Advice Please - S3 vs A710

I currently have the A710 and am wondering if I should buy the S3. I am after input from anyone out there who has an S3 please.

The A710 flash takes about 5 seconds to recharge whilst the LCD screen goes black and this is very frustrating when trying to take photos of active kids. What is the S3 like with flash recharging? Does the screen go black? How long does it take between flash shots?

I also like the sound of having 12x zoom on the S3. If using the 12x zoom, is it hard to get clear in focus shots? I've always heard the more you zoom, it's harder to keep the shot clear.

And a friend of mine with an S3 says it has an 'Action' mode which she has found good for kids' sports etc. The A710 doesn't have this action mode. I know I could probably do the adjustments manually but I like the idea of a quick switch to Action mode.

I am not entirely happy with the quality of indoor shots with the flash on the A710 although I'm not sure the S3 is any better with this?

So I'm really asking if you think it's worth paying the money to get an S3. Do you think it's a better camera than the A710, or maybe the A710 is better in some ways? Any thoughts from S3 users would be great.

Thanks

Flash recycle time should definitely be slightly better than the A710. But you need to take into consideration external factors like the batteries you are using.

Yes, a higher level of zoom amplifies image blur caused by handshake. This is where the S3's IS comes in handy. As for how difficult it is to get clear shots at 12x optical zoom, you'll need to take into account factors like your own level of hand shake, the amount of light available for a particular shot (and hence shutter speed) etc.

I never use any of the special modes, but an Action mode's main selling point would just be it's priority on a fast shutter speed. I haven't a clue if Auto ISO is a given for this mode on the S3, but if not.. you'd be better off using Tv mode.

As for the quality of indoor shots.. a small inbuilt flash on a P&S isn't gonna do you wonders (if you're talking about harsh lighting on faces etc.). I doubt the S3 is gonna significantly improve anything here.

As for whether or not it's worthwhile to get an S3, my opinion would be no, unless you have a dire need for features like the swivel screen and long zoom. The S3's best part for me has always been the excellent movie mode.

I have the S2IS and I have used the A710. They are both very capable cameras. The first thing I could say is that the S2IS uses 4 AA batteries and the A710 I think uses 2 AA batterie that might be part of the problem with recycle time the other is the type of SD cards you're using. At lease in my test a standard sd card in A710 will take longer to write then if i used a 80X SD card. Back to the battery, Are you using NiMH batteries and are they 2600mAH or better. NiHM batteries will give you a little better recycle time. The other possibility is to take it out of full auto and put it in Av mode set ISO to 200 and be closure to the subject when shooting. The fashes in these camera are very weak as a matter fact almost all built in flash are pretty weak and after a full discharge it'll take a longer time to reycle.

Hi again
I use the NiMH batteries and they are 2600 ones. I only bought them a few months ago when I got the camera. I've spoken to Canon a few times about the problem and have tried some other non-rechargeable expensive batteries they suggested, just to see if it improved it but it didn't. From what I've heard from other people on forums, this seems to be a problem with the A710 and I think it's to do with having only 2 batteries.

The only way I get around it is to turn the LCD display off and only use the viewfinder. It recharges quicker then, but is still a pain - it's much easier to be using the LCD. And it might seem silly, but the frustration of it was almost enough to want a different camera.

I'm not sure the SD card would be the issue because when not using the flash, it writes very, very quickly.

Does anyone know if the LCD on the S3 blacks out when the flash is recharging?

Have you tried the "Kids and Pets" setting? That's roughly equivalent to the S3's "Action" setting. The extra batteries will make a difference in flash recharge time, although if you find sooting with the LCD off you get better response, I'd suggest going that way. I almost never use the LCD on my A620 unless I want to use its flip-out feature for shots at an odd angle. It's easier to hold the camera steady when you use the viewfinder rather than the LCD too.

The LCD does not go black while the flash is recharging. The only time the LCD goes black is when it is writing to the card (after the shutter fires on a long exposure). When the flash is charging, and you try and take another shot, the flash symbol blinks and you cant take a shot until either it is charged, or you turn off the flash.

hope this helps.