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November 19, 2009
[REVIEW—CANON POWERSHOT G11]
Price: $900
Less is much more
The low-down: This10 megapixel camera is Canon’s top compact. The fast 28–140mm lens is image stabilised. The optical viewfinder is large, bright and has dioptre adjustment. The 7cm LCD swivels. There is inbuilt flash and an external hot shoe. Image formats are jpeg and RAW. Construction is excellent and ergonomics are unique and superb. The large knobs on the body top for exposure mode and compensation and for ISO setting are wonderful. It is, of course, the same as the superseded G10 on the outside, with all that camera’s virtues and with its one vice corrected. (See below)
Like: This camera is a joy to use. It is bigger and heavier than other compacts but this makes it feel like a real camera. Image quality is excellent, even up to ISO800. Auto white balance is very good.
Dislike: Hmmm. A hard one. Well, nothing. For a small sensor compact this is as good as it gets.
Verdict: The big story here is that Canon has heeded the critics of the G10. Reviewers loved that camera’s retro design and logical ergonomics. But they hated the 14 megapixel sensor. Panasonic’s LX3 won the competition for best serious compact with 10 megapixels. Fewer pixels meant better noise handling and slightly better dynamic range. Canon responded in a way that we have never seen before in the camera business – they actually reduced the pixel count! And in the process made a good camera superb. There is a lesson here for anyone buying a compact digital camera – less is more when it comes to pixels. 10 beats 14 any day, no matter what the salesman says.
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Posted by terry at November 19, 2009 08:21 AM
