Canon S2

[Daisy57b]

I keep changing my mind!! I know the 3 is 6 megapixels...so will it be worth the wait for one more mega pixel? I think I've realized that one of these cameras is the one I want!!! Now to wait or get the S2....

Thoughts???
Thanks!!

 

[Anewman]

Yes, 1 extra megapixel. But you will also be paying about $150 for that extra megapixel.

The S2 is available for about $350, when the S3 comes out it will be $499.

 

[Greg K.]

The S3 will be able to shoot iso 800.

I'd wait and see what sort of reviews the S3 gets -- and wait for the price to drop. $499 is the basic street price (and the price listed on the Canon website). I'll wager it will be considerably cheaper -- closer to $400 -- online at places like buydig.

Of course, the price of the S2 will also take a plunge once the S3 is released...and you may be able to get a deal for closer to $300 (or less?) by early June.

I'd wait and see, myself.

Unless you're in a hurry and can't wait another eight weeks or so...

 

[LMarge]

the S2IS doesn't have as much lag time as some of the others out there - it's not perfect like an SLF, but my daughter does gymnastics and I've been able to catch some really cool in the air shots of her during her floor routine and I actually was able to get a great shot of her jump on the beam at her last meet - I use the AV mode and set the ISO at 400, then play around with the light selection to get rid of the blue tones from the halogen bulbs - there is a rapid shoot button on the top right of the camera - very close to the shutter button - it has two speeds of rapid shooting - I've been able to shoot with the faster mode and get pics that look like a movie when you view them in succession - hope this helps! The only down side is the rapid fire does not work with the flash - so you've got to set your parameters for no flash shooting. (can't use it anyway at a meet, so it doens't matter to me!)

 

[Anewman]

I'll wager it will be considerably cheaper -- closer to $400 -- online at places like buydig.

I will take that wager.

The MSRP of the S2 was/is $420 and it now sells for about $350(clearance priced at the end of its life cycle), It Sold for closer to $390 through the holidays, it did take a price drop recently when word of the S3 started to surface.
The S3 MSRP is announced @$499, I doubt it will take as big a price cut as the S2 clearance prices.


Also I would not count on ISO 800 being very usable on the S3, but tests shots should be coming soon.

 

[intrep93]

Thanks for the info - that's a big help to know as lighting at gymnastic meets isn't usually the greatest. You can buy other lenses and a flash unit for the S2 IS, right? Does it have a setting so you can leave the shutter open (like with a shutter release) for shots where you WANT to blur the action?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Yes, there is a "Tv" mode (Shutter Priority) and set it to a lower speed like 1/30 sec and you'll get motion blur (ideally you're on the 1/250 shutter speed range if you want to stop the action).

 

[Daisy57b]

Well, I definitely couldn't wait 8 weeks!!! So I went to Best Buy and bought the S2 this afternoon!! I've been researching cameras for about two months now. I hope I can get some good pictures like you guys have! Here's a test picture...let me know what you think! I need all the help I can get learning how to take awesome pics!

 

[Anewman]

Well, I definitely couldn't wait 8 weeks!!! So I went to Best Buy and bought the S2 this afternoon!! I've been researching cameras for about two months now. I hope I can get some good pictures like you guys have! Here's a test picture...let me know what you think! I need all the help I can get learning how to take awesome pics!

Nice Cat.

 

[LMarge]

Thanks for the info - that's a big help to know as lighting at gymnastic meets isn't usually the greatest. You can buy other lenses and a flash unit for the S2 IS, right? Does it have a setting so you can leave the shutter open (like with a shutter release) for shots where you WANT to blur the action?

I'm not sure on the blur issue - haven't looked into - Kelly says the Tv mode lets you do that - would have to play around to see - I've been to focused on stopping the motion to check into much else!!! In the manual they give an example of headlights that look like they wrap around the car as it's moving - very cool, but haven't experimented with that yet. As for the other lenses and flash - there is no hot seat for external flash - there is a flash adjustment on the camera in the function mode so that you can adjust the strength of your flash - and honestly I have not looked into an external option - it may be there and I just don't know about it - there are no lenses per se, however there are telephoto and wide angle "converters" - they attach over the lens itself but the lense does not remove from the camera. I've looked into these online, but have never actually put my hands on them - would love to check out the tele one - especially since I shot a lot of stuff from a distance (meets, etc). If you check Steve's digicam site there may be more info - I'm not sure of the actual weblink for that site - anyone know? Good luck!

 

[LMarge]

Daisy - great shot - that camera does great outdoors - look how crisp and green your grass is - what's that like --- green grass that is!!! - here in Ohio it's still brown and wet! For me the real test is when I put the shot on the computer and start zooming in - how good is the resolution and how clear does it stay - I love a shot where the eyelash detail is awesome! A profession photographer I worked with once showed me how to loop negatives and the thing he used as his judge was always the eyes - he said if your eyes are in focus everything else will fall into place!! It's been good advice so far! Enjoy playing with your new toy!! I'm a tad jealous - as I picked mine up in November and paid $450 for it!! (not that it hasn't been worth it!!!)

 

[Daisy57b]

Lmarge - our grass isn't that great looking yet...she just found a good area to start eating. Next weekend I think I'll go to Uptown New Orleans and take some pictures. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. I always love St Charles Ave in the Spring...hopefully it looks nice this year despite everything.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Wait for the S3. It has ISO800 as clean as S2 ISO400. That means at the same shutter speed you'll get more background picture (during nightime/lowlight situation)

 

[LMarge]

I thought just a few days ago someone started a thread for S2 IS users - but now I can't seem to locate it! Did it start in another spot or was I just dreaming!!LOL TIA I have and love this camera and would appreciate a thread devoted to getting more from it!!

 

[S. C.]

Thank you so much everyone for the info. Great pictures daddyscooltv. I told DH I've had my eye on this camera & he told me I should buy it. Now I'm going to wait till the S3 comes out and the price should come down.

 

[intrep93]

When is the S3 supposed to be out? My local best buy doesn't have a clue!!

 

[Greg K.]

When is the S3 supposed to be out? My local best buy doesn't have a clue!!

Sometime in May.

 

[denanbob]

Ok, so this will be my plan of attack in May when I go to WDW with my new Canon S2 IS. I will NOT have a tripod, so in order to get pics of the fireworks and the rest of the "night scenery", this is my plan:

Use Program AE mode (I'm chicken)
Set ISO to 400 (highest this camera will let me set it)
Hold it as still as I can
Use 2 sec self timer mode so I don't have to push the button
Use no flash (right?)

Do you think this will produce "acceptable" pictures????? Thanks a bunch!

 

[Chickysmom]

If there was a way to take a mini tripod in a backpack, that would help, I think, too. Or maybe finding something to sit it down on, like the top of a trash, and using it to keep it steady. Not sure if this method would work as well since most shots will probably be higher that where the camera would be pointing, but maybe there would be somthing around you could use.....the flat head of a friend or family member perhaps?? LOL j/k

 

[ldibo]

All of my night pictures I used the Night scene mode and just tried to hold the camera steady. You can see them here. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ldibo2002/album?.dir=/62c4&.src=ph&.tok=phuofnEB2X2veFwF . If I had a tripod with me then I would use the fireworks setting for fireworks. I didn't have one with me so I used the night scene mode. Not the best however my Spectro pictures came out pretty well using that. HTH

Lynn