27.01.09

Canon PowerShot G9 Review

Words by Julian Lass

Canon’s latest offering in its pro-orientated PowerShot G-series raises the bar very high indeed. The hallmark features of the G-series changed with the introduction of the G7 last September – gone were the variable angle LCD screen, Raw mode, CF card compatibility and top-plate LCD introduced with the original G1 back in 2000, to be replaced by a fixed LCD screen and an SD card slot.

Now barely a year on from the G7, the G9 adds a Raw mode and a huge three-inch screen, as well as a whopping 12.1 megapixels, two million more than the G7.

Looking and feeling very much like a rangefinder camera, this metal-bodied wonder is clearly aimed at serious snappers who prefer a lot of control – everything shouts solid sophistication, from the top dials to the EOS system-style hotshoe, from complex menus to the ability to shoot Raw and JPEG simultaneously. Add to this a handy focus check feature that allows you to rapidly check focus on faces, and a macro function that can focus down to 1cm – in theory at least.

If you want to shoot landscapes, the panorama mode will stitch together up to 26 frames. The LCD is big, sharp and easy to see from any angle, even when holding the camera high over your head, and it’s robust enough to have survived a couple of drops already. For the YouTube generation, the G9 will record at 30fps at 640x480 pixels.

Images are sharp and vibrant, focus is fast – except in macro – and sure-footed, and the Face Detection mode works very well indeed. The lens-based image stabilisation system keeps the most wobbly images sharp down to 1/8sec if you hold your breath.

SPECIFICATION

Price:    £430
Distributor:  canon.co.uk
Resolution:    12.1-megapixels
Max resolution:    4000x3000 pixels
Focus:    Auto, macro (1cm), manual
Exposure:    Evaluative, centre-weighted system average, spot
AF system:    TTL, Face Detect, AiAF (9-point), centre
Stabilization:    Yes
ISO range:    Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Zoom range:    6x (35-210mm equivalent)
Exposure modes:    Auto, P, Tv, Av, M, Custom
Shutter speeds:    15-1/2500sec. Slower than 1.3sec operates with noise reduction
Dimensions:    106x72x43mm
Weight:    320g

PROS AND CONS

Fantastic features, solid body, great LCD, pin-sharp pics

Battery capacity not great, focusing laborious in macro

VERDICT

If you already own a DSLR, but want something equally capable to slip into your pocket, the G9 is it.
 

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