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| | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review: ( 267 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1858 of 1929 found the following review helpful:
 Fantastic tool for serious photographers - but not perfect. Oct 02, 2010
By Todd Gilbert
So I owned a G11 - and for whatever reason sold it a few months back. I have since tried the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and Samsung TL500. This whole time I was searching for something better than the G-series - I only found it with the GF1 - but it is too large to be a compact.
I only give this camera 4 stars instead of 5 for the following reasons.
1. External Speedlite control - you still need a "Master" unit like a 580EX II or Canon STE2 to control external Speedlites. Canon should get off their butt in this area to compete with the new Nikon P7000. I almost considered going the Nikon route just to have that feature built in. Canon - start paying attention to what David Hobby says.
2. The screen is only 460K resolution. The Nikon mentioned above is 960K. The Samsung TL500 I mentioned above sports a beautiful AMOLED screen that knocks this one out of the park.
3. The pathetic optical viewfinder. You are catering to those people that say a camera MUST have one of these - stop it. You are wasting space with something so awful that even a disposable camera does better. I would rather have a higher resolution bigger screen (or a smaller camera) than this awful piece of warped tunnel-vision.
4. The rear control wheel is too small - enlarge it so it feels more like one of your DSLRs.
5. While the lens is gorgeously sharp (I mean competing with some of my L-lenses sharp) - f/2.8 to f/4.5 is slow.
6. The lens needs to be wider - 24mm f/2 (or even f/1.8 in the Samsung) equiv is the primary reason I tried the LX5 and TL500 before going back to Canon.
7. No microphone input for video recording.
8. Just too big and bulky - slim it down (but do NOT remove the articulating display).
So 8 knocks like that might sound like a big deal - but believe me when I say this - the camera is phenomenal.
Image quality is outstanding - I have had to process my RAW files with their converter (typically use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 - but even with their converter image quality is second to none in the compact world. I actually prefer to do product shots with a G-Series than my usual 5D2 kit due to the flexibility and increased depth of field. The lens is magnificently sharp. HD video results look pretty good - but not stellar. It'll do in a pinch - but its no camcorder replacement.
Operation speed is very very good. I have read a few posts saying that focusing speed is vastly improved from the G11 - I haven't found that to be the case but none-the-less its pretty good.
Construction quality is pretty good - but I don't like the rough textured finish as much as the smooth finish on the G11 - it somehow makes it feel cheaper.
Controls are absolutely second to none. Dedicated EV and ISO dials are wonderful. The new front control dial is great. The rear dial however could use a bit of an extension - hard to operate quickly with my fat thumb. The whole camera is a little fat - slim it down and kill the awful optical viewfinder. Would like a dedicated movie button like pretty much all of its competitors. The articulating display is fantastic - PLEASE include this whenever you update the 5D.
Value for the money is mostly good - but if you are like me and need on-camera control of external flashes add a whopping $200+ for the ST-E2.
All in all a fantastic camera - even if it is a minimal update to the G11.
Why I picked it over LX5 > See my LX5 review - but I didn't particularly like that camera. Biggest reason would the articulating display followed by the awful screen resolution when composing on the LX5.
Why I picked it over the TL500 > I couldn't get the TL500 to trigger external strobes using radio triggers - that plus the lens is MUCH sharper on the Canon. I must have a bad copy of the TL500 as finding a sharp photo in my 50+ test shots is pretty hard.
Why I picked it over the S95 > Hotshoe and articulating display. If the S95 had those it would win hands down.
Why I picked it over the P7000 > Articulating display is about it here if you don't take into account I already own several Canon Speedlites.
Why I picked it over the GF1 or EP1 > Size + Nikon P7000 comments.
Hope you found my review helpful - if so please click the link below!
Edit 30 days in: I would add one more negative - once you lock focus in video to start recording - that focus cannot be changed after the fact - disappointed in that.
Also - I dropped mine this morning =( from 4ft onto concrete. Surprised that everything still works great and as expected it got marred up and one corner's metal is a little bent - but it still works which is impressive.
194 of 197 found the following review helpful:
 Most impressive! Nov 05, 2010
By G. S. Harmon
As I'm an old film guy who has resisted digital photography almost as much as dentist visits, I've really avoided making the jump. Of course, I've had a few small point and shoot cameras for quick snapshots. But recently, I've found it necessary to get a camera with more capabilities and quality.
I'd love to have a higher-end DSLR, but flying these days really doesn't lend itself to lugging a big camera bag with a couple of lenses, flash, etc. I gripe just taking my shoes off at the security checkpoint. And I am avoiding paying checked bag fees as much as I possibly can!
Last April, I finally decided to get something a bit nicer, and after weeks of searching through review after review, I finally settled on a Fuji HS10. At first, I loved that camera. Then, I discovered that particular unit was eating batteries with the voracity of John Pinette at a Vegas buffet. So, back it went. And I waited and continued to research.
Then, along comes Canon with this G12. Remember, I'm an old film guy, so I like some controls. But after 5 minutes playing with this camera, I was most impressed. Startup - it's ready to go in a flash. Focus - spot on for 99% of the photos I've shot (nothing's perfect), and that 1% I can peg on me for focus issues. Low light? Simply amazing! This camera's ability to compensate for low light is borderline spooky. Combined with the lens image stabilization, I've taken shots that would have required a tripod, cable release, and good old-fashioned luck with a film camera.
Sports mode is very good. While the 'rapid-fire' shots aren't blazing fast, they are sharp, clean, and quick to save. In fact, the camera is fast with saves in most every mode I've tried. And speaking of modes, I discovered one that I've fallen in love with - Nostalgia mode. With a quick click of the front-mounted scroll-wheel, one can age a photo making it appear a bit washed out and grainy. For artistic shots, this mode just made me feel like I was working darkroom magic without the darkroom!
Some folks have complained that it's too big for a pocket. I didn't really have any issues with that. In fact, I think that for everything this camera can do, it's size is one of the biggest selling points.
I just returned from a quick trip to Jamaica where I took all sorts of shots. The ones that got the most compliments were the low-light shots. And everyone that asked and showed this camera were amazed at what it was able to do.
As I mentioned - I'm incredibly impressed with this camera.
299 of 313 found the following review helpful:
Feast your eyes on an upgraded G series digital camera! Oct 05, 2010
By Steven Brys
"Koala Lover!"
First, let me say I own or have owned a G10, G11, and G12. I am not really sure why anyone expect the G12 to be a major upgrade to the G11. The title of this review is the first line of Canon's marketing material on the Canon USA website....so this is what I personally expected, and Canon delivered, as far as I am concerned. I am not a professional, so my observations are from the viewpoint of an average guy with a serious camera addiction. I took photos side by side using my G10, G11, and G12 and I have to be honest, I could not tell much difference, though a slight nod would go to the newest camera. They are all great, however, and suit an average user like me perfectly. My tests were not scientific and not comprehensive - I have to work for a living after all. I am very pleased with the image quality, but is it a major upgrade from previous G series cameras, I do not think so. If I were forced to choose one, I would probably go for the G12 because the photos look slightly nicer to me, and the camera is easier to work with but only if I am forced to choose!
Build quality is also as you would come to expect from a Canon high end compact camera that costs $500. It is excellent just like the G10 and G11. They all feel and look pretty similar. There is an extra rubber grip on the back for your thumb which is kind of nice. Overall, and I have smallish hands, I find the G12 the easiest of these 3 cameras I have been comparing, to hold.
Probably the most important new feature is employment of Canon's HS (high sensitivity) system (combination of sensor and processing engine) which migrates from the EOS line. Does it deliver on its promise to improve image quality and allow shooting at higher ISO? I think the answer is yes it does, but not very much. The camera maxes out at 3200 ISO marked on the dial and you can bump it up to 12,800 albeit at lower resolution using the Low Light mode. Again, this is how it looks to my not professional rapidly aging, eyes. Whether it is worth running out an upgrading from a G11 is totally subjective and I cannot answer this for anyone. The camera also has the Hybrid IS system a la the updated 100mm Canon macro lens which compensates for a greater range of camera shake type. It looked to me like the camera did a more effective job at obtaining sharper photos at the same speeds as my G11. This is important to me as my hands do shake and I enjoy macro and cannot always use a tripod. Nor would I expect people buying a carry along point and shoot camera to carry a tripod with them.
There are additional new shooting modes like HDR that takes several photos then combines them for greater detail, better exposure. FYI, this feature was available in Ricoh cameras for sometime already, so Canon and Nikon are just catching up here. But I think it works a bit better on the Canon than it does in my Ricoh. The photos do look a bit richer, more detailed to me. Canon offers a level adjuster with this camera so you can keep your photos looking, well more level. Another feature that has been available elsewhere for years.
There are other niceties about this camera. Like you can pre-set the maximum ISO level (I like because a lot of cameras seem to default to a higher ISO than I would set for myself), there is a front dial to control settings (another inheritance from the EOS line), you can control the dynamic range (just like on Sony cameras from the past) for improved highlight clipping control, and you can shoot in a 1:1 aspect ratio (square which I personally like however, you guessed it, Canon is late to the party on this feature too) to name a few.
I will not comment on the video. I never use it and if I were able to trade video capability for say, a slightly bigger or better sensor, or a faster lens, I would do so in a heartbeat. But I have no idea if such a thing is even possible or practical. This is only my opinion and reflects my personal set of priorities. If it were up to me, I would dispense with most of the shooting scenes and the video if it meant a lower price or a camera with better image quality.
I share the findings of many that this is an incremental upgrade of the G11 as Canon's own literature seems to suggest. Higher expectations than this may be met with disappointment. But in my opinion, the G12 raises the bar, if only a little, of one of the best compact cameras available. I think as long as you keep what the G12 is, (an upgrade) in perspective with what it is not (evolutionary) you will not find yourself regretting your purchase.
96 of 97 found the following review helpful:
The Canon G12 for advanced photography Jan 08, 2011
By Moreno Tagliapietra
"fine art photography"
Hello, I am a part-time fine art photographer and my favorite subjects are landscapes, flowers, classic European architecture, travel, visual arts and crafts. I work with two DSLR systems but like to have with me a compact camera at all times for any eventuality. Depth of field, composition and sharpness are typically more important to me than very fast focusing and shooting (I work mostly in Av mode) but sometimes I need my equipment to be responsive enough to capture travel's fleeting moments.
I have recently replaced my award-winning compact Fuji E900 with a Canon G12. Living not far from B&H in Manhattan, I had the chance to "play" with it and the other two cameras I was considering - the Nikon P7000 and the Panasonic LX5 with its external EVF - before buying. After putting the camera through its paces for a couple of weeks with my kind of photography I have come to the following conclusions.
The G12 is an advanced compact camera larger than your average pocketable but smaller than a micro 4/3" or similar. It does not fit in a shirt pocket but it does it in a regular pouch together with your wallet, cell phone etc. (I never use photo bags to avoid advertising the equipment). The fact that it has some size and weight makes it more stable in my hands and allows for its numerous external controls.
The camera's key features include a larger than average 1/1.7" 10Mp sensor with superior image quality in low light and higher ISO values, a sharp 28-140mm zoom lens, an optical viewfinder, a fully articulated LCD monitor, many dedicated external controls, manual exposure, Raw format, good responsiveness, reasonably fast autofocus even in low light, and a powerful flash.
Beginning with the G11, Canon has dared bringing down the resolution of its G series sensors from 14Mp to 10Mp, which is more than enough for most users. This gutsy move has significantly reduced high ISO noise. I can make enlargements around 16x20" from the G12 with ISO 800 pics in good light and ISO400 in low light (in Raw format and proper processing in Camera Raw).
The 5x zoom lens, even if not particularly bright, extends from a very useful 28mm wide angle to a 140mm short telephoto. This conservative zoom range covers most of my typical photography, keeps the lens sharp through every focal length and reduces distortions and aberrations. Some kinds of photography can be done with inexpensive equipment but true wide angle and telephoto work requires high quality, expensive equipment and solid technique (if you are serious about your photography stay away from superzoom cameras). The zoom control is a bit on the sensitive side.
Composing with an LCD monitor is sometimes useful but generally awkward and unstable, does not help you concentrate on your subject, and is downright impossible in bright light. The G12 offers an optical viewfinder which, while small and covering only 77% of the image, is often a life saver. When I worked with slide film I strove for a final crop in-camera. Then I moved to digital and learned the creative advantage of shooting wider and doing final cropping in processing. Hence the 77% viewfinder coverage is not an issue for me, I just shoot very tight.
The camera has a sharp 2.8", 461Kp fully articulated LCD monitor hinged on the side (so that it is never in the way of the tripod head). There are specific shooting conditions where a monitor like this is useful. This includes shooting over people's heads, at ground level and wherever your arms can reach but your head can't. I do macro in the field where this feature is invaluable. A few days ago I photographed the always crowded New York Botanical Garden train show and used the LCD monitor for most of my pictures. With the camera in P mode and forced flash I got many publication-quality pics.
I like the camera's external controls a lot, especially the top and front dials. I am less enthused with the back dial which is a little awkward to operate. I have to be careful with my right hand because sometimes I touch the four-way controller, especially the manual focus button. The menu system is more modern and fancier than my Pentax and Olympus cameras but it is a bit slower. The same holds true for the autofocus which is however quite fast and accurate in low light due to the focus assist lamp. In the end, the G12 is overall much faster than the "mythical" EVF cameras I owned in the past, including the Olympus C8080 and the Fuji S9100 which took ten seconds or more to write a Raw pic to memory (the G12 does it in two seconds). Continuous shooting is up to 2fps in best possible conditions (jpeg and fixed focus and exposure) and drops to 0.8fps with continuous focus.
All the manual controls are there. The camera can shoot Raw and, my favorite, Raw + jpeg. I do all my main work in Raw but having jpegs readily available for the web and for portability is a real treat (you can check or show your jpegs with every computer). The flash is quite powerful reaching 21' at wide angle in P mode.
Using the camera in automatic is as simple as it gets but learning its functions serves two purposes: it allows you to get out of trouble if you press the wrong button, and to use all that the camera can offer to the creative photographer. If all you want is a point-and-shoot, there is plenty of smaller, simpler and/or less expensive models out there.
The camera offers a cornucopia of operating functions. I particularly value the live histogram before and after shooting, enlarged playback for checking focus, auto exposure bracketing up to +-2 f/stops (for out-of-camera HDR applications), spot autofocus and custom white balance. In jpeg format, I appreciate the Shadow Correct more than the Dynamic Range Correction because it does not crank up the ISO setting (= more noise). I prefer to process my Raw HDR pictures in Photoshop but I am impressed with the effectiveness of the in-camera HDR function (jpeg only). It requires the use of a tripod because the G12 cannot fine-align the three pictures it takes but with this camera you can use the lightest carbon fiber tripod on the market.
Macro photography is all right with the usual limitations: the maximum magnification happens at wide angle which puts the front of the lens very close to the subject (= lighting problems). Focus bracketing is limited by the fact that is does not work in macro. It would be a killer macro feature when paired with Photoshop's extended focus function. The G12 has an exhaustive set of accessories including an AC adapter, remote release and a ring flash (there are compatible ring flash units that cost a fraction of the Canon's). The lack of a printed manual is disappointing. I immediately printed my own from the enclosed CD.
I almost always work in Av mode with the autofocus set on center spot and locking, and unlocked exposure. With static subjects I like to pick my focus where I want it by pressing the shutter button half way, recompose (with the exposure continuously updating) and take the picture. With the G12 I have to pick the exposure first and lock it with the star button (top right in the back), then half press the shutter button to pick the focus point, recompose again and shoot (it takes much longer to explain it than do it). Please correct me if there is a better way to do this.
In jpeg and Quick Shot mode the camera is at its fastest. The LCD monitor turns into an info screen similar to a DSLR camera, autofocus is set to continuous and you compose with the optical viewfinder.
The G12 takes movies at 720p at 24fps or lower resolutions at 30fps with stereo sound but without manual controls or optical zoom. I tried and it works as intended (but I use a camcorder for video).
As for the competition, the Nikon 7000 is a great camera but independent testing indicates that it is unresponsive and can be frustrating to operate. The Panasonic LX5 is also very good but has no optical viewfinder. I would have to buy and use the external electronic viewfinder which I don't like and makes the whole setup somewhat awkward.
In conclusion, I find working with this camera in all the situations that do not require high speed or low light performance to be truly enjoyable. With all the limitations inherent in a compact camera, the G12 is a truly remarkable piece of photographic equipment. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to professional photographers as a go-everywhere camera as well as to serious amateurs who really want to learn the art and don't mind reading the manual.
ONE YEAR LATER: after four seasons of not heavy but regular use, I would not replace the G12 with any other comparable camera on the market. There are several points that I would like to make. Shooting coastline landscapes, I have grown a real appreciation for the 16:9 format. With the LCD open to the side and facing down, I am able to lift the camera well over my head and, in specific cases, gain a crucial, higher point of view. While I am a Raw + Photoshop kind of photographer, I am always mystified by the quality of the camera's jpeg HDR function (using a very light tripod). I am also an adult educator and the pictures of my students in the classroom that I take with the flash are really good. I am looking forward to handling the very attractive G1X (not as a replacement for the G12) especially because of the excellent overall performance of the G12.
174 of 181 found the following review helpful:
Not a toy, excellent photo quality for a serius photographer Oct 12, 2010
By Tathyana yepez j.
I went to LA last week, from Ecuador for 10 days on vacations, I wished to have this new camera in my hands to feel it, but at Samy's store at Fairfax blvd, they didn't have the camera yet, I ordered one from Amazon, (cost ¡$600 plus fast shipping! because it was the only one available at that moment, but...), finally I have it in my hands.
first impressions: small enough, not exactly a point & shoot camera, but not to big too, ideal to bring with you a better equipment than any point & shoot camera any were without to carry a big dslr and a bunch of lenses, actually y have a Canon 5d mkII, a canon 50d and I began the dslr world with the famous Canon 20d, something interesting is that I use all this cameras with a bunch of old Nikkor lenses (at least 20 years old) using an adapter ring, for me it is the perfect marriage, Canon body with old Nikkor lenses, of course I can only use the manual mode and have to use the manual focus ring to get focus but... while my sight is 20/20 love the final results.
Some features about this camera:
1 The lcd is fantastic, allows to take pictures or movie shoots in practical any position and situation, nice also when you are taking videos or do not want to be noticed when you are shooting, getting more spontaneous photos.
2 The ergonomic of the wheels for ISO,compensation and the mode selector are very well located, they work firmly.
3 The new front wheel, that works for increase or decrease the aperture or shutter speed is great.
4 The menu is easy to use and I like the new formats and sizes you can take pictures, 10:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:2, 4:5 allows to get a better composition and photo formats without crop the image.
5 the rugged feel is nice for me, besides is only in two parts of the camera, where your hand and fingers needs more support.
6 At first instance I though the optical view finder appears to be so simple and "awful" like somebody told before, but, the diopter corrector works fine and when I clean the visor glasses, become so clear and nice that actually I am using it a lot, because do not need to open the lcd screen and it is possible to see the green or orange light which tells you that the exposition is ok or not, "going back to the old times".
7 I did not test enough the video, but at first look, it is ok and allows to record some interesting moments.
8 The quality of the pictures is awesome, really love it, finally can get almost the quality I have with my DSLRs but in a small camera.
9 It is fast, is ready to take pictures maybe in a second.
10 The quality of the lcd screen may be is not the best, but, allows you to see if the picture is ok, and normally if you see that the picture is ok, when you opened in any software the picture is !really great!
11 for me all the wheels are well located, the buttons are in the right place, I have a normal hands size, use xl gloves, but have not fat fingers.
12 The autofocus works great, fast and with an excellent accuracy, feature not easy to find in a small camera, so reduces the possibility of loosing a nice photo.
12 Could be perfect, but nothing is.
This is my first week with this camera, I will let you know more and more of my experience.
for now, I am really happy, fits my requirements.
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