Anyone using the Canon Powershot S3 for wakeboard pics?

Sin22 · 30th October 2006

Hi guys,

wanted to ask is anyone using a Canon Powershot S3 IS (or the S2 for that matter) for wakeboard action shots? I used to be into photography a fair bit a few years back but have since dropped on and am now keen on picking up a new camera.

Had a family friend come out with me the other day with a Nikon D70 and the shots were very impressive.

Now just deciding on whether to get into the budget DSLR range (with all the associated & indirect costs) like the D70 or 350D or be happy with a prosumer style camera like the S3 IS.

Do share your comments here & pics if possible. More of taking shots from the boat so anyone who wakeboards/wakeboarded could post would be greatly appreciated. Asked the same question over at the local site with a few answers but no pics.

Cheers

J-Chan · 30th October 2006

though I'm not really into wakeboarding, got a couple of pics from my S2..
anyway, if you plan to get a dSLR.. gotta pay quite abit to have the focal length the S2/S3 already has..

Sin22 · 30th October 2006

Originally Posted by J-Chan

though I'm not really into wakeboarding, got a couple of pics from my S2..
anyway, if you plan to get a dSLR.. gotta pay quite abit to have the focal length the S2/S3 already has..

Agreed about the focal length thats why the temptation to just get that instead of the DSLR route though each has its advantages & cons.

I recognise the first shot at Ski360 on the bridge near the kicker. Was it an overcast day when you took it ?

For the 2nd shot, I don't recognise the area all that well. Kallang? Or overseas are my guesses.

Glad to see that the shutter speed is fast enough to get the shots especially the second one which looks like an S-bend attempt. Do you remember what focal length the second one was taken at?

Really appreciate this. Thanks

J-Chan · 30th October 2006

yea.. the 1st one's at Ski360, slightly cloudy I think.. just happened to pass by while going for a bbq.. the 2nd one's overseas, at Seaworld Goldcoast..
the 1st one's at 247mm and the 2nd at the tele end of the S2, 454mm eq.. both were at 1/400s..

one thing with compact cameras is speed of the cam.. there's some shutter lag and the focusing speed can't match dSLRs, may cause you to lose some crucial shots..
of course one thing no dSLR can do, is record movies..

J-Chan · 31st October 2006

coincidentally, there's an article in today's Digital Life about wakeboard photography..

kongping · 31st October 2006

The focal length of the S3 is 6mm - 72mm giving a 12X optical "zoom".

What you get is the field of view of a 432mm lens at the long end. You don't really get a 432mm lens.

Point being, with a 72mm lens on a film or full-frame digital camera, crop away 70-80% of the picture, and view the remainder at 100%, you get exactly what is captured on the PnS at the long end.

More technically-savvy folks do correct me if I'm mistaken.

30th October 2006	#1
Sin22 Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sengkang Posts: 59	Anyone using the Canon Powershot S3 for wakeboard pics? Hi guys, wanted to ask is anyone using a Canon Powershot S3 IS (or the S2 for that matter) for wakeboard action shots? I used to be into photography a fair bit a few years back but have since dropped on and am now keen on picking up a new camera. Had a family friend come out with me the other day with a Nikon D70 and the shots were very impressive. Now just deciding on whether to get into the budget DSLR range (with all the associated & indirect costs) like the D70 or 350D or be happy with a prosumer style camera like the S3 IS. Do share your comments here & pics if possible. More of taking shots from the boat so anyone who wakeboards/wakeboarded could post would be greatly appreciated. Asked the same question over at the local site with a few answers but no pics. Cheers

30th October 2006	#2
J-Chan Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hougang Posts: 1,601	Re: Anyone using the Canon Powershot S3 for wakeboard pics? though I'm not really into wakeboarding, got a couple of pics from my S2.. anyway, if you plan to get a dSLR.. gotta pay quite abit to have the focal length the S2/S3 already has..

30th October 2006	#4
J-Chan Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hougang Posts: 1,601	Re: Anyone using the Canon Powershot S3 for wakeboard pics? yea.. the 1st one's at Ski360, slightly cloudy I think.. just happened to pass by while going for a bbq.. the 2nd one's overseas, at Seaworld Goldcoast.. the 1st one's at 247mm and the 2nd at the tele end of the S2, 454mm eq.. both were at 1/400s.. one thing with compact cameras is speed of the cam.. there's some shutter lag and the focusing speed can't match dSLRs, may cause you to lose some crucial shots.. of course one thing no dSLR can do, is record movies..

31st October 2006	#5
J-Chan Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hougang Posts: 1,601	Re: Anyone using the Canon Powershot S3 for wakeboard pics? coincidentally, there's an article in today's Digital Life about wakeboard photography..

31st October 2006	#6
kongping Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 594	Re: Anyone using the Canon Powershot S3 for wakeboard pics? The focal length of the S3 is 6mm - 72mm giving a 12X optical "zoom". What you get is the field of view of a 432mm lens at the long end. You don't really get a 432mm lens. Point being, with a 72mm lens on a film or full-frame digital camera, crop away 70-80% of the picture, and view the remainder at 100%, you get exactly what is captured on the PnS at the long end. More technically-savvy folks do correct me if I'm mistaken. Last edited by kongping; 31st October 2006 at 03:13 PM.