3 IS will do just fine until a better one comes along.
PROS: Fantastic 12x zoom range (wish it had a little more wide angle though). Image Stabilization works like magic (I can hand-hold 400mm shots even on overcast days). The folding LCD is more useful than I thought (great for low macro shots). Love the size (feels like a real camera, not a disposable). Shutter lag & focus speed are very good. TV quality videos with dedicated button. SD card (best format). Common AA batteries (but get NiMH rechargeable).
CONS: More purple fringing (in high contrast areas) than I expected - not as good as my Nikon CoolPix 7600. This is not a problem for 4x6 prints and TV/DVD slideshows, but I think it will start being noticeable in prints larger than 8x10. High pitched whine in video, but it improves if you lower the sampling rate (plus I was able to filter it out with a Low Pass filter in Premiere Elements). Zooms a little too fast for my taste. Wish I could attach filters without an adapter.
OPINION: Electronic View Finders are better than SLRs because SLRs don't take movies, which really add pizzazz to a slideshow (now on DVD, or search for "worldjim" on YouTube). The clunky mirror mechanism was needed in a film world, but not in digital; LCDs (even on the cheapest cameras) do exactly what SLRs do - view through the recording lens. However, EVFs are still geared for the less serious photographer. EVF LCDs and CCDs still need improvement, but that will come in time. Plus interchangeable lenses would be nice.
ACCESSORIES: I got an adapter (on eBay) so I could use a polarizer - a must for serious photographers. It works, but it's a little tricky to use with the EVF or LCD.
OVERALL: Not perfect, but no digital camera is. Even though it needs some improvement, I still think it's the best compromise on the market today (for what I want to do). I consider this my first serious digital camera, and I'd buy it again.
UPDATE (4/19/07): I hope I didn't sound too negative. On the contrary, I love this camera. It's just that I'm picky when it comes to cameras (I'm a Nikon FM2 guy at heart). And like I said, I didn't like anything until now. The S3 IS will do just fine until a better one comes along.
Скроменый эксперт
14.08.2007
8/10
Оценка пользователя
Хорошо
When looking for a camera there are a number of questions you need to ask.
For this camer, the following applies
Is it good for beginers - Yes
Is it good for the serious user - Yes - plently of options to fiddle!
Does it have image stabaliser - Yes
Does it have zoom - Hell yes! 12X
Is battery life good - Yes - on holiday in Italy useing 4 X rechageable AA with full quality pictures on a 1gb card i took 300 + pictures plus 2 videos and did not have to change the batteries at all. Use the viewfinder instead of the LED and it is astonishing
Is the LED good - Yes, not as big as some others, but its swivel ability gives you so many options. But you should not use it all the time when you have an electronic view finder. It folds away and so does not get finger marks
Are the resulting pictures good - Yes. Minimal tweaking on editing progs like Picasa2 will sharpen and boost the contrast a little.
Is it good in doors - Not bad, could be better, just be sure to keep the flash on
Action shots - Yes - very good.
Panorama shots - Yes, and the Canon stich program and editing software is blinding!
Video - Superb, with sound, more than enough for the casual takes.
Heavy - Not really, nice balance if held properly.
Down side (hence the 4 star and not 5) - Lens cap keeps falling off. Although a big improvement on the S1, the zoom is still a little slow on focusing. Unlike the S1, you have to manually raise the flash.
Summary - a lovely camera, with more than sufficient pixel (6mp) any more and you probably would not gain anything. Zoom of 12X is brilliant, no need to even think of digital zoom. Handles well, and over all as an owner you would not be feeling you have wasted your money. You would be hard pushed to get this much packed into any other camera with such a superb inbuild software.
For this camer, the following applies
Is it good for beginers - Yes
Is it good for the serious user - Yes - plently of options to fiddle!
Does it have image stabaliser - Yes
Does it have zoom - Hell yes! 12X
Is battery life good - Yes - on holiday in Italy useing 4 X rechageable AA with full quality pictures on a 1gb card i took 300 + pictures plus 2 videos and did not have to change the batteries at all. Use the viewfinder instead of the LED and it is astonishing
Is the LED good - Yes, not as big as some others, but its swivel ability gives you so many options. But you should not use it all the time when you have an electronic view finder. It folds away and so does not get finger marks
Are the resulting pictures good - Yes. Minimal tweaking on editing progs like Picasa2 will sharpen and boost the contrast a little.
Is it good in doors - Not bad, could be better, just be sure to keep the flash on
Action shots - Yes - very good.
Panorama shots - Yes, and the Canon stich program and editing software is blinding!
Video - Superb, with sound, more than enough for the casual takes.
Heavy - Not really, nice balance if held properly.
Down side (hence the 4 star and not 5) - Lens cap keeps falling off. Although a big improvement on the S1, the zoom is still a little slow on focusing. Unlike the S1, you have to manually raise the flash.
Summary - a lovely camera, with more than sufficient pixel (6mp) any more and you probably would not gain anything. Zoom of 12X is brilliant, no need to even think of digital zoom. Handles well, and over all as an owner you would not be feeling you have wasted your money. You would be hard pushed to get this much packed into any other camera with such a superb inbuild software.
Скроменый эксперт
06.08.2007
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I originally bought this camera as a replacement for my 35mm Canon EOS650. The only thing that the S3 IS lacks as far as a replacement is the Bulb function. That was a key thing i was looking for, because photos taken at shutter speeds of over 30 seconds get interesting results.
I've taken this camera out on a few road trips now, and i can honestly say that it suits my needs perfectly. The wide screen mode is very handy for making desktop backgrounds (i have a widescreen monitor) and overall, as long as you know what you're doing, the pictures come out crystal clear and don't have any grain.
The grain factor in this camera comes in ISO speeds of over 200. So using the "dummie mode" in anything besides daylght would probably result in a grainy picture.
As far as the custom mode goes, i haven't figured out how to save it, but the program mode does just fine for what i need now. Obviously i haven't played with all the bells and whistles on this thing yet, but i really do like everything about it. The auto mode sucks though.
Video capture on it is pretty nice as well. I've never had sterio video on a digital camera. The microphone even captures slight echoes from voices at a lake.
The 12x zoom is very cool. The camera that this is replacing is an SLR and its big lense on that one just barely keeps up with this one.
The S3 IS is also a big step up from what i used to have for a digital camera; a Fujii Finepix A345. I could take some amazing pictures with the Fujii, and at first with the S3 IS i was disappointed because of the auto mode's grainy high ISOs. Getting around that was easy enough though.
Very good flash recycle time (i'm not a big flash user, but i thought it was a good note to add). Good continuous shots. The swivvle screen comes in handy. Its comfortable to hold. Feels pretty ruggid, though i don't dare drop it lol. It looks nice too!
I've taken this camera out on a few road trips now, and i can honestly say that it suits my needs perfectly. The wide screen mode is very handy for making desktop backgrounds (i have a widescreen monitor) and overall, as long as you know what you're doing, the pictures come out crystal clear and don't have any grain.
The grain factor in this camera comes in ISO speeds of over 200. So using the "dummie mode" in anything besides daylght would probably result in a grainy picture.
As far as the custom mode goes, i haven't figured out how to save it, but the program mode does just fine for what i need now. Obviously i haven't played with all the bells and whistles on this thing yet, but i really do like everything about it. The auto mode sucks though.
Video capture on it is pretty nice as well. I've never had sterio video on a digital camera. The microphone even captures slight echoes from voices at a lake.
The 12x zoom is very cool. The camera that this is replacing is an SLR and its big lense on that one just barely keeps up with this one.
The S3 IS is also a big step up from what i used to have for a digital camera; a Fujii Finepix A345. I could take some amazing pictures with the Fujii, and at first with the S3 IS i was disappointed because of the auto mode's grainy high ISOs. Getting around that was easy enough though.
Very good flash recycle time (i'm not a big flash user, but i thought it was a good note to add). Good continuous shots. The swivvle screen comes in handy. Its comfortable to hold. Feels pretty ruggid, though i don't dare drop it lol. It looks nice too!
Скроменый эксперт
06.11.2006
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
There are a lot of things to like about this camera.
The image stabilizer works. It won't freeze subject motion, but it does a very good job of freezing camera motion. One of my first low-light hand-held shots has a blurry subject (he moved while talking) with a rock-solid background and foreground. This feature makes everyone a better photographer.
The lens is near professional quality. It's bright at f 2.8 (wide) and f 3.5 (telephoto) so you can shoot available light as well as long zoom. The brightness also means you can lock the camera on ISO 80 or 100 to keep highest image quality. The image stabilizer means that you can use the really long zoom without camera shake ruining the shot.
The sensor has enough pixels to do the job. Last night I shot full moon shots at max zoom (using a tripod). The moon was well up in the sky (making it smaller) and looked no bigger than a pencil eraser on the display. Inside on the monitor, the shots are great. There are enough pixels that when I crop to get the subject, I still have a very nice shot. Fall foiliage shots have so much detail you could almost teach a biology class on leaves from your snapshots when you blow them all the way up. I mught be able to use more pixels, but I don't *need* more pixels.
The Auto and Program modes are great for beginners. Pick it up, turn it on, frame and fire. Most of the time this will suffice and the quality of the shot will be determined by the eye of the photographer. Some times you need to take control, and the camera has the modes and controls for that too. Indoor, low light, no-flash, long zoom is the one that hits me; in default mode the autofocus hunts if you don't help it. Now I know what to do, but a novice will fight it.
The camera has a host of handy features like self timer and continuous fire and red-eye reduction and... A novice can ignore them but with experience you can exploit them.
Like every digital ever made, the display washes out in sun. The viewfinder can seem cramped if you are used to an SLR. The rotatable display lets you hold the camera away from your face and get good shots (overhead and from waist level are the most useful). Shooting from the waist or with the camera in your lap can get you some great candid shots.
Love the movie mode. You'll want a 1G or bigger SD card.
It doesn't fit in a pocket, but it is reasonably easy to hold in your right hand. It is way smaller than an SLR, so you can lurk with it concealed mostly in your hand. I haven't found a case I really like for it yet. The strap is a tad short on me.
Professionals will find that the ISO 800 setting works but is too noisy in the low light conditions that demand it. It is useable, but you get snapshot quality.
The image stabilizer works. It won't freeze subject motion, but it does a very good job of freezing camera motion. One of my first low-light hand-held shots has a blurry subject (he moved while talking) with a rock-solid background and foreground. This feature makes everyone a better photographer.
The lens is near professional quality. It's bright at f 2.8 (wide) and f 3.5 (telephoto) so you can shoot available light as well as long zoom. The brightness also means you can lock the camera on ISO 80 or 100 to keep highest image quality. The image stabilizer means that you can use the really long zoom without camera shake ruining the shot.
The sensor has enough pixels to do the job. Last night I shot full moon shots at max zoom (using a tripod). The moon was well up in the sky (making it smaller) and looked no bigger than a pencil eraser on the display. Inside on the monitor, the shots are great. There are enough pixels that when I crop to get the subject, I still have a very nice shot. Fall foiliage shots have so much detail you could almost teach a biology class on leaves from your snapshots when you blow them all the way up. I mught be able to use more pixels, but I don't *need* more pixels.
The Auto and Program modes are great for beginners. Pick it up, turn it on, frame and fire. Most of the time this will suffice and the quality of the shot will be determined by the eye of the photographer. Some times you need to take control, and the camera has the modes and controls for that too. Indoor, low light, no-flash, long zoom is the one that hits me; in default mode the autofocus hunts if you don't help it. Now I know what to do, but a novice will fight it.
The camera has a host of handy features like self timer and continuous fire and red-eye reduction and... A novice can ignore them but with experience you can exploit them.
Like every digital ever made, the display washes out in sun. The viewfinder can seem cramped if you are used to an SLR. The rotatable display lets you hold the camera away from your face and get good shots (overhead and from waist level are the most useful). Shooting from the waist or with the camera in your lap can get you some great candid shots.
Love the movie mode. You'll want a 1G or bigger SD card.
It doesn't fit in a pocket, but it is reasonably easy to hold in your right hand. It is way smaller than an SLR, so you can lurk with it concealed mostly in your hand. I haven't found a case I really like for it yet. The strap is a tad short on me.
Professionals will find that the ISO 800 setting works but is too noisy in the low light conditions that demand it. It is useable, but you get snapshot quality.
Скроменый эксперт
04.08.2007
8/10
Оценка пользователя
Хорошо
I bought this in lieu of a Cannon G-7 at the urging of my father who had a G-1 and now has an S1-IS. The camera has the right balance of size, performance, quality, speed, battery life. I'm really impressed by the chip as shooting in Hotels (something I do for Rotary) works fine AS LONG AS I'M NOT USING THE ZOOM (See below. My Cannon A85 simply can't do this at any distance. The video sound and visual is really amazing, I've postponed replacing a dead Sony VidCam due to the video capability of this little baby.
I find that the menu's are easy to use (this being my 3rd Canon) and the ergonomics are very very good. The LCD swivel is really effective and almost useable in direct sunlight when set to low intensity (didn't try the higher value). The rest of the time it is quite effective.
My complaints are:
1. Due to some unknown issue (which could very well be me!) I have mystery fuzzy shots - where the camera drops down to 640x480 resolution. This has happened once outside and once inside so I'm not sure what's up with this. I have an extended warranty ... but.... you know what a pain that will be to have confirmed by the shop if it's not consistent.
2. The flash is weak. Since the camera can do high-ISO and has a reasonable sized lens (the real lens - not the outer lens) and a great chip (i.e. fast and high quality and good color), this doesn't impact me.
3. I've not really found where the Image Stabilization has made a difference in my shooting profiles. I do have situations where I zoom in lower light and even with the wonderful features - it's clear that I'm not holding the camera still enough (i.e. back of the room shot in a Hotel to the podium).
Overall, this is a good camera for what I do and allows me a much larger envelope of performance than any prior camera.
Considering the cost, this camera rocks!
I find that the menu's are easy to use (this being my 3rd Canon) and the ergonomics are very very good. The LCD swivel is really effective and almost useable in direct sunlight when set to low intensity (didn't try the higher value). The rest of the time it is quite effective.
My complaints are:
1. Due to some unknown issue (which could very well be me!) I have mystery fuzzy shots - where the camera drops down to 640x480 resolution. This has happened once outside and once inside so I'm not sure what's up with this. I have an extended warranty ... but.... you know what a pain that will be to have confirmed by the shop if it's not consistent.
2. The flash is weak. Since the camera can do high-ISO and has a reasonable sized lens (the real lens - not the outer lens) and a great chip (i.e. fast and high quality and good color), this doesn't impact me.
3. I've not really found where the Image Stabilization has made a difference in my shooting profiles. I do have situations where I zoom in lower light and even with the wonderful features - it's clear that I'm not holding the camera still enough (i.e. back of the room shot in a Hotel to the podium).
Overall, this is a good camera for what I do and allows me a much larger envelope of performance than any prior camera.
Considering the cost, this camera rocks!
Скроменый эксперт
22.03.2007
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I've had a couple point-and-shoot digital cameras already (3 Sonys and 1 Canon SD600) and I felt it was time for me to advance my photography skills. I purchased the Nikon D50 last December and it is an excellent camera except that it had so many more functions that I didn't need nor understood how to use.
Then I found out about the Canon S3 IS. It's seems like the perfect in between camera! It has a bunch of the Canon creative modes like night shot, sports, color accent, black & white, but it also has modes where you can adjust your pictures manually, like shutter and aperture priority. The display shows all the functions you are currently using as well as a live histogram to aid you while you take pictures. It also adjusts the image on the LCD (unlike for pro-SLRs) so you know what your picture will most likely look like with your settings. The video/sound is superb. Shots take in auto look great as well.
The body of the camera is ergonomically friendly. It looks and feels like a mini-SLR, it's lightweight, and the controls are extremely easy to learn and use. The LCD also flips and and turns 180 degrees for when you want to take self-portraits. It's also useful flipped out to get a better view of things higher and lower than your usual field of vision. The LCD could be bigger but it's not a big deal to me. The rockers, dials, and buttons function smoothly and the menu is very intuitive.
The camera uses 4AA batteries. It comes with 4 disposibles but you have to buy your own rechargable batteries with charger. I think it's great though to have AA batteries rather than those camera-specific batteries (which my Canon SD600 and Nikon D50 both used) because you can actually just buy some AAs if your rechargables run out and you don't have the charger on hand. I read that you should buy the nimh with an mah of 2500 or greater because these supposedly last longer per charge.
Overall, this camera is an excellent choice for those who want more control over their pictures than with their point-and-shoots but for whom SLRs might be too expensive or just too pro (like it was for me). You will actually use all the functions on this camera. I think it's also a great camera to use and learn to use more manual functions in case you decide to eventually move up to an SLR.
Enjoy! :)
Then I found out about the Canon S3 IS. It's seems like the perfect in between camera! It has a bunch of the Canon creative modes like night shot, sports, color accent, black & white, but it also has modes where you can adjust your pictures manually, like shutter and aperture priority. The display shows all the functions you are currently using as well as a live histogram to aid you while you take pictures. It also adjusts the image on the LCD (unlike for pro-SLRs) so you know what your picture will most likely look like with your settings. The video/sound is superb. Shots take in auto look great as well.
The body of the camera is ergonomically friendly. It looks and feels like a mini-SLR, it's lightweight, and the controls are extremely easy to learn and use. The LCD also flips and and turns 180 degrees for when you want to take self-portraits. It's also useful flipped out to get a better view of things higher and lower than your usual field of vision. The LCD could be bigger but it's not a big deal to me. The rockers, dials, and buttons function smoothly and the menu is very intuitive.
The camera uses 4AA batteries. It comes with 4 disposibles but you have to buy your own rechargable batteries with charger. I think it's great though to have AA batteries rather than those camera-specific batteries (which my Canon SD600 and Nikon D50 both used) because you can actually just buy some AAs if your rechargables run out and you don't have the charger on hand. I read that you should buy the nimh with an mah of 2500 or greater because these supposedly last longer per charge.
Overall, this camera is an excellent choice for those who want more control over their pictures than with their point-and-shoots but for whom SLRs might be too expensive or just too pro (like it was for me). You will actually use all the functions on this camera. I think it's also a great camera to use and learn to use more manual functions in case you decide to eventually move up to an SLR.
Enjoy! :)
Скроменый эксперт
27.10.2007
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
This is one of the best cameras I've owned. I would highly recommend it. Not as pricey as the SLRs, but has a lot of professional features. The zoom is great. I have taken photos from great distances and gotten good results. The photos are very sharp, and the colors are vibrant. I had a Kodak before this camera, and the indoor pictures were very washed out looking. I used to have a pro Minolta system that was 35mm. I am amazed at all of the modes and adjustments that can be made using the Canon system. The kinds of things that used to be on $1,000 cameras. My biggest advise: Take the time to read your manual! There is a lot of information there that will improve your picture taking. Try learning one feature at a time if you get overwhelmed by the size of the manual. Rome wasn't built in a day. You can always erase what doesn't work. I also like that I can add additional lenses to increase my options. Most "point and shoot" cameras don't offer that. The built-in macro on the S3 IS is really sharp. Check out my bee on flower pic in the gallery. I accidently bumped the bee on the lens a couple of times. That is how close I was to the subject! Try out the fireworks and night settings, too. I have gotten nice pictures of lit fountains and fireworks at night with those. Another thing I was impressed by is how long the batteries last. I got Sony rechargables and they can last up to a month or more depending on use. The Canon doesn't "eat" standard batteries either. My Kodak was a battery hog. This is simply a great camera at a reasonable price. Get one and have some fun!
Скроменый эксперт
19.05.2008
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
I have been using this camera for a year now and I love it! The pictures are so amazing! Very crisp and clear. The zoom is incredible and the micro-closeup pictures are so beautiful!
I find that when the camera starts acting slow, I replace the batteries and it works quicker. I love the video function too. Its so much fun to be able to take quick little videos of my kids. Its very easy to use. I haven't used all of the features, but the ones I have used I've been very happy with. The flip out screen has come in handy several times. I have had 2 people purchase this same camera after trying mine. I can't say enough great things about this. If you are looking for a small camera though, this is not for you. I would recommend a smaller cannon if you want a little "pocket camera", but if you want to take great family pictures, this is the camera for you!!
I find that when the camera starts acting slow, I replace the batteries and it works quicker. I love the video function too. Its so much fun to be able to take quick little videos of my kids. Its very easy to use. I haven't used all of the features, but the ones I have used I've been very happy with. The flip out screen has come in handy several times. I have had 2 people purchase this same camera after trying mine. I can't say enough great things about this. If you are looking for a small camera though, this is not for you. I would recommend a smaller cannon if you want a little "pocket camera", but if you want to take great family pictures, this is the camera for you!!
Скроменый эксперт
16.10.2006
6/10
Оценка пользователя
Плохо
I'm a very experienced photographer, been published and won a few contests too. I use Canon SLR cameras, lenses and equipment which is GREAT stuff. So, when I wanted to add a professional level point-and-shoot camera the Canon Powershot S3 IS was an easy choice. It has excellent optics and essentially the same technology used in Canon's SLRs. So what could go wrong?
First and foremost, everyone should know the Electronic Viewfinder on S3 is VERY pixelated and dark - like looking thru heavy mesh screen. It's difficult to know when you have a sharp focus. Also, the LCD screen is VERY small and dark. It's difficult to see images on this screen in bright light. It simply does not work well for me doing fine art photography. If you plan to use this camera 100 percent of the time in autofocus, these concerns do not apply to you. However, if you plan to do any Macro photography this will be a problem. Personally, I like to know with absolute certainty my photos are sharp and subjects are in focus. No one likes to see fuzzigraphs!
I have also found it far too easy to accidently push one of the many buttons scattered over the camera surface. For example, I had set the camera to best quality, highest resolution to shoot flower pictures. Somewhere along the way I hit the wrong button and took a few low resolution images before discovering the change of setting. My SLR's have lots of buttons too, but I've never had this happen before.
The macro (close-up)capability of this camera is greatly over-rated. It only works on wide angle settings of the lens. Therefore, you must be VERY close to the subject photographed. I bought a Canon 500D close up lens to take macros and still have the full 12X zoom of the camera's lens.
A few reviewers have commented on the very poor quality of the manual that accompanies the S3. I must agree. It IS hard to figure out and I've got a lot of experience reading Canon manuals, figuring out Canon menus and setting camera dials. It's been my experience most folks don't read the manuals. They learn just enough to take pictures and never explore the full power of these devices. The big "P" on the Program dial does NOT stand for "perfect". So, if you don't read manuals, ignore my comments.
The picture quality is very good and should not disappoint anyone - assuming of course it's properly focused. The one thing you need to know is that as good as the meter is in this camera, you will have to learn about Exposure Compensation if you expect properly exposed images. Over- and under- exposures can be avoided with compensation and using the camera's histogram features.
I gave this camera a 3 star rating because it does not live up to the quality and performance I've come to expect from Canon. It's a decent camera, but for it's price it should be MUCH BETTER.
First and foremost, everyone should know the Electronic Viewfinder on S3 is VERY pixelated and dark - like looking thru heavy mesh screen. It's difficult to know when you have a sharp focus. Also, the LCD screen is VERY small and dark. It's difficult to see images on this screen in bright light. It simply does not work well for me doing fine art photography. If you plan to use this camera 100 percent of the time in autofocus, these concerns do not apply to you. However, if you plan to do any Macro photography this will be a problem. Personally, I like to know with absolute certainty my photos are sharp and subjects are in focus. No one likes to see fuzzigraphs!
I have also found it far too easy to accidently push one of the many buttons scattered over the camera surface. For example, I had set the camera to best quality, highest resolution to shoot flower pictures. Somewhere along the way I hit the wrong button and took a few low resolution images before discovering the change of setting. My SLR's have lots of buttons too, but I've never had this happen before.
The macro (close-up)capability of this camera is greatly over-rated. It only works on wide angle settings of the lens. Therefore, you must be VERY close to the subject photographed. I bought a Canon 500D close up lens to take macros and still have the full 12X zoom of the camera's lens.
A few reviewers have commented on the very poor quality of the manual that accompanies the S3. I must agree. It IS hard to figure out and I've got a lot of experience reading Canon manuals, figuring out Canon menus and setting camera dials. It's been my experience most folks don't read the manuals. They learn just enough to take pictures and never explore the full power of these devices. The big "P" on the Program dial does NOT stand for "perfect". So, if you don't read manuals, ignore my comments.
The picture quality is very good and should not disappoint anyone - assuming of course it's properly focused. The one thing you need to know is that as good as the meter is in this camera, you will have to learn about Exposure Compensation if you expect properly exposed images. Over- and under- exposures can be avoided with compensation and using the camera's histogram features.
I gave this camera a 3 star rating because it does not live up to the quality and performance I've come to expect from Canon. It's a decent camera, but for it's price it should be MUCH BETTER.
Скроменый эксперт
24.05.2008
6/10
Оценка пользователя
Плохо
This camera is ok, at first I thought it was great, but now I am not that impressed. The camera has an extremely difficult time determining what to focus on (it can't tell if it should focus on an arm or a face). This issue is in its extreme when you are shooting indoors. 1/2 to 3/4 of my pictures are not focused correctly. The camera is bulky, and if you just want to take your camera with you to take pictures it becomes a burden after a couple of hours. I live in Orlando so I go to Disney a lot, I've pretty much stopped taking my camera because of this reason. The battery life on the camera is excellent and outside pictures are great. Flash regeneration time is excellent.
Overall the camera is ok, if you do not take a lot of indoor pictures then you will be fine (that is if you don't mind lugging this thing around).
Overall the camera is ok, if you do not take a lot of indoor pictures then you will be fine (that is if you don't mind lugging this thing around).
Скроменый эксперт
20.03.2008
6/10
Оценка пользователя
Плохо
I love the S3, it's a great camera but......the only issue (in my opinion) with the S3 is that it does not do well in low light and the pictures are a little too soft for my liking. I love the IS feature but even that doesn't prevent a few blurry ones from time to time. The IS dosen't do so well with Super Zoom or slow shutter speeds, You should still have a tripod. In sunny conditions it's a great camera but if it's overcast then I'm reaching for another camera. I initially wanted the S5 IS but after reading a lot of reviews about high noise I went with the S3. I was really disappointed when I noticed levels of noise that I didn't expect. I was also expecting the photos to be a little sharper. I have a bad habit of comparing a camera's sharpness to the Fuji FinePix S-series. I have seen some really stunning photos from the S3 and I have taken a few exceptional ones myself. I do recommend it but just think about the type of photos you want to take. I really did want to give this at least 4-5 stars but Low Light ability is a big one in my book.
Скроменый эксперт
26.04.2007
8/10
Оценка пользователя
Хорошо
My first digital camera was a Canon G2 (very slow but destined to become a classic). My second camera was a Sony H1. What I soon missed with the Sony was the swivel screen of the G2, and I didn't care for the ergonomics of the H1, the autofocus/manual focus performance and the 12 seconds between flash shots either. I recently bought the S3 because I really liked the overall look and feel: it felt like a combination of the G2 and a digital SLR in a small package. The video performance is impressive as is the image stabilization (which was not as good with the H1). Overall, picture taking performance in various modes is quite good and preferred over the H1, although both the H1 and S3 suffer from poor high ISO/low light performance. There remains, however, one serious S3 image problem: purple fringing. Outdoor high zoom pictures where there is strong contrast between light and dark objects (skin in direct sunlight with strong shadow for instance) results in a thick violet outline or "radioactive glow" where light and dark meet. Canon touts its lens technology of the S3 and states "...ultra low dispersion lens significantly reduces chromatic aberation in telephoto shots." Even with this "technology" the S3 has almost twice the degree of chromatic aberation "purple fringing" as the Sony H1 (the G2 had some fringing but it was blue and less obvious - but only 3x telephoto). I've done exhaustive comparisons between the two cameras to reach this conclusion. Strangly, an old abused store demo S3 had less fringing than the new cameras - I returned two S3s because of this issue. Perhaps the quality of lens manufacture declined with the newer units. The only partial remedy I found to this problem is to shoot all outdoor shots at f8 and do not exceed about 6x-8x instead of the max optical 12x telephoto. This will substantially reduce fringing in the center of photos, but not in the outer areas. Also, UV or polarizing filters do not help. Because I actually still like this camera so much, I've decided to put up with the fringing handicap - until I finally give in to the expense and extreme bulk of a decent digital SLR and quality telephoto lens.
Скроменый эксперт
27.05.2008
10/10
Оценка пользователя
Великолепно
This is the second version of this camera I've purchased. The main attraction for me was the quality of the photos along with the ease of use coupled with advanced features that allows the user to "grow into" the camera. Start with the simple "auto" settings and then advance into the more "user defined" photographic settings. Great fun..
Being a believer in "simple is better" I appreciate the non-proprietary batteries, the "through the lens" viewing. This feature uses a LCD display in the viewfinder. VERY easy on the batteries and so easy to see and use even in very bight light.
With a very modest investment in time and reading this camera will give you hundreds of "keeper" photos.. Highly recommended..
Amazon is great to do business with.. Fair prices and great service..
Being a believer in "simple is better" I appreciate the non-proprietary batteries, the "through the lens" viewing. This feature uses a LCD display in the viewfinder. VERY easy on the batteries and so easy to see and use even in very bight light.
With a very modest investment in time and reading this camera will give you hundreds of "keeper" photos.. Highly recommended..
Amazon is great to do business with.. Fair prices and great service..
Скроменый эксперт
28.07.2006
4/10
Оценка пользователя
Ужасно
For many people the Canon S3 is the camera they really wanted. The majority of the owners' reports here are testimony to that.
For the rest of us the Canon S3 came tantalizingly close to being that ideal camera, but fell short for various reasons. We had hoped for more, not so much in features and options, but mainly in the quality of what was offered. I found that it missed out in four principal areas:
1. its LCD screen is small and its resolution poor. The same is true of its EVF (viewfinder.) The LCD solarizes in bright sunlight making it impossible to use and is not bright enough to use in very sunny conditions.
2. it has chromatic aberration (purple/green fringing) especially at the telephoto end of the lens
3. it has no RAW mode
4. it's overpriced.
If the LCD & EVF had had decent size and resolution I probably could have lived with the other three. Almost every review mentioned this shortcoming. I liked the articulated screen - a must for me. But so small and so lo-res just didn't cut it for me. One user told me the EVF image was so pixilated in bright conditions he couldn't really tell what he had until he saw it on the computer.
I had hoped to do some semi-pro work with this camera. Doing it with this LCD would be difficult and difficult I don't like. And that missing RAW mode, lamented by many reviewers and offered by other cameras in this class, confirmed that it was -almost - a photographer's camera, as distinct from a point-&-shoot, that didn't quite make it. And that disappoints me.
I saw a lot of tele shots with purple fringing especially at the extreme end of the lens. Most of that could be eliminated with Photoshop work or by using a shorter focal length. But if you can't use the full length of your lens or you have to fix the image later, those are major shortcomings I don't want. An aprochromatic lens system, admittedly more expensive, would eliminate this problem.
I think the price factor worth consideration. The current best price here on the West Coast of Canada was $C580. But you need to buy a charger and batteries $39, plus a memory card since the ludicrously small one supplied could take only four hi-res pix, another $39. And a bag, say $20. And of course sales taxes. And you've got a camera costing around $800. And if you wanted a lens hood and supplementary lenses you're getting close to $C1,000. So it's not really a $500-and-change camera: in this price range it's competing with SLRs and other high end cameras.
For me, with the limitations I have described, that's just too much. For my eight or nine big ones I want top of the line quality. I hope that Canon hears the laments from many other reviewers and myself and rectifies them in the S4. They came so close this time but just missed the ring for so many serious photographers. I'm hoping the S4 will be THE one and not, like the S3, the one that might have been. And if not Canon then perhaps some other manufacturer will seize the opportunity. I'm waiting.
For the rest of us the Canon S3 came tantalizingly close to being that ideal camera, but fell short for various reasons. We had hoped for more, not so much in features and options, but mainly in the quality of what was offered. I found that it missed out in four principal areas:
1. its LCD screen is small and its resolution poor. The same is true of its EVF (viewfinder.) The LCD solarizes in bright sunlight making it impossible to use and is not bright enough to use in very sunny conditions.
2. it has chromatic aberration (purple/green fringing) especially at the telephoto end of the lens
3. it has no RAW mode
4. it's overpriced.
If the LCD & EVF had had decent size and resolution I probably could have lived with the other three. Almost every review mentioned this shortcoming. I liked the articulated screen - a must for me. But so small and so lo-res just didn't cut it for me. One user told me the EVF image was so pixilated in bright conditions he couldn't really tell what he had until he saw it on the computer.
I had hoped to do some semi-pro work with this camera. Doing it with this LCD would be difficult and difficult I don't like. And that missing RAW mode, lamented by many reviewers and offered by other cameras in this class, confirmed that it was -almost - a photographer's camera, as distinct from a point-&-shoot, that didn't quite make it. And that disappoints me.
I saw a lot of tele shots with purple fringing especially at the extreme end of the lens. Most of that could be eliminated with Photoshop work or by using a shorter focal length. But if you can't use the full length of your lens or you have to fix the image later, those are major shortcomings I don't want. An aprochromatic lens system, admittedly more expensive, would eliminate this problem.
I think the price factor worth consideration. The current best price here on the West Coast of Canada was $C580. But you need to buy a charger and batteries $39, plus a memory card since the ludicrously small one supplied could take only four hi-res pix, another $39. And a bag, say $20. And of course sales taxes. And you've got a camera costing around $800. And if you wanted a lens hood and supplementary lenses you're getting close to $C1,000. So it's not really a $500-and-change camera: in this price range it's competing with SLRs and other high end cameras.
For me, with the limitations I have described, that's just too much. For my eight or nine big ones I want top of the line quality. I hope that Canon hears the laments from many other reviewers and myself and rectifies them in the S4. They came so close this time but just missed the ring for so many serious photographers. I'm hoping the S4 will be THE one and not, like the S3, the one that might have been. And if not Canon then perhaps some other manufacturer will seize the opportunity. I'm waiting.
Скроменый эксперт
15.11.2008
8/10
Оценка пользователя
Хорошо
I am really pleased with this camera, however the noise after iso 200 is a bit of a pain but can be sorted with some thing like "Neat Image" . outdoors fantastic!! well recommended.
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