BLOGS Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Posted on 2007-03-25 12:08:58. 2659 views. 16 comment(s). Rabu (21/3) kemarin, saya dan adik saya memutuskan untuk membeli sebuah kamera digital untuk keperluan dokumentasi pribadi sehari-hari. Ya, tadinya saya menabung untuk membeli sebuah telepon seluler baru yang dapat terkoneksi dengan PowerBook. Tapi setelah ditinjau ulang, tampaknya sebuah kamera digital lebih bermanfaat daripada sekedar mengganti telepon seluler. Untuk survey awal, saya memanfaatkan katalog di situs Bhinneka untuk memilih dan menentukan kandidat kamera digital yang akan dibeli. Setelah menentukan tidak untuk memilih kamera tipe "pocket", akhirnya terpilih beberapa kamera hi-end kelas konsumer. DSLR? maunya sih, tapi dana sangat terbatas. Sementara kandidatnya adalah Kodak EasyShare Z650 (sekitar 2,7 juta rupiah), Z710 (2,9 juta), dan Z612 (3,1 juta). Ada Sony CyberShot DSC-H2 yang sangat menarik, namun harganya sedikit memberatkan (3,9 juta). Ada juga Fujifilm FinePix S5600 (3,6 juta) yang cukup menarik. Kamera-kamera ini terpilih karena dapat difungsikan dalam mode manual. Walaupun masih jenis point-andshoot, bukan SLR, namun saya lebih menyukai memotret dengan mode manual. Walaupun saya sendiri tidak mengerti teknik dalam memotret. Setelah mendapat beberapa model sebagai kandidat, kami pergi menuju BEC untuk survey barang. Ketiga model kamera Kodak diatas dapat ditemukan. Begitu juga dengan Fujifilm FinePix S5600. Hanya Sony CyberShot H2 yang tidak ditemukan, tapi yang ada malah Sony CyberShot H5 yang lebih baik (dan tentunya jauh diatas budget). Selain itu, kami juga menemukan Canon PowerShot S3 IS, yang tidak ada di katalog Bhinneka. PowerShot S3 tersebut ditawarkan dengan harga Rp.3.600.000,- hingga 3.750.000,-.

Tadinya anggaran yang dianggarkan untuk kamera digital sekitar 2,5 juta hingga sekitar 3 jutaan. Namun adik saya tampak sangat antusias dengan PowerShot S3. Singkat cerita, hasil pertimbangannya memutuskan untuk memilih PowerShot S3 walaupun mesti merogoh kocek lebih dalam memperbesar nominal yang mesti didebit. Dalam pembeliannya, saya diberikan bonus SD Card dengan kapasitas 1 GB yang bukan merupakan paket penjualan standar dari produsen. Harga yang disepakati adalah Rp. 3.575.000,- dengan garansi resmi 1 tahun oleh Canon.

Untuk fiturnya sendiri saya tidak terlalu mengerti mengenai kamera. PowerShot S3 ini memiliki sensor yang dapat menghasilkan gambar dengan resolusi maksimal 6 MegaPixel (2816 x 2112 pixel) yang juga dapat menghasilkan gambar dengan rasio widescreen (2816 x 1584 pixel). Selain mengambil gambar diam, kamera ini juga dapat merekam gambar bergerak (video, movie) serta dilengkapi dengan mic stereo. Kamera ini memiliki kemampuan perbesaran hingga 12 kali zoom optikal ditambah dengan 4 kali zoom digital (total 48 kali). Untuk pratampilan gambar, dapat menggunakan viewfinder maupun layar LCD 2 inch yang dapat di putar (sistem flip). Kemampuan ISO: Auto, High, 80, 100, 200. 400, dan 800. Untuk spesifikasi lengkap Anda dapat merujuk ke situs resminya. Sementara yang menjadi masalahnya untuk saat ini adalah baterainya. Kamera ini tidak menggunakan baterai lithium-ion, tapi masih menggunakan baterai "klasik" ukuran AA (bisa jenis alkaline maupun NiMH-rechargeable) sebanyak 4 unit (di dalam paket pembelian disertakan 4 unit baterai non-rechargeable alkaline merk Panasonic). Dimana saya membeli secara terpisah baterai Sanyo dengan kapasitas 2700mAH (kapasitas yang diklaim oleh produsen, bukan kapasitas aktual). Dimana saya sudah memiliki charger di rumah yang biasa digunakan untuk mengisi baterai AAA untuk pemutar musik portabel saya. Masalahnya, kapasitas charger tersebut hanya 2 baterai, sehingga untuk mengisi 4 baterai saya harus melakukan pengisian sebanyak 2 kali. Dan menurut buku petunjuk charger tersebut, untuk pengisian baterai dengan kapasitas 2500mAH saja memerlukan waktu sekitar 24 jam. Ya, saya harus membeli sebuah charger baru. Ada yang punya rekomendasi? Yang juga berarti charger lama saya akan dibebastugaskan.

Canon launches improved monster zoom compact

Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 21 February, 2006: Canon today announces the release of the 12x optical zoom PowerShot S3 IS. Successor to the popular PowerShot S2 IS, the latest addition to the PowerShot S-series incorporates a 6.0 Megapixel CCD sensor, Canon's renowned optical Image Stabilizer technology and video functionality rivalling that of dedicated digital video camcorders. Sporting a striking new finish in gunmetal grey, the compact PowerShot S3 IS answers the demands of advanced photographers with several improvements over its predecessor, including an increased sensitivity range of ISO

80 to ISO 800, a larger 2.0" vari-angle LCD screen, widescreen (16:9) recording, new movie features and an additional Sports mode. The PowerShot S3 IS features:

12x optical zoom lens with USM and UD lens element Optical Image Stabilizer 6.0 Megapixel CCD Larger size 2.0 Vari-angle LCD 30fps VGA movies with stereo sound and Photo in Movie feature DIGIC II, iSAPS and Flexizone AF/AE for fast, precise results and 2.3 fps continuous shooting performance 20 shooting modes and My Colors photo effects High ISO Auto and ISO 800 for low light flexibility Widescreen (16:9) recording

The PowerShot S3 IS caters for serious photo enthusiasts seeking extended zooming flexibility and fully featured movie recording in a versatile compact digital stills camera. Optics Still the most powerful zoom in a Canon digital compact camera (36 432mm f/2.7-f.3.5), the PowerShot S3 ISs lens incorporates the same leading technologies used in Canon's professional EF lenses. An Ultra-Sonic Motor (USM) drives rapid and near-silent zoom operation; an Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens element significantly reduces chromatic aberration in telephoto shots; Canon's optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology counteracts camera shake to reduce image blur when shooting stills or recording video, essential for handheld shots at longer focal lengths. IS allows photographers to shoot at shutter speeds up to 3 stops slower for reliable flash-free photography in low light conditions. The PowerShot S3 IS's 12x optical zoom combines with digital zoom to deliver 48x magnification for recording both stills and video. For even wider framing options, optional Wide and Tele converter lenses extend the focal length from wide 27mm to super-tele 648mm (35mm film equivalent) for an impressive 24x optical zoom. A Super Macro mode with 0cm shooting distance and optional Close-Up lens 500D (58mm) allow for detailed macro photography. Increased ISO speed In addition to Image Stabilization, the PowerShot S3 IS features a new High ISO Auto setting and ISO 800 to further extend the camera's low light shooting capabilities. High ISO Auto automatically sets exposure using the higher range of ISO sensitivities, enabling faster shutter speeds in low light and increased image stability at the telephoto end. A dedicated ISO button allows for easy switching between ISO sensitivities. Movie functions

Powerful video functions make the PowerShot S3 IS far more than just a high performance digital still camera. A dedicated movie button means users do not need to switch modes to start recording, so spontaneous moments can be instantly captured in full motion. Users can record smooth 30fps VGA quality movies of up to 1GB with stereo sound, or create 60fps QVGA clips for sharp slow motion playback. The Movie mode also allows users to preselect exposure and white balance, zoom throughout the camera's focal range and manually adjust focus while shooting. A Photo In Movie feature enables the capture of full resolution digital stills during video recording. Creative shooting The PowerShot S3 IS offers 20 shooting modes including full Manual mode, Aperture Priority and Shutter Speed Priority. Together with 2.3 fps continuous shooting, a new fastshutter Sports mode with improved auto focus accuracy provides unprecedented capabilities for capturing action sports sequences. Special Scene modes such as Night Snapshot and Snow assist with tricky lighting conditions, while Color Accent and Color Swap modes enable dramatic colour effects to be applied to both images and movies. Canon's My Colors photo effects have been enhanced for this model, and can now be applied to images both before and after shooting. The PowerShot S3 IS features a new Widescreen mode (2816 x 1584 recording pixels) for capturing still images in 16:9 format perfect for viewing images on widescreen television or printing wide (10 x 20cm) photos with a SELPHY Compact Photo Printer. Printing and other features A new, dedicated Print menu simplifies printing of multiple images. Full PictBridge support means users can print directly to any PictBridge compatible printer without the need for a PC. New PictBridge features include the ability to print shooting data and optimise faces in portrait shots when connected to a compatible Canon PIXMA printer. The camera's ID photo and movie stills features are also available when connected to a SELPHY CP Series Printer. A handy Print/Share button allows one-touch printing and easy uploads to Windows or Mac systems. The camera's menu system now features support for Arabic, bringing the total number of supported languages to 23. Accessories A complete range of optional accessories is available to extend the functionality of the PowerShot S3 IS:

Tele-converter 1.5x lens (TC-DC58B) Wide-converter 0.75x lens (WC-DC58A) Lens Adapter/Hood Set (LAH-DC20) Close-Up Lens 500D (58mm) High Power Flash HF-DC1

Soft Case (DCC-90) Compact AC Power Adapter (CA-PS700) Battery and Charger Kit (CBK4-300)

The camera is compatible with MMC/SD cards, and comes supplied with a 16MB Canon card. Technologies Explained Optical Image Stabilizer Canon's lens shift-type optical Image Stabilizer counteracts the camera shake caused by slight hand movements. Vibration sensors detect the angle and speed of movement and send this information to a processor, allowing the camera to compensate. This adds stability to hand-held, telephoto or moving shots and enables shooting at shutter speeds of up to three stops slower with no noticeable increase in image blur. DIGIC II Canon's purpose-built DIGIC II (DIGital Imaging Core) image processor links all primary camera functions for maximum efficiency. High-speed processing results in outstanding responsiveness, rapid auto focus and extended continuous shooting ability. Advanced image processing algorithms deliver superb image detail and colour reproduction with accurate white balance and minimal noise. DIGIC II operates efficiently to extend battery life, for longer shooting on a single charge. iSAPS iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) automatically optimises key camera settings before every shot. Each scene is analysed and cross-referenced against Photographic Space a vast in-camera library of photographic data. This enables the camera to make optimal adjustments to auto exposure, auto focus and auto white balance before image capture occurs. 9-Point AiAF Canon's 9-point AiAF (Artificial Intelligence Auto Focus) automatically scans and selects subjects from a set of nine focusing areas across the scene. This ensures accurately focused images even when subjects are not in the centre of the frame. FlexiZone AF/AE FlexiZone AF/AE lets users manually select the focus point from almost any point in the frame by moving the auto focus window in the viewfinder. Exposure is linked to the focus point to ensure that the chosen subject is accurately focused and exposed.

Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens technology No matter how well engineered, conventional optical glass lens elements cause chromatic aberrations which can soften images and appear in photographs as fringing around the outside edge of subjects. Canons Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) glass has special optical properties to successfully reduce these aberrations. Especially effective in super telephoto lenses, UD glass helps to deliver crisp, sharp, high contrast images. Pricing and Availability Canons new PowerShot S3 IS digital camera will be available in May for an estimated selling price of $499.99. Canon PowerShot S3 IS specifications Sensor 1/2.5 " Type CCD 6.0 million effective pixels 2816 x 2112 2816 x 1584 2272 x 1704 1600 x 1200 640 x 480 640 x 480 @ 30 / 15fps 320 x 240 @ 60 / 30 / 15fps WAVE (stereo) Still: JPEG (Exif 2.2) Movie: AVI (Motion JPEG compression) 36-432mm equiv 12x Optical zoom F2.7-3.5 (max) Yes (Lens shift-type) Yes

Image sizes

Movie clips File formats Lens Image stabilization Conversion lenses Digital zoom

up to 4x TTL 1 point AF (any position) Focus Single Continuous Manual AF assist lamp Yes Focus distance Closest 0cm Evaluative Metering Center-weighted average Spot (centre or linked to focusing frame)

ISO sensitivity

Exposure compensation Exposure bracketing Shuttter speed Aperture

Modes

Scene modes

White balance

Self timer Continuous

Auto High ISO Auto ISO 80 ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 +/- 2EV 1/3 stop increments 1/3-2EV 1/3 stop increments 15 1/3200 sec F2.7-3.5 (max) Auto Program AE Shutter Priority AE Aperture Priority AE Manual Custom Portrait Landscape Night Scene Sports Stitch Assist Special Scene Foliage Snow Beach Fireworks Indoor Night Snapshot Color Accent Color Swap TTL Auto Daylight Cloudy Tungsten Fluorescent Fluorescent H Flash Custom 2 or 10secs Custom High Speed approx. 2.3fps

 Normal approx. 1.5fps My Colors (Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B&W, Positive film, Image Lighter skin tone, Darker skin tone, Vivid blue, Vivid red, parameters Vivid Green, Custom color) Auto Manual Flash On / Off Slow Synch Red eye reduction Flash exposure lock Flash Flash Exposure Compensation +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments Manual Power adjustment Second Curtain Synch Range: 50cm-5.2m (wide) / 90cm-4.0m (tele) EVF (0.33" type) Viewfinder 115,000 pixels Vari-angle 2.0-inch Low Temp P-Si TFT LCD monitor 115,000 pixels Adjustable Brightness USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Connectivity AV out PictBridge Print Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers and PIXMA compliance Printers supporting PictBridge (ID Photo Print, Movie Print supported on SELPHY CP printers only) SD / MMC compatible Storage 16MB card supplied 4x AA Alkaline battery supplied or NiMH batteries Power Optional AC adapter Weight (no batt) 410 g Dimensions 113.4 x 78 x 75.5 mm Additional images

shooting

Canon PowerShot S3 IS
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Type Sensor Maximum resolution Lens type Shutter

Bridge Digital Camera 1/2.5 in (10 mm) (6.2 million pixels) CCD 2816 2112 (6.0 megapixels) non-detachable, 36432 mm equiv. (12 optical zoom) Electronic & mechanical shutter

Shutter speed range Exposure metering Exposure modes

1/3200 to 15 sec. Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot Full auto, programmed, shutter-priority, aperture priority, manual, movie

Metering modes Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot Focus areas Focus modes Continuous shooting Viewfinder single-point autofocus (fixed to center or FlexiZone) TTL, Center Area AF, Manual up to 2.3 frame/s. Electronic, 100% coverage

ASA/ISO range 80800 ISO Flash Built-in, pop-up (electronic, no hot shoe)

Flash bracketing none Focus bracketing yes Custom WB 21? presets, Auto and Manual

WB bracketing none Rear LCD monitor Storage Battery Weight Optional battery packs 2.0 in (51 mm), 115,000 pixels, 100% coverage Secure Digital (SD) and Multimedia Card (MMC), including SDHC 4 AA batteries 410 g (body only) none

The Canon PowerShot S3 IS is a 6.0 megapixel digital camera that debuted in February 2006 and launched in May of that same year. It is the third of Canon's cameras in the superzoom category, with an integrated 12 zoom lens and image stabilization technology (IS). Its predecessor was the Canon PowerShot S2 IS with a 12 zoom lens, DIGIC II and IS, but with only 5.0 megapixels. It has been superseded by the Canon PowerShot S5 IS.

[edit] Features

6.0 megapixel (effective) 1/2.5 in (10 mm) CCD Sensor 12 optical zoom (approximately 48 combined optical + digital zoom) Optical Image Stabilizer (Shift Type) Ultrasonic Lens Motor Extra-long Movie Mode with enhanced VGA resolution and stereo sound Canon DIGIC II processor with iSAPS PictBridge, PhotoStitch, Canon Direct Print compatible no PC required 20 shooting modes Aperture Range: F2.7/F3.5 to F8 Macro focus range: 10 to 50 cm (max wide angle); 30 to 50 cm (with a slight zoomin); 90 cm to infinity (with more than about 3 zoom) SuperMacro focus range: 0 to 10 cm (forced into max wide angle mode) Min. shutter: 1/3200 s, max shutter: 15 s 640 480 15/30 frame/s movie clips with stereo audio (limited to 1 GB and 1 hour), and with 320 240 mode at 60/30/15 frame/s. Encoded in Motion JPEG with WAVE audio. Stereo audio recorder. Electronic Viewfinder (approx 115,000 pixel). Continuous Drive: Up to 2.3 frame/s. 2.0" (flip-out & twist) LCD (115,000 pixels). Dimensions: 113.4 78 75.5 mm (4.5 3.1 3.0 in). Weight: 410 g. Lens Attachments are possible (including the Canon LAH-DC20 lens adaptor, and the Canon TC DC58B telephoto lens). ISO 80 - 800. Noise from ISO 400 to ISO 800.

[edit] External links

Canon's S3 IS product information page Canon PowerShot S3 IS from dpreview, includes a detailed review. CHDK - Third party software that adds additional features, including RAW shooting. - This is a firmware modification that loads after the camera starts.

[edit] References

Mode dial
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Generic mode dial for digital cameras showing some of the most common modes. (Actual mode dials can vary from camera to camera. For example, point-and-shoot cameras don't often have manual modes.) Manual modes: Manual (M), Program (P), Shutter priority (S), Aperture priority (A). Automatic modes: Auto, Action, Portrait, Night portrait, Landscape, Macro. A mode dial or camera dial is a dial used on digital cameras to change the camera's mode. Most digital cameras, including dSLR and SLR-like cameras, support modes, selectable either by a dial or from a menu. On point-and-shoot cameras which support modes a range of scene types is offered. On dSLR cameras and SLR-like cameras, mode dials usually offer access to manual settings. The more compact point-and-shoot cameras, and cameras offering a great many modes, do not have mode dials, using menus instead. Some SLR lenses themselves offer control over things such as aperture, reducing the need for mode support in the camera body.

Contents
[hide]

1 Location of the dial 2 Modes o 2.1 Manual modes o 2.2 Automatic scene modes 3 See also

[edit] Location of the dial

A Kodak dSLR with the mode dial located near the flash/viewfinder hump.

On most dSLRs and SLR-like cameras, the mode dial is located at the top of the camera, to one side of the flash/viewfinder hump. On point-and-shoot cameras, however, the mode dial's location is less standard. On many models, it is found on top like dSLRs. On other point-and-shoots, the dial is found on the front of the camera, often coupled with a menunavigation button.

[edit] Modes
Main article: List of digital camera modes Various camera types and specific cameras have different modes. On dSLRs, these usually contain manual settings and a small sample of automatic modes. SLR-like cameras usually have manual modes and several automatic scene modes. On point-and-shoot cameras, all manual control may be condensed into one mode (e.g. ASP, for Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Program) or completely absent. Compact cameras also generally have a large array of scene modes. Point-and-shoot and SLR-like digital cameras usually have a movie mode to capture videos, though the design of dSLRs prevents these cameras from having movie modes as well. Detailed in formation found by users on the modes supported by digital cameras are to be found in the ongoing list of digital camera modes.

[edit] Manual modes

Manual modes include:

P: Program mode offers partial control over shutter speed and aperture. Tv or S: Shutter priority controls the shutter speed, and aperture is calculated by the camera. Av or A: Aperture priority controls the aperture, and the shutter is calculated by the camera. M: Manual mode controls shutter speed and aperture independently.

[edit] Automatic scene modes

In automatic modes the camera determines all aspects of exposure, choosing exposure parameters according to the application within the constraints of correct exposure, including exposure, aperture, focussing, light metering, white balance, and equivalent sensitivity. For example in portrait mode the camera would use a wider aperture to render the background out of focus, and would seek out and focus on a human face rather than other image content. In the same light conditions a smaller aperture would be used for a landscape, and recognition of faces would not be enabled for focussing. Some cameras have tens of modes. Many cameras do not document exactly what their many modes do; for full mastery of the camera one must experiment with them. In general:

Action or sport mode increases ISO and uses a fast shutter speed to capture action. Landscape mode uses a small aperture to gain depth of field. Portrait mode widens the aperture to throw the background out of focus. The camera may recognise and focus on a human face. Night portrait mode uses an exposure long enough to capture background detail, with fill-in flash to illuminate a nearby subject.

Other scene modes found on many cameras include Fireworks, Snow, Natural light/Night snapshot, Macro/Close-up, and Movie mode.

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Canon PowerShot S3 IS Review, Simon Joinson, May 2006

Review based on a production Canon PowerShot S3 IS, Firmware version 1.00 Like the S2 IS before it (and for that matter the original S1 IS), the latest version of Canon's flagship Image stabilized Ultra zoom PowerShot has been one of the most popular cameras on dpreview (measured by clicks) since the day it was announced. Unlike the S2, the PowerShot S3 IS is a relatively minor upgrade to it's predecessor, much more of an evolutionary change than a wholesale reinvention. The basic spec (aside from the sensor) is pretty familiar; 12x optical zoom, flip 'n' twist LCD, tons of photographic control and advanced movie mode with stereo sound. The S2 IS was one of the best big zoom cameras of last year, but this is a highly competitive sector of the market, so does the S3 IS still have what it takes to keep Canon near the top? Let's find out. Headline features

12x optical zoom lens with USM and UD lens element Optical Image Stabilizer 6.0 Megapixel CCD 2.0 Vari-angle LCD 30fps VGA movies with stereo sound and Photo in Movie feature DIGIC II, iSAPS and Flexizone AF/AE for fast, precise results and 2.3 fps continuous shooting 20 shooting modes and My Colors photo effects High ISO Auto and ISO 800 for low light flexibility Widescreen (16:9) recording

Powershot S3 IS vs S2 IS; what's changed?

Aside from the move to the new 1/2.5" 6 megapixel sensor and a larger screen the S3 IS is, as mentioned above, a pretty minor upgrade. The most immediately obvious difference is the color; very dark gunmetal as opposed to shiny silver. Sat next to the S2 IS the new camera looks a lot more serious, and is a lot more inconspicuous when you're out shooting. Externally the cameras are otherwise almost identical (the S3 IS is fractionally heavier, not that you'd notice).

New sensor (6MP versus 5MP) Higher maximum sensitivity (ISO 800) Bigger LCD screen (2.0-inch versus 1.8-inch) New Sports mode Record Histogram Widescreen shooting mode (stills) Fractionally larger and heavier

Canon PowerShot S3 IS Canon PowerShot S2 IS Body color Gunmetal grey Silver Sensor 1/2.5 CCD, 6.2 million pixels 1/2.5 CCD, 5.3 million pixels Effective 6.0 million pixels 5.0 million pixels Resolution Maximum 2816 x 2112 2592 x 1944 Image Size Widescreen Yes No

mode Histogram Record & playback Scene Custom modes Portrait Landscape Night Scene Sports Stitch Assist Foliage Snow Beach Fireworks Indoor Night Snapshot Color Accent Color Swap Continuous 2.3 fps, unlimited Shooting LCD screen 2.0-inch TFT (flip out and twist) 115,000 pixels Weight (no 410g batteries) Key specifications US: $480 UK: 330 Body Material Plastic 1/2.5 " Type CCD Sensor 6.0 million effective pixels 2816 x 2112 2816 x 1584 (16:9 widescreen mode) Image sizes 2272 x 1704 1600 x 1200 640 x 480 640 x 480 @ 30 / 15fps 320 x 240 @ 60 / 30 / 15fps Photo in Movie feature Movie clips WAVE (stereo) Length limited only by storage (maximum single movie file 1GB) AVI (Motion JPEG compression) Lens 36 - 432mm equiv. (12x optical zoom) F2.7 - F3.5 Street price Playback only Custom Portrait Landscape Night Scene My Colors Stitch Assist Foliage Snow Beach Fireworks Indoor Night Snapshot 2.4 fps, unlimited 1.8-inch TFT (flip out and twist) 115,000 pixels 405g

 Image Stabilized TTL autofocus Single / Continuous AF Manual focus Focus Focus lock 1-point AF (center or flexizone) 10 cm minimum focus range (macro) Evaluative Metering Center-weighted average Spot (center or linked to focusing frame) Mechanical shutter + Electronic shutter 15-1/3200 sec Shutter Shutter speed varies according to the shooting mode Not all shutter speeds can be used with all apertures F2.7-F8.0 (wide) Aperture F3.5-F8.0 (tele) Auto Program AE Shutter Priority AE Aperture Priority AE Manual Custom Portrait Landscape Night Scene Shooting mode Sports Stitch Assist Foliage Snow Beach Fireworks Indoor Night Snapshot Color Accent Color Swap Auto High ISO Auto ISO 80 Sensitivity ISO 100 ISO 200 ISO 400 ISO 800 White Balance Auto Daylight Cloudy Tungsten

 Fluorescent Fluorescent H Flash Custom Contrast (3 levels) Sharpness (3 levels) Image Saturation (3 levels) parameters My Colors (Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B&W, Positive film, Lighter skin tone, Darker skin tone, Vivid blue, Vivid red, Vivid Green, Custom color) High Speed approx. 2.3fps Continuous Normal approx. 1.5fps Auto Manual Flash On / Off Slow Synch Red eye reduction Flash exposure lock Flash Exposure Compensation +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop Flash increments Manual Power adjustment Second Curtain Synch Range (wide): 50cm - 5.2m (1.6-17ft) Range (tele): 90cm - 4.0m (3.0-13 ft) Range (macro): 30 - 50m (1.0-1.6 ft) SD / MMC compatible Storage 16MB card supplied EVF (0.33" type) 115,000 pixels Viewfinder 100% coverage Dioptre adjustment (-5.5 to 1.5 dpt) Vari-angle 2.0-inch Low Temp P-Si TFT 115,000 pixels LCD monitor Adjustable Brightness 100% coverage USB 2.0 High speed Connectivity A/V out 4 x AA batteries (NiMH recommended) Power (Optional AC adapter) Other features Orientation sensor PC controlled shooting DPOF PictBridge Interval shooting Index view Histogram

Optional accessories

AE-Bracketing 4x digital zoom Sound memo 21 languages Direct print (Canon & PictBridge) 2 and 10 sec self-timer (plus custom) 23 languages Tele-converter 1.5x lens (TC-DC58B) Wide-converter 0.75x lens (WC-DC58A) Lens Adapter/Hood Set (LAH-DC20) Close-Up Lens 500D (58mm) High Power Flash HF-DC1 Soft Case (DCC-90) Compact AC Power Adapter (CA-PS700) Battery and Charger Kit (CBK4-300) 410 g 113.4 x 78 x 75.5 mm

Weight (no batt) Dimensions

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used). Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C.

Design

The PowerShot S3 IS will look very familiar to anyone who has used its predecessor - it is almost identical externally, save for the more serious looking gunmetal paint job and the larger screen. As with it predecessors, the 'miniature SLR' design works well, no space has been wasted, and a lot of attention has been paid to handling and ergonomics. The only other change is a welcome one; the addition of a dedicated ISO button. With the current fashion for simple, minimalist cameras that eschew buttons and switches in favor of menudriven control it is a real treat to use a camera designed first and foremost for taking photographs. It looks a lot nicer in black than its silver predecessors, and the S3 IS feels, and in most cases operates, like a real camera. In your hand

The handgrip is excellent and the most important controls (zoom, shutter, shooting mode) are all perfectly placed for one-handed operation (though with a 12x zoom lens you may want to put the other hand to use too!). Despite the plastic construction the S3 IS feels robust and well balanced and handles beautifully. At over half a kilo fully loaded it is still one of the heaviest cameras in its class, but it does offer excellent stability without overstraining the neck strap.

Body elements
The S3 IS takes standard AA cells NiMH are recommended and were used for this test. In an effort to keep the price keen Canon does not supply any rechargeable batteries, so you'll need to budget for those - plus a charger. Battery life is surprisingly good for an EVF camera (560 shots using the CIPA standard for NiMH, 130 with alkalines). Batteries last slightly longer using the EVF rather than the LCD screen.

The SD card slot is also located in the hand grip under a solid hinged door.

The S3 IS features a small electronic viewfinder (EVF) essentially a 0.33-inch LCD behind a magnifier. The EVF has the same resolution as the LCD screen (115, 000 pixels) - and appears to be identical to the S2 IS. It has a good refresh rate, but does exhibit some video lag and is not brilliant in very low or very bright light, but it's certainly usable. The screen has been increased marginally (from 1.8 to 2.0 inches) but the resolution is still the same - 115,000 pixels. A higher res screen would be nice (as would a bigger one), but would decrease battery

life. The refresh rate is fairly high and menus are easy to see. The screen swings out through 180 degrees and swivels through 270 degrees, offering plenty of shooting versatility. It also means you can also 'flip' the screen (so the LCD face is flush against the back of the camera), protecting the delicate screen when the S3 IS is in your bag. The S3 suffers from the same problem as its predecessors with glare in bright shooting conditions - a problem by no means unique to this camera. The shutter release is big, responsive and perfectly positioned at the front of the large chunky handgrip. The zoom rocker - in the form of a collar around the release - is also nice, and offers two zooming speeds. Move it a little and the zoom extends at a glacial speed, push it all the way and the speed picks up. A small touch, but a nice one. The zoom rocker also controls playback magnification (and activates thumbnails).

The pop-up flash on the S3 IS is a fairly powerful unit that works well and recycles quickly with fully charged batteries. Like the S2 it doesn't actually pop up - you have to open yourself if you want to use it. Once open you have the usual array of flash options. Canon also sells an addon slave flash (the HFDC1), with a guide number of 18 (ISO 100, meters), that approximately doubles the range of the built-in unit. The key selling point of the S3 IS has to be the Canon 36-432mm equiv. F2.8-3.5 zoom lens. Its USM means focusing is very quiet indeed, and even the zooming mechanism is little more than a whisper. The small button below the lens unlocks the cosmetic front ring, which can be removed to allow the attachment of wide, tele and macro bayonet fit adapter lenses. The lens extends by around 30mm (1.1 inches) when powered up, after which most of the zooming is internal (the barrel doesn't extend any further).

The USB (2.0 high speed) and DC-in ports are located under a rather flimsy rubberized cover on the side of the handgrip (above the SD card slot cover). The AV port sits under a similar cover on the opposite side of the camera.

The main power switch swaps between record and playback modes. You can power the camera up directly into playback mode (in which case the lens doesn't extend), and you can quickly move from play to record with a half-press of the shutter release.

The main mode dial.

Operation and controls

The S3 IS, in common with most higher end PowerShots, can appear a little daunting at first glance - there is hardly a square inch of body space that isn't covered in buttons and switches. But don't be put off - unlike many cameras this means that virtually all the most commonly accessed shooting features get their own dedicated buttons, so you don't need to enter the on-screen menu system every time you want to change something. The sheer number of external controls is also an indication of sophisticated functionality on offer, which is well up there with much more expensive models. Rear of camera

The main 'digital' controls - those concerned with activating and navigating on-screen menus - are found on the rear of the camera, ranged around and to the right of the swingout-and-tilt 2.0- inch LCD. Some of the buttons have a dual function according to whether you are in recording or playback mode, and there is one that is still unique to the SX IS range - the prominent movie start/stop button, which is used for stopping starting movie recording, whatever mode you're in. One nice touch is a shortcut button to which any of a number of shooting options (resolution, white balance setting and so on) can be assigned. As well as menu controls you'll also find buttons for metering mode and focus point on the rear of the camera, as well as one for switching between the electronic viewfinder (EVF) and LCD screen. The only change over the S2 IS is a significant one; as is now common to all high end PowerShots the S3 IS has a dedicated ISO button on the rear, a welcome enhancement. Top of camera

The top of the S3 IS has a true 'mini SLR' feel to it, with lots of controls, a well-designed and wellproportioned grip and large, perfectly positioned shutter release.

Side Controls

The right hand side of the camera (as seen from the front) houses the miniature speaker (for playing back movies and sound captions), the AV (audio/visual) output and two controls directly related to the lens; manual focus and macro mode.

Display and menus

The most basic preview screen Half-press the shutter release and showing focus point, image the camera will calculate exposure stabilization status and (I had to (AE) and focus (AF) indicating the look this one up) whether the wind aperture and shutter speed chosen, filter is on or off (for audio along with a camera shake warning recording). if necessary.

As usual you can change the amount of information shown on-screen, and there is a new 'grid' option It can get get a little crowded on(shown here) for those of us who screen with everything showing, but struggle with straight horizons. The it's nice to see that Canon listened to size/quality and remaining space user feedback and added the option indications are shown for both stills for a live histogram. and movies, which takes some getting used to!

Users of previous PowerShots will be perfectly at home with the record mode FUNC menu, which offers a wide range of controls over shooting and image parameters.

The 'Flexizone' AF system allows you to choose from any one of 375 points in the frame by pressing the set button and moving the focus point around using the arrow keys.

Manual focus is a simple case of pressing the MF button and using

Selecting the 'My Colors' option brings up several extra options,

allowing you to boost certain colors, swap colors in the scene, remove all but one color (all other colors come the up/down arrows. You can out black and white) or set custom choose to have the area around the colors. It's not Photoshop, but it's a focus point magnified in manual nice novelty. More useful are the focus mode (not shown), though in extensive color control options, practice it doesn't help a great deal. including presets and custom controls for color, saturation, sharpness and contrast.

Record mode menu allows you to The 'Special scene' mode adds six customize everything from flash subject programs (Foliage, Snow, synch to the spot AE point and selfBeach, Fireworks, Indoor, Night timer delay. It is also here where Snapshot). you'll find the control for image stabilization.

A new feature allows you to As with the S2 IS there is a customize the on-screen display in 'shortcut' button on the rear of the record mode (there are two custom camera, which can have one of 10 settings, activated by repeated different functions assigned to it. presses of the DISP button).

Play mode default display, a line of One of the three alternative play basic information showing filename, mode views includes a histogram date & time stamp and quality display and exposure information. setting.

The S3 IS provides play magnification up to to 10x (as shown here). You can move around the image using the 4-way controller. As Press the zoom controller towards with other recent PowerShots you the wide angle to switch to a 3x3 can jump from image to image at thumbnail index, note that you can the same magnification by pressing also enable JUMP mode which the SET button and using the allows you to step through a full left/right keys. You can also view page of 9 images at a time. magnified images with exposure information on display (screen shot).

The play menu offers the usual range of options, including protecting, rotating and deleting images, plus a sound recorder.

You can now apply 'My Colors' effects to saved images, which is much better than committing to it at the point you take the picture.

The S3 IS has Canon's fancy new playback options, including slideshow transitions and a useful playback mode orientation sensor.

Also new is a separate Print menu for the S3's enhanced direct print capabilities.

The setup menu (accessible from both playback and record modes) is where you find more general The My Camera menu allows you to camera settings, including sounds, customize the camera startup image power saving, date and time, LCD and various sounds. brightness, card formatting, language and video output format.

Timing & Performance

We praised the S2 IS for the huge performance improvements made over the original S1 IS; we weren't expecting any great leaps forward with the S3 IS, and we didn't get them. That said, we were pleased to note that the larger files bring virtually no performance

penalty, and in fact our tests would seem to indicate that Canon has actually improved focus speed marginally. More likely is that - given that the results below are an average they've improved accuracy slightly, avoiding the hunting at the long end of the zoom that plagued the S1 IS, and was still a problem with the S2 IS. In use the S3 IS feels very responsive indeed, though it is still beaten in lab tests on focus speed and shutter lag by the Panasonic FZ7. Timing Notes All times calculated as an average of three operations. Unless otherwise stated all timings were made on a 2816 x 2112 Super-Fine JPEG image (approx. 3,070 KB per image). The media used for these tests was a 1.0GB SanDisk Extreme III SD card. Action Details Power: Off to Record Power: Off to Play Image displayed Power: Record to Off Lens retracted and all activity ceased Power: Play to Off When buffer is empty Record Review Mode: Record to Play Mode: Play to Record Mode: Play to Record Play: Magnify Play: Image to Image Play: Thumbnail view Action Zoom from Wide to Tele Zoom from Wide to Tele Half-press Lag (0->S1) Half-press Lag (0->S1) Half to Full-press Lag (S1>S2) Half to Full-press Lag (S1>S2) Full-press Lag (0->S2) Off to Shot Taken Shot to Shot Shot to Shot Shot to Shot Image displayed Lens already extended Lens not extended To full magnification (10x) Time to display each saved image 3 x 3 thumbnails Details 36 to 432 mm (12 x) full speed 36 to 432 mm (12 x) low speed Wide angle Telephoto LCD live view Electronic Viewfinder LCD live view, wide angle LCD live view Flash off Flash on (red-eye reduction off) *3 Flash on (red-eye reduction on) *3 Time, secs 1.7 1.5 1.5 0.0 < 0.2 1.2 ~ 1.0 1.5 0.9 ~ 0.4 0.8 Time, seconds 0.9 5.5 ~ 0.3 ~ 0.5 *1 ~ 0.09 ~ 0.1 *2 ~ 0.5 2.4 1.7 2.0 2.0

This is an average figure for 'normal' photography, though there are occasions where the S3 IS struggles to fix focus at the long end of the zoom *1 with low-contrast subjects, when the time can extend to well over a second (though this is rarer than it was with the S2 IS). We now have a more accurate measurement of shutter lag, which has revealed a very slight difference between the viewfinder and the screen. The *2 lag is caused by a very slight lag in the live video preview image (if you shoot without using the screen, the 'true' shutter lag is around 0.06 seconds). In this test the subject distance is only 3 feet (0.9 m) - the recycle time will *3 increase at greater subject distances, and if the batteries are running low. Lag Timing Definitions Half-press Lag (0->S1) Many digital camera users prime the AF and AE systems on their camera by half-pressing the shutter release. This is the amount of time between a half-press of the shutter release and the camera indicating an auto focus & auto exposure lock on the LCD monitor / viewfinder (ready to shoot).

(Prime AF/AE)

Half to Full-press Lag (S1->S2) The amount of time it takes from a full depression of the shutter release button (assuming you have already primed the camera with a half-press) to the image being (Take shot, AF/AE primed) taken. Full-press Lag (0->S2) The amount of time it takes from a full depression of the shutter release button (without performing a half-press of the shutter release beforehand) to the image being taken. This is more representative of the use of the camera in a spur of the moment 'point and shoot' situation.

(Take shot, AF/AE not primed)

Continuous mode
The tables below show the results of our continuous shooting test, indicating the actual frame rate along with maximum number of frames and how long you would have to wait after taking the maximum number of frames before you could take another shot. Media used for these tests was a 1.0GB SanDisk Extreme III SD card. Shutter speed was kept above 1/200 sec during these tests.

Continuous drive mode The S3 IS has two continuous shooting modes (standard and high speed), both of which allow you to shoot pretty much indefinitely (we gave up counting after about 70 shots) with a fast card. The standard continuous mode shows the normal live preview between frames, but the high speed mode only shows a very brief review image after each shot (no live preview). Image Type 2816 x 2112 JPEG SuperFine 2816 x 2112 JPEG Fine 2816 x 2112 JPEG Normal 2272 x 1704 JPEG SuperFine 1600 x 1200 JPEG SuperFine 2816 x 2112 JPEG SuperFine 2816 x 2112 JPEG Fine 2816 x 2112 JPEG Normal 2272 x 1704 JPEG SuperFine 1600 x 1200 JPEG SuperFine Mode Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous ContinuousHigh ContinuousHigh ContinuousHigh ContinuousHigh ContinuousHigh Avg. frames Frames in After per sec a burst *1 burst *2 1.52 fps 1.52 fps 1.52 fps 1.47 fps 1.52 fps 2.16 fps 2.16 fps 2.16 fps 1.87 fps 2.08 fps 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+ n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

*1 In a single "burst" (finger held down on shutter release). With the shutter release held down. With a fast card it is impossible to fill *2 the buffer Despite the slightly larger file sizes, the continuous shooting capabilities of the S3 IS are almost exactly the same as the S2 IS (which was pretty impressive). It can't match the Panasonic FZ7 for really fast shooting, but there are no limits on the number of pictures you can take; the buffering is superb (and the standard continuous mode retains the live preview, which is actually quite a rarity, and makes keeping up with moving subjects much easier).

File Write / Display and Sizes

Timings shown below are the time taken for the camera to process and "flush" the image out to the storage card, the timer was started as soon as the shutter release was pressed and stopped when activity indicator went out. This means the timings also include the camera's

processing time and as such are more representative of the actual time to "complete the task". The media used for these tests was a 1.0GB SanDisk Extreme III SD card. Image Type 2816 x 2112 JPEG Super-Fine 2816 x 2112 JPEG Fine 2816 x 2112 JPEG Normal 2272 x 1704 JPEG Super-Fine 1600 x 1200 JPEG Super-Fine 640 x 480 JPEG SuperFine *1 *2 Time to store (secs) ~1.0 ~0.8 ~0.7 ~0.6 ~0.6 ~0.5 Time to display (secs) ~0.4 ~0.4 ~0.4 ~0.4 ~0.3 ~0.2 File size *1 (approx.) 3,070 KB 1,710 KB 790 KB 2,020 KB 1,150 KB 185 KB Images on a *2 1.0GB Card 361 601 1,238 487 967 3,645

All file sizes are an average of three files. As is the case with JPEG it's difficult to predict the size of an image because it will vary a fair amount depending on the content of the image (detail and noise). Camera estimation.

With write times averaging around 1.0 seconds for a Super Fine JPEG the S3 IS is certainly fast - around 3.0 MB/sec, thanks to its DIGIC II processor.

White Balance
The S3 IS features a grand total of seven white balance settings including the default automatic mode. There's also a manual (custom) white balance option, which is created by aiming the camera at a white (or gray) subject and pressing the SET button. Automatic white balance appeared to work well outdoors and not terribly in fluorescent lighting, but as per previous Canon digital cameras less well in incandescent light, where it produced a pronounced orange color cast (though it is perhaps not quite as strong). It is advisable to switch to the tungsten preset (or set a custom WB) when shooting indoors if you don't like a warm cast to your indoor shots.

Incandescent - Auto WB Red 10.2%, Blue -13.4% Poor

Incandescent - Incandescent preset WB Red -1.4%, Blue 2.6% Good

Fluorescent - Auto WB Red 1.4%, Blue -11.4% Average

Fluorescent - Fluorescent preset WB Red 2.8%, Blue -4.7% Average

Flash Performance
The built-in pop-up flash unit has a specified range of 5.2 m at wide angle and 4.0 m at telephoto (when the ISO is set to auto). In use we found it to work very well indeed, with most indoor flash shots perfectly exposed. The FUNC menu offers a Flash Exposure Compensation setting (-2.0 to +2.0), and the AF illuminator helps focus in low light (though it isn't powerful enough for such a long zoom camera - it only really works over distances of about 1.3 m and lower).

Skin tone - Slight warm tone, excellent exposure

Color chart -Slight warm tone, excellent exposure

Macro Focus
Macro performance is identical to the S2 IS; in other words nothing to write home about, despite the headline '0cm' Super Macro mode. First let's look at the standard macro mode, which allows you to get down as close as 10cm (at the wide end of the zoom). It's okay, but nothing special (fitting an area of around 11cm across into the frame). At the telephoto end of the zoom you can actually get slightly higher magnification (photographing an area of around 8.5cm across), with less distortion and less corner softness, albeit from a much greater distance (about 70cm).

Wide macro - 107 x 80 mm coverage 26 px/mm (665 px/in) Distortion: Average Corner softness: Average Equiv. focal length: 36 mm

Telephoto macro - 85 x 64 mm coverage 33 px/mm (837 px/in) Distortion: Low Corner softness: Low Equiv. focal length: 432 mm

Super Macro mode

If its normal macro mode is nothing to write home about, the S3 IS has the same rather unique trick up its sleeve as its predecessor - a 'super macro mode' that allows you to focus down to an unprecedented 0cm from the front element. This means it can actually focus on things that are touching the front of the lens. Of course there aren't many things you can

actually photograph from 0cm - they either need to be lit from behind (you can use the S3 IS to shoot 35mm slides if you don't mind the cropping, distortion and corner softness!) or small enough that they don't fill the frame. In most cases the shadow of the lens obscures your subject so much that you can't use it at distances of less than a few centimetres, at which point the subect area you're photographing is around 40mm across - roughly the same as most of its competitors (such as the Panasonic FZ7), but with the ever-present danger that you'll move so close that you end up causing permanent damage to the front element of the lens. Still, it's fun to play with and does allow you to take some unique photographs. Super macro - 21 x 16 mm coverage 124 px/mm (3142 px/in) Distortion: High Corner softness: Average Equiv. focal length: 36 mm Focus distance for this shot was 0cm (chart lit from behind).

Pirhana in resin, 0cm distance

Inside of orchid, approx 0cm distance

Barrel and Pincushion Distortion

The S3 IS exhibits remarkably low distortion given the huge focal length range - 1.1% barrel distortion at the wide end, and no measurable distortion at all at the full 432mm telephoto end. There is also only barely measurable - and hardly noticeable - vignetting.

Barrel distortion - 1.1% at Wide angle Equiv. focal length: 36 mm

Pincushion distortion - 0.0% at Telephoto Equiv. focal length: 432 mm

Image stabilization
The optical image stabilization system used on the S3 IS (and its predecessor) works, and it works pretty well for most everyday photography - though don't expect miracles. There are three modes: Continuous (IS on all the time), 'Shoot only' (IS is activated at the moment the exposure is made) and Panning (for horizontally panned shots). The first option makes framing easier - the IS system steadies the preview image, and we found it more consistently effective at extremes (where the shutter speed is more than 3 stops slower than would normally be used for the focal length you're shooting at) than the shoot only mode. Shoot only - which doesn't steady the preview image, but is theoretically more efficient because it minimizes the amount of corrective movement required by waiting until the instant the picture is taken - is perfectly effective when you're nearer to the correct shutter speed (and once you're within 1 or 2 stops it is actually more reliable). I wouldn't read too much into the fact that our results for the relative effectiveness of the two modes are the opposite to what we saw with the S2 IS; we have no quantitative tests for stabilzation, and every person's 'shake' is different; users often disagree on which mode works best, so you just have to find which best suits your style of shooting. I certainly found it made handheld shots at 3, 4 or even 5 shutter speeds slower than normal perfectly possible. Impressive stuff (though the reliability is much better if you're within 3 stops), and if you take a couple of 'safety' shots when pushing the system hard (1/30th at 432mm for example), you'll usually get at least one 'keeper'. Although we've no definitive test for IS systems in real-world use, I was very impressed with the S3's system, though I'm increasingly convinced that it isn't quite as effective as that used on Panasonic's Lumix range. Of course the more megapixels in the image, the more you're likely to see any blur (viewed at 100% on-screen); each new generation of 'super zoom' camera is pushing the system's capabilities that little bit more.

These tests are rather extreme - up to five stops slower than you could safely use without IS - and in 'real life' shots - where you are maybe using a shutter speed two stops slower than normal - the system is pretty much 100% effective.

IS off

IS Continuous 1/15 sec, 36mm equiv. Macro

IS 'Shoot only'

IS off

IS Continuous 1/15 sec, 432mm equiv.

IS 'Shoot only'

IS off

IS Continuous 1/25 sec, 432mm equiv.

IS 'Shoot only'

IS off

IS Continuous 1/30 sec, 432mm equiv.

IS 'Shoot only'

Specific image quality issues

Overall there is much to like here - color is excellent, bright and punchy without being unnatural, there's plenty of detail (though the same slight softness as the S1 and S2), and both focus and exposure are on the whole very reliable. As with most PowerShot cameras

the key the the S3's appeal is that - despite the plethora of controls and image parameters on offer - it produces excellent, consistent results using the default settings, leaving you free to concentrate on the more imporant stuff, like actually taking the picture. However there are a couple of qualifications to the last statement: firstly the best results by far are to be had at ISO 80 or 100; at ISO 200 the noise reduction, though effective, tends to smudge low contrast fine detail a bit too much for my liking, and ISO 400 and 800 produce results that look quite grainy (noise reduction software helps, and as mentioned elsewhere, Canon has at least resisted the temptation to use high NR in-camera, so there's still some detail there). Secondly the exposure system can be tricked by unusually contrasty scenes, usually resulting in mild overexposure, and blown highlights. The dynamic range seems to be slightly better than the S2 IS (the 5MP chip was notoriously fussy about exposure), so correctly exposed images don't show too much clipping, but you do sometimes find yourself reaching for the AE compensation when the metering gets it wrong; the live histogram is a real bonus here. Finally there is a noticeable fall off in sharpness if you use apertures more than about 2 stops in from the maximum (due to diffraction), and - as noted below - there is some mild chromatic abberation. Purists may find the default output a little 'over the top', but most users will be pleased with the punchy contrast, saturation and sharpening - and there are lots of controls to play with (more than the S2 IS) if you like a more subtle or low-key output (if, for example, you like to post-process). Purple fringing Compared to the S2 IS we found purple fringing and chromatic abberations to be far less of a problem (due in part to the fact that during the entire test it was miserable and overcast). There is some CA visible at the long end of the zoom (red fringes) - common to most super zoom models, and you will get some purple fringing at the boundaries of very overexposed areas and dark areas, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it much less of a problem than we saw on the S2 IS.

100% crop

432mm equiv., F3.5

ISO Sensitivity / Noise levels

ISO equivalence on a digital camera is the ability to increase the sensitivity of the sensor. This works by turning up the "volume" (gain) on the sensor's signal amplifiers (remember the sensor is an analogue device). By amplifying the signal you also amplify the noise which becomes more visible at higher ISO's. Many modern cameras also employ noise reduction and / or sharpness reduction at higher sensitivities. To measure noise levels we take a sequence of images of a GretagMacBeth ColorChecker chart (controlled artificial daylight lighting). The exposure is matched to the ISO (ie. ISO 200, 1/200 sec for consistency of exposure between cameras). The image sequence is run through our own proprietary noise measurement tool (version 1.4 in this review). Click here for more information. (Note that noise values indicated on the graphs here can not be compared to those in other reviews.) Canon PowerShot S3 IS vs Panasonic DMC-FZ7 Canon PowerShot S3 IS ISO 80 Panasonic DMC-FZ7 ISO 80

Crops

Canon PowerShot S3 IS Panasonic DMC-FZ7

ISO 100

ISO 100

Crops

Canon PowerShot S3 IS ISO 200 Crops

Panasonic DMC-FZ7 ISO 200

Canon PowerShot S3 IS ISO 400

Panasonic DMC-FZ7 ISO 400

Crops

Canon PowerShot S3 IS Panasonic DMC-FZ7

ISO 800

ISO 800

Crops

With tiny, high pixel count chips noise is always going to be an issue, and to a large degree this is more a test of the effectiveness (both measurable and visible) of a camera's noise reduction system. Designers have to balance the desire to produce smooth, clean results with the need to retain as much detail as possible (if you blur away the noise, you blur away image detail too). These crops show two manufacturers with very different approaches (particularly at higher ISO settings); Panasonic (which has a noisier sensor to start with) uses fairly heavy noise reduction, Canon's approach appears to be more subtle, and much less bothered about luminance noise (the graininess is a lot less visually offensive than color blotches). There is some softness as the noise reduction really kicks in at ISO 200, ISO 400 is quite grainy, and I think it's safe to say ISO 800 is for 'emergency use only' but overall these results are pretty good for a small sensor camera (it is also worth noting that ISO 800 looks a lot noisier as the light levels drop). Canon PowerShot S3 IS vs Canon PowerShot S2 IS Canon PowerShot S3 Canon PowerShot S2 IS IS ISO 80 ISO 50

Crops

Canon PowerShot S3 Canon PowerShot S2 IS IS ISO 100 ISO 100

Crops

Canon PowerShot S3 Canon PowerShot S2 IS IS ISO 200 ISO 200

Crops

Canon PowerShot S3 Canon PowerShot S2 IS IS ISO 400 ISO 400

Crops

The S3 IS is undoubtedly an improvement on its predecessor at higher ISO settings, both in the amount of measurable noise and in the visual impact of that noise on the resultant images. At lower ISO settings the differences are minimal, and it's worth mentioning again that the S3 IS has ISO ratings that are much more accurate than the S2 IS (which understates its ISO ratings; it's a lot more sensitive at ISO 400 than the new camera). Luminance noise graph Cameras compared: Canon PowerShot S3 IS, Canon PowerShot S2 IS, Panasonic DMC-FZ7 Note: ISO 50-800 only (the FZ7's ISO 1600 mode is almost identical to its ISO 800).

Indicated ISO sensitivity is on the horizontal axis of this graph, standard deviation of luminosity is on the vertical axis. As usual what we're really looking at here isn't 'noise' as much as noise reduction; all three cameras produce similar results at lower ISO settings, but the Panasonic has much heavier noise reduction at higher settings. It does seem, however, that the S3 IS sensor has lower inherent noise than the S2 IS, even taking into account the differences in sensitivity. As noted from visual assessment of the gallery shots it appears that the noise reduction really kicks in at ISO 200. RGB noise graph

Indicated ISO sensitivity is on the horizontal axis of this graph, standard deviation of each of the red, green and blue channels is on the vertical axis. Chroma noise is very well controlled at lower ISO settings, and is around the average at ISO 400, though at ISO 800 it is very strong (here the Panasonic result can be more or less ignored as the results are so lacking in detail that the absence of noise is irrelevant).

Movie mode
Canon sells the S3 IS as more than a big zoom stills camera - it's a fully-fledged digital movie camera too; the movie mode is so important it gets a separate movie start/stop button, which can be used to grab clips whatever mode you're shooting in. Movies are

recorded in Motion JPEG (AVI) format with stereo (WAV) sound - still no MPEG4 unfortunately. That said, movie quality is superb, smooth and artefact free (and pretty stable thanks to the IS), and the range of controls offered excellent. You can even zoom during filming. The downside of such high quality is that the AVI files are large - at the best quality setting (640x480 / 30fps) you're burning around 2MB every second, so if you intend to shoot a lot of movies you're going to need to invest in some big, fast SD cards. There is a separate movie mode, but the only difference is that you can change some settings before shooting. Movie options include size (640 x 480 or 320 x 240 pixels), quality (30 or 15 fps), and there's now a 60 fps (320 x 240 pixel) option too. You can also use many of the parameters available in stills mode, including (if you really want to), the 'special effects' in the MyColors menu. You can record clips until your card is full, though there is a 1GB limit to a single clip (about 8 minutes at the best setting). As with its predecessors, the S3 IS has a large 'movie record' button to the right of the viewfinder. Pressing this will start recording a movie whatever shooting mode you're currently in. You can also take stills in the middle of recording a movie clip (doing so pauses the recording briefly). The still is saved as a separate file. To be honest I found the position of the button a little awkward, and tended to start and end each clip with a little jolt.

There is a dedicated movie mode on the main mode dial too, which is where the screen captures here were taken. The main difference is that you can preset a couple of options. As with stills recording you can choose the amount of information overlaid on the live preview image. There is a simple brightness control which can be used during the recording of a clip (the zoom can also be used). In movie mode (as opposed to just pressing the movie button) you can preset the brightness level. In movie mode the FUNC menu offers quick access to white balance, My Colors effects and movie size / frame rate.

There is a cut down record menu in Movie mode.

In playback mode you get some basic controls for playing movies, slow motion, fast forward and rewind and edit.

Choose edit and you can trim the start and end of the movie clip, and save the result as a new file or overwrite the existing clip.

Sample movies

640 x 480 pixels @ 30 fps File size: 10.46MB 5.15 seconds Click on the thumbnail to view the movie (caution: large file!)

320 x 240 pixels @ 60 fps File size: 8.76MB 6.11 seconds Click on the thumbnail to view the movie (caution: large file!)

Compared to... Canon PowerShot S2 IS

Let's look first at how the PowerShot S3 IS compares to its immediate predecessor, the PowerShot S2 IS, in the studio. In this section we have included comparisons at each camera's lowest ISO setting (S3 IS: ISO 80, S2 IS: ISO 50), and ISO 400 (the maximum setting on the S2 IS). The new camera's ISO 800 setting can be seen in a later comparison. Studio scene comparison (Canon S3 IS @ ISO 80, Canon S2 IS @ ISO 50)

Canon PowerShot S3 IS: Aperture Priority mode, ISO 80, Default Image Parameters, Manual white balance, +0.67 EV compensation Canon PowerShot S2 IS: Aperture Priority mode, ISO 50, Default Image Parameters, Manual white balance, +1.0 EV compensation Lighting: Daylight simulation, >98% CRI Canon PowerShot S3 IS ISO 80, 1/50 sec, F5.0 Canon PowerShot S2 IS ISO 50, 1/40 sec, F5.0

2,4187 KB JPEG

2,067 KB JPEG

The S3 IS files are very similar indeed to those produced by its predecessor, just a little bit bigger. As our lab tests show there is a small amount of extra resolution, but it's barely noticeable in real world images (it's likely that the amount of detail is limited by the lens, not the sensor). That said, there was always much to like about the S2 files, certainly if you like your camera to produce smooth, clean punchy images using the default settings. The images in both cases are a tiny bit over processed for some purists, but there are extensive controls in-camera for image parameters and color effects, so you can customize the output to some extent in the absence of a RAW option. Color, is typical Canon, with strong crowd-pleasing reds and blues, though in this case the reds are a little cooler, and more accurate for it. There doesn't seem to be much difference in the sensitivity between the S2's ISO 50 and the S3's ISO 80 - we've noted before that Canon now seems to be using more accurate descriptions of its ISO ratings (in other words the ISO 50 on the S2 is a bit understated). Either way, at the low end of the ISO scale there is little visible noise. Finally there is a slight fall-off in sharpness at the corners, but it's nothing too serious.

Compared to... Canon S2 IS

Below you will find a studio comparison between the Canon PowerShot S3 IS and its immediate predecessor the Canon S2 IS at ISO 400. Studio scene comparison ( @ ISO 400)

Canon PowerShot S3 IS: Aperture Priority mode, ISO 400, Default Image Parameters, Manual white balance, +0.67 EV compensation Canon PowerShot S2 IS: Aperture Priority mode, ISO 400, Default Image Parameters, Manual white balance, +1.0 EV compensation Lighting: Daylight simulation, >98% CRI Canon PowerShot S3 IS ISO 400, 1/250 sec, F5.0 Canon PowerShot S2 IS ISO 400, 1/318 sec, F5.0

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2,454 KB JPEG

Anyone hoping for a 'great leap forward' in noise is going to be slightly disappointed; not because the S3 isn't any better (it has much finer grained luminance noise and slightly less obvious color blotches), but because the S3's ISO 400 is measurably less sensitive (around half a stop) than the S2, so what you gain on the one hand, you lose on the other. That said, the new camera's ISO 400 results (in good light like this) are surprisingly usable, especially if you don't intend to print them too big. Canon's fairly light-handed approach to noise reduction means that more detail is retained than we see in some competitor models. What is noticeable comparing the S3 results with the S2 results is that the new sensor appears to require less aggressive noise reduction and therefore detail retention is better, but again this needs to be balanced with the lower sensitivity.

Resolution Chart Comparison

Comparison cameras:

Canon PowerShot S3 IS (6 MP, 12x zoom) Panasonic DMC-FZ7 (6 MP, 12 x zoom) Sony DSC-H2 (6 MP, 10x zoom) Canon PowerShot S2 IS (5 MP, 12x zoom)

Shots here are of our standard resolution chart (version one or two). This chart allows us to measure the actual performance of the lens and sensor system. It measures the ability of the camera to resolve lines at gradually higher resolutions and enables us to provide a definitive value for comparison purposes. Values on the chart are 1/100th lines per picture height. So a value of 15 equates to 1500 lines per picture height. (Note that on version two of our chart the vertical resolution 1000 - 2000 lines have been horizontally flipped but are otherwise identical). For each camera the relevant prime lens was used. The chart is shot at a full range of apertures and the sharpest image selected. Studio light, cameras set to auto, settings all factory default. If possible aperture was selected for optimum sharpness. Exposure compensation +0.7 EV to +1.3 EV.

Canon S3 IS (2,116 KB; 6 MP)

Canon S2 IS (1,896 KB; 5 MP)

Panasonic DMC-FZ7 (2,365 KB; 6 MP) Resolution Chart Crops

Sony DSC-H2 (2,306 KB; 6 MP)

Canon S3 IS

Sony DSC-H2

Panasonic DMC-FZ7

Canon S2 IS

Canon S3 IS

Sony DSC-H2

Panasonic DMC-FZ7 Measurable findings Camera Measurement

Canon S2 IS

Horizontal LPH Canon PowerShot S3 IS Vertical LPH 5 Diagonal LPH Horizontal LPH Canon PowerShot S2 IS Vertical LPH 5 Diagonal LPH Horizontal LPH Sony DSC-H2 Vertical LPH 5 Diagonal LPH Horizontal LPH Panasonic DMC-FZ7 Vertical LPH 5 Diagonal LPH * + LPH

Absolute Extinction resolution resolution 1400 *1700 1450 *1850 +1000 n/a 1350 * 1550 * 1400 * 1650 +1000 n/a * 1450 * 1850 * 1550 * 1850 +1000 n/a 1400 *1800 1500 *1850 +1000 n/a

Moir is visible Chart maximum Jagged diagonals Lines per Picture Height (to allow for different aspect ratios the measurement is the same for horizontal and vertical)

5 Diagonal Lines set at 5 diagonal Point at which all lines of a resolution bar are still visible and Absolute defined, beyond this resolution loss of detail occurs (below res. Nyquist frequency). Extinction Detail beyond camera's definition (becomes aliased) res. n/a Not Available (above the capability of the test chart) n/v Not Visible (not visible on test results) Although it can hardly be described as a 'great leap', the S3 IS does offer a small resolution improvement over its predecessor (the S2 IS). There is little between any of the better cameras in this class (the three six megapixel models here are the top performers), though the S3 can't quite match the new Sony H2. Not bad at all.

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Lighting Flash General Lighting Accessories Strobe Lighting Continuous Lighting Accesories Battery Loupe Lens Cap Lens Hood Film Storage Body Cap Album Camera Strap Cleaner Frame Cable Release LCD Hood

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