Canon G9: a point and shoot equivalent to a leica M?

[Tuolumne]

Read in-depth the reviews from www.dpreview.com www.steves-digicams.com www.dcresource.com .

After reading those reviews at great length, reading the comments about lack of responsive service, looking at the comments from users on dpreview and other location, and THEN looking at the price, my final thought was, "What were they thinking when they designed AND priced out this camera".

I guess it proves you can build anything, at any quality level and price it in the market at any price, and someone will form a cult around it.

That, by the way was my final thought on Ricoh digital. Run, do not walk to the nearest exit.

Don't believe everything you read. It's a really fine camera.

/T

 

[Prosaic]

I sure love what street photographer Tony Marciante does with the Canon G7 on Flickr. He's the main reason I'm asking this question here. His work sure looks as nice as many older Leica camera street photos I've seen.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyshots/

He´s shooting film as well it seems...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyshots/1572594301/

 

[sweathog]

The G9 to me is a tricky one. It does a lot of things that make sense. Manual control, hot shoe, viewfinder. But, given the size of the camera, it still has a tiny sensor. Not a fast lens either. Looks good though. Overly expensive though.

It does tempt me. However I am also thinking about the GRD II, or even the DP1 (if it ever emerges).

Maybe, if the price drops...

 

[Sam R]

What is Leica territory?...... Oh I know, it's a compansagting thing like a guys that has to have a Corvette because he has been short changes physically...fif you know what I mean.

 

[BillP]

What is Leica territory?...... Oh I know, it's a compansagting thing like a guys that has to have a Corvette because he has been short changes physically...fif you know what I mean.

A little bitter, there, Sam?

Regards,

Bill

 

[BillP]

G7 has a bad reputation for its battery indicator which appears suddenly when the battery needs to be recharged. When you see this indication, you don't have much time to take more pictures; G7 would not work soon...

DNN, I bought a G7 deliberately after the G9 came out. The firmware upgrade already mentioned above also adds a battery level indicator to the G7.

Regards,

Bill

 

[DNN]

DNN, I bought a G7 deliberately after the G9 came out. The firmware upgrade already mentioned above also adds a battery level indicator to the G7.

Regards,

Bill

I totally forgot checking the firmware. :bang:

Thank you very much.

 

[DNN]

Bill, I probably misunderstand your words... No official firmware update for G7 according to Canon USA web page.

 

[Olsen]

The problem with the G7/G9 for me is that I WANT it to be a better camera than it actually is.
It looks cool, it has really good manual controls and an optical viewfinder. It's small enough to be pocketable but large enough to get a steady hold on it like a real camera. However the viewfinder is a piece of junk (too small and blurry - even adjusting the diopter), the aperture too slow and the lens not wide enough.
To its credit, it simply has the fastest focusing and least shutter lag of any digital p&S I've tried yet but image quality is no better than the A series as gregg mentions. The combination of slow aperture and small sensor makes selective DOF very difficult.
My Panasonic LC1 does everything better except for size and buffer speed in RAW. Even if the noise is horrible after 100 ISO I can still handhold the thing in lower light thanks to the faster lens and more stable platform.
For something more pocketable I prefer my Olympus Stylus Epic (full frame with noiseless ISO 50-3200 - thank you film! and 35mm f2.8 lens).
As much as I want to like the G9 I think I'd buy and A series and spent the extra $300 on a new Voigtlander lens!

This is very well put. It shows well how good the M8 camera is, - and what it takes to make a good digital camera. Canon has come to the ways end with this type of sensor. Beond G9 Canon must make a new sensor. Preferably a larger one with less high ISO noice and a wide angle lense. If that's at all realsitic.

 

[BillP]

Bill, I probably misunderstand your words... No official firmware update for G7 according to Canon USA web page.

No, it's not an official update. Why should Canon give facilities to the G7 that would encourage people not to make an otherwise un-necessary trade-in?

Go here:

http://www.mycanong7.com/html/g7_chdk_soft.html

Follow the instructions. The update sits on the root directory of your SD card until you invoke it. I have used it many times, and it does nothing to harm the G7.

Regards,

Bill

 

[VinceC]

My Canon G1 (3.2 MP) and wife's G2 (4MP) still get constant use. Both are closing in on 10,000 pix taken. Both defy the commonly held notion that digital cameras are inherently obsolete within months. The G1 was purchased 7 years ago. The G2 was purchased 5 years ago. For several years now, the G1 has had a dead "up" button in the four-way button on the back, but in practice this can be worked around.

Both have f/2 lens equivalent from 32 to 102mm.

Silent mode is truly silent. Sharp handholding down to 1/6th second is commonplace because no moving parts.

Articulated screen allows you to take even wider shots by jamming camera into a corner, over your head, or into some other hard-to-reach location.

Hotshoe allows really flexible flash work.

Images at ISO 50, especially with the G2, are sumptuous. Both cameras are kept on ISO 200 for regular use. ISO 400 is useless but not really needed because of slow handholdability. Also, both cameras are set at EV -2/3 for more saturation, less blown highlights, making effective ISO 320, not 200.

Optical viewfinder could be better but at least exists (we who wear bifocals aren't wild about viewing LCD screens).

Video mode on both cameras is limited to 30-second clips.

The G1 has a nice B&W mode. (I much prefer capturing in black and white rather than removing color later).

G1's biggest annoyance ... only one strap lug, making it swing like a pendelum and unable to carry over your shoulder. This was fixed for the G2.

Here are some examples of the cameras' utility, especially as small carry-anywhere point-and-shoots.

1. Candlelight shot with G2, 1/13th second, f/2, screen articulated to allow shooting angle even though I was sitting directly beside her in crowded church.

2. Night shot (uncle telling his niece ghost stories) with G1, 1/5th at f/2.2. Purposely underexposed on manual mode to allow bare minimum 1/5th shutter speed.

3. B&W with G1.

 

[DNN]

No, it's not an official update. Why should Canon give facilities to the G7 that would encourage people not to make an otherwise un-necessary trade-in?

Ah... you are right

Thank you for the pointer.

 

[rich815]

I've heard good things about it but nothing to make it jump out of a three way tie (in my mind) with the Ricoh GX100 and the Panasonic Lumix LX2. Of the three, the Ricoh looks the most interesting to me - stepped zoom and viewfinder, good manual controls. Someone who actually has the G9 chime in.

If you do not need the 10 mp then consider a good used LX-1. I've seen reports saying the sensor performs better than the LX-2 and people seem to be re-considering the LX-1 instead of the newer 2. I got one for the wife as a P&S but it's been sneaking into my pocket a lot as I head out the door sometimes!

 

[anselwannab]

I have/had a G9 and I liked it pretty much. I try to do the weekly assignment on Fred Miranda, and getting this shot and developed from my CL was too hard. I travel a lot, so I wanted a rugged camera to go in my briefcase. I used my Marriott points to get the G9.

Video was surprisingly good. Noise was OK to 200 in dark locations, 400 in brighter lights. I mainly shot it in Av mode and used exposure compensation. It may be 12mp, but the resolution was less than that of my 20D. Small detials like grass or leaves just become a blob. I only tried the RAW converter that came with it, but it has no where near the capability of DPP.

I had it out the other day taking pics of my son playing in the snow, and the lens 'jammed' as I was zooming. It kept telling me to restart it to reset the lens. It is going back for repairs. Maybe my glove was a bit in the way of the lens, but I think the G9 is going to go to my wife to replace an older Nikon P&S.

Like others mentioned, I wanted it to be an M. It feels rugged, it looks serious, but that lens, which others have complained about on the web, is its weakpoint.

Mark

 

[DNN]

firmware for G7

firmware for G7

Hi, Bill. Did you actually patch the firmware? If so do you think it better?
I read the article about the firmware you mentioned, and it sounds as if the original JPEG may be more convenient for beginners
If take by RAW mode, can I still check images right after taking them?
If no worry about RAW mode once I get used to it, I may update the G7 with the firmware.

 

[rpsawin]

I carry a G9 in my gear bag and find it to be an excellent camera for my purposes. I use it as intended...a p&s with some useful overrides. I have no illusions about the capabilities of the camera. I don't use it for "serious" work as a general rule. That's not to say I have not taken excellent images with the G9...I have. But I do not expect it to be in the same class as a M8.

Now as to the M8 being a superior camera it damn well better be a far superior camera! The G9 sells for under $500 and the M8 for over $5,000. If a $500 p&s can out perform a $5,000 rf than something is wrong...way wrong.

Best regards,

Bob

 

[DNN]

... If a $500 p&s can out perform a $5,000 rf than something is wrong...way wrong....

I agree. G7/G9 would be good enough for non-serious point-and-shoot purpose. G7/G9 would be very good tool under a limited capacity. Beyond the capacity, we should better use "appropriate" cameras.

 

[xayraa33]

has anyone made any flashless nighttime city street shots with the G9?
How would you set the camera up to do this?
a tripod would be used I supose.

 

[cmogi10]

the day that tiny sensor noise looks like my tri-x pushed 2 stops...

 

[retow]

I agree. G7/G9 would be good enough for non-serious point-and-shoot purpose. G7/G9 would be very good tool under a limited capacity. Beyond the capacity, we should better use "appropriate" cameras.

Such as Contax T3......?