A step up in sleekness, function and form from some of the less expensive and less feature rich Elphs, the Canon Elph Z3 is a small, light and easy to use APS film camera that should be more than enough for most point and shoot photographers.

And with the Z3 you get the APS film system where you don’t have to fight with loading film, it’s easy to tell what rolls are already finished, you get 3 different picture taking modes (classic, panoramic and wide angle), and in general, the cameras are smaller, lighter and easier to use than their 35mm cousins – and is one of the reasons that the Z3 can be so small and compact.

What do you get with the Elph Z3?

Size and Weight
Weighing in at about a third of a pound, the Z3 is small (roughly 2 inches by 4 inches by 1 1/3 inches), very light to hold and very sleek with it’s polished stainless steel exterior. When you first pick it up (with the film loaded) the Z3 almost feels too light to be a camera. The Z3 is powered with a single CR-2 battery that lasts for a significant time (we’re not talking digital cameras here, so the battery can last significantly longer).

Controls
The Z3 is fully automatic for picture taking ease. The 3-point autofocus system works very well and I’ve yet to see a shot that has been taken right from this camera that has come in fuzzy or out of focus. There is also a focus lock that allows you to slightly depress the shutter button to lock the Z3’s focus on a single object and then compose the rest of your picture. The rest of the controls are also automatic on the Z3, including the exposure, shutter speed, and film speed settings.

Lens and Focusing
The Z3 has a 2.3x zoom lens that translates to a 23.5-54mm lens. The optical quality of the lens is high with no noticeable distortions in the prints. The Z3 should be able to cover most shooting conditions with ease and deliver crisp and clear photographs.

The Z3 does not offer a macro mode and therefore, focusing runs from about 1.3 feet to infinity. Without the macro mode, the Z3 is unable to focus on objects very close to the camera’s lens.

Flash
The flash on the Z3 allows you to choose from a normal flash mode, a slow synchro mode and a red-eye reduction mode. Save some battery life and some grief from people exposed to the longer flash modes and just keep it in the regular flash mode.

Controls
Controls on the Z3 are few and far between and simple to understand. On the back of the camera is a backlit LCD screen that shows battery strength, if film is in the camera, what time it is and how many pictures are left on the roll of film. The backlight is a lifesaver in darker conditions and makes it easy to review the status of the camera. Next to the viewfinder window on the back is of the camera is the picture mode selector and it is a small switch that alternates between classic, wide angle and panoramic modes. There is also a button on the back of the Z3 to rewind the film, a timer-function button (so you can push the timer and then run over to be in the picture), a date/time button and a button to adjust the flash mode. An optional remote control is available for the Z3 to take pictures when not near the camera.

Film
The Z3 uses the APS film system, which provides for drop in film loading, auto advance and rewind on the film and the three shooting formats (classic, panoramic and wide angle) to name just a few features of APS.

Picture Quality
Developed picture quality is quite good. I haven’t seen a shot from his camera that is blurry or out of focus, except for a few mistakes with the focus lock that I’ve made (locking on the wrong subject). Pictures in all three modes are equally good, but for me the panoramic shots are the coolest – and so different from what you can get in 35mm film.

Who Should Get A Z3 With Digital Cameras All Around?

Some people don’t want to be bothered by digital cameras or don’t have a computer to process and store those pictures that they would be taking with the digital camera. In that case, the Z3 is the perfect camera for someone who doesn’t care about of the details behind photography and just wants a well-made camera for taking point-and-shoot photographs. The Z3 is made for a person who wants to pick up the camera, point it at something and take a picture and end up with great pictures.

There is not much to think about with the camera when using it. Between the ease of the APS film system, the small dimensions and weight of the camera, the active auto-focus system, the other automatic settings, the three picture modes and quality prints you can get from it, the Z3 is one of the best cameras for people who want to take pictures, but don’t want the hassle of 35mm cameras or digital cameras.

Well…

If you want a camera that can fit in a pocket or a purse, weighs almost nothing and takes great pictures without much effort on your part then the Canon Elph Z3 is the camera for you.

Photography Reviews:

Cameras:
Olympus C-4000 Digital Camera / Olympus D-460 Zoom Digital Camera / Minolta Maxxum 300si (35mm SLR) / Polaroid PDC 640 Digital Camera / Kodak EasyShare CX4300 Digital Camera / Canon Elph LT APS Camera / Olympus Stylus Infinity Zoom 35mm Camera / Casio Exilim Ex-Z4U Digital Camera / Fuji FinePix F700 Digital Camera / Pentax Optio 33WR Digital Camera / Kodak EasyShare 6490 Digital Camera / Canon ELPH Z3 / Olympus Trip AF 30

Books and Magazines:
Shutterbug Magazine / Popular Photography Magazine / PC Photo / Outdoor Photography / Photography Outdoors / American Photo

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 120
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Easy Enough for Anyone to Use