Canon PowerShot G10--a versatile and sturdy point-and-shoot

PREFATORY NOTE:  Epinions shows the cheapest price (above) for this camera is $179.99.  That reference is to an eBay ad for an "Accessory Kit" for this camera, NOT this camera.  This camera will rarely be found for under $450 (and generally priced from around $460 to $600).  That may change in time, but for right now, plan on spending $450 or more.

There are some incredibly intelligent and camera-savvy reviews here on Epinions for this Canon G10 point-and-shoot camera, and if you can find the time, I would certainly recommend reading those reviews as well, particularly if you more perspective on the very technical aspects of this camera's many features.  The primary purpose of my review is for those people want to know if this camera offers very good photos and video clips without the complexities, hassles and bulkiness of an SLR setup--something that will give a similar (albeit not exactly as good) result right out of the box and varied shooting options without changing lenses.  And, in my opinion, this camera is THAT camera.

My husband and I also own a very good SLR camera (Canon EOS Rebel XSi) as well (costs close to twice as much as this camera), so I do realize that SLR cameras have much more to offer in terms of photo clarity, shutter speed, low light shooting, etc., but for a compact camera that anybody, no matter how techno-challenged, can use, that takes fairly rapid still photo shots, good recovery time, auto flash, and great still and short video clips, I think this is an excellent pick. 

Yes, you can get more technical, and there are many optional features one can utilize with this camera if desired, but for me, I pretty much want to pick it up and use it!  And this allows me to do just that.  I generally keep the camera set on "auto focus," but occasionally I use some of the other options listed below under "Shooting Modes." I have even taken photos in low light and night settings with very decent results, contrary to some reviewers' experience.  The most I ever really do is often keep the flash in the "off" position (see discussion under "Built-In Flash")--easy enough to figure out--because this little camera has a pretty powerful flash for this size camera and in close-up shots, you can flash-out detail, and often when in "auto" flash mode, the flash goes off when not needed. 

While I am not a professional photographer, I do use this camera for quasi-professional purposes in that I use these photos to create family archival still photo DVD storage, and for creating a personalized artwork using a collage of photos and graphics to design DVD storage jacket covers (where video and photograph DVDs are stored) memorializing the event.  (Note:  For the video footage, I use a digital camcorder, not this camera, although this camera is fine for short clips in my own personal use--see "Movies" below.)  For purposes of creating personalized artwork for the media jackets, I cut out photo images and rescale them and the G10 photo quality is generally just fine for that kind of detailed work. The exception would be in very low light or night shots, or if I need to photograph sporting activities or other quick-action events--in those instances, a good quality SLR is best (faster shutter speed).  I have taken perhaps thousands of photos at numerous family gatherings (usually birthday parties and holiday events).  My husband sometimes accompanies me and he uses our SLR when he does; in any event, I typically use the G10 because, in most of these settings (daytime, indoor and out), it does a similar job, and it is much easier for me to tote around, is very sturdy, and I don't have to take heavy lens equipment along and a camera bag either.  Also, in the fast-paced environment of a birthday party, it is great to have the option of having this handy camera that can also zoom in tight for a close shot when needed without switching lenses.  This style and size camera is also not as likely to get damaged in that kind of an environment.  Further, I am not a real viewfinder fiend; I like looking at the LCD monitor (and this one has a very good size and clear screen)--it just works better for me.  I realize this is personal preference, but with this camera you have the option of either-or; with an SLR you are restricted to just viewfinder (at least for now).  Also, in a setting of a lot of kids running around, it is easier to stay out of harms way if you don't have a viewfinder stuck up to your eyeball.  

I am also fairly artistic and creative and do a great deal of photo editing and paste-up work, so my requirements, while not that perhaps of a professional photographer, are certainly not low. 

As you can see from my comments below, I also use this camera for nature shots and the photos are generally gorgeous.  

The LCD monitor is an ample at 3" wide x 2", and photo subjects are easily visualized, even in full sunlight.   Note, however, that the LCD monitor doesn't show you all objects in frame; there is a tiny bit left out, so you need to account for that.

I see that at least one reviewer here noted that this camera and shutter button is too small to be comfortable for a man to use.  I can tell you neither my husband (a fair sized guy) nor myself has difficulty operating or holding this camera. 

My brother also owns a digital SLR and this Canon G10.  He and his wife have four kids under age 7, and most often, it is the G10 that gets picked up and used.  His kids play sports and are on the move constantly---they are kids afterall.  They find this camera does most of what they want, and in some cases more.  You can still get a blurred shot if you are trying to capture a fast-moving object, but this is true of most cameras where a tripod isn't being used.  Of course, SLR cameras, in general, have a faster shutter speed and other upgraded features, so they can do a better job, but this little G10 does an adequate job in challenging settings and a great job in most photo/video settings.  I mention my brother and his family because this review is mostly for individuals and families just like  him and his family--people that don't have the desire or time to sit down with an owner's manual and try and figure out all the bells and whistles--people who just want the best point-and-shoot they can get, something that gives a real clear photo, a good flash, decent video clips, easy operate, easy to carry (even in a purse), but not so small and light that quality suffers.  I think this camera fits that bill. 

One very nice feature I should mention is that the battery lasts a very long time and is so easy to charge.  Also, the battery recharger is light, compact, and just plugs into any AC outlet, and the outlet prongs are collapsible for very easy storage and packing in a camera tote for those vacation trips.   

So, if you can afford to spend a few more bucks for a good quality point-and-shoot and don't have the mindset, time, effort and space to lug around a SLR, this camera is a very good choice. 

Specs are listed at the bottom of this review; however, here are some features I have noticed are particularly handy from my own personal experience:

Auto Lens cap/cover:  You don't have to mess with a lens cap because it is built-in.  The lens is automatically protected when the camera is off.  This is really handy for vacations.

Image Search function:  A neat image search feature is the Index Replay function, which gives you the ability to pull up nine images on the LCD screen simultaneously.

Zoom:  Very easy to zoom in on detail or closeup shots, even in "Auto" mode, just use a handy lever located on the side of shutter button, and you can zoom up to 20x with quick focus adjustment.

Auto Shut-Off:  The camera does have an auto shut-off feature, which is nice battery-saving feature when you forget to turn the camera off.  In shooting mode, it shuts off in about 3 minutes after last button is pushed; in playback mode, shuts off in roughly 5 minutes.  

LCD Monitor/Screen auto off:  The screen will stay on for about 35-40 seconds, then the display turns off, but if you just touch the shutter button, it will immediately reactivate.  So, as long as you're within the 3 minute time frame (see above under "Auto Shut-Off"), then you are good to go. 

Built-In Flash:  The flash can be turned from "Auto" to "On" to "Off" positions by hitting the right side of a round touch dial that sits just to the right of the LCD monitor.  When changing modes (see below--Mode dial being on the top of the camera), one thing to remember is that when you go from, for instance, "Auto" to "Portrait" mode, the "flash" will automatically go back to an "auto" setting.  So you have to reset that to "off" or "on," however, I have found there is really not too many instances you would ever change this from "auto" to "on," as when set on "auto" I have found it flashes every time, even when it is not needed.  And that brings up a main point:  Often I will turn the flash from "auto" to "off" because I get a much better shot without the flash.  It is only in dim lighting that I have found a need for the flash. Play around with the camera when you first get it and you will soon see what I mean.  For most situations, I have found the Auto "shooting" mode to do what I want, with the flash in the "off" position.  A good example of this would be like outdoors on my covered patio in full daylight.  it is obviously a shaded location and the flash (if the flash is set to "auto") will often automatically activate , and in that scenario no flash gives a much better result.  Same thing is true inside the house.  While a dimly lit room might need a flash, often there is enough light to avoid it.  Avoiding using a flash is much better because you can get flash glare spots in your photos and cause a white-out of details on certain objects.

Shooting Modes—The Mode Dial on the top of the camera allows you to set the camera on "Auto" (the setting I typically use).  There are also Image Zone "special scene" options you can choose for optimal shooting results (see following).  It is very easy to change from one mode to the other, while other functions remaining in auto mode:

Portrait—blurs background objects and backdrops and focuses in on subject
Landscape—optimizes near and far subjects/objects for shooting landscape scenes
Night Scene—best suited for capturing human subjects against evening sky or night scene
Night Snapshot—setting reduces camera shake when taking snapshots of people against twilight or night backgrounds (even without tripod)
Sunset—maximums effects of vivid colors for sunset snapshots.
Indoor—reduces effects of camera shake and maximizes true colors even when shooting under fluorescent or tungsten lighting
Sports—best setting for shooting fast moving subjects
Kids & Pets—allows you to capture quick-moving subjects without missing photo opportunities
Foliage—vivid colors for outdoor shots of plants and trees
Snow—removes bluish hue of ice and snow and brightens darker objects against snow backdrop
Beach—controls reflection of sunlight so objects/subjects reflect off of water or sand and thus appear too dark
Fireworks—optimizes exposure and allows sharper image of fireworks in sky
Aquarium—optimal ISO selected, optimizing white and color balance, which allows for optimal shots of fish and other indoor aquarium objects.
Underwater—using Waterproof CaseWP-DC11 (not included), setting allows recording of images with natural color hues and white balance, reducing bluish undertones.
ISO 3200—puts ISO at 3200 to avoid subject blur due to camera shake.
Color Accent—allows you to select one LCD monitor color while camera turns all other colors to black and white
Color Swap—after selecting one color for LCD monitor, color transforms into another color

Movies:  This camera takes some decent video, which really surprised me.  Previous point-and-shoot cameras I have owned were very lacking in this category.  You can easily switch from a photo setting to video using the round dial on the top of the camera.  A camera icon will be visible on the LCD monitor when it is set for video.  Also a nice feature is that if you are filming and want to pause it, you simply tap the shutter button and it will pause for 5 minutes until it shuts itself off.  While in pause, you just tap the shutter button again and it starts recording again. With a 2GB memory card, you can take 23 min. 49 sec. of video footage with a lesser frame rate--320 x 240 pixels (30 fps), and l hr. 13 min. at  640 x 480 pixels (30 fps) frame rate.  Of course, the amount of footage you can get goes up proportionately as you increase memory chip size.  The included software also allows you to cut unwanted portions of your video at the start or end of movie clip.

Personal experience taking photos of hummingbirds with and without tripod:  Something I just recently experienced that I found really cool and I thought I would pass it along.  We have a picture window in the living room and outside of it is a tree that probably sits around 2 1/2 feet to 3' from the window.   There is a mesh brown-colored sun/solar screen on the outside of the entire window.  I put a hummingbird feeder hanging on one of the branches of tree, and I wanted to captures feeding on it but I was concerned because obviously the mesh sun screen can be clearly seen and I thought there was no way I could photo anything through it.  Well, I picked up this little G10 and with it set on Auto-Focus, started to fiddle with it, first standing about a foot or more away from the inside of the window.  Finally I noticed that by tapping the shutter button ever so slightly the lens would focus past the mesh sun screen and onto the hummingbird feeder and tree, completely removing the coarsely-defined mesh screen from view.  I mean, it is like the mesh screen isn't even there.  I zoomed in the lens too, 14x, 17x and even 20x.  I also set the "focus setting" on "Continuous," which kept the lens focusing at the target without my having to continually press on the shutter button.  I wish I could post photos in the review, because I think it is amazing that this little camera has that capability.  Later, I set up my tripod and the photos were even better.  It is very shadowed under the tree, or I think the photos would be better.   I had to turn off the flash because the photos were too light and I had to darken them on my computer, but still it is pretty remarkable, at least to me.  The camera now sits on a tripod about a foot away from the glass window and I plan on getting some great shots.  If I messed with the settings some more, I sure they would be even better.  I think this may have something to do with the G10's Intelligent Contrast Correction feature (controls the compensation level in pixel units to brighten dark areas while leaving bright the areas unchanged), but I am not positive about that.  I say that because when you first look at the screen is the dark window screening, so I think the camera may filter that part out.   As a side note, I tried to do the same thing with our SLR (Canon EOS Rebel XSi, with very basic 18x55 zoom lens--no good telephoto lens yet on this camera and that would probably help), set on Auto Focus, I couldn't get the lens to zoom and focus past the solar window screen.  There may be a way manually to get that accomplished, but at least on Auto, it wouldn't work.

Also, this camera is extremely QUIET.  If you are taking any photos of wildlife, this is awesome.  Nothing to startle the creatures away.

UPDATE:  I finally bit the bullet and removed the window solar screen and wow!  I used the zoom/telephoto at 20X at about 4 to 4 1/2 feet total away from these hummingbirds (remember these little guys are only about 2 1/2 to 3" in length) and have gotten some incredible shots--very close up.  I really am amazed on how good these photos look.  I even got some exciting shots with the hummingbirds as they were landing on the feeder--actually in flight, and the photos were spectacular--very surprising for a non-SLR.  I wish I could post a few photo examples here.

SPECIFICATIONS 
 
Type of Camera
Compact digital still camera with built-in flash, 5x Optical/4x Digital/20x Combined Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer System 
 
Image Capture Device
Type:  14.7 Megapixel, 1/1.7-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD)
Total Pixels:  Approx. 15.0 Megapixels
Effective Pixels:  Approx. 14.7 Megapixels 
 
Lens
Focal Length:  6.1-30.5mm f/2.8-4.5 (35mm film equivalent: 28-140mm)
Digital Zoom:  4x
Focusing Range:  Normal:  1.6 ft./50cm-infinity
Macro:  0.39 in.-1.6 ft./1-50cm (W)
Autofocus System:  TTL Autofocus 
 
Viewfinder & Monitor
Viewfinder:  Real image optical zoom viewfinder
LCD Monitor:  3.0-inch TFT color LCD with wide viewing angle
LCD Pixels:  Approx. 461,000 pixels
LCD Coverage:  100% 
 
Aperture and Shutter
Maximum Aperture:  f/2.8 (W) - f/4.5 (T)
Shutter Speed:  15-1/4000 sec. (settable in Tv and M) 
 
Exposure Control
ISO Sensitivity:  Auto, High ISO Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 equivalent (Standard output sensitivity. Recommended exposure index)
Light Metering Method:  Evaluative*, Center-weighted average, Spot**
* Control to incorporate facial brightness in Face Detection AF
** Metering frame is fixed to the center
Exposure Control Method:  Program AE, Shutter Speed-Priority AE, Aperture-Priority AE, i-Contrast, Manual; AE Lock, Safety Shift, Auto ISO Shift
Exposure Compensation:  +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments 
 
White Balance
White Balance Control:  Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater), Custom1, Custom2 
 
Flash
Built-in Flash:  Auto, Auto w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash Off; FE lock, Safety FE, Slow Synchro, Second-curtain synchro
Flash Range:  12 in.-15 ft./30cm-4.6m (W), 1.6-9.2 ft./50cm-2.8m (T) (when sensitivity is set to ISO Auto)
Recycling Time:  10 sec. or less (battery voltage=7.4V)
Flash Exposure Compensation:  +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments 
 
Shooting Specifications
Shooting Modes:  Auto, P, Av, Tv, M, C1, C2, Special Scene (Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sports, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Aquarium, Underwater, Indoor, ISO 3200, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, Color Accent, Color Swap), Stitch Assist, Movie
Photo Effects: 
"My Colors"
Vivid, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Custom
Self-Timer:  Activates shutter after an approx. 2-sec./10-sec. delay, Face Self-Timer, Custom
Wireless Control:  N/A
Continuous Shooting:  Normal--approx. 1.3 fps; AF--approx. 0.7 fps; LV--approx. 0.7 fps (Large/Fine) 
 
Image Storage
Storage Media:  SD/SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, MMC Plus Card, HC MMC Plus Card
File Format:  Design rule for camera file system, DPOF Version 1.1
Image Compression:  Normal, Fine, SuperFine
JPEG Compression Mode:  Still Image--Exif 2.2 (JPEG)
Movie:   MOV (Image:   H.264; Audio--Linear PCM (Monaural))
Number of Recording Pixels:  Still Image--4,416 x 3,312 (Large), 3,456 x 2,592 (Medium 1), 2,592 x 1,944 (Medium 2), 1,600 x 1,200 (Medium 3), 640 x 480 (Small), 4,416 x 2,480 (Widescreen)
Movie:   640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) available up to 4GB or 60 minutes

Number of Recordable Images
Large (L) Medium 1 (M1) Medium 2 (M2)
SF F N SF F N SF F N
File Size (KB): 6,348, 3,759, 1,797, 3,888, 2,302, 1,100 2,503, 1,395, 695
2GB: 306, 516, 1,059, 499, 841, 1,707, 767, 1,365, 2,672
8GB: 1,227, 2,063, 4,234, 1,996, 3,364, 6,822, 3,089, 5,457, 10,679

Medium 3 (M3) Small (S) Widescreen (W) RAW
SF F N SF F N SF F N RAW +JPEG
File Size (KB):  1,002 558, 278, 249, 150, 84, 4,753, 2,814, 1,345, 18,793, 22,552
2GB:  1,862, 3,235, 6,146, 6,830, 10,245, 15,368, 409, 690, 1,396, 94, 79
8GB:  7,442, 12,927 24,562, 27,291, 40,937, 61,406, 1,637, 2,759, 5,581, 378, 318

Time of Recordable Movies
Standard, Color Accent, Color Swap
640 x 480, 320 x 240
30 fps, 30 fps
Movie Size (KB/sec.): 1,316, 394
2GB:  23 min. 49 sec., 1 hr. 13 min. 10 sec.
8GB: 1 hr. 35 min. 11 sec., 4 hr. 52 min. 24 sec.
Note: N=Normal F=Fine SF=SuperFine
Storage Capacity varies depending on camera settings. This data is estimated from Canon's standard shooting conditions. Figures for Movie Mode represent total capacity of the particular media.

Playback Specifications
Playback Modes File
Still Image: Single, Magnification (approx. 2x-10x), Jump, Auto Rotate, Rotate, Resume, My Colors, My Category, Transition Effects, Histogram, Overexposure Warning, Index (9 thumbnails), Sound Memos, Slide Show, Red-eye Correction, RAW playback, Trimming, Resize, Image Inspection Tool, i-Contrast Movie: Normal Playback, Special Playback, Editing, Auto Rotate, Resume 

Erasing Specifications
Erase Modes: Still Image: single image, select range, select by date, select by category, select by folder, all images
Movie: part of movie, all of movie 
 
Interfaces
Computer Interface:  USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B jack)
Video Out:  NTSC/PAL
Audio Out:  Monaural
Other:  SD Memory card slot; direct connection to Canon CP and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers, PIXMA Photo Printers and PictBridge-compatible printers via camera's USB 2.0 Hi-Speed cable 
 
Power Supply
Power Source:  1. Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery NB-7L
2. AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC50 (optional)
Shooting Capacity:  Still Image: approx. 400 shots (NB-7L/LCD on)*, approx. 1,000 shots (NB-7L/LCD off)
* LCD screen on. The above figures comply with CIPA testing standards and apply when fully charged batteries are used.
Playback Time:  Approx. 600 min. (NB-7L) 
 
Physical Specifications
Operating Temperature:  32-104°F/0-40°C
Operating Humidity:  10-90%
Dimensions (WxHxD):  4.30 x 3.06 x 1.81 in./109.1 x 77.7 x 45.9mm
Weight:  Approx. 12.3 oz./350g (camera body only) 

Note:   26 display languages provided (English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Ukrainian, Farsi)