Canon PowerShot G9 Digital Camera

The G9 was bought as a 'take-it-anywhere' compact which would give the same sort of quality as my normal Canon 40D SLR. The major attractions were:

The provision of RAW image files.
The opportunity to manually control nearly all functions of the camera.
A sturdy body which is not TOO small.
A large clearly viewed LCD screen - 3 ins.
Image Stabilisation.
Flash contacts for an external flash unit.

The camera has been used now for a few weeks - mainly during cloudy overcast weather out of doors. The rest of this review really describes how well the camera has handled.

The camera is solid and the extending lens assembly is sturdily built with NO detectable slack/movement when fully extended.

USABILITY
Controls
The camera does support a large number of control buttons - by memory 9 excluding the shutter release and the zoom lever. It really is difficult to get used to functioning of these buttons. There are also separate dials for ISO speed and 'camera mode' some of the buttons open up display menus on the large LCD screen rather than in themselves performing a single function. This can be confusing as the contents of these menus can depend upon the camera mode that has been chosen. Overall just about any setting can be changed but the number of buttons with different functions and the number of options in some of the menus can be confusing. AT LEAST THERE IS A PROGRAMMED OR AUTOMATIC CAMERA SETTING WHICH WILL AVOID THE USE OF SOME OF THE CONTROLS. DEFINITELY ONLY BUY IF YOU WANT ALL THESE FEATURES OR THE QUALITY OF THE RAW IMAGE FILES.

Viewfinder
A typical rangefinder type of viewfinder but not one which I like on this camera. No difficulty viewing the whole frame but a small image - I prefer to use the large LCD for framing the picture which is unusual - in general I prefer to use a viewfinder.

LCD
Very large and bright - shows the shot images very clearly even out of doors. Also the items on the set-up menus are large and clearly visible - easy to set up - once you know what they do!!!!

IMAGE QUALITY
I really cannot find much fault with the images taken by the camera. I have been using RAW image files so I cannot comment on the quality of the jpg files. All I can say is the quality compares very favourably with those taken by the Canon 40D that I own at the lower ISO settings. The colour rendition and exposure is extremely good even under some very poor cloudy winter conditions.

OVERALL
A camera which has in general met the high expectations that I had for it. In general I like the feel of it. My previous digital cameras - Sony Cybershot compact, Olympus C2500 TTL viewfinder,Canon 10D SLR and Canon 40D SLR.
Downside
The complexity of the menus.
Increased image noise as the ISO settings are turned up.
Lowish power of the built in flash - really need an external flash.

Would only really recommend the camera if control is required over most of the camera settings or RAW image files - otherwise many other cheaper cameras could do a similar job.

UPDATE: June 09. The camera will not focus correctly. Apparently the focussing mechanism is not as robust as most people would wish and can be damaged by small knocks/dropping. This camera has not been mistreated. The G range of cameras is apparently prone to this fault which requires replacement of the whole focussing mechanism at cost of £120. A group court action against Canon was planned against Canon at one time.

The Canon G9 is the kind of camera that can be used to produce professional looking shots. The Zoom is superb with a range between about 35-mm to 200-mm together with image stabilizing makes it very useable. I purchased this camera about 4 weeks ago and it had impressed me with it's quality and easy of use. I am a professional photographer, this camera is ideal to take on holiday and create photographs that people expect from a pro. At last I don't need to take all my gear with me on holiday! Thank you Canon.

The Canon Powershot G9 is a 12 megapixel digital camera with a 6x optical zoom lens. Those headline features only tell part of the story as the Powershot G9 is about the most advanced compact camera on the market. In terms of features it has a roll call similar to what you would expect from an SLR camera. It is ideal for a photography enthusiast or someone who owns an SLR, but is looking for a more portable second camera.

Style:
The Powershot G9 has quite a chunky design. If I say it resembles a small brick you may get the wrong idea as what this does is give the camera a very sturdy feel. It is a good size to take a decent grip of and will appeal to many people looking for a "real" camera.

Dimensions:
106.4 x 71.9 x 42.5 mm

Weight:
320g

Batteries:
Lithium ion. A battery and charger are supplied with the camera. Canon estimates you should be able to take around 240 shots between recharges.

Memory Cards:
A 32mb SD card is supplied with the camera. Roughly 10-12 photos can be taken before the card is full. The SD card can be upgraded.

Conclusion:
The Canon Powershot G9 ticks all the right boxes. In terms of picture quality it is difficult to find much better in a compact camera. It is also packed with features and it will be hard to let this camera go once you've experienced it. A recommended item!

It's got everything an slr's got and more. Don't worry about fixed lenses, this one you can add wide & tele on a adaptor tube. Also filters & lense hood. Also has a hot shoe for a big flash gun. Takes perfect pictures. Don't worry about what the experts say about noise and such, I can't see any of that. I think they are being too picky!!!

I have owned an SLR before I found them too large for everyday use; once you've had access to a really good camera, the limitations of compact point and shoot cameras really get to you. This is the very happy compromise between the fully manual aspects of an SLR and the convenience of a compact camera, the ability to add wide angle adapters and filters to the camera are the icing on the cake. The lens is super sharp and with image stabilisation takes great photo's in all conditions, this is simply the best camera at this price and size.

I already have a Nikon Coolpix digital camera but decided to upgrade because when taking pictures outdoors you could not hear the shutter button and I either ended up taking half a dozen pitures or none at all. No problems with this Canon digital camera you are able to increase the shutter volume independantly so I should'nt have that problem again. Once I got a US UK adaptor and downloaded an English instruction manual (Japanese import) I was up and running and soon found out how easy it was to operate. I think the way the many buttons are so easily set out and so descriptive I would have fathomed it out eventually but the instructions make sure you don't miss out all those extra hidden features like the shutter volume and taking movies with sound. At face value and from other reviews I have read I think I will end up seeing some truly amazing pictures including panoramic pictures using the cameras inbuilt technology. The plus with this camera is that it allows my camera knowledge to grow by having seperate ISO settings and being able to change the lenses. But for now I can fall back on the Auto setting and enjoy 12.1 mega pixel quality pictures using the good sized 3" screen.

I have a Canon DSLR but wanted a pocket camera for times when it is not convenient to carry the DSLR and lenses. I prefer to shoot in RAW and therefore looked for a compact that also shot RAW files, the G9 is one of very few compacts that do this.

The G9 also fits well into my hands, that are not as flexible as they once were, so I can report that I have had no problems obscuring important areas with my fingers. I would have preferred a wider aperture than the 35mm of this model but up till now I have not found this limitation to be to much of a problem. Battery life appears good but I also carry a spare which I have used, when running out during a walk. Overall I am happy with the camera's performance to date using it in photo and avi mode and trying most of its features, but not all at this point in time.

Although this compact appears to meet my basic requirements i have only rated it as good not excellent because it does not replace my DSLR but rather complements it.

I had had a view of a number of reviews of this camera on sites like steve's digicam, dpreview etc. Having used it for nearly a month, I would say that the reviews were quite accurate.

This is a great digital camera to have for an enthusiast. It small size means it can go on occasions where a SLR is im-practical. Think of it as a range-finder.

I would summaries the pros and cos that I felt during the last month.

Pros: Small size (smaller than a SLR not smaller than a compact).
Great Image stabilization. I could handhold it at even 1/2 sec.
JPG+RAW simultaneous shoot.
Good results at upto ISO 200.
Full manual.

Cons: Could be faster for simultaneous shoot. currently 1fps
No bulb setting. Max shutter only 15 sec.
Wide angle only 35mm. Should have started from 28mm.
LCD quite exposed to scratches.

The ebay seller was great. It was in fact a Jessops shop that sells re-conditioned gear on ebay.

When you get accessories for it go for the original Canon ones. I bought Opteka wideangle lens for it and it is not compatible.

Hope this helps.

I think there is nothing wrong I can say about this camera.
Is just what I wanted: Manual features as a DSLR, or almost, in a small and, in some way, light body. It can be fitted in a pocket, and the quality of it is just great.
I would reccomend buying a new battery pack. There are on ebay ones of 1700mAh, that works just as the original one. But lasting much longer than the original one(700mAh) I just been out on the hills, took over 70 pictures, and one video, going up to 924m. And when I back home, the battery indicator was still Full. Reviewing the pics, copy them into PC...and a day later, still full. It is really worth the investment. Also, an Screen protector. As the G9 screen is grean, with good colours, and is worth to protect it.
Another couple of things, I have purchased, and they are really helpfull, are a bigger and faster memory card (mine is 4gb, Extreme 3.) and a wrist strap. Much handier than the neck strap that goes with the camera.
Overall, I am very happy with it.

The product is a new Canon G9 camera and of course is excellent. Beware of buying unless you know a product really is from the UK. This supposedly was located in Bristol and priced in sterling, but actually was in the USA and I am faced with paying duty/VAT. I did not know until after delivery.

I trawled through as many camera sites as i could looking to upgrade from just being a point and shoot photographer with a digital camera to haveing an interest in what i was taking and what i could do with a good camera without going to the expense of an SLR.To cut a long story short most seem to point in the direction of the G9 and all it's tricks so i bought one.I have been useing an ordinary 5.2 Mpixil camera so the crossover was quite a big one,12.1Mpixil,6xoptical 4xdigital lens and more tricks than i could discribe until i've had the camera for a while.The end results are so much better and the included software lets you adjust you photos in ways i never thought possible.I beleive a lot of SLR users carry and use a G9 as well and can see why.

I was concerned that I might find the G9 PowerShot hard to operate with one hand, knowing that a special grip accessory has been developed for the G7 and G9 body style.
After a few days' use, I have concluded that there is no problem for me. There is one control I cannot reach - the ISO setting dial - but I can reach the menu controls that allow the camera to choose the ISO setting.
Image stabilisation and short shutter delay take the frustration out of digitally photographing frisky young shildren.
Best of all, the G9 is capable of that elusive image quality that I have missed from my two-handed days with Canon film-cameras, and it's there in portrait and landscape work - hurrah!

The Canon G9 is the ideal camera to take when your DSLR kit is too heavy or inappropriate. It'll just about fit into a pocket, yet has features that deliver most of the control & flexibility of a DSLR. Because of this flexibility, it's not an ideal beginner's point & shoot camera, but it'll do that job too if need be with fancy functions such as face recognition and various pre-set modes.

Image quality is very good with excellent sharpness and detail. There is some barrel distortion and purple-fringing, but it's slight and can be corrected with post-processing if required. In fact, since the G9 supports saving images in RAW format, post-processing is well-supported with a variety of packages available on the market (and I would recommend Bibble). The Image Stabilisation (IS) feature is superb allowing hand-held shots down to 1/8th second in wide-angle mode. Mind you, the wide-angle isn't that wide at 35mm focal length equivalent. The max zoom of 210mm is a nice compensation, but for me I would have preferred a shorter focal length at the wide-angle end (28mm or better).

The biggest downsides to image quality are noise at high ISO (noticable at 200, usable at 400 and draft-quality only after that), and lack of dynamic range. However, these limitations are apparent only when compared with DSLR cameras having much larger sensors so this criticism needs to be taken in context. I have a 40D as well as the G9 and in the right lighting it is impossible to tell photos from the two cameras apart. There are professionals who have had work published from a G9 - it's that good.

Finally, the G9 has a long list of useful additional features such as macro mode (down to 1cm focus), basic video (with sound), time-lapse, external-flash connection, fast start-up, good battery-life and many more that it's hard to criticise it as an overall package. It's also extremely solidly built which makes ownership a highly rewarding experience. Top marks to Canon in my opinion.

Great camera with 2gb memeory card. Love the retro styling and the three inch LCD panel on the rear.
I think the camera misses a swivel LCD panel like the early "G" models

I bought the camera to take on holiday to Namibia where I was attending an archery competition. I wanted the ability to take high quality photographs of scenery and wildlife without having to carry a lot of equipment. The G9 performed well in most conditions. It is best when used in good light conditions as it is slow to focus in low light. The movie mode is particularly good and gives hgih quality movies without fuss. It is extremely portable and will easily fit in a pcoket or bag. All controls are easily accessible but it handles better with a grip attached, (I bought one from a specialist provider).
Overall I have bben extremely pleased with the camera and would recommend it as a lightweight alternative to a DSLR.

I was very happy with this camera, mainly because of the very good value. It cost me about 200 euros less than I would have paid for in my local camera shop. Unfortunately, the camera is an import from the United States and is not covered by a repair warranty in the EU. This is absolutely contrary to the sellers claims. When I queried him about this, my emails were ignored. When I gave the seller a negative feedback, I received abusive emails from him, this has considerably diminished my satisfaction with the purchase and I would never buy anything from this seller again.

This is a lot of camera for your money. Easy to handle with user-friendly menus. Fantastic results with clear sharp pictures. I used the beach/snow scene setting a lot in the tropical sun with excellent results. Equally good on the P setting or fully auto for other scenes. The panoramic setting was very successful.
The addition of a remote control option would make this camera even better!

a quality compact being an improvement on my g5 although without the remote control which would have been a useful addition.

G9 is very good and fast camera. I find it very convenient for travalling because it is small but has numerous functions that are not easy to find even in an expensive SLR.

Its amazing!!

good for pro and good for amateaurs as well.

robust frame eASY TO USE ...

ajánlom mindenkinek tényleg qrva jó kis gép...

tamaskar

I had high hopes for the G9, partly they were fulfilled but only partly - The 3" screen is superb (but get a screen protector) and outdoors low ISO the camera performs admirably - However, my reason for buying it was as a snapshot wedding camera but unfortunately the noise is way beyond useable (for me anyway) - If you are looking for the best 'general' camera that you can put in your pocket then this might be for you, the 6x zoom, IS, screen, RAW and manual controls make this a superb camera, general shooters will not be bothered about the ISO performance so I hightly recommend it - However, if you are buying this for its low light performance, don't bother, check out the new Ricoh GR - If you don't need a pocket camera then go for a DSLR like the Alpha A100/200 - You will get far far better results

The G9 has been an excellent stepping stone on my digital camera education. The learning curve in starting to use manual controls has been steep, but well rewarded by the camera. First and foremost, the image quality is excellent. The camera is far less bulky than my bridge Olympus 570, though not so easily pocketable as the Pentax W60 that still goes with me on my fishing trips; since I fall in a lot, a waterproof camera is essential. Battery life is very good, the flash and low light performance very good. Would have liked a better quick start guide; the downloaded manual whilst completely inclusive is not the most user friendly.
The service and price from the Canon EBay shop made me feel I had collared a real bargain, too, but the real proof is the remarkable image quality. A happy bunny.

An excellent compact camera. I use it when scuba diving and the canon gives me the full control over apeture, shutter speed and ISO that I need in underwater conditions.

A Very solidly built camera that gives great results. Only downside is it is a little bulky for general use but this is of no concern to me when it is in the Ikelite underwater housing. I rate it that highly I now own 2 just in case one gets damaged whist diving