Canon S3

[kaw1218]

there's a setting that allows the camera to pick one color (of your choice) and makes the rest of the shot black & white. It's very cool.

I took this one yesterday - I was focusing in on the yellow slide, but my grass is so dry, the camera picked up on that as well. LOL.

I for the life of me, cannot figure that one out. I even tried reading the manual. (anyone have suggestions on where to get a dummy version ) Hopefully I will have more time this weekend. I am DETERMINED to do pictures like that

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So the kids and I went to the zoo today and because it was spur-of-the-moment, I didn't have my S3 with me. I had my old HP in my purse but the batteries were dead (what else is new). So *gasp* I had to buy a disposable camera in the gift shop and of course the people who seemed to be next to us most of the day had a gorgeous DSLR.

Thanks for letting me vent. I knew you'd understand.

 

[AshleyMWC]

Ok, well here are a couple first attempts today....they are nothign special, and not very good- but it was still fun. The pics are from a park near our house

Hopefully I will have some better ones in no time

 

[madge]

I for the life of me, cannot figure that one out. I even tried reading the manual. (anyone have suggestions on where to get a dummy version ) Hopefully I will have more time this weekend. I am DETERMINED to do pictures like that

go to the SCN setting on the dial - scroll through until you get to color swap focus the square on the color you want to highlight and click set. Then take the picture. That should do it, more or less. LOL. Someone else probably has better directions... but, Good luck!

 

[gabbyrosebud]

Any tips on getting good Fireworks pictures w/ your S3? I'm waiting (not so)patiently for the 4th and local fairs so I can practice before Wishes.

Thanks

Hi! I went to Disney last Oct. and brought my S2 with me. I took a hundred firework shots and I thought they came out pretty good. I set the camera to scene mode, night snapshot with continuous shooting. I have the S3 now and can't wait to try it out next trip.

 

[Amy]

Gabby - I love your fireworks shots! I never thought to use night snapshot; yours turned out really nice!

 

[madge]

Gabby - I love your fireworks shots! I never thought to use night snapshot; yours turned out really nice!

what is the main difference between the two night shots? Is there an easy way to describe it?

 

[Amy]

what is the main difference between the two night shots? Is there an easy way to describe it?

Madge - this is from the S3 Short Courses book:

Night Scene captures a foreground subject against a night sky or cityscape. If you raise the flash, it fires to illuminate foreground subjects while the shutter speed is set slow enough to lighten the background. This mode is especially good for outdoor shots with foregound subjects. Since a slow shutter speed may be used in this mode, you need to support the camera. Also, if people are in the foreground, ask them to freeze until a few seconds after the flash has fired so the shutter has time to close, or they may be blurred.

Night Snapshot captures people against cityscapes or other nighttime backgrounds. It uses faster shutter speeds than Night Scene mode.

So they're basically the same, but Night Snapshot has a faster shutter, which is better for fireworks. I used Sports mode for my fireworks shots to get the faster shutter.

 

[madge]

Madge - this is from the S3 Short Courses book:

Night Scene captures a foreground subject against a night sky or cityscape. If you raise the flash, it fires to illuminate foreground subjects while the shutter speed is set slow enough to lighten the background. This mode is especially good for outdoor shots with foregound subjects. Since a slow shutter speed may be used in this mode, you need to support the camera. Also, if people are in the foreground, ask them to freeze until a few seconds after the flash has fired so the shutter has time to close, or they may be blurred.

Night Snapshot captures people against cityscapes or other nighttime backgrounds. It uses faster shutter speeds than Night Scene mode.

So they're basically the same, but Night Snapshot has a faster shutter, which is better for fireworks. I used Sports mode for my fireworks shots to get the faster shutter.

thanks!

I haven't had time to work on my short courses book this week... hopefully this weekend!

 

[gabbyrosebud]

Gabby - I love your fireworks shots! I never thought to use night snapshot; yours turned out really nice!

Thanks Amy! I was just trying different modes during the first Wishes fireworks show. When I got to night snapshot and took single shots the pictures were okay, but when I switched to rapid fire they were so much better! I was really pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out. I must have taken a hundred during the week at least. Most of them looked great! I'm going to practice on July 4th using the Sports mode w/rapid fire and the Night Snapshot mode w/rapid fire and compare the two.

 

[polkadotladybug]

What's Rapid Fire? My fireworks pictures from WDW a few weeks ago that I took with my Canon S3 were not too hot. But I didn't scope out a primo spot, nor did I use a tripod - I shoudl have cut and pasted instructions from y'all. LOL

 

[kaw1218]

go to the SCN setting on the dial - scroll through until you get to color swap focus the square on the color you want to highlight and click set. Then take the picture. That should do it, more or less. LOL. Someone else probably has better directions... but, Good luck!

Oh...thank you!!!! I will try this as soon as the sun comes up
My kids are going to hide my camera soon.

And I just had to add: Gabby I LOVE those firework pictures!!!

 

[gabbyrosebud]

What's Rapid Fire? My fireworks pictures from WDW a few weeks ago that I took with my Canon S3 were not too hot. But I didn't scope out a primo spot, nor did I use a tripod - I shoudl have cut and pasted instructions from y'all. LOL

Hi! I don't know if that's the technical term, but that's what I call it. When you go to the SCN mode/night snapshot or the sports mode, as long as there is no flash, you can press the tiny button near the zoom. It shows 3 squares on top of one another. I just checked and it's called continuous shooting.
I just got the castle in focus before the fireworks began and then when they started, I snapped away. When I got the smiley face firework during Hallowishes, I went nuts! It doesn't take much to make me happy.

And I just had to add: Gabby I LOVE those firework pictures!!!

Thank you so much!

 

[snowman]

So it sounds like nobody uses the fireworks mode to take pictures of fireworks.

I'll try both of the night modes and the sports mode too...and maybe even throw in the fireworks mode....unless someone has tried it and failed miserably?


Thanks for the tips
BTW - all of those fireworks pics are great. Loved the smiley face

 

[LMarge]

Hi! I went to Disney last Oct. and brought my S2 with me. I took a hundred firework shots and I thought they came out pretty good. I set the camera to scene mode, night snapshot with continuous shooting. I have the S3 now and can't wait to try it out next trip.

Kristin,
Were those with the S2? We're going in Sept and if I get shots like that with my S2 I'll be a happy girl!! - what setting did you use - the night scene or fireworks?

 

[LMarge]

Sorry - should have kept reading - just got so excited!!! So you used S2 in scene mode - night scene - continuous shooting - no flash? Just want to be sure I'm headed in the right direction !! I've not been happy with the fireworks mode, so if it's a bust, I'll be ready to use what I've seen that works! Also - that smiley face is awesome!!!

 

[SplshMtn99]

HEY, I HATE THE TITLE TO THIS THREAD -- the last part of it. Give me new ideas & I'll change it. Its become home so we might as well make it something we like.

How about: CANON S3 IS - Post your shots & join the family.

Like the "family member" logo? I like it. I'm going with it.

 

[wheelerkidz3]

i'm thinking about getting one of the canon s3's too. is there anywhere you can see a sample of a video clip?

 

[meliahz]

I found this review on the S3 and there's 1 short video clip. It's nothing exciting, but it sold me! Here's the site:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_s3-review/

I'm gonna check it out this weekend and I'll probably end up ordering it online at buydig.com. They have it for $291.00. They have free shipping (although it doesn't apply to me because I live in Hawaii . . . but that's ok because total it was $308.00) I was calling around different stores here (in Hawaii) and the cheapest I could find was $333.00 (not including tax). I'm a little worried though because most of the stores only had 2 or 3 left. Not sure if they'll be re-stocking it since the S5 is coming out soon!

Good luck!!!

 

[gabbyrosebud]

Kristin,
Were those with the S2? We're going in Sept and if I get shots like that with my S2 I'll be a happy girl!! - what setting did you use - the night scene or fireworks?

Sorry - should have kept reading - just got so excited!!! So you used S2 in scene mode - night scene - continuous shooting - no flash? Just want to be sure I'm headed in the right direction !! I've not been happy with the fireworks mode, so if it's a bust, I'll be ready to use what I've seen that works! Also - that smiley face is awesome!!!

Hi! These were taken with my S2. I took those pictures with the night snapshot mode, not the Night Scene mode, with no flash. You have to go to the Scene(SCN) mode and switch it over to night snapshot. I tried taking with night scene, but the shutter was too slow and they didn't come out very good. Fireworks mode would work great I'm sure if I brought a tripod with me, but I had enough to carry. I did upgrade to the S3 because I love my S2 so much and got a great deal on it at Office Depot for $279.00. I was very happy with how they came out and will do it again next year's trip. Thanks for all the compliments. I was especially excited about the smiley face firework too during Hallowishes. Good luck with your pictures!