Solid Professional Looking Shooter (Canon Powershot S3 IS)

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	Canon Powershot S3 IS
Date:	19/11/08 (105 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Should be able to pick it up cheaply nowadays

Disadvantages: Only 6 Megapixels

For those of you who have read some of my previous reviews, you'll realise I have owned a lot of cameras - I must be a bit of an addict. Anyway, one of my favourites is now a couple of years old, but still produces the goods...

The Six MegaPixel Canon 'Powershot S3' is a stylish digital compact camera with a 12x optical zoom. Although this camera is smaller than a digital SLR, it certainly won't fit in the pocket and is slightly heavier than some of it's competitors. However, what it lacks in portability it more than makes up for in features.

The camera includes a 'Twist & Flip' LCD, which can be pulled out from the camera body and rotated through 270 degrees - making self-portraits and overhead photography a doddle.

It also features:

- Image Stabilisation -
Highly effective and silent system which allows shots to be taken at slower shutter speeds in low-light.

- Excellent movie mode -
Although it can't shoot in HD, the overall quality is very good. Whilst filming, the image stabilisation continues to work, and unlike many compacts, the powerful zoom is also fully operational.

The body is tough and well constructed - looking quite professional in it's dark grey colour. It features a decent grip, and overall the product is comfortable to hold.

As well as the LCD screen, the camera uses an electronic viewfinder which gives an accurate representation of what the lens sees. If you haven't used one of these before, you won't be disappointed and should find it easy to adjust to.

It terms of the image quality, the S3 produces excellent results at the lower ISO levels (80-200) - however, at ISO 400-800 there is quite a bit of image noise in evidence, which makes it possible to only create small prints from the images taken at these settings.

Allowing manual controls over shutter-speeds and a range of other customisable features, I highly recommend the Powershot S3, which when first released had a retail price of over £400, but now can be purchased for under £200. The zoom range is impressive, and although there are newer cameras which have similar features, the S3 should be considered for the price.

Summary: Very Good Camera

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