Canon S3

[TinkerbelleAbbysMom]

Thank you so much!!! I have gotten a tone of great tips from the DISers!! Thank you all!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thought you guys might enjoy some pictures recently taken with my S3 IS.

All were handheld so may have been better with a tripod.

I reduced the noise in the nighttime shots.

You can see how, in the 4th picture, I'm randomly gettting B&W at times.

Long exposure (1 second)

 

[kawc1945]

Unfortunately, I am horrible with my camera. My pictures are blurred, have red eye, are out of focus, are super dark at night, and they just plain stink. It's not from lack of trying, either. I take TONS of pictures.

Our trip is in 13 days...I am starting to panic because I am afraid I will have horrible pictures. Please don't flame me, but I think I am scared of my camera! I got it thinking I really wanted to get into this as a hobby for my kids and my scrapbooking. I want those gorgeous pictures at night of the castle and MNSSHP, of my kids with the princesses, and all of the fun stuff. I'm just not sure how to get them.

If you would, I would really appreciate any advice on what I should do. Books to read, blogs to check out, tips to try, YouTube videos to watch, etc anything would be helpful. I really want to start enjoying this more but it stresses me out.

Thanks for any help you can offer a photography failure.

 

[seashoreCM]

Your camera may be incapable of taking indoor or night shots with moving subjects. You need one with a faster lens (like f/1.4)which in turn needs manual precise focusing ability.

Use a tripod for still life in dim light. For moving subject try a higher ISO (like 800 or 1600 if the camera has that). The latter may give somewhat grainy pictures but something is better than nothing.

For daytime shots, ISO 100 with the camera performing automatically should have given good results. For erratically moving subjects or if your hands are really unsteady holding the camera, ISO 200 should work fine or try ISO 400 if it is cloudy.

Little known hint that applies only to some brands: For still shots using a tripod or with the camera sitting on a steady surface, turn off the Image Stabilization if the camera has that. That feature has been known to make pictures less sharp, I don't understand why. Also use the self timer instead of having the camera take the picture as soon as you push the button.

 

[wenrob]

I have the S2 IS (well it belongs to DD now) and it takes a fairly decent photo.There's a thread here dedicated to that class of cameras and they're pretty amazing. Are your issues only at night? What are you using a far as settings? Do you stop, compose and gently push the button or you taking pictures on the fly? Could you be moving before the photo has been fully taken? Red eye is going to be a problem with any built in flash because your flash is above the lens. Most times it's easily taken care of w/the software that came with your camera. My best advice is to pull out your manual and go through it methodically,slow down, take your time, use the viewfinder, stand very still and give your camera the chance to register the photo. Seashore gave good advice but you're not going to understand and learn manual in under 13days so get to know the modes on your camera, what they do and how best to employ them.
Also, if you post some of your pics just about anyone here will be able to tell you what the problem is and what you can do to fix it or make it better.

 

[bob100]

Unfortunately, I am horrible with my camera. My pictures are blurred, have red eye, are out of focus, are super dark at night, and they just plain stink. It's not from lack of trying, either. I take TONS of pictures.
Our trip is in 13 days...I am starting to panic because I am afraid I will have horrible pictures. Please don't flame me, but I think I am scared of my camera! I got it thinking I really wanted to get into this as a hobby for my kids and my scrapbooking. I want those gorgeous pictures at night of the castle and MNSSHP, of my kids with the princesses, and all of the fun stuff. I'm just not sure how to get them.
If you would, I would really appreciate any advice on what I should do. Books to read, blogs to check out, tips to try, YouTube videos to watch, etc anything would be helpful. I really want to start enjoying this more but it stresses me out.
Thanks for any help you can offer a photography failure.

You and your camera can take great photos! why don't you post a few of your "horrible" pictures? if the EXIF info is attached we can tell if you used the wrong shutter speed, ISO, etc. but even with auto mode you should be able to get good results.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have the S3 IS also. I can tell you that the camera is capable of taking decent night shots, but it does take some education and practice, practice, practice. My shots stunk on the first WDW trip with it. On the second trip with it, they came out much better. The difference was me. I worked hard at learning to use it to its fullest.

I second joining the S3 IS thread. Spend the time it takes to read through it, you will learn a lot. I have quite a few decent nighttime and low light pics from WDW posted there, as do lots of other folks. I don't know if you'll get great at it in the next two weeks, but you should be able to pick up enough hints, along with the suggestions here, to get some decent shots. In time, you'll get even better. Don't give up.

Good luck.

 

[madge]

I have the S3 IS also. I can tell you that the camera is capable of taking decent night shots, but it does take some education and practice, practice, practice. My shots stunk on the first WDW trip with it. On the second trip with it, they came out much better. The difference was me. I worked hard at learning to use it to its fullest.

I second joining the S3 IS thread. Spend the time it takes to read through it, you will learn a lot. I have quite a few decent nighttime and low light pics from WDW posted there, as do lots of other folks. I don't know if you'll get great at it in the next two weeks, but you should be able to pick up enough hints, along with the suggestions here, to get some decent shots. In time, you'll get even better. Don't give up.

Good luck.

I agree!!

Also, check out the Short Courses book for the S3. I use the ebook, and also had a copy printed to take notes in. I love it!

 

[Amy]

I have the S3 IS also. I can tell you that the camera is capable of taking decent night shots, but it does take some education and practice, practice, practice. My shots stunk on the first WDW trip with it. On the second trip with it, they came out much better. The difference was me. I worked hard at learning to use it to its fullest.

I second joining the S3 IS thread. Spend the time it takes to read through it, you will learn a lot. I have quite a few decent nighttime and low light pics from WDW posted there, as do lots of other folks. I don't know if you'll get great at it in the next two weeks, but you should be able to pick up enough hints, along with the suggestions here, to get some decent shots. In time, you'll get even better. Don't give up.

Good luck.

I agree!!

Also, check out the Short Courses book for the S3. I use the ebook, and also had a copy printed to take notes in. I love it!

I second what Linda and Madge said - get a copy of the Short Courses book and read the manual that came with your camera. Get out there and practice!

I'm also an owner of an S3, and for an "easy" way to take photos, use P mode. For nighttime shots, I found Sports mode to be pretty good (I even got a great shot of Chip & Dale playing the piano in the SpectroMagic parade that tied for 1st place in the weekly DIS photo contest a couple of years ago). For fireworks, you'll need to use the Fireworks mode and a tripod. I managed to get some decent hand-held fireworks shots using Sports Mode on my S3, but that was just pure luck.

I recently upgraded to the SX10 IS, and I'm having trouble with it - my "keeper percentage" is WAY lower than with my S3. But I'm constantly out there trying again and again....that's the only way to learn what your camera is capable of.

 

[SrisonS]

I used to have an S3. A great Forum site to visit is Canon S3 Users (you'll see something about S5 users, but the cameras are basically the same; and a lot of people on there still use the S3).

I agree with other people on here..... post some of your pics; and maybe tell us what settings you use. The S3 is definitely capable to taking some amazing pictures. A lot pictures in my Flickr Photostream were taken with an S3.

 

[GrillMouster]

The S3 is a very capable camera. You just need a little training is all. You said that you practice by taking lots of pictures, and that's important, but taking lots of pictures is meaningless unless you review the pictures and methodically analyze why the good ones turned out the way they did and do the same for the bad ones. If all you're doing is taking a bunch of pictures in auto mode, or changing modes in desperation that one will magically work, that's not really methodical; that's just throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall and hoping something sticks. It reminds me of the saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result.

For whatever reason I'm fond of using cooking analogies when talking about photography. One that comes to mind is that you can't expect to throw a bunch of random ingredients into a pot and create a delicious dish. Instead, you start by following recipes, which will result in some tasty dishes. Next you progress to tweaking the recipes to your liking. Soon you gain an understanding of what ingredients pair well together and alternate substitutions you can me. After a while you're experimenting and making your own recipes using the understanding you've gained by methodical experimentation in the kitchen. You can learn photography in a similar way.

I recommend that you read the book The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography by Jim Miotke. If you read it from beginning to end, stop after every chapter and activity to practice and apply what you've learned, you'll see your photography improve quickly. Another book that you'll see recommended very often is Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. It's a great book to be sure, but for a complete novice like yourself, it doesn't go far enough in explaining the basics of digital photography, and it doesn't talk about artificial light (flash) at all. In addition to Miotke's book, I recommend that you participate in this board or other photography boards. Post pictures for feedback.

I know you can do it. Don't give up and don't be hard on yourself.

 

[canadianjovigirl]

Wow...amazing pictures all. I have not had time to read thru the whole thread, but was wondering if you are all referring to the Canon Powershot S5 IS as that is what i have and am wondering some pointers for Disney pictures and fireworks....i have only really used it for concert pictures which was the reason i purchased it.

Any tips or can someone point me in the right direction as i have only taken general pictures on auto and then the concert ones with a programmed setting. Should i use a high speed memory card for disney or does it matter??? Do i need a programmed setting or what setting would you recommend???

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Wow...but was wondering if you are all referring to the Canon Powershot S5 IS

Yes. We're all users of the Canon Powershot series of cameras; everything from S1's to SX10's.

Any tips or can someone point me in the right direction as i have only taken general pictures on auto and then the concert ones with a programmed setting. Should i use a high speed memory card for disney or does it matter??? Do i need a programmed setting or what setting would you recommend???

The *best* way to get good fireworks pictures (at Disney, or anywhere) is to have a tripod and use longer exposures ~2 sec.; waaay longer than you could hold still by hand. The long exposure gets the burst and the "tails" all in one picture which generally looks more like what we see with our eyes.

I've also gotten some decent shots with manual settings around here:
ISO 80 (so there'll be the least noise in the black backgrounds)
Av=4.5 (4.5 has been shown to be the S3's sharpest aperture)
Tv=1/4sec to 1/10sec (these are about as slow as I can ever hold the camera steady.)

Here's a non-Disney example:

I've gotten similar results at Disney, I just don't have any in my Photobucket albums. I generally try playing around with the shutter speed seeing how low I can get it an still hand-hold a steady pic.

Regarding high-speed cards, you don't need one unless you're taking *lots* of pictures in High-speed Continuous mode. And, in any case, don't need anything faster than a SanDisk Ultra II ... the S3/S5 can't write any faster even if the card can handle it.

 

[MichelleVW]

Took this picture in Manual mode last night...I don't venture into manual mode very often but I thought I'd try it last night with the low light at the rained out ball game.

I think it looks cool...

 

[klmall]

Mt. Rainier from my trip last month

 

[kawc1945]

Thanks for all of your support, recommendations, and kind words.

I'm going to keep trying to get good shots, along with subscribing to the threads, getting the recommended books at the library, and practice, practice, practice.

 

[S. C.]

Nice pics all.

This is for all you car buffs. We went to Frankenmuth saturday and had no idea they had autofest going on. Over 2400 cars and thousands of people over the weekend. I snapped a few pics, these are not the best or sharpest. Lots of people lined the street to watch the cars driving by. These are straight out of the camera.

 

[S. C.]

 

[S. C.]

 

[S. C.]

Double post!