Canon S3

[garris3404]

What? You haven't bought it yet? What are you waiting for? If this camera suits your needs, then go for it! It is a great price! My wife loves hers.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The nice thing about it is that it can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Read through the long S3 thread here on this page and you'll hear lots of experiences and see first shots. It's a great price.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Everyone on here seems very happy with their S3, and Office Depot has it on sale now for $279. That sounds like a good price. I guess I just need a few "go for its"!

Damn!! $279!! I just payed $330 two weeks ago!!!! Is this an advertised thing, or a web special? I think I might have to call BestBuy and see if they've got any sort of "price protection"!!

[edit]I just checked Office Depot's web site and would have been charged $499 for it! [/edit]

So do you love your S3? Any negatives with it? What features do you really like on it? And is it good for a fairly inexperienced photographer (but I'm willing to learn!)?

Love it! Love it! Love it!!

So far, I haven't discovered any negatives that wouldn't affect every other digital camera (non-DSLR) -- it's not great at quickly capturing a low-light pic; you've got to work the settings to get the best out of it.

It's got a completely Auto mode (which will work great in sunlit outdoor photography) and number of specific auto modes (for particular scene types) and plenty of manual functions (including a fully manual mode for setting aperture, shutter speed, etc)!

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I did actually have it on manual focus. But that begged another question, now that you mention it. Many of the shots seemed out of focus. We tried everything we could think of to focus: backing up, depressing shutter halfway, we even tried turning the lens to no avail. Guess I need to look more into how to focus when in MF. Thoughts?

I was about 3-4 feet away and zoomed in to about 12x, I think.

You have to hold down the MF button on the side of the lens while operating the 4-way pad (up and down) to make the MF work; if you don't hold the button down, you won't stay in MF mode.

You should see the center block in the LCD enlarge to give you a better idea of what you're focusing on. When you get as close as you think you can get, hit the Set button and the AF will take over at the point you're at.

It might help to practice getting the MF on something easy to determine in you're in focus; like a lettered sign or book cover....

Here is the EXIF data on that shot (I printed out your settings and followed exactly - it doesn't say MF here but it did on the camera at the time. I didn't realize red eye reduct flash was on, though ):

Redeye reduction wouldn't cause any problems ... it just causes the lamp to flash (I think) to draw people's eyes away from the main flash/lens.

All of the settings look OK to me (pretty much same as mine). You're using the smallest pic size, but I don't think that would contribute to the problem at all.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I never tried diffusing the flash. Always meant to give it a try, but never got around to it. I'll try that on tonights liquid treat! Also, I will have to get a 16 oz bottle to fill it past the logo better.

Yes, filling the glass farther would probably also help unless the flash hits squarely in the middle of the white logo. Besides a "proper" pint should be right up to the top of the glass.

You aren't supposed to stick anything directly to the flash, but holding a piece of paper or tissue loosely in front of it is supposed to be the correct way to do it ... I've got to try it myself!

 

[Soupermom]

Great photos everyone. Perhaps you can offer suggestions to me...

I took some photos of DD "primping" the other day. She was moving around, flitting her hair, being goofy so I had the setting on "sports". Since we were in her room, I also adjusted to "tungsten" I think--of the settings for inside lighting...the color looked better on the LCD with that setting. Anyway, the pictures are rather grainy. I'm guessing the ISO was too high, but you can't adjust that in sports mode, can you? Any suggestions?

On a side note, when I looked at the sunset photos I mentioned earlier on my computer (vs. LCD screen), they look pretty good! I may have been using the "SPOT" setting, but I can't remember now. I tried so many! Can anyone explain that setting better?

Thanks!

 

[wdwmom2]

Discovered this on another message board http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=103305&forum_id=15
I haven't used my S3 extensively yet, but will be snapping away like a wild woman this Saturday when my vacation starts.

Has anyone heard of this problem before? Or even heard about it? My camcorder died on my last cruise in '04. I don't want to have problems with my camera on this cruise, I would absolutely .

 

[AndrewWG]

Besides a "proper" pint should be right up to the top of the glass.

Absolutely!

I will give the flash thing a try tonight. If I feel like it, I may even try it twice!

Andy

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I took some photos of DD "primping" the other day. She was moving around, flitting her hair, being goofy so I had the setting on "sports". Since we were in her room, I also adjusted to "tungsten" I think--of the settings for inside lighting...the color looked better on the LCD with that setting. Anyway, the pictures are rather grainy. I'm guessing the ISO was too high, but you can't adjust that in sports mode, can you? Any suggestions?

You're right, you can't change ISO in Sports mode.

Messing around with the White Balance has more effect over colors than brightness ... there's also Exposure Compensation that can brighten up the scene.

I'd got with Tv mode (Shutter Speed Priority) and set the shutter speed just fast enough to freeze your DD (you'd probably have to play around, but I'd bet 1/125 or so is fast enough). This gives you control over the shutter speed without needing to bump the ISO unless you absolutely have to.

You can set the continuous/hi-speed continuous mode with the button on top and take photos in bursts of about 2/sec! Sports mode sets this automatically.

Can anyone explain that setting better?

The S3's metering has three settings; Evaluative, Center-weighted average, and spot. The type of metering affects what settings the camera will pick and it also affects the overall exposure of your pics.

Evaluative is the most general; the camera tries to "take in" the whole scene and take a reading by averaging multiple areas.

Center-weighted average puts more emphasis on whatever's in the center of the pic. You'll get better exposure of the subject (like a portrait) but background and other details can be darker (underexposed).

Spot picks up only what's right in the center of the AF reticle. It's the most specific and it for when you want a bright subject exposed properly without consideration of the background ... like a moon pic....

There might be more to it, but that's my understanding....

 

[fairestoneofall]

I just got my S3 two days ago. I wanted something to carry in my purse. And my 30D is a bit big for that.

Anyway, I'll have to check out your assignments, but I did take these today. I do want to say that I am by no means a nature photographer--that is not my strength. But, I wanted to play with the zoom and the ducks were more willing than my kids.

 

[AndrewWG]

I just got my S3 two days ago. I wanted something to carry in my purse. And my 30D is a bit big for that.

Anyway, I'll have to check out your assignments, but I did take these today. I do want to say that I am by no means a nature photographer--that is not my strength. But, I wanted to play with the zoom and the ducks were more willing than my kids.

Emily,

Nice shots! I consider myself a nature photographer more than anything else. Those are great duck pics.

On a funny note, how big is your purse? The S3 isn't all that small.

Andy

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Discovered this on another message board http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=103305&forum_id=15
I haven't used my S3 extensively yet, but will be snapping away like a wild woman this Saturday when my vacation starts.

Has anyone heard of this problem before? Or even heard about it? My camcorder died on my last cruise in '04. I don't want to have problems with my camera on this cruise, I would absolutely .

I've been concerned about this one, myself. The problem is probably with the card, more than the camera, because if it was the camera you'd probably hear LOTS more complaining.

I think you can minimize your risk by sticking with the name brand cards (though they're more expensive) and sticking to the 1G or 2G cards and just using more of them.

 

[fairestoneofall]

Thanks, Andy!

My purse is pretty big. It holds the S3, my wallet, a day planner and more with room to spare.

I am used to shooting with a Canon 30D, so the smaller P&S cameras just felt, well, small. I wanted something that felt more substantial in my hands (although it's obviously lighter than my 30D).

 

[AndrewWG]

Sharon,

Well, there is one reason I'm glad I have the S2 and not the S3! *just kidding*

My advice would be the same as if I never knew that problem existed. Download all your photos nightly (or even twice a day if possible) and reformat the card when you put it back in the camera. Hopefully you have a laptop or the ship has a way of downloading them for you. That way you will (if you should be so unlucky) lose only a few pics rather than the hundreds that people on that site have lost. Also, if it should happen, make sure you mark the card somehow and don't use it until you get home and can recover the files, if possible.

I hardly ever fill a card unless I'm in movie mode. Usually I don't even let it get half way full. Never had a problem, and I hope you don't either!

Andy

 

[AndrewWG]

It is certainly smaller then a DSLR. and I imagine after owning a DSLR, one of those real small cameras probably would be too awkward to hold. Someday I will own a DSLR and know the feeling I suppose. Seems I am headed that way. For now, I very much enjoy the S2IS and all of it's features!

I hope you enjoy the S3!

Andy

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So I gave my 9 yo son my old, original digital camera to use.

And look what he comes up with this morning.

If I didn't know better, I'd be thinking this was some kind of strange male conspiracy...

File size: 48090 bytes
File date: 2007:04:17 11:07:33
Camera make: Hewlett-Packard
Camera model: hp photosmart 720
Date/Time: 2007:04:17 10:46:13
Resolution: 640 x 480
Flash used: Yes
Focal length: 5.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0083 s (1/120)
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO equiv.: 144
Metering Mode: center weight
Exposure: program (auto)

 

[AndrewWG]

So I gave my 9 yo son my old, original digital camera to use.

And look what he comes up with this morning.

If I didn't know better, I'd be thinking this was some kind of strange male conspiracy...

File size: 48090 bytes
File date: 2007:04:17 11:07:33
Camera make: Hewlett-Packard
Camera model: hp photosmart 720
Date/Time: 2007:04:17 10:46:13
Resolution: 640 x 480
Flash used: Yes
Focal length: 5.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0083 s (1/120)
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO equiv.: 144
Metering Mode: center weight
Exposure: program (auto)

Great job, little man! Now show your Mom how to do that, would ya?

Sorry, but that is funny. Kids can amaze you sometimes can't they?


Andy

 

[budbeerlady]

Last year I happily paid almost $100 more than that price! I love it!

 

[jann1033]

if i had 279 lying around unattended i'd sure buy it

 

[Amy]

So I gave my 9 yo son my old, original digital camera to use.

And look what he comes up with this morning.

If I didn't know better, I'd be thinking this was some kind of strange male conspiracy...

Doesn't it kill you when kids do something like that?! He obviously got his picture-taking talent from his mom!