Canon S3

[DISFANSHAN]

Can anyone tell me why, when I take pics using the flash, people's faces look shiny and the color is off? I had someone use my camera a few months ago to take a picture of my family. They were messing around with the settings and it has not been right since.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Can anyone tell me why, when I take pics using the flash, people's faces look shiny and the color is off? I had someone use my camera a few months ago to take a picture of my family. They were messing around with the settings and it has not been right since.

There's a couple of things that could be wrong. The Exposure Compensation could be set to overexpose. The flash power could be increased. Or, the White Balance could have been adjusted.

If you go into your menu, there's a way to reset the camera to it's factory settings. I think it's on the "tool" menu....

 

[DISFANSHAN]

Thank you LPZ Stitch! I am going to try to reset it!

 

[rileysmommy]

My SX10 arrived yesterday as an upgrade to my S3. Can't wait to play with it in Disney next week!!

 

[DawnM]

I am VERY new to this. Today is the first day I attempted to use the RAW setting.

And only my 2nd time posting.....shoot I can't seem to get this.


I am using Flickr.....will that not work?

 

[tekmom]

Hi, I only have the S2IS and think about upgrading, but I got such great shots at WDW 2 weeks ago, I just can't make the leap.

 

[rileysmommy]

Tekmom, those are great shots!! I see no need to upgrade!! Hope I get as good shots next week!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[tekmom]

Tekmom, those are great shots!! I see no need to upgrade!! Hope I get as good shots next week!! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! This was the first year I actually got blue skies in all my pics.

 

[Amy]

Went to the Pittsburgh Zoo on Friday; here are some shots taken with my SX10IS, right from the camera (because I just don't have the time to play with my photos right now.....)

Some baby beavers were born last year; here's one of them at about a year old:

There's a new shark tank at the aquarium - one of those where you walk underneath and the sharks swim next to and above you. It was a very bright, sunny day, and I had a really difficult time getting decent shots - I tried Program mode and also Aquarium mode. I just wasn't very happy with any of them, except this one. Yes, I know I cut off his nose, but look at those teeth!

 

[Frantasmic]

I took the family to Dallas for some shopping and museuming. We spent the night at a hotel with a pool on the 16th floor. I caught this one of my son just as he was jumping in with my S5. It looks like he is walking on water. Just timing.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I've had my Canon S3 IS for almost 3 years now. It's gotten a lot of usage and I still love it. I keep it in my pocketbook as my secondary camera and, as you can imagine, it gets jostled around quite a bit. But it's there when I need it so that's ok.

It's begun to shoot in black and white on some settings, off and on (without my setting it that way), and some of the pictures are coming out jumbled, like a puzzle. Anyone else experience this and/or have any idea what's causing it?

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I've had my Canon S3 IS for almost 3 years now. It's gotten a lot of usage and I still love it. I keep it in my pocketbook as my secondary camera and, as you can imagine, it gets jostled around quite a bit. But it's there when I need it so that's ok.

It's begun to shoot in black and white on some settings, off and on (without my setting it that way), and some of the pictures are coming out jumbled, like a puzzle. Anyone else experience this and/or have any idea what's causing it?

Well, you mentioned it getting "jostled around quite a bit" ... it's possible that it's suffered some damage.

It's also possible that there's just a couple of connections -- to the SD card or batteries, most likely -- that are loose. Try removing and replacing the batteries and card after taking it out of your pocketbook (especially if it's been shaken around a lot) to make sure that everything's seated properly and all of the battery/card "doors" are locked correctly.

Good luck with it!

 

[schaery]

I am totally dumb when it comes to cameras. We just bought the sx10 is and it is overwhelming with all the stuff it has that you can do. Can anyone give me what are the things that I need to understand the most so that I can use this camera to it's full potential. I see it has alot of various shooting modes. We are going to WDW in less than two weeks and we would like to get a grasp on how to use this by then. I see it has a fireworks mode - how does it work compared to using the manual mode or another mode for fireworks? Any help and suggestions on getting the basics down as well as some tips on how to make some great photos like the ones posted here.

Thanks

I have an S3 and just bought my DD the SX10. I know you may be reading this pretty close to your trip time, but if you do a search on ebay, I just saw an auction for a laminated "cheat sheet" for the SX. It was only $10, and probably very useful until you learn the camera.

I just took a photography class using DD's camera at my local university, and learned soooo much about the camera. It even helped me learn new things about my S3.

 

[schaery]

I have an S3 with telephoto and wide angle lenses, and several filters. I recently got my DD the SX10-IS, which I love, except that there is no threaded end for accessories. (And according to Canon, no plans at present to add that to the SX).

I have recently started doing a little more serious photography, and wondering if there's a big difference in the 6mp S3 and the 8mp S5. I'd like to upgrade but not to the SX at this time because of not being able to use my accessories, and a DSLR seems like such a hassle to me. Plus the DSLRs don't have that wonderful swivel lcd. (I called Canon, and reminded them that they're losing ground to Nikon on that). Even used S5's are still going for $200 on ebay. Is the difference in MPs enough to upgrade to the S5? There is a noticeable difference in the 6mp S3 and the 12mp SX.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I have an S3 with telephoto and wide angle lenses, and several filters. I recently got my DD the SX10-IS, which I love, except that there is no threaded end for accessories. (And according to Canon, no plans at present to add that to the SX).

Canon might not have any plans to make one, but Lensmate already has!

http://lensmateonline.com/newsite/SX10SX1.html

I use the lensmate adapter for my S3 and it's extremely high quality....

I have recently started doing a little more serious photography, and wondering if there's a big difference in the 6mp S3 and the 8mp S5.

IIRC, the biggest differences between the S3 and S5 were: S5 has an ISO1600 (but it's generally a noisier camera due to higher MP on the same-sized sensor), doesn't have the S3's intervalometer, does have a flash hotshoe (compatible with any Speedlight or Speedlight clone) and has a larger LCD and is a little slower in continuous shooting.

For me, it wasn't worth the upgrade. I might have felt differently had I already owned a Speedlight, though.

 

[schaery]

Canon might not have any plans to make one, but Lensmate already has!

http://lensmateonline.com/newsite/SX10SX1.html

I use the lensmate adapter for my S3 and it's extremely high quality....

OMG!!!! I'd tell you I love you but that would be inappropriate, I guess. And it can be used with Raynox S3 lenses, too?

IIRC, the biggest differences between the S3 and S5 were: S5 has an ISO1600 (but it's generally a noisier camera due to higher MP on the same-sized sensor), doesn't have the S3's intervalometer, does have a flash hotshoe (compatible with any Speedlight or Speedlight clone) and has a larger LCD and is a little slower in continuous shooting.

For me, it wasn't worth the upgrade. I might have felt differently had I already owned a Speedlight, though.

You lost me a little with the intervalometer... guess it's one of those nifty things about the S3 that I don't know about, or maybe use it and don't know the name of it. BUT....do the MP difference and the hotshoe make it worth the upgrade? Of course, if I can use my S3 lenses and filters on the SX10, that's a much better option.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well, you mentioned it getting "jostled around quite a bit" ... it's possible that it's suffered some damage.

It's also possible that there's just a couple of connections -- to the SD card or batteries, most likely -- that are loose. Try removing and replacing the batteries and card after taking it out of your pocketbook (especially if it's been shaken around a lot) to make sure that everything's seated properly and all of the battery/card "doors" are locked correctly.

Good luck with it!

Thank you. I was kind of thinking along the same lines. (Great minds still think alike!) We'll see what happens.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

OMG!!!! I'd tell you I love you but that would be inappropriate, I guess. And it can be used with Raynox S3 lenses, too?

The SX10 adapter is 58mm diameter, and most of the Raynox lenses are 52mm ... but you can get step-down rings, cheap.

The DCR-250 macro lens definitely works, as is, though ... it's pictured on the site!

You lost me a little with the intervalometer... guess it's one of those nifty things about the S3 that I don't know about, or maybe use it and don't know the name of it. BUT....do the MP difference and the hotshoe make it worth the upgrade? Of course, if I can use my S3 lenses and filters on the SX10, that's a much better option.

The Intervalometer is like a really fancy timer; you can use it for taking cool stop-motion photographs. You set it for a number of shots (or, a period of time) and how often to take them; e.g. 1 shot every 15 minutes for 2 hours....

IMO, just adding more MP and a hotshoe isn't worth the upgrade. If I were going to upgrade from my S3, I'd go to a DSLR.

 

[TinkerbelleAbbysMom]

I found this board sometime last week and am so excited. I didn't know my camera had so many options!! I've had it since early 07. Is that bad that I didn't realize it could do so much? I have been trying to read through all of the posts but find that very time consuming! Does anyone have any tips on a book to get to learn more about the S3 and photography in general?

Thanks!!

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I have been trying to read through all of the posts but find that very time consuming! Does anyone have any tips on a book to get to learn more about the S3 and photography in general?

I highly recommend www.GoingManual.com ... a website (and downloadable PDF) which does a very good job of explaining how exposure works (the interaction between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed), all of which can be controlled on the Powershot S-series cameras.

After you know how it all works, the Canon manual is actually very good for figuring out exactly how to do it on the camera itself.

Personally, I think there are more tips in this thread than in any book I've ever browsed! But, DIS Photographers seem to like "Understanding Exposure" quite a bit....