There aren't many compacts good enough for pros or enthusiasts to consider as a worthwhile back-up for their digital SLR system, but the PowerShot G11, the successor to the PowerShot G10, is one of them. Canon's taken the brave step of dropping the pixel count from 14.7 megapixels to 10 megapixels for its flagship PowerShot model, but still thinks it's worth the £570 asking price.
Refreshing dSLR
The G11 isn't an upgrade to the old G10 so much as a refresh. The G11 has a different sensor and a new, flip-out LCD display, instead of the fixed display on the old model, but it's difficult to tell them apart otherwise.
The drop from 14.7 to 10 megapixels is a response to the widespread realisation that higher pixel counts in similarly sized sensors are reducing picture quality, not improving it. Escalating noise levels and the fierce image-smoothing algorithms needed to control them produce mushier pictures, not sharper ones. Also, while the G10's pictures start to look soft as early as ISO 400, Canon claims the G11's lower-resolution sensor offers much better high-ISO performance, equivalent to as much as two whole ISO steps.
The other advantage of the lower resolution, and hence larger individual receptors on the sensor, is improved dynamic range. Canon claims the new model is much better than the old one at recording extremes of light and dark.
But the old model's positive points are retained. These include the cast-iron body and chunky external dials, instead of an over-reliance on menus. The 5x wideangle zoom is especially good. It's not a particularly long focal range by today's standards, but it's sharp right through its range and right to the edges of the frame, too.
Bang for your buck
But is the G11 really worth the asking price? You're going to expect a great deal for this kind of cash, and you don't necessarily get it.
Why can the G11 only manage 1.1 frames per second at full resolution in continuous-shooting mode? It's only got 10 megapixels after all, so is this the fastest that Canon's Digic processing technology can go?
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swag 13 October 2010
Good: easy to use
Bad: very slow processor
Comment: good compact a little expensive
Glen Godfrey 21 August 2010
Good: Picture quality and price.
Bad: Not added feature to replace lenses
Comment: This compact G11 is a great little camrea. If your looking for highend photo’s go out and buy a highend DSLR. I shoot all types of photos from portraits to macro and everything in between. When I’m out on a shoot I lug a bag of photo gear that would brake the back of the weak, now I take one DSLR and my Canon G11 as a back up to get the job done. The G11 is a fun lovin’ work horse. I’m about to do a shoot with an up and coming fashion model, I will start the job with my G11 to put it to the test, so far the G11 can hold it’s own up against the big DSLR’s. I’m a Nikon guy and realy like the Canon G11. It get’s the job done and does it well.
mogginski 17 February 2010
Good: Sturdiness of the body.
Bad: Video - not as sharp as Canon G9 video
Comment: Replaced my G9 with this G11 - mainly only shoot RAW - found far less noise at ISO80 with this camera than the G9. Best part is having all the major controls on top of the camera like ISO, exposure etc. Could never contemplate having a jpeg only P&S camera, this one gives you total control when RAW shooting. However the wide angle jpegs also come in handy for certain landscapes.
Video is a let down. Assumed it would be similar to that obtained from the G9 but I found it distinctly unsharp which basically means I wont be using it. Tried another copy of the G11 and found that to be the same so it looks like the problem is not me!
Software wise the supplied Canon RAW converter(DPP) does a good job with colours, sharpness and any CA. Well pleased.
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