The sleek PowerShot S3 IS digital camera offers you high resolution, an
extra-long zoom, advanced yet easy-to-use movie functions plus great
new shooting options. Also, with Image Stabilizer technology, images
and movies taken with the S3 IS are sharp and smooth, even when the
camera gets jostled. 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 IS, 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
rivalling that of dedicated digital video camcorders. Sporting a
striking new finish in gunmetal grey, the compact PowerShot S3 IS
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, widescreen
(16:9) recording, new movie features, and an additional Sports mode.
Widescreen (16:9) recording
The PowerShot S3 IS caters for serious photo enthusiasts seeking
extended zooming flexibility and fully featured movie recording in a
versatile compact digital stills camera.
Optics
Still the most powerful zoom in a Canon digital compact camera (36 to
432mm, f2.7-f.3.5), the PowerShot S3 IS's lens incorporates the same
leading technologies used in Canon's professional EF lenses. An
Ultra-Sonic Motor (USM) drives rapid and near-silent zoom operation; an
Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens element significantly reduces chromatic
aberration in telephoto shots; Canon's optical Image Stabilizer (IS)
technology counteracts camera shake to reduce image blur when shooting
stills or recording video, essential for handheld shots at longer focal
lengths. IS allows photographers to shoot at shutter speeds up to 3
stops slower for reliable flash-free photography in low light
conditions.
The PowerShot S3 IS's 12x optical zoom combines with
digital zoom to deliver 48x magnification for recording both stills and
video. For even wider framing options, optional wide and telephoto
converter lenses extend the focal length from wide 27mm to super-tele
648mm (35mm film equivalent) for an impressive 24x optical zoom. A
Super Macro mode and optional Close-Up lens 500D (58mm) allow for
detailed macro photography. (Optional wide, telephoto, and close-up
lenses not included--must be purchased separately.)
Increased ISO speed
In addition to Image Stabilization, the PowerShot S3 IS features a new
High ISO Auto setting and ISO 800 to further extend the camera's low
light shooting capabilities. High ISO Auto automatically sets exposure
using the higher range of ISO sensitivities, enabling faster shutter
speeds in low light and increased image stability at the telephoto end.
A dedicated ISO button allows for easy switching between ISO
sensitivities.
Movie functions
Powerful video
functions make the PowerShot S3 IS far more than just a
high-performance digital still camera. A dedicated movie button means
users do not need to switch modes to start recording, so spontaneous
moments can be instantly captured in full motion. Users can record
smooth 30-frame-per-second VGA quality movies of up to 1 GB with stereo
sound, or create 60-frame-per-second QVGA clips for sharp slow-motion
playback. The Movie mode also allows users to pre-select exposure and
white balance, zoom throughout the camera's focal range, and manually
adjust focus while shooting. A Photo In Movie feature enables the
capture of full resolution digital stills during video recording.
Creative shooting
The PowerShot S3 IS offers 20 shooting modes including full Manual
mode, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Speed Priority. Together with
2.3-frame-per-second continuous shooting, a new fast-shutter Sports
mode with improved autofocus accuracy provides unprecedented
capabilities for capturing action sports sequences. Special Scene
modes--such as Night Snapshot and Snow--assist with tricky lighting
conditions, while Color Accent and Color Swap modes enable dramatic
color effects to be applied to both images and movies. Canon's My
Colors photo effects have been enhanced for this model, and can now be
applied to images both before and after shooting.
The PowerShot
S3 IS features a new Widescreen mode (2816 x 1584 recording pixels) for
capturing still images in 16:9 format--perfect for viewing images on
widescreen television or printing wide (10 x 20-centimeter) photos with
a Selphy Compact Photo Printer.
Printing and other features
A new, dedicated Print menu simplifies printing of multiple images.
Full PictBridge support means users can print directly to any
PictBridge compatible printer without the need for a PC. New PictBridge
features include the ability to print shooting data and optimize faces
in portrait shots when connected to a compatible Canon PIXMA printer.
The camera's ID photo and movie stills features are also available when
connected to a Selphy CP Series Printer. A handy Print/Share button
allows one-touch printing and easy uploads to Windows or Mac systems.
(Printer not included--must be purchased separately.)
The camera's menu system now features support for Arabic, bringing the total number of supported languages to 23.
Canon technologies explained
Optical Image Stabilizer
Canon's lens-shift-type optical Image Stabilizer counteracts the camera
shake caused by slight hand movements. Vibration sensors detect the
angle and speed of movement and send this information to a processor,
allowing the camera to compensate. This adds stability to hand-held,
telephoto, or moving shots and enables shooting at shutter speeds of up
to three stops slower with no noticeable increase in image blur.
DIGIC II
Canon's purpose-built DIGIC II (DIGital Imaging Core) image processor
links all primary camera functions for maximum efficiency. High-speed
processing results in outstanding responsiveness, rapid autofocus, and
extended continuous shooting ability. Advanced image processing
algorithms deliver superb image detail and color reproduction with
accurate white balance and minimal noise. DIGIC II operates efficiently
to extend battery life, for longer shooting on a single charge.
iSAPS
iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space)
automatically optimizes key camera settings before every shot. Each
scene is analyzed and cross-referenced against Photographic Space--a
vast in-camera library of photographic data. This enables the camera to
make optimal adjustments to autoexposure, autofocus, and auto white
balance before image capture occurs.
9-Point AiAF
Canon's 9-point AiAF (Artificial Intelligence Autofocus) automatically
scans and selects subjects from a set of nine focusing areas across the
scene. This ensures accurately focused images even when subjects are
not in the centre of the frame.
FlexiZone AF/AE
FlexiZone AF/AE lets users manually select the focus point from almost
any point in the frame by moving the autofocus window in the
viewfinder. Exposure is linked to the focus point to ensure that the
chosen subject is accurately focused and exposed.
Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lens technology
No matter how well engineered, conventional optical glass lens elements
cause chromatic aberrations which can 'soften' images and appear in
photographs as fringing around the outside edge of subjects. Canon's
Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) glass has special optical properties to
successfully reduce these aberrations. Especially effective in super
telephoto lenses, UD glass helps to deliver crisp, sharp, high-contrast
images.