The Canon Powershot S3 Review

The Canon Powershot S3 offers you high resolution, extra-long zoom, advanced yet easy-to-use movie functions plus great new shooting options! With Image Stabilizer technology, images & movies taken with the Powershot S3 are consistently sharp and smooth, time and time again.

It's everything you need to capture the fun, excitement and beauty of your active life - wherever it takes you! Successor to the popular PowerShot S2, the latest addition to the PowerShot S-series incorporates a 6.0-megapixel CCD sensor, Canon's renowned optical Image Stabilizer technology, and video functionality that is rivaling that of more dedicated digital video camcorders.

Sporting a striking new finish in gunmetal grey, the compact Canon PowerShot S3 answers the demands of advanced photographers with several improvements over its predecessor, including an increased sensitivity range of ISO 80 to ISO 800, a larger 2.0-inch vari-angle LCD screen, wide screen recording, new movie features, and an additional Sports mode for those more difficult of subjects. The PowerShot S3 also caters for serious photo enthusiasts seeking extended zooming flexibility and fully featured movie recording in a versatile compact digital camera.

Still the most powerful zoom in a Canon digital compact camera (36 to 432mm, f2.7-f.3.5), the PowerShot S3's lens incorporates the same leading technologies used in Canon's professional EF lenses. An Ultra-Sonic Motor drives rapid and near-silent zoom operation and an Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens element significantly reduces chromatic aberration in telephoto shots.

Canon's optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology counteracts camera shake brilliantly to reduce image blur when shooting stills or recording video, which is essential for hand held shots at longer focal lengths. Image stabilization also allows photographers to shoot at shutter speeds up to 3 stops slower for reliable flash-free photography in low light conditions.The Canon PowerShot S3s 12x optical zoom combines with digital zoom to deliver 48x magnification for both stills and video. For even wider framing options, optional wide and telephoto converter lenses will extend the focal length from wide 27mm to super-tele 648mm for an impressive 24x optical zoom. A Super Macro mode & optional Close-Up lens 500D allow the photographer to take clear, detailed macro shots at a very close range.