S3 or A710 IS

[ktg3]

Which one do you prefer the S3 IS or the A710 IS? Both are selling for about the same price. Size does not matter. Will I notice any difference in picture between 6 and 7mp?

[Jon]

Between 6 and 7 MP, probably not unless you like large (and we're talking 11x14 or bigger routinely) prints. It's only about 17% areally different, which works out to about 6-8% linear enlargement.

What it comes dowen to is: what do you want to photograph with it? Does the longer max. focal length of the S3 matter? will the longer video clips the A710 can take make a difference? How about the electronic viewfinder of the S3?

[artiec]

Hey, when you make your choice, here's a great website to compare the two cameras and their prices: (There's actually about a 60 dollar difference in price...the S3 being more expensive)

S3 IS:
http://www.shopzilla.com/12--Canon_PowerShot_S3_IS_-_cat_id--402__prod_id--407713799__sfsk--5__rf--xoy000

A710 IS:
http://www.shopzilla.com/12--Canon_PowerShot_A710_IS_-_cat_id--402__keyword--a710%20is__prod_id--487911815__rf--xoy000

[Polytrope]

Which one do you prefer the S3 IS or the A710 IS? Both are selling for about the same price. Size does not matter. Will I notice any difference in picture between 6 and 7mp?

Well, first, re megapixels: Unless making slightly bigger prints matters more to you than anything else, then ignore the difference between 6 and 7mp. It's just not a big deal. Remember that, the bigger the files you take, the fewer pictures you get on your storage storage card. A 7mp image can also be cropped a little more tightly on the subject than a 6mp image - it's a bit like zooming in on the subject after you take the picture. But you can't crop it twice as tight. In other words, the 12x optical zoom on the S3 IS trumps the 7mp resolution of the A710, if you're trying to photograph a subject that's not right up close, like a bird or your daughter on the school stage.

That said, I have not used the A710 (or the A700 before it), but looking at reviews and scanning the specs, I can't see why anybody who is also considering the S3 IS would end up getting the A710 instead. Don't get me wrong. The A710 looks like a sweet little camera. It appears to be a little cheaper, and it has the 7mp resolution vs the S3's 6 megapixel. And the A710's also a little more compact. But if those are not decisive factors for you, then, the A710 and the S3 IS are fairly similar cameras, and where they differ, the overall advantage in my judgment goes to the S3 IS. Two advantages of the S3 IS stand out right away: the more powerful zoom (12x vs 6x) and the S3's swivel LCD (I'll never buy a camera without this feature again).

I should perhaps note that the S3 IS's 12x zoom is not an absolute advantage for everybody. MANY photographers, including some serious hobbyists, mostly take snapshots of people who are fairly close. For these shooters, the extra zoom is wasted - and occasionally a hassle because you find yourself zooming in too close accidentally.

The dcresource.com review (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a710-review/index.shtml) describes the A710 as a "poor man's PowerShot G7". That sounds about right. I understand the importance of cost, I really do, but I also want as much quality as I can possibly get. The S3 IS is the top of the line in its class. But in the A710's class, the top of the line is the G7. If I were not so addicted to the S3's 12x zoom, I'd have scraped up a few extra dollars and gotten the G7. The difference between 6mp and 7mp is not a big deal, but between 6mp and 10mp, well, that's something to consider, as is the G7's 1600 ISO, and a number of other features. Read the dpreview article about the G7 here (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091405_canon_g7.asp). But the G7 doesn't have a pop-out LCD (!).

So I have no idea what to recommend. ;)

Even if you can't actually try the camera out before buying, it's a good idea to get to a store and try to put your hands on it before you make a decision. If you like the look and feel and weight of the camera - if it feels "right" in your hands - then you may be able to get the rest of the buying info you need from reviews. And if you do go to a walk-in store that happens to have knowledgeable, helpful sales reps (unlikely, but it happens), I'd urge you not to hesitate to pay a few dollars extra and buy your camera there rather than hunt for the cheapest price on line. It won't be long before it's almost impossible even to SEE merchandise in stores before we buy and then we'll all lose.

Shopping is really, really hard these days. There are so many excellent choices - and I'm just talking about what you can get from Canon! Throw Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, and others into the mix and it's enough to make one want to look for another hobby, preferably something cheaper. Bowling, for example.

WP