Canon PowerShot G11

Canon Powershot G-series has represented a fairly strong presence at the top of the tree compact camera. From the viewpoint of the photographer, there is little in the market that blend zoom range, lens flexibility, quality and level of manual control can fit. Somehow the Ricoh GX and the Nikon P series has never had the same effect, but the Panasonic LX3 enough to withdraw a number of potential customers, with the lens clear and convincing (to compact) low light performance.

The G11 seems determined to wrestle back his position as a champion who did not need from the market, though, that what Canon describes as 'high sensitivity' of a CCD. In what may be the first, the company reduced the number of pixels compared to previous models. In principle there is no downside to having more pixels when the entire image (other than a larger size that can slow down the camera and quickly fill your memory card and extra complication of having noise reduction before demosaicing to implement something that not many people willing or able to do it .) But the larger image sensor site is often a lower pixel density tended to receive more light in the same exposure, making it easier to get images that look clean at the pixel level to produce. Almost as if to Canon's flagship compact for comfortable all-to be.

Body-style derived from the G7, which many overstuur existing G-series owners by eliminating a number of functions they will become accustomed. These features are missing, one-by-one, which was reintroduced as the range has grown, brings us to the G11, which eventually fold-out swivel screen that disappears after G6. There is no denying it is well equipped with cameras and style that attracts many photographers.

However, because the G10 comes, Olympus and Panasonic have Micro Four Thirds compact camera with interchangeable lenses release of P2, E-P1 and E-GF1 Powershot G series looks like a less obvious choice. Examples Panasonic GF1, no larger than the G11 offers the same level of external control (though without calling retro cool metal), but is built around a sensor with more than

five-and-half times the size. So even though GF1 and Olympuses can not compete with the range of 28-140mm equivalent lens G11 (at least while the rest is so compact package), they tend to provide greater image quality and control over depth of field than a small sensored Canon can.

Headline features

* 10.0 megapixel CCD sensor

* Wide-angle 5x (28-140mm equivalent) zoom lens with optical image stabilizer

* 2.8 "tilt / swivel LCD screen (461k dots)

* RAW image recording

* 2-stop advantage in low light compared Claimed G10

* Dedicated Exposure Compensation and ISO call

DIGIC 4 processor

* I-Contrast enhance brightness and maintain detail in dark areas

26 shooting modes with manual control and custom settings

* Accessories include tele-converter, its lights flashing and waterproof housing

* VGA movies at 30 fps

The change from G10

* 10 megapixel sensor 'High Sensitivity', a decrease of 14.7 megapixels

* Gain ISO 3200 standard as an institution (not a Scene mode options are limited)

* White balance fine-tuning

* Tilt and swivel LCD 2.8 "(instead of 3" screen equipment)

* New Mode Shot Fast and Low Light

* HDMI connectors

* Not Superfine JPEG compression (Fine selection is the most compressed)

* There is no sound or voice annotation function

* No remote (tied) shooting

Canon G11 specifications

Street price

• US: $440
• UK: £390

Sensor

• 1/1.7" Type CCD
• 10 million effective pixels

Image sizes

• 3648 x 2736
• 3648 x 2048
• 2816 x 2112
• 2272 x 1704
• 1600 x 1200
• 640 x 480
• 320 x 240

Movie clips 

• 640 x 480 @ 30fps
• 320 x 240 @ 30fps

Maximum clip length 

• Up to 4GB or 1 hour

File formats 

• Still: JPEG (Exif v2.2)
• RAW
• Movie: MOV [H.264 + Linear PCM (monaural)]

Lens

• 28-140mm (35mm equiv)
• f = 6.1 - 30.5 mm
• 5x optical zoom
• F2.8-4.5
• Construction: 11 elements in 9 groups (1 double-sided aspherical element)

Image stabilization 

• Yes (Lens-Shift)

Conversion lenses 

• Yes

Digital zoom 

• up to 4x

Focus

• Auto focus :TTL
• Face Detection / 9-point AiAF
• 1-point AF (center or Face Select and Track)
• Fixed centre or Face Select and Track
• Manual focus

AF area modes

• Single
• Continuous
• Servo AF/AE

AF lock 

• Yes (on/off selectable)

AF assist lamp 

• Yes

Focus distance 

• Closest focus distance 1 cm

Metering

• Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame)
• Center-weighted average
• Spot (center or linked to Face Detection)

ISO sensitivity

• Auto
• ISO 80
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600
• ISO 3200*

AE lock 

• Yes (on/off selectable)

Exposure compensation 

• +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments

Shutter speed

• Auto (1 - 1/4000 sec)
• 15-1/4000 sec

Modes

• Auto
• Program AE
• Shutter Priority AE
• Aperture Priority AE
• Manual
• Custom (2 modes)
• Special Scene
• Stitch Assist
• Low Light*
• Quick Shot*
• Movie

Scene modes

• Portrait
• Landscape
• Night Snapshot
• Kids & Pets
• Night Scene
• Indoor
• Sunset
• Foliage
• Snow
• Beach
• Fireworks
• Aquarium
• Underwater
• Color Accent
• Color Swap

White balance

• Auto (including Face Detection WB)
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Fluorescent H
• Flash
• Custom1
• Custom2
• Underwater
• White Balance Correction*

Self timer

• 2 or 10sec,
• Custom or FaceSelf Timer

Continuous shooting 

• Approx. 1.1 shots/sec.
• AF: Approx. 0.7 shots/sec.
• LV: Approx. 0.8 shots/sec. (until memory card becomes full)

Image parameters (My colors)

• My Colors Off
• Vivid
• Neutral
• Sepia
• Black & White
• Positive Film
• Lighter Skin Tone
• Darker Skin Tone
• Vivid Blue
• Vivid Green
• Vivid Red
• Custom Color

Flash

• Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, Slow Sync, Red-eye reduction
• Slow Sync Speed : Fastest speed 1/2000 sec
• +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments
• Face Detection FE compensation
• Safety FE
• Flash exposure lock
• Manual Power Adjustment
• Second Curtain Sync
• Range (Auto ISO):50cm - 7.0m (wide) / 4.0m (tele)

External Flash 

• E-TTL with EX series Speedlites, 
• Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX, 
• Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX, 
• Canon High Power Flash HF-DC1

Viewfinder 

• Real-image zoom
• Optical Viewfinder

LCD monitor

• 2.8 inch Vari-angle PureColor II VA (TFT)
• 461,000 pixels
• 100% coverage
• Adjustable

Connectivity

• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
• HDMI mini connector*
• AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable)

Print compliance 

• PictBridge

Storage

• SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus , HC MMCplus compatible

Power Rechargeable 

• Li-ion Battery NB-7L

Weight (no batty) 

• 355g

Dimensions 

• 112 x 76 x 48 mm

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