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Since the new G10 does everything this camera does plus a bit more why on Earth would anyone buy a G9 for 150 dollars more.
Since I now have owned the camera for a year they say it may cost up to $380. The Canon G9 is a great camera with terrific features - it is just so unreliable you shouldn't buy it. I have been told that I now need to send the camera back for the 2nd time to get it repaired. I bought the camera to take pictures on trips, the latest problem though occured just in the middle of shooting at home. Not sure I want to even keep the camera even if I get it fixed (and I just bought a dive case for it that I haven't used it yet) because if you can't trust your camera it doesn't matter how many features it has.
Better images than the new G10 (I have both). Best uses are landscapes and subjects that are still. I do like the G10s wider angle lens however. Both this and the G10 are great high end point and shoots. If you want to shoot action, buy a DSLR. Built like a tank and fits perfectly into the "take it everywhere" class.
A number of Canon G9 users have complained of dust getting into the lens barrel. Pictures with ISO above 400 are only marginally useful.5. It is a known manufacturing defect, wherein dust is trapped within the bodies of some cameras during the production. But if you are considering buying G9 on E-bay, it helps to be aware of the issue.2. What I am trying to say is that the detail-resolving power of Canon lens on G9, while by no means poor, does not quite match what you get from Zeiss or Leica.
Canon will clean it out for free during the warranty period. There is a beautiful 3-dimensional aspect to the faces, just like what you see on professional photos. I-contrast is a new image processing algorithm designed to brighten up dark areas on the picture. Apparently this stuff coats the inside of the lens elements and essentially turns the camera into a useless piece of junk. It produced excellent photos, but it could never match the portraits that come out of G9. As a result, Powershot G10 is reported to have been given a much sharper lens with greater detail resolving power.7.
This is where G9 really shines. Low light performance is OK, but not quite as good as some other point and shoot cameras. So unless you get a really good deal, there are few compelling reasons to buy G9 any more. Best Buy outlets have Canon G9 on clearance for $350, which is about the max I believe you should be paying for it nowadays. So I just have a couple of additional comments and observations to share with those who are still considering G9. I previously owned Sony V1, which had a large sensor coupled with a high quality Zeiss lens. It is my understanding that you can improve dynamic range of your photos by fiddling with RAW images on the computer, but I have not been so successful using Canon supplied software. Hopefully, Canon G10 will perform better in this area, thanks to its new intelligent contrast feature.
The dynamic range of the photos is frankly mediocre. The color looks violet on final images, which is close enough but no cigar. Obviously, not every camera has been affected, and the lens on my camera has stayed crystal clear. One caveat, however: if portrait taking is of importance to you, this is the area where G9 still delivers the goods (more on it later).Other people have already discussed nearly every aspect of the camera in great detail.
It creates some amazing panoramic pictures; you gotta see them to believe.4. The next generation of prosumer cameras has already entered the the market (Canon G10, Panasonic LX3, Nikon P6000, etc). Nikon P6000 has a similar function called D-lighting. At the full extended zoom (6x), Canon G9 blurs the background and takes studio-quality portraits.
Incidentally, judging from the CameraLab review of G10 (Canon's next generation upgrade to G9), the G10's shorter telephoto lens (5x) loses the capability of shallowing the depth of field, and as a result produces only average portraits. I am not talking about the soft-looking image tones, which are a hallmark of all Canon cameras (as opposed to Sony or Panasonic). The model is quickly becoming obsolete. The G9 lens is not quite as sharp as I expected coming from Canon. I do not own Adobe, which could be my problem to begin with.6. Finally, the camera has a neck strap, but no wrist strap. Sony V1 renders the same color accurately on auto mode.8. I love the photostitch mode.
Hope that some folks will find these useful.1. No matter what settings I use (including custom white balance, different saturation and sharpness levels), my camera is uncapable of correctly rendering the purple color. In my opinion, this is by far the best feature of this camera. So in my unprofessional opinion, G9 will beat G10 in portrait quality on any given day.3. Apparently, Canon has been painfully aware of the fact. Most of you don't care, but those who prefer a wrist strap will have to search for an aftermarket option.
When I pull out the tiny G9 they think I am joking.Great camera. I am a professional photographer and this is the only camera I use. When I am exhibiting (usually large works of 1m2), other photographers will come up to me with clunky SLRs around their necks asking what I shoot with. Works best in manual mode. I was afraid to get it because I had read so much about bad quality control (factory defects), but I haven't had any problems.
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