The Canon PowerShot G10 is an evolutionary not revolutionary upgrade from the well-regarded G9. But, that's like saying humans evolved from apes. The difference is still remarkable. Check out this digital range finder-style camera and you'll find one serious photographic gorilla.
Resolution has been upped to a whopping 14.7 megapixels. True, for some purposes anything over 6-8 MP is a waste. But that's a technical point and there are two points to make about it. One is that consumers actually want the larger res. Second, aside from the "bigger is better" mentality, it's still true that the more information in the chip, the more information you get out of it.
When it comes to enlarging, selecting small sections, or just creating larger than usual prints (like, say, 20 x 24), that extra pixel count does help. The chip has to be "low noise", of course. Rest assured that Canon really delivers here with its new Digic IV processor.
The PowerShot G10 also houses an impressive high-speed Servo AF (autofocus). Frame a static shot and it won't matter much. An extra split second to focus on a flower won't bother anyone. But for sports shots it's a must. Canon does a stellar job here, too. Lags between shots are minimal. A 1.3 second startup is barely noticeable. Bright light time between shots is under half a second increasing only to 0.8 sec for low-light scenarios.
Sometimes you have to make rapid shots. The times are a littler longer for the Canon G10 than the top of the class. But not by much. Two shots back to back have only a 2.2 second delay. Using flash bumps that up to 2.9 sec - slower than a high-end SLR such as, say the EOS XSi, but still very good for a "prosumer" camera.
Those shots will be sharp and clear, too. Several outstanding features of the PowerShot G10 guarantee that. Canon lenses are among the best and the one on this model is no exception. The F2.8, 27-140 mm (equivalent) lens lets you operate at low shutter speeds in low light. Yet you still get a zoom from wide-angle to medium telephoto. The Lens-Shift image stabilization makes sure you get crisp shots all the while.
The Canon PowerShot G10 even provides an exposure compensation dial, so you can make fine adjustments. Your images are consistently as close to perfect as technology can deliver. With Canon's technology, that's pretty close.
Change the AF area. Narrow it to "spot" (a feature usually found only on high-end digital SLR cameras). When you compose off-center that will come in very handy. The focus is superb from center to edge, as you would expect with a Canon lens. It stays that way, even focused at long distances.
Use RAW image recording to get the most visual information to play with later. Play with it using Canon's superb and easy-to-use Digital Photo Professional software. Create professional-quality photos with the PowerShot G10. You'll demonstrate that this digital camera is one beautiful beast.
If you're looking to buy a new Canon Powershot digital camera, check out why the Canon Powershot G10 is an excellent choice!
