My Amazon Review of:
Canon PowerShot Pro Series S3 IS
6MP with 12x Image Stabilized Zoom
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginner to advanced, but needs some improvement, April 18, 2007
Excellent camera for advanced hobbyists who want control (like me), as well as those who just want to push the button.
PROS: Fantastic 12x zoom range (wish it had a little more wide angle though). Image Stabilization works like magic (I can hand-hold 400mm shots even on overcast days). The folding LCD is more useful than I thought (great for low macro shots). Love the size (feels like a real camera, not a disposable). Shutter lag & focus speed are very good. TV quality videos with dedicated button. SD card (best format). Common AA batteries (but get NiMH rechargeable).
CONS: More purple fringing (in high contrast areas) than I expected - not as good as my Nikon CoolPix 7600. This is not a problem for 4x6 prints and TV/DVD slideshows, but I think it will start being noticeable in prints larger than 8x10. High pitched whine in video, but it improves if you lower the sampling rate (plus I was able to filter it out with a Low Pass filter in Premiere Elements). Zooms a little too fast for my taste. Wish I could attach filters without an adapter.
OPINION: Electronic View Finders are better than SLRs because SLRs don't take movies, which really add pizzazz to a slideshow (now on DVD, or search for "worldjim" on YouTube). The clunky mirror mechanism was needed in a film world, but not in digital; LCDs (even on the cheapest cameras) do exactly what SLRs do - view through the recording lens. However, EVFs are still geared for the less serious photographer. EVF LCDs and CCDs still need improvement, but that will come in time. Plus interchangeable lenses would be nice.
ACCESSORIES: I got an adapter (on eBay) so I could use a polarizer - a must for serious photographers. It works, but it's a little tricky to use with the EVF or LCD.
OVERALL: Not perfect, but no digital camera is. Even though it needs some improvement, I still think it's the best compromise on the market today (for what I want to do). I consider this my first serious digital camera, and I'd buy it again.
UPDATE (4/19/07): I hope I didn't sound too negative. On the contrary, I love this camera. It's just that I'm picky when it comes to cameras (I'm a Nikon FM2 guy at heart). And like I said, I didn't like anything until now. The S3 IS will do just fine until a better one comes along. Oh, plus I learned that the zoom control is touch sensitive, so I can zoom slower.
