Christaine did a very good review on G2. I do not have a G2 but a G1 and it also has another drawback, namely lousy autofocus, and lack of manual focus (there exists a manual focus option, but it is like a childs toy). I do not know if G2 has better focus capability. izzet > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-photoforum@listserver.isc.rit.edu > [mailto:owner-photoforum@listserver.isc.rit.edu] On Behalf Of > Christiane Roh > Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 2:25 AM > To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students > Subject: Re: digital camera question > > > Le 2.10.2002 1:36, « Bright, Christy [IBD] » > <christy.bright@citigroup.com> a écrit : > > > I'm considering buying the Canon Powershot G2. Anyone have any > > experience with it or any thoughts on its quality? Is it > suitable for > > professional use? It comes highly recommended from a photographer > > whose work with it I adore, but I was hoping to get a few other > > opinions before I lay down the cash. > > Hi Christy, > > I've got one of these little cameras one year ago and I do > really love it. I was so convinced by it.. That six months > later I got the Canon D60. > > What I love with the G2 : > > 1) the ease of digital : no more scanning > 2) the lovely swiveling display screen which allow you to > shoot with new angle of view and unseen. > 3) the image quality : as stated by Rob, it's the best you > can get from a digital point and shoot. > 4) the complete control you can get on almost every settings > including manual modes. > 5) the ability to make great pictures with a very small and > light camera (like a notebook you can always keep with yourself). > 6) the ability to check the picture taken for correct > exposure with the mean of an histogram (sharpness is more > difficult to check however). > 7) the well designed user interface (I found it was easier > than on the Nikon Coolpix). > 8) the very long life of the battery. > 9) the possibility to use IBM Microdrives (especially if you > shoot a lot). > > What bothered me : > 1) the somewhat buggy Canon software and slow conversion of > raw image to tif (but if you are using a PC then there are > many good alternatives which we don't have with a Mac. > 2) a little noise at 400 ASA.. > > What can bother some : > 1) the extreme depth of field : it is almost impossible to > get blurred background, even at F2.8 and using the tele at > its max length (102mm equivalent in 35mm). > 2) the problem that you don't get a really wide angle > equivalent, but only approximately 32mm (go for the Nikon > 5000 if you want a 28mm wide, but the zoom will then be > shorter); you can add an adapter and a special lens if you > want to get a larger angle of view on the G2, but it adds > very cumbersome gear to a small camera. > 3) some complained about the flash overexposing in automode > (but I tend to use available light) and if I get some > overexposure I tend to think I was too near of the subject. > 4) a very very poor optical viewfinder : I ended up using the > display screen only (but I love it, provided you are more > careful with camera shakes, you won't regret it). > > The main reason why I got the D60 is : > SHUTTERLAG SHUTTERLAG SHUTTERLAG SHUTTERLAG.. Some pretend > one can drive it down to less than a second by cutting the > display screen off, setting the camera in pano/landscape mode > (the program adjusts for the max DOF and thus takes benefits > from the loooong DOF and skip the Autofocus step), memorizing > the exposure in advance. But I don't want to work for ever > using the auto everything mode. So I got the D60.. > > But on the D60 I regret : > 1) a more cumbersome piece of equipment > 2) a more obtrusive piece of equipment > 3) you get 6 meg instead of 4, which is often, but not > always, a good thing, because it comes at a price : it takes > more time to convert and much more space on your HDD and CDs > when converted. You don't always need all these pixels, but > you can't get raw pictures at lower size, so unless you > accept JPG, you are condemned to use the max resolution. > 4) no swiveling display screen, no live preview of the image > in the display screen. > 5) the fixed display screen can only be used to check the > pictures after you have taken it, but the way you can only > enlarge the picture twice instead of three times with the G2. > You can't move through the enlarged picture as easily as with > the G2 and you realize soon that this is not a feature you > can really use. > > Conclusion : > > 1) the G2 is really the best of cameras in order to get a > feel of what digital is. It will allow you to take pictures > which you can enlarge at letter size, or even to A3 with the > help of Genuine Fractal. Compared to the D60, it has some > more noise already at 200 ISO and clearly more at 400 ISO. > > 2) it's the camera that months after months gets the more > hits on the best www site about digital cameras : > http://www.dpreview.com > > 3) check there for a very complete > review concerning the Canon G2 : > http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canong2/ > > 4) Canon has just > released the CanonG3 which is said to have a better AF system > (called a flexizone compared to the G2 three selectable zone > method). http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02091605canong3.asp > It is still a 4meg model however and it comes with the same > sensor and same lens as the G2. Depending on your budget, it > may be a good moment to get an interesting price on the G2, > be it second hand or new. > > 5) I'd also seriously consider a second hand D30 if I was a > pro on a budget. Although it has just a little less pixels > than the G2, the quality of the picture is so much better > that you won't notice the difference. A friend of mine, who > has both a D30 and a D60 for his studio, told me that the D30 > was sharper than the D60. So, in case you have already Canon > lenses, a second hand D30 could be a valuable alternative to > a G2 or G3, especially if you are a professional (clients may > think that your G2 doesn't look pro enough (even if it takes > very good pictures). > > I hope this will help you and wish you good luck with your purchase. > > Christiane > > > > > >
