Canon S3

[bob100]

just bought a Canon S5 it takes great pics and video !

haven't tried the hacks yet, I'm still experimenting with all the functions and controls

 

[Leash]

I'm so happy I found this thread, I am trying to decide on a new camera to buy and after seeing these photos I am pretty much convinced on the S5. I really want something that takes good night shots and has a better flash recycle than my A540 and I think this is it. So thanks for posting all these great photos and tips that helped me decide.

 

[Corinne]

A friend suggested this camera to me, and I have been really enjoying this thread!

I am looking for a camera to take great shots at WDW of course, and action shots of my son playing hockey and lacrosse. One thing I have never quite understood is the zoom number. I would like a camera that will allow me to get action shots but also close up shots. While I would love to have a camera with one of those 'serious' zoom lenses, I am just not there yet. I do think this camera would be a good fit for me, but I am wondering how close I will be able to get on my son (and his teammates) while on the ice or on the field. For the record, I am aware the lighting in most hockey rinks is an issue.

Any comments/suggestions would be most appreciated.

 

[Amy]

A friend suggested this camera to me, and I have been really enjoying this thread!

I am looking for a camera to take great shots at WDW of course, and action shots of my son playing hockey and lacrosse. One thing I have never quite understood is the zoom number. I would like a camera that will allow me to get action shots but also close up shots. While I would love to have a camera with one of those 'serious' zoom lenses, I am just not there yet. I do think this camera would be a good fit for me, but I am wondering how close I will be able to get on my son (and his teammates) while on the ice or on the field. For the record, I am aware the lighting in most hockey rinks is an issue.

Any comments/suggestions would be most appreciated.

Hi Corinne! I have the S3, and it has a 12x zoom. I read somewhere that the 12x is the equivalent of a 400mm zoom lens on an SLR camera, which is pretty good. I went back and found some of the first pictures I took when I got my S3. I shot this from my back deck at the widest:

And here it is zoomed all the way:

Pretty cool zoom, huh?! I LOVE it!

 

[Corinne]

Hi Amy!

Thanks so much for posting! That is quite impressive!

 

[MrsPMC00]

Hi all...have the S3 and am taking it to an outdoor concert at Soldier Field in Chicago and am going to be right near the stage. I have never used it at a concert before, let alone outdoors. Any help would be very much appreciated!!!

 

[luvthemouse71]

OK, this may have been covered already, but this is a big thread and I have a small problem...the lens cap! It keeps popping off in my camera bag. I have it attached to the camera but I'm worried the lens itself will be damaged. I'm aware that this is somewhat of a problem with the S5's but is there a different lens cover I could get? It's driving me nuts!

 

[Amy]

OK, this may have been covered already, but this is a big thread and I have a small problem...the lens cap! It keeps popping off in my camera bag. I have it attached to the camera but I'm worried the lens itself will be damaged. I'm aware that this is somewhat of a problem with the S5's but is there a different lens cover I could get? It's driving me nuts!

I have the S3 and have the same problem. A low-tech solution is to tuck the string that attaches the lens cap under the lens cap when you put the cap on to make it fit tighter.

 

[polkadotladybug]

Oh my gosh. My s3 was sitting on the end table next to the couch. Somehow my 11 year old daughter walked by and lightly bumped the book that the camera was sitting on and the camera slipped through the cracks and bounced off my dh's guitar case! The memory card door broke right off. I thought I would die. the camera is a little over a year old!

Thankfully - I did purchase the extended warranty from Staples - and I had NO problem with them. Unfortunately they don't CARRY the Canon S3 anymore! They do carry the Canon S5 - but they didn't have one in stock, so they are mailing it to me. I had to pay the difference in cost and then pay for ANOTHER warranty plan for the NEW camera - so I was out 93 bucks. I guess I shouldn't complain!

So will I be unhappy with the S5?? I recall hearing mixed things about it, but I didn't pay much attention since I had just gotten the S3!


I plan to take much better care of this camera!! I do know that I took over 10,000 photos with my S3!

 

[Maloy]

The S3 was the camera I originally wanted to purchase after hearing such good things here. A buddy of mine bought one and I was able to play with it on occasion, loved it! Long story short....When I was able to buy one the S5 was it. So far I love it just as much. Now I am a severe amateur so keep that in mind, but so far all the features and especially the movies work and look just as good as the S3. I think you will be happy with the S5. I am. Now i just gotta learn how use the darn thing lol

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Hi all...have the S3 and am taking it to an outdoor concert at Soldier Field in Chicago and am going to be right near the stage. I have never used it at a concert before, let alone outdoors. Any help would be very much appreciated!!!

Will the concert be during the day, or at night?

If it's daytime, you won't have any problems at all. Unless you specifically need to mess around with settings, you should be just fine in P mode with the ISO set to 80 or 100.

If it's a night concert, I suggest switching to Spot metering, ISO to 200, Av Mode with the aperture set as wide as it will go (smallest number for the given zoom; 2.7 at wide, 3.5 at full zoom).

Spot metering will allow the camera to expose properly for spotlit performers while ignoring all of the dark background.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

So will I be unhappy with the S5?? I recall hearing mixed things about it, but I didn't pay much attention since I had just gotten the S3!

I highly doubt you'll be unhappy with an S5 if you're used to an S3.

The S5 will give you a larger LCD, flash hot-shoe, longer video limit and face-detection.

The only things you're "giving up" is a higher continuous shooting mode (S5:1.5fps vs S3:2.3fps) and the intervalometer. Also, you'll be getting a teensy bit more noise (due to more MP) that you'll only be able to notice if you are a "pixel peeper" looking at ever picture you take at 100% crops on your PC monitor.

 

[MrsPMC00]

Thanks so much LPZ....the concert will start during the day...but by the time the main act (Kenny Chesney) comes on it will be dark. I am worried about taking pics of him because #1 he has a very involved stage show - lights,etc. and #2 he NEVER stands still. I am going to play around with setting is up as you suggest...I have not done much with custom settings!

Will the concert be during the day, or at night?

If it's daytime, you won't have any problems at all. Unless you specifically need to mess around with settings, you should be just fine in P mode with the ISO set to 80 or 100.

If it's a night concert, I suggest switching to Spot metering, ISO to 200, Av Mode with the aperture set as wide as it will go (smallest number for the given zoom; 2.7 at wide, 3.5 at full zoom).

Spot metering will allow the camera to expose properly for spotlit performers while ignoring all of the dark background.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I am looking for a camera to take great shots at WDW of course, and action shots of my son playing hockey and lacrosse.

Lacrosse (IIRC) is mostly an outdoor sport, it won't be a problem.

Ice hockey will be a little trickier and will require using the higher ISO and getting noisier pictures that will need to be cleaned up with a noise reduction program.

One thing I have never quite understood is the zoom number.

The ##X zoom is a measure of the difference between the wide angle and full zoom that a lens is capable of; it's as term that's usually reserved for P&S cameras as most DSLR lenses are described in millimeters (or "35mm equivalent")

For the S3/S5, the zoom range is 6.0mm to 72.0mm; 72 / 6 = 12, so it's a 12x zoom.

When you factor in the size of the sensor (referred to as "crop factor"), the S3/S5 zoom range is like having a DSLR lens with a range from 36mm to 432mm ... not particularly wide but a LOT of zoom. As you can see from Amy's picture, 432mm is enough to get a close-up from quite a distance!

Just for reference, a decent DSLR lens that can zoom up to 400mm (something like a 70mm-300mm on a typical-sized sensor DSLR) costs ~$500! And, really good ones (Canon L series lenses) go for over $1000!! Of course, they're going to take better pictures, but it would be up to you to decide if they're worth the $$$....

Also, with the S3/S5, you can buy a lens adapter and attach a Teleconverter that will increase the zoom to over 600mm ... I have one for mine and use it for nature photography. A good TC is only ~$120 and doesn't degrade the quality of the pictures at all.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Thanks so much LPZ....the concert will start during the day...but by the time the main act (Kenny Chesney) comes on it will be dark. I am worried about taking pics of him because #1 he has a very involved stage show - lights,etc. and #2 he NEVER stands still. I am going to play around with setting is up as you suggest...I have not done much with custom settings!

Chances are good that he'll be under a bright spotlight most of the time, though.

By using Av mode and setting it wide, you'll be guaranteeing that the camera will pick the fastest possible shutter speed to reduce any motion blur. By setting spot metering, you'll be focusing the light meter *exclusively* on the subject which will also help getting higher shutter speeds.

If you have to, don't hesitate to increase the ISO to 400 or even 800 or 1600 ... you can still get nice 4x6 prints after running the noisy pictures through noise reduction software. Someone, I think it was Amy, posted some pictures (at 1600) of FotLK and they look great!

Also, consider setting the camera into Continuous (or high-speed Continuous) mode and take multiple pictures. The subject might be moving around, but if you take multiple shots generally you'll have a better chance of getting a keeper. Make sure to have extra SD cards!

 

[Corinne]

Wow awesome information!!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that for me LPZ Stitch! I really appreciate it!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

LPZ Stitch! rocks, doesn't he?

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Wow awesome information!!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that for me LPZ Stitch! I really appreciate it!

LPZ Stitch! rocks, doesn't he?

Awwww, thanks! I'm blushing!! Thanks for a dose of this morning!

I'm just trying to help our little S3/S5 "family" get the best pics they can out of their cameras.

Gee, you know I haven't posted a pic on this thread in a long time, I'm going to have to get out there and take some!!

 

[mickeymyfavorite]

LPZ Stitch! rocks, doesn't he?

YES he does

LPZ I want to see some pics from you

 

[Leash]

I am going to buy the S5 tonight after work, I want a chance to practice with it before we leave for San Diego on Saturday. I'm excited and I just hope I will be able to take great pictures like the ones liste on this thread!