Bobfrance
Over Exposed
In lieu of an affordable DRF I find the Olympus E-420 with the Zuiko pancake to be very good. You have to like shooting 50mm though.
literiter
Well-known
I'm not really fond of digital cameras generally, I much prefer film, but did get a CANON G10 as a handy type of general picture taker. I really like the camera, a lot more than I thought I would. It feels like a film camera to my digitally inexperienced hands.
I have no experience with DSLRs and so it is impossible for me to compare with that stuff, but comparing the G10 to my Leica M4-P film camera is easy and I'm impressed. It travels in the same bag as my M4-P now.
Sad to think this nice little camera will in a garage sale in another few years.
I have no experience with DSLRs and so it is impossible for me to compare with that stuff, but comparing the G10 to my Leica M4-P film camera is easy and I'm impressed. It travels in the same bag as my M4-P now.
Sad to think this nice little camera will in a garage sale in another few years.
Out to Lunch
Ventor
I have taken some 3,000, mostly outdoor shots with a G10. Happy with the results. Inexpensive camera, sturdy, good battery life. Nice that ISO and exposure compensation are accessible with dials on top of the camera. Negs...shutter lag, high noise over ISO 400.
Graham Line
Well-known
I wonder if the G10's shutter lag can be dialed out to some extent?
Fiddling with the A560 in the M mode, by simplifying autofocus and a few things I can't remember, lag is not perceptible.
Fiddling with the A560 in the M mode, by simplifying autofocus and a few things I can't remember, lag is not perceptible.
kkdanamatt
Well-known
I have used the G10 extensively on two vacations: one to Puerto Rico and the other, a three week backpacking trip through Europe. The G-10 suits my street-shooting style just fine. I set the ISO to 80 during the day, and only use aperture-priority wide open. That gives me the fastest shutter speed possible for one handed street shots, either using the VF or the LCD screen, or sometimes just shooting from the hip. Yes, the finder is not accurate, but as was mentioned by others, but with 15MP available, the images can be cropped successfully. I have enlargements 30 inches wide at 80 ISO with excellent results. At night, on the street, in bars, clubs, or museums, I switch to ISO 200 or 400 and use the same wide-open aperture-priority mode. It is not necessary to stop down this lens, IMHO. I only do so when shooting landscapes during the daytime. One more thing: if you need a super zoom, you can extend the G-10 zoom lens to 20X by using the digital (gasp!) zoom feature. Yes, I know, it reduces resolution, but in a pinch it is a god-send.
emraphoto
Veteran
I really want to love the G10 and by my standards canon came very close to what I need but the shutter lag is an achilles heel.
I have been using it extensively over the past weeks and it really invovles compensating for that lag. I thought I could run it scale focus and in manual to keep the shutter as instantaneous as possible to no avail.
I have no problem with the noise up into 800 and 1600 is useable in a pinch.
I like the idea of the ND filter but wish Canon would issue a firmware update and make a graduated one possible.
It does have it strengths. On Wednesday I went to the trial of a very violent and bloody millitary ruler. Photography was strictly forbidden and I was of course very conspicous as the only foreigner in the building. I managed to squeeze a few off (all volume off) that would have been impossible otherwise.
I have been using it extensively over the past weeks and it really invovles compensating for that lag. I thought I could run it scale focus and in manual to keep the shutter as instantaneous as possible to no avail.
I have no problem with the noise up into 800 and 1600 is useable in a pinch.
I like the idea of the ND filter but wish Canon would issue a firmware update and make a graduated one possible.
It does have it strengths. On Wednesday I went to the trial of a very violent and bloody millitary ruler. Photography was strictly forbidden and I was of course very conspicous as the only foreigner in the building. I managed to squeeze a few off (all volume off) that would have been impossible otherwise.
__hh
Well-known
That's what the custom C1 and C2 settings are for... you can actually get the G9/10 to remember the set focal length..
emraphoto
Veteran
Beyond running manual focus and aperture is there anyway in dealing with the lag in the shutter? I have a sigma DP1 and now regret not bringing it with me as thw shutter is as close to instant as I have come across in digital point and shoot.
Any hints would be greatly appreciated!
Any hints would be greatly appreciated!
RayPA
Ignore It (It'll go away)
Exactly! If you want to see how it's done, Click on the notebook and choose the Gary Knight video on the Canon website. This setup works quite well.
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Steve Bellayr
Veteran
I have not used the G10 but have handled it. It is not small and the viewfinder was dim and as someone else stated "it is like looking through a tunnel" which I found to be true. Now, with the comments of "lag" I am questioning its use for "street" or "unposed portraits." Normally, I use film faster than 100, mostly 200 and 400 and set the shutter at 125 guess my fstop (even with a meter because often I do not have enough time to both set the fstop and the focus) and try to quickly focus and press the button. If there is a lag, which is mentioned, this would be a drawback. In a review of this camera someone more experienced than myself stated that the camera was excellent for landscapes but not efficient for quick shooting. In that case the design of the camera is in conflict with the purpose. The G10 being relatively small and lightweight would have been best used for street or snapshots minus the lag problem. For landscapes or still lifes where time is not of primary importance any 35mm or digital camera will be effective. Ease of handling and speed are very important in a small camera. Discussions like this are very informative as objects are evaluated over a longer period of time by people with various requirements.
Pablito
coco frío
Viewfinder basically inaccurate because of aspect ratio..
Viewfinder basically inaccurate because of aspect ratio..
That is good to know, but there are no viewfinders that show a 4:3 aspect ratio (that I know of); all are based on 35mm 3:2 aspect ratio. So it's still pretty inaccurate unless you figure out how to make a mask for the VF. Can't understand why, with so many megapixels, they could not make a setting for 3:2.
Viewfinder basically inaccurate because of aspect ratio..
That is good to know, but there are no viewfinders that show a 4:3 aspect ratio (that I know of); all are based on 35mm 3:2 aspect ratio. So it's still pretty inaccurate unless you figure out how to make a mask for the VF. Can't understand why, with so many megapixels, they could not make a setting for 3:2.
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Bill Pierce
Well-known
The Canon G10 does have a 3:2 setting for the viewfinder.
RayPA
Ignore It (It'll go away)
you're misinformed and stating something as fact. It's probably safe to assume that you don't own the camera or have never shot with it. You CAN set the VF for 3:2 aspect ratio. Look at the link I posted for setting up the camera.
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oops! Bill beat me to it.
Pablito
coco frío
This is good to know. Maybe it was added later with firmware. The one i played with (just when they were released) did not have this, or at least I could not find it in the menus. Thanks
Pablito
coco frío
Ok, Ray, I'm not a bad person, really I'm not!
I researched this extensively, looked for specs when I could find them, asked my dealer, played with the camera at the dealer's and nowhere could I find a way to set it on 3:2 aspect ratio. The dpreview website listed 3:2 as possible, but other websites including Canon's own from what I recall did not. So I assumed dpreview made a mistake. All this was right when Canon relased the G10. Anyway, I'm very happy to learn that I'm wrong. This was a deciding factor for me so now I'm going out to buy one!!!
Edit: Just checked Canon's own website. They don't mention aspect ratio at all on the camera's spec sheet. They do mention a widescreen mode: I assume this is a panoramic mode and not 3:2. Ah well, you'd think they would mention this important feature. I, at least, chose not to buy because I thought the camera lacked 3:2.
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Thardy
Veteran
I'd love it if Canon would put one of those micro 4/3rds sensors in the G10. Then the image quality would match the build, features, looks and price.
RayPA
Ignore It (It'll go away)
Ok, Ray, I'm not a bad person, really I'm not!
I researched this extensively, looked for specs when I could find them, asked my dealer, played with the camera at the dealer's and nowhere could I find a way to set it on 3:2 aspect ratio. The dpreview website listed 3:2 as possible, but other websites including Canon's own from what I recall did not. So I assumed dpreview made a mistake. All this was right when Canon relased the G10. Anyway, I'm very happy to learn that I'm wrong. This was a deciding factor for me so now I'm going out to buy one!!!
Edit: Just checked Canon's own website. They don't mention aspect ratio at all on the camera's spec sheet. They do mention a widescreen mode: I assume this is a panoramic mode and not 3:2. Ah well, you'd think they would mention this important feature. I, at least, chose not to buy because I thought the camera lacked 3:2.
No, you are a bad person.
Seriously, sorry, forgot to add the . So much hard work! All you had to do was ask.
Pablito
coco frío
No, you are a bad person.
Thanks, Ray. I tend not to be an "asker". The camera was brand new, I figured if I could not find the info on the internet, the info was not out there to be found. The video you posted did not explain how to put it on 3:2 but obviously it can be done. I assume this is covered in the (...SHUDDER...) INSTRUCTIONS!!!
Dogman
Veteran
The 3:2 masking of the LCD is hidden deep inside the menus somewhere. I've used it but can't for the life of me remember how to get to it again.
Pablito
coco frío
Now I'm confused. It's not masking is it? "Masking" implies you SEE a 3:2 image on the LCD but the camera shoots "normally" in 4:3 and you have to crop later. I was now assuming the camera actually shot in 3:2 once you managed to figure out how to set it that way...