Please help with camera suggestion. Cannon S3 IS or Canon Rebel XT?
Jun 30th, 2006, 07:20 PM
#1
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Please help with camera suggestion. Cannon S3 IS or Canon Rebel XT?
I am trying to move up from our current point and shoot digital camera for our trip. I have narrowed it down to the above choices, since they both got very good review in Consumer Reports and are both at Costco. The S3 only has 6 mega pixels and the Rebel has 8. Is 6 mega pixels enough? I am such a newbie at the photography stuff that I am assuming that the S3 does not take any other lenses. Is this a negative since you cannot use any polarizing filters? Also, is the automatic lens the same as a 300 mm lens, which I read is the mininum suggested to bring with you? The only down side with the Rebel that I can see is that I would miss taking the digital movies, that you can take with the S3.
Any help or information is appreciated.
Thank you.
Any help or information is appreciated.
Thank you.
Jun 30th, 2006, 08:08 PM
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Hi HLester3
This is a STRATEGIC choice which makes it relatively easy.
* If u r not sending your photos for a magazine or making HUGE enlargements - don't worry about the 'mega pixels'.
* u can fit filters, 2X telephoto converter & 0.5X wide angle converters to the S3. I think u would need a lens adapter though... some places sell all in a kit.
* S3 telephoto magnification will fit your needs. if u r into bird photography u may add 2X converter or use the 4X digital magnification (a total of 48X) loosing quality but getting a close-up of the eye of the Lilac-breasted Roller
Your stategic decision:
# if talking about BUDGET - really big difference (u would need a few lenses for the Rebel to cover the 12X range ! & don't forget S3 has built-in IS. if u buy IS lenses for Rebel, budget soars...) Most people will make their choice at this point.
# Would u like to carry a (heavy) large bag with camera & few lenses ?
& be busy changing lenses all the time?
This is moving far away from your point & shoot experience ...
# what r u doing with your pics? (after putting them on Kodak Gallery for us to enjoy)
again if it not for publishing or really huge enlagements, S3 is superb.
aby
This is a STRATEGIC choice which makes it relatively easy.
* If u r not sending your photos for a magazine or making HUGE enlargements - don't worry about the 'mega pixels'.
* u can fit filters, 2X telephoto converter & 0.5X wide angle converters to the S3. I think u would need a lens adapter though... some places sell all in a kit.
* S3 telephoto magnification will fit your needs. if u r into bird photography u may add 2X converter or use the 4X digital magnification (a total of 48X) loosing quality but getting a close-up of the eye of the Lilac-breasted Roller
Your stategic decision:
# if talking about BUDGET - really big difference (u would need a few lenses for the Rebel to cover the 12X range ! & don't forget S3 has built-in IS. if u buy IS lenses for Rebel, budget soars...) Most people will make their choice at this point.
# Would u like to carry a (heavy) large bag with camera & few lenses ?
& be busy changing lenses all the time?
This is moving far away from your point & shoot experience ...
# what r u doing with your pics? (after putting them on Kodak Gallery for us to enjoy)
again if it not for publishing or really huge enlagements, S3 is superb.
aby
Jun 30th, 2006, 09:15 PM
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Warning: NON expert comment. If photography was golf I'd have a 20 handicap, but still fluke the occasional round in 79. ;-)
Absolutely agree with aby. If you have aspirations of matching the best photos to which links are posted on this board, an S3 is probably not going to cut it - unless you are REALLY good (at least much, much better than me). However, as I have found out over the past year getting those photos takes considerable dedication (way, way beyond just buying the camera or even learning how to use it) and unless you are going to have that dedication I honestly think you'd just be lugging a lot of expensive gear around for nothing (well, okay it LOOKS the business with the vest and all!). If you have the S3 you can shoot everything, instantly, in every situation (although very low light without a flash doesn't really work too well for me this far with the S2)with reasonable to very good results and you can switch to manual and "get serious" when you are ready to go the extra mile for an effect or in less than perfect conditions. Don't think the results can't be really good just because it is a camera that can be used by people without much of a clue (links to lots of examples of these results have been psoted on this board).
Personally, I sometimes think I made the wrong decision in getting the S2 since I am now willing to put in a lot more effort, and have found I really enjoy fiddling around with effects and light and stuff, so I would like to add lenses as another thing to fiddle with; also, I'm now sometimes willing to wait an hour or more to get a picture I want even though it probably won't work out anyway.
BUT I would need to take my S2 with me as well because there are days where I would just like to lay off the photography for a while but still be ready to snap a good quality picture of anything interesting without worrying if I have the correct lens on..... so I other times think I made the right decision. Hmmm... hope my indecision and limited experience is somehow helpful.
At a guess I would say if you are seeing the movie feature on the S3 as a convenient advantage you are an S3 person.
(I have to admit though, to suffering occasionally from "lens envy" while on safari - and I believe in this case such envy of others' length and girth is not restricted to us insecure men - even if we get it worse) ;-)
Absolutely agree with aby. If you have aspirations of matching the best photos to which links are posted on this board, an S3 is probably not going to cut it - unless you are REALLY good (at least much, much better than me). However, as I have found out over the past year getting those photos takes considerable dedication (way, way beyond just buying the camera or even learning how to use it) and unless you are going to have that dedication I honestly think you'd just be lugging a lot of expensive gear around for nothing (well, okay it LOOKS the business with the vest and all!). If you have the S3 you can shoot everything, instantly, in every situation (although very low light without a flash doesn't really work too well for me this far with the S2)with reasonable to very good results and you can switch to manual and "get serious" when you are ready to go the extra mile for an effect or in less than perfect conditions. Don't think the results can't be really good just because it is a camera that can be used by people without much of a clue (links to lots of examples of these results have been psoted on this board).
Personally, I sometimes think I made the wrong decision in getting the S2 since I am now willing to put in a lot more effort, and have found I really enjoy fiddling around with effects and light and stuff, so I would like to add lenses as another thing to fiddle with; also, I'm now sometimes willing to wait an hour or more to get a picture I want even though it probably won't work out anyway.
BUT I would need to take my S2 with me as well because there are days where I would just like to lay off the photography for a while but still be ready to snap a good quality picture of anything interesting without worrying if I have the correct lens on..... so I other times think I made the right decision. Hmmm... hope my indecision and limited experience is somehow helpful. At a guess I would say if you are seeing the movie feature on the S3 as a convenient advantage you are an S3 person.
(I have to admit though, to suffering occasionally from "lens envy" while on safari - and I believe in this case such envy of others' length and girth is not restricted to us insecure men - even if we get it worse) ;-)
Jun 30th, 2006, 10:18 PM
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Thank you, this is just the information that I needed. I think I will be purchasing the S3 tomorrow. After I purcahse it a Costco, I will have to go to a specilized camera store to have them help me sort out the filter/lens attachment issues. I feel much better about this purchase.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Jun 30th, 2006, 11:24 PM
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HLester3-
Get the S3.
If you want to see a few safari pictures taken with previuos model Canon S2 -
http://olympus.kodakgallery.com/tdgr...in/safari_2005
Last Sept 2005 my wife , cousin, and I went on our first safari. We EACH had the Canon S2. Loved it. No filters or lens attachments. Just the basic S2. The video/movie thing is a kick, you will like it a lot.
regards - tom
ps- going on safari this coming September 2006. Taking the S2s again.
Get the S3.
If you want to see a few safari pictures taken with previuos model Canon S2 -
http://olympus.kodakgallery.com/tdgr...in/safari_2005
Last Sept 2005 my wife , cousin, and I went on our first safari. We EACH had the Canon S2. Loved it. No filters or lens attachments. Just the basic S2. The video/movie thing is a kick, you will like it a lot.
regards - tom
ps- going on safari this coming September 2006. Taking the S2s again.
Jul 1st, 2006, 12:33 AM
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About six months ago I was trying to decide the same thing (well the S2, the S3 wasn't out yet). We went with the S2 for 2 main reasons. Cost was a biggie, while we could get the XT for just a couple hundred more, we wanted a lot of zoom and adding on a lens like that really added up. The other thing was that it was our first digital camera, never even owning a SLR and we felt that technichly it would be more than enough (not to mention more compact).
We have been very pleased with the S2. It just has 5MP but that is more than enough. We have taken thousands and thousands of photos in 6 months and cant believe the results. It is true you can get filters and lens but you will need an attachment. We got a UV filter, polorizer, and the wide angle lens. If you check out the B & H photo site they list the accessories available for the canon.
Now after 6 months and really getting into photography I would really like to have the XT or D30 and will likely get one within the year. I will still keep my S2 for the times when I dont want to haul around lenses.
We have been very pleased with the S2. It just has 5MP but that is more than enough. We have taken thousands and thousands of photos in 6 months and cant believe the results. It is true you can get filters and lens but you will need an attachment. We got a UV filter, polorizer, and the wide angle lens. If you check out the B & H photo site they list the accessories available for the canon.
Now after 6 months and really getting into photography I would really like to have the XT or D30 and will likely get one within the year. I will still keep my S2 for the times when I dont want to haul around lenses.
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