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Canon PowerShot S3 IS Reviews
http://www.digital-camera4u.com/articles/735/1/Canon-PowerShot-S3-IS-Reviews/Page1.html
By Lisa Yair
Published on 01/19/2008
 
The Canon PowerShot S3 IS is the strange significance quality cameras, following the 5.0-Mp S2 IS, the 3.2-Mp S1 IS, and the 2.6-Mp Pro90 IS.
The Canon S3 IS accommodates a gaping range of users with its adaptable abort of blaze control. Experienced shooters will flip over the Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority modes, while novices will find the Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes useful. With a full range of creative effects, the added attraction of 12x zoom Canon optics, and optical image stabilization,  a feature found on only a handful of digital cameras, most of them more expensive, the Canon S3 IS should appear high up on the lists for photographers looking for a long-zoom camera. Like its predecessor, the S3 IS's well-integrated Movie mode can record at 640x480 pixels and 30 fps with zoom and it records stereo sound.

The Canon PowerShot S3 IS is the strange significance quality cameras, following the 5.0-Mp S2 IS, the 3.2-Mp S1 IS, and the 2.6-Mp Pro90 IS.
The Canon S3 IS accommodates a gaping range of users with its adaptable abort of blaze control. Experienced shooters will flip over the Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority modes, while novices will find the Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes useful. With a full range of creative effects, the added attraction of 12x zoom Canon optics, and optical image stabilization,  a feature found on only a handful of digital cameras, most of them more expensive, the Canon S3 IS should appear high up on the lists for photographers looking for a long-zoom camera. Like its predecessor, the S3 IS's well-integrated Movie mode can record at 640x480 pixels and 30 fps with zoom and it records stereo sound.

Basic Specifications

Resolution:

6.00 Megapixels

Lens:

12.00x zoom
(36-432mm eff)

Viewfinder:

EVF / LCD

LCD Size:

2.0 inch

ISO:

50-800

Shutter:

15-1/3200

Max Aperture:

2.7

Mem Type:

SD

Battery:

4 x AA

Dimensions:

4.5x3.1x3.0in
(113x78x76mm)

Weight:

14.5 oz
(410 g)

MSRP:

$500

Availability:

 

The Canon S3 IS bumps the call increase to 6.0 megapixels (for 2,816 x 2,112 pixel images hike from 2,592 x 1,944), increases the touch align to ISO 800, temper a slightly exceptional LCD (2.0 inches vs. 1.8), includes a Movie button available in any Record mode, and adds a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.

All guidance all, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS is almighty a camera, with an amazing straighten of capabilities and rightful particularize quality, all at an affordable price. Read on for all the details!

The digicam megapixel commonality of senescence bout seems to regard stubborn apart now. Six megapixels seems to serve as the best tradeoff between detail and noise. Cramming more pixels on a small digicam sensor kicks up the noise, while companies seem to have decided that selling less than six megapixels is too tough a job. Maybe it's because digital SLRs are happy with six (although their sensors are much larger), but the crowd seems to be content with six in a digicam.

Subcompact digicams won a cartel of hearts by featuring a upraised LCD. The exceptional the LCD the fresh illustrate you burden be thankful on Playback. And if you're shooting a social gathering, that translates into more fun. An easy sell. The articulated LCD like the one on the Canon PowerShot S3 IS gives the photographer a better view of what the camera sees no matter how it's held, but it costs more to make, and isn't quite as glamorous--until you use one.

Then there's the dash ratio. Cranking reinforcing the telephoto procure of the zip ally is added unambiguous winner. But to win, you have to do it in the optics, not with digital zoom. The word is out. Strangely, though, just as the news gets around, we're seeing some remarkably accomplished digital zooms. And sadly, many of the longer zooms don't bother with any kind of image stabilization.

When Canon designed the PowerShot S3 IS, they came disconsolate on the partition of the photographer on intact of these issues.

Its 6.0-megapixel sensor runs the sensation maturing to an ISO 800 photograph that's not immoderately bitter to go ahead 4x6 prints; yet sensible retains excellent detail even in far shots taken with the digital zoom.

The Canon PowerShot S3 IS's LCD isn't large, but perceptible is articulated. There are two kinds of kinsmen guidance this world. Those who've used articulated LCDs (and lasciviousness them) also those who haven't. The parent on the Canon S3 IS articulates 180 degrees surface from the back, then twists 270 degrees on a horizontal axis, giving you the ability to see the screen from almost every angle imaginable.

And when live came to delivering a stupendous zoom, Canon expanded its efficient 12x shoot with brainchild stabilization. This is the close lens the Canon PowerShot S3 IS has and it couldn't be improved. It's nice to see a large piece of glass now and then. Large LCDs are fun but a lens as small as a contact lens, as you see on smaller shooters, is a disappointment. Enthusiasts will live with a smaller LCD to get large glass. Glass is the magic.

The long-zoom digital camera vend is receipt angelic ample these days, thence veritable takes a body for a product to really stand out. Despite the stiff competition though, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS is indeed a standout product. Building upon the already very popular S2 IS model, the Canon S3 IS shows substantial improvements. At the same time, the excellent image stabilization system has been carried forward, and image quality is very good. Taken as a package, the Canon S3 IS is one fine digital camera, and one that's a lot of fun to use besides. Based on our testing (and playing with it), it's clear that this is going to be a huge favorite in the market. If you're looking for a good all-around camera with great features, a long zoom lens, image stabilization, and a really excellent, well-integrated movie mode, all at an affordable price, there really isn't another model on the market that'll fill the bill the way the S3 IS does. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS is highly recommended, and an easy Dave's Pick in its category.

Basic Features

  • 6.0-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as large as 2,816 x 2,112 pixels
  • Electronic optical viewfinder of low-temperature polycrystalline silicon
  • Glass, 12x 6.0-72mm lens (equivalent to 36-432mm zoom on a 35mm camera)
  • 4x digital zoom (48x combined with optical)
  • FlexiZone autofocus and a manual focus mode
  • Full Automatic, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, and Custom exposure modes, as well as six main preset exposure or "Scene" modes, and eight special Scene modes
  • Manually adjustable aperture setting ranging from a maximum of f/2.7 to f/3.5 depending on lens zoom position, to a minimum of f/8.0
  • Shutter speed range from 1/3,200 to 15 seconds (although not all shutter speeds are available at all f-stops and focal lengths
  • Built-in pop-up flash with five operating modes
  • Secure Digital (SD) memory storage
  • Power supplied by four AA batteries or optional AC adapter


Special Features

  • Optical image stabilization
  • AF Assist Beam
  • Movie and Still shutter buttons with simultaneous operation
  • Stereo recording in Movie mode
  • Sound caption recording
  • Stitch-Assist mode for panoramic shots
  • Continuous Shooting, and 2 or 10-second Self-Timer modes
  • Unique "My Colors" mode
  • Night Display brightens LCD for easier framing of dark subjects
  • Ten custom Photo Effects
  • White balance (color) adjustment with eight modes
  • ISO adjustment with Auto, High Auto and five ISO equivalents
  • Automatic Exposure Bracketing and Automatic Focus Bracketing
  • Evaluative, Center-Weighted, and Spot metering options
  • DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) and PictBridge compatibility
  • USB 2.0 High Speed interface
  • USB cable for connection to a computer or certain printers (driver software included)
  • Video cable for connection to NTSC/PAL televisions, VCRs, etc.

In the Box

  • The Canon PowerShot S3 IS comes with the following items:
  • Canon PowerShot S3 IS
  • Neck Strap NS-DC4
  • Lens cap
  • Four AA-type alkaline batteries
  • USB cable IFC-400PCU
  • Stereo Video cable STV-250N
  • 16MB SD card SDC-16M
  • Digital Camera Solution CD
  • Instruction manual, software guide, and registration kit

Conclusion

Pro: Con:
  • 12x zoom with image stabilization
  • Useable 4x digital zoom (for 48x scope-like range)
  • Auto Hi and ISO 800 sensitivity settings
  • Very responsive shutter speed
  • Fast startup/shutdown time
  • Good color accuracy
  • Powerful built-in flash
  • Very capable, stereo Movie mode available in any Record mode
  • Stills can be captured while taking movies
  • Includes 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Articulated LCD
  • Attractive design is compact but comfortable
  • Very good battery life
  • Fast file downloads via high-speed USB 2.0 port
  • Already good zoom extendable with conversion lenses
  • High noise at high sensitivity settings
  • Rather contrasty default tone curve
  • Higher than average chromatic aberration at all focal lengths
  • Fast shutter speeds not available at all apertures, which is not uncommon
  • Movie files restricted to 1 GB size
  • AVI movie format not as compact as MPEG-4
  • No Raw file support