Canon G11 - a first?

<p>The Canon G11 has been announced with a 10MP sensor and a rotating LCD. </p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081908canong11.asp</p>

<p>Is this the first time a camera company has released a model from an existing line with /fewer/ pixels than the previous? </p>

 

<p>Good for them. G10 is a nice camera, but no low light shooter. Looks like a winner to me. However the new S90 looks to be more interesting camera with aperture that starts at f/2.0.</p>

<p>Still the same tiny sensor - no CMOS. Little reason for anyone to upgrade from a G10.</p>

<p>Who upgraded from the G9 to the G10 for the sensor alone?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I like that they brought back the swivel LCD. That's a feature I miss from my old Canon G2.</p>

Looks great on paper. With the twisty LCD and what seems to be a priority towards low light it should be a great upgrade

from the G10. Dials (hoping that means knobs) for compensation and ISO are also welcome.

<p>This is a start.. Someone at Canon has finally recognized that photographers value low light performance more than an insane number of pixels..<br>

However, the G11 feels little like a hasty response to the success of the Panasonic DMC-Lx3 and the buzz surrounding the Olympus-Ep1. Only when reviews start trickling out will the quality of the new 10mp sensor be known. The G11 feels like it may be an intermittent step for Canon on their way to a premium quality large sensor compact like the Olympus Ep-1 ...</p>

<p>Yeah, Canon's touted low light capabilities for the G11 have piqued my interest. I mainly use my G9 at work (for taking photos at real estate inspections) and the G9's low light capabilities have left me wanting more. I'm comfortable cranking up the ISO to 200 without too much worry, and will even use ISO 400 when needed. However, at ISO 800 or higher, noise gets downright ugly. If the G11 can take decent pictures at ISO 800 (or higher) in low light, I may have to seriously consider an upgrade.</p>

Rob, Ricoh replaced the 10 Mp R10 with the 9 Mp CX1, but that is the only other instance I recall. Neither G10 nor G11 have what I would call a small (1/2.3") sensor, although the 1/1.7" CCD is not large, either. By my calculations pixel density on the G11 will be slightly lower than the Fuji F200EXR, today's high ISO champ among P&S models. It is silly to believe a press release, but Canon seems to be claiming a 2 stop improvement at 10 Mp, whereas the Fuji EXR models achieve this at 6 Mp reduced resolution.

<p>[[Rob, Ricoh replaced the 10 Mp R10 with the 9 Mp CX1, but that is the only other instance I recall]]</p>

<p>Ah! Thank you, Bill. You're right re: Ricoh. Additionally, the R10 had a CCD but the CX1 has a CMOS sensor.</p>

<p>Also, yes, press releases should always be taken with a grain/cup/bucket of salt. :)</p>

<p>John, you really like a swivel LCD? </p>

<p>The D5000 got us all talkin... the swivel is something I personally just never use. When do you actually use it? </p>

<p>Swivel LCD - I use it loads on the A80 to get the camera really low to the water when shooting the kids in the sea, it allows greater control that close to the water. Just one example.</p>

<p>[[the swivel is something I personally just never use. When do you actually use it?]]</p>

<p>Like Paul, I used the swivel LCD on my A80 (and now use it on my A650) all the time. Over-head, waist-level, odd angles, etc.</p>

<p>I'm Sooo glad I refused to buy the G10 but this G11 may just get my vote. Saying that I've just had a 2 week holiday using the LX3 every day and now know it almost inside out and have returned with increased respect for it.</p>

<p>Indeed S90 looks very interesting with RAW capability and f/2 lens with a decent reach and no lens cap. It is just begging for a Franiac grip though...<br>

With my Lumix FT1 on the Bay maybe I can justify one or the other. </p>

<p>"the swivel is something I personally just never use". Actually, when my G2 still worked, I would use it all the time. If you're trying to take pictures above a crowd, hold the camera up high and tip the screen downward so you can see what you're shooting. Likewise, if you want to shoot close to the ground, you can put the camera down low and not have to lay on your belly on the wet or muddy ground. The swivel screen just opens up a wider array of composition possibilities.</p><div></div>

<p>nice... thanks for those comments and the sample. Those are examples I did use in the review, just guess I don't shoot that way often. Actually at all... so for me personally it seemed like a stretch, (oh jeesh, sorry for the pun) but it's good to know that it's a handy feature for some.</p>

<p>Would it make the difference between buying one camera or another for you?</p>

 

<p>I like my G10,,,now that I have a good sample...the first one was defective. However, with all the micro 4/3 gear on the horizon the G11 is too little too late. It is what the G10 should have been. The real question is how decent is the high ISO IQ.</p>

<p>Found over at dpreview.com. This is likely the sensor inside the G11</p>

<p>http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news/vol57/pdf/icx685cqz.pdf</p>

<p>Les,<br>

You're about the "90 millionth" person who has reported a bad copy of a G10. Just curious; what were the symptoms? Mine just couldn't produce sharp images and the noise was off the chart. Never liked the camera and ditched it.</p>

<p>I have a G7 and the swivel screen, wide angle, larger sensor have finally gotten to me, I ordered my new G11. Now I have to get another underwater housing, boo hoo.<br>

The G7 is an awesome small camera, I hope the G11 isn't that much larger. But I'll get over it if it is.<br>

I can't believe people with a swivel screen don't use it, I used the hell out of it on my old Nikon 5700.</p>

<p>David,<br>

Les,<br />You're about the "90 millionth" person who has reported a bad copy of a G10. Just curious; what were the symptoms? <strong>Mine just couldn't produce sharp images and the noise was off the chart.</strong> Never liked the camera and ditched it.<br>

David,<br>

The colors were weird too. It just sucked. I bought it at Best Buy and also purchased their extended warranty. I called Canon and they said to take it back to BB for an exchange...so I did and this copy is really good. I did not want to pay retail but I will not take a chance with grey market digital cameras becaiuse of QC. The BB warranty is pretty comprehensive and the camera is covered even if I drop it. *I* like the feel and controls of the G10 because it is like using an old compact 35mm RF. If the G11 is a big improvement in the high ISO realm I may get one but I am going to wait and see what rolls out in the micro 4/3 arena first.</p>

 

<p>David,<br>

The forthcoming Panny micro 4/3 is what I am curious about and waitng for. :-)</p>

<p>Yup me too. The Panny GF1. Problem i see with either the G11 or the GF1 is that I would then have to get something like the S90 as neither are really pocketable. Must be getting close to a keeper though. My 5D is a keeper and I have no desire for the 5D MKII. The LX3 is the longest I've kept a compact for a while, almost a year now ;). Had the 5D for 3 years. <br>

Imagine when the GF1 gets to the GF11.. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</p>

<p>Paul,<br />It really want to handle the GF-1 w/ the 20mm f1.7.<br /><a href="http://43rumors.com/ft3-the-next-three-panasonic-microfourthirds-lenses/">http://43rumors.com/ft3-the-next-three-panasonic-microfourthirds-lenses/</a></p>