Canon PowerShot Pro Series S3 IS 6MP with 12x Image Stabilized Zoom Reviews

• Awsome camera with excellent picture quality, zoom, and battery life.

  
  By A1O229NVVDJUX2 on 2006-05-14
  I thought I wanted a micro-sized camera and bought 2 different brands of compact cameras just to return them because of sub-par picture quality. After that experience, I decided to give the new Powershot S3 IS a chance. Sure it might not be small enough to fit in a pocket, but what a camera! The pictures are great with sharp images from corner to corner, a 12x zoom lens, and an extremely effective Optical Image Stabilizer. The benefits of the the Optical Stabilizer cannot be understated on a camera with such a long zoom range. When you zoom into maximum telephoto every slight movement of your hands results in a huge movement at the lens. With the stabilizer though it eliminates that problem. The pictures have low noise levels from 80-400 ISO, I have not tried the ISO 800 yet, though it should be nice to have in a pinch. The tilt and swivel LCD is awesome, you'll wonder how you got along without it before. Battery life is excellent and I cannot underemphasize the benefit of the camera running on standard AA batteries. If ever you find yourself in the middle of a day of shooting and the batteries die simply pop into a local convenience store and pick up some more. I would suggest you purchase a good set of rechargeable NiMH batteries though. The movie mode is great with the ability to zoom, a dedicated record/stop button, and stereo sound! Plus, finally a Canon digital PowerShot with a live histogram! You will not be disappointed in this camera.
  
  

• Camera aims to make better photographers

  
  By A3GTF3Q8KJ265C on 2006-06-25
  SO MANY FEATURES. SO LITTLE TIME.
  
  Is it possible for a camera to make an amateur photographer better? Apparently this is Canon's goal with the S3. It provides easy access to controls that compensate for common difficult shooting scenarios. Most point-and-shoot (P+S) cameras have few buttons - relying instead on hidden menu driven options. While this may make the camera appear less intimidating initially, locating the correct setting while attempting to frame and photograph action or bad lighting subjects is frustrating. As a result, many features go unused.
  
  By way of comparison, the S3 has at least ten more buttons than my discontinued P+S MINOLTA Dimage G500 (5MP 3x optical zoom). And many of the buttons on the CANON are multifunction depending on whether you are shooting in one of several modes, playing back stills, or movies - providing dozens of useful options.
  
  The CANON S3 has a button for instant access to movie recording (with on-screen options for 320x240 15/30/60 fps or 640x480 15/30 fps) up to 1GB or one hour per clip. Stereo sound and zoom functions accompany movies. There are dedicated buttons for ISO, sound recording, flash, continuous shooting, macro, manual focus, display, and a customized shortcut. The mode dial on top of the camera includes settings for many typical situations such as portrait, landscape, sports, nighttime, and panoramic. There is also an AUTO[MATIC] mode. But if all your shots remain in this setting, you might as well use a P+S model.
  
  The key benefit of the many buttons and dials on the S3 is quick access to a wide variety of useful features without taking your eye off the subject. The FUNC[TION] button can present a tremendous amount of pertinent information while the focused image is visible. Everything from remaining number of pictures and image quality to white balance and ISO feedback neatly border the subject. The DISP[LAY] button activates grids and histogram, switches between LCD and viewfinder, or reduces the amount of on-screen information. Either screen is equally informative and useful for making adjustments. The MENU button differs in that it brings up infrequently used options that temporarily replace the focused subject.
  
  Elaborating a bit further on the impressive display of the CANON S3, it does a good job of simulating selected options. Punch up greens, blues, reds, all colors, neutralize, lighten or darken skin tones, photograph b+w or sepia and see the results before snapping the picture. It is possible to obtain untainted color even with mixed indoor lighting. In addition to AWB (automatic white balance) there are seven other settings accessed from the FUNC[TION] button. The last is custom metering. Just point at a white object in the room and press the SET button. No more green or orange casts on indoor photos!
  
  Another common lighting problem occurs when a subject stands in front of a bright background or if frontal light from the sun washes out the highlights on faces. After a quick tap of the FUNC[TION] button, the first option in the upper left corner is exposure compensation. Use the omni selector left arrow to darken the foreground or right arrow to lighten it. If indoors or a relatively short distance away, you might also enable the flash. (For those with traditional photography background, there are also options for aperture priority or shutter speed priority on the mode dial.)
  
  Despite efforts to write a short review, there is still much more to talk about. Image stabilization (IS) and the 12X optical zoom are significant features that work well together. In fact, now I understand why smaller digital cameras without IS typically only include 3 or 4x. The slightest hand movement is greatly exaggerated at high magnification. IS compensates for this movement. The S3 provides four options for IS: 1) continuous (constantly stabilizes preview which uses more power); 2) shoot only (stabilizes image when shutter button is pressed); 3) panning (stabilizes vertical movement only for tracking horizontally moving cars, race horses, bikers or runners); 4) off (stabilization is not necessary for tripod).
  
  The 12X optical zoom can optionally be supplemented by 4X digital, making it possible to achieve as much as 48X zoom. A ring around the shutter button rotates clockwise to enlarge and vise versa. This brings up a slider in the viewfinder. If digital is activated, the white slider goes to a point and stops at 12X. Press it again and the slider is appended with blue as the digital zoom is progressively applied. I uploaded a picture of a bird in a a 16 foot palm tree with 21x zoom.
  
  Panorama assist is yet another outstanding feature. As each photo is clicked, a portion slides over in preview, making it easier to align the next. Software is included to stitch the pieces together or you can use Photoshop's Photomerge under the Automate menu.
  
  Image bracketing is also nice for difficult-focus situations; with one press of the button, three slightly different focuses are shot within a couple of seconds - a light, medium, and dark. This is not to be confused with continuous shooting (sometimes called burst mode), which shoots multiple images with consistent exposure as long as the button shutter button is pressed. This is extremely useful when photographing groups of people since it is often difficult to get everyone's eyes open and smiling at the same time. It is also great for photographing small animals with rapid movements like birds.
  
  
  WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?
  
  There are a few annoyances that could be solved by spending more. After all, Cannon makes cameras from under $200 to several thousand. Despite big features, the S3 is, relatively speaking, on the low end of the scale. So any apparent design omissions must be kept in context.
  
  LENSE CAP FIT: The most minor annoyance is the loosely fitted lens cap that frequently disconnects. Make certain the lanyard string is attached to the neck strap so it won't be lost. The obvious concern is smudging or scratching of the lens. While carrying, frequently check to make certain is on.
  
  ACCESSORIES: Canon cut accessories to the bear minumum. There is no case (strap is included), no power cord, no lens hood, and only Alkaline batteries. Purchasing all the necessary options can break your budget by $150-$250 USD. Fortunatelly, some items are common enough that you may not need to purchase everything. I already had a couple of 256MB SD cards for my prior camera. You'll need to factor in the cost of a fast charger with four 2500+ mHa AA batteries (currently around $35). There is also a need for a high-capacity SD card. The included 16MB card will only store four of the highest quality images. About 90 stills can fit on a 256MB card at the highest quality setting. If you require more images per session or will be recording movies, consider a high-speed 4GB card (currently around $100). The S3 is optimized for high-speed cards.
  
  LCD BRIGHTNESS: More of an annoyance is the limited pivoting 2" LCD screen brightness. Take comfort in the fact that some expensive DSLR cameras have only a viewfinder. Fortunately, when the LCD is not visible, the viewfinder on the S3 can be used. The diopter adjustment is handy since I may be wearing single-vision prescription shades, trifocals, or no glasses at all. The two independent brightness settings for LCD or viewfinder are a noble consideration. The LCD just doesn't get bright enough. In time, it is easy to get used to the viewfinder.
  
  IMAGE FORMATS: A camera with so many features naturally appeals to the prosumer not ready to make the leap to a full-fledged DSLR. Though this would result in better high-ISO nighttime shots and better daylight images, the cost with multiple lenses could easy triple the price of the S3 and you'll lose some consumer-oriented features. Nevertheless, a non-compressed image mode would be useful - especially with the availability of high-speed 4GB SD cards.
  
  Test shots of straight-up blue sky in large "fine" and "super fine" modes both exhibited pixelization when examining up close. In fact, super fine is slightly more pixelated in large areas of SOLID (perhaps due to sharpening?). This may be considered simulated film grain. There is more color averaging with fine mode producing a smaller, visually smoother images. The "large" image setting is 6 megapixels so the anomalies I reference when zooming in 400 percent in Photoshop are not visible on typical prints. When the composition includes many different color changes and fine DETAIL (landscapes, architecture), the super fine mode is much better. Otherwise the detail becomes muddy.
  
  I developed a Photoshop action called Smooth Pixels. Though not always necessary, it provides moderate smoothing on 6MP images to reduce pixelization in large areas of flat color. It can also be used to minimize artifacts occurring as a result of saving a JPEG image with too much compression. If you have Photoshop experience these settings may be familiar to you. Opacities can be increased as much to as much as 60% with minimal loss of detail. (A screenshot of the Action palette has been uploaded.)
  
  1 Make snapshot
  2 Duplicate current layer
  3 Smart Blur (Radius: 1, Threshold: 12, Quality: High, Mode: Normal)
  4 Set current layer (Opacity: 40%)
  5 Duplicate Background
  6 Gaussian Blur (Radius: 0.5 Pixels)
  7 Set current layer (Opacity: 40%)
  8 Flatten image
  
  RAW, LZW TIFF (compression usually requiring a PostScript level 3 printer for decompression) or standard TIFF options would be appreciated by those concerned about consistent pixels within continuous color with no artifacts surrounding high contrast colors. It should be noted that each time a JPEG is opened and saved (even with no edits) in an image editor application, there is slight degradation of image quality. This does not occur with TIFF or RAW.
  
  WIDESCREEN LIMITATION: I was fooled by the boast of widescreen pictures. This applies only to STILLS. The WS stills are about 25 percent smaller than the maximum 6MP images. The viewfinder adds black bands to help frame WS pictures. Don't expect a low-cost HD WS movie function from the S3.
  
  FLASH OPTIONS: The manual pop-up flash could be a bane or boone. It is reasonably strong and there is a three-option dedicated button to 1) always enable the flash, 2) automatically flash only when required, or 3) disable flash. If you forget to lift the flash, automatic doesn't lift it for you. Conversely, lifting the flash when the user option is set to never flash results in no extra lighting. One could look at this as a benefit since less flashing preserves the batteries. It would make more sense to me for the flash to pop-up if needed in automatic mode. Get used to the icon in the viewfinder that indicates the status of the flash (which is grayed when the flash is not up).
  
  The S3 has also been criticized because it does not have a hot-shoe connection for a replacement flash. (A handheld flash farther away from the lens is the true solution to red eye.) Canon's less than optimal answer is to provide an optional slave flash that can be used as a supplemental bounce flash positioned closer to the subject or mounted onto the camera using a bracket that connects to the tripod thread. (I have a much less expensive non-digital Canon T-50 SLR with multiple lenses with a hot shoe so adding one to the S3 is possible.)
  
  TRIPOD THREAD: A plastic tripod thread is never appreciated. Be careful not to damage the threads or consider using a tripod quick-shoe attachment.
  
  ABERRATION: Though improvements are being made, digital cameras (particularly less expensive ones) suffer from aberration, sometimes called purple fringing, surrounding high-contrast areas where a pixels along edges are discolored. The S3 is not exempt - more notably a few pixels of red (NW) and green (SE) misregistration. This is most apparent on photos with very light objects next to color away from the center of focus - particularly on overcast days when the sky is white instead of blue. A 6MP image is scaled down so much for standard prints that the aberration is not usually noticeable. For large prints this may require additional image editing.
  
  UPGRADE FROM S2: Owners of the Canon S2 will not find the S3 a significant upgrade. This camera appears to build on prior success with a few additional features to keep it competitive with other brands. In doing so, Canon has left room for even more improvements in an S4. Differences between the S2 and S3 are summed up below.
  
  * New sensor (6MP versus 5MP)
  * Higher maximum sensitivity (ISO 800)
  * Bigger LCD screen (2.0-inch versus 1.8-inch)
  * New Sports mode
  * Record live Histogram
  * Widescreen shooting mode (stills)
  * Fractionally larger and heavier
  * Dark gunmetal (gray) as opposed to silver body
  
  The difference between 5MP and 6MP is not perceived in standard size prints (both have far more megapixels than necessary). The extra pixels in the 6MP are useful for retaining more detail when cropping small areas of a photo with image editor software. High ISO (400+) is used for dark scenes when no tripod is available. ISO 800 is largely symbolic in the S3 since results are too noisy (aberrated pixels) to be useful. The 2-inch screen has the same amount of pixels as the 1.8 but it's scaled up a bit. The histogram is an animated graphic that indicates whether the framed subject is under- or over-exposed; this should also be apparent in the viewfinder preview image. Of course widescreen images can be cropped in post-production if it's only an occasional desire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It will take some time to become familar with all the CANON S3 features. If results are too noisy or blurry, it is likely because the correct setting was forgotten. The CANON S3 is not perfect but, in its price range, includes a very good combination of available technologies with slight image quality sacrifices. Professional photographers may be inclined toward an entry level DSLR (perhaps CANON DIGITAL REBEL XT, CANON EOS 30D, or SONY ALPHA). The S3 is a nice alternative to a dedicated digital camcorder; it can even zoom and shoot high-resolution stills without exiting movie mode. For the best quality stills, movie recording is sacrificed in higher-end cameras.
  
  If this review seems like too much to read then the S3 is not for you. There is much more to read -- beginning and advanced manuals for the camera itself in addition to manuals for the software. Prosumers that invest time reading can be rewarded with greatly improved image quality from the S3. Of, course composition is still up to the photographer. (www.photoinf.com) The prior S2 model may be a better bargain for the cost conscious unless some of the new S3 features listed above are absolutely essential. The typical no-frills consumer might be put off by the plethora of options and prefer a compact P+S with less buttons (CANON POWERSHOT S80, SD500, A540, or A520).
  
  (See uploaded pictures of bird in palm tree and building exhibiting aberration. Because the Amazon image processor scales down images as much as possible, there are more image artifacts on samples than on original photos.)
  
  

• Excellent digital camera with image stabilization that shoots VGA movies in stereo!

  
  By A3AU5NOWVC9LB7 on 2006-05-16
  This is my 3rd digital camera and my first Canon. I moved up from an Olympus Ultra Zoom 2100. The 2100 has 2.1MP 10x optical zoom with image stablization, and lo-res movie mode. The reason I was attracted to the S3 IS was because it offers 6MP with 12x optical zoom and image stabilization, and VGA quality movie mode in stereo. Since purchasing the S3 IS I have not been disappointed.
  
  I also bought a Transcend 4GB SD memory card which can hold about 32 minutes of video, or over 2300 photos in the highest quality. No problems addressing the 4GB memory, or doing a low-level format of the card in the camera.
  
  Shooting both photos and movies is easy. The S3 IS has a separate button that you press with your thumb to start shooting a movie. While you are shooting, you still take snapshots with the shutter button. There are 2 stereo mics built into the front of the camera, along with a software selectable wind filter. While shooting, you can use the zoom feature with no added noise to the movie; it's very quiet. Image stabilization is still active when shooting a movie.
  
  I think the S3 IS is good enough as both a digital camera and video camera that I no longer need to haul around 2 cameras (digital and video) to every event.
  
  

• Better than they say and worse than they say . . .

  
  By A20G074MWH9U7O on 2006-11-28
  This is a near pro camera in disguise. This little wolf really needs you to study it and play with it to get the best pictures, but when you do you are really rewarded. When I say worse, if you just want a point and shoot you will get crappy photos sometimes and think you were cheated.
  
  If you just select Auto, you will probably be disappointed. Canon makes better point and shoot cameras like the S series. My wife uses the S80 for her business, my daughter has the S70, and we have two other Canon P&S around that we all use for fun shots. I needed something with a real zoom lens and didn't want to do all the way to DSLR as I wanted something that also shot movies. I'm a HS tennis coach and I wanted to be able to take short videos of my players to help them see their strengths and weaknesses.
  
  The S3 takes unbelievable videos! Better than my sony video camera that cost much more AND it is easier to get them into my computer, edit them, and produce a CD to hand to one of my players. A feature that I didn't find on any of the other competitive cameras was the ability to snap a still picture in the middle of taking a video. Also like the separate video button so you can take videos without changing anything on the camera, just hit the video button and it starts.
  
  It also takes GREAT pictures. When you understand the options on the camera, you can take pictures that are close to the best you can do with a pro DSLR camera. I now shoot all my normal pics in P mode with it set for ISO 100 or ISO 200 and a 3 shot bracket. Great pics everytime. The anti-shake (IS) makes it easy to take great pics in low light. In low light when I let it go up to high ISO I can get noise like you wouldn't believe. However, I still get the pictures. Now that I know better, I can set up the camera to get really good low light pictures without going into high ISO ranges. I also have been able to take wonderful pics of my Koi, my cats, my kids, my wife, my car, my anything that takes my fancy. I have a framed 10x14 picture in front of me taken of a squirrel in the very top of a 100' redwood tree with the camera at max optical + digital zoom of 48x. Hand held and clear as a bell due to the IS and the optional settings available. Try that at home with any other camera in this price range.
  
  Bottom line: after looking at all the current offerings from Panasonic/Sony/Nikon et al, this is the best of the bunch for a prosumer big zoom camera. None of the rest of them paid any attention to making videos, canon did. All the rest tried to get our attention by promising more pixels, but Canon when for quality and a reasonable price. This camera takes better pics than the Panasonic Lumix that costs several hundred $$$ more and has 10 mega pixels -- oh, and the canon is considerably smaller and easier to carry.
  
  Accessories: I recommend that you get the Lensmate 52mm lens adapter and the Tiffen 3 pack of filters. I didn't bother with the Canon 58mm stuff, just got everything in 52mm. Unfortunately Amazon doesn't carry Lensmate but you can Google them. I also got the Raynox .7x wide angle lens from Lensmate at a good price. It has a bit of barrel distortion, but easily correctable with software -- big feature is that it is extremely clear at full zoom. Much better than the Canon wide angle lens. Case Logic makes a case that holds the S3 with the lens adapter on, so I can carry it around with the UV filter in place. The Lensmate lens adapter is made from metal and gives you a place to grip with your left hand so you are extra steady. Wish that Canon would just put threads on the end of their lenses, but they have their way of doing things.
  
  Also got the Transend 4GB 150x SD card. Works like a charm. Make sure you low format it before your first use and then do that again every so often to keep the card clean. Very fast and lets me take up to 30 minutes of videos if I want. Get the SD cards wherever . . . Fry's had the Transend card for $10 less than Amazon.
  
  Great camera, well worth the time I spent researching and testing everything available in September through early November of 2006. I did test every Panasonic, Sony, and Canon model in my price range of $250 to $750. Bought an SD card first and then went to camera stores and tried them all, bought the card home and looked at every pic and video. I ended up paying $350+ here at Amazon for the S3 which was the best price from a trusted source.
  
  Again, what I wanted was a digital camera that could zoom to 10x+, take videos that were as good as my video camera, take fast action still shots in varying conditions, and had a resolution of 5mp or more. I also wanted it to be compact and easy to use, with the capability of using storage cards larger than 2GB. I already have taken almost 2 hours of action videos of my tennis players and several hundred pictures of them. I also have a batch of family pics that range from grainy to perfect as I learned how to set the ISO properly and use the features of the camera. Lots of educational help available online from Canon and others that is specific to the camera.
  
  Bottom Line: buy it.
  
  

• A review for the point-and-shoot crowd.

  
  By A8NVUTR71EW0W on 2006-08-21
  I bought the S3 as a replacement for my PowerShot S10 which has served me amazingly well since I purchased it. My old S10 is only a 2.1MP (megapixel) camera but that suited me just fine, taking tens of thousands of pictures over the past six years that I owned it. My only complaint about the S10 is a common one amongst digital cameras: a crappy 2x optical zoom. The S3's 12x optical zoom was its main selling point for me, and having the PowerShot name behind it sealed the deal.
  
  This camera does FAR more than I'll ever use so I'll instead focus (no pun intended) on the things that I particularly like about the camera, from a point-and-shoot perspective. Some of this info may be old hat to the point-and-shoot digital camera crowd, but remember that I'm coming off a six year old camera that doesn't have half as many features. :)
  
  Although the camera is not an SLR camera, it behaves like one. There's an LCD panel on the back of the camera for lining up your shots, of course, and there's also a viewfinder. Looking through the viewfinder reveals another LCD screen that shows you what the camera's CCD is showing. In effect this gives you the benefit of an SLR camera without the extra cost. This forced me to change my shooting style; when I took close-up shots through the (straight-through) viewfinder on my S10 I had to purposefully aim the camera slightly higher in order to properly frame the shot. With the S3 I don't have this bother any more.
  
  The screen (both the LCD screen and the one in the viewfinder) displays an astonishing amount of information, most of which I ignore. Two very helpful bits of info: There's a white rectangle in the center which defines the balance point of your shot, and more interestingly, a black grid that really helps you make sure your images are straight. (Speaking of straightness, the camera also has an automatic sensor to determine if you're taking portrait or landscape shots. When you download the pictures into your computer, they're pre-rotated correctly. Very handy. (PS: It interfaces with a standard mini USB cable, and it works flawlessly with Apple's iPhoto software.)
  
  If you're taking a picture and you need a flash, the camera will alert you to this fact which is great. Not so great is the fact that it won't alert you until you actually go to take the picture. Considering that you need to manually raise the flash when it's needed, this has the potential for making you lose some candid shots. Tip: Keep the flash raised at all times, and set the flash for "automatic" so it fires when needed.
  
  The image stabilization feature is downright awesome. I actually had to make a conscious effort to get the camera to take a blurry picture with stabilization enabled. One-handed overhead shots are as clear as a tripod shot.
  
  As I said, I bought the camera for the zoom and it doesn't disappoint. The zoom ring is variable in speed (the further you move it, the faster the zoom moves). The image stabilization feature really comes into play at full zoom. I was able to take a not-blurry photo of a news helicopter hovering overhead, with the camera at full optical zoom and without a tripod.
  
  The camera takes four AA batteries; Canon provides you with a set in the box. That will be good for about 100 shots, depending on how much you use the flash. Rechargeable batteries are a must; a decent set of rechargeables (2000mAh or greater) will give you about 500 shots. Well worth the extra money. However, I do like that it will take standard AA's in a pinch; my old S10 took a proprietary rechargeable battery and I occasionally found myself with a set of used-up rechargeables when a photo opportunity arose.
  
  I have but two complaints about the PowerShot S3 IS. Complaint #1 is the body of the camera is constructed of plastic. My old S10 was metal bodied and survived several trips to the concrete floor with only superficial damage. I daresay a similar incident with the S3 will result in a shattered body. Complaint #2 is Canon's incredibly lame inclusion of a puny 16MB SD memory card. At full quality and full resolution, you might get 4-5 pictures onto the card before it fills up. Canon is just adding to the nation's landfills with these things. The first purchase anyone will make is a larger card (I bought two 2GB cards) and Canon's cards are more expensive (sometimes significantly more expensive) than the competition. The inclusion of a 16MB card is either a joke or an insult; at the very least Canon should have included a 128MB card.
  
  
• Great camera, brilliant bundle
  By A35C7FJJV4OHQC on 2006-08-31
  
  I am an artist, a traditional painter, and I needed a camera to create my own images for prints and cards of my paintings. This camera is more than enough for what I need, but when it comes to detail, resolution, and color clarity, you can never really have too much.
  
  And I am NOT a camera techy, as many of the reviewers on this camera seem to be. However, with that said, and with all of the features this camera has, the functionality of this camera became VERY intuitive after just a few hours of referencing the manual and working directly with the camera.
  
  Another thing I want to point out is the bundle this camera is packaged with. Personally, I give Canon a great deal of credit for making this package. The 16MB SD card it comes with is NOT useless! It is perfect for grabbing the camera right out of the box and putting in the batteries (4 included!), and giving it a whirl. I know 16 MB is very little space, but slow down------it's not a "scam" to get you to buy more and more products, or to spend $600 when you thought you were only going to spend $350 on your new camera, etc. Yes, you will want a bigger card---of course you will! But this package gives you another opportunity to save more money, and to expand your options on your own personal terms. I can only imagine if the camera was bundled with a 1GB stick that people would complain about the size or quality or the rise in price, etc.
  No, it doesn't come with a carrying bag either. But do you determine what golf club to buy based on wether or not it comes with a sleeve/cover?
  
  
  I have the lens adapter/converter to 58mm and the lens hood as well, and I am definitely glad I purchased them all together.
  NOTE-----I HIGHLY reccomend also buying a UV filter for the camera, if for no other reason than protecting the lens. You will be much more nervous and meticulous if you have to clean the camera's own lens rather than a filter.
  
  I can't argue much about the technical specifics of cameras, etc, but the setup on this camera was a breeze. I plugged the A/V cable into my TV, and there it was----stereo sound from the movie I had just recorded, no messy setup, and immediate results. Easy! It even functioned to display the viewfinder contents on the TV itself when in camera mode, which was a nice surprise if nothing else!
  
  
  For my two cents, if you are looking for better quality pictures but, like me, you are NOT a techy or a professional photographer, and your budget is NOT $9000 (there IS a guide on Amazon for a $9000 budget), I recommend this camera to you. The camera DOES look like a big, complicated mess and it can certainly be intimidating. But you probably thought the same thing when you first started to drive a car. By now, you don't have to put too much effort into driving your car, and this camera quickly became as familiar and intuitive to me as well. And the results speak for themselves----the pictures are remarkable, and every time a friend sees a movie clip I have taken with this camera they smile and laugh and often tell me how surprised they are that a camera can do all of that. I am very pleased with this camera, 5 stars in any category that is relevant to me and my needs.
  
  
  
• Great Camera
  By A3GTVOTFDYWIFI on 2006-06-05
  I struggled with buying a DSLR, having some photography experience, but the attraction of carrying one camera to get both Video and still photos overrode my desire to be a photo purist. Thus I bought the S3 and am extremely happy with both the quality of the video and the still photos.
  
  A few minor drawbacks - I bought the Canon case for it (and sent it back). Unless you will be carrying the camera as is, without the lens shade/lens adapter, the case is useless, too little extra space for any extras. I bought the lens shade/lens adapter as it is the only way to be able to put a protective filter on and I read some reviews that advised it because it protects the lens barrel. I returned those as well. I found lensmateonline.com that makes 2 size lens adapters (52MM and 58MM) in metal (as opposed to Canon's plastic) both in black for the S3 and silver for the S2. They also have a retractable rubber lens hood available. I found that if you leave the Canon lens hood on inside while using the flash, you get a dark shadow in the picture, the retractable lens hood saves you the hassle of unscrewing your lens hood - which can be dangerous especially with the plastic lens adapter as it can get cross threaded.
  
  The camera itself is phenomenal...
  
  
  
  
• Better Choices Are Now Available
  By A2ZCXIZHS191TG on 2006-07-05
  Since no camera is perfect for everyone, I truly hesitated (for over a month) to write this review. But, since I wrote a glowing review of another Canon camera model (the A620), fairness almost demanded a less positive review where equally warranted.
  
  Like a previous reviewer, I also returned the Canon S3 IS recently purchased. And, just like that other reviewer, a significant reason was the small LCD display. I found it nearly impossible to use without reading glasses - not an obvious issue until actually using it in the "real world." Of course, the Canon A620 has the same small display, but one is more willing to overlook an annoyance such as this in a product costing considerably less. But, with a camera costing as much as the Canon S3 IS, there is little excuse today for such a small display (indeed, several other cameras in this price range offer a larger display).
  
  Regardless, if this were the only issue with the Canon S3 IS, it might have been possible to live with this annoyance as well. But, added to that, the overall quality of this camera bothered me. Some aspects of the camera, such as the plastic tripod mount, suggests cheap construction. I seriously doubt a plastic mount can survive the repeated punishment of the often sharp metal screws found on the typical camera tripod. Plastic into plastic, perhaps. Metal into metal, of course. But not metal into plastic. Canon should know this, but went ahead with the plastic anyway. Since I use a tripod often (anyone seeking good images should), this annoyance was a little more difficult to ignore. But, moreover, this got me thinking about the rest of the camera. If Canon was so willing to cut corners with a plastic tripod mount, one has to wonder how far they went to cut corners in places consumers cannot easily see - the electronics and mechanics inside the camera.
  
  There were other minor disappointments (weak flash, noisy EVF, and so on), but I could reasonably live with those. None, including the above, were enough to cause me to utterly rule out the Canon S3 IS. The early reviews of the newer Sony DSC-H5 were the final straw. A look at the features, and a trip to the store to actually handle the camera, was enough to finally cause me to switch.
  
  The Sony offers an additional 1.2 million pixels of image resolution (even if one doesn't make larger prints, the extra resolution gives more room for cropping images), a larger LCD display, a better EVF, a metal tripod mount, a stronger flash, and more. It also performs better at ISO-400, offering another full stop of usable exposure over the Canon S3 IS (important to me during the long dark winters of northern Europe, but a benefit to anyone shooting in low-light conditions). The Sony doesn't perform exceptionally well at the larger ISO settings (ISO-800 and 1000), but neither does the Canon (no ISO-1000 setting, but similar performance at ISO-800). Otherwise, both the Sony and Canon are pretty evenly matched - little else gained or lost by chosing one over the other. I did lose the articulating display offered on the Canon S3 IS, but, more importantly, gained significantly in the other areas mentioned in this paragraph.
  
  Like the other reviewer, perhaps a future Canon S(?) IS camera addressing these issues might tempt me to return to the Canon fold. But, in the meantime, Canon has lost this customer to Sony.
  
  
• Oh What A Camera!
  By A1CXHNTB08DPZU on 2006-05-29
  This is my 4th digital camera. I was going to buy a Canon SLR and found that it was out of my price range. The S3 IS was right there at the top of my range so I went to the local camera store to ask about it and look at it in person. I can tell you that it is a very solid feeling camera. It fits in your hands very well and the buttons are all within reach. The photo quality is really amazing. Image stabilization really helps with those long range shots. The multiple shooting modes are really handy too. The only down side to this camera is the number of options available. You can literally get lost in the manual. No worries though. Put the camera in AUTO mode, point and shoot. For most people this should work just fine. The camera is VERY fast. There is NO lag time from the moment you push the shutter button and the time the photo is taken. No more predicting your shots. I am not super happy with the lenses cap. It fits loosely and tends to fall off but there is a lanyard to keep it attached to the camera. Not the most important feature of a camera. The 2" LCD is pretty impressive as well. The movie mode is nothing short of amazing. If you use it make sure you get a large memory card. I filled a 256 MB card in about 45 seconds of shooting at the highest quality setting. Bottom line...GREAT CAMERA!
  
  
• Excellent digital camera in its own class!
  By A14IX0SR6F9ER8 on 2006-11-10
  I bought one when it first came on the market back in May. Half a year and 5,000 pictures later, here are some of my comments:
  
  - It is a GREAT digital camera in its own class. By "class" I mean one should not compare it with a dSLR because the S3 is not one. So do not expect it to overcome "shutter lag" easily, although among other DC (digital camera) I have used, shutter lag on S3 is greatly improved--to a degree that I feel comfortable taking photos in very fast pace, e.g., catching flying birds. (However, only good dSLR can completely eliminate shutter lag and S3 is not a dSLR.) One also should not compare the S3 with the "small" point-'n-shoot DCs. S3 is not as small as those--it won't easily slide into your pocket, unless your pocket is relatively big and loose (like mine). But the slightly larger body brings great features none of the small DC can offer.
  
  - Big optical zoom (12X) and IS. 12X is GREAT and combined with Canon's Imagine Stabilization, S3 turns into a powerful large zoom camera with superb imagine quality. My recent trips included shooting (with cameras in case you wonder) wild wolf at Yellowstone National Park. And this little S3 came out as the only one that can capture the animals at great distance, along with other "big guns" the professionals carry. The IS feature eliminates hand shake with great effect and I could shoot at 12X with low light and still get quality photos. I also highly recommend the "TC-DC58B Tele Converter Lens" for the S3 (or S2) which gives you another 1.5 zoom that effectively make S3 18X zoom (equivalent to a 600mm lens). Check how much those big telephoto lens cost (close to 10K) ...
  
  - Excellent video shooting. Again a feaure one almost never finds on any other DC or dSLR. The S3 takes DVD quality video in stereo sound, not just video clips that most DC can do. This little (almost) pocket-size camera now forces our digital videocam into an early retirement.
  
  - Many other great features. However those are more or less standard and one can always try to argue some other DC may have similar or better features. I won't comment on those.
  
  In summary, the S3 is a great small-size DC. Its superb lens offers big 12X zoom and IS, two technology of Canon's pride. It also offers DVD video shoot with stereo sound--this feature alone can save you a digital vidoecam.
  
  One suggestion--do get a big SD card if you want to shoot video too. I have a 4G SD card and I think 2G is a must. Also battery life is excellent. It uses 4 AA-battery, which seems a lot odd at the beginning. But it comes in handy because as long as you can get AA battery you never worry about power. With typical dSLR, if the battery is out you are done for the day unless you find a power outlet to recharge (and have your charger with you).
  
  I do have one small complain. The Menu button at the back of the camera is at the location where my palm presses the body. Sometimes I raise the S3 and I see the menu in viewfinder because my palm has pressed it strong enough to trigger it. Another press is needed and I lost several shots because of this.
  
  I have other dSLR with quality lens. But I always take the S3 with me on any trip.
  
  
• The Canon PowerShot S3 IS
  By A65Q0T1X2TOQ6 on 2006-06-09
  I purchased this camera on the basis of reviews at Amazon and elsewhere. I have been an avid photographer since 1959, starting with the Leica. The enthusiasm of other reviewers for the S3 IS is certainly well deserved. The speed and accuracy of the self-focusing as you change focal lengths is astonishing. At a single focal length moving the camera past a window from inside the house results in a breathtaking and precise change of both exposure and focus.
  
  The movie facilities are well displayed also by turning slowly inside a house and watching the exposure and focus change to produce surperb results even through the windows. This is one fine movie camera. The 1 gigabyte limit on a movie should not be a problem since it permits roughly an eight minute movie. Downloading a two minute movie to my Dell desktop required about 10 minutes. After which I had a two minute perfectly focused and exposed movie with stereo sound!
  
  As you will quickly find, extreme handheld close-ups will self-focus exactly at the Canon specified distance. Get too close and the camera focuses sharply on the other side of the object you wanted to photograph. Example, small flowers on a bush.
  
  One more example. to check the focusing I picked our sleeping dog. Her fine fur was crisply focused and, to my eyes perfectly exposed.
  
  This is the camera that until now existed only in my dreams.
  Thanks, Canon. The S3 IS was well worth waiting for.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Quintessential Digital Camera Has Arrived!
  By A2RHUDGLHHXLEP on 2006-05-16
  You can have peace of mind that you own the best digital camera on the market when you purchase the Canon Powershot S3 IS camera. When you go on vacation, you want the photos that are going to impress and with the 12x optical zoom, the photos will impress! Since this camera is brand new, everyone is going to be asking you about it. They can go ahead because I will tell them this Canon camera is the best! The photos have color and sharpness that seem to want to jump right out at you. I took a movie and I am amazed with the clarity. There is no other camera better than the Canon Powershot S3 IS. I also own a PIXMA photo printer, so, I have the best of both worlds.
  
  
• Outstanding value
  By A2IO1ESNSIAXG3 on 2006-07-05
  I write martial arts books, most of which require numerous illustrations and photographs to help readers understand and perform the various techniques. After years of spending thousands of dollars per book with professional photographers, I finally decided to purchase a high-end camera so that I could do the shots myself. I needed something simple enough that I could hand it over to an assistant who would take the pictures, yet good enough to produce professional quality results. Ease of use, powerful optical zoom, and superior picture quality were my main requirements.
  
  After weighing the options I decided to go with this model. For about what I would have spent on a mid-range digital SLR by itself I was able to invest in not only this camera, but also two 1 GB memory cards, a dozen rechargeable batteries, a padded hard case, a tripod, a complete lighting package, and a backdrop with stand. The whole set-up ran roughly $1,600. Since the highest resolution photos use up about 3.5 MB apiece, it is good to invest in a couple of large capacity, high speed memory cards. The batteries last for several hundred shots if you use the viewfinder so a couple of sets with a high-speed recharger ought to do for most applications. The cannon soft case isn't all that great so I decided to spend a few bucks more on a good hard case to protect the camera and accessories.
  
  I am very happy with this investment. The camera performs admirably. Indoor pictures are clean and clear, even without the fancy lighting. I took a few test shots using the built-in "indoor" setting which compensates for fluorescent lights. They turned out remarkably well. With the extra lighting the indoor photos go from remarkably good to absolutely great. Outdoor shots on "auto" and "sports" modes work very well too, with or without a tripod stand. It's not quite as fast as an SLR, of course, but takes multiple shots with adequate timing for my needs. The manual adjustments work well if you're well versed in photography and know what you're doing. I've found that the pre-set modes meet such a wide variety of applications that I don't need to tweak things manually all that often. The only major feature that I have not tried yet is the movie mode. Since I have a good digital camcorder too, however, I'll probably never need it.
  
  The only serious drawback I have found so far is the viewfinder, which is a bit hard to see through in direct sunlight. Worse yet, the flip screen is nearly impossible to read in bright light too, even with the contrast turned-up. Similarly in very dark settings it's quite challenging to aim properly. The photos turn out quite well but I have found that I have to take several shots to frame things properly. Not a huge deal for what I'm doing since I bought all the fancy lighting, but something to consider if you plan to take a lot of shots in bright sunlight or darkness. As others have pointed out, there are no filters available for this model though there is an adaptor to add other lenses which could be filtered.
  
  I purchased the 3.2MP S1 IS years ago so adjusting to this new model's features was a breeze. They are not identical, of course, but the layout is quite similar. It's fairly intuitively obvious too. I have actually read the manual and have concluded that this camera has way more functionality than I could ever imagine needing. It's nice to know that it should last for years to come without need for another upgrade though. It is so simple to use that just about anyone can take good pictures using the built-in settings straight away. It is also very easy and quick to download files to the PC for storage or further processing. If you've got Windows XP it's truly plug and play (no praying or special software necessary).
  
  All in all, this camera is exactly what I needed. Great quality, reliable pictures at a reasonable price. Highly recommended!
  
  
• Good camera, significant limitations, next likely significantly better
  By A37WU7T0IMD3KA on 2006-06-27
  This is a rewrite of a previous review, hoping to be more concise.
  
  Pros:
  
  - Feels good, looks good, great ergonomics. Usually I de-emphasize this, but this is an exception.
  
  - The pictures turn out great.
  
  - The movie mode is awesome, good stereo sound (but see below under cons)
  
  - It is quick and responsive, for zoom and focus.
  
  - The rotating display is nice not only to take pictures of myself, but also to take closer pictures of other people in a candid way -- i.e. you won't be in their face with the camera obviously pointed towards the person.
  
  - Some scene modes on the selector dial which is convenient.
  
  - Flash doesn't automatically pop up. Most people see this as a disadvantage. I see it as a great advantage. If I don't want flash, I leave it down. It suggests using flash on the LCD. If I want to use the flash, I then flip it up.
  
  Cons:
  
  - Small 2" LCD, plus inferior viewfinder. This is almost a show-stopper for me. This camera is basically an upgrade to the S2. Due to competition, the next version of this camera is likely to have a larger LCD. It depends on whether you need an ultra zoom camera now, vs. waiting for next spring.
  
  - There is no date stamp on the photos. This can be added using Canon's software according to their technical support.
  
  - Plastic camera tripod mount.
  
  - The movie mode produces really high quality videos. The problem is that they aren't compressed, or as compressed as other cameras. A movie can be only 1G, and only 8 minutes of video can fit on a 1G SD card.
  
  - Lack of scene modes.
  
  A comparison with the new Kodak p712.
  
  The new Kodak, also an upgrade (of the 850) now focused quickly and has best in class low shutter lag. I had the 850 and have the 712, and there is a big difference.
  
  The Kodak has better image stabilization.
  
  The Kodak has *many* scene modes. This helps the non-professional get the settings right.
  
  The quality of the images is about equal (other than the canon not being as good with image stabilization at maximum zoom).
  
  There are more options for flash types
  
  There are more buttons on the camera for faster settings.
  
  The LCD and quality viewfinder make the Kodak a more fun camera.
  
  The disadvantages of the Kodak over the S3, is that the Kodak doesn't have a rotating display, so photos of people could be more intrusive. The Kodak doesn't have the great feel or looks of the S3.
  
  I think that I will be rewarded if I wait for the next iteration of Canon's ultra zoom. With Kodak's larger display, Sony's 3" display, Canon will have to make theirs bigger. A Canon with a larger display plus other improvements they may add would be my dream camera.
  
  I am not going to keep the Kodak p712 either. I love that camera, but I want a rotating display. Having tried the rotating display, I am hooked on it.
  
  
• A Superb Semi-Pro Camera That Novices Will Love.
  By A28PFY1B19HNKA on 2006-08-17
  I researched cameras for six months before I had the money to buy. I wanted a mega zoom with a good feature set and high quality video, since I knew I couldn't also afford a video camera. It shoots such good pix in auto mode, that I find myself rarely using the other settings, at least so far. You can shoot photos while shooting video or shoot video while in still photo mode. The video is high quality, AVI at 30 frames per second, which I believe is better resolution than standard TV. You can use the 12x optical zoom while shooting video. Most digital still cameras shoot video at just one focal length. The camera has two mikes and records CD quality stereo sound when shooting video, though you can set it for lower sound and picture qualities if you like. The built-in flash does an excellent job, and with the standard setting I have yet to get red eye.
  
  Image stabilization works very well and is essential with a 12x zoom, especially when shooting video or low light stills. Picture quality is just wonderful in both video and still picture modes. After buying the camera and a 2 gig SD card, I took a bus trip through 28 states visiting friends, shooting hundreds of photos and about 10 minutes of video. The results were great.
  
  Photo stitching software comes with the camera and it is excellent. I had been concered about the very limited wide angle capablity, equivilent only to a 35mm lens on a 35mm camera. But by taking overlapping photos I got wonderful panoramas and group photos without the usual wide angle distortion and with more detail. While this works best with a tripod, with a little care you can shoot by hand and get excellent results.
  
  The batteries are AA. Get a charger and NiMh rechargable batteries. The nice thing is, if your batteries die, you can get a set from the store [uses 4] in a pinch. I was able to shoot 10 minutes of video plus about 150 pix on the batteries that came with the camera. I could have done better, but I spent at least a couple of hours with the camera on, fooling with menus and settings and reviewing the photos and videos.
  
  At best resolution and least compression, a 2Gig SD card will hold 715 photos or 15 minutes of best quality video. 4 Gig cards are available, and if you intend to shoot a lot of video, I would strongly recommend one. Also, the faster the card the better. Slow cards won't keep up with best quality video, and time between still shots will be longer. If the card doesn't advertise it's speed it isn't fast enough! Get 133x or 150x speed. This translates to 20mb or 22.5 mb per second. In theory the camera's single shot limit for video is one hour, but it's a non-issue as the 4 gig cards will only hold 30 minutes of best quality video.
  
  Things I don't like: 8 gigs for an hour of video is way to high. MPEG2 DVD's will hold up to 4 hours in the same space. The view screen should be bigger in this class of camera. It's better than the previous model -two inch versus 1.8 inch- but it really needs to be larger...that said it's adequate for my old guy eyes, and if I had to give up the ability to adjust the screen to get a larger size I wouldn't. I would also like to set the zoom to a slower rate of zoom when shooting video. Rate of zoom is adjustable, by how far you move the lever, but the throw is too short to be precise.
  
  Basically, if you can do without the camera fitting in your pocket you will be very hard pressed to do better than the Canon S3IS.
  
  
• WOW...............
  By A3N95F9U9YXTH5 on 2006-07-14
  I just recieved this camera, and I am in love. About a year ago I bought the A95, and loved all the shooting options. But as I have gotten better(a little) at photography, I realized a supper zoom(Among other things) would be "heaven sent".
  This camera has it! The zoom is great! We are not talking a telescope here, but to catch birds, far off views, etc is wonderful.
  And talk about shooting options! There are more possibilities for custom colors and lighitng conditions than I ever could have dreamed of!
  ...ok, after gushing, here are some real pluses;
  
  Live Histograme.
  Grid for Straight Horizons.
  Intensity control over the flash.
  Control over when the flash fires, before OR after the shutter opens.
  Ablity to skip 1, 9, 10 or 100 images at a time. OR by shooting date, OR by folder. (Helpful when you have a almost full 1,2 or 3 Gig card)
  Auto Exposure Bracketing.
  White Blance control.
  Color choice. (Vivd, vivd red, green or blue, B&W, Sepia, Custom, Positive film, etc.)
  World time set. (You're traveling, and can have time set for where you are, and where you came from.)
  High Zoom.
  Macro and Super Macro. (Shooting ablity from 0cm!)
  Preset(Portrait, Landscape, Sport, etc.) shooting modes, up to full control shooting.
  The most advanced movie mode out there at the moment.
  At about 6.0 mega pixles, there is enough info to print a 11 by 16 print!
  ...and in defense for a previous review;
  Date stamp. (You have to set the option on the menu, then when printing, the date will be added.)
  Hand pop up flash.(So no more accidental flash during a concert, or ruining a close up with a forgotten setting!)
  
  And finely;
  I never use the view finder, it is not optical, so you see the same thing on the much bigger flip screen. And it has seemed plenty bright. A step up over the A95.
  The menu is almost the same as the A95 has, just with more options.
  
  All in all this is an amazing tool, especially for those of us who are hesitant about investing in a DSLR or an SLR. I'm still learning where the "sweet spot", for shooting with this camera is, but I know it is a "sweet time" learning where it is : )
  
  
  
• Versatile, superb camera
  By A11A0XD48NAQPR on 2006-07-11
  I bought this camera right before a trip to Paris and Burgundy. Normally, I'd take my 5D DSLR, but a hand injury dictated a much lighter camera. When I bought it, I thought I'd really compromised on image quality.
  
  Having looked over the 300 shots worth keeping from the 900 I took, I have to say that the compromise in quality was very small indeed. I took a large number of low light shots on manual setting in the glorious Saint-Chapelle. Virtually every one came out a winner. I got the best shot I have ever taken of the circular stained glass on the west side of Notre-Dame. I got great causal shots of families relaxing in the Place de Vosges. And the IS on full telephoto shots in Puligny-Montrachet showed no shake at all.
  
  I do wish that the camera supported RAW. And manual seems to take the resolution down by one notch, although I am still researching the user guide.
  
  That said, for $500 you get almost DSLR camera quality which is easy to carry, easy to hold, and a joy to take shots with. This is a perfect starter camera for any one, and a great backup for DSLR users who can't carry a lot of kit.
  
  Bravo, Canon!
  
  
• What's with all the glowing reviews?
  By A9KL7N6MY8VY9 on 2006-07-08
  I started to wonder this afternoon how many of the reviewers for this camera are on somebody's payroll....
  I ordered it based on the reviews here as well as the review on stevesdigicam.com and received it the other day. Fully confident it would be a great camera after all the mostly glowing reviews I also ordered the lens shade, rechargable batteries, memory card etc etc.
  Well I was pretty disappointed by it.
  I bought it to replace my aging Sony F707, although afterwards I started to wonder exactly why I was replacing it in the first place... The photos I took with the S3 were lacking in comparison. Not only that, but I kept getting the "camera shake" icon in soft early morning light and the photos were actaully out of focus. I took the same shots with my Sony and it gave me fine results. And the S3 has Image Stabilization?
  If that weren't all, a big reason I actually ended up getting this camera was for its video capabilities. However I ordered it before Kevin Fosler updated his review. I had no idea I could only shoot 8 minutes of high-quality video. Even with larger memory cards it would make no sense.
  On the positive side, the camera is well laid out and I like the menu functions. It looks pretty nice too. So 1 star for those thing.
  Well, the search begins again. The lesson I learned: next time I'm not just going to read reviews, I'm going to find a place where I can actually try out the camera I'm serious about buying. And I guess if I can't find one I'll just have to take my chances and at least I can send it back to Amazon.
  
  
• Makes me feel like a pro without the SLR hassles, and great Canon details
  By A2S5NBCBPZTTOP on 2006-08-08
  As an editor and designer (but not a professional photographer), I wanted a camera that wouldn't look ridiculous on a shoot, wouldn't require me to fiddle around too much with nuanced settings, and wouldn't require me to invest too much in lenses to coax some good shots out of it. I also had gotten used to some conveniences from point-and-shoot digital cameras that I thought I'd lose out on by going SLR.
  
  There were other cameras I had considered, especially from my old favorite brands, Olympus and Fuji. But the closest contenders were the S3's predecessor, the S2, and the Panasonic Lumix FZ7.
  
  The Panasonic was making a hard sell: same optical zoom, similar if not better performance in speed tests, similar reviews regarding color and overall quality of their photos. And, really, the Panasonic was tremendously less expensive and featured a Leica lens, which made the brand-whore in me a little excited. But the final blow: The Panasonic seemed to have a goofy rechargable battery system, which is great if you have replacement batteries of the same type, but not so great if you're travelling. The S3, on the other hand, uses regular AAs. That meands I can use rechargeables as I like, or get some Duracells. On the road, that's important: I can't worry about whether I packed a charger, an extra battery or if the voltage is going to be alright in the country I'm in. The other big factor, the trademark Canon swivel-mount LCD display, was critical to my decision. I love having one on my Canon DV camcorder, especially when I'm taking overhead action in a crowd (or just trying to get a better view of the stage at a show!). And it beats the heck out of trying the classic hey-let's-point-the-camera-at-ourselves-and hope-it-works-self-portraiture technique. Just turn the LCD around toward the lens and, as long as you avoid looking to the side at yourself while taking the actual photo, it works like a charm. And just as your lens should have a cap, the LCD screen tucks away to protect it from fingerprints and grit that can mar it just as easily as the lens.
  
  So, moving away from the Panasonic, I had seriously looked at an S2, since most reviews had talked about the S3 not being much of an upgrade from that model. After some consideration, I decided that the LCD of the S2 was a little too small (though the S3, with a slightly larger screen, is no prize-winner in that arena either) and the additional resolution of the S3 would help with zooming and cropping on otherwise too-wide shots. But the real reason I chose the S3 is much more shallow: the black S3 passes off much more like a professional camera than the silver-toned S2, which screams pocket camera. I really think that makes a difference at an event-- you'll get more cooperation from folks if you look a bit more on-the-job, than just a groupie taking snapshots.
  
  So far, I have not been disappointed. The thing that makes me most happy about my decision, especially in the way of not having gone the SLR-route, is that going fully-automatic with the camera doesn't fail to come out with great images. I'm no pro, but I've got some sense of what I'm doing photographically. I've played with a lot of the settings and going manual when I have had the chance, but at least 80% of the time, letting the camera's auto mode do the work comes up with the best shots. And when I'm taking quick shots at a crowded event with no chance to mess with settings, that always makes me happy. And I've only replaced the batteries once, and the second set is still going strong after a few weeks--I suspect the batteries in the box didn't have much to them.
  
  My only two real complaints at the moment: the small, but awkward dimensions and the color compared to my old pocket camera. The size of the camera is actually a plus; it's smaller than an SLR--with or without the lens attached--and can easily be "palmed" with one hand without feeling like it's going to slip. On the other hand, I've never had a harder time trying to find a nice camera bag that wasn't too snug (the lens barrel with cap can make most "digital camera cases" fit much too tightly to be of any convenience or protection) or too roomy (even the smallest SLR bags are too big and DV camera bags a little too compartmentalized or too "secure" with multiple zippers and flaps). Because of that, I just place it in my satchel with the rest of my stuff and hope for the best.
  
  As for the color: I feel like everything I've shot so far has been okay, but comparing the color produced by the S3 versus my old cheap Fujis (the last being an A303 or my brother's current F470) reveals a big gap. Under good, naturally-lit conditions, the colors from the Fuji cameras always come out bright and deliciously saturated. The Canon's seem true enough, but muted and almost dull relative to my old photos. It's nothing that makes me disappointed, and perhaps I can play a little more with what I'm doing in sunlight, but I would love it if I could get flowers to look as beautiful or kids at play look as full of life without even trying.
  
  All in all, it's everything I wanted it to be in a semi-pro camera, and the LCD and battery features have already shown their worth. Until I make the plunge into a nice digital SLR, I'm really glad that I made this my latest camera.
  
  
• Don't buy this camera if you want macro
  By A3K7T44C35OEY0 on 2006-08-10
  In all fairness to Amazon, I need to write this review. I just returned my Powershot S3 IS because it did not do what I needed it to do. The ability to take macro photos is critical to me and this camera, despite claims to the contrary, does not have any real macro capability. The reviews on this page did not mention the macro mode in any substantive way--and now I know why.
  
  In macro mode, the zoom function is very limited. Only about a fifth or less of the 12X zoom can be used. After that, the camera will not focus. The field of view is about the size of a sunflower, if you are shooting flowers. I couldn't figure out how to shoot objects the size of bugs or coins without cropping. In supermacro mode, the zoom is unavailable altogether.
  
  This may be a very fine camera for other purposes, but if you want to use the macro mode, don't buy it.
  
  
• A mini-DSLR perfect for photo enthusiasts
  By A4S83Z3AOVORY on 2006-08-29
  I have been taking film pictures with a professional Canon SLR for over a decade, and have been holding out on purchasing a DSLR until they come out with a sub-$2,000 full-frame body. A few years ago, I bought a Canon digital Elph (S330) just for some everyday digital point-n-shooting. While the Elph has served me well, I find the lack of manual settings too limited for my taste. If I were to upgrade to a DSLR, I would get either the Canon 1Ds or the 5D (both of which carry full-frame sensors, a requirement for me), but I'm just not prepared to spend $2,500 for the 5D or 3x that for the 1Ds yet.
  
  With the recent addition of my family (a new baby), I started to look into buying a replacement for the Elph so I can take more baby photos. The film SLR takes great pictures, but traveling with 3 lbs+ of photo equipment is just not practical. I needed something compact (not necessarily pocket sized), but gives me the options to take pictures on manual settings like an SLR. I did quite a bit of research, and determined the Canon S3 IS would be the best camera for my purpose. I've used it for the past month, and it's been great! It's shaped like an SLR, only smaller. It has most, if not all, of the manual settings of a full-size DSLR, minus the interchangeable lenses and an optical viewfinder. Obviously, with an EVF camera like the S3 IS you gain live preview capability, movie mode, and the absence of sensor dust issue. The live histogram is also a huge advantage over competitor models. With a long-zoom and image stabilization, the S3 IS is priced at a fraction of a DSLR. While nobody should expect the same picture quality out of the S3 IS as a DSLR, especially at high ISO, this is truly a great camera for photo enthusiasts who are just not ready to buy a DSLR, or DSLR owners looking for a more compact digicam for traveling or everyday work.
  
  
• The buck for this class of camera stops here
  By A7UC1YQFELEKB on 2006-11-17
  I initially had a canon S1IS (just 3MP, 10x optical, CF card) and needed an upgrade for the same as I was visiting Disney, LA. The S3IS (6 MP, SD card) delivered with gusto with its image stabilization and higher ISO modes. I have a full video and reasonably good snaps of the Disney parade during the evening darkness (switch to highest ISO with the dedicated ISO button) with:
  
  1. Amazingly low jerkiness due to the image stabilization. The IS here is of course better than the S1IS.
  2. The snaps came allright even with the maximum zoom - if there are slight blurs, you can maybe use software like coral to adjust. As others have said here, yes, a tripod is the best, but who has the time or the patience to set it up.
  3. Even many of the disney fireworks snaps came out ok in the night mode with the maximum ISO setting - though of course a tripod would have helped in the darkness here, for sure :)
  4. Best value for price. In Nov 2006, a nice deal would be getting this camera within 350$ as in Amazon.
  
  Two things here:
  1. I would not be buying a videocam as I had planned earlier, the S3IS vidoes suffice for most situations - sending videos to AFV for instance.
  2. For the last point, I would recommend waiting for 3-4 months till the 4GB SD cards come into the 50$ range. But as others have mentioned before, please have at least a 2GB card. Look in Amazon or in Fry's as I did for 35-40$ deals on 2+ GB cards.
  
  
• Incredible device for Semi-Pro Photographers
  By A2QT9ZZI6DXLGW on 2006-11-30
  Having owned this camera for several months now, here are my reactions.
  
  This camera takes the best pictures that I have ever taken. But I had to learn to use it.
  
  This is NOT a good choice for the weekend photographer who just wants to take pictures of the kids. This is a state-of-the-art photography platform with literally hundreds of settings.
  
  Some early reviews complained about blurry or grainy pictures. These people did not know how to set up the camera for the conditions. Some reviews complain about the color balance or saturation. But color balance, contrast, gamma, etc. are completely configurable in this camera, so there is no basis for these complaints.
  
  A lot of people assume that the "Auto" setting will let them take pictures casually or mindlessly with this camera, and get perfect results. That might be largely true with the cheaper point-and-shoot cameras with smaller lenses, but not with this one.
  
  The cheaper cameras with smaller lenses are not capable of attaining the superb performance of this lens. But because they are smaller, they are "in focus" over a wide range, so they produce acceptable pictures more or less regardless of settings or focus.
  
  If you are willing to take the time to learn this camera, then I cannot think of a better one. But like with a musical instrument, you will need to practice. It takes some time to learn where to put your fingers, and where not to put your fingers, because there a lots of buttons and settings exposed on the surface of the camera. You will need to learn to use the autofocus to best advantage, and learn the proper program modes to match with your shooting conditions.
  
  If you take the time to really learn the camera, you will control a device that covers the range from a microscope to a telescope. In macro mode, it will focus down to objects actually touching the lens. Or you can crank it up to a 50 power zoom. It takes excellent movies under a wide variety of conditions. Image stabilization makes it seem like your handheld home movies are taken from a professional camera dolly. It takes pictures without flash in conditions so dark that I could not see the subject at all. With the built-in image stabilization, it is capable of taking handheld pictures that rival the sharpness of a large format view camera on a tripod.
  
  But if you just want an easy to operate camera for good snapshots, you should look for a simpler camera. Some of the less expensive models of the Powershot might be better for most people.
  
  
• Wow!! This is an amazing camera.
  By A3PFETPCJSHY4V on 2006-06-25
  Ok, first of all I have no photography training, I've only taken pictures as a hobby, and for the last several years I've used my Fujifilm 3800, which was my starter digital. It got frustrating for me because I would see pictures other people would take and I couldn't understand why I couldn't take the same type of pictures. I looked and every photographer who's pictures I enjoyed (on Flickr, Blogspot, etc) were using Canon's. I've always thought that Canon's (for single image photography) were out of my league as a hobby photographer, but I wanted to take pictures of plants, trees, various things around me which I believe is interesting. So I did my research comparison shopped and picked this Camera.
  
  It is amazing.
  
  This camera has so many bells and whistles, but each one is there for a specific reason. One of the features I use a lot is the SCN function. It tells the camera the type of environment you'll be shooting in, beach, snow, indoors, foliage, etc etc etc.
  
  The video this camera does is almost as good as the video on my actual Canon video recorder, the picture is a nice size with minimal compression so if you edit it with Windows Movie Maker you don't have the annoying (and very amature-ish) compression boxes.
  
  Another nice feature is the color change, I love taking photos outdoors in black and white, with my old camera I had to use a software program to change the image to B&W, with this camera you can do it right then and there, and still have the original color image as well.
  
  The Image Stabilizer works very well, and I shake like a leaf in a strong wind storm. I found that when using the zoom it's best to use 2 hands (which I never did before, like I said amature no photography training) and the shots come out great without having to use the flash.
  
  I'm sure as I take more pictures, and do more research and study to improve my photography I'll be changing the ISO & shutter speed to meet my needs, otherwise this is exceeding my expectations and making me look like I am a better photographer than I really am.
  
  
• Wow! Buy this camera!
  By A2ADS78AA4XLX9 on 2006-12-16
  I had my doubts. Since my work requires photography, I'm very picky and only used to professional cameras. I've always hated non-SLR digital cameras because of slow response times, slow shutter speeds, noisy/grainy image quality, and just the hassle of not being able to see my actual shot through the viewfinder. On the other hand, I was tired of carrying around all my heavy bags and lenses every time I just wanted to shoot some fun shots for myself. So, I decided to buy something lighter with a fixed lens just for snapshots, and live with the compromises.
  I had a hard time deciding between this and the A640, but chose this for the zoom and the extra creative features, even though it is not as compact and the pictures not quite as sharp.
  
  Well, let me tell you, this little camera is not much of a compromise at all! I've been extremely impressed with both the performance and the handling. The features are simple to learn and use and photos are much better than the test photos I saw online. In fact, the chromatic aberration / fringing problem inherent in these compact zooms has not been a problem in any of my pictures, so far, and the color and image quality are very impressive. The camera is fast - not as fast as an SLR, but sure faster than any of the other digtial point-and-shoots I've tried. The unlimited continuous shooting mode, which is perfect for catching fast-action sports shots, solves the problem of slow shutter speeds and is not found in any of the other camera's in the S3's class. I've also been very surprised by the functionality of the EVF (electronic view finder). I've never used one and was prepared to dislike it, but I actually love it. Since the "real" viewfinders in non-SLR's don't show the actual shot, you can't really use them to hold your eye up against, which helps to steady the camera during zoom shots. I assumed the EVF, with it's low resolution, would be dificult to see through and too annoying to use, but it's not at all. The picture, though a bit fuzzy, is easily used to frame the shot and it makes the camera function almost like an SLR. So, far, I have never found the EVF difficult to see through and now that I've used it, I'm glad it has this feature. The camera is also much lighter weight to use than it seemed in the store. Yes, it's heavier than the smaller compacts, but it's still very light compared to an SLR and I barely notice it when I'm hiking along.
  
  The bottom line is, this is a fast, fully-featured, easy to use little camera that takes fabulous pictures and has more going for it than any of the other long-zoom compact digitals on the market. The quality of the photos is what has surprised me the most - they really are very good. I would not hessitate to recommend this camera to anyone looking for a point-and-shoot with a few more features and a good zoom. If you don't care about the zoom, fast sports shots, or better movie mode, I'd recommend the Canon A640 or A630.
  
  
• This camera dominates this price range
  By A2ED9JNQJ124J8 on 2006-12-06
  I got the S3 from Amazon a few weeks ago when it was $350, before the holiday shopping season kicked in, and I love it. It's a giant step up from my previous point-and-shoot.
  
  12X optical zoom increases my versatility in shooting situations immeasurably.
  The Image Stabilization system really works.
  Canon doesn't get carried away with noise reduction.
  In this camera, Canon doesn't get carried away with megapixels (6 is perfect for this sensor).
  It feels great in my hands, handles well, and maintains some degree of portability (unlike Panasonic and Fuji's ultrazooms)
  I've had no problems with red eye.
  I love what the supermacro setting can achieve.
  Movie mode is awesome, especially how the IS makes the motion of the camera look smooth and almost professional.
  
  I have found only very minor faults:
  -sometimes autofocus is slow at full telephoto
  -manual focus is great with most stationary subjects, but is not easy to control at telephoto end of zoom, and not very practical for fast moving subjects
  
  Panasonic's FZ50 is quicker and has a better lens, and I was impressed with its handling when I tried it out, but here's why I didn't buy it: excessive-as-in-past-the-point-of-no-return noise reduction (read smeared images at higher ISO), excessive MP for that sensor, more expensive than the S3.
  
  I don't think any other camera exists that comes close to the S3's image quality, size, handling, feature set, and price.
  
  
• Super nice camera
  By A37HEYJWUGJHUK on 2006-06-13
  Excellent camera, I got mine a week ago and I am very impressed. Overall it has a nice solid feel. Resolution is just fabulous. I originally wanted a compact camera that I could fit in my pocket to take places where an SLR is just too big and cumbersome. At first I was looking at the Leica D-Lux 2. But I found it too small for my large hands and fingers. Also the Leica is so smooth that it is sort of slippery to hold. The Canon does not have as high a resolution but is certainly acceptable, it is bigger which means it only fits in big pockets, but it has a nice grip. It is quite comfortable. The flash is not super powerful, but it is adequate and comparable to other cameras with built-in flashes. It is good for about 15 feet. Oddly enough you have to flip the flash up yourself but I don't consider it an issue. Outdoor photos are spectacular. I bought a 1 gb card for it and am quite happy. Battery life seems good too.
  
  My only complaint is not even really a complaint. There are so many features packed into the camera that it takes a significant amount of time to traverse the menus. I am sure that when I become more familair with it, it will not be a problem.
  
  
• Good camera... IF you don't wear glasses!
  By A1J79K7PBV8QHN on 2006-08-03
  I've taken a couple of thousand pictures with this camera and the results are generally very good. One serious flaw, however, is its electronic viewfinder. I wear glasses and the viewfinder is difficult (sometimes VERY difficult) to see in many outdoor lighting situations. (Of course the LCD screen is equally useless in bright light). If I take off my glasses so my eye can fit snuggly against the viewfinder, the view is fine. But if you wear glasses for distance, you know that taking your glasses off each time you want to shoot is not a reasonable option. Of course, this is a problem with optical viewfinders, too, but the problem is not nearly as severe. So, I would strongly advise those who wear glasses to test the camera thoroughly in a variety of lighting conditions before buying.
  
  I will get to the good points in a moment, but another annoying, though not so serious, flaw is the setup for using shutter speed (and aperture) priority. The shutter speed is set using the four-way controller, located in the top right corner on the camera back. The problem here is that there is no way to select a shutter speed and lock it. Because of the position of the four-way controller, it is very easy to push it accidentally, while simply holding the camera between shots, which changes the shutter speed. This means being very careful how you hold the camera and checking the shutter speed before each shot to be sure it has not been changed. The shutter speed is displayed in the viewfinder, but the aforementioned problem with the viewfinder makes this problem doubly irritating for us glasses wearers.
  
  Having said all that, I still like this camera. It has great flexibility, and operations are fast, smooth and quiet. The pictures are excellent. The rotating LCD is very useful, allowing the camera to be placed in positions where using the viewfinder is impossible. The IS is helpful, though some physical stability (tripod, tree, post ..) is still needed at the longer end of the telephoto range. The flash is OK, though red eye is definitely a problem. I've experimented with a few of the special modes and some worked well, while others did not. Selecting setting manually is often better.
  
  There's a sizable learning curve with this camera, because of the numerous buttons, the many special shooting modes, and various options available. I still have much to understand, but the more I learn the more I like the camera, in spite of the problems discussed above.
  
  
  
• Almost Perfect!
  By A2GSS92EA784QS on 2006-09-30
  I've been using this camera for a few weeks now, and I've taken at least a thousand photographs with it. It is easily the most versatile piece of photographic equipment I have ever owned, and I grew up using film SLRs. This camera has almost all of the features I love in SLR cameras, including fairly intuitive control over exposure settings. I also love the video feature.
  
  My favorite features are:
  
  - The 12x zoom lens which can easily capture close-up subjects from the opposite side of a large room.
  
  - Super-macro mode shoots clear pictures less than an inch from the lens.
  
  - Excellent TV quality video with good stereo sound (no HD).
  
  - A variety of shooting modes let you capture a detailed close up in vivid color one moment, and a fast action shot seconds later with the turn of a dial.
  
  - Adjustable flash output.
  
  
  That said, there are a few things that really irritate me about this camera. For instance, the manual focus is a pain to use. Instead of twisting the lens, you are forced to hold down one button while you press up and down keys. Autofocus is essentially worthless when you combine low light and fast action (such as a lively concert, like the one I shot pictures at tonight). A usable manual focus is essential for any serious photographer!
  
  Another thing that bothers me is the lack of an external flash hook-up. It makes it difficult to avoid red-eye when photographing people in low light.
  
  I don't understand how such basic features were overlooked when this camera has everything else but the kitchen sink. While this is certainly the most versatile camera I've ever owned, and I love it for what it is, I would not buy it again. I would look for a similar camera that includes a twist-lens manual focus and a flash hot-shoe.
  
  One more critique - photographs are often unusably grainy with ISO settings at 400+. You'll want to stick to the 80 - 200 range, if you can. The lowest ISO setting possible for the situation will deliver the best image the camera is capable of.
  
  
• Superior all-in-one choice!
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-07-10
  The Powershot S3 is a good choice for those needing an extended zoom range, but wishes to avoid the cost and bulk of Digital SLR designs.
  
  The S3 has a very fine, 12x optical zoom, that is quiet, smooth and quick. The stabalizer comes in very handy for still shots, and is a must for video.
  
  The 6 megapixel images are clean and above average. Try to avoid higher ISOs on any of the compact cameras, but if you must, Canon's new 6MP sensor/processor combination is good.
  
  Camera operation works well in the various automatic modes, and is also easy to control manually (except for manual focus). The eyelevel LCD is good, but everyone seems to have a different opinion on what looks good here. The rotating back LCD makes easy work of high level, low level or table-top copy work.
  
  Video is unsurpassed in this type of camera. Stereo sound really gives this one a dimension that others lack. You can also easily switch on the fly. In the still modes, you can just push the button on the back to instantly start a video. During this video, you can instantly override the video, and take a still, then is picks back up on the video (it does, however, interrupt the video).
  
  I won't revisit all the advantages of SLRs here. Although a good camera, this doesn't replace the speed of autofocus, continual shooting and quality of those cameras.
  
  There's really not a lot of cameras in this category, but there are some definate winners, and the Powershot S3 adds to that list!
  
  

• SD512 Memory Card with Free MP3 Digital Music Player - TA-SD0512-D
• Targus Camera/Video Traditional Case
• Epson StoryTeller Photo Book Creator - 8in x 10in (20 pages)
• Lexar Media 128 MB Secure Digital Card
• Lexar Media 256 MB Secure Digital Card (Retail Package)

• Canon PSC-75 Deluxe Soft Case for PowerShot S1 IS, S2 IS, and G6
• SanDisk SDSDH-1024-901 1 GB Ultra II Secure Digital Memory Card (Retail Package)
• Sony Quick Battery Charger with 4 AA Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries
• SanDisk SDSDH-2048-901 2 GB Ultra II Secure Digital Memory Card ( US Retail Package )
• Canon LAH-DC20 Conversion Lens Adapter (LA-DC58E) and Hood (LH-DC40) Set for the S5 IS, S3 IS & S2 IS Digital Camera