Who is this camera aimed at? The Canon G11 is designed for photographers who require all the benefits of a D-SLR in a smaller, compact body. It features a 10.1Mp sensor, a 5x zoom that covers a 28-140mm range and an impressive 2.8in Vari-angle screen. The G11’s trump card is it can shoot RAW and JPEG format images, giving you much more flexibility when you’re working on your shots in Camera RAW.
Key features: There’s a host of valuable features on the G11. The hotshoe on the top-plate is handy if you want to attach a Canon EX Speedlite flashgun. Alternatively, you could attach a flash trigger and use the G11 creatively with wireless or studio flash. Another feature is Canon’s I-contrast technology, designed to prevent brightest highlights blowing out. This can be set to Auto or it can be switched off inside the G11’s easy-to-navigate menu system.
Is it built to last? In the hand, the G11 feels remarkably well made, much like the older G10. All of the buttons feel as if they’ll withstand a number of years’ use and the ISO, Exposure Compensation and mode dials give a reassuring click as they’re rotated. The zoom mechanism is smooth, quiet and quick in operation. The 1.5sec start-up time is impressive, so there’s no annoying delay before you can take a shot.
What’s it like to use? Like a D-SLR, all the controls you commonly need have their own buttons. To save you hunting through menus, Canon has included a dial for Exposure Compensation and ISO on the top plate. On the performance side, the AF speed is fast. Switching it over to Manual Focus and adjusting the focus using the scroll wheel displays a magnified square on-screen. This helps ensure your subject is pin-sharp every time. The Histogram and exposure indicators are small, but they’re appropriately placed in the corners of the screen and are useful for assessing exposure before you fire the shutter.
Image quality: The G11 has a broad ISO range of 80-3200. Images taken throughout the ISO range are exceptional; shots are bright, sharp, and there’s bags of contrast. If there’s not enough available light you’ll be able to shoot quite happily at ISO 3200.
Conclusion: The G11 has a lot of buttons and dials. As you become familiar with the layout you’ll be able to set it up quickly from the top and rear, without having to search through endless menus. There is a viewfinder on offer, but the screen is so sharp you’ll end up using the latter most of the time.
If you don’t mind carrying a slightly chunkier build in your pocket – and like the idea of D-SLR control housed in a compact design – the Canon G11 is a top-choice compact.
AT A GLANCEStreet Price: £479
Resolution: 10.1Mp
Lens: 5x optical (28-140mm, f/2.8-4.5)
Image stabilisation: CCD-shift
Metering: Evaluative, Centre-weighted and Spot
Shooting modes: M, A, S, P, Low Light, Quick Shot & 18 Scene modes
Shutter range: 15secs-1/4000sec
ISO range: 80-3200
Monitor: 2.8in, 461k dots, Vari-angle screen
File formats: RAW & JPEG
Storage media: SD/SDHC
Weight: 355g
Dimensions: 112x76x48mm
Visit: www.canon.co.uk