Canon PowerShot G9 12.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Reviews

• Review compared to G7

  
  By A3FPSY1M6G7XIB on 2007-09-08
  I had the opportunity to get my hands on the G9 a week ago and have used it exclusively for the past week.
  
  Based on my personal observations (And I loved the G7):
  
  I see practically no differences in Image Quality at all. I thought the G7 was superb, and I find the G9 to be superb.
  
  The 12 MP is practically indifferent from the 10 MP on the G7. Sure it gives you slightly more pixel to play with for cropping and printing, but negligibly so.
  
  The design is virtually the same -- the screen is a bit larger, but for all practical purposes it looks and feels the same. I don't see any difference in "brightness" on the screen -- it looked great on the G7 and it looks great on the G9.
  
  THere is a slight contour change on the front with a barely noticable front grip molding -- maybe 1/16 inch more than the original. I honestly can't feel a difference although some users have.
  
  It does have RAW - a feature I don't need nor do I plan to use. But its nice that it is there for those who want it.
  
  The ISO and noise appears to be the same -- the G9 excels at night neon shots - just like the G7. I see no difference in noise between the two cameras.
  
  The shutter lag is exactly the same as the G7 - I don't see any difference like some reviewers have mentioned... it seems exactly the same.
  
  Some say that the optical view finder works better - that it is clearer with less parallax. I have never used an optical view finder on a point-and-shoot in my life, so I can't compare this feature. I will add that here, though, since others have found it a useful improvement.
  
  I also don't see any difference in battery life -- maybe its more problematic if you use RAW, but I've gotten the same 450 plus shots out of the battery, just like the G9.
  
  The design of the lens and the connections are the same, so I expect those of us who carry it around in our pockets are going to have the same dust problems we had with the G7.
  
  Finally in similarities -- the camera feels the same and weighs the same. It responds the same when you start it up, and it makes just as much noise as the original. The trademark Canon grinding lens noise is intact.
  
  in differences: that old 2GB card that used to get 800 shots at 10 MP now gets 600 shots at 12 MP.
  
  The autofocus seems slower on the G9.
  
  Macro shots do not focus as quickly or as well on the G9. There are some shots that I routinely was able to quickly use macro for on the G7, that now require quite a bit of futzing to get sharp and focused in the G9. I suppose that is one of the changes because of the larger sensor, but I don't know. I actually thought there might be something wrong with the camera, but looking at another G9 at a different camera shop (so it wasn't the lot number) I was able to reproduce the same difficulty focusing with Macro as on my personal G9, so it's apparently a camera thing.
  
  The long and the short of it -- I don't think it is worth the Upgrade if you have a G7 unless you really really want the RAW. For all other practical purposes, it's the same on a day-to-day usage level.
  
  If you are new to the Canon Powershot G line, then skip the G7 and purchase the G9 -- it is like "G7 SuperCharged" -- while in general the two are identical. THe G9 is actually less expensive than the G7 as well.
  
  

• Good specs, so-so in reality

  
  By APBB297H3ZA5E on 2007-10-04
  1. Background info: I am not a Canon user (but I have nothing against Canon products), I've shot with film for many years (Contax), and digitally for the past 4+ years (Sony 828, Sony V3, Sony R1).
  
  2. I was very interested in the G9 when it was recently announced because of the great reputation of the Canon G series and most importantly--> the return of the RAW format in the G9. Furthermore, everything on paper completely outshined my ancient Sony V3; a very good camera but very very slow... and with limited zoom range etc...
  
  3. Thus it was very dissapointing when I had to return the Canon G9 after several days of testing. Here were my impressions of the camera.
  a. Build Quality: Good
  b. Size: Good; actually smaller than my V3.
  c. Performance: excellent--> RAW write times were impressively fast (for a point and shoot).
  d. LCD: completely terrible. This is supposed to be the state of the art LCD (3 inch), but there was an overt cool /bluish color cast. I tried every suggested variable (via Canon Tech and various on the forums), I went to a local camera store to try another G9 (same problem), and my observations were also confirmed via numerous folks on the web. Some suggested that I just ignore the color cast and just use the LCD for framing and for checking basic exposure--initially a resonable argument but then when you logically think about it--> why should anyone put up with an overt color cast (and also an overly contrasty) image on the LCD, in a supposed top of the line point and shoot camera, from an industry leader like Canon? It just doesn't make sense. I mean, a $200.00 cheap 5 MP camera has better color rendition on the LCD than this G9.
  e. Even with the above LCD issues, I was still going to keep it if it weren't for the only "ok" image results. I did some basic testing comparing the G9 vs Sony V3 (real old camera)--> all shot in RAW, all shot via Tripod, all shot using calibrated gray card etc... Bottomline, the G9 images were good and I'm sure that people will be able to get nice shots from this camera--> but when / if you actually compare it to something like the Sony V3 (which again is an old camera)--> the Sony consistently just produces more sharper images.
  
  4. Thus each person will have to decide what's important to them in regards to their photographic needs / wants / goals etc... For me, it's always image quality and thus I had to return the G9. All around a decent camera that could and should have been a lot better. For now, I'll continue using the Sony V3 and episodically be frustrated with the slow performance, but at least the image quality will be excellent.
  
  

• Perfect SLR alternative

  
  By A1P182GG9I4SUC on 2007-09-13
  
  I've owned the G7 for about 1 month now and I've really learned to appreciate all its advanced features - but recently I received my G9 and I will be returning the G7. What I like about the G9 over the G7:
  
  1. Bigger screen (3.0" vs 2.5") - with no apparent decrease in battery life.
  2. Picture quality is better. I have done many parallel tests using the exact settings on both cameras (with the exception of the 12 vs 10 MP of course) and the results have been clearly more favorable towards the G9 in terms of light metering and sharpness. The G9 has a new metering system as well as a more advanced focusing system too.
  3. RAW option is great. Even though most pics will be taken using JPEG (to conserve memory space), you know it when you've got a great landscape with just the perfect lighting conditions that you know may result in a printable pic, in which case you will want to have a raw copy for processing it to the highest potential.
  4. Timelapse photo functionality is a very nice to have option which the g7 lacks
  5. The physical handling of the camera is better, the front has more grip.
  6. Some other design aesthetics have also gone into the g9 which I prefer.
  7. Noise levels are exactly the same as in the G7. I tested both up to 400 ISO (I would not use anything higher that that) many times and the speculations found on the internet forums that the higher number of pixels would result in more noise is simply incorrect - at least in my ability to see it in my tests.
  
  * the only thing I dislike in the g9 over the g7 is that new usb connection door mechanism. It feels like it may one day break even with proper use. The "slide out" door (like the battery door) mechanism was so much better in terms of use and possible durability.
  
  If I were a G7 owner (and you could not return it because you've had it longer than 30 days) I would not upgrade as the g7 is a superb camera - but if you were looking to buy a new camera the g9 is a better choice over the g7. The g9 is the perfect camera alternative to a bulky SLR - without the loss of total photographic control or quality. Highly recommended.
  
  
  
  

• Incredible camera; very worthy upgrade from the G7

  
  By A3TJ1V8IW0VNBT on 2007-09-21
  If you're a photographer who cares about image quality, and can't always lug around a DSLR, buy this camera. You will have no regrets.
  
  I've had its predecessor, the G7, for about a year. It has been my normal always-in-the-bag camera. The G7 was limited at ISO 400; the G9 isn't. My normal workflow with the G9 is to use CS3 to import RAW images (fixing chromatic abberation on the way into CS3 in 16-bit mode), and then to use Noise Ninja to clean up image noise. With this workflow, ISO 400 and ISO 800 are completely usable. (You can also play with some other settings in Adobe Camera Raw, like Recovery.)
  
  And for everyone: you really should never, ever use a built-in strobe on a camera. The G9 (like the G7) has a hot shoe. Use it!
  
  Canon fixed a bunch of the G7's problems in the G9, the most glaring of which is the G9 now has a battery meter! (I can't tell you how much that lapse bugged me.) The new LCD monitor is much, much bigger -- and gorgeous. And best of all, the camera body is the exact same size and shape, and fits in my underwater housing. (Update: not all the buttons work. The most glaring problem is possibly the zoom can't be changed, and that you can't change to macro mode underwater. I'll probably get the new housing, but the existing one is functional.)
  
  Nits: the new cover for the USB connector is a downgrade, but one that I can put up with. The lens is unchanged, and has a fair bit of barrel distortion at its widest angle. You can clean up the barrel distortion somewhat in CS3, but straight horizontal lines become slightly wavy. I'm being hyper-picky here, but please know that you're not replacing a DSLR with a prime wide angle lens. You're just buying a small camera that you can take anywhere.
  
  Buy it. Shoot lots of pictures with it. Be happy!
  
  

• Small, powerful camera

  
  By ADVLRJS633OTD on 2007-10-08
  Theres really not much difference between the new 12.1 megapixel Canon PowerShot G9 and the 10 megapixel PowerShot G7 it replaces. They pretty much look alike. They both are optically stabilized the same way. They have the same zoom lens (35mm equivalent), hotshoe and an optical viewfinder that's about the same. The G9 has a slightly bigger 3-inch wide view LCD. But I find them pretty much the same.
  
  I do love the fact that this camera responds quickly and it's built really tough. These days, that's a major asset.
  
  It does seem to have quite a bit of distortion at the widest angle when you zoom it way out as far as it will go. And the lens sort of gets in front of the viewfinder. It rather interferes with it to a small degree. Also there is no optical zoom during movie capture.
  
  This is a good camera that's similar to a true dSLR. And the fact it is ruggedly built adds to its desirability.
  
  The fact the zoom is stabilized is important. I wouldn't consider buying a camera that didn't offer this. Also, my macro shots are terrific. Another good feature with this camera.
  
  This is truly a camera for a real photographer. It includes a dedicated ISO dial, multi-control dial and customizable shortcut button.
  
  Highly recommended.
  
  
• Poor Quality Control, but great camera
  By A3P8ZIS7XEMWAO on 2007-11-04
  I really love the G9. This is the perfect camera for street photography. It takes much sharper pictures than the typical point and shoot and it is much easier for me to carry around than my Canon XT. (I keep it in my messenger bag when I walk around the city.)
  
  The 2 downsides:
  1) Noise. The pictures are definitely noisy indoors, no matter how much light. However, it's not any worse than your typical P&S. (It is worse than DSLR for sure though)
  
  2) Poor quality control. SHAME ON CANON. I'm on my fourth unit. All of them have been defective:
  
  a) Green cast on LCD edges when the LCD is black.
  b) Tilted/crooked LCD screen
  c) 4 bad pixels (two red and two white)
  d) Green case on LCD TOP AND BOTTOM
  
  I've given up on getting a good unit and am keeping the last one. Of all the potential defects I've seen, the green cast on the LCD is the least bothersome (since you can only see it on dark images; in most normal cases you can't really detect it). Much rather have a bad screen than bad pixels.
  
  I don't think I've really seen non-defective units of the G9....maybe at B&H at the store (where I bought mine), but now I think the lighting in the store just made it difficult to detect the defect (since when I looked at mine at the store, it was really hard to see the defect in the store lighting for some reason).
  
  
  Again, I'm REALLY disappointed in Canon's quality control. They made a great camera, but not a single one I've seen is defect free. This is the only reason why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4 or 5. This also gives me great hesitancy to buy other more expensive Canon products. ($500 for the G9 is not chump change, but I can live with bad qualtiy for good design. If I spent $1,500 on a Canon 40D and had a bad screen or hot pixels I would totally go nuts.)
  
  In addition, in reading many online forums on this issue, it seems that no one has gotten Canon to even acknowledge the LCD defective screen exists.
  
  Finally, I give Amazon 5 stars for their customer service. Much better hassle free returns with Amazon than at one of the local big New York camera shops (they are good at making recommendations, but returns? forget about it).
  
  
  
• Pro-grade SLR alternative
  By A34Q2L6CI9AXD1 on 2007-11-27
  I have been shooting with manual focus, manual exposure SLR systems since I was twelve years old. That's almost thirty years using kit like the Olympus OM-1 (my first love, too bad it was stolen!), Pentax MX, numerous lenses, professional flash equipment like Vivitar 283 and Sunpak 383. My cousin asked me to shoot her wedding, so I thought maybe the time had finally come to switch to digital.
  
  Okay, so maybe I'm old school, and maybe I have some unrealistic expectations for modern equipment, but every time I looked at the digital SLR offerings, I was disappointed. Even the Nikons (well, the affordable ones like the D70 and D80) were polycarbonate bodies with plastic lenses. Not professional-grade. Do you have to pay thousands of dollars to get a metal-bodied SLR today? Something built to withstand a 5 fps motor drive, like in the old days? Well, I looked at the Pentax K10D -- metal body, reasonably affordable, fully compatible with all my lenses -- but I just had this vague sense of dissatisfaction. These fragile contraptions are big, clunky, dare I say dorky compared to an old film SLR. Hey, and don't let any dust get on the sensor. Sheesh, talk about wearing kid gloves.
  
  Then a friend told me about the Canon G9. Whoa, paradigm shift here, folks. I hadn't considered a non-SLR, but I sure am glad I did. This thing has pro-grade features: aperture and shutter priority modes as well as full manual exposure, manual focus, RAW capability, decent optical zoom range, spot metering, a hot shoe that works with all my existing flash gear, and many other things that usually only make it into SLR's.
  
  For example, with most P&S cameras, shutter lag is a huge problem. Good portraits demand instant shutter response. The G9's shutter is almost instantaneous SO LONG AS you half-press to lock the focus, and compose with the optical viewfinder (i.e, turn the LCD off). I am getting great portraits of my kids using this technique, and it does feel a bit like using an old Leica rangefinder. Never understood why anyone would give up an SLR; now I get it. Quiet, easily concealed, doesn't announce "I AM A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER!" or otherwise make you look or feel like a dork. The optical viewfinder zooms pretty closely with the lens, and parallax has not been a problem. I wear eyeglasses and the viewfinder works just fine with them; in fact, better than with my MX. When using the viewfinder, the LCD just displays important camera information: shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, stuff like that. I've found it's pretty easy to glance down at the LCD to check those things, then return to composing in the viewfinder.
  
  For those moments when I really need to see exactly what's in the frame, I switch to composing with the LCD. This is handy to set the manual exposure, too. I shot some pics of my kids in front of the fireplace and in front of the Christmas tree, with available light, and I just dialed down the shutter speed in manual mode until the exposure looked right in the LCD. And what an LCD -- again, it's SLR-grade.
  
  Overall, the build quality is phenomenal for this price. It feels solid. Others have compared it to a tank, or a swiss watch, or a Leica. It is very enjoyable to hold and use. Taking pictures is fun again!
  
  Video capability is a bonus, too, that you won't find on SLR's. I'm not a big video shooter, but I have two young kids and there'll be times when I want it. Back when I was looking at SLR's, I always figured I'd need to purchase a separate (cheap) video camera, maybe a Pure Digital Flip model. Not anymore.
  
  The G9 is not perfect. Some shortcomings can be overcome or compensated for, while others simply can't. I am disappointed with the noise above ISO 200. Autofocus is not as fast as an SLR. Wide-angle zoom isn't as wide as I'd really like. The retractable lens looks a bit fragile to me. I recommend the Lensmate lens adapter for when you think you might bump into things. It's anodized aluminum, so it's rugged; unfortunately, it really sticks out into the optical viewfinder, cutting off about half the view. Well, that's when you go with the LCD, I guess. Works of man fall short of perfection, and all gear has strengths and limitations. Learn them and use them, or work around them as best you can. There are lighting conditions that NO digital handles well, and for those, I'm happy to continue shooting film.
  
  But for everything else, I'm really happy with the portability, control, responsiveness, and quality of the G9. All things considered, especially that it's less than half the price of a D80 or "serious" DSLR, it is a great camera.
  
  
• Great point & shoot for a pro
  By A3P3V8O0TI6TLI on 2007-10-09
  I am a professional landscape photographer and I wanted a small point & shoot to have handy to grab pictures of my family as well as keep in the car at all times. The G9 delivers on all counts. I was waiting for Canon to release a point & shoot that could capture in RAW format, and when I heard about the G9 and after hearing lots of great things about the G7, I knew this would be the camera for me. The G9 is built like a tank for a point & shoot, captures beautiful images and is easy enough for my wife to use! My only beef is that the images get quite noisy at ISO's above 200, but that's the nature of the small sensor in a point & shoot. In most cases, it delivers very clean images. I like the manual dials on the top that allow me to very quickly choose the shooting mode and ISO. This is also a great camera to shoot in scenarios when you want to be a little more inconspicuous - great for street shooting. Overall, I am very happy with the G9.
  
  
• Plagued by stuck pixels
  By A2RCQKSH9Y972I on 2007-09-23
  I have bought and returned 3 PowerShot G9 cameras because of stuck pixels.
  
  I really like the features and size of the G9, but I cannot accept it if has stuck pixels.
  
  The first G9 I bought had two stuck pixels in every shot I took: One bright red one near the center and one faint green one about 3/4ths to the right. The stuck pixels were present in the image files. This was a major defect.
  
  The second G9 I bought had a bright blue stuck pixel on the LCD screen whenever the shot was previewed through the LCD viewfinder, but no stuck pixels in review mode (when the LCD was viewing pictures but not taking them), and no stuck pixels on uploaded pictures. This one was strange -- a distracting blue dot on your LCD viewfinder which isn't a permanent LCD display defect but always appears in camera mode. I suspect a software bug or something with the lenses/mirrors which only affects the LCD viewfinder.
  
  The third G9 I bought had a faint green pixel stuck on the LCD. I have not fully tested the extent of this stuck pixel (LCD, CCD, etc.) yet, because I will be returning the G9.
  
  I bought these three G9s from different venues (stores), and all had these problems. But since they were all right after the G9 was first released, it's possible they all came from the same bad manufacturing lot.
  
  Great camera, great features, great size, so long as you don't get stuck pixels.
  
  I've reluctantly switched to a S5 IS. I'd rather have 8 megapixels which work, than 12 megapixels which are a crap-shoot.
  
  More megapixels is not always better, and Canon seems to have spread the pixels too far in the G9.
  
  Caveat emptor.
  
  
• Extremely disappointed
  By A67IAEXTCDKNL on 2008-01-29
  I was very happy when I first received the camera, it was great. For almost a month. then one day I turned the camera on, the lens extended to the maximum position, and got stuck. the display said lens error, so I tired cycling power, and even removed the battery, but nothing changed. Not wanting to have to send it back, I thought since I could hear a motor turn after the camera was powered up, that I might be able to fix it if something was loose. Wrong. There is a ring around the lens, and the user manual said that if you press the ring release button, you could rotate the ring and change lenses. This didn't work so well, the lens became loose, so I had to send it back to Canon.
  
  I sent it to their repair facility, and they sent me a letter saying since the lens was broken, they would have to charge me $120. I agreed to that, since I shouldn't have attempted to fix it myself, but then a week or so later they called me up at 7am to tell me they couldn't fix it at all. They said when they looked further, the noticed that there was damage from liquid. I told them this was not possible, as the camera was never exposed to liquids while it was in my possession. One of their reps said something about corrosion, but I don't think I owned it long enough for it to be corroded by anything I would have done anyway.
  
  So I am out the $500 I paid for it, and I will never buy another Canon product again. It's their word against mine, and I know the camera was never exposed to liquids while I owned it, so they are calling me a liar. My only recourse, as I told them, is to tell everybody I know they can't be trusted. So here I am, telling even people I don't know, don't trust Canon. I am sure that most of you will be happy with your Canon product, but for the small percentage who aren't as lucky, it seems like they don't have to honor their warranty.
  
  
• about as good as it gets in a compact camera
  By A3F6UAM5NMMMJM on 2007-09-29
  I've had my G9 for a few weeks now and am very pleased. Image quality is top-notch for a non-SLR and the ability to shoot in RAW format is inidspensible. I've also used the G7 quite a bit previously and thought people might be interested in a comparison between the two.
  
  In short, if you already have a G7 and don't need RAW support, you won't see any huge advantage to the G9. However, anyone worried that the G9 will have greater noise issues due to the greater megapixel count will be reassured to know that, even at high ISO, the G9 seems to take slightly better pictures than the G7. Of course both are still pretty noisy at high ISO compared to a dSLR or even Fuji's Finepix f-series, but for overall picture quality and features I'd still go with the Canon unless high ISO shots are your primary focus.
  
  Users of the G7 will find a few menus reorganized, which is mildly inconvenient. The shortcut button makes it easier to set custom white balance modes but you can no longer use it to switch image stabilization on or off; you'll have to go through the menu for that. On the other hand the new screen is easier on the eyes, and despite the increased size the battery life is about the same.
  
  As others have mentioned, the one serious disadvantage to using this camera *now*, if you like working with RAW, is inconsistent support for the new RAW file format of the G9. It works reasonably well with the latest camera raw driver for Photoshop CS3, and I have no problem working with it in Adobe Lightroom, but it's not yet supported by iPhoto and the default exposure settings sometimes seem to be misinterpreted by other apps, so photos require more tweaking to "develop'. If you have a previous version of Photoshop or another program you can use the free Adobe DNG converter to convert the files, but this is an inelegant solution. Software updates will undoubtedly resolve these problems, but it's disappointing that Canon chose to introduce yet another proprietary format.
  
  
• Very Nice High-End P&S Camera
  By A11617B1NW474D on 2007-09-16
  Before I bought the G9, I owned both the G3 and G6. I loved both cameras. When I had the G3, I didn't really do much with it. The G6, I did a little more. With the G9, I plan to learn and do a whole lot.
  
  I pre-ordered the camera from Amazon on Thurs., Aug. 30th, and received it on Wed., Sept. 12th. I have taken over 600 pictures with it already.
  
  If you are a G6 owner, you should move up to the G9. Why? It definitely has both a different look and feel. It has taken me some time to get used to. I really love the camera.
  
  The Canon G series has been great for those of us who want more out of a P&S camera but won't or can't move up to a DSLR.
  
  For DSLR users, this camera would be a great companion camera. It is not designed to replace a DSLR as some people think.
  
  
• Canon G9 Comments
  By AELQMX8YAEEYI on 2007-10-06
  I've had my G9 for a couple of weeks and I'm pleased with it. It will not replace my Canon DSLRs, but will go with me when they will not.
  
  Image quality is quite good, up to ISO 200. Shooting in RAW 400 and 800 are usable, with the provided Adaptive Noise processing (ZoomBrowser or ImageBrowser) doing a good job in cleaning up the RAW image. The 2 megapixel ISO 3200 SCN mode can be used for social events, in a pinch.
  
  My LCD has no objectionable color cast nor leakage.
  
  Optical viewfinder is usable, but I have to use the upper "tick" mark for composition -- since that's where the center of image is in most shots. No big deal since the big and bright LCD is used most frequently for composition.
  
  Overall, the G9 excites me while the G7 did not: Better IQ, much better LCD, grip improvements, RAW and MSRP $100 lower at introduction. Certainly not a quantum leap but a keeper (which my G7 was not).
  
  
• Poor quality of images
  By A6FJ0RJ4YBKT0 on 2007-09-27
  I am returning the camera. The images have plenty of problems:
  - wrong white balance indoor with artificial light, was not able to compensate with manual controls;
  - images are too contrasty, too dark and overexposed areas with relatively soft light; control does not allows to compensate for it;
  - too intense red and blue; the faces look purple;
  - not sharp enough; poor focusing
  I compared images on this camera with the images of the same objects, taken at the same time, with my Canon A710. The difference is obvious in favor of my old camera.
  
  
• Great camera but with its flaws
  By A3541BDZEBUAY1 on 2007-10-03
  I understand the limitations of the point and shoot camera. Among point and shoots digital cameras, this is the best available on the market. I wish Canon would stop jumping on the megapixel bandwagon and focus on IMAGE QUALITY. Cramming 12 megapixels into a tiny sensor comes at a price. In this case, it results in VERY poor ISO sensitivity. 400 ISO is pretty bad, and anything above that is utterly useless.
  
  I'd be much happier with a 8 megapixel camera with usable ISO in the 800 to 1600 range. People who buy this camera aren't going to get tack sharp 30 inch prints. Turn down the megapixels and turn up the ISO.
  
  4 stars out of 5 because of the LOUSY ISO.
  
  
  
• one of my favorites
  By A1VFNZFRIVPMNM on 2007-09-19
  I have used the G9 only for one week but it has become my favorite over several very good cameras. I am an experienced amateur and have some very nice equipment but I bought the 9 for it's compact size and ease of use, and the generally unobtrusive rangefinder style which is basically point and shoot with incredible breadth as applies to creativity. It is a very versatile camera with no limitations for general photojournalism and figure work which are my main interests. Incidently, it is my first Canon, and it is fast and accurate.
  Pro: versatile, creative, crystal image, fast steady autofocus. Crisp colors and fair battery life.
  Cons: I am trying to find a way to increase the grip. Menu items work only in certain modes which makes the learning curve a little steep.
  
  
• A Real Disappointment
  By A3BE46LY1Z9K26 on 2007-11-22
  I bought the G9 as a replacement for my Casio Exilim P600, which I loved.
  
  I've been shooting with Canon Cameras since the early 1980's. I've got the Canon 5D, which is a very impressive camera, but wanted a good quality point and shoot. Researched for days, read all the reviews, finally ordered the G9. I just couldn't wait until it arrived!! Got here in two days, felt nice and sturdy when I took it out of the box, 3" LCD Screen is HUGE, controls are easy to get to...but after "battling" with it for the last 24 hours, I am terribly disappointed. It's going back.
  
  This camera's "AUTO", P, TV and AV functions are absolutely useless. The G9 is unable to balance highlights and shadows. It blows out the highlights, which is even more aggravated by the quality of the LCD screen. When you get the shot on the computer, it's not nearly as bad as it looked on the screen, but, it's still bad. With a herculean effort, you can get a decent (not great, but okay) shot in Manual, but if I wanted to work that hard I'd just pull out the 5D.
  
  The image stabilization feature totally ruins the shot with noise, it looks like you've "sharpened" it to the hilt in photoshop...took me awhile to figure out why everything looked almost "crystallized"...so you have to have the IS turned off and without it, the G9 is just not a low light camera. The Flash really produces a very strangely colored shot, which really IS as bad on the computer as it looks on the LCD screen.
  
  The color on the LCD screen is really washed out so you can't see if any shot you take under any lighting conditions shot is usable...or should I say "fixable" in PhotoShop, because none of the 250 shots I took today were "usable" straight off the camera...until you download it to the computer. The autofocus is not reliable...I had pictures taken in broad daylight of still subjects, come out blurry. I am just in totl shock. I can't even believe this is a Canon product.
  
  I am sending my Casio in for repair.
  
  
• G9 has a LCD light leak problem
  By A1UH7WYR1N9Q48 on 2007-10-17
  I have returned four G9s because of the LCD light leak problem. Just search G9 light leak on dpreview.com and you'll see photos of what I'm talking about. My 40D, 20D, SD550, and HV20 do not have the light leak issue that the G9 has.
  
  If you don't want to search, just put the camera in playback mode without a SD card installed and take a look at the lower right hand of the screen. If you have ever pressed the screen of your laptop, a similar effect is shown on the affected G9.
  
  I really want to own the camera, but not at the expense of a lower quality LCD screen.
  
  I'll wait until Canon fixes the problem or until I get a "good" copy before I update this review with the actual usage of the camera. The first thing I do when I get the camera is to check if the LCD has this issue, if it does, I promptly return it for an exchange.
  
  
• Excellent product, but not quite great. This is a long one.
  By A2Z80YUFRGHRI1 on 2008-04-02
  i would highly recommend heading over to luminous landscape and reviewing the travel article about a trip one of these took to japan in the hands of an expert, Nick Devlin. i think it very realistically sums up the capabilities of this camera far more accurately than a lot of the sourness you read here.
  
  I've owned and used several canon S and G series cameras in this range. Before the advent of affordable DSLR cameras my assessment would be different than it is now, much more harsh perhaps. Many of us vacillated to these from film SLR's because they were the only show, but the world has changed. DSLR's were out of reach as they were crazy expensive, so cameras like this, at the upper end of the PS scale (dubbed "prosumer"), had some big shoes to fill and were labored with high expectations. All of this history is crammed in 5 or 6 short years; the velocity of change has been incredible. Today is no different than it was then, this is not a do all, end all camera and I don't think Canon means it to be. One main distinction is that the ranks have thinned and many of its features can only be found in a rangefinder camera if you go all the up the food chain the Leica M8. It is not a beginner's camera, unless that person wishes to learn about the fine points of photography. A DSLR is quite simply a better deal and can be had for about the same money as the G9, but the price you pay is bulk.
  
  This is an advanced piece and it fills some very specific purposes, but it is not for everyone. I get the impression from many that they expect it to be a viable replacement for an SLR and it is not.The G9 will produce excellent results, easily approaching what can be got out of an SLR in many situations, but it can take a lot more work to get those results and the images may have some noise or contrast issues in extreme cases.
  
  It does have a major flaw in viewfinder coverage and parallax, but it is clearly left on there as a bail out. In case of low battery or for some discrete times or in high contrast conditions it can make the difference between getting the shot and missing out. You can use it, but it requires some creativity and practice. This is not unique to this camera, but common to the breed. It seems worse since there is such a huge focal length range to cover, but these optical VF's on all brands of cameras have always been marginal at best. One thing I do miss, though, is the swivel LCD. That was always a gas to use, but it also made the G (G2/3/5/6) cameras bigger and fatter than the S's (S30/30/45/50/60/70/80). Once I could afford an SLR, all I owned was the S's. Now I think Canon has kind of blended both lines into one, and I can live with what the G9 is fine; kind of an S series on steroids.
  
  The LCD might look a little cool in color temp, but saying it's got a blue cast and suggesting that it's not usable sounds like looking for something to complain about. I didn't buy and don't use the G9 as an image viewer, but as a tool to make them. All the LCD is meant for is basic shot framing and exposure review. Canon have done a splendid job in the live and shot review settings (live histogram, all the image details you could want) making this large LCD a great tool. No blue cast is evident in the final images (jpeg or raw), so what difference does a cool LCD make? If lighting is an issue and if the user is trying to control the output, the only real way (with any camera) to insure the final color balance is to shoot raw anyhow, so again, I just don't see an issue here, at least not where I'm sitting. I also own the SD850, and side by side I just don't see anything to carp about with either.
  
  I travel extensively and bring the G9 everywhere as I can't always carry my DSLR gear. I have found that I "need" one of these to satisfy my addiction. There is simply nothing else on the market that can offer the features and produce the results in such a compact package at such an affordable price (sometimes at any price). This one shows that Canon still sees this a viable niche to fill, and the G9 is the best of them I've used, all things considered. If Canon would design in a legitimate viewfinder, and if the lens could pick up a stop or 2 in speed and go wider on the short end, I think more serious photographers would own one. There would be no choice, unless you had the cabbage to carry the Leica. You just have to learn to compensate for the parallax, or frame more often with the LCD as things stand now, or go without. I think it's a shame if anyone ignores the G9 who is serious about making top quality images and needs the portability. In the correct hands it produces astonishing results.
  
  
  
• Excellent portable photography powerhouse
  By A2309QMAQ4MNJ9 on 2007-11-01
  I've had my new G9 for a few weeks, and so far I like it a lot. I have a Canon SLR (the 10D), and it's hard to beat the SLRs for taking a picture exactly when you press the shutter, though the G9 is no slouch in reaction time--and it will fit in my pocket, where the 10D requires its own pack.
  
  I did a lot of research when choosing the G9, but I had some pretty specific criteria I wanted to satisfy: Long digital zoom, RAW-capable (no G8), very portable (jacket pocket, not ultra-portable), and a flash hot shoe. It's a small camera--smaller than the flashes I tend to attach to it (like the Sigma EF 500 DG Super), but after learning how much better an external flash could make my photography look, I never wanted to go back. If you want the best facial tones you've ever seen, bounce a flash off a white ceiling rather than using the internal flash. The results are incredible.
  
  The screen is huge, the video quality is excellent, and the 6x optical + 4x digital zoom brings your total zoom to 24x, and at that magnification you still get a 1600x1200 photo (using digital zoom effectively crops in-camera)--which won't make a very good poster, but is more than enough to make a decent 4x6, and is huge if you're taking pictures for a web page. While you can certainly crop photos later, the extra zoom allows you to tell the camera what it is in the frame you're interested in--and then it can auto-focus on exactly the point you mean, just scan the interesting area for faces, or what have you. A great feature IMHO.
  
  Just turning this camera on is AMAZING. It must be less than a second from when you hit on to when the lens has extended and it's ready to take a picture--actually faster than my old 10D! It has a quiet zoom, and the auto-face-recognition is pretty magical, though it doesn't perform as well on a face in profile.
  
  I love the animated user interface, too--a minor bit of polish for sure, but it's yet another thing to be happy about. :)
  
  Negatives: Well, I have the Canon 10D, the old PowerShot G1, and a Canon MiniDV Camcorder that all use the same battery type (Canon BP511A), and so it was a bit of a bummer having to use a new charger and battery for the G9--though it's smaller, and as a result the camera can be smaller, so it was a minor price to pay. The G1 also had a fold-out swivel screen, which was great, and I do miss it on the G9--though the G9 has a HUGE screen, so again it's a trade-off.
  
  If you're not used to holding the shutter down half-way to prefocus, it's not the fastest at locking on a focus and taking a shot--but just about no auto-focus pocket-cameras WILL focus from scratch really quickly, at least none that I'm aware of. If you do learn to press halfway to set up the shot in advance, it's decently fast for a non-SLR--and you can set it to "Kids and Pets" mode to encourage it to prefocus as much as possible.
  
  In any event, it's my new favorite camera. I'm not selling my 10D yet, but I'm certainly considering it...
  
  
• Canon G9 Review
  By A3GHT7B8YZ7G14 on 2007-11-21
  I am impressed with what this small camera can do. I wanted to upgrade to a small P&S that would have great image potential and would give the controls of a DSLR. The problem with small sensor cameras is that they are useless, for the most part, over ISO 400. I didn't expect this camera to be any different. It is the most advance P&S camera I've every used and in some respects is more advanced that my 40D. I don't shoot in "MODES" very often, so most of the consumer features are meaningless to me. The face recognition is interesting and works as advertised. Having a flash hot shoe really makes this camera nice for night work. Although my 580EX flash is larger than the camera. I have also tried it with Minolta flashes and it works just as good.
  
  DON'T EXPECT DSLR pictures out of a this P&S....but this is as close as I've every gotten to them. Until I played with this camera the Canon S70 was the king. This camera is better than the S70 in every side by side test I've run.
  
  
  NOTE: If you don't know much about photography and want a "happy snappy" this isn't the camera for you.
  
  PROS:
  RAW
  Great Battery Life
  Excellent Image Quality
  Excellent Color Recognition
  AF is quick
  IQ is quick
  Great large display with all info needed WB/RGB
  Ability for full manual control
  ISO 80-200 rocks
  ISO 400 has great grain and make killer B&W (like shooting Tri-X film)
  IS works for 1-2 stops depending on zoom length
  Adapter for filters and extra lens are cheap
  $28 dollar grip mod is KILLER
  Like shooting LECIA rangefinder
  
  CONS:
  35mm is not quite wide enough (adapter 10-28s are cheap though)
  ISO 800-3200 is useless (ISO 800 is good for web under right conditions)
  Menus are Canon confusing (although I have the Canon thing down so it doesn't bother me)
  You will need to PP the RAW and JPEG to get the best out of the camera (really though, most camera are this way)
  NOT FOR THE NOVIS or PARTY PIC shooter.
  Price ($435ish)
  
  
• photogirl
  By A15M44Q9J2KB1T on 2008-02-11
  The first time I used this camera it had the lens freeze up and stay stuck with a lens error message and to restart camera. Nothing I did worked and I called Canon. They told me to ship it back to who I bought it from. I'm waiting to hear from them...but now I google lens error g9 and oh my there are alot of other people out there with the same problem. Some of them never got their money back or a new camera...it is enough to make me think twice about this camera. Check that out before buying.
  
  
• Overpriced G7 with a broken raw mode and ~no other advantages.
  By AZP8N5KC7NGV5 on 2007-11-29
  I have both the G7 and the G9. The 2 extra megapixels are unnoticeable. The reason I purchased this camera for my recent vacation was the ability to use RAW mode which works so well on my Nikon D200 (for which this is my backup camera). After using it for a month, it has near zero advantages over the highly functional G7.
  
  While it can capture a good image, the only way to convert the raw image to a jpg is to use their wimpy, me-too image editor, one at a time. Their batch convert gives the error message: "Unable to export movies, sound files or raw images". Additionally, I see another error message about "Information added by [various programs] will not be included in the exported images" which indicates to me that any titles, captions or key words you enter will be destroyed.
  
  I tried both the CD sold with the camera as well as the most recent upgrades of both the zoom browser and the eos utility on both my laptop as well as my desktop, each a standard XP machine with the latest patches. The errors follow the software, not the machine.
  
  The functionality of their software is abysmal. For instance, when browsing you can't use the left and right arrow buttons like most other, modern image viewers support; you must use their next button. The performance in rendering the image is roughly 20 times slower than Photoshop or Bibble when rendering a raw image. You see tiny, 1/2 inch chunks appear on the screen in a very tedious rendering process making me wonder whether they are using decade old, recycled, 16 bit code to save money for canon.
  
  After taking over 1200 images on vacation, mostly in raw mode, I have no way to extract them from the canon proprietary ".CR2" format other than spending days doing each one by hand with an extremely slow, klunky, proprietary program. At roughly a minute each, it would take 20 hours of hand editing to convert each by hand. Picasa shows the images, but the colors are horribly mangled. I can only select a few of the very best images to process by hand and wait for Bibble to support the G9 raw format in batch mode.
  
  canon technical support claims to provide "no hassles, no run-around, total satisfaction" while on hold. The support person person told me that I was free to use any third party conversion software but could not suggest one. She offered no diagnostic support whatsoever nor any comment on the error messages. Am I dealing with burger flippers turned technical supporters ;-o ?
  
  Canon, please get out of the software business in which you have negligible competence, stick to making camera hardware and hire a qualified third party like Bibble Labs to write functional image processing software for you.
  
  My recommendation is to avoid the G9 until the raw mode conversion works in batch mode with user input annotations.
  
  Update: after a half hour wait on technical support hold, it has just been confirmed that the export function is broken for raw (".CR2") files and that individual hand processing, one at a time, is required to export raw files to .jpg or .tif.
  
  Claiming to support both raw and .jpg images is one thing. Omitting a clear and conspicuous disclaimer warning that raw file batch processing is broken in their software would seem to be a gross oversight if not an unconscionable withholding of critical information from potential buyers.
  
  Very unhappy with the camera package. :-(
  
  
  
• G9 vs. G7: RAW the only major difference
  By A3528GQZ330U7 on 2007-10-03
  I've been in love with my G7 for a year now, and my Nikon D-SLR rig has been in the closet for just as long. I've borrowed a friend's G9 for the weekend and came up with these observations. In essence, the only significant difference between these superb cameras is the G9's ability to capture RAW files.
  
  The difference between 10MP (G7) and 12MP (G9) is frankly a small one. With 12 you may have more room to crop and enlarge, but that's about it. The design 'improvements' are minor: a brighter screen, a minimal grip contour increase, a slightly improved optical viewfinder and an increase in battery life. Its autofocus seems a little bit slower than the G7, but it might just be my perception.
  
  If you own a G7, stick with it, enjoy it and wait for the G10. However, if you're new to the Canon G series and want the best digital 'point and shoot', spring for the G9.
  
  NOTE: All G7 and G9 users are encouraged to visit this great page for tips, secret cheats and accessory reviews:
  
  http://www.mycanong7.com/
  
  
  
  
• Good camera but...
  By A2J0IBS4PFRO2C on 2007-12-25
  There's already really reviews of this camera, but I thought I'd throw in my perspective from a professional photographer's perspective.
  
  Pros:
  --Sturdy, stylish, and compact. Treat this camera well and it could last a while.
  --RAW is definitely a plus, and if you care about about taking higher quality photos, shoot in RAW when you can.
  --Manual control
  --C1 and C2 presets useful. You can save camera settings and recall them when needed.
  --Bracketing shots good
  --Face recognition is good but it doesn't work as easy as it should
  --LCD screen very useful for framing subjects
  --Preview exposure. Using the LCD screen, you get some good ideas about the exposure and framing of your photos before taking your shots.
  
  Cons:
  --Noise level is a big turn off for me. Shooting above ISO 200 typically causes invites noise issues.
  --Some controls/features a little awkward to reach
  --12MPs is not really needed. A lot of shots can be taken at lower pixel levels.
  
  Overall, the G9 is a good compact camera. It's a little pricey, so if you decide to get this camera, use it to it's fullest, not just as a simple point-and-shoot.
  
  
• Buyer beware camera takes good pictures but don't honor warranty
  By A16HB54HKRDAUO on 2008-04-13
  I purchased this camera a few months ago and since have had a major problem with it. The lens became stuck in the extended position and a "lens error" message would appear when turned on. I called canon about it and was told to send it in. I sent it in thinking they would honor their warranty. A week later I recieved an estimate to fix it for $127.00. To get out of their warranty, in their description of camera they claimed there were several dents and scratches in the casing and lcd screen plus the lens problem. The camera had no dents nor scratches. The person I had shipped it through even looked it over and found nothing wrong with it except the lens problem when I had him insure it for shipping. This is how they get out of honoring their warranty. They lie.
  
  
• So So compared to G6
  By A3E9PXD0OGYN4V on 2007-11-03
  I own a G6. When I used it for the first time, my impression was WOW! The image qualiy was just outstanding. A few years later came the G9. I actually felt G6 is better in terms of pictue quality. G6 is a 7 million pixel camera. G9 is 12 million. I think Canon should start to educate people NOT to buy into just pixel count. I think 7 million pixel is more than enough for regular consumers. They should start to improve noise performance and give us better movie features like zooming and auto-focusing cabilities during filming. If they can improve the optics quality, that would account for more detail than higher pixel count.
  
  
  
• unsatisfactory - could not wait to return
  By A3W1W33ZZS1O1U on 2007-12-11
  I bought this camera based on an email from Canon instead of consulting with someone who tests the latest models or checking Amazon reviews. I previously had the Digital Rebel when it first came out and then Panasonic Lumix. I could not believe my eyes when I took some pictures with Canon PowerShot G9. The quality of pictures was simply awful. Image stabilization is weak. In spite of the so called high resolution, the details were not there. The next day I consulted with my friend who suggested Lumix FZ18. I took the same pictures side by side with the 2 cameras to compare. Lumix was so clearly superior that I quickly shipped the PowerShot back to Amazon. Thank you, Amazon, for understanding and giving me money back, even for shipping. And I have been amazed by what Lumix can do ever since....
  
  
• Fine camera, excellent manual control but high grain
  By A1QNYLBG73QRNF on 2008-02-12
  I've had the opportunity to put this camera through some heavy use and perhaps my experience will be of use to others.
  
  The Powershot G9 has been with me through India, East Africa, Dubai, and New York City. It has logged about 25,000 air miles and taken photographs as varied as babies playing inside museums (no flash photography allowed), to slum dwellers playing soccer in Mumbai. Generally, I found that the camera works well. The "usage modes" do less than you might suppose; I ended up going with aperture-priority much of the time. The ability to shoot videos was nice, but only at slow velocity (an attempt to film the ground speeding by underneath a flying helicopter resulted in a long, green blur). Audio annotations worked well.
  
  The camera is easy to use, at least if you've dealt with Canon's digital cameras before. I've not had to read the manual yet. The range of the zoom lens has been adequate and, at the wide end, f2.8 is a usefully quick lens.
  
  What's not to like? Images become unacceptably grainy above iso400. The built-in flash gives lousy results most of the time; subjects close to the camera get overexposed unless you partially obstruct the flash with a finger. Manual focus is hopeless and it is essentially impossible to dictate where the camera should focus, especially in low light. Despite the option of full manual control and producing RAW files, this is still a point-and-shoot camera at heart.
  
  
• Great camera, but the G7 is still better
  By A1KH8LI7HPS80D on 2007-09-28
  As a current owner of the G7, I had high expectation for the G9, but given that is was released so soon after the G7, I wondered if it was going to be a substantial upgrade or a minor one. Seems the only real differences from the G7 to the G9 are they added RAW and increased the MPs. As for the MPs, the G7 already had plenty, if not too many so the G9 increase was more of a marketing thing. As for the addition of RAW, I and many others never used it to begin with so you cannot miss something you don't use. Recently saw they came out with firmware upgrade for the G7 which includes RAW (for those that want it), so I will definitely be keeping my G7. Hopefully the G10 will be more in line with what consumers want and need and less focus on marketing purposes as the whole MPs rage has gotten carried away.
  
  

• Vista Explorer 60" Lightweight Tripod with Tripod Bag
• MyStudio™ 20 Deluxe Expanded Professional Tabletop Photo Studio w/ 5000K Lighting for Product Photography, 40x20x12 inches
• MyStudio™ 32 Professional Tabletop Photo Studio Background for Product Photography, 32x32x16 inches
• MyStudio™ 32 Deluxe Expanded Professional Tabletop Photo Studio Background for Product Photography, 64x32x16 inches
• MyStudio™ MiniCyc Fiberglass Tabletop Photo Studio Cyclorama for Product Photography, 60x42x32 inches

• SanDisk 4 GB Extreme III SDHC Card (SDSDRX3-4096-A21, Retail Package)
• Canon NB-2LH Rechargeable Battery Pack for Digital Rebel XT/XTi, PowerShot S30/40/45/50/60/70/80, G7 & G9 Digital Cameras
• Canon PSC-5000 Semi-Hard Leather Case for the Canon G7 and G9 Digital Cameras
• Canon LA-DC58H Conversion Lens Adapter for Canon G7 & G9 Digital Cameras
• SanDisk 2 GB SDSDX3-2048-901 Extreme III SD Memory Card (Retail Package)