Canon PowerShot G9:
Stealth Power Unleashed

by Oscar Colorado

The "G" Heritage

The path that lead to the Powershot G9 was bumpy, to say the least. The "G" series is the premium line of compact digital cameras from Canon. The heritage of this family is quite strong: fast, powerful, stuffed with the best available features, compact form and a top line price tag.

There were some signature features of the G series: vari-angle monitor, LCD display for shooting info, RAW format, fast lenses, to mention a few.

Canon took an unusual long time to replace the successful G6 to finally surprise everyone with the G7. But it was the family's black sheep: a G camera stripped out of the family signature features. The G7 had no vari-angle monitor, no LCD display, no RAW format and a slow lens. Many Photo Aficionados turned their back to this sacrilegious scion and disgraced the newborn inheritor.

Mutiny on-board!

We are sure that many sweated blood when the mutiny started: from less than enthusiastic potential buyers to the media, everyone was in rage against Canon. In record time the company released a new G successor trying to redeem its preceding flaws: the G9.

That's enough for family history. It's time to turn the page and to acknowledge the G9 as a remarkable camera on its own, forgetting (and forgiving) the G7's obscure past.

"I'm not a dSLR!"

Although many regard the G9 as a dSLR replacement we do not agree. You just can't have -at least today- a dSLR image quality and low noise behavior in a diminutive 1/1.7in CCD sensor; you can expand the focal length of the G9 using a wide or tele converters (check our full review of them), but you are married to one lens. The image quality level is very good, but not as good as the most basic dSLR. This compact is slower in every aspect compared to any entry level dSLR. The G9 is not a pocket able dSLR and we think that it was never meant to be that. The G9 is a compact camera, and that defines its virtues and sins.

If looks could kill

The G9 establishes new quality of construction and style standards. It's like a Panzer on a Hugo Boss suit. The level of attention to detail is just stunning: the body has a double-coated and double-baked enamel process. The G9 logo on the front is created by injecting paint into a recessed area using a syringe. The retro look is achieved with some rangefinder innuendoes: ISO dial with a metal ball within the mechanism, classic zoom lever and shutter. Even the display layout recalls analog style. The result is a very "bondish" camera (and we mean the new Bond!). There is no other compact camera with the level style and quality of the G9, period.

Ergonomics and usability

The killer range-finder look had a lack of grip that is slightly improved with the G9. The thumb grip is better and the front leather-like grip is a little bigger. The results are, as you may imagine, marginally better. Yet, it is easy to use this camera with a single hand and using both hands it is very comfortable.

The usability of the G9 is remarkably good. We always felt the G6 difficult to operate with too many buttons all over the camera and with a very un intuitive layout. The G9 is a totally different story and the ice on the cake is the EOS style round dial that simplifies significantly every operation.

The retro-styled ISO dial is just great.

Although there is not a vari-angle monitor, the new 3" LCD is very good, indeed. The possibilities of a vary-angle LCD are endless, yet Canon obstinate in using a fixed monitor with the G9. Even though the angle of view on the G9 is better than the G7 it's just not enough. Lower cameras (as the S5 or the A650) feature a vari-angle display. Perhaps Canon's designers wanted a clean style or to reduce dimensions. In the effort to redeem the G series, the LCD is not winning any points.

Optical performance

The 6x lens is quite good with an unsurprising focal length of 35-210mm (equivalence to 35mm). 28mm at the wide end would be great, but the wide and tele converters may enhance the focal length with practically no optical loss. Although there is some barrel distortion at the wide end, it's moderate. The chromatic aberrations are under control although visible to pixel peepers. Many enthusiasts still miss the fast f/2.0 lens of the G6. With a maximum aperture of f/2.8 you won't write home about the lens aperture, but the Image Stabilizer works very good and has a panning option for horizontally moving subjects. The IS feature compensates the lack of fast lenses and it is very good to have it in such a compact camera. The zoom is faster and quieter than the G6's.

Digital tele-converter

We all know how nasty are the results of digital zoom. Canon created a concept called "digital tele-converter". It isn't new, but with G9's 12.1 mega pixels it is now finally usable. If you choose a lower resolution, you can use digital zoom without degrading the final output up to some degree.

Features: non plus ultra ...almost

The G9 has a portable size, stealth and stylish look and the most powerful set of features available on any Canon compact and/or sub-compact camera. It's kind of strange to see the same Digic III processor on the new Canon cameras with a very different set of features. The G9 is the only camera that seems to have most of the capabilities of the Digic III unleashed. Everything is there: the whole set of scene modes if you want the camera to take charge of everything, in the creative zone you can set almost every parameter to your taste:

-White balance (which, by the way, is very good; much better than Canon's XTi or even 40D and 5D).
-My Colors
-Focus and exposure bracketing
-Flash compensation
-Evaluative, center weighted average and spot metering
-ND filter, so you can use slower speeds at lower ISO settings

If you dig into the Record menu, you'll find nice surprises:

-Flash output control
-Self timer allows setting the delay time but also the number of shots
-You can opt in the review info from a detailed view or a very useful focus check view
-Shortcut button setting
-Not one, but two custom settings on the mode dial

The G9 is filled with nice little features that make the photographer's life easier such as a safety manual focus feature for the best of both worlds: you choose manual focus and the camera performs a fine tuning with auto focus.

The auto ISO shift feature is handy: you can let the camera tell you if you may improve image sharpness by pumping up the ISO levels and you can choose to do it automatically or the direct-print button will lit. If you press the button the ISO setting will be increased.

One great capability is the hot shoe for an external flash. It doesn't really matter if the in-built flash isn't stellar; having a hot shoe is a very welcomed feature.

Finally you can see a battery level indicator after all these years. Was that sooooo difficult? By the way, battery life is so-so with 240 shots. It is incredible that a camera such as the SD870 IS with a 3.0" LCD (just like the G9) with a diminutive NB5L battery has a battery life of 270 shots. What's going on?

Well, not so non plus ultra

Although the G9 is supposed to have not just the whole enchilada but the mother of all enchiladas, there are some features that you may find in lesser Canon models:

-Super macro. Where's this ultra-cool option that allows you to shoot at 0"?
-HD & optical zoom in video mode. OK, you have a generous 1024 movie mode, but at 15fps! Why not the full HD resolution? The TX1 video mode is better and you can use the optical zoom.

Performance

Continuous shooting is average and the G9 is not a suitable camera for sport shooting or very fast moving subjects. That said, the startup is reasonable quick although auto focus might be faster. The G9 is, by no means, sluggish, but it is slower than you may expect for such a high-end camera.

Image quality

The G9 image quality is very good and highly detailed. Color rendering is very good without Canon's tendency to saturate reds. The Digic III does a very good job with JPGs but RAW is la spécialité de la maison.

Uncooked ingredients

Enthusiasts begged and cried for RAW files. In fact, this was good enough for having the G9. In the G7's early days, there were rumors over the net of a firmware upgrade. Instead, Canon made a strange yet better move: they unveiled a new G camera with more features and RAW files.

What's the hassle about unprocessed, untreated, unrefined, crude, unedited, undigested and unprepared pixels? Well, a lot, actually! A Photo Aficionado is pretty much like a Chef: using canned tomatoes is a sin; you must use fresh tomatoes. You can't let a tiny brain decide what it is going to happen to your pixels. That's fine for the P&S apprentice, but not for the true Photo Aficionado (hey, don't tell anyone, but the G9 Digic III is one great chef de cuisine delivering just the right amount of processing, G9's JPGs are not bad at all). After the mutiny, the G9 features the possibility of capturing photos unprocessed. With the RAW files, you can use your computer and the software of your choice to extract every possible bit of information from your photos. We used Lightroom 1.2 with no problem at all, although you can stick to Canon's software.

One strong reason for using the RAW format is the level of noise on the G9. As any other compact with gazillions of tera pixels in Lilliputian 1/1.7" sensor, the image quality at high ISO levels is questionable at best, and noise is visible even at ISO 100.

A common sin among compact cameras is the wrong approach to noise reduction. Some manufacturers try to solve the problem by eradicating chroma noise and preserving luminance noise to produce a "grainy film" effect. Other choose to get rid of luminance noise. In most cases, an over aggressive noise suppression approach will ruin the detail on the shot. Choosing how to handle noise is a very personal choice and depends on many factors: light, the kind of scene and the level of detail you are willing to compromise. The G9 has a ISO 800 and ISO 1600 settings. With the RAW file, you can fine tune your noise control to your taste. Don't expect miracles. When looking at the untouched noise you may feel discouraged: fear not, you can find many good ways to handle it and you can always use some specialized noise reduction software such as Noise Ninja.

Canon PowerShot G9 (100% crops, RAW file without any noise reduction setting)
ISO 80	ISO 100	ISO 200
ISO 400	ISO 800	ISO 1600

So, having a RAW files choice is not a whimsy thing. Having 12.1 megapixels in such a little sensor, this feature allows you to combat the archrival of compact cameras: noise. >> Check the G9's noise performance in detail here.

That’s it for the techno babble. How does the G9 feel?

This is the Photo Aficionado camera par excellence. It is stylish and incredibly well built with tons of features. It is also very portable (OK, it won't fit in your shirt pocket, but you won't need the yucky neck strap -courtesy of Canon- either).

What about the price? For just $35 more you can buy the very decent Nikon D40 dSLR. $70 more and you'll reach the still-desirable -yet entry level- Rebel XT. Both cameras will deliver a much better image quality and very low noise (specially the Rebel XT). Well, the price is not the only reason why we buy things; otherwise we'd all drive Hyundais. With $40,000 you can buy an Acura LT or a Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab: diverse vehicles for various purposes. It is the same with cameras. Now you get the picture.

The G9 is the best you can get on compact cameras today. That doesn't mean that it is perfect. Certainly the G9 is aimed to Photo Aficionados and, although it is pricey, the cost-benefit equation is pretty fair. It is a beautiful and powerful camera and you'll love it, no doubt about that.

The bottom line

TEXTO		The Photo Aficionado camera par excellence.
	MODEL	Canon PowerShot G9
	Pertinent info:	> 6x optical zoom > 3" LCD monitor > 12.1 mega pixels > Image Stabilization > Both automatic and fully manual modes > RAW files
	Ideal for	>Photo Aficionados that demand full control and features in the smallest possible size
	Street Price :	$445
	Low cost alternative:	A650 IS ($338)
	High cost alternative:	The G9 is the king of the compact-digicams jungle.
	Advantages:	> Impressive set of features > IS works great and has a panning option > Although noisy, RAW files let you extract more information > Extremely exceedingly, exceptionally, extraordinarily, tremendously, immensely, hugely, intensely, acutely, abundantly, singularly, uncommonly, decidedly, particularly, supremely, highly, remarkably, really, truly, mightily well built > Superb retro-rangefinder-inspired style > Hot shoe is extremely useful > Excellent LCD monitor > Portable and comfortable > Useful focal range > Accepts adapter plus wide and tele converters > Usability is excellent > Very good image quality considering the size of the sensor > It is not less noisy, but the approach to handling noise is better than most compact digicams. > Two custom positions to save your settings > Good movie mode > Excellent resolution > User interface and menus are very consistent with the rest of the Canon line > The EOS style round dial and dedicated ISO dial are excellent > Highly customizable > Good white balance handling
	Disadvantages:	> Noisy (although shooting in RAW helps; noise is visible at 100% even at low ISO figures) > No super macro mode > No true HD movies > No optical zoom while shooting movies > Lens could be wider and faster > Viewfinder is poor and obstructed by the lens > Overall performance should be faster considering the high end photographers that will use it. It's not sluggish, but you can't use it for sports or very fast moving subjects > So-so continuous shooting mode > AF should be faster > Shutter lag
	Our emotional opinion:	This is la créme de la créme of compact cameras and we love it. Period.
Canon PowerShot G9 Photos >> G9 Samples		>> Product gallery