CNET Editor's rating: 8.0 out of 10
Reviewed by
Lori Grunin
Review date: 09/11/07
Release date: 09/15/07
The good: This digital camera has a cornucopia of features; it's zippy and built like a tank.
The bad: Relatively significant distortion at the widest angle of view; when zoomed out completely, lens intrudes into viewfinder; no optical zoom during movie capture.
The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot G9 is a solid enthusiast digital camera for those who want something compact to complement a dSLR.
No, you're not having déjà vu--the Canon PowerShot G9 is physically virtually identical to its predecessor, the G7; the sole differences are an optical viewfinder shrunk to make way for a larger 3-inch LCD and the lens ring and release button darkened from silver to black. Many of the components are identical as well. It incorporates the same f/2.8-4.8 35mm-210mm-equivalent, optically stabilized 6x zoom lens and uses the same Digic III image processor. (You can find a tour of the similar G7 body here.) In fact, the only significant updates are a bump to a 1/1.7-inch 12-megapixel CCD from a 1/1.8-inch, 10-megapixel version, and the much-wished-for return of raw-format support.
Weighing about 0.2 ounce more than its predecessor--likely the result of the larger LCD--the G9 nevertheless still comes in at just under 13 ounces. Controls cover the areas of the top and back of the camera not covered by the LCD or the optical viewfinder, leaving just enough space for a decent handhold. It's still true that those with large hands may find it difficult to firmly grip the G9 without accidentally covering one button or another. I also found myself wishing that the shutter button and zoom switches were just a bit larger.
Though most of the G9's menu interface and navigation is consistent and easy to follow, there is the occasional bewildering design choice. For instance, the high-resolution (1,024x768 15fps) movie mode isn't a resolution option under the Func menu, where you'd expect to find it. It's considered a different movie mode, and you must cycle via the scroll wheel through mode selections of Color Accent, Color Swap, Time Lapse, Compact, and Standard to find it; sensible from an engineering standpoint, but not so much for users.
Like its predecessor, the G9 offers all of the exposure, focus, and shooting controls any enthusiast would want. They include a spot meter, user-selectable focus zones, two custom settings modes, continuous- or shot-only IS settings, manual ISO settings up to 1,600 plus a High mode that reaches up to 3,200, voice annotation, and a hot shoe.
Performance remains essentially unchanged from the G7. Time to first shot is a quick 1.7 seconds, though not quite as fast as the G7's 1.5-second start. In bright light, a relatively quick focus helps keep the shutter lag to a manageable 0.5 second. In dim light, that increases to a second. Two shots in a row have a decent 2-second gap between, and adding flash recycle bumps that to only 2.3 seconds. Continuous shooting is down from 36 in the G7 to somewhere between 17 and 19 frames, but it's faster--2.3 frames per second (fps) at a low resolution, but more typically 1.7 fps.
The 3-inch LCD is reasonably easy to see in bright sunlight and has a wide viewing angle, but on playback, images tend to look a bit softer with more blown-out highlights than they actually do--you may want to hold off deleting images until you view them on a full-size display. Though the viewfinder remains larger and more usable than most, I think I was happier with the smaller LCD and bigger optical model on the G7. Despite its decent movie-capture quality, without the ability to zoom the lens during video, I find the feature less useful on the G9 than on other cameras.
As it uses the same lens as the G7, its similar distortion issues come as no surprise. But Canon probably tweaked the image-processing a bit, because photos this go-round had fewer artifacts. Among the G9's good qualities you'll find an excellent noise profile--photos hold detail well as high as ISO 400--and as usual Canon's exposure and white balance hold up quite well; it renders realistically saturated colors without going overboard. Despite the distortion, the lens holds sharpness from edge to edge; there's little purple fringing, though some magenta and cyan aberration does occur.
The Canon PowerShot G9 gets a leg up over its predecessor by improving photo quality and restoring raw-format support while maintaining the same excellent performance and body design. You probably can't miss with this model as a compact backup for your dSLR.
Shooting speed (in seconds) (Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Intro:
The Canon PowerShot G9 is a 12.1-megapixel, prosumer camera.Compared to other prosumer digital cameras on the market, it is midpriced at around $460.
Noteworthy Features:
Has a 12.1-megapixel resolution, which is considerably higher than some similarly priced digital cameras.Also, this digital camera has a 3 inch viewscreen, which is considerably larger than some similarly priced digital cameras.This camera also offers control of several exposure modes including aperture-priority, shutter-priority, program, and manual mode.This model supports RAW picture files, which makes color adjustments in software much easier.
Weaker Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Suitability:
Made for serious photographers who want a lot of control over their shots.This model has a hot shoe terminal which allows you to attach an external flash to accommodate poor lighting conditions.A recommended use, based on key features, is semi-professional photography.The largest recommended print size, estimated from the camera's resolution, is 12x16 or larger.
Value:
In general, this digital camera's features seem a bit weak for its price, compared to most other digital cameras.
stabilizer:
Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom.
8 out of 10 - Excellent I really like my G9!
I really like my new G9! I got it yesterday and have pored over the manual, camera in hand, learning ...
I really like my new G9! I got it yesterday and have pored over the manual, camera in hand, learning its ways. I've practiced with most of its features, but (full disclosure) I haven't done any real shooting yet.
For context, I'm a serious amateur. My prior cameras are an S80, an S30, and a Pentax fully manual film camera. I process my photos using Photoshop Elements on a Macintosh, and I favor RAW. I'd almost go for the Digital Rebel, but it's really too big and heavy for me.
For the record, accessories I got are a Lexar SDHC 4gig high speed memory card, Canon semi-hard case (it's a G7 case, but it fits), Speedlite 430EX flash, and Canon underwater housing WP-DC21.
Now then. The G9 is conveniently small and will allow me to continue my practice of carrying a camera around without making a big thing of it. It will be convenient to use as a scuba diving camera, too.
The G9's human factors are excellent. I didn't really anticipate how much I'd appreciate the the camera's use of buttons and the way they interplay with the excellent control software.
If there's one thing that puts the G9 over the top for me, it's the jog wheel. It's a genius invention. It makes adjusting settings and real-time exposure (to mention two) a pleasure. It looks to let me flex back to fully manual shooting and like it again.
The preview histogram is wonderful, and the extensive shot data are welcome. I expect the alignment grid will mean less preprocessing of my mostly crooked shots when I send them around via email for previewing.
I really like the large LCD. My old eyes can actually read it! It's big, sharp, bright and easily viewed from severe angles, such as when I hold the camera overhead. I've used a friend's G3 with a flip LCD, but I like this better. It does the work of a flip without the fuss or risk of breaking.
I'm looking forward to using my new Speedlight 430EX flash on the hot shoe and at last being able to take decent family pictures at the dining room table. I'm also looking forward to better in-camera flash pictures with the auto flash exposure feature.
Image stabilization is new for me, and welcome, as is face detection, and the 6x optical zoom coupled with "safety" digital zoom. I find I do a lot of cropping to the limit, so I'm sure that IS, better zoom, and my step from 8 to 12 megs of resolution will be helpful.
I'll be using AE with continuous shooting(!) at ground level at sports events. I'll also be making use of the high-res (1024x768@15fps), fill-the-card video capability, as well as the time lapse feature.
I've always had very mixed results with pictures taken skiing in the high mountains. I'm hoping that the snow mode, the availability of equivalent neutral density filters, and the preview histogram will help with this. (The camera is much more convenient to tuck under a parka than is a SLR, incidentally.)
I'm glad for the option to quickly jack up the ISO without fumbling with menus. I've occasionally had to pass on charming opportunities to shoot sleeping kids. Not only that, but there's a "safety" option for doing this, too. And the wider lens may help me shoot more pictures at lower ISO settings, without having jack them up.
I haven't mentioned the most important thing of all: photo quality. I don't have any personal experience yet, but I know from G7 reviews that the G9 will be just fine for me. I'm already confirming that, by comparison with my S80, I'm getting much more accurate photos with it.
4 out of 10 - Mediocre The VF is TERRIBLE
This is a beautiful camera, solid, handsome, old school. The pix are pretty darn good.
However... There is a time ...
This is a beautiful camera, solid, handsome, old school. The pix are pretty darn good.
However... There is a time and a place for an LCD, and a time for an optical VF. If you are going to put an optical VF on a camera, that piece of hardware should work. Instead, what we have on a $500 camera is a cloudy, dim, plastic bit of optics that makes a fifty year old box brownie finder look good.
Look, many people will never use anything but the LCD, but this is a camera aimed at the super-amateur photog who wants to carry something smaller than his SLR at times. We use optical finders. We like optical finders. We don't expect the optical finder on our $500 camera to be as useless as a clear plastic kid's telescope.
Canon has certain blind spots when it comes to real quality. Until they settle their issues in house they will never be the true successors to Zeiss and Leica.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great camera
I've only had my G9 for a day and only had time to take a few test pictures comparing ...
I've only had my G9 for a day and only had time to take a few test pictures comparing the resolution to my G7, which I've taken a couple of thousand pictures on.
At ISO-80 the G9 is substantially more detailed. I took a photo with the G7 and G9 of a piece of fine furniture from twelve feet. I could begin seeing better clarity in favor of the G9 at 100% (double)blow up. At 400% it became very dramatic. The extra megapixels are for real.
At ISO 400, the difference were still there, but not as dramatically different. There was no increased noise at this level, in fact it's reduced.
Handling and functionality were similar with the main edge going to the G9s larger and easier to see in bright light LCD.
I thought I'd get some early thoughts out for anyone trying to decide between the G7 and G9. IMHO, the G9 is the way to go.
The biggest negative to me is the viewfinder's inaccuracy. I've gotten to where I use the LCD in almost all situations to make certain that I don't end up with a picture that's composed out of balance.
18 out of 18 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good Good camera with some mechanical problems
This camera does take excellent photos (much better than my 5MP A95)like other online review, so I won't ...
This camera does take excellent photos (much better than my 5MP A95)like other online review, so I won't bore you on that. However, I'd like to point out some problems: 1. when AF (auto focus) set to "continous" mode, there is dull "ka, ka, ka, ka" mechanical noise inside the camera, when you turn "continous" off, the noise goes away. I assume the noise comes from the constant lens focusing. But the noise sound so abnormal that I'm just afraid the lens track will break down some time soon. Can any G9 users confirm this finding is normal? 2. There are 2 yellow blotches on LCD when LCD screen is black and ambiance also black. My is very mild, but if you search google, some people have worse. I'm debating if I want to exchange it and try another one. 3. Image quality is good, noisy starting from 200ISO, so don't use auto indoor! use P or C1, C2 and manually set ISO to 80 or 100, and use exposure compensation +2/3 or flash compensation +2/3 in low light.
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by pseudomonos (see profile) -
October 19, 2007
8 out of 10 - Excellent Was a tough choice, ultimately happy(Review and P5000 Comparison)
5 months ago, after much indecision, I chose a Nikon P5000 over the G7, not knowing that the G7 had ...
5 months ago, after much indecision, I chose a Nikon P5000 over the G7, not knowing that the G7 had manual focus. Took the P5000 on a trip. It's a wonderful camera in it's own right, and I have some truly beautiful pictures from it. Then I heard about the G9, and discovered that both it and the G7 had manual focus.
Two weeks ago I bought the G9 and am selling the P5000. I'd decided that the larger zoom range and manual focus in particular will allow me to have much more control over artistic shots. More importantly, I'm selling my D70s and the three lenses I have. The D70s is a great camera, but the size of the kit and the camera itself discouraged me from using it much. The G9 is not a full replacement for it, in particular has a noticably longer shot-to-shot time, but it's damn near close, and incredible for its size.
That said, the camera is not perfect, and trails behind the P5000 in a few areas. Rather than just listing complaints, I'll offer a comparison of the two, first listing where the G9 is superior to the P5000 and the list where the opposite is the case.
G9 pros over P5000:
- G9 has 6x zoom whereas the P5000 has 3.5x zoom.
- I find a generally faster shot-to-shot time on the G9.
- G9 has manual focus, P5000 does not.
- While both cameras give you manual exposure control, the G9 gives an exposure preview on the screen as you change the settings, in addition to a meter. The P5000 just gives you a meter, which is not as readable as the G9 meter.
- The G9's movies are of much better quality, particularly with respect to sound. That was one aspect of the P5000 with which I was flat out disappointed.
G9 cons compared to P5000:
- The ISO 800 setting on the G9 is too grainy for my liking, whereas the ISO 800 on he P5000 is still tolerable. This is something to consider if you plan on taking alot of pictures of moving objects in low light.
- The G9 is not comfortable to hold. I bought an aftermarket grip for it that improves the situation greatly, but the P5000 is, out of the box, a dream to hold. It has the perfect weight for taking slow shutterspeed shots in hand. Again, the G9 grip helps alot, and you can find info on getting the grip at mycanong9.com. This is a big deal. I would not be happy with this camera without the aftermarket grip, which I think ran me 28 bucks.
- I didn't use the viewfinder on the P5000 much, but the G9's is particularly useless, since the barrel is clearly in the frame when the lens is at its widest.
One more observation. I found the onboard post-shot red eye removal on the G9 very good, although other than that it does not have very useful post processing. The P5000 has a nice automatic contrast enhancement called D-lighting, as well as the ability to crop the picture. The G9 allows you to rotate and resize, but not crop. To me the G9 wins in this category because the red-eye removal is much better than anything such tool I've used before on a computer.
Overall, unless the higher price tag or more challenging low-light situations bug you alot, I'd highly recommend the G9. Again, I'm stepping down to it from a D70s DSLR, and am quite comfortable with this decision. But again, get the grip. Good luck in your research!
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by mishuga (see profile) -
November 15, 2007
6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Great, solid camera, but not without flaws
Every advanced amateur photographer is looking for a camera that does it all. They want manual control, great build, great ...
Every advanced amateur photographer is looking for a camera that does it all. They want manual control, great build, great looks, and a ton of features. It seems the Canon Powershot G9 is all the camera that they've been looking for.
Pros:
Build: What a user will first see when holding the G9 is that it is very strong and sturdy. It's sleek matte-black body is built like a tank, and seems as if it could survive anything. While I would not suggest doing a drop test, it will survive just about anything you've got to throw at it.
Shooting Modes: The G9 featurs over 23 shooting modes, including auto, portrait, landscape, night Scene, sports, indoor, and of course, Manual mode. Now, I do not think it was wise for Canon to pack all these modes on the G9. It is designed for advanced photographers who know a thing or two about what they are doing. After all, the G9 is the most advanced in its class, not made for a first time digi cam buyer. But with all these features, a user can just choose to use them, or just develop their skill with Manual.
OIS: Another plus with the G9 is the Optical Image Stabilization, or OIS. This feature is becoming more common on Canon cameras, as well as on the Nikons. This OIS will allow for a good stop or two advantage when shooting in low light.
Cons:
With everything that is good, there are downfalls. The Canon G9 is no different. Let me first address the button clutter.
Button Clutter: The G9 has the most buttons I've ever seen on a digital point and shoot camera. I've seen less on some digital SLRs. This makes it both a struggle and an adventure for a first time user. Once you get the hang of it, however, shooting with the G9 becomes very rewarding.
Image Quality: The most difficult point on the G9 to get over is it's poor image quality. The G9, like all digital point and shoot cameras, suffers from this. Actually, it's not so much the image quality, but the noise caused by raising the ISO. You see, the small sensors offered by digital point and shoot cameras is the main reason behind poor image quality due to digital noise. I, and many others, have noticed a trend with high mega pixels equaling more noise. So, with 12 mega pixels on such a small sensor makes for poor low light images. The G9 could have easily had a 8 or 10 mega pixel sensor, keeping ISO quality on their side. But no, they wanted to make it 12 mega pixels as a selling point.
In the end, advanced photographers who want a good solid build in a small package, and who want OIS, and of course, manual control will love this camera.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Here are my pictures with the G9
Here are my pictures with the G9: http://picasaweb.google.com/CameraArtura
I had always wanted a Leica (still do)......
Here are my pictures with the G9: http://picasaweb.google.com/CameraArtura
I had always wanted a Leica (still do)...so I used my recent trip to Europe as an excuse to get one. After visiting several pro shops, my Leica-lust started wearing off as the G9 was constantly being recommended for the type of shooting I like to do. I'd been a paid photographer for a stint (10 years ago) and had always shot Canon...the thought of buying another one seemed...boring.
But after much debate, I ended up buying the G9. What put the G9 ahead of rest for me were the manual features and old school look & feel. Here's the thing, all cameras in this range (except for Sonys) are going to take great photos. It's the personality of the camera that's going to make you choose one over the other.
I was really happy with my choice. It has defintiely made me a fan of Canon again. For the pro/amatuer photographer, I'd tell you that this is a great camera to have if you don't want to lug around your new D3. For the pure amatuer, I'd tell you that the G9 allows you to focus on composition rather than cumbersome settings that other cameras require. And for the special occasion point and shooter, the G9 will make your friends say "those pictures look better than mine".
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by rubixkid (see profile) -
December 13, 2007
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular A Beautiful/Ugly Gem
I was a big fan of the G6 - loved the feel, grip, LCD, etc but was in real need ...
I was a big fan of the G6 - loved the feel, grip, LCD, etc but was in real need of higher resolution. I was almost reluctant to make the leap to this as I never considered the G7 because of the change in user design. But I have to say though that I am amazed by this little gem. I ALMOST don't miss the flip out LCD because this 3" fixed version is so bright and detailed at very usable angles. I would still wish for it as well as a bit better grip and a WIDER lense - even 28 would be great.
Overall though, I have had the camera for two weeks now and am smitten - great shots, usablility - even the bulk of it compared to most other pocket cameras is preferential to me. I take it everywhere, use it professionally and so far, I am very, very happy.
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by kimak221 (see profile) -
November 6, 2007
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Image Quality Approaches SLR (dare I say)
I am intermediate in photography and have not ventured into SLR yet, but wanted something more advanced than a point-and-shoot ...
I am intermediate in photography and have not ventured into SLR yet, but wanted something more advanced than a point-and-shoot to learn with.
I have had my G9 about three months, and have used it a lot as it goes everywhere with me. I have tried it under a lot of circumstances and it works beautifully. The image stabilization works great since I can't hold a camera still.
I love being able to use a lot of manual features, while still having the camera do some of the work. I love the RAW capture mode, it has allowed me to perfect photos that would have been trash with other point and shoots or even my old Canon A630. I have Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Canon's raw conversion software is as good if not better.
I also purchased the optional tele-converter (TC-DC58C) and the wide-converter (WC-DC58B) and the IS worked great with both of them. The 12MP really captures amazing detail in macro mode, allowing you to get as close as 1cm. Color is rich and beautiful.
Since the G9 offers hot-shoe I purchased a Canon Speedlite EXII which takes perfect indoor photos and no red-eye even from pets!
The camera does go through a batter fast, about 50 RAW photos or so using the LCD, auto-focus, and IS continuously so I picked up a couple spare battery packs ($50 each at Amazon.com). Charging time is fast though, about 1.5 hours.
If I can take perfect (even portrait-like) photos with this camera, anyone can. Well worth it.
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by newcomerm (see profile) -
May 16, 2008
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent perfect camera for anyone who wants great shots, fully customizable features, and a small package.
i bought this camera about one month ago and absolutly love it. i wanted a camera that i could bring ...
i bought this camera about one month ago and absolutly love it. i wanted a camera that i could bring anywhere and not have to worry about the lenses or large size of an SLR. i also wanted a camera that would give me the capability to customize shooting features. this camera does it all. i am able to adjust just about everything on this camera. with the built in scroll wheel i am able to adjust ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc. This camera also has a quick fps when set right. this camera also has great features like the programed shooting modes, two custom shooting modes, and much more. the only con about this device is the viewfinder. when shooting with the optical viewfinder i found that my pictures where not the same images i saw in the viewfinder. the viewfinder is inaccurate and it can be a little annoying at times. other than that, this camera is a superb piece of equipment, and i recommend it to anyone who just wants to take great quality shots without the expense and bulk of an SLR.
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by neknim (see profile) -
December 16, 2007
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