Canon S3

[Amy]

OK, so I'm trying to take a close-up (about 6 inches) of a price tag that shows a price in euros. For some reason, I can't get my S3 to focus...at all!! I've tried it on auto and manual and nothing!! My cousin was playing with my camera, and I'm thinking she changed something, because I've never had this problem before. I don't need major detail (macro), I just need a clear picture of the tag. Help!!

I think at 6 inches, you HAVE to use macro or super macro or the camera won't focus that close.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I think at 6 inches, you HAVE to use macro or super macro or the camera won't focus that close.

I tried that, as well, with no success. The thing is, I've been able to do close shots before without macro. Any other thoughts? Anything that might have been altered changed that would have affected the autofocus settings??

Me--->

 

[Amy]

I tried that, as well, with no success. The thing is, I've been able to do close shots before without macro. Any other thoughts? Anything that might have been altered changed that would have affected the autofocus settings??

Me--->

Wow, that's a tough one. Super macro can even get you as close as 1 or 2 cm, so if you're having problems at 6 inches, hmmm........

Ok, you didn't say anything about the exposure being off, so that eliminates the shutter and aperture.

Maybe when your cousin was playing with your camera he/she changed where the lens focuses? I think there's some way you can move that green focus square around on the screen so it won't always focus on the center of the image.

And you might want to double-check what the camera is focusing on - I've had problems if I'm taking a photo of 2 people side by side and I'll be sure that the green focus square is on both faces, but the center of that focus square is actually focusing on something way behind the 2 people (like a tree or something), so the tree will be in focus and the faces will be blurry. Does that make sense? Make absolutely sure that the price tag fills the entire green focus area so the camera doesn't try to focus on something else.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Wow, that's a tough one. Super macro can even get you as close as 1 or 2 cm, so if you're having problems at 6 inches, hmmm........

Ok, you didn't say anything about the exposure being off, so that eliminates the shutter and aperture.

Maybe when your cousin was playing with your camera he/she changed where the lens focuses? I think there's some way you can move that green focus square around on the screen so it won't always focus on the center of the image.

And you might want to double-check what the camera is focusing on - I've had problems if I'm taking a photo of 2 people side by side and I'll be sure that the green focus square is on both faces, but the center of that focus square is actually focusing on something way behind the 2 people (like a tree or something), so the tree will be in focus and the faces will be blurry. Does that make sense? Make absolutely sure that the price tag fills the entire green focus area so the camera doesn't try to focus on something else.

Thanks!! Off to experiment. Do you know how to move the focus box around? I didn't know I could do that!!

 

[bumbershoot]

A 4G card should hold ~1400 pictures at the largest size/highest quality setting (where you should be taking most of your pics, anyway), or about ~30 min. of video.

Quick question I encountered while finally reading my S3 manual on the plane...I have it set to L, but there's also a W setting. I couldn't get a feel for what the W(ide) setting would do for my pictures. Is it a good thing b/c it's on the largest/highest setting, or does it do something odd so I wouldn't have "normal" pictures?

Thanks for your opinion!!!! If you had a choice, would you purchase the S5 over the S3 if you could find both?

I'm just a basic user, though I do love having BEAUTIFUL pictures even if it's just a snap of a flower. And I chose the S3.

One, a totally silly reason. I hated the look of the thing on top of the S5's flash. The camera is a nice looking one, but those metal ski racks on top ruined the aesthetics for me. And since I know I'll never use a flash on top of it, they were worthless. Worthless + ugly (and afraid I'd scratch myself on them) = no go.

Two, a non-photographic reason, but one important to me all the same...the S5 is just a TINY bit bigger. If looking at it from the front, it's "deeper". therefore it didn't fit my hand as well. Which means I would get tired in my hand sooner, b/c it wasn't as comfy to hold. I'm 5'3" and my hands are normal sized for a shorter person, and it just wasn't comfortable to hold the S5.

I had to search and search for a store that had both...most places didn't, but I finally stopped in the electronics department of Fred Meyer (a Kroger company) and they had both side by side! I felt very lucky to find them both in the same place so I could feel and look at them together.

I would have liked the extra settings (though I've had great success just using Auto still) but those two things tilted me from neutral to wanting the S3 just that much more.

 

[Amy]

Thanks!! Off to experiment. Do you know how to move the focus box around? I didn't know I could do that!!

According to my "Short Courses" book, you press the SET button on the back of the camera, and the focus box will turn green. Then you use the arrows on the omni selector (the round button above SET) to move the focus box where you want it. (It also says that you can't move the focus box when using digital zoom, super macro or manual focus.)

Here's more info from the book: "The S3IS focuses automatically on whatever falls in the square AF frame in the center of the screen, and is about 19 inches or more away from the camera lens when zoomed out and 3 feet when zoomed in. (To get closer you use macro mode.) ...... be aware that if your camera has problems focusing, the AF frame turns yellow when you press the shutter button halfway down. Autofocus has problems in scenes with little contrast, when the object you are focusing on is brighter than the rest of the scene, when the subject is poorly illuminated or has horizontal stripes, when both near and distant objects fall within the focus area, or when the subject is moving quickly."

Do any of those apply to that price tag you're trying to shoot?

 

[Amy]

Quick question I encountered while finally reading my S3 manual on the plane...I have it set to L, but there's also a W setting. I couldn't get a feel for what the W(ide) setting would do for my pictures. Is it a good thing b/c it's on the largest/highest setting, or does it do something odd so I wouldn't have "normal" pictures?

When I first got my S3 and I was seeing what all the buttons and whistles did, I unknowingly changed mine to the W setting. This is the wide-screen setting. So when you want to print them on 4x6 paper, you're going to lose a lot from the sides of your photo. Unless you like shooting in odd sizes, I don't see much use for this setting.

 

[bumbershoot]

When I first got my S3 and I was seeing what all the buttons and whistles did, I unknowingly changed mine to the W setting. This is the wide-screen setting. So when you want to print them on 4x6 paper, you're going to lose a lot from the sides of your photo. Unless you like shooting in odd sizes, I don't see much use for this setting.

OK good, thank you!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

According to my "Short Courses" book, you press the SET button on the back of the camera, and the focus box will turn green. Then you use the arrows on the omni selector (the round button above SET) to move the focus box where you want it. (It also says that you can't move the focus box when using digital zoom, super macro or manual focus.)

Here's more info from the book: "The S3IS focuses automatically on whatever falls in the square AF frame in the center of the screen, and is about 19 inches or more away from the camera lens when zoomed out and 3 feet when zoomed in. (To get closer you use macro mode.) ...... be aware that if your camera has problems focusing, the AF frame turns yellow when you press the shutter button halfway down. Autofocus has problems in scenes with little contrast, when the object you are focusing on is brighter than the rest of the scene, when the subject is poorly illuminated or has horizontal stripes, when both near and distant objects fall within the focus area, or when the subject is moving quickly."

Do any of those apply to that price tag you're trying to shoot?

Bingo!! The tag is white on a brown background. Will you be at WDW in May...just in case I need your help? Thanks!! Also tried moving the focus box. Worked! You're fabulous!! Thanks, again!

 

[Amy]

Bingo!! The tag is white on a brown background. Will you be at WDW in May...just in case I need your help? Thanks!! Also tried moving the focus box. Worked! You're fabulous!! Thanks, again!

Glad to help! And sure, I'll come to WDW with you in May.....if you pay my way!

 

[daisy2]

This was taken at Disney World MGM Studios I cleaned them up quite a bit but I was please with my canon S3.

 

[YodasMom]

Quick question I encountered while finally reading my S3 manual on the plane...I have it set to L, but there's also a W setting. I couldn't get a feel for what the W(ide) setting would do for my pictures. Is it a good thing b/c it's on the largest/highest setting, or does it do something odd so I wouldn't have "normal" pictures?



I'm just a basic user, though I do love having BEAUTIFUL pictures even if it's just a snap of a flower. And I chose the S3.

One, a totally silly reason. I hated the look of the thing on top of the S5's flash. The camera is a nice looking one, but those metal ski racks on top ruined the aesthetics for me. And since I know I'll never use a flash on top of it, they were worthless. Worthless + ugly (and afraid I'd scratch myself on them) = no go.

Two, a non-photographic reason, but one important to me all the same...the S5 is just a TINY bit bigger. If looking at it from the front, it's "deeper". therefore it didn't fit my hand as well. Which means I would get tired in my hand sooner, b/c it wasn't as comfy to hold. I'm 5'3" and my hands are normal sized for a shorter person, and it just wasn't comfortable to hold the S5.

I had to search and search for a store that had both...most places didn't, but I finally stopped in the electronics department of Fred Meyer (a Kroger company) and they had both side by side! I felt very lucky to find them both in the same place so I could feel and look at them together.

I would have liked the extra settings (though I've had great success just using Auto still) but those two things tilted me from neutral to wanting the S3 just that much more.

Thanks!!! I live in the Chicagoland area, so there are a lot of options for sellers. I know of a store that has both these cameras so I think I will check them both out in person. I may be able to get to it between work meetings tomorrow. I'm your size (height) so the comfort is also an issue for me, too.
.........and LOL re: the ski racks on top of the flash!!

 

[daisy2]

I just found 3 more pictures I wanted to share I took with my canon S3

Jiminy Cricket this was taken at WDW Magic Kingdom

 

[AndrewWG]

This was taken at Disney World MGM Studios I cleaned them up quite a bit but I was please with my canon S3.

Those first two are quite "noisy". Especially Mickey. I imagine that your ISO was cranked up high on those. I hope you don't mind, but I ran then through noiseware (free program) and they clean up quite nicely! Mickey is a bit blurry due to the noise reduction, but the others are all great pics!

 

[daisy2]

Thank you Andy they do look so much better.

 

[AndrewWG]

You can download that program and run it in aout 10 seconds per picture to get rid of that noise. The noise is unavoidable when using high ISO on just about any camera. The Mickey one has (and I'm not poking fun at you) the MOST noise I have ever seen in a photo. I was surprised it cleaned up so well. It is blurry because the program has to turn those pixels of noise into something and when it tries to match colors, etc, it loses the sharpness. The villainess (I forget her name) didn't have as much noise so it cleaned up much nicer. It was mainly the black areas of the photo with the noise dots.

If you want to download the program, it is located at the bottom of the following page. It is for Windows only.

Noiseware Community Standalone (last link on the bottom):
http://www.imagenomic.com/download.aspx

 

[daisy2]

Thanks Andy again, no offense taken of "Poking fun at me" but this was my first time actually using my camera in this situation to be honest with you when I started to clean up the photos on Adobe photoshoppe I wasn't sure how good the pictures came out I was very surprised how well they came out. YOu just made them look even better. I am new to this camera still getting use to it.
Thank you again.

 

[AndrewWG]

Thanks Andy again, no offense taken of "Poking fun at me" but this was my first time actually using my camera in this situation to be honest with you when I started to clean up the photos on Adobe photoshoppe I wasn't sure how good the pictures came out I was very surprised how well they came out. YOu just made them look even better. I am new to this camera still getting use to it.
Thank you again.

No problem. This will be a nice learning curve for you since you have a great camera to learn on. The people on this board are very helpful and you will learn alot from them. Remember, there are no "stupid" questions for the people on here so ask away if you have any questions at all.

 

[bumbershoot]

Remember, there are no "stupid" questions for the people on here so ask away if you have any questions at all.

OK. Reputable noiseware-type software for Macs?

 

[AndrewWG]

OK. Reputable noiseware-type software for Macs?

Now that I'm not sure of. I'm sure someone on here knows though. There has to be plenty of products available.