Customer Reviews

Canon Powershot G1 3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been into digital photography for about 3 years, and have owned an Apple Quicktake 200 (lame), Nikon Coolpix 950 (decent), Nikon Coolpix 990 (almost right; read my review), and now the G1. I have it set up with the 340 MB IBM microdrive, as well as the Canon 420EX Speelite. This combination, I feel, is about as good as you can get without getting to the [price] range (Canon D30). Here are some things you may not see in the other reviews:

* The camera, once it powers on after about 5 seconds, is very very quick shooting. You almost can't want to shoot faster than it will allow.

* Focus can, however, slow you down a bit, especially in dark setting (despite focus-assist light), and in low-contrast settings. I am a dentist (couldn't you tell by the name?!), and the camera does have issues with intraoral focusing.

* Playback of images is very fast, especially when you use the RAW format. You can flip through about 2/second. If you can, buy a BIG memory card. I have the 340 MB Microdrive, and can store about 200 images in RAW mode. This mode is important. It is the equivalent of a TIFF file, but only takes about 2 megs/image, instead of 9 Megs with the Coolpix 990. Also, shot-to-shot in TIFF mode on the 990 is almost 10 seconds; on the G1, shot-to-shot in RAW is about 1 second. Also, in RAW mode, you can alter brightness/contrast/color saturation losslessly.

* Flash photography is a complete joy to do with this camera. The 420EX is a spectacular flash, there is tons of power, no red eye, and the E-TTL system makes even bounce and swivel photography a complete breeze. You can even over/underexpose the flash, and wirelessly control multiple flashes. Just totally unparalleled. Nikon and Olympus just can't touch this. 990 doesn't even have a hot shoe...

* The battery is on steroids; just never wants to run out (realistically ~400-500 shots 'til reload). With the Coolpix 990, you have to buy batteries and a charger. Koodos to Canon for adding this value to the G1.

* The layout of the controls is such that just about every button is within easy reach of my fingers. Excellent.

* Optional adapter (... LA-DC58) screws into the front, and allows you to use standard 58 mm lenses and ring lights to further expand your creativity.

* Camera is fairly hefty, and builty like a tank. This sure isn't going to break in your hands...

* Setting the ISO to 50 (Nikon can't do this) gives just absolutely fantastic photos with very minimal noise, even in the dead of night (Nikon had MUCH more noise).

Negative stuff (hey, it can't be perfect!):

* There is no Program Shift!!! HOW could they do this?!?! This actually is a bummer, and the standard Program mode always seems to favor wide open F-stops; stick to aperture-priority. 990 has this....

* You cannot have multiple folders to store images to. This is a pain, since I can store about 200 images between downloads, and I never want to have my patient photos mixed up. 990 has this feature, but I consider it a minor inconvenience.

In conclusion, the unique highs of this camera include the image quality (ISO 50), awesome flash capabilities, IBM Microdrive support, RAW image mode, great battery, and lots of great accessories. The negatives include suspect night/low contrast focusing and no program shift. I've used most 3 megapixel cameras, and I think this is the gem of the lot.

I've already had one digital camera (a Kodak DC290, which was excellent) for a year, but I longed for more manual control and more flexibility, and this camera delivers in spades. The G1, in fact, has so many features and options that it's a bit overwhelming for people who've operated earlier, more limited digital cameras primarily in point-and-shoot mode. Apart from shutter and aperture priority, there are night flash, portrait, landscape and movie modes. There's excellent noise reduction for long exposures and a mode to assist with taking panoramas (plus almost absurdly easy stitching software) to merge the shots on a computer.

The camera sets new standards in its price category with its support for IBM Microdrives and the use of a camcorder battery, meaning longer life and lots more pictures possible in a given session. The swiveling LCD is fantastic and is so bright I use it to compose for almost every shot... again, the longer battery life makes this possible. The menus are easy to follow and the ergonomics are great -- the camera feels very solid and not like some weirdly designed gadget. A hot shoe means it's easy to attach a Canon speedlite flash (or some third party flashes) for even greater flexibility, and it's a relief not to have to rely on clumsy brackets to hold a flash. RAW mode pictures make it possible to tweak pictures for things like white balance in the computer.

The picture quality is superb, and the camera is very adaptable to a variety of picture taking settings. What may cause an issue with novice users is the fact that pictures using auto settings, while OK, can be a bit cool, and in trickier settings on sunny days, end up slightly overexposed. The built-in flash is also on the finicky side and will require some experimentation to determine optimal range. It's simple enough to adjust flash strength, exposure or white balance accordingly and have those settings stick, but some folks may not want to bother. There are definitely more manageable cameras for those who primarily want point-and-shoot or those who want very saturated looking pictures right out of the camera (the Kodaks being best).

But by the same token, those who like to tinker will find the pictures possible with the G1 excellent--they compare very favorably to other digicams I evaluated such as the Nikons, Olympuses and Kodaks. This is a very good camera for people who want to learn more about photography. After an adjustment period of over a hundred pictures, I find that everything from portraits to landscapes to macro shots to night shots comes out very well. The software that comes with the camera for downloading and browsing images (Zoombrowser) is well done --I usually avoid installing camera manufacturers' software because of bugs, but this is good stuff.

Most notable nits: a flimsy rubber door that covers the AC port, and a slow bootup time when using the IBM Microdrive. Otherwise, the camera feels wonderful and the time to take pictures from one shot to another is very fast.

Overall, I am very pleased. Beyond everything I've already said, the fact that I've taken nearly a thousand pictures in just a few weeks is evidence that taking pictures with this camera and making use of all its capabilities is absolutely addictive!

I agree with the points listed by others reviewing the Canon Powershot G1 camera and I am very happy with the product. I purchased this camera to take advantage of some of its more advanced features and have not been let down (after several weeks, I'm still making discoveries).

A couple of additional notes I would like to add for those intending to buy this camera and for existing owners:

1) I highly recommend Canon's PSC1000 semi-hard case for the G1. It is a two-piece leather design that provides significant protection for the camera body, as well as making the camera easier to grip for those with large hands.

2) I have been pleasantly surprised with the software that Canon supplied with the G1 - the ZoomBrowser software provides a quick, convenient method of viewing large numbers of photographs. This camera also comes with a 'SE' edition of Adobe Photoshop - a rich product that enjoys industry-wide support. Competitors often provide a TWAIN-compatible driver and a simple/cheap photo manipulation program - leaving consumers to purchase adequate software.

3) The 16mb card supplied with the camera is really included only to make the camera operable out of the box. In my opinion, this card should have been at least 64mb in size (high quality JPG images are 1.2mb in size). Be prepared to purchase a larger card immediately, or try one of the Microtech harddrives made by IBM, which the G1 supports fully.

I've rated the camera 5 stars because I find it to be the digital equivalent to Canon's excellent line of EOS SLR cameras in every respect.

I've had mine for a week now, and I am totally impressed with it. The G1 combines point and shoot capability with enough (optional) control to satisfy all but the most serious photographers. Its 3 megapixel images, 3x optical zoom, and lithium battery offer exceptional performance.

My only complaint is with the flash, which tends to overexpose shots a tiny bit. I've found that changing the flash exposure down by -2/3 fixes this (you can change this one time and forget about it).

For storage I use a 128 mb viking memory card, plus a 340mb microdrive. With the camera set to superfine and large images I can shoot hundreds of photos.

This camera is perfect for someone who wants high quality photos and is willing to spend the money to get it. As an alternative take a look at the Kodak DC480 - you'll pay half as much but you won't give up control, a longer optical zoom, and some resolution. Personally, this ones a keeper for me.

After owning two digital cameras each for over a year, and after scouring the web for 3 months for reviews & recommendations for 3+ meg cameras, I finally bought a G1. I could not possibly be happier! Took it on a long vacation at the end 2000 and was consistently amazed at the flexibility, the smart design & functionality, the battery life, the speed to use, AND the image quality. Especially when compared to the Kodak cameras that I've used & owned, this product is a winner. I was pretty picky because I was frustrated with Kodak's lack of manual settings & options - the G1 lacks neither.

I brought a film camera on my vacation as well, and was so impressed with the G1 from day 1 that I ended up taking only about 5 shots on film and 200 digital (high resolution, medium size) images. The G1 really is that good - and a joy to use. Take it from a picky photographer.

As with other reviewers, I was worried about the hinged/swiveling LCD panel. But now that I've used it, it seems to be extremely well mounted and very solid. It's a high quality display, and I love the flexibility it offers for viewing during the shoot from in front of the camera, next to the camera, behind the camera - and for viewing images after the shoot at unlimited angles.

Do not buy this - or any other 3 meg camera - without a large memory card. I bought a 128M card for use in this camera, and even with that you can only store less than 100 images at full resolution & full size (which is plenty, unless you go on long trips without a computer to offload images). Go with at least a 64M card. And do not buy this camera without a case for protection - there seem to be plenty available here at Amazon for a few dollars. Unfortunately, Canon did not include a case with the G1.

If you just want a simple point & shoot digital camera, this one would probably be the least economic for you - unless you want to impress your gadget buddies (this definitely will). There are others with fewer features & flexibility. But if you're a pro or a darkroom photographer (I'm the latter) who is looking for quality AND functionality, you'll be extremely happy with the G1. It's worth the higher price.

ps: If you're reading this after about September 2001 you should probably check around a little because there will probably be 10 more 3 meg cameras out by then, and some of them may have matched or surpassed the G1 - especially economically.

I got this camera with the IBM 1GB microdrive, and I can pretty much forget about film camera. Seriously. (FYI, I own an EOS-1, and an ELPH)

For those who are browsing this reviews probably knows a lot about this camera so I would skip the introduction. ...

In short, this is a very great camera (high res., microdrive compatible and a very, very long battery life) but it does have some minor things that I would like to share with you, by reading this hopefully you will know what you're going to expect when you receive this great camera:

1) The plastic rubber side door is very flimsy, so be careful not to break it!

2) During the movie mode you cannot zoom in or out, maybe I do not know how to do it but I doubt it.

3) The flash light does tend to have a bit over exposure, so adjust accordingly, you might have to experience it to find a correct exposure level for your taste.

4) This camera does not come with a camera bag therefore the metal body has to take extra care otherwise you might find your new G1 end with quite a few unwanted scratches.

5) Finally, the lens cap: why don't Canon design a built-in lens cover instead of a physical cap? Sometimes I forgot to remove the lens cap before I turn on the camera and it shows me error message,tell me to restart the start up procedure again. Quite troublesome I must say. Hopefully I will get use to it.

Overall I am going to give it a solid 5 stars because this camera, although has the above weaknesses, it does have a lot of improvements compare with some top of the line consumer camera like Nikon Coolpix 990, Olympus 3030 etc. So for the money I spend this is a very well worth camera!

Caveat: I have used one digital camera prior to this (a Sony Mavica), and this is the first one I own. I have used Canon EOS cameras for many years.

The upsides (assuming you have read the specs already):

- Very controllable (as opposed to the ELPH, say). I can tweak and manipulate to my heart's content, when I feel the urge.

- Solid optics (but see below). F2.0 lens.

- Protected LCD (you can leave it turned in towards the body when not in use). (But see below)

- Light ENOUGH. This was my one real concern, as I was considering this vs. the ELPH. Was it light enough that I would carry it with me everywhere, or would it suffer the fate of my EOS - a fine camera, sitting at home on the shelf due to bulk and weight? Having carried it around for a while now, I have concluded it is being light enough for me - it does not impede me when backpacking...

- Photostich (where you can bring a series of pictures together to make a larger one (e.g., a panorama) is WONDERFUL! I have made a panorama for quicktime virtual reality from my porch, giving the viewer the feel of standing there, turning around at will. Great stuff. The camera works with this, so that you can easily create sufficiently overlapping pictures for the software to work well.

- The IBM microdrive compatibility is also wonderful - I have a one GB drive in there for extended trips, and can take about 600 pictures at max resolution and max quality.

Downsides:

- The rubber cover for the power and USB ports. I would be suprised if it were to survive a whole year. I have no idea what the replacement policy and options are, so you may end up with two naked ports.

- The lens cap is separate and there are no threads for a protective filter. That makes me nervous. But if a separate lens cap is the price to pay for good optics, then so be it.

- The optical coating is not up to the usual Canon EOS snuff (one gets sun glare to easily). But it is far better than the usual point-and-shoot lenses around.

- The LCD can be turned around, flipped, rotated... and protected. The protection provided is a good thing. The mechanical wear and tear of always moving these hinges makes me nervous. But if so, simply leave the LCS open in the back, and you are no worse off than with most other cameras out there.

- I have not gotten hold of a protective case yet, and that makes me nervous, too.

Summary: Well worth the money.

I recently upgraded my digital camera to the G1 (from an older Casio VGA) and I couldn't be happier.

It is easy to use and takes excellent pictures for a "prosumer" (I've taken over 500 since it arrived). The user interface will be familiar to Canon film camera users and it seems to offer the right combination of automated and manual features.

This camera comes equipped with everything you need: cables, storage, rechargeable, remote control, software, etc. The only complaint would be the size of the 16MB CompactFlash. You probably will want a 32MB or bigger device -- but that purchase can wait because the computer interface on this is excellent and uploading is a pleasure.

The USB interface and Type 1 and 2 card support are the way to go. This gives you a lot of future protection and upgrade options.

The included software is more than adequate. ZoomBrowser the camera manager is the best picture organizer I have used. The TWAIN driver has worked with all my photo and video editors.

The battery is incredible -- long life and fast recharge -- can't ask for more.

The LCD display is really useful. There are better displays out there but none more convenient. The ability to tuck it away saves on battery and cleaning the display. The 360 degree orientation is great. I use it in conjunction with the remote control to great effect.

I spent a good 2 months shopping for a digital camera before finally deciding on the Powershot G1. I couldn't be happier with my choice. While there are two things that bother me about the camera (I will get to them later), the benefits much more than compensate for the nuisances.

When I purchased the camera, I bought both a 128 meg viking (~130 photos at full resoloution) compact flash memory card and a 1 GB IBM Microdrive (~1200 photos). I bought the static memory in addition to the microdrive because I was worried about the increased usage of battery life due to the moving parts of the drive. However, I was shocked by the length of the battery life in comparison to other digital cameras (even other powershots). Using the LCD, flash, and the microdrive I can take over 270 shots before running low on battery. The extensive battery life and number of photos that can be taken on a microdrive are a big plus, especially considering my first gripe: the cover for the USB/Power connectors. There is a rubber cover over these that connectors that I fear I am going to break every time I take it off. It is incredibly solid while in place, and then as soon as you push it hard enough it flips out and is only held in by a tiny little rubber plug. Luckily I don't need to charge or download my photos that often.

The second complaint, isn't much of a problem for me, just a comment that I've received. Friends will use the camera, and say "That's an absolutely phenomenal camera, it's just a little heavy though". I agree, it is a little heavy, but the control I have over the camera and the benefits from its design are worth the extra weight.

If you are in the field for a top level digital camera, I would reccomend this with no reservations, compared to the drawbacks of many other digital camera, the Powershot G1 presents unprecedented power and control for all your digital photography needs.

After struggling to like my previous 1 megapixel Kodak D215 for a year, I spent some bucks for a real camera: the Canon G1. The Kodak was point-and-shoot, but the low resolution made "fuzz-balls" of trees and needed batteries every 20-30 shots. The G1 makes it child's play to take great clear photos.

While not the simplest appearing camera, it is extremely flexible and takes photos rivaling a good 35mm SLR. If left in "auto mode", it takes great shots with virtually no "start-up" issues. The G1's ease of use facilitates exploration of the manual and semi-automatic features which can help open the eyes of those who have avoided pro type photography, thinking it was far too technical.

That's the beauty of going digital. After the initial purchase, it's cheap to play and explore the realm of photography since the cost of experimenting, developing, modifying the photos is nil--here I'm considering my own time to be nil.

You will want to invest a padded case and in larger Compact Flash units ASAP, but CF costs have come down dramatically in the last few months. I recommend the 128 meg sizes (. . .)

The plusses of this particular camera are its simplicity for beginners, full range of features, long battery life, and high build quality of the body, lens, and electronics. I've banged it around mountain trails and taken well over 100 shots in two days. The evening between, I used the the G1's LCD to review and edit-out pics I didn't like--without re-charging or using-up the full battery charge.

I've had the thing for six months and have had excellent results with photos capturing close-ups of bugs on flowers, over-the-head shots at a junior high commencement (using the swiveling LCD), family portraits using the cool included remote, and gorgeous landscapes in Yosemite. High quality prints using my PC and HP printer are as good as 35mm at 8x10 size and would make passable poster size prints as well.

The biggest issues I've needed to deal with probably relate more to my expertise than the camera's fault, like over-exposure in very high contrast conditions: for example, faces or bodies being half-sunlit. So, I do still need to overcome periodic "pilot error", and I've had only marginal success with the camera's sound and video modes.

The camera is even "upgradable", as I have downloaded and re-configured its operating system (BIOS) from Canon's web-site, so I'm not stuck with last year's bugs--although I'm still not sure what the upgrade fixed since I'd never noticed operational problems.

As far as the included Canon software, I think it's quirky and cumbersome, but I don't consider this to be a fault of the camera. The USB-camera connection is recognized by Windows and I prefer to take my photos straight to Photoshop or Paintshop Pro for manipulation or printing rather than using Canon's Zoom Browser. Since I have a variety of CF modules, I usually use an external Sandisk USB-Compact Flash reader (about $20) rather than keeping the camera plugged-in for downloading.

I'm looking forward to a long relationship with this camera.

Note that the G1 has been upstaged by a slightly bulkier G2, but the on-line prices for the older model make it an exceptional buy.