Powershot S3 IS

[ryuggen]

S3is, anyone has focusing problem?? I seriously feel that my AF is abit 'pai liao' At certain focal length, it will be blur. I'm standing about 0.4 m from the subject. Sometimes, it focus sharply, other times its pretty blur.

I tried it over and over again. Does anyone experience this?

Ah, now then i realised my S3IS need a dri cabi. I thought its a prosumer and have not reached the dSLR yet. Thought i do without one.

 

[J-Chan]

S3is, anyone has focusing problem?? I seriously feel that my AF is abit 'pai liao' At certain focal length, it will be blur. I'm standing about 0.4 m from the subject. Sometimes, it focus sharply, other times its pretty blur.

I tried it over and over again. Does anyone experience this?

Ah, now then i realised my S3IS need a dri cabi. I thought its a prosumer and have not reached the dSLR yet. Thought i do without one.

does it occur at the longer focal lengths? like when you zoom in more.. cos it has a certain minimum focusing distance.. the DOF also reduced and the AF system hunts abit..

 

[CanonS3IS]

I use AKARUI dry cabinet. Almost 5 years already, still serving me well. Got it from CP.

hmmm... sorry bout how much does it cost?
at cp?
where'sthats? sorry for the questions
i newbie to these...
:cry:

 

[lastboltnut]

Hi, why not try DigiCab, the 30liters model is selling at $88(anlogue meter) and $99 (digital meter) at MS Colour in AMK.

hmmm... sorry bout how much does it cost?
at cp?
where'sthats? sorry for the questions
i newbie to these...
:cry:

 

[lastboltnut]

Erm....if I remember correctly, the minimum focus distance for S3 is 0.5m for normal mode. Use macro or super macro mode when need be.....very well covered range.....miss its convenience....

These are from Canon website on S3 specs:

"Shooting Distance (from the front of the lens) Normal: 50cm - infinity
Macro: 10 - 50cm (W), 30 - 45cm (T)
Super Macro: 0 - 10cm (W) "

S3is, anyone has focusing problem?? I seriously feel that my AF is abit 'pai liao' At certain focal length, it will be blur. I'm standing about 0.4 m from the subject. Sometimes, it focus sharply, other times its pretty blur.

I tried it over and over again. Does anyone experience this?

Ah, now then i realised my S3IS need a dri cabi. I thought its a prosumer and have not reached the dSLR yet. Thought i do without one.

 

[skypacker]

Hi all, I am thinking of getting a Canon S3 IS around November. I am quite new to photography (having owned only a coolpix 4300 before) and and I would be grateful if you could help me with the following:

(1) What would be a good price for the S3 in singapore? Just a price range will do, I'll try to shop around in that range. And would that price be inclusive of camera + SD card+ case? I suspect it is somewhere around SG$800?

(2a) I would be taking a lot of shots of inanimate objects, landscape etc during the daytime, so i guess I'd need a UV filter? Any specific recommendations/price?

(2b) I like to take night/dusk/dawn photos too, so I suppose I'd need a tripod. Any recommendations within a reasonable price (~$100 or so?).

(3) What are the shops that are usually trustworthy? I am rather new to singapore, and so not completely in the know. I hear the names Cathay, MS color and Alan photo thrown around a lot. Are these the best bets for service + reasonable price?

(4) Do I need to get a dry box too? Price? My room has a/c, but I run it only some nights.

(5) Any other brand/model I should be looking at, apart from the S3, with similar features? The FZ50 is priced in the SG$1000s, so thats out. Besides it is supposed to be really noisy above ISO 100 and with aggressive NR, right? I am not keen on paying 1k for a daytime only camera....

The FZ7 seems to also suffer from the same problem although the price is similar to the S3. I cant think of any other models.....

Thanks for any and all help

 

[lastboltnut]

Hi skypacker, welcome to SG. Holidaying in SG or staying here for a good period of time? Where are you from? Anyway, see my reply below and hope it helps.

Hi all, I am thinking of getting a Canon S3 IS around November. I am quite new to photography (having owned only a coolpix 4300 before) and and I would be grateful if you could help me with the following:

(1) What would be a good price for the S3 in singapore? Just a price range will do, I'll try to shop around in that range. And would that price be inclusive of camera + SD card+ case? I suspect it is somewhere around SG$800?

Read here, post #977

(2a) I would be taking a lot of shots of inanimate objects, landscape etc during the daytime, so i guess I'd need a UV filter? Any specific recommendations/price?

To mount a filter, you need to buy the lens adapter. Read here post #548 for the lens adapter. This thread covers the tripod at the end of the thread. for outdoor shots, you need to have circular polariser (CPL) filter to cut off reflect when shooting water/window and it also helps to get blue sky. U can stack CPL over the UV filter (if they are of the same thread same).

(2b) I like to take night/dusk/dawn photos too, so I suppose I'd need a tripod. Any recommendations within a reasonable price (~$100 or so?).

See reply of 2a

(3) What are the shops that are usually trustworthy? I am rather new to singapore, and so not completely in the know. I hear the names Cathay, MS color and Alan photo thrown around a lot. Are these the best bets for service + reasonable price?

Read this thread for a list of retailers recommended. All these retailers listed are so far very competitive in price. But that doesn't mean every sales they do are really that good deal. You still need to do your price research to be save. Also sometimes, they may win your trust by selling the cam cheaply to you and over sell the accessories you buy with them.....so you need to know the price of the accessories too to really be streetwise.....hope this helps.

(4) Do I need to get a dry box too? Price? My room has a/c, but I run it only some nights.

Drybox....I think digicabi is good.....30 liter cost $88 (analogue meter) $99(digital meter) at MS Colour.
(5) Any other brand/model I should be looking at, apart from the S3, with similar features? The FZ50 is priced in the SG$1000s, so thats out. Besides it is supposed to be really noisy above ISO 100 and with aggressive NR, right? I am not keen on paying 1k for a daytime only camera....

Daytime only, I would highly recommend S3....i love the cam for daylight shooting!!

The FZ7 seems to also suffer from the same problem although the price is similar to the S3. I cant think of any other models.....

Thanks for any and all help

 

[AngryPigleT]

when u first use the flash after u power on, the flash icon will blink becoz the flash is charging up...

Actually I also experience the prob even after power on for a while..

 

[scramblur11]

Actually I also experience the prob even after power on for a while..

errr.. actually when u power on ur cam but never use flash, the flash still wont start charging.....

onli when u 1st flip up ur flash and try taking pic wif flash on, it will start charging leh....at least that what I think it is...

 

[skypacker]

Hi skypacker, welcome to SG. Holidaying in SG or staying here for a good period of time? Where are you from? Anyway, see my reply below and hope it helps.

Hi lastboltnut, I will be here in SG until late 2007 or so. I am originally from India but I have been living in the US for the past few years.

Thank you for your helpful post. It is very much appreciated.:thumbsup:

 

[lastboltnut]

No prob skypacker, enjoy your stay here!

Hi lastboltnut, I will be here in SG until late 2007 or so. I am originally from India but I have been living in the US for the past few years.

Thank you for your helpful post. It is very much appreciated.:thumbsup:

 

[ryuggen]

I guess i didn tmeet the min. focal distance. Thats why its blur. SHould switch to macro mode next time


skypacker, the S3is is a pretty good cam. Very versatile!

 

[leeweelee80]

hi all,

Anyone using a 35mm lens mount on their S3? is it workable?

 

[lastboltnut]

Huh? 35mm lens with threaded mount? Have?

Anyway, I dun think it works, the designed focal plane is different....a converter is designed to direct light into the S3 lens, but a SLR lens is design to focuse the image on a plane....so very different...

hi all,

Anyone using a 35mm lens mount on their S3? is it workable?

 

[leeweelee80]

Huh? 35mm lens with threaded mount? Have?

Anyway, I dun think it works, the designed focal plane is different....a converter is designed to direct light into the S3 lens, but a SLR lens is design to focuse the image on a plane....so very different...

IC, but how come i see people using it on their canon as reverse mount? and the effect of the picts is wonderful and with better magnification compare to my Raynox 250. moreover their cam is onli abt 4x optical zoom

 

[lastboltnut]

IC, but how come i see people using it on their canon as reverse mount? and the effect of the picts is wonderful and with better magnification compare to my Raynox 250. moreover their cam is onli abt 4x optical zoom

O! This is new to me....I am not sure then....next better player please.:bsmilie:

BTW, what effect does a reverse mount gives?

 

[lastboltnut]

Hi, is this the thread you are talking about? Why not post and ask them?

IC, but how come i see people using it on their canon as reverse mount? and the effect of the picts is wonderful and with better magnification compare to my Raynox 250. moreover their cam is onli abt 4x optical zoom

 

[leeweelee80]

Hi, is this the thread you are talking about? Why not post and ask them?

Thank once again Lastboltnut

 

[lastboltnut]

Can wait for cerebrus to come it too....he discussed about this in other threads too, he should know.

Thank once again Lastboltnut

 

[cerebrus]

Can wait for cerebrus to come it too....he discussed about this in other threads too, he should know.

IC, but how come i see people using it on their canon as reverse mount? and the effect of the picts is wonderful and with better magnification compare to my Raynox 250. moreover their cam is onli abt 4x optical zoom

Reverse mount is something else. You can look at tchuanye's equipment list here.

Its basicly reversing a lens, so that the front element connects to your camera. I have tried it before, the DOF is really too thin to work with if you combine it with the S2/3's 400mm lens. It is fine for anything under 200mm though. Most people use 50mm primes for this, since they are cheap and alot of them have apeture rings. This way, you can control it even though it is not connected to anything.

You need to get a reverse ring or macro coupler to reverse mount. These have male threads on both sides so you can screw on the 2nd lens. You will need to get a ring with either 58mm or 52 mm on one side (depends on which S2/S3 adapter you have) AND a thread size that matches the filter threads of the lens you are reverse mounting.

Hope that makes sense.