Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater
Tue, 15 Dec 2009
So, if you've been following along, then you know that I was drooling over the Canon G11 a while ago, primarily for one reason, and one reason only: low-light performance.
The G10 is a fine camera in almost every respect, but it was disappointing in its low-light abilities. For those, it's pretty grainy and annoying, and feels like it lets the side down, if only because everything else is so excellent. It is a pleasure to use otherwise. Despite all that, I really wanted to get my hands on a G11.
I finally realized that yes, low-light performance really was a big priority for me. This, coupled with someone who was interested in buying my G10, made the decision pretty easy. I've now been using my new G11 for about 5 days, and wanted to make an intial report.
First and foremost, holy crap does this thing do low-light well! The first time I took a real picture in a dim restaurant (as opposed to playing around with ISO settings and taking test shots), I was astounded. The quality is excellent, and although there's grain, it's really not that bad.
ISO 1600, .4s, f/2.8
ISO 1600, .2s, f/2.8
ISO 1600, .8s, f/2.8
ISO 250, 1/100s, f/4
One of my few complaints with the G10 was that the shutter release button was kind of mushy feeling. This, sadly, remains true with the G11. There's not really any tactile feedback to the shutter button, and so you can't tell when you've got it pressed half-way (a critical tactic when taking pictures with any kind of autofocus camera). There's a light that flashes, eventually, but that only comes on after everything gets locked in, so it's significantly delayed feedback. This is a huge disappointment because other Canon cameras I've used have had excellent shutter release buttons, and those were much cheaper cameras.
I was unclear on whether I'd like the fold-out screen on the G11. My first impression, when I handled a G11 in a store a month or so ago, was that the screen felt a bit cheap compared to the brick-like solidity of the G10. I haven't really changed that assessment, but in use, the screen of the G11 doesn't feel as cheap as it first seemed. It still falls down compared to the G10.
However, the benefit of the articulated screen became apparent in use. I knew in the abstract that it'd be nice to be able to take pictures from different angles, but the reality of it was better than I'd expected. I would still be perfectly happy with a fixed screen like the G10 has, but I can see the utility of the folding screen. The big one that I'm still looking forward to is taking waist-level candid shots, so I can hopefully get pictures of people who don't have that frozen, "Oh shit a camera!" rictus about them.
The G11 seems to continue the tradition of the colors on the camera's screen being a bit more vibrant than they appear anywhere else. This can be disappointing, but as long as you keep in mind that it happens, it's acceptable.
Everything is sufficiently similar between the G10 and G11 that all my G10 accessories still work: the fisheye lens add-on, the case, the spare battery. The G11 feels almost exactly the same in my hand, although the buttons on the back feel a bit more crowded with the extra furniture required for the flip-out screen -- I've found myself accidentally pushing buttons more on the G11 than on the G10.
An interesting change on the G11 is that the scroll wheel on the back is now part of the four-way rocker switch. This makes the four-way easier to use, but the scroll wheel harder to use, as if you apply too much pressure while scrolling, it'll activate one of the four-way buttons. It's an acceptable compromise for me, and I'm not honestly sure which setup I prefer.
So, my impression from the first few days with the G11 is quite favorable. I'm very pleased I made the leap. I'll be sad to see the G10 go, although the trade-offs between the two cameras definitely make the G11 the one I want to keep.
Posted at 10:57 permanent link category: /misc
Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater