Canon S3

[aliwolly]

...and I need to do a happy dance...

(Actually, I've just always wanted to use that Smilie... cracks me right up...)

I've had my S1 since 2004 and was SO jealous of the S2 when it came out last year, but as my camera was still only a year old then, I couldn't justify the upgrade. But now that it's been two years...

I'm not really all that great a photographer, but I'm picking things up as I go along and this board has been great for tips! I've got a five day weekend coming up this week (yay!) so I'll have plenty of free time to play with the new camera (and read the manual )- which should be here by Wednesday!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

As usual... "Welcome to the Canon Family!"

 

[jann1033]

not really interested in taking sport pics but wondering what this is ( ie preset shutter speed??) and if it would apply to taking a crazed 2 yr old's picture .
how would the Canon s2 stack up by setting the same settings yourself?..i am guessing the modes are just to add more of a point and shoot type convenience?

( although i read the dp review and it did seem the s3 might be worth the extra cash )

 

[Kelly Grannell]

you are exactly correct about everything.

 

[jann1033]

well this is a day that will go down in history then

 

[tony64]

Would anyone recommend getting the S3 as a good alternative to going all the way and getting a Digital SLR or are there better options in this price range??????

 

[Greg K.]

$389.15

Via Dell. With $35 off coupon from ebay.

Free shipping, but you gotta pay tax. Still, cheapest I've seen anywhere.

Get 'em while they're hot!

 

[aliwolly]

That's why I ordered mine.

Of course, when I ordered it, the website indicated it usually ships within 24 hrs... Now it's saying it's backordered but has an estimated shipping date of tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

 

[jann1033]

there was a link

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonS3IS/Default.asp

that had a review...they highly recommend it although he said it's not as far ahead of the pack (in his opinion) as the s2 was when it was released but still gives it a highly recommended..

it's still a couple hundred lower than the lowest slr i've seen

 

[can'tgetenufofwdw]

can you please explain to me the "$35 coupon from ebay" I have been driving myself crazy trying to decide on a camera and with my husbands persuading I think I have narrowed it down to the canons2IS. It is $369 through Dell but if I can get the S3 for about $20 more I would love that. Thanks for any help you can give me

 

[aliwolly]

If you go to ebay and search for Dell Coupon, you'll find a bunch of listings... They're all around $1...

 

[eeyoreali]

Hi! I'm thinking about getting the S3. Right now I have a Fuji 2 megapixel. When I used it in Disney in 2004 it was inadequate to say the least! Not a good zoom, took too long getting ready to take the next picture and the worst thing...not having features for night and fireworks!! All my pictures at night and of the night shows came out horrible. Hopefully I'll get this camera soon!!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

If you are a couple hundred dollars short to buy a dSLR. I suggest you wait; especially if you've used an SLR before.

 

[Greg K.]

can you please explain to me the "$35 coupon from ebay" I have been driving myself crazy trying to decide on a camera and with my husbands persuading I think I have narrowed it down to the canons2IS. It is $369 through Dell but if I can get the S3 for about $20 more I would love that. Thanks for any help you can give me

As the previous poster mentioned: just go to ebay and type in a search for Dell Coupons, many offering the $35 off on Dell Home Electronics. You'll see a slew of them, most "buy now." They're about a buck. You buy it and a few minutes later, you get a confirmation email, saying the auction is closed, you've won the coupon, and here is the coupon number. Take the number, go to the Dell site, type it in when you order and, voila! In less than 10 minutes, you have a new camera.

 

[aliwolly]

Hi Kelly! Thanks for the welcome - though I have been using my Canon S1 IS for almost two years now.

Eeyoreali - I got a great deal on my camera through Dell (they're running a sale and I had a coupon... there's another thread on this board that talks about it)... I can't wait for it to get here! Estimated ship date is tomorrow (though it does also say, "Currently one or more items are backordered. Every effort is being made to complete the order." Hmm... Hopefully it ships tomorrow - I'm having it shipped overnight to my office and I've already taken Thursday and Friday off this week... I'd hate to have to go into work to pick up my camer when I don't need to be there!!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

having night mode and fireworks mode is not going to make your picture look better.

Fireworks mode = landscape mode with flash turned off, requires a tripod no matter what
night mode = longer shutter speed with flash turned on, still requires a tripod

What you need is night snapshot = boosting ISO higher, flash turned on, doesn't require a tripod. (you can't use night snapshot for fireworks).

 

[jann1033]

Would anyone recommend getting the S3 as a good alternative to going all the way and getting a Digital SLR or are there better options in this price range??????

the problem i see with upgrading to a dslr is ( going by film slr, which i assume translates over) you are getting a low end dslr for a little larger price than you are paying for a higher end "faux slr/point and shoot" but by the time you add a decent lens you probably are close to double the price ( unless you can use old film slr lenses not sure about that). this will be my first digital, my husband wants to "point it and shoot it" on the rare occasion he uses it, and it seems like the best mix for the money to me. i haven't really checked out a lot of dslr in detail but it seems most of the mid range are still in the $1000+ range ...the one i saw for around 550-600 had a lens that was 45mm and i know my original lens for my slr was 80 mm and i wasn't happy with that so i know i'd want to spend more right off the bat.

the only other one of this type i thought comparable was a panasonic i think it was dz7 but i found it too big and felt cumbersome to me..not sure if it was rated as well as the s2 but it was rated close to as good i think. it you go to

http://www.steves-digicams.com

he has a list of his top camera picks in different price/usage ranges which i found helpful.

 

[can'tgetenufofwdw]

thank you for your help I found what I was looking for. I hope that the camera will be quick and easy to undersatnd. Iam going to WDW in 30 days and hope to get better quality pictures than I have now. Thank you again for your help.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Not really. Canon RebelXT with the kit lens (17-55) is more than adequate to start. It's much better than most older mid-end 35mm SLR. The price is approximately US$800. That's the price of a high-end point and shoot but without the point and shoot inherent problems such as:

1. can't change lens
2. slow power-on time
3. far longer shutter-lag (virtually no shutter lag on a dSLR)
4. faster and more accurate focus in a low-light situation
5. Very clean ISO 1600

 

[eeyoreali]

Kelly -- I think I might be more confused now! I was going to get a travel tripod to help with the pictures. I've learned that it is needed to steady the shots.

So are you saying that all I need for my Fuji camera is a tripod and night snapshot for my night/fireworks/parade pictures to come out clear, in correct color and good?

Or will the S3 fireworks mode give good fireworks pictures using a tripod and the night mode give good pictures using the tripod?

I take pictures for fun and I'm not a pro - so any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!! I just want good, clear pictures!