CameraFly

Camera Reviews from Amazon.com

• March 10, 2010
  My new backup camera - Love the articulated screen

  

  I used to have a G10 until my best friend fell in love with it and said he wanted to buy it. Hey, what are friends for? When I went to replace it, I found that the G10 was no longer readily available and my friend, a Canon rep, said that the image quality with the G11 (despite the drop in pixel count) was actually better. Hmmm, better image quality than a G10 - count me in!
  
  The G11 handles like a professional instrument. There is a serious, rugged quality to it. It isn't heavy, just solid. The controls are similar to the G10 so I didn't have to crack the manual to start taking pictures. I love the way the lens retracts into the body - covering and protecting the lens when it sits in a camera bag or coat pocket. The traditional viewfinder only shows a fraction of the actual image (my guess - 70-80%) so for critical compositions, I use the fold-out screen. For anyone used to shooting with a video camera, swinging out the screen and making pictures will seem second nature. I tilt it to minimize reflections in bright sun and rarely peek through the viewfinder. Also, the ability to fold it with the screen facing forward protects it from damage in transport - I love this... It is something I liked about the G5 and missed on the G10.
  
  The zoom range is adequate for most casual shooting situations with a thumbs up for the 28mm lens effective angle of view at the wide end - perfect for family group shots and a welcome feature in a Point and Shoot.
  
  There are more features than most people will have a need for but if the shooter has pro-leanings, this camera can make some amazing images. Even if you never dig deeply into the manual to find them all, things like the image stabilization will be there and automatically help improve your pictures - maybe your best pictures ever!
  
  The reason Canon gives for going to 10 megapixels is to improve image quality by reducing noise at higher ISO settings. I rarely use an ISO above 200 so I wasn't expecting to benefit from that change but I tried shooting at ISO 800 (not recommended for big prints from the G10) and found the images quite good.
  
  The real benefit to a camera like this is the ability to shoot JPG, RAW, and RAW and JPG images at the same time. The quality of these RAW images is truly top notch. You could, if you were a pro, sell the shots, they are so sharp and the colors so true. Speaking of colors, the white balance technology built in is top notch. I leave it set on automatic and have gotten excellent color in difficult, mixed fluorescent lighting.
  
  So, the verdict is in for me. This is a great camera and a good evolution up from the G10. I recommend it for anyone who just wants a "good" camera and doesn't want to have to become a camera expert to use it - you can set it for AUTO and simply frame your shot and push the button (i.e., point and shoot). For the more photographically adept, you can just about do it all with the G11. RAW, manual focus and exposure, video clips, it's all there and it's all good.
  
  If anyone wants to buy this one, I may not agree to let it go.
  
  
  
  

• March 3, 2010
  Love my Canon G10

  

  I love my Canon G10...although it's a little heavy and doesn't take as great of photos as my Nikon D50...it's much more portable...it's a brick when it comes to weight, but it fits in my purse or a jacket pocket. The battery life and video quality are amazing!!!

• March 3, 2010
  It is a Photo-Tool not a Gadget

  

  Canon G11.
  
  I am not a professional, since I have never made a dollar from the pictures I took. Yet, I have been involved in photography for over 30 years ever since I was in middle school. I have owned mostly Nikon cameras up to F4s, then I switched to digital with Nikon D70 as soon as it became available, and then D300 about two years ago...
  
  I have owned Canon G3 about 6-7 years ago. I immediately fell in love with its articulated LCD. Why? I found it is very useful to take a shoot from different view angles that will make your picture more attractive. And particularly useful if you have just had a small child that starts to claw across your living room floor.
  
  As most of us here, I shop for G11 as a camera that I can take it everyday and everywhere. In my mind it is perfect for that purpose. I bought it as a "tool for photography", so I am not bothered too much for its weight and size. For this G11, what I like the most is that it is extremely easy adjusting almost all important parameters for taking a good photo, such as ISO, shooting mold, exposure compositions, exposure lock. After I get the color balance stored in the short-cut button on the left side of the camera, everything is at my fingertips. I can not found what else I would ever missed. If that is not enough, it provides C1 and C2, to store two customer-settings of your preference.
  
  Of course, it could be better. For those who expect to use G11 for shooting their kid involving in-door sports game or stage performance, they could be disappointed a little. I think it does not focus fast enough, and can only take about one frame per second. OK. That is why we still need DSLR.
  
  In summary, if you are going to get a photo-tool, go for G11.
  If you want to show your friends a fancy photo-gadget, go for S90.
  In any case, please do not set your expectation unreasonably high to replace the DSLR.
  
  This is my two cents.