Avis sur le produitCanon PowerShot S3 IS 6.0MP Digital Camera - Black

An underdog performer

While very dated now, this camera still holds it's own in the field.
The S5 iS is the successor to this camera.

I acquired another after having sold my first a long time ago, simply because it's far more convenient to carry in situations when my larger DSLR and lenses aren't appropriate.

Image quality is excellent, the optical(as opposed to digital) zoom is a long-reach type, it allows a user to explore and use many features of a 'true' SLR such as fully-manual control of exposure settings, it's very compact, tripod-mountable, and uses standard AA batteries.
Its capabilities can even be extended with a wonderful add-on known as CHDK(Google it),
which opens up a plethora of useful, additional functions. SD memory cards are abundant and cheap, meaning you won't have any huge costs in supplying the camera with memory storage. It's small and light, easy to carry just about anywhere. Uses Canon optics, which are firmly among the best in the industry. AA-batteries available nearly everywhere. Lire l'avis complet...

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Affordable Excellence

I bought this camera to replace an S3 IS that I had that quit working about a year ago. I keep this in my artillery for any macro work that needs to be done because few cameras I have found can surpass the S3 IS ability for this function. And although the viewing screen is small, it is so flexible and maneuverable that it makes using the camera easy. It's a very good option for a first digital camera for noobs that just want to learn. If you have a child that wants to get in to digital photography, this camera is an ideal and affordable place to start, for ease of use and for the smaller size for smaller hands. But as I said, I value it for its incredible macro capabilities.Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : crutchesman

Drawbacks mar an otherwise decent performance.

I like the picture quality in the camera = I already knew it was somewhat large, but for the 12x zoom and other features I think it's well balanced and actually quite easy to handle.

Its worst two aspects are a dim viewfinder/screen in any kind of sunlight. Really took some getting used to and sometimes I'm still more or less just hoping I'm getting what I'm aiming at. The other thing is it won't take any more than 1gb of movie at a time - about eight minutes for me - regardless of room on the memory card.Lire l'avis complet...

Great camera, excellent value

I have owned one of these excellent cameras for years. Much to my dismay, for some unknown reason, my trusty Canon S3 jammed and was inoperable. My first thought was to try to repair it, but when I checked on Ebay, I found that replacements were available for short money.
I know that technology has come a long way since this model was introduced, but replacing a great, familiar camera, that totally suits my needs for twenty bucks and change was a no brainer. In addition, I could still use my filters, hoods, and other accessories.Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : 208re-cell

Awesome product , proud from the Canon brand

All these series from the first S1IS , to the next ones S2IS, S3IS and S5IS are excellent . The lens is very good ; the picture quality too , features almost very interesting . That's why there are still using it a lot .
The zoom motor is the only thing that over usage becomes faulty , and has to be replaced , but after that it is a very solid camera .
As a medium size AA (4) batteries camera is very recommendable ; the lcd system is very useful .Lire l'avis complet...

An ideal overall camera and perfect for eBay photos.

This review will be a Jenny Craig type of review, light on the "calories"! I own this model particularly for taking photos for my eBay sales. It has more features than I'll ever use but I don't need all of the feautes for eBay, just basic photos. It is small and light. It has more megapixels than necessary but they come in handy as I reduce the photo details with Picasa. It has an electronic viewfinder which I use 90% of the time. The flash is perfect. Its macro allows the lens to almost touch the item for those tiny details. It allows the use of a D.C. adaptor to save on batteries. You can, if you so desire, see the photos on your TV if its screen is larger than your monitor. It has stereo microphones although I don't need 'em. Its 12X optical zoom really comes in handy.

All in all, I am totally satisfied with the camera and if it should fail I would replace it with the same model. Although I use it strictly for eBay photos should my Canon SX20 IS fail me I wouldn't hesitate to use the S3 IS. It's a great little camera.Lire l'avis complet...

Great camera with all the features I want.

Easy to use. Fantastic macro feature. It's my quick go to camera !

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : srednavp

Really nice camera!

Great camera for macro shots. Zoom is good too. Easy to figure out controls. Bright flash. Tilting image screen makes it easy taking difficult to reach shots.

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : anndilb28t

As a whole the S3 IS is a great camera

■Good resolution
■Good color, good exposure, generally accurate focus
■12x zoom offers excellent 36-432mm range
■Image stabilization works well (and can be used in movie mode)
■Packed with features
■Very quiet
■Solid construction and good handling
■Fast and responsive
■Stunning movie mode with high quality stereo sound
■Impressive continuous (burst) shooting
■'Punchy' results straight out of the camera
■Clean images at lower ISO settings
■Impressively little distortion for such a large lens
■Enjoyable and easy to use
■Swing out tilt 'n' swivel screen
■Optional wide and tele adapters
■PC controlled shooting (via USB)
■Customizable shortcut button, ISO button
■Superb battery life with NiMH cells
■Optional flash and lens add-ons
■Good macro

■Occasional focus hunting at the telephoto end of the zoom in low light
■ISO 800 mode is too noisy to be really useful
■ISO 200 noise reduction too strong
■No rechargeable batteries supplied in the box
■Occasional highlight clipping due to over exposure of contrasty scenes
■Viewfinder and screen can be difficult to see in very bright conditions
■Images slightly soft
■Chromatic aberration and purple fringing
■No RAW mode
■Limit to highest shutter speed usable at wide apertures

Overall conclusion
Where the S2 IS offered a huge performance leap over its predecessor, the S3 IS is in reality a minor upgrade, and with good reason; there was a lot less that needed improvement. Aside from the newer sensor, the welcome addition of a direct ISO button, sports mode and marginally bigger screen, the biggest change is the paint job, which has produced a camera that looks a lot less toy-like than the S2 IS.There is a slight improvement in image quality; a bit more resolution and much nicer looking ISO 400 output (though as noted in the review, ISO 400 on the S3 is nowhere near as sensitive as ISO 400 on the S2), but to be honest I think you'd struggle to see any real difference in a normal sized print.

Comparisons with it predecessor aside, the S3 IS Image quality is very good - certainly on a par with most of its competitors - though the results are still a bit on the soft side, something the fairly high default sharpening doesn't really help. Again, experimenting with the in-camera parameters and a little sympathetic post-processing means that in the right hands it can produce images every bit as good as anything else in its class. The ISO 800 mode is probably too noisy for anything but 'emergency' use, and there are occasional exposure problems, but generally speaking the output is pleasing enough to satisfy the majority of the intended market.

But ultimately, like the models that came before it, the appeal of the S3 IS goes beyond simple pixel-peeping; it has a class-leading feature set, a very reliable image stabilization system (the benefits of which cannot be overstated) and superb handling. It's well-priced, incredibly versatile and - above all - highly enjoyable to use. Despite the long lens and speedy operation it's not the ideal 'sports' camera (the focus at the long end of the zoom isn't fast enough and does hunt a little), but for sheer shooting pleasure and versatility the PowerShot S3 IS still takes some beating.Lire l'avis complet...

A real gem !

The Canon S3 IS a real gem! I've used these cameras for over 10 years and, while they only have 6 megapixels, I've found it impossible to talk myself into using anything else. The layout of the buttons and swivel screen, the ease of use, and the quality of the pictures themselves all keep me hooked. The camera is also considerably compact for its capabilities. The "Achilles heel" of this camera is the zoom lens ~ it tends to eventually develop issues and stop working. When the lens went out on my first S3 IS Canon replaced the lens under warranty. It then lasted 6 more years. I've since replaced this camera several times when the lens issue arises. Before bidding/buying, ask the seller to test the camera carefully to see if the lens makes any grinding noises or shows any indication of "stickiness" (and do this yourself once you’ve received it). Also, have the seller check for corrosion in the battery compartment. Sure there's new technology and always will be. This camera holds its value even in the midst of it all. Worth every penny! (Take time getting to know how it works ~ well worth the effort!)Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : maineclearance