Canon PowerShot S3 Camera User Review

Name of product: 

Approximate date of purchase: 

My Review 

Have taken approximately 7,000 pictures. Overall a good camera.

I bought it for the 12X zoom, and because I have been using Canons for 35 years and am familiar with the controls. The moveable LCD screen has been useful at times (reaching over people's heads at wedding or shooting pictures from waist level so nobody notices) but I still use the viewfinder for macro work.

Most used for sports and flower and plant photography, which it does reasonably once you go through every possible setting to find what works best. (Normal thing to do when getting a new camera.)

It has two fatal flaws (which my old A1 never had), see pros and cons.

Camera "pros" 

Zoom saves walking back and forward to frame a shot.

Sport mode is handy when there are lots of pictures to take

Camera "cons" 

Battery error -- open compartment and wriggle batteries around -- your batteries are not flat!

Lens error -- usually when zooming -- turn camera off and reboot with lens facing downwards, works most of the time. Carry a backup camera.

Alarming that the error messages are built in -- known problem!

Is this camera easy to use? 

How is the image quality in good lighting? 

How is the image quality when using the flash? 

Do you like the camera's style and feel? 

How is the camera's LCD screen? 

Do you feel like the camera is/was a good value? 

Would you recommend this to a friend? 

Kyle Schurman, Digital Cameras Guide, says: