All reads gratefully received! If I miss you give me a shout!
All reads gratefully received! If I miss you give me a shout!
Member since:30.04.2003
Reviews:229
Members who trust:261
Last summer I decided it was time to launch myself into the world of serious digital photography. I knew I wanted a camera that would be easy to use but would give good results. I also wanted a good zoom lens as I wanted to be able to photograph wildlife when the opportunity arose.
I started by visiting my local (very knowledgeable) Jessops.I think it's important to try any camera out before using. It needs to feel good in your hand. I had already looked at various camera reviews online. I had set myself a price limit of £300. Two cameras ticked many of the boxes on my wish list; the Sony cybershot h5 and the Canonpowershot s3 IS. I really liked the look of both of these cameras and both had similar features. I decided on the Canon mainly because it felt good in my hand and it boasts an incredible super macro mode for taking close up shots. The canon has 6.0 mega pixels so was more that adequate for my needs.
Decision made I then hunted around for the best price. Although
I would have liked to support Jessops for all the help they gave me Amazon had the Canon S3 IS on sale for £246,nearly £100 less than Jessops and they couldn't match this price.
What you get for your money ************************** The parcel arrived quickly and well packed. Inside the box was my new camera complete with basic instruction guide to get me started.
An instruction cd with more advanced instructions-I printed this document to take on holiday to read. There are hundreds of pages to get through!
16 mb memory card -this will only hold about 4 photos so you will need to buy a bigger one.
Usb lead.
What can this camera do? *********************
I was keen to get started with my new camera and a read through the very clear basic instruction book enabled me to quickly get started. The camera can be used in automatic mode and will take very respectable pictures. However this camera is capable of much more. I don't want to just list all the cameras features as you can look at these my going onto a site such as Amazon,where they are listed and explained. I feel it is more useful to review how I rate this camera.
I purchased a 2gb SD memory card from Jessops for about £30. I also purchased a set of NIMH batteries and a charger.
The camera has 11 different scene modes to allow you take shots in most conditions. I have found the beach mode very useful and effective as it helps to cut out the glare from sea and sand and gives true colour.
There is also a great sports mode which allows you to shot continuous images, great for children's sports days. I have some lovely shots of my son coming down a water slide.
The portrait mode is also one I use a lot as it gives really sharp results.
This camera can also perform various clever tricks! Simply select its creative mode and experiment. I really love the colour swap feature that allows you to change the colour of your picture; portraits in black and white look stunning.
As I mentioned earlier there is an excellent super macro mode. With this switched on it is possible to take clear close up shots with your subject virtually touching the lens. Be careful you don't end up with pollen on the lens as I did!
The camera can also be used in full manual mode.
I love fact the LCD screen had be rotated. When not in use the screen can be folded back against the camera to protect it. It is also possible to turn the screen right round and take a self-portrait if you want to! In a crowd you can hold the camera up and position the screen so you can see above heads.
There is an adequate flash that has to operated manually an icon on the LCD will tell you when the flash is needed and you simply pop it up. The flash strength can also be altered.
There is a movie mode that again gives good results and is easy to use. However my one attempt at taking a moving shots resulted in the whole of my memory card being used up in about 5 minutes! As I have a camcorder I do not find this mode very useful. But it is good to know that if you do use it you can take a quality still picture whilst taking your movie.
The camera has a superb x 12 zoom lens. I have taken some really clear pictures with the zoom although at full zoom the pictures begin to look a bit blurred.
There is a self portrait mode that can be set to give different lengths of time delay.
The Canon has optical image stabilization that helps to compensate for any camera shake and ensures a sharp image.
The camera looks very professional in gun grey metal. It feels well made with easy to reach, well-positioned controls. I find the menu clear too although it took me a while to understand it all!
I always use the LCD when taking a picture but there is also the option of using the digital viewfinder. This can be adjusted to match your eyesight.
The camera comes with its own image software. However I have had numerous problems trying to use the supplied software, as it seems to crash at regular intervals. This may be my lack of technical knowledge, but it is something I am working on!
Downloading pictures is easy however. The camera comes with the necessary USB cable.
When you want to view your pictures you can either look at the by manually clicking through them or the camera can be set to give you an automatic slide show. It can even be programmed to fade each shot in and out!
The camera is not the smallest around and looks more like an SLR camera. It weighs 560 grams. I find it comfortable to wear across my body in its case.
The camera is pictbridge compatible so you don't even need a computer to print your pictures.
The cons. ********* For me there is very little to grumble about with this camera. I have found that the camera sometimes struggles to focus when I'm using the zoom. This can be annoying when I have been using it to film wildlife as by the time the camera locks onto the subject the subject is long gone!
I would have liked to have a camera case included in the price. This is not a cheap camera and the addition of a bag; even a basic one would have been nice.
My verdict.
*********** As I said this is my no means a comprehensive review of all that this camera can do. I have chosen to pick out just some of its features and look at how I think they perform.
I wanted a camera that would grow with me from novice to (hopefully) a more advanced photographer. This camera certainly fits the bill. I have taken some excellent shots as well as some very disappointing ones, but that is more to do with my lack of skill than the camera!
Pictures of Canon PowerShot S3 IS
taken in super macro mode
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Great Review! Lots of detail and good information! I want this camera! Would you like to buy it for me?!! xx
Morning_Becomes_Electra 21.09.2007 11:25
Well reviewed~This looks a great Camera, and the pictures are fab!~ I do agree with you, when you buy an expensive item, a case should be included.I said that on my 'Shine' phone review, it really annoys me that. A token case wouldn't cost the Company much~
Advantages: Stylish, high zoom, quality images, easy to use, lightweight, etc Disadvantages: Difficult to manually focus on a subject, not sure if it is entirely waterproof
Advantages: Stylish, high zoom, quality images, easy to use, lightweight, etc Disadvantages: Difficult to manually focus on a subject, not sure if it is entirely waterproof
![Canon Powershot S3 IS Digital Camera[6MP 12 X Optical]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78535097.jpg "Canon Powershot S3 IS Digital Camera[6MP 12 X Optical]")
Feb 6th, 2007
(Sep 3rd, 2007)
exceptional by (1%):
very helpful by (99%):
