G5: Abundant features and more pixels, too
G5: Abundant features and more pixels, too
Zatni Arbi, Columnist, Jakarta, zatni@cbn.net.id
As you may well imagine, there are lots of electronic gadgets on
my shelves. Among them, I still keep my first digital camera
ever, which is already several years old.
In reality, it is still my only digital camera so far. It is a
beautifully designed Canon PowerShot A50. While it still works
perfectly -- perhaps because I have rarely used it -- its picture
resolution has turned out to be inadequate for publication
purposes. That is why I still have to rely on my film-based
Olympus when traveling or visiting exhibitions.
The long-discontinued PowerShot A50, as you recall, is a one-
megapixel camera. It means this camera can only capture pictures
with 1.2 million pixels (picture elements) -- or 1280 x 960
pixels, to be more precise. A picture with this number of pixels
does not have enough details for photo-quality prints, and it
cannot be enlarged very much beyond its original size, either.
So, for several years, I have been looking for a digital
camera that can give me a picture resolution four times higher
than one megapixel. The problem is, the moment I thought I had
found one that would fit my needs and budget, a more interesting,
more capable and more feature-rich alternative emerged on the
market. It sounds very familiar, doesn't it? But I may be closer
to a decision now.
* User Controls
Canon is my favorite brand when it comes to digital cameras. I
have tried many, including the point-and-shoot models and the
tiny, credit card-size Digital Ixus. However, I like the
PowerShot G series most of all. These models allow you to control
a lot of settings, including the ISO speed level. Yet, in case
you need a point-and-shoot camera to capture quickly an
interesting moment before it passes, they have all the necessary
automated features to give you fairly good results.
Courtesy of Datascrip, which has been so kind as to let me
play around with almost every new generation of their Canon
digital cameras, despite the fact I also highlight the cameras'
shortcomings in my reviews, I had the opportunity to play around
with the Canon PowerShot G5, the latest of the G series.
First, let us take a look at the nice and sometimes unique
features of this camera. The other PowerShot and Digital Ixus
cameras -- even the PowerShot G3 -- all came in silver. The
PowerShot G5 is the first PowerShot to come in black. Note also
that, for some reason, Canon has chosen to skip the PowerShot G4
model name.
The G5 is a five-megapixel camera that gives you a 30 percent
increase in the number of pixels when compared with a four-
megapixel camera. Like the G3, the G5 is also equipped with
Canon's Digic image processor, which helps expedite the setting
and ensures best possible photo results.
Like the G3, too, the G5 has a bright, sharp LCD screen that
can be flipped out of its well in the back of the housing and
then twisted through 270 degrees to allow you to aim at an object
from a very odd angle. While the back panel is full of controls,
the buttons are well-placed and can easily be recognized.
* Features galore
On the top panel is an LCD display showing all the indicators
and settings. You can tell how much battery power you have left,
how many frames you can still capture, which white balance
compensation has been chosen, etc., just by glancing at this
clear, LCD panel.
The camera also comes with an infrared remote control, which
may not actually be of much use. The lens cap drops easily, but
luckily it has a strap that is tied to the body so you will not
lose it altogether. The battery is charged inside the camera, so
you do not have to take it out and place it on a separate
charger. There are advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
For example, if you have a spare battery for the road, you might
also have to buy a separate charger for it.
The camera comes standard with a 32 MB CompactFlash, which can
hold up to 11 pictures in large (2592 x 1944 pixel) Superfine
mode. However, if you save your pictures in the camera's native
RAW format, you can only store five pictures on it. If you want
to use lens accessories, there is a plastic ring around the lens
barrel that has to be removed first. The lens is a 4x F 2.0 to F
3.0 zoom and has a focal range of 7.2 to 28.8 mm.
Unfortunately, the lens barrel does two unwelcome things.
First, it partially blocks the viewfinder. Luckily, you still
have the LCD screen to resort to. More difficult to overcome is
that the barrel also blocks light from the flash and creates some
shadow on the bottom right-hand corner of the resulting photo.
You may need to use extra flash if you want a really clean
picture from corner to corner.
Another interesting feature is the diopter correction knob on
the optical viewfinder. If your eye is less than normal, you can
adjust the lenses on the viewfinder so that you will still have
pictures with good focus. Unfortunately, though, the diopter
adjuster knob is difficult to use.
The G5 connects to a PC or Mac via a USB cable. I like the
Digital Camera Solution (DCS) software that Canon bundles with
the camera. It includes a Remote Capture function, which allows
you to take pictures using your PC. The good thing about this
feature is that the file is stored directly in the PC hard disk
rather than the CompactFlash.
The PowerShot G5 is heavier than other PowerShot cameras from
Canon, and it does not fit easily into your pants pocket, either.
The good thing about the extra weight is that it creates the feel
of a more serious camera. Like any other digital cameras from
Canon, the G5 is also very well-built.
However, I think for now I will go with the G3 rather than
the G5. Both are certainly high-end digital cameras, but four
megapixels is enough for me and I personally prefer silver to
black. Besides, some reviewers have claimed that the G3 produces
slightly better colors than its newer sibling. One thing to note
here, though, that no matter what brand or model of digital
camera you buy, you will have to spend time experimenting with
all the settings. You should experiment with different uses of
the flash. Each camera has its own peculiarities, and you have to
find them out through trial and error.
Zatni Arbi, Columnist, Jakarta, zatni@cbn.net.id
As you may well imagine, there are lots of electronic gadgets on
my shelves. Among them, I still keep my first digital camera
ever, which is already several years old.
In reality, it is still my only digital camera so far. It is a
beautifully designed Canon PowerShot A50. While it still works
perfectly -- perhaps because I have rarely used it -- its picture
resolution has turned out to be inadequate for publication
purposes. That is why I still have to rely on my film-based
Olympus when traveling or visiting exhibitions.
The long-discontinued PowerShot A50, as you recall, is a one-
megapixel camera. It means this camera can only capture pictures
with 1.2 million pixels (picture elements) -- or 1280 x 960
pixels, to be more precise. A picture with this number of pixels
does not have enough details for photo-quality prints, and it
cannot be enlarged very much beyond its original size, either.
So, for several years, I have been looking for a digital
camera that can give me a picture resolution four times higher
than one megapixel. The problem is, the moment I thought I had
found one that would fit my needs and budget, a more interesting,
more capable and more feature-rich alternative emerged on the
market. It sounds very familiar, doesn't it? But I may be closer
to a decision now.
* User Controls
Canon is my favorite brand when it comes to digital cameras. I
have tried many, including the point-and-shoot models and the
tiny, credit card-size Digital Ixus. However, I like the
PowerShot G series most of all. These models allow you to control
a lot of settings, including the ISO speed level. Yet, in case
you need a point-and-shoot camera to capture quickly an
interesting moment before it passes, they have all the necessary
automated features to give you fairly good results.
Courtesy of Datascrip, which has been so kind as to let me
play around with almost every new generation of their Canon
digital cameras, despite the fact I also highlight the cameras'
shortcomings in my reviews, I had the opportunity to play around
with the Canon PowerShot G5, the latest of the G series.
First, let us take a look at the nice and sometimes unique
features of this camera. The other PowerShot and Digital Ixus
cameras -- even the PowerShot G3 -- all came in silver. The
PowerShot G5 is the first PowerShot to come in black. Note also
that, for some reason, Canon has chosen to skip the PowerShot G4
model name.
The G5 is a five-megapixel camera that gives you a 30 percent
increase in the number of pixels when compared with a four-
megapixel camera. Like the G3, the G5 is also equipped with
Canon's Digic image processor, which helps expedite the setting
and ensures best possible photo results.
Like the G3, too, the G5 has a bright, sharp LCD screen that
can be flipped out of its well in the back of the housing and
then twisted through 270 degrees to allow you to aim at an object
from a very odd angle. While the back panel is full of controls,
the buttons are well-placed and can easily be recognized.
* Features galore
On the top panel is an LCD display showing all the indicators
and settings. You can tell how much battery power you have left,
how many frames you can still capture, which white balance
compensation has been chosen, etc., just by glancing at this
clear, LCD panel.
The camera also comes with an infrared remote control, which
may not actually be of much use. The lens cap drops easily, but
luckily it has a strap that is tied to the body so you will not
lose it altogether. The battery is charged inside the camera, so
you do not have to take it out and place it on a separate
charger. There are advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
For example, if you have a spare battery for the road, you might
also have to buy a separate charger for it.
The camera comes standard with a 32 MB CompactFlash, which can
hold up to 11 pictures in large (2592 x 1944 pixel) Superfine
mode. However, if you save your pictures in the camera's native
RAW format, you can only store five pictures on it. If you want
to use lens accessories, there is a plastic ring around the lens
barrel that has to be removed first. The lens is a 4x F 2.0 to F
3.0 zoom and has a focal range of 7.2 to 28.8 mm.
Unfortunately, the lens barrel does two unwelcome things.
First, it partially blocks the viewfinder. Luckily, you still
have the LCD screen to resort to. More difficult to overcome is
that the barrel also blocks light from the flash and creates some
shadow on the bottom right-hand corner of the resulting photo.
You may need to use extra flash if you want a really clean
picture from corner to corner.
Another interesting feature is the diopter correction knob on
the optical viewfinder. If your eye is less than normal, you can
adjust the lenses on the viewfinder so that you will still have
pictures with good focus. Unfortunately, though, the diopter
adjuster knob is difficult to use.
The G5 connects to a PC or Mac via a USB cable. I like the
Digital Camera Solution (DCS) software that Canon bundles with
the camera. It includes a Remote Capture function, which allows
you to take pictures using your PC. The good thing about this
feature is that the file is stored directly in the PC hard disk
rather than the CompactFlash.
The PowerShot G5 is heavier than other PowerShot cameras from
Canon, and it does not fit easily into your pants pocket, either.
The good thing about the extra weight is that it creates the feel
of a more serious camera. Like any other digital cameras from
Canon, the G5 is also very well-built.
However, I think for now I will go with the G3 rather than
the G5. Both are certainly high-end digital cameras, but four
megapixels is enough for me and I personally prefer silver to
black. Besides, some reviewers have claimed that the G3 produces
slightly better colors than its newer sibling. One thing to note
here, though, that no matter what brand or model of digital
camera you buy, you will have to spend time experimenting with
all the settings. You should experiment with different uses of
the flash. Each camera has its own peculiarities, and you have to
find them out through trial and error.