Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Competitors

As well as being compared against other super zooms, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS is also often compared to pro digicams, entry-level DSLRs and travel zooms. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS's top rivals come from Canon (such as the Powershot SX40 and the PowerShot G12) and Sony (such as the Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V and the Cybershot DSC-HX9v)

Generally, some of the advantages of the Canon S3 IS compared to other super zoom competitors include: it is slightly smaller (prosumer size 113x78x76 mm vs professional size 123x92x108 mm), has better image stabilization (lens vs none), has a screen which flips out, is thinner (3" vs 4.3") and is slightly lighter (510 g vs 583 g).

However, on average it has much less zoom (12x vs 25.4x), records lower quality movies (480p @ 30fps vs 1080p @ 24fps), has a much narrower wide angle lens (36 mm vs 27 mm), has a much smaller screen (2.0" vs 2.7") and has a significantly lower resolution screen (115k dots vs 921k dots).

Canon Powershot SX40 5 years newer $337 - $380	Significant advantages of the SX40 (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 24 mm vs 36 mm Much more zoom: 35x vs 12x Much higher true resolution: 9.7 MP vs 5.9 MP Significant disadvantages of the SX40 (vs the S3 IS) Significantly larger: Professional size 123x92x108 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm Significantly thicker: 4.3" vs 3" common strengths of the SX40 and S3 IS Wide aperture: f/2.7 vs f/2.7 Flip-out screens Both have digital viewfinders: Digital vs Digital
	Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot S3 IS
Canon PowerShot S5 IS 1 year newer	Significant advantages of the S5 IS (vs the S3 IS) Much larger screen: 2.5" vs 2.0" Much higher true resolution: 8 MP vs 5.9 MP Much better macro capability: 0 cm vs 10 cm Significant disadvantages of the S5 IS (vs the S3 IS) None found common strengths of the S5 IS and S3 IS Wide aperture: f/2.7 vs f/2.7 Fairly small: Prosumer size 117x80x78 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm Flip-out screens
	Compare the S5 IS vs the S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS 3 years newer	Significant advantages of the SX20 IS (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Much higher true resolution: 9.8 MP vs 5.9 MP Much larger screen: 2.5" vs 2.0" Significant disadvantages of the SX20 IS (vs the S3 IS) Larger: Prosumer size 128x88x87 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm common strengths of the SX20 IS and S3 IS Flip-out screens Both have digital viewfinders: Digital vs Digital Fast max shutter speeds: 1/3200 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the SX20 IS vs the S3 IS
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V 6 years newer $399	Significant advantages of the DSC-HX200V (vs the S3 IS) Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much better wide angle: 27 mm vs 36 mm Much more zoom: 30x vs 12x Significant disadvantages of the DSC-HX200V (vs the S3 IS) Larger: Prosumer size 122x87x93 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm common strengths of the DSC-HX200V and S3 IS Flip-out screens Both have digital viewfinders: Digital vs Digital Fast max shutter speeds: 1/4000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd 4 months newer	Significant advantages of the S6000fd (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 2.5" vs 2.0" Much larger sensor: 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Significant disadvantages of the S6000fd (vs the S3 IS) Much larger: Large 131x98x128 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm Screen does not flip out No image stabilization: None vs Lens common strengths of the S6000fd and S3 IS Both have digital viewfinders: Digital vs Digital Fast max shutter speeds: 1/4000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Nikon Coolpix L810 6 years newer $265 - $280	Significant advantages of the L810 (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 23 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much higher true resolution: 9.7 MP vs 5.9 MP Significant disadvantages of the L810 (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital Much slower max shutter speed: 1/1500 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second common strengths of the L810 and S3 IS Fairly small: Prosumer size 111x76x83 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm Thin: 3.3" vs 3"
	Compare the Nikon Coolpix L810 vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Generally, some of the advantages of the Canon S3 IS compared to pro digicam competitors include: it has better image stabilization (lens vs none), has a screen which flips out, has higher quality type of viewfinder (digital vs none) and has a faster max shutter speed (1/3200 of a second vs 1/2000 of a second).

However, on average it has a much smaller sensor (1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm vs 1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm), doesn't shoot RAW, has a slightly narrower aperture (f/2.7 vs f/2.0), records lower quality movies (480p @ 30fps vs 1080p @ 24fps) and has a much narrower wide angle lens (36 mm vs 24 mm).

Canon PowerShot G12 4 years newer $398 - $496	Significant advantages of the G12 (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Significant disadvantages of the G12 (vs the S3 IS) None found common strengths of the G12 and S3 IS Flip-out screens Viewfinders: Tunnel vs Digital Fast max shutter speeds: 1/4000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the G12 vs the S3 IS
Canon PowerShot S95 4 years newer $354 - $389	Significant advantages of the S95 (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Significant disadvantages of the S95 (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital Much slower max shutter speed: 1/1600 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second common strengths of the S95 and S3 IS None found
	Compare the S95 vs the S3 IS
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 4 years newer $359	Significant advantages of the DMC-LX5 (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: 1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Much better wide angle: 24 mm vs 36 mm Significant disadvantages of the DMC-LX5 (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the DMC-LX5 and S3 IS Fast max shutter speeds: 1/4000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Canon Powershot S100 5 years newer $356 - $430	Significant advantages of the S100 (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: 1/1.8" 7.5x5.5mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Much better wide angle: 24 mm vs 36 mm Significant disadvantages of the S100 (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital Significantly slower max shutter speed: 1/2000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second common strengths of the S100 and S3 IS None found
	Compare the Powershot S100 vs the PowerShot S3 IS
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 2 years newer $575	Significant advantages of the DMC-LX3 (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: 1/1.7" 8.3x6.2mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Much better wide angle: 24 mm vs 36 mm Significant disadvantages of the DMC-LX3 (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital Significantly slower max shutter speed: 1/2000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second common strengths of the DMC-LX3 and S3 IS None found
	Compare the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom 2 years older	Significant advantages of the C-8080 Wide Zoom (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: 1/1.7" 8.8x6.6mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Significant disadvantages of the C-8080 Wide Zoom (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No image stabilization: None vs Lens Significantly larger: Professional size 124x85x99 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm common strengths of the C-8080 Wide Zoom and S3 IS Both have digital viewfinders: Digital vs Digital Fast max shutter speeds: 1/4000 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Generally, some of the advantages of the Canon S3 IS compared to entry-level DSLR competitors include: it has image stabilization (lens vs none), has a screen which flips out, is significantly smaller (prosumer size 113x78x76 mm vs professional size 132x103x77 mm) and is slightly lighter (510 g vs 668 g).

However, on average it records lower quality movies (480p @ 30fps vs 1080p @ 30fps), has a much smaller screen (2.0" vs 3.0"), has a significantly lower resolution screen (115k dots vs 1,040k dots), takes much lower resolution photos (5.9 MP vs 17.9 MP) and slightly lower maximum light sensitivity (800 ISO vs 6,400 ISO).

Canon Rebel T3i 5 years newer $619 (body only) $749 - $1,000 18-55mm lens	Significant advantages of the T3i (vs the S3 IS) Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much larger sensor: APS-C 22.3x14.9mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Much higher resolution screen: 1,040k dots vs 115k dots Significant disadvantages of the T3i (vs the S3 IS) No image stabilization: None vs Lens Much larger: Professional size 133x99x79 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm common strengths of the T3i and S3 IS Flip-out screens
	Compare the Rebel T3i vs the PowerShot S3 IS
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi 6 months newer $749 18-55mm lens	Significant advantages of the Rebel XTi (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: APS-C 22.2x14.8mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Much larger screen: 2.5" vs 2.0" Shoots RAW Significant disadvantages of the Rebel XTi (vs the S3 IS) No image stabilization: None vs Lens Screen does not flip out common strengths of the Rebel XTi and S3 IS Very small: Prosumer size 127x94x65 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm
	Compare the EOS Digital Rebel XTi vs the PowerShot S3 IS
Canon Rebel T2i 4 years newer $528 - $949 (body only) $649 - $867 18-55mm lens	Significant advantages of the T2i (vs the S3 IS) Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much larger sensor: APS-C 22.3x14.9mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Much higher resolution screen: 1,040k dots vs 115k dots Significant disadvantages of the T2i (vs the S3 IS) No image stabilization: None vs Lens Screen does not flip out common strengths of the T2i and S3 IS Very small: Prosumer size 129x98x62 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm
	Compare the Rebel T2i vs the PowerShot S3 IS
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT 1 year older $420 18-55mm lens	Significant advantages of the Rebel XT (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: APS-C 22.2x14.8mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Shoots RAW Has interchangeable lenses Significant disadvantages of the Rebel XT (vs the S3 IS) No image stabilization: None vs Lens Significantly smaller screen: 1.8" vs 2.0" Screen does not flip out common strengths of the Rebel XT and S3 IS Very small: Prosumer size 127x94x64 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm
	Compare the EOS Digital Rebel XT vs the PowerShot S3 IS
Nikon D80 5 months newer $700 (body only)	Significant advantages of the D80 (vs the S3 IS) Much larger sensor: APS-C 23.6x15.8mm vs 1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm Much larger screen: 2.5" vs 2.0" Has an optical viewfinder: Pentaprism vs Digital Significant disadvantages of the D80 (vs the S3 IS) No image stabilization: None vs Lens Screen does not flip out Much larger: Professional size 132x103x77 mm vs Prosumer size 113x78x76 mm common strengths of the D80 and S3 IS None found
	Compare the Nikon D80 vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Generally, some of the advantages of the Canon S3 IS compared to travel zoom competitors include: it has a slightly wider aperture (f/2.7 vs f/3.3), has a screen which flips out, has a viewfinder (digital vs none) and has a faster max shutter speed (1/3200 of a second vs 1/1600 of a second).

However, on average it has a much narrower wide angle lens (36 mm vs 28 mm), doesn't have a built-in GPS, records lower quality movies (480p @ 30fps vs 1080p @ 24fps), has a much smaller screen (2.0" vs 3.0") and has a slightly lower resolution screen (115k dots vs 461k dots).

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v 4 years newer $319 - $330	Significant advantages of the DSC-HX9v (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 24 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Has a GPS Significant disadvantages of the DSC-HX9v (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out Significantly narrower aperture: f/3.3 vs f/2.7 No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the DSC-HX9v and S3 IS None found
	Compare the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS 3 years newer $225	Significant advantages of the SX120 IS (vs the S3 IS) Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much higher true resolution: 8.6 MP vs 5.9 MP Much better macro capability: 1 cm vs 10 cm Significant disadvantages of the SX120 IS (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the SX120 IS and S3 IS Wide aperture: f/2.8 vs f/2.7 Fast max shutter speeds: 1/2500 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the SX120 IS vs the S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 5 years newer $123 - $179	Significant advantages of the SX150 IS (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much higher true resolution: 9.8 MP vs 5.9 MP Significant disadvantages of the SX150 IS (vs the S3 IS) Significantly narrower aperture: f/3.4 vs f/2.7 Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the SX150 IS and S3 IS Fast max shutter speeds: 1/2500 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the SX150 IS vs the S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 6 years newer $299	Significant advantages of the SX260 HS (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 25 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Has a GPS Significant disadvantages of the SX260 HS (vs the S3 IS) Significantly narrower aperture: f/3.5 vs f/2.7 Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the SX260 HS and S3 IS Fast max shutter speeds: 1/3200 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the SX260 HS vs the S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SX130 IS 4 years newer $139 - $245	Significant advantages of the SX130 IS (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much higher true resolution: 9.8 MP vs 5.9 MP Significant disadvantages of the SX130 IS (vs the S3 IS) Significantly narrower aperture: f/3.4 vs f/2.7 Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the SX130 IS and S3 IS Fast max shutter speeds: 1/2500 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the SX130 IS vs the S3 IS
Canon PowerShot SX220 HS 5 years newer $281 - $366	Significant advantages of the SX220 HS (vs the S3 IS) Much better wide angle: 28 mm vs 36 mm Much larger screen: 3.0" vs 2.0" Much higher true resolution: 9.8 MP vs 5.9 MP Significant disadvantages of the SX220 HS (vs the S3 IS) Screen does not flip out No viewfinder: None vs Digital common strengths of the SX220 HS and S3 IS Fast max shutter speeds: 1/3200 of a second vs 1/3200 of a second
	Compare the SX220 HS vs the S3 IS