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So, I’ve had my S3 IS for about six weeks now. I’ve taken somewhere around 3800 pictures with it in that time (an average of 633 photos a week … whoa!). Here are my thoughts about it so far …

First, some background. When I was in high school, I learned some basic photography skills by playing around with the Nikon SLR the yearbook staff had. The school had three cameras … two point and shoot cameras, and the Nikon. Nobody would touch the Nikon … it was too scary. Somehow, I knew that we could get much, much, much better shots using the SLR, so I convinced the yearbook teacher to buy me umpteen dozen rolls of Kodak T-Max 200 B&W film, took the camera home for a few weekends, borrowed some photography books from the library, and learned to use the darn thing. It was a blast. I got some great photos, and by the end of the year, I really, really, really, really, really wanted to get my own SLR camera.

Problem was … they were expensive, and I worked at McDonald’s. So, I did no photography for years, until my parents gave me a Kodak point-and-shoot digital camera for Christmas back in 2002. With that camera, I rediscovered my love for photography. I used and abused it. I took somewhere on the order of 16,000 photographs with it over the nearly four years I had it. I pushed it to its limits, dropped it in the water several times, bounced it off asphalt, and generally had a blast taking all sorts of photos with it. It went with me on a cross-country road trip to New Orleans, Texas, Oklahoma, St. Louis, and more.

I am so throughly happy that I got that camera, because my artistic side got out and partied a bit every time I snapped a photo or two. But, over the last year, I began to want/need/miss the control I had over the camera that I had experienced in high school with the Nikon SLR.

Problem is, digital SLR cameras are expensive. So, I waited and watched deals … but never really could afford to spring for one.

Then … my daughter was born, and my dad went out and bought a Canon S3 IS. I played with it. I liked it. It gave me the control I craved. It was cheaper than an SLR. Soon, it was my birthday+Christmas present. Well, that and a camera bag, a polarizing filter and adaptor, and two tripods.

As you can probably guess from the 3800 photos I’ve taken in the last few weeks, I love this thing. Obviously, I can’t compare it to other cameras, since I’ve not really used any others (besides my point-and-shoot and Dr. Biggly’s Canon EOS 10D), but I had a hard time imagining any other prosumer-class digital camera could be better than the S3.

The Good:

1. It has great battery life.
2. The LCD screen is nice and clear.
3. The lens is downright phenomenal, at least compared to what I had in the Kodak.

The Bad:

1. I keep hitting the manual focus and/or macro mode buttons on the side of the lens when taking photos. Gotta learn not to put my hands there.
2. No RAW mode. Yeah, I know Canon says I don’t need it, but I’d like to be able to make that choice on my own. Guess I’ll have to wait until I get a real SLR to have that …
3. The felt ring in the included lens cap comes unglued and out easily. I’d say that it sucks. Even my dad commented on this while we were up for Thanksgiving … he’s having similar troubles.

Now … one additional comment. The S3 has a bayonet mount that allows you to attach some cool stuff to it … for instance, a telephoto adaptor or wide-angle adaptor. If you are looking for that sort of thing, I highly recommend LensMateOnline.com. I purchased my linear polarizer and a 52mm adaptor for the camera from them, and the order shipped quickly, and the price was right. Even better, the adaptor is made from high-quality aluminum, fits nicely, and looks nice on the camera. Next on my list … the 2.2x telephoto adaptor they offer … mmmm … only $189!