Overview
The Canon Powershot G11 is an outstanding digital camera. It makes an excellent back up to a Digital SLR or as a more portable camera for anyone who does not want to carry round a Digital SLR.
There is so much to like. To start with the picture quality the Powershot G11 produces is excellent. The build quality has a truly solid feel to it. On top of that there are plenty of features at your disposal.
In terms of features Canon has built in fully manual exposure, plus aperture and shutter priority. Manual focusing is available too. If you are in a difficult shooting position you can make good use of the 2.8 inch LCD screen that pulls out away from the camera body and can be twisted at an angle to make viewing easier. There is a hot shoe for attaching Speedlites to increase flash options. This is a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 5x wide angle zoom lens. Images can be recorded in RAW.
As well as Speedlites other accessories that may be of interest include a remote control cable, a waterproof case and a telephoto lens converter.
Canon are aiming the Powershot G11 at the photo enthusiast. I am happy to recommend this camera.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
5x
2.8 inches
112.1 x 76.2 x 48.3mm
355g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
1cm
No
Yes
Lithium Ion
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
The quality of the outdoor scenic shots the Powershot G11 takes is outstanding. This camera may not give you access to the level of zoom that some rival models do, but other cameras are hard pressed to beat the quality on offer here. Even when viewing images at full resolution it is hard to find fault.
Pushing the lens to its limits either by using maximum zoom or not using any zoom at all gives us a very good idea of the quality of the glass used in the construction of the lens. In this case the sharpness and level of detail showing in the shots is top drawer. You should be able to make very large prints confident of the quality of the images. Areas that lack contrast such as some of the roofs show far great definition than I am used to seeing.
Common problems such as loss of highlights in the brightest areas of the photos and purple fringing are not an issue with the Powershot G11. It is able to handle these tricky scenes very well.
Portraits
The quality of the portrait shots come close to that of the outdoor scenic shots. Once again the colours are well balanced and there is a true sharpness about the shots.
As I have seen with other Canon digital cameras the lighting provided by the flash unit is quite subtle. This helps to ensure that there is still colour in the skin tones and in the picture in general. The light is evenly spread. If you are having problems with pictures taken using flash the Powershot G11 offers a number of extra settings to give you greater control over the way your photos will look.
With the flash unit turned off the camera is still able to produce high quality. Noise is controlled well and the Powershot G11 brings out a pleasing level of detail. As with any digital camera you will still need as much light as possible for any indoor work without flash.
Macro, Colours and Noise
I always think a good quality macro shot says a lot about the quality of the lens in general. The Powershot G11 has produced a top quality shot. This is likely to be one of the best compact digital cameras you can buy for close up work.
Vivid colours are the order of the day. What I really like about the shots is the way the colours and brightness combine.
Noise is not really an issue with the Powershot G11. If you shoot in lowlight situations a degree of noise is always going to appear in photographs, but on the whole this camera combats the problem as well as any other compact digital camera.
Summary
The Powershot G11 is the best digital camera I have reviewed in a long time when it comes to picture quality.
Style
Canon have developed a camera that feels really sturdy in the hand. With the LCD screen built to pull out and twist round this camera has quite a chunky look to it. The build quality appears to match the picture quality. This seems to be a very well made camera.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.35 seconds
12.43 seconds
1.69 seconds
15.21 seconds
2.52 seconds
Ease of Use
With the amount of features you have at your fingertips this camera will take some time to get to know.
Points I Like
Picture quality - Vari Angle LCD screen - Handling - Features
Where it Could Improve
Shutter delay with flash
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Canon Powershot G11 Review Canon Powershot G11 Specification Canon Powershot G11 Sample Images Canon Powershot G11 Features
Review Date
May 2010
