Canon Powershot S3 IS ReviewWriten by Andy Needham
The main attraction of the Canon Powershot S3 IS is its 12x optical zoom lens. This places the camera fairly and squarely in the super zoom category. I would say this is a camera for someone who enjoys photography and who will use a camera on a regular basis, but cannot afford a Digital SLR or is not committed enough to spend out for one. It has six megapixels.
For any super zoom digital camera hand shake can cause problems. This is especially true in lower light when the zoom lens is being used to its full extent. The Powershot S3 IS can help in this situation owing to built in optical image stabilisation.
In terms of features the Powershot S3 IS is one of the most advanced models below the level of Digital SLR. Many of the features it offers can be found in SLR models. Key features include fully manual exposure settings as well as aperture priority and shutter priority. These are essential to anyone who likes to take control over how the final image will look. With these features available the Powershot S3 IS could also be considered a good starting point for someone who is looking to learn how a camera works and to take up photography as a hobby.
Other advanced features include three metering modes (Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, Spot (centre or linked to focusing frame)), exposure compensation (+/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments), bracketing (1/3 - 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments) and ISO equivalents of Auto, High ISO Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400 and 800.
To help get colours right there are also a variety of white balance settings available. These are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash and Custom.
You also have a number of options when it comes to shooting movies. These include being able to shoot TV quality movies and also time lapse movies. Time lapse movies are where the camera takes a picture at set intervals. Typical uses are to show a flower gradually opening or plotting the movement of clouds across the sky. There is also a movie mode that lets you shoot a short burst of movie and play it back in slow motion. These movies are often used in analysis. Tennis serves and golf swings seem to be popular subject for this.
In terms of image quality I was very impressed by the Powershot S3 IS. The images were crystal clear as the sharpness of each image really caught my eye. I was also able to take a great macro shot with the camera. As with other super zoom cameras the problem of purple fringing does pop up. This is where a thin purple line is added to the edges of light objects when they are caught by a bright light such as the sun.
I found the camera copes well with shots taken indoors in poor light too. The flash unit is powerful and the camera has a good focusing mechanism as well. You can also adjust the level of the flash to suit the situation. An external flash unit can be bought separately from Canon to further boost performance when necessary.
To get the most from this camera you will need to set aside time to go through the manual and take the camera out to experiment with it. Any effort put in is likely to be well rewarded.
The Powershot S3 IS is one of the more expensive super zoom digital cameras on the market. That said I still think this camera manages to offer good value for money. I have reviewed almost all the super zoom digital cameras available and the Powershot S3 IS is the best one available.
This article was provided by Andy Needham of http://www.cameras.co.uk/. Cameras.co.uk provides digital camera reviews, price comparisons and general help for buying digital cameras. There is also a special section where you can ask a question if you would like further help.
For a more detailed review of the camera and to see some sample images please visit http://www.cameras.co.uk/camera-reviews/canon-powershot-s3-is.cfm