Digital Compact Cameras

Digital Camera

PowerShot S3 IS

PowerShot S3 IS

PowerShot S3 IS

  • Japan
  • Americas
  • Europe, Asia, Oceania
  • Outline
  • Specifications
Marketed February 2006

PowerShot S3 IS is a more advanced model succeeding the PowerShot S2 IS with a high-powered lens and enhanced movie taking functions. This camera is equipped with an approximately 6.0 million camera effective pixel 1/2.5-inch Charge Coupled Device (CCD). Also, with DIGIC II, higher resolution and high-speed processing were achieved and the startup time and response time were shortened. This camera is equipped with a 12x optical zoom lens, which covers a 35mm film equivalent focal length ranging from 36 mm (Wide Angle) to 432 mm (Telephoto), and has an f/2.7 (Wide Angle) – f/3.5 (Telephoto) aperture. By incorporating a UD (Ultra Low Dispersion) lens into the lens element, the chromatic aberration has been reduced. This model incorporates an image stabilizer, which reduces the effects of camera shake while shooting. In addition, the zoom lens’s super-smooth, super-fast ultra sonic motor (USM) provides all the zooming speed you need.

Camera Effective Pixels Approx. 6.0 million
Image Sensor 1/2.5-inch CCD (Total number of pixels: Approx 6.2 million)
Lens 6.0 (W) – 72.0 (T) mm (35 mm film equivalent: 36 – 432 mm) f/2.7 (W) – f/3.5 (T)
Digital Zoom Approx. 4.0x
(Up to approx. 48x in combination with the optical zoom)
Viewfinder Color LCD viewfinder Picture coverage rate 100%
Dioptric Adjustment -5.5 – +1.5 m-1(dpt)
LCD Monitor 2.0-inch, TFT (vari-angle type) color LCD (Approx. 115,000 dots, picture coverage 100%)
AF System TTL autofocus (continuous or single)
Focus lock and Manual focus are available
Focusing frame: 1-point AF (fixed to center or FlexiZone AF)
Shooting Distance (From the front of the lens) Normal: 50 cm (1.6 ft.) – infinity (W)/90 cm (3.0 ft.) – infinity (T)
Macro: 10 – 50 cm (3.9 in. – 1.6 ft. (W))
Manual focus: 0 – 10 cm (0 – 3.9 in.) (W only)
Shutter Mechanical shutter and electronic shutter
Shutter Speeds 15 – 1/3200 sec.

* The shutter speed varies according to the shooting mode.
* Shutter speeds of 15 to 1.3 sec. are available in Shutter-speed priority mode or Manual mode.
* Slow shutter speeds of 15 to 1.3 sec. or slower operate with noise reduction.

Metering System Evaluative, Center-weighted average or Spot (Center or AF-point)
Exposure Compensation ±2.0 stops in 1/3-stop increments Auto exposure bracketing (AEB) and Safety Shift is available.
ISO Speed Auto*, High ISO Auto*, ISO 80/100/200/400/800 equivalent

* The camera automatically selects the optimal speed when Auto or High ISO Auto is set.

White Balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash or custom
Built-in Flash Auto*, on*, off

* Red-eye reduction is available.
FE lock, Slow synchro and 1st-curtain/2nd-curtain flash are available.

Flash Range Normal: 50 cm – 5.2 m (1.6 – 17 ft.) (W), 90 cm – 4.0 m (3.0 – 13 ft.) (T)
Macro: 30 – 50 cm (12 in. – 1.6 ft.) (W)

(ISO speed = Auto)
(W): Wide angle, (T): Telephoto

Flash Exposure Compensation ± 2.0 stops in 1/3-stop increments
Flash Output* 3 stops

* Can be set when flash exposure setting is [Off

Shooting Modes Auto
Creative zone: Program, Shutter-speed priority, Aperture priority, Manual, Custom
Image zone: Portrait, Landscape, Night scene, Sports, Special Scene*, Stitch Assist, Movie

* Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Color Swap, Color Accent, Night Snapshot, Indoor

Continuous Shooting Approx. 1.5 shots/sec. (Large/Fine mode)
Approx. 2.3 shots/sec. (High-speed continuous shooting, Large/Fine mode)
Intervalometer Shooting interval: approx. 1 – 60 min. (1-min. increments)
Number of shots: 2 – 100 shots (Maximum number of shots varies according to memory card capacity.)
Self-timer Activates shutter after an approx. 10-sec./approx. 2-sec. delay, Custom Timer
PC-controlled Shooting Available (USB connection only. Exclusive software program is included in the camera kit.)
Recording Media SD memory card/MultiMediaCard
File Format Design rule for camera file system and DPOF compliant
Data Type Still images: Exif 2.2 (JPEG)*
Sound Memo (WAVE (stereo))
Movies: AVI (Image data: Motion JPEG; Audio data: WAVE (stereo))
Sound Recorder: WAVE (stereo)

* This digital camera supports Exif 2.2 (also called "Exif Print"). Exif Print is a standard for enhancing the communication between digital cameras and printers. By connecting to an Exif Print-compliant printer, the camera’s image data at the time of shooting is used and optimized, yielding extremely high quality prints.

Compression Superfine, Fine, Normal
Recording Pixels (Still Images) Large: 2816 x 2112 pixels
Middle 1: 2272 x 1704 pixels
Middle 2: 1600 x 1200 pixels
Small: 640 x 480 pixels
Postcard Date Imprint Mode: 1600 x 1200 pixels
Widescreen: 2816 x 1584 pixels
Movie Recording pixels/Frame Rate 640 x 480 pixels (30 frames/sec.)
640 x 480 pixels (15 frames/sec.)
320 x 240 pixels (60 frames/sec.)
320 x 240 pixels (30 frames/sec.)
320 x 240 pixels (15 frames/sec.)
Recording can continue until the memory card is full*
(Max. Clip Size at one time: 1 GB)**

* Using super high-speed memory cards
(SDC-512MSH recommended).
** Even if the clip size has not reached 1 GB, recording will stop at the moment the clip length reaches 1 hour. Depending on the volume and data writing speed of the memory card, recording will stop before reaching 1 hour or before the recorded data volume has reached 1 GB.

Audio Sampling frequency: 44.100/22.050/11.025 kHz
Quantization bit: 16 bit
Playback Modes Single (histogram displayable), Index (9 thumbnail images)
Magnified (approx. 10x max. in LCD monitor or viewfinder, forward or reverse selection through magnified images possible), Image search (Jumps over 10 or 100 images, to a movie folders, or to the next shooting date, or nine images at a time during Index playback), Slide Show, My Colors
Sound memos (up to 1 min. recording/playback)
Movie (editing/slow-motion playback possible)
Sound recorder (up to 2 hrs. of recording/playback of sound only)
Custom Display Function Display location: LCD monitor (2), viewfinder (2)
Displayed information: shooting info*, grid lines*, histogram*

* You can enable/disable display of this information for each of the display locations.

Direct Print PictBridge compliant, Canon Direct Print, and Bubble Jet Direct compatible
My Camera Settings Start-up image, start-up sound, operation sound, self-timer sound, and shutter sound
Interface USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B), PTP [Picture Transfer Protocol]
Audio/Video output (NTSC or PAL selectable, stereo audio)
Power Source AA alkaline batteries (included in the camera kit)
AA NiMH batteries (NB-300) (sold separately)
Compact Power Adapter (CA-PS700) (sold separately)
Operating Temperature 0-40°C (32-104°F)
Operating Humidity 10-90%
Dimensions 113.4 x 78.0 x 75.5 mm (4.46 x 3.07 x 2.97 in.) (excluding protrusions)
Weight Approx. 410 g (14.5 oz.) (camera body only)