Highly Recommended (Just)
DPReview has completed their review of the Canon PowerShot G11
Conclusion…
“….The G11 combines some of the best compact camera image quality with excellent levels of manual control, an optical viewfinder, flip-out screen, raw capability, superb battery life, flexible lens range and the ability to mount dedicated flashguns. It may not be the smallest camera out there (in fact it's one of the largest to use such a small sensor), but, if you can live with the compromises this all-round ability brings, then there's little that can touch it.”
Read The Complete Review: http://www.dpreview.com/….
I've played around with one, but not enough to give it a decent review. I know it's photographer's point and shoot, but I still wish it had at least 720p video. I guess they have to give us a reason to buy a G12 next year.
Canon does a pretty good job of not screwing up successors (there have been a couple), the G11 holds true to that standard.
$449 G11 @ Adorama
$439 G11 @ Amazon
$439 G11 @ B&H
cr
11 Comments
That they did.
They gave the flip out screen high marks, and I wonder if they factored out the more useful screen and just compared image quality between the two if it would still top the G10.
For my money, I want a small pocket camera for a small sensor (like the S90). Once it has to go around my neck on a strap, I’m willing to pay more for the GF1 for the bigger sensor, better image quality, and interchangable lenses – and the GF1 is about the same size as the G11. Too bad an M9 is out of my budget right now as that would be the ultimate street camera.
now I almost regret not buying an lx3 instead of g11. they are kind of equal, except I paid more on the g11 and waited to long to be available. lx3 was here two years ago and it still produces better results (better detail). I think it is unacceptable that the g11 does not have real burst and instant shutter release, as they sell for professional companion camera. using a much newer sensor than lx3 I expected it to outperform it by far, yet they are almost the same.
the only thing really making a difference for me is the viewfinder (and quiet release), but even that could be improved a lot, by adding display of the asa, shutter and iris data (at least).
g11 is a very good camera, but in the year of m3/4 cameras canon is supposed to offer more, a lot more than just minor improvements over g10.
in this perspective I consider dpreview biased and not being critical enough.
“as they sell for professional companion camera”
Yes, they went to great lengths to advertise it like a pro photojournalism camera, but it’s really just a P&S sensor with some manual controls and decent low light ability, and is not even close to the image quality of m43 or other larger sensor cameras like Sigma’s DP2, Ricoh’s GXR 50mm, or Leica’s X1 or M9.
Talk about comparing apples to oranges:
Leica X1 – $1,995.00 (http://www.amazon.com/Leica-X1-12-2MP-Digital-Camera/dp/B002NX13QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1261138756&sr=8-1)
Canon G11 – $439.00 (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-G11-Stabilized-articulating/dp/B002LITT56/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1261138843&sr=1-1)
“The G11 doesn’t gain quite as much from the switch to raw as the larger-sensor cameras, and produces results which are visibly a little bit softer than the X1’s, and unable to render the very finest detail. The difference isn’t necessarily huge, but it’s there and again it’s a reflection of diffraction when shooting the G11 at just F4. On the plus side there’s less moire visible in the G11 image.” (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/LeicaX1/page23.asp)
The G11 does have a continuous quick-fire mode, and it’s not half bad.
My biggest complaint is that yes, they position it as a credible street-saavy rangefinder-type camera, but it’s sorely lacking the necessary interface to be so quick and intuitive.
It would truly need discreet shutter and aperture dials, which it doesn’t have. Also, when I grip it with gusto, the dials are manipulated by the part where your thumb muscles joint the wrist, knocking the camera into other modes or settings.
But, at the lower ISOs it is one clean camera.