S3 poor quality pictures...???

[andy_fozzy]

Guys, I've just recently got an S3 after for various reasons, given up on D-SLR.

I suspect it is, but is it me or are my pics from the S3 poor quality?
(I do have the highest size and quality selected!!)

In general the shots are fine, but even with just a small amount of cropping/zooming on the PC, the quality fades rapidly.

I mainly use Windows picture viewer for basic picture viewing, and I use the free photofiltre for processing.

I think I have been 'bitten' by the D-SLR bug, and I'm expecting similar quality shots......

Any advice??

[gregrocco]

Part of your problem may be that you're used to DSLR, but part of it is also the S3. I own one and when I take pics in bright light (indoors or sunlight) the pics are usually great, but the darker it gets, the worse the S3 does. Just my opinion...

[DirePenguin]

To get the best pics out of the S3 in any low-light situation requires taking full control over the exposure settings (going into Manual mode). In any of the auto modes, the camera will always step up the ISO which quickly results in a lot of noise ... by more finely tuning the exposure settings, you can get better results with less noise.

Anywhere but indoors (with no flash) or at night, your S3 should be giving you very sharp pictures.

It's a good camera, you just need to coax it a little under less-than-optimum light conditions.

If you're getting grainy pictures even in bright light, check to see if you've accidently set the ISO to 800 ... it's very noisy and I'd only use it as a last resort (and when I had access to good noise reduction softare like Noise Ninja).

Check out this thread over on the Digital Camera Resource Page for an idea of how lovely S3 pics can be: Some S3 Pics (http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21728).

If you aren't getting similar results in similar conditions either your settings are messed up or your camera is in need of some servicing....

[JustShootin']

There's really nothing I can add to the above, except that I agree with them. Your S3 is capable of taking very sharp pictures. But as mentioned above, stay away from high ISO settings, and out of "auto" mode, which in many cases will up your ISO.

[andy_fozzy]

Thanks guys.
I think you may be right.

I've just been out taking a few shots of the moon, and the results were FAB!!

Had to play around with the shutter speed and aperture, but when I got it right, I could crop the picture 100%, with no quality loss.

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/7148/bestmoonadjel5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Not bad for a mess about!

Thanks again, Andy

[JustShootin']

See! :D

[andy_fozzy]

See! :D


:lol:

Now I gotta get me one of those teleconvertors you've got, and I'm well away!!!

[gregrocco]

Thanks guys.
I think you may be right.

I've just been out taking a few shots of the moon, and the results were FAB!!

Had to play around with the shutter speed and aperture, but when I got it right, I could crop the picture 100%, with no quality loss.

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/7148/bestmoonadjel5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Not bad for a mess about!

Thanks again, Andy
Just out of curiosity, what were your settings when you took this?

[JustShootin']

Looks like gregrocco did it this a way, Good shot too!


Camera Model Name
Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Shooting Date/Time
4/25/2007 7:51:28 PM
Shooting Mode
Manual
Tv (Shutter Speed)
1/20
Av (Aperture Value)
8.0
Light Metering
Evaluative
ISO Speed
100
Lens
6.0 - 72.0mm
Focal Length
72.0mm
Digital Zoom
None
IS Mode
On
Image Size
2816x2112
Image Quality
Superfine
Flash
Off
White Balance
Auto
AF Mode
Single AF
Parameters
Contrast Normal
Sharpness Normal
Saturation Normal
Color Space
sRGB
File Size
40KB
Drive Mode
Self-timer Operation

[gregrocco]

Looks like gregrocco did it this a way, Good shot too!


Camera Model Name
Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Shooting Date/Time
4/25/2007 7:51:28 PM
Shooting Mode
Manual
Tv (Shutter Speed)
1/20
Av (Aperture Value)
8.0
Light Metering
Evaluative
ISO Speed
100
Lens
6.0 - 72.0mm
Focal Length
72.0mm
Digital Zoom
None
IS Mode
On
Image Size
2816x2112
Image Quality
Superfine
Flash
Off
White Balance
Auto
AF Mode
Single AF
Parameters
Contrast Normal
Sharpness Normal
Saturation Normal
Color Space
sRGB
File Size
40KB
Drive Mode
Self-timer Operation
Wasn't me, but thanks for the shooting info! :) BTW, as a noob, I still don't know how you access that, so, uh....how do you access it?

[JustShootin']

Wasn't me, but thanks for the shooting info! :) BTW, as a noob, I still don't know how you access that, so, uh....how do you access it?

OOPs, sorry 'bout that. It was andy_fozzy who made that moon shot. (I think & hope) Greggrocco, I just save the picture, and then open it with Canon's zoom browser or Picasa, and most time it will give you the camera settings for the shot.

[pescare]

Wasn't me, but thanks for the shooting info! :) BTW, as a noob, I still don't know how you access that, so, uh....how do you access it?

As JustShootin' said, most editing programs will be able to extract this info from the file. Just wanted to add that you're looking for EXIF data. Look that up in your program's help function and you should be good. If you use the Firefox browser there are plugins available that will often show the EXIF too, although it does not work many times when images are hosted on a site like ImageShack.

[Jon]

Wasn't me, but thanks for the shooting info! :) BTW, as a noob, I still don't know how you access that, so, uh....how do you access it?It's called EXIF data and it's embedded in the photo by the camera. Unless it's stripped out when you re-save, most photo-viewing or -editing programs can read it.

[eccles]

Incidently, there's no point in shooting the moon at F8 since it is effectively at infinity and depth of field is irrelevant. Due to refraction effects there will be a slight loss of resolution and you'll get a little more detail at F5. Having said that the shot taken ain't bad!

[andy_fozzy]

Thanks for the input on this guys.

So basically, the S3 is a good cam. I need to stick with it and experiment a bit.......
A chap I know who has spent ££££££££££ on photography recommended it, and what camera? magazine also recommended it to a reader over the Samsung PRO 815, Sony H5 and Lumiz DMC-FZ50.

Cheers again for the help, Andy

[DanteCaspian]

Generaly, the S3 is a great camera, in bright lighting... I rarely can go above 200 iso and be satisfied with the results.
It takes some time to get the knack of the art of low light with the S3. You will learn to develop "sniper steady hands" if keep experimenting.
____________
Funny, I did my first moon shot last Friday. With only the full zoom of the camera and hand held, this is the best I could do.

[andy_fozzy]

Hey that's a nice shot mate. Especially with no tripod :eek:

[Jon]

Generaly, the S3 is a great camera, in bright lighting... I rarely can go above 200 iso and be satisfied with the results.
It takes some time to get the knack of the art of low light with the S3. You will learn to develop "sniper steady hands" if keep experimenting.
____________
Funny, I did my first moon shot last Friday. With only the full zoom of the camera and hand held, this is the best I could do.
What were your settings? The moon's always having a sunny day, so somewhere around f/5.6 and 1/400 won't be too far off. The higher shutter speed will help with blur from camera shake.

[DanteCaspian]

ISO 100
Exposure time 1/50 s
F-number f/3.5

[ssd]

I feel you may get some what better quality with ISO 50 (the lowest in my S2) and exposure time around 1/125 to 1/180, with auto adjustment of apparture for bright moon.

[DanteCaspian]

Can only go to 80 ISO on the S3.

[Jon]

ISO 100
Exposure time 1/50 s
F-number f/3.5
At ISO 100, try 1/500 or so and f/8 at max zoom.

[JeffreyG]

One last thing to point out though....shooting the moon is not really low light photography. The thing is in full sunlight after all.

I'm not sure why this shot required 1/20 at ISO 100 and f/8. I usually shoot the moon at ISO 100, f/8 and about 1/80 to 1/100 with my Rebel XT.

In any case, compare that to wat I think of as low light (perhaps ISO 800, f/2 and 1/60) and a moon shot is a good 7 stops of light brighter than most indoor scenes.

[Jon]

If you trust your exposure meter it sees all that dark sky and tries to expose to get that middle grey, thus you get a burned-out moon plagued by camera shake - fuzzy.