Canon Powershot S3 IS Digital Camera (6.0MP, 2816x1944, 12x Opt, 16MB SD Memory Card)

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Powershot S3 IS Digital Camera (6.0MP, 2816x1944, 12x Opt, 16MB SD Memory Card) Review, by Eric Butterfield September 21, 2006

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• Latest User Reviews 11 reviews
• Reviewed by: MapmakerJenny

  Duration of ownership: 8 Months

  Strengths: Easy to use functions

  Weaknesses: limited on its capabilities if you use anything other than auto.

  Overall: Nice looking base. Easy to use, but not really the best of the Canon cameras I've owned. If you're looking to upgrade I'd hold save my money and get the 30D. If you're on a budget I'd consider going to the Powershot camera.

• Reviewed by: jhunts5

  Duration of ownership: 1 Year

  Strengths: - 12x optical - multi function scene modes - ease of use - Canon backing and reliability

  Weaknesses: - a little bulkier than basic point and shoots but smaller than SLRs - wide angle shots (typical problem for most p+s cameras - movie mode is quirky, but, hey, I didn't buy this for movies

  Overall: When shopping for a decent point and shoot, my friend said, "you can't go wrong with a Canon" and I had to agree. When I shop for cameras they are typically Canon - even my recent VDO camera purchase. The S3's main appeal is the 12x optical zoom - and I am really speaking for the S series in general - you just can't beat this type of zoom. I think that some other manufacturers are beginning to compete with this, but when the S3 came out, it was still the king on the market. The S3 takes crisp pictures without the drawbacks of the ultra portable tiny lensed cousins. I am more than happy with this camera, and as long as you don't need all of the SLR versatility, for the price, this is a great buy.

• Reviewed by: dillonsue

  Duration of ownership: 6 Months

  Strengths: Features and modes easy to access without having to go into the menu each time. No delay on shutter so you don't miss those "quick" shots. Flash sych with shutter so no closed eyes on pics. Fast download to memory card. Superb image stablizer!

  Weaknesses: None so far.

  Overall: I prefer larger digital cameras because of the feel of stability in my hands. Digital cameras are getting smaller and smaller and I have always used an SLR before the digital market. So, after research this was the camera for me. I upgraded from the Olympus C-4000 which is still a good camera, mainly because of the 12x digital zoom and the easy access to the modes which are right on the top knob instead of having to fiddle with the menu or other buttons. See my "strengths" for other things I like about this camera. My old Olympus's memory cards maxed out at 128K which was ok, but certainly not for video. I haven't used the video on the Canon yet but just to know that with a 1or 2 gig card it can be used just as well as a digital video camera without having to carry both around. All in all I couldn't be happier with this model!!!

• Reviewed by: triskal

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Overall: I am submittind this 5-start review just to balance out the ID10Ts who think this is a forum for asking questions. You are totally skewing the results and you don't even own the camera. PCWorld should be deleteing these reviews.

• Reviewed by: asmarlak

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Overall: I think the image quality of ultra-zoom digital cameras is lower than it used to be and so as how consumers and professional reviewers see that class of cameras, its like "selecting the best of the so so" and declaring them as the best available in the market. When we read that we run and get one. The manufacturers have been adding many new features to tempt consumers to buy new cameras or upgrade to newer models, at the same time those cameras carry smaller sensors to reduce image quality in order to drag consumers into buying DSLRs which offer better quality images. I'm sure those new features are useful when it comes to ease of use and convenience but unfortunately not when it comes to image qualit. I've been wanting to upgrade my older (2004) Olympus C-765 to a newer one regardless of the brand as long as it matches my camera's image quality. I read reviews and viewed sample pictures of many models including the best rated cameras such as the Canon S3-IS and Panasonic FZ-7 which I actually bought for a bargain price at Circuit City for only $139.00 (Brand new in a sealed box) but even that bargain price was not enough for me to keep it when I compared images with my Olympus', and neither the new models from Olympus like the SP-510, and the SP-550 offered matching image quality either. Now I gave up on the idea of upgrading for now and decided to get a telephoto lens converter for my Olympus to increase the zoom from 10-17x. And who knows? I might be tempted to buy the soon in the market the Canon S5 IS if it has my cameras photo quality, although I think its over priced at $499. You can check out some of my amature photos at: http://www.oilandgasinternational.com/myimages_slideshow.html

• Reviewed by: ram34614

  Duration of ownership: 5 Months

  Strengths: The Canon Powershot S3 IS is the best PNP camera on the market today. You must get out of the auto mode to really appreciate this camera capabilities. Takes great pictures and is very easy to use.

  Weaknesses: The only weakness I have found is sometimes it difficult to get the lens to focus, depending on the light, but using the manual focus will most generally correct this..

  Overall: I love the S3 IS. The Macro and Super Macro modes are superb. The S3 IS as with most cameras including the DSLR's takes a fantastic picture at ISO 400 and below.

• Reviewed by: tonyatn

  Duration of ownership: 3 Months

  Strengths: This camera gives great pictures in daylight with rich color and crystal clear images (digital printing done at photo store). Not many indoor photos taken yet and the camera frequently asks for the flash to be used when inside. And does it not have a setting for 'fill-in' flash for outdoors?

  Weaknesses: Lens does not have threading to attach a skylight filter or lens protector. You need to buy a lens hood accessory to attach filters which makes the camera big and bulky. The disadvantage with this is that if you scratch your lens thats an expensive repair or bye-bye to the camera. The plastic lens cap doesn't seem to stay firmly on the lens. It slips off more often than not.

  Overall: With the 500 or so pictures I've taken so far and bringing this camera on one vacation, I would say I'm satisfied with this product. It's not a small and compact camera, but its light enough to feel that you're not weighing down your backpack. The camera has a lot of features you may never use but if you want get into photography and want to take a variety of pictures with different settings this camera will do the job!

• Reviewed by: nasern

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Strengths: I found this camera wounderful.It can take sharp and clear photos,with it's great zoom 12x .I'm not a very good photographer but I have taken many beautiful pictuers.I'm compeletly satisfid.

  Overall: excelent,easy to use,very good shapand I love my s3is

• Reviewed by: halifaxtom

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Strengths: great movies, long lens, quality feel

  Weaknesses: results vary from great to marginal...focus seems to be a gamble.

  Overall: I've read on forums that some people have focus problems and I'm one of them. Also read on a forum that the older models have been fixed (camera internal software) by Canon on warranty. My old Olympus ultra zoom photos resulted in 99% great pics, with great color, exposure perfection and razor sharp but no optical stabilization, just high shtter speed to stabilize. Thought I was moving up but this camera is complex and getting compliments on impressive photos is much more difficult. Maybe it's too much for me to handle (I read that on resales on ebay) but I would give it back and stick with Olympus.

• Reviewed by: caleb

  Duration of ownership: 9 Months

  Strengths: Versatility. I have used it for taking pictures in the slums of India, many different landscapes and sunrise/sunset shots, my senior pictures, and pictures of the highschool sports at my school.

  Weaknesses: battery life would be a weakness except that it uses AA batteries which are very easy to keep on hand. I would recommend rechargeable. In the future, I may need RAW mode which it doesn't have. However, anyone aside from a professional photographer really has no need for RAW mode.

  Overall: Excellent. It has taken the beating of an 18 year old guys who tends to abuse his toys. It also has many features that for all intensive purposes may as well be professional and/or SLR quality. This is only my second camera, but I don't intend to buy or need a new camera until after college.

• Reviewed by: tedweller

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Strengths: I was looking for a suitable replacement for my Olympus SLR (yes, that's right, I'm headed backwards). Seriously, I was looking for a very good all-in-one compacy camera that would get me through 90% of the photographic situations I find myself in and the Canon S3 fit the bill. I read every review and comparison I could get my hands on. Color, exposure accuracy and image sharpness are incredible if you can go beyond the Auto mode and make some in camera adjustments and also are somewhat knowledgeable using post processing in Photoshop or Elements or a comparable program. There are a wealth of options offered in the camera and I would consider it a semi-professional tool. The fact that it has an excellent movie mode is an added bonus but be forewarned that shooting at the highest video setting will chew through a 1GB card in just a few short minutes.

  Weaknesses: Would like a metal tripod socket.

  Overall: Incredible photographic tool for a fraction of what a DSLR would cost with comparable glass (12x optical zoom). Also using AA batteries is a godsend rather than using proprietary batteries. I would highly reccommend this camera to almost anyone.

• Reviewed by: dennis_fink

  Strengths: Takes terrific pix when focused properly.

  Weaknesses: Frequent red eye indoors, complex menus, but be very cautious with the zoom lens extended - if you bump it ever so slightly you may cause the dreaded "lens error - restart camera" message

  Overall: I used this camera for about 18 months and was relatively pleased. It is a little bulky and I found that I would prefer to have a smaller lighter camera but I like the 12x zoom on this model. I would not buy it again though. After the slightest of bumps I am now getting the

• Reviewed by: photoXluvr

  Strengths: size, body color and style, zoom, shutter speed, thousands of functions, lens, flash, image stablizer, macro, photo review, my colors option

  Weaknesses: very very few

  Overall: I recieved the S3 IS as a christmas gift in 2006 and at first was intimidated by the numerous functions, but as i got more used to the camera i started to enjoy them. I am by no means a professional but I shoot like one (see pictures below all are taken by S3 IS). I am seriously in love with this camera. I use it from senic mountain shots, to rodeos, to family pictures. I recommend it for every need and style of shooting

• Reviewed by: markbarsamian

  Strengths: flip around LCD screen

  Weaknesses: terrible image quality for a camera in this price range

  Overall: Terrible color fringing in this camera. I bought mine for $450 a year ago after reading tons of web reviews, none of which mentioned the problem. I sent the camera back to Canon, and they returned it to me with a note that it was performing "well within the specifications". Don't take my word for it. Go to this web site that has a review of the camera: http://www.dpinterface.com/reviews/canon-powershot-s3is/gallery/index.html Look at the left side of IMG 5238.jpg for an example. Every bar on the window shown in the picture has a red fringe on one side and a green fringe on the other. My camera does the same thing, including the trait that the flaw is worse on the left side of the image. This flaw is not subtle. These fringes hit you over the head once you notice them for the first time. They show up on every sharp dark-light boundary in the image. I don't know how all the reviewers can be so caught up in the lists of features and not notice something so profoundly debilitating. The worst $450 I ever spent. Makes me sick.

• Reviewed by: jtrynoble

  Strengths: great price

  Weaknesses: for this first time user ajustment levels were a bit hard to read

  Overall: Being a first time user of digital camera equipment. I found the camera software, direction booklet, and the camera's adjustment level buttons of this Powershot S3 IS to be a bit difficult and small for me to read, understand, and use. But after taking time to review the booklet. I then installed the software which came with this Cannon Powershot S3 IS. I then began to read more and then understand the functions of this camera and how to achieve the adjustments needed, to obtain the great shots I now get. If your a first timer like me. You too may feel a bit lost and confused when it comes to learning how to use a digital camera such as this Cannon Power Shot S3 IS. But keep in mind this feeling will only be a temporary one. Once you read and review the booklet, install the software which comes with this Cannon Digital Camera to your computer. You too will become more familiar with the controls and there specific functions. Then you too will say as I do now: "The Cannon Powershot S3 IS Digital Camera works for me" "12x zoom lens with antishake control gives this first time user great shots"

• Reviewed by: Chuckasaurus

  Strengths: Ease of use....quick start up....quality pictures....quality video.

  Weaknesses: None

  Overall: I'm not a professional photographer, and I don't know that much about digital cameras as this is only my third one. But so far, this camera has worked flawlessly, and taken beautiful pictures and outstanding video clips that were in full stereo.I have no complaints with this camera, and can only praise how well it works, and how nice the many features are. If your not too sure about whether or not to get this camera, I would say to just get it. You won't find a better digital camera for $394.00One thing I would recommend is just spending around 90 dollars on a good 2GB (or larger) high speed SD memory card. The video takes up a lot of space, and you can run out of memory before you know it if you are recording video clips.