Canon PowerShot S3 IS Digital Camera

Photography is one of my hobbies, and for many years I have been using a Canon EOS for my photographs. With digital becoming more and more popular, I have looked for a digital camera for some time. I saw and bid for several, and this was the one I successfully purchased.

I particularly like the small and light body of the camera, as my other Canon is very heavy - especially with the very long zoom lens and flash gun on top. The only thing I don't like about it is that the lens is not interchangeable - I hadn't realised that before I purchases, otherwise I might still be looking for a camera now!

pros : this camera is compact and lightweight compared to others in its class, excellent 12x optical zoom that is smooth and " jerk free ", battery life is reasonable, fold out lcd screen is useful for overhead shots, good selection of auto programs plus full manual control, additional lenses and filters are available, results from auto are good,
cons : some controls could be better positioned, no handbook supplied, you have to print from disc or purchase seperately, electronic viewfinder not as good as optical.

The next best thing you can buy before an SLR.
Image stabilizer works like a charm, the 12x zoom is fantastic for "snipping" from distance.

Colours are amazing, and it performs well even on poor lighting conditions.
I had the Powershot A610 before this one, and I wanted something more powerful. I'm a fan of multi-angle LCDs as I can get otherwise impossible shots. It helps my creativity.

I'm very happy with it up to now. Only downside is the weight. It's kinda heavy with the batteries on, and when I'm taking it for trekking up the mountain it kinda bothers me. Oh well...

The S5 IS is out now, with a bigger screen and a hotshoe for external flashes, but I don't think it's worth the extra money.

When it comes to digital photography, I’m something of a nerd. It’s the sort of hobby that starts to become a passion. For me, it was actually this camera that started the whole thing off. I’ve had a 35mm SLR for years and decided I’d go digital but, as most people who will be looking at these sort of cameras, didn’t want a dSLR, lenses and all the other paraphernalia.

I’m going to be honest in this review and share my genuine experience of this camera and it’s not all good news. I’ll start with what makes the S3 a good camera. Ergonomically it’s a good shape and size, the flip out screen is something all digital cameras should have, the controls are thoughtfully set out, the zoom range is wonderful in a fixed lens, it zooms quickly and quietly, the autofocus is fast and usually accurate, the in built flash has good settings (x-sync, 1st and 2nd curtain etc.). On top of this the video quality is pretty good (although if you want a digital video camera buy a video camera!) and the battery life is on par with its competitors.

However, I feel that you need to think carefully before buying any digital camera. You need to at least try to think what sort of things you want to photograph. I had my S3 for 9 months before selling it on eBay and buying a dSLR anyway and here’s why…

In my experience, bridge (or prosumer if you prefer) cameras have a few failings and the S3 is no exception. For me there were 3 things that caused me to sell mine: the chromatic aberration, the high noise at anything above ISO200 and the frankly awful manual focussing.

All lenses suffer with chromatic aberration regardless of cost (it just gets less the more you spend). However, the longer the focal range of the lens, the worse the aberration is. I got a lot of purple fringing on high contrast edges.
Noise in images at higher ISOs is also something that you can’t get away from with ANY digital camera. However, in this respect the S3 is more like a compact than an SLR and you do get very noisy images at ISO400 and above.
Manual focussing is often a great attraction to bridge cameras. However, the S3 doesn’t make this easy. You have to go into the camera settings and then use a magnified portion of the screen to focus in small steps. This is far too fiddly for use on anything that might move as you focus.

These gripes aside, this is a good camera, don’t get me wrong. It’s one of the best you can get for a point and shoot, great for landscapes, hugely flexible and it generates generally good images. Canons DIGIC processors are some of the best you can get and you really can take the S3 everywhere and shoot everything. Just think about what you want to do with your photography. If your answer is “well it’s not really photography, I just want to take pictures of wherever I go” then this is a great camera for you. If you’re looking to step up from a compact to something with manual control then I do think the S3 (and newer S5) is one of the best cameras in the range. However, my only words of warning are this, if you think you’re going to want to do some more serious photography in the not to distant future, skip the bridge stage and go for a second hand dSLR.

I bought this camera for it's 12x optical zoom, mainly to use for motorsport. Still picture quality is excellent even at full zoom. The auto focus is a great feature and works well for still objects but it can get confused when trying to focus on a moving objects (motorsport). And manual focus is not easy to set up. The video quality is excellent for a digital camera, the only downside is that videos are in .avi format which takes up a big chunk of memory (approx 2MB/sec at 30 frames/sec). The camera has a good grip and is reasonable compact. I have given this camera 4/5, if you want a camera for taking shots of landscapes or just as a general use camera I would recommend this but if you intend to use it for racing (which I did), there are better cameras on the market.

The Canon S3 is a camera that has had it's time in the sun as far as the review magazines are concerned. Released in 2006, it was considered to be the bridge camera of choice. By bridge we mean that it sits in the product range between a compact and a DSLR camera. It has now been replaced by the Canon S5, which has 8 megapixels rather than the S3's 6 megapixels. The S5 also has a hotshoe for an external flash.

While this sounds like a bad thing, do not be fooled by numbers alone. For 99% of users 6 megapixels is plenty unless you plan on making posters, and the extra two megapixels do not justify the price tag difference between an new S5 (around £200 - £250) and a barely used S3 (£120 - £160). A hotshoe is great, but for the majority of buyers, it will never be used. The S3 is a bargain at this price, offering lots of top drawer features to help you develop your photography skills, including one of the best movie modes on the market, the ability to add telescopic and wide angle conversion lenses and a host of other goodies that make it a joy to use. It's menu and settings are not entirely intuitive, but it's far better than most Sony cameras, and once you start familiarising yourself with it, it quickly draws you in to find that perfect shot.

It has a nice big clear screen, a reasonably good view finder, good image stabilisation, easy to use software, a fantastic lens and very nice build quality. It feels light enough to carry around in a camera bag, but heavy enough to be stable in your hand when in use. Decent rechargable batteries and a 1 or 2gb SD memory card are crucial add-ons, but you get an awful lot of bang for your buck once you've bought everything you need.

It may sound a bit childish, but one other feature of the camera really impressed me. When you use the S3 not only do you feel like your using a professional camera, you look like a professional to other people, and you can produce the clean, crisp and colourful pictures that you expect to see from professionals.

Bad points? It is not a point and shoot. If you want a point and shoot that will only require you to aim it and press a button, have a look at a Panasonic TZ3 or a Canon A720. Both fab, well priced and produce great quality snaps. The S3 is a "proper" camera and therefore a bit slower to set up and use, but offers huge rewards. The more you tinker with it, the more you'll learn, and the better your next shot will be. Oh, and the lens cap is a bit naff. That's about it really.

The choice is yours!

I purchased this camera as I found that some of the images on my existing digital camera's left a lot to be desired and fell short in quality.

I spent a considerable amount of time searching for the right camera as I needed something relatively easy to use, not too bulky, and at the right price.

Eventually I decided on this model and the camera arrived within 24 hours of purchase, having charged up the batteries (a sound investment), I set about playing with my new toy. I have experimented with it now for 2 days and it far exceeds my expectations, especially when using the digital and optical zoom options. The quality expecially when used in combination with a tripod is excellent.

The seller was very polite and did everything to ensure that the item was received in a satisfactory condition. I have since purchased a camera bag to hold additional recharged batteries and other accessories and look forward to using it to take better photos of the cd cases of my ebay listings as well as for my holidays.

Have bought & sold a few of these camera's on Ebay! Great feed-back from clients, prompted me to buy one for myself having tried the more professional camera, Pentax K10d.(What a Monster!!!!!!!) A brilliant Camera but for me the Canon S3 had a head start on the Pentax K10d in that it has the ability to do movie recordings! A 1Hr.long clip, depending size of memory card! Then there's the Lcd Screen that rotates to whatever angle you like for when you are in the tightest of places!! An absolute masterpeice by Canon! Its brilliant!! The quality of the pic's/Frames/Shots whatever you wish to call them, for a 6megpix Camera, they are exceptional. You can certainly have fun with this baby! With all the extra gadgets/add on's that are on Ebay for The S3, the mind boggles @ what you can achieve!! Brand new you should be able to pick one up for around £150. 2nd hand £100. Dont pay anymore!
Enjoy!

Excellent ergonomic bridge camera. Fantastic picture quality for only 6 mega pixels. Well designed and built camera - not too light in the hand and has well placed buttons and functions.

This camera is perfect for the used who wants to point and shoot. Its easy to use and easy to understand. I found it ideal for both work and play, indoor and outdoor shots are fantastic. The zoom is great and results very good. I would recommend this camera to the idiot (Me) and to the pro.

I like the robustness of it. The features are also very good although it takes some time to learn how to use them if you are a novice in the use of digital photography as I am. In my opinion Canon is one of the best camera manufacturers around.I purchased this model because of the 12 optical zoom which is superb.I waited for over a year to buy this particular model because I wanted to learn as much as I could about other cameras before deciding on this one. I would suggest using rechargable batteries as the bgattery life is not very long. It is a pity that for a camera of this stature that the internal memory is not very large.(Please note Canon). The manual also takes a lot of reading before you can digest the information given. For a newcomer to digital photography like myself, it is well worth going through the applications of the camera with an expert. Having said that the pros outweigh the cons and I would recommend this camera highly.

I spent absolutely ages checking reviews to find the best camera for my needs (unusual they are), and I think my research really paid off.
This camera excels in two areas, response time and battery life. Find a set of 2900 mAh rechargables and you can take just over 1,000 picutres (if like me you never use the flash and you take lots in a short space of time). It'll shoot nearly 2.5 frames\sec until battery or memory runs out. Add to that the vari-angle LCD, the incredibly close macro(it sometimes focuses on the dust on the front element), a reasonably fast and very long telephoto zoom, manual control and 60 fps movie mode, it's amazingly featured for the bargain second hand prices they tend to go for (I got mine for £145 direct from Canon and it is unused refurbished with 1 year warranty, effectively new).
For the image quality fans there are better cameras, this only has 6mp with a 1/2.5 inch sensor, but it's only really a problem in low light when the noise gets bad. Its optical image stabiliser definately helps, there was no way I could get a sharp picture at 1/15th second shutter speed or below on my old film slr but you can on this. In good light, colours are really vivid and sharp and for most applications the quality is more than adequate. Those with high quality demands should really consider a dslr anyway.
Apart from the noise in low light (which doesn't bother me) the only other negatives I'd point out are the lens cap can fall off easily and as it's on a chord it often gets in the way if photographing down on something, and the shutter\aperture selection would have been far better on a rotary wheel as opposed to a 4 way button. Otherwise it's a well designed layout. Build quality feels okay but it's no magnesium brick.

EXCELLENT CAMERA. THE ZOOM IS SUPERB AND THE QUALITY OF THE PICTURES IS VERY GOOD. THE CONTROLS ARE EASY TO WORK AND UNDERSTAND.

Love this camera! Perfect 'in-betweener' beween point and shoot and SLR..I purchase it especially for the facility where you can turn and take a photo of yourself easily (TMI But I fish and it enables me to photograph my catch)

I love this camera very much, I have a PowerShot 5 mega pixels which i bought about three years ago. It is easy to take out, the pictures are excellent, and they are easy to put on the computer. Unlike a lot of small cameras this one has a video function. What you see is what you get, and with rechargable batteries it is very cheep to use. Ebay has made it possible for me to purchase this camers for a fantastic price. The ebay seller was second to none. Excellent. 5673paula.

This is a great camera for budding enthusiasts, the quality of the pictures is very high with no real visable signs of any fringing which has been a real problem with other cameras I've owned, and the features are resonably straightforward if you are prepared to go through the manual. The zoom lense is impressive obviously the IS struggles at the top limit of the focal range so a tripod is needed. Movie shooting mode is excellent with several options available ranging from 15fps to 60fps and a widescreen tv viewing option. It also has the usual pre-set 'creative shooting' features to assist in certain condtions, and the aperture priortiy and shutter priority which give you a certain amount of manual control. Overall this is the first digi camera that I can say I will not be upgrading for the forseeable future as it does everything I want.

I bought this camera because I needed a camera with a long zoom that was not too bulky. It needed also to take short video clips. This has a 12X zoom and even has a separate button for the "Movie" mode so you do not have to change modes, and you can even take a still shot during filming!
Quality is superb, and no camera shake is apparent even at 12X. I would have preferred a battery lasting longer, like a CR V3, but it shows no signs of having an inordinate appetite for batteries, so I am very happy.

Pros - lenses, quality of picture. display
Cons - size of display

In general I really love this camera. Higly recommended for somebody who's next step will be DSLR.

Coming from the Canon Powershot A60, this was the obvious step up as the main controls are laid out the same. All the reviews we read before buying pointed to this being the best option for our needs.
We find the Canon's to be very user friendly, easy to get going with straight away. This Camera is between a normal digital and a full digital SLR, with great zoom and focus, and really quick response time for that unexpected picture. Nice ergonomic hold, lightweight and easy to handle, with the multi-position screen.
The only downside we have found so far is on close-ups. Expected slightly better focus but we may not have found all the settings yet!! All in all we are well pleased with our purchase and will look to the Canon range again when we go to the next step up.

I bought the camera for a friend !
simple to use with very good picture qualty
And she is getting on fine with the camera
And taking some very good photographs with it!

Simple controls. Easy for all to use. Great results at the touch of a button.
Why pay for a SLR when you can achieve the very same results with this compact camera. A++++

Arrived in great condition but am experiencing the odd "Lense Error Switch Off" message at times but is tolorable.

HAVING SOLD MY PANASONIC DMC-FZ20 BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO PACK IN PHOTOGRAPHY,I STILL HAD THE BUG,SO I BOUGHT A CANON FROM E-BAY. WHAT A BRILIANT CAMERA. I WOULD SAY THE PICTURES FROM THE CANON ARE BETTER THAN THE PANASONIC.YOU CAN ALSO USE THE ZOOM WHEN VIDEO RECORDING(A BIG PLUS).THE CANON ALSO HANDLES MORE LIKE AN SLR.*IF YOU HAVE EVER USED AN SLR. YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN.* I AM SO GLAD I PICKED THIS CAMERA TO START AGAIN.