Canon Powershot G9

pauliewallie

A friend of mine has recommended this camera as a very good compact camera. Not SLR but very reliable and takes a good shot. It is what I am lookign for but i wonder if there has been an upgrade to this camera does anyone know?

http://www.canon.ie/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_Camera/PowerShot/PowerShot_G9/index.asp

Heebie

There is probably a G10 or G11 etc.. It's a long-standing model. I used to work at a Canon dealer, and back then we sold the G3 and the G4 during my tenure.

It was an excellent bridge camera. (although I preferred my Fuji S-7000 because it felt more like an SLR, the Canon certainly had some awesome features.)

pearljamfan

theres a G11 now

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/3622177/art/canon/powershot-g11.html

im thinking of selling my fuji s9600 because im fed up with lugging a big camera around, and thats one thing that put me off upgrading to a SLR, so now im thinking something like this or one of the new 4/3rds cameras.

any advice appreciated.!

Thecageyone

lovely camera, but I'd want more than 5 X wide zoom for that price-range.

hbr

pauliewallie wrote: »

It is what I am lookign for but i wonder if there has been an upgrade to this camera does anyone know?

The current model is the G11:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canong11/

This is one of the best compact cameras on the market, but
it is rather expensive and a bit dated compared to some of
it's rivals. Canon seem to have come to their senses and
abandoned the megapixel race for this model. The G11
is 10MP while the previous G10 model was 14.7MP.
If you want a high quality compact camera and you
don't need HD video, you probably won't find a better
one.

Stephen

I have a Powershot S90 to accompany my slr and it is a fantastic little camera. Its got the same physically larger 10mp sensor that the G11 has.

DaireQuinlan

I got my sister to get G9 a year or two ago when she was looking for a compact. The G10 had just been released but the consensus was that the G9 was probably still the better camera. They're robust and nicely put together, all manual controls and hotshoe are a definate plus, and they take good enough pictures for a compact, although they fall apart at higher isos. Or at least the G9 does, I guess the G11 at least is probably a little better. Alternatively the S90 is much the same camera as the G11 in a more compact package.
If I was in the mood for a digital compact I'd probably get a G11 or a G9 if I wasn't planning on low light available light photography.

cnocbui

You could also have a look at the new Panasonic LX5 if you are not dead set on Canon http://www.dpreview.com/news/1007/10072110panasonicdmclx5.asp

I imagine the older LX3s still in stock might be available at closeout discounts.

Tearaway

I've a g10 - an excellent little camera but apart from the extra file size - I agree the g9 or the g11 are probably better... G9 has that really nice time lapse feature that's been taken off the g10 for some reason.

CabanSail

I have two G9's

Great little cameras & I take one with me most places. If you understand exposure you can get a lot out of these but if you will be setting it to Auto then save some money and get a high end compact instead. The strength of this camera is in the control you can get and it shoots RAW (but not in Auto Mode)

WAPAIC

I had a G9, bought in 2008. It broke almost immediately - from some reason I can't remember the fault but I think the lens jammed or it wouldn't turn on. Brought it back to Canon when they were based on Sandyford - they fixed the problem and broke a few other things including the LCD and some of the buttons. It had to go back twice more before basic funcationality was restored. It finally packed in Nov 2009 (lens stuck out). I brought it to a Canon dealer in Cape Town who wanted 2 months and a few hundred euro to fix it. As I was discussing this with him, it started working again but stopped again over Christmas. Canon Ireland were polite but unhelpful - they have closed the sandyford office and I would have to send it the UK for assessment. Cost of repair is likely to be more than a new one so its still sitting on my shelf. I have a 3yr warranty somewhere but I can't find the bit of paper it's written on:(

So in short, it's a lovely lovely camera but I'd find it hard to reccomend it. I now have a Nikon D90 and am amazing my friends with the results from my 50mm 1.8. I also have an Olympus Tough 8000 waterproof thing which is shockingly bad but it is waterproof.

Thecageyone

For the price the Panasonic G10 looks a very nice alternative.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-12-1MP-Compact-System-Camera/dp/B003B20STW

With the option to upgrade lenses later.

blastman

Stephen wrote: »

I have a Powershot S90 to accompany my slr and it is a fantastic little camera. Its got the same physically larger 10mp sensor that the G11 has.

+1

I bought the S90 recently and it's a great little camera. G11 sensor in a smaller body with a brighter lens. I love it.

Niall26

Anybody with a Canon Powershot should get this for it:

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

Its incredible! So much extra functionality! Its a bit tricky to install if you're not familiar with hacks so I'm offering to install it for anyone who wants it, for a small fee . Scripts have to be gathered and put in the right place to get the desired extra functions. The correct firmware version specific CHDK is very important too, otherwise it wont work.

It turns a really good camera into an absolute beast!

30 minute shutter exposure is my favourite feature, way better than the 15 second limit that was on it.
Motion detection script can capture lightning, how cool is that!

GavinZac

The Sony Alpha NEX series look good and are compatible (via adapter) with the Sony Alpha DSLR lens for when you want to upgrade

the_tractor

I've had a G9 for 3years now I think.
Excellent camera. Takes great pictures.

The G11 is a better camera, but it is entry level SLR money.

The G9 is a bit long in the tooth now, so to speak. but is still a capable camera in the right hands (I've lucked into a couple of great shots myself).
Also some people have reported some issues where a loose screw inside the case can short out the camera - I had a loose screw myself, but took the case off and put the screw back - 20min job :-).

The timelapse feature is a bit of a gimmick but it has it's uses.

Here is one of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxdLwdtsPA

Boardnashea

My G9 has just died. A lot of sites seem to point to the loose screw problem. Any ideas where I can take this? Is the UK Canon repair centre worth talking to?

WAPAIC

Canon used to have an office in Sandyford, Dublin but I believe the technicians were based in the UK. AFAIK this office has closed and you need to do the posting yourself.

For the record, I had awful experiences with them. Similar experiences with the Canon service centre in Cape Town incidentally. Very disappointing. That said, its probably worth emailling them and try to get indicative quotes at least.

My G9 is still broken and sitting upstairs. I don't want to post it over to the UK only to be told it will cost more than an ebay replacement to repair. To be honest even if the repair was cheap, its been broken so many times now that I don't want to throw any more money at it. I should really investigate if there is an independent repair place around Dublin and get them to open it up.

PCPhoto

you could always give zerohamster a PM - he's always up for opening it up and having a look.

WAPAIC

Interesting, who's he now? Does he get the boards seal of approval? Will he give me an excuse to buy a G11, I really shouldn't have played with one in the airport!

dinneenp

There's a lot of competition out there:

• Samsung EX1 / TL500- no viewfinder but 24-72mm f/1.8-2.4
• Canon G12
• Panasonic LX5- no viewfinder (can get one as an accessory)
• Canon S95- no viewfinder. Very pocketable
• Nikon P7000- Versatile zoom lens 28-200mm f/2.8-4.5!

Just google camera X vs camera Y etc and you'll see loads of articles, like
this.
and this; S90 vs G11

I have a Panasonic ZS3 but might swap it at Christmas for one of the above.
I had the Canon S90 before but had to sell it to help finance getting my dslr.

Very nice camera and as I said pocketable. It'd be perfect it if had a viewfinder and slightly longer zoom.