Camera Newbie: Canon S3 vs Canon XTi

[anonymouschris]

If price is not a factor, in what circumstances will it make sense to purchase the Canon S3 over an entry level DSLR camera?

 

[GTaudiophile]

What are you shooting?

Stills in good light? Not a huge difference. But if you need something for low-light/in-door and action photography, the DSLR will blow it away. The DSLR also offers RAW format.

Also if you need to shoot ultra wide or telephoto, extremes that a P&S cannot handle, then you would want a DSLR as well.

 

[vi edit]

S3 has:

- "live image" viewfinder
- a lot more "in camera" processing functions like stitch assist, color swap, ect
- ability to do video (and very good video at that)
- better macro ability out of the box
- very functional lens that covers a very long focal range
- smaller in size
- Couple hundred bucks cheaper (even though you said price isn't an issue)

DSLR's offer better configurations, but they fail at the "jack of all trades" type of lens that the S3 comes with. Especially for all the more size the S3 consumes.

 

[anonymouschris]

thank you both for your opinions. do u think the S3 will be a good starter camera to get in to more advanced photography before purchasing a DSLR?

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: anonymouschris
thank you both for your opinions. do u think the S3 will be a good starter camera to get in to more advanced photography before purchasing a DSLR?

It's great, but depending on how fast you progress, you'll soon be frustrated by the limitations of the S3. I got the S3 intending to get a boost into the digital photography hobby, but now, after only a few months of ownership of the camera, I'm wanting to upgrade to a DSLR already. Unfortunate 🙁

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: Aflac

Originally posted by: anonymouschris
thank you both for your opinions. do u think the S3 will be a good starter camera to get in to more advanced photography before purchasing a DSLR?

It's great, but depending on how fast you progress, you'll soon be frustrated by the limitations of the S3. I got the S3 intending to get a boost into the digital photography hobby, but now, after only a few months of ownership of the camera, I'm wanting to upgrade to a DSLR already. Unfortunate 🙁

If you wanna learn and price is not a problem, just dive in with a DSLR.

And subscribe to JPG.

 

[anonymouschris]

can you elaborate on the limitations that are making u want to make the switch to a DSLR?

 

[jpeyton]

For picture-taking, the XTi will blow the S3 out of the water. If price is not a factor, buy an XTi and 3 or 4 Canon L lenses. It should only set you back about $4000-$5500.

If you want to record movies, get an S3.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: anonymouschris
thank you both for your opinions. do u think the S3 will be a good starter camera to get in to more advanced photography before purchasing a DSLR?

I think it makes a good starter camera and a good travelling compement. If you want the focal lengths of a S3 in a DSLR, you are talking at least 2 lenses, maybe more.

Plus it will give you an idea if you will actually compose and post-process photos or just snap and stash, without post-processing a P&S such as a S3 will give you more consistent results than a DSLR.

 

[foghorn67]

Just save in JPG on the XTi if you want in camera sharpening.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
For picture-taking, the XTi will blow the S3 out of the water. If price is not a factor, buy an XTi and 3 or 4 Canon L lenses. It should only set you back about $4000-$5500.

If you want to record movies, get an S3.

Or better yet, take advantage of Canon's double rebates right now and buy the 30D.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
For picture-taking, the XTi will blow the S3 out of the water. If price is not a factor, buy an XTi and 3 or 4 Canon L lenses. It should only set you back about $4000-$5500.

If you want to record movies, get an S3.

Or better yet, take advantage of Canon's double rebates right now and buy the 30D.

Well price is not a factor, so why not get a 5D?

 

[FilmCamera]

If you want to get into photography, get the dSLR.

To start off, you can set it to fully automatic. Then you can set it to pick either the shutter or the aperture for you and you just pick one out of them (and the ISO), and then you can progress to shooting at fully manual. I only shoot in manual mode these days.

 

[91TTZ]

If price is not a factor, get someone to build you a clone of the Hubble Space Telescope. No other camera comes close, except for some military spy satellites. But since money isn't an issue, you can buy them also.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jpeyton
For picture-taking, the XTi will blow the S3 out of the water. If price is not a factor, buy an XTi and 3 or 4 Canon L lenses. It should only set you back about $4000-$5500.

If you want to record movies, get an S3.

Or better yet, take advantage of Canon's double rebates right now and buy the 30D.

Well price is not a factor, so why not get a 5D?

Let's just end the one upsmanship and go for the EOS 1Ds Mark II. 😀

Seriously though, the 30D with rebates right now can be had for as little as $939. I know, I just bought one. 😉

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FilmCamera
If you want to get into photography, get the dSLR.

To start off, you can set it to fully automatic. Then you can set it to pick either the shutter or the aperture for you and you just pick one out of them (and the ISO), and then you can progress to shooting at fully manual. I only shoot in manual mode these days.

I usually shoot in aperature priority because it allows me to get the desired depth of field.

 

[FilmCamera]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: FilmCamera
If you want to get into photography, get the dSLR.

To start off, you can set it to fully automatic. Then you can set it to pick either the shutter or the aperture for you and you just pick one out of them (and the ISO), and then you can progress to shooting at fully manual. I only shoot in manual mode these days.

I usually shoot in aperature priority because it allows me to get the desired depth of field.

You can get any depth of field you want in manual mode.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FilmCamera

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: FilmCamera
If you want to get into photography, get the dSLR.

To start off, you can set it to fully automatic. Then you can set it to pick either the shutter or the aperture for you and you just pick one out of them (and the ISO), and then you can progress to shooting at fully manual. I only shoot in manual mode these days.

I usually shoot in aperature priority because it allows me to get the desired depth of field.

You can get any depth of field you want in manual mode.

I know, but in aperature priority I can just let the camera deal with the time setting. 😛

 

[Aharami]

what if price was an issue? I've pondered the same question as OP, but for me, price is an issue. I mean I wouldnt mind spending $850 on the xti but if the S3IS will give me very close pic quality to that of the xti, I'd rather save a couple hundred bucks and get the S3.

Im not looking to get a camera right this sec, but Id like to get one before I go on vacation next year. The A85 is just not cutting it anymore

 

[yhelothar]

I'd get the 30D(if you're set on canon) with a nice 35mm or 50mm prime. You learn how to develop a photographer's eye with a fixed frame. You learn how to compose with it as you develop a sense of what the camera sees. The primes gives you a lot more control over depth of focus as it's a much faster lens than any zoom. I see too many people with the superzooms and they just center, zoom in, and shoot. It takes you a step backwards IMO. 50mm is what people traditionally learned cameras on, and it should stay that way.

 

[FilmCamera]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: FilmCamera

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: FilmCamera
If you want to get into photography, get the dSLR.

To start off, you can set it to fully automatic. Then you can set it to pick either the shutter or the aperture for you and you just pick one out of them (and the ISO), and then you can progress to shooting at fully manual. I only shoot in manual mode these days.

I usually shoot in aperature priority because it allows me to get the desired depth of field.

You can get any depth of field you want in manual mode.

I know, but in aperature priority I can just let the camera deal with the time setting. 😛

Yeah but say you want a certain depth of field, but also want a long exposure to blur moving water?

 

[FilmCamera]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I'd get the 30D(if you're set on canon) with a nice 35mm or 50mm prime. You learn how to develop a photographer's eye with a fixed frame. You learn how to compose with it as you develop a sense of what the camera sees. The primes gives you a lot more control over depth of focus as it's a much faster lens than any zoom. I see too many people with the superzooms and they just center, zoom in, and shoot. It takes you a step backwards IMO. 50mm is what people traditionally learned cameras on, and it should stay that way.

I completely agree with this.

And to boot, the Canon 50mm f/1.4 is an extremely sharp piece of glass which is also not very expensive for the quality you get from it.

Just zoom in with your feet 😉


Though with some of the things that I do (weddings in particular) zoom lenses are essential to be able to capture some of the special moments.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FilmCamera

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: FilmCamera

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: FilmCamera
If you want to get into photography, get the dSLR.

To start off, you can set it to fully automatic. Then you can set it to pick either the shutter or the aperture for you and you just pick one out of them (and the ISO), and then you can progress to shooting at fully manual. I only shoot in manual mode these days.

I usually shoot in aperature priority because it allows me to get the desired depth of field.

You can get any depth of field you want in manual mode.

I know, but in aperature priority I can just let the camera deal with the time setting. 😛

Yeah but say you want a certain depth of field, but also want a long exposure to blur moving water?

Then I would go full manual. I guess it depends on what I want out of the shot. Perhaps, saying that I usually shoot in aperature priority was a bad choice of words. I'll change my answer to "it depends." 😀

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: FilmCamera

Originally posted by: virtualgames0
I'd get the 30D(if you're set on canon) with a nice 35mm or 50mm prime. You learn how to develop a photographer's eye with a fixed frame. You learn how to compose with it as you develop a sense of what the camera sees. The primes gives you a lot more control over depth of focus as it's a much faster lens than any zoom. I see too many people with the superzooms and they just center, zoom in, and shoot. It takes you a step backwards IMO. 50mm is what people traditionally learned cameras on, and it should stay that way.

I completely agree with this.

And to boot, the Canon 50mm f/1.4 is an extremely sharp piece of glass which is also not very expensive for the quality you get from it.

Just zoom in with your feet 😉


Though with some of the things that I do (weddings in particular) zoom lenses are essential to be able to capture some of the special moments.

Agreed. I have a 30D and the 50mm f/1.4 is the lens I have on it the most. My next most common choice is my 17-40mm f/4.

 

[FilmCamera]

I have both those lenses as well as a 24-105 F/4L and a 70-200 F/2.8L IS. It's pretty much all I need at the moment. Though I would like to get a few more primes. I want the 85 F/1.2L but I can't see spending the money on it just yet.