CellKnowledge's Full Review: Canon Elph Z3 APS Film Camera
The Elph Z3 is an APS camera recently introduced by Canon USA and is thought to be the successor of the Elph 2. Offhand, by the looks of the Z3, I thought I would be in for a surprise.
The first thing I noticed was the different bodystyle used in the Z3. Similar to the Elph 2, The Z3 is based mostly out of aluminum. This gives the Z3 a sturdy and durable case. I liked the fact that Canon did not go back to plastic as with the Elph / LT260, and did not have a flip-up flash as with those cameras. Canon also upped the ante in the design industry with a slide-out lens without sacrificing size. For a comparison, Minolta also did the same last year with the Nuvis S (except with the Nuvis, half of the camera case slid out to reveal the lens, therefore extending the size of the camera).
Another neat addition in the Elph Z3 that surpassed all previous Elph's was the backlight. This feature is great for those who take pictures in the dark and need to see the status of their camera. The backlight is also a sexy blue color, which goes right with the "steel" color of the camera. The only downside is you can't turn off the light to conserve power (say, in the daytime). Batteries are so expensive these days.
Canon placed ease of use up to par when creating the buttons for the Z3. This is vast improvement over the Elph 2. Almost every button is easy to touch, and doesn't need a pen to touch, as with the Elph 2. All the buttons are clearly labelled, which makes the "figuring out" negligent. The only button that needs a pen to touch, though is the MRC (Mid-Roll Change) button. I guess Canon made it like this so you don't accidentally eject the roll of film.
After opening the Z3 out of the box, I was up and running in less than ten minutes. Why so much time? you might ask. The time and date was the hardest to configure, just like your VCR clock! Other than that, I could have been shooting photos in 30 seconds.
Like all APS cameras, there are three different photo sizes, C H and P. According to the manual, C meant Classic, H meant High-Definition and P meant Panoramic. There is no difference between the C and H modes, except the C and H differs each other by about an inch. The P, though is the longest piece of photo paper you can develop. The current size of this is 3x8.
The flash quality is also great, with various settings on the Z3, for whatever you fancy. You have the standard flash, red-eye reduction, low-power flash, night flash, and no flash. This feature is especially convenient in different outside conditions. The photo quality and capture of the camera is one of the best in its class, but it's no photographer's camera.
The zoom is great for average uses, which spans about 2.3 times the orginal size. It could be improved a bit, though, since it has not been much improved since the Elph 2. I believe the Z3 could have attracted more buyers if it were to have 3x zoom capability. Other competitors in this class, such as the Minolta Vectis 3000, contain such zoom features. It's definitely a camera you would not want to take to the sports arenas if you're in the nosebleed sections.
Another defect in this product is the slide feature. Sometimes it may not work well enough and malfunction when trying to turn it off. Since there is not a power button in the Z3, the slide acts as the power button. when it's opened (or to the left), the lens pops out. When you slide it back, the lens pops back in, then powers off. However, if you do not retract the lens (if extended fully) before sliding the cover back to its original position, it may become malfunctioned and you become stuck with a powerless extended lens camera. If you ever encounter something like this, slide the cover all the way to the left, push down on it and slide it to the right, slowly. This should get the camera up and running again. It may not even be a defect in the camera. I could have been my usability.
The bottom line is the Elph Z3 is one great beauty for your average point-and-shoot tasks. It's one tough and sturdy camera, ready for anything. Just don't take it to the grand canyon, though. You might not be able to zoom far enough to capture your friend, close-up, on the other side.
Expect to pay anywhere between $159 - $169 for this camera, and it is available at local camera stores. For tourists in New York City: do not pay more than $169 for this camera at the tourist electronics shop. I almost got fooled out of paying $250 for it.
When purchasing, make sure these accessories are included with the Z3:
(1) Camera
(1) Battery
(1) 25 Exp roll of Film
(1) Carry case
(1) Carry strap
(1) Manuals
(1) Warranty Info
The Elph Z3 is a camera with style, class and much film potential. If you ever have a chance, I suggest you give this little wonder a shot.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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