Pros: Improved high-ISO performance, articulated screen, superior design and construction
Cons: Still slower and noisier than a DSLR at the same price
The Bottom Line: The latest and greatest G-camera gives serious photographers what they've long asked for; a return to the articulated screen and lower resolution for reduced noise.
lawman67's Full Review: Canon PowerShot G11 Digital Camera
Last summer I bought and reviewed the Canon PowreShot G10, which is the immediate predecesor of this model. What I found both in my initial review and in 4-months of using the camera was an extremely well-designed, well-built camera capable of producing extraordinary image quality, within the fairly severe limitations of its noisy sensor. At ISO 50 in good lighting image quality is virtually indestinguishable from that of the very best digital or 35mm film SLRs, but as light decreases and ISO increases, image quality rapidly deteriorates.
That description remains true and correct with the regards to the G11, which I seriously considered replacing my G10 with. The G11 has the exact same lens as the G10 and with the exception of the articulated LCD, which is slightly smaller, but far more convenient and of equal quality, has the same body as well. That Canon left the body and lens largely alone is a very good thing, as these were and remain strengths of this product line.
The new articulated LCD is also a definite improvement. I used to own a PowerShot G3 that had this feature, and despite its much smaller screen size, I miss the convenience of the G3 when it comes to unconventional composition. That articulated screen makes it a snap to shoot at waist level, or overhead above a crowd, or even wiht the display pointed forward, allowing the photographer to be in group or self portraits with either timer (included) or remote (not included). The reduction from 3.0" to 2.8" is not as large a sacrifice as the articulating design is a gain. The other significant change from G10 to G11 is the reduction in resolution from 14.7 to 10 megapixels. This sounds like a reduction in ability, but is actually by far the most important improvement. 15 MP is incredible resolution, allowing high quality images even after significant cropping. Cutting down to 10 MP takes away some of that cropping ability, but the benefits outweigh the downsides. Benefits? Absolutely. These cameras use much smaller sensors than DSLRs do, and the higher the resolution on a given sensor size, the higher the noise level. That the G10 can produce largely noiseless images at ISO 50 is an incredible feat of engineering, but by ISO 200 noise begins to intrude, and by ISO 400 it seriously detracts. With the G11, Noise still is a factor, but by cutting back resolution, Canon was able to effectively give you two more stops before noise intrudes.
I did some very informal testing at my local camera store and took both ambient light and flash photographs of the same subject matter using my G10 and the new G11, each set to maximum resolution on superfine jpg mode (15 MP for G10 and 10 MP for G11). As expected, images from both cameras were incredibly sharp at ISO 50. Also as expected, the higher resolution G10 images remained sharp at higher crop levels than the G11 images.
At ISO 100, the G10 still looks terrific, and I was still hard-pressed to spot any difference in noise between the two cameras. At ISO 200 the G11 shots still were noise-free, while the G10 started to display a bit of graininess.
ISO 400 is where the difference really becomes obvious. Both cameras still produced good image quality, but the G11 was still largely noise-free. ISO 400 images from the G10 are definitely good enough for most personal use, and I've made 8X10 enlargements of ISO 400 images that have received many compliments, but for any type of professional use or larger than 8X10 enlargements you will likely not be satisfied.
ISO 800 on the G10 is getting pretty ugly, with 4X6 prints looking decent and adequate for family photos, but not much else. On the G11, ISO 800 still looks very good, and while I didn't make any 8X10s, the images were about as clean as those of the G10 at ISO 200.
ISO 1600 on the G10 is good for nothing other than marketing, or perhaps shots just to email proof that so-and-so was somewhere. Fine for casual email, but honestly we're talking cell-phone image quality here. On the G11, ISO 1600 is also pretty bad, a little better than ISO 800 on the G10, but not much.
ISO 3200 is useless on the G11.
You can see my review of the PowerShot G10 here...http://www0.epinions.com/review/Canon_PowerShot_G10_Digital_Camera/content_475082428036
In the end, the G11, in my opinion, represents a significant upgrade over the G10. Is it a worthwhile upgrade? Absolutely. In fact, I wish I'd waited, as I would much rather use 10 MP with improved hish-ISO performance than 15 MP without. The articulated screen is also a significant improvement and brings back a feature that G-series owners miss from the old G3 days.
If you are in the market for a high-quality digital camera but don't want to bother with a DSLR, then the G11 is an outstanding choice. If you already own a G9 or G10, however, it becomes a much more difficult decision. I'll hold onto my G10 for a few years, but I'll likely be jealous of G11 owners all the while.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 500 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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