canon g9

[korzmom]

what are some opinions on this canon g9..i have an s2is right now, what kind of difference would it make? i like the s2 but the g9 caught my eye because of the size of the camera,is there much difference in the picture quality???

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

I bought my son-in-law a Canon S5 IS when he graduated from college in April. At that time I was able to get some time with that camera. I loved the versatility of that camera and seriously thought about buying one for my wife or when I just didn't have the space to take an SLR. The problem was that the S5 IS was a little too big for what I was looking for. I therefore bought a Canon G9. I love the size of this camera and had an opportunity over the past 2 weeks to use it a little (it is hard to get my wife to part with it long enough for me to try it for an extended period) as we were on vacation. In full auto mode it is quick and easy for a relative beginner to get good results. I am not much of a full auto kind of guy so I liked being about to set it for specific settings. The quality of the images is relatively good. Due to the sensor size the low light is not as good as I would have liked but that was the compromise I was willing to make. I was disappointed to find out that I could not set the G9 to record in RAW when set in full auto. I haven't had time to research if this is a limitation of the camera or if I just haven't figured out the proper menu settings to accomplish that. Overall I am glad I decided on the G9 over the S5 IS for what I wanted to do.

 

[bob100]

I own a Canon S5 but if the G9 had been about the same price I might have bought it because it was smaller. At that time it was a lot more in price,( but I like the larger zoom on the S5 !

 

[korzmom]

thats the only thing holding me back, the zoom capabilitites. what are some of the better features on the s5 as compared to my s2?? its too bad the g9 has half the zoom capabilities,love the size of that camera..

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

It is true that the S5 IS has a longer zoom. I rarely use a P&S for long distance so that was not as much of a concern for me. That being said, I have contemplated picking up the Canon Telephoto extension for the G9 just to try it. It will add bulk to the G9 but I don't expect to use it all the time so I could deal with that. I was skeptical of how well this would work but the reviews I've read give it high marks.

 

[klmall]

I have an S3, G5 and a G9 and while the S3/S5 have some advantages in the zoom capability I really think the Canon G family is superior in picture quality. Many of my pictures are taken on the run and I don't have any time to fiddle with settings so I count on the Auto settings being above average. This is the main reason I gave up on my S3 - Auto was a disaster even under ideal conditions: daytime, good light, no motion etc. Another quirk for me with the S3 was the very noisy lens. I could never sneak up on my cats or surprise anyone!

With my G5 or G9 I can simply hand it over to almost anyone and they can take a great shot of me! Also, the G9 has it's own lens cover and is smaller than the S3/S5 which I like.

But don't listen just to me; the G9 is a very capable camera. Here are some reviews:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/G9-Japan.shtml

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/G9/G9A.HTM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canong9/

http://www.outbackphoto.com/CONTENT...eras/20080206_Canon_G9/index_alain_briot.html

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/canon-g9-review.html

 

[J3nn78]

We have the Canon G9. For a P&S it's decent, but nothing compared to the image quality and ability of any DSLR. The sensor is small and at ISO higher than 400, detail becomes very smeared and chromo noise gets bad. Shutter lag is annoying as is the AF timing. The lack of TTL flash when in manual exposure mode is kinda dumb too.

Good things: P&S size. The zoom range is adequate. good images at ISO 100-400. It's relativly cheap, so if it's stolen at Disney, not the end of the world.

Granted, this is coming from a pro photographer used to top end DSLR. The G9 is "top of the line" when it comes to P&S cameras, but I feel it's borderline annoying when you are used to good equipment. Personally, I really enjoy using my SLR and as much as I hate the weight and size, Im tempted to take the SLR to Disney again over the G9.

Last time I carried a D200, the 18-200Vr lens, and a 10.5 fisheye and it wasn't too bad. Obviously the G9 is pocket size and portable, but Im always wishing I had a full capability camera instead.

Note: DH typing