Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) In Depth Review

The latest in the Rebel lineup, and its new flagship, the Canon EOS Rebel T2i offers entry level shooters some degree of professional level camera features in a compact, and more importantly, affordable camera body. The gap it bridges is that mysterious realm between the Rebel lineup and the more professional/prosumer-ish EOS 7D. In that gap it floats far more to the entry level than prosumer, especially when it comes to camera look and feel and overall camera performance. But with two features the Rebel T2i reaches right up to the Canon EOS 7D, it uses a very similar sensor design with the same resolution and offers the same full fledged video features. One more notable aspect, the new Rebel is graced with Canon’s latest and greatest LCD display, a beautifully crisp and clear 1040K LCD, with a 3:2 aspect ratio no less. The question for many photographers will be, is this new Rebel just a slight upgrade from the Rebel T1i, or is it a poor man’s EOS 7D?

Availability

Canon EOS Rebel T2i (body only) at B&H Photo Canon EOS Rebel T2i with 18-55m lens at B&H Photo Get the new Canon EOS Rebel T2i and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the links above at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there made this and hopefully future articles possible .

Competitors

Of course some folks might be wondering how the newest Rebel stacks up to the actual competition. I find this a bit unfair, as at the time of this writing the T2i is brand new, and some of its would be competitors have drifted down in price, so that a camera like the Nikon D90 for instance is now in the same price range, while the Nikon D5000 is priced far less. In many respects though, Canon’s latest Rebel essentially competes with other Canon DSLRs, as many consumers interested in this particular model might be considering either it, or the now more affordable, but still quite competent, EOS Rebel T1i. So we’ve gathered key specifications for both cameras, as well as the Canon EOS 7D, so that you can see how the three roughly compare to each other.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV In Depth Review

Introduced on October 20th, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV came out from behind the curtain with a good deal of pressure placed on it. The problem for the EOS 1D Mark IV is that its predecessor, the EOS 1D Mark III, went through something of roller coaster with its well discussed autofocusing issues, while its competitor, the Nikon D3, won over many frustrated photographers with both impressive AF performance and amazing low light capabilities. And so, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV now has to step into the limelight and restore the luster to Canon’s pro series, while at the same time now having to go to toe to toe with the newly introduced Nikon D3s.

So what has Canon done to impress professional photographers? For starters, the EOS 1D Mark IV gets an all new AF system, with 45 points, 39 of them being the cross-type variety. Next, the 1D4 gets a nice bump in resolution, up to 16 megapixels from the 1D3’s 10.1 megapixels, but still on the same and somewhat strange APS-H sensor which offers an unconventional 1.3x crop. Incredibly the Mark IV is able to maintain its predecessor’s frame rate of 10 fps, with the help of dual DIGIC IV processors. Also incredible, the Mark IV’s ISO range that extends to an eye-popping ISO 102,400, which just so happens to be the same range found on the competing Nikon D3s. Finally, the Mark IV gets Canon’s robust video recording options, including 1080p and 720p video with selectable frame rates.

On paper anyway, the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV sounds a bit more exciting than the Nikon D3s, which looks like more of a refresh than the Mark IV, but Nikon’s task was simpler, tweak and improve an already highly regarded camera responsible for perhaps reducing the amount of long white lenses seen on the sidelines. The challenges for the Mark IV are more daunting, erase photographer’s angst from the Mark III, and face down the Nikon D3s. Is it up to the task? Read on in our in depth review of the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV.

Availability

The Canon EOS 1D Mark IV is available for order at B&H Photo.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the following links at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content. Camera Body (only) $4999

Competition

The most clear competitor to the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV is the Nikon D3s, at least when it comes to the intended market for both cameras. From a hardware point of view, the 2 cameras are a bit challenging to compare exactly, given the Nikon’s full frame sized sensor and the Mark IV’s smaller APS-H sensor. Still the cameras are intended to perform similar roles, and outside of sensor sizes, the specifications of the two cameras are quite similar.

Key Specifications

Highlights

A look at some of the feature highlights to be found on the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV.

1.098 x 0.73 in./ 27.9 x 18.6 mm (APS-H size CMOS sensor)	Canon claims sensor improvements like closer gapless microlenses are the biggest reason for improved ISO performance.
Dual DIGIC IV processors help the EOS 1D Mark IV fire off 14-bit files at 10 fps.	Magnesium alloy construction and 76 points of sealing.
The EOS 1D Mark IV is the first Canon to receive their newest implementation of auto lighting optimizer.	The AF unit promises to help improve autofocus performance of the EOS 1D Mark IV's predecessor.
The 45 point AF system now provides 39 cross-type points.	You can select from several different AF point layouts.
The AF system even keeps track of AF points through changes in camera orientation, moving them accordingly.	The EOS 1D Mark IV uses Canon's integrated cleaning system, including a self cleaning sensor unit.
The EOS 1D Mark IV features the same extensive HD recording options as the EOS 7D, including framerate choices.	The FEL button can be programmed to activate movie recording, even if live view has been turned on.

Pentax K-x In Depth Review: Much Better Than Just Entry Level

With the Pentax K-7, one got more than just a sense that Pentax had really decided to take the fight to Canon and Nikon, and perhaps separate themselves from the “other guys” just a bit by offering a pro-sumer camera that did away with as many compromises as possible and instead offered a very compelling camera, at a very attractive price. So in attendance for the unveiling of “something exciting” from Pentax back in September, it was refreshing to see them take the same approach with their new entry-level Pentax K-x.

Looking every bit like the Pentax K-m/K2000 on the outside, the K-x changes things up on the inside by borrowing the 11 point AF system and PRIME II processing from the K-7. The K-x also shoots 720p HD video, again similar to the K-7. The sensor inside is 12.4 megapixels, a step somewhere in-between the K-7 and the K-m. Finally, the K-x offers a frame rate of 4.7 fps which also puts it quite close to the K-7 (though not in burst depth). On the other hand, like the K-m you still can’t see visible AF points in the viewfinder (something that still leaves us scratching our heads, but at least you can select a point now) and the K-x runs on 4 AA batteries, which we still see as a negative no matter who tries to convince us otherwise.

Still, when we got our hands on the display samples at the event we were impressed by the handling, and the feature set–and then there were the colors, black, red, navy, and white, with other markets outside of the U.S. getting even more options. Most impressive of all was the price point, with Pentax once again trying to win the day with an aggressive feature to price ratio. Were our initial impressions well founded? Find out in our review of the Pentax K-x.

Availability

Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens Get the Pentax K-x and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the following links at B&H Photo. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content. Black Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping Red Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping Navy Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping White Pentax K-x with 18-55mm lens at B&H Photo & free shipping

Competition

The Pentax K-x is spec’d for most intents and purposes as a higher end entry-level DSLR camera, though we’re quick to recognize that these boundaries are being blurred all of the time. For comparison purposes, we’ve put together some key specifications from the Nikon D5000, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i, the Olympus E-620, and the Sony A380.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 In Depth Review

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 (outside the U.S. known as the FZ38) is the latest entry in a line of well regarded super-zooms from Panasonic. Offering 12.1 megapixels and an 18x zoom lens, the FZ35 promises detailed images from its versatile lens, while also providing consumers with plenty of creative options from a wealth of in-camera shooting modes and creative filters and adjustments, to the ability to shoot HD movies at 720p. Even better it does all of this in a fairly compact and light design that seems ideal for beginning photographers, or users just looking for a camera that can handle a multitude of different shooting situations.

Not disturbing the successful formula of the FZ28 too much, the FZ35 keeps the same 18x zoom (27-486mm), but does bump the resolution to 12 megapixels from 10. Other changes include a change from Mega O.I.S. to Power O.I.S. which other than a word change adds double the stopping power of the FZ28’s image stabilization, in addition to:

• Choice between AVCHD format or Motion JPEG format for HD recording.
• Stereo microphones.
• HDMI out.
• Dedicated record button.
• Faster quick AF mode.
• Face detection (as in recognizes particular faces).
• My Color Mode allows for live creative changes.
• High Dynamic mode for enhanced dynamic range with 3 optional settings.

So as you can see, not a lot of significant external changes, instead the FZ35 enhances the creative capabilities of the camera, while also adding some improvements to resolution, AF speed, image stabilization, and HD recording. Are the changes enough for the FZ35 to keep Panasonic at the top of the superzoom class? Keep reading our review of the Panasonic FZ35 to find out.

Availability

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 Get the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the following links at B&H Photo. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 at B&H Photo: $309 and free shipping

Competition

The most likely competitor, or at least the most frequently mentioned one, is Canon’s SX20 IS, which offers a 20x zoom and 12 megapixels. The second most likely competitor would be Sony’s HX1 with its 9.1 megapixel sensor and 20x zoom lens. Recently a number of superzooms, or rather ultra-zooms have been released including the Nikon P100 and Olympus’ SP-800UZ, offering a 26x zoom and a whopping 30x zoom respectively. The point is, this a rapidly growing and evolving field with product cycles frequently lasting well under a year, so direct comparisons are frequently made unfair by mismatching new with just slight less new products. That said all of the previously mentioned products are based on tiny compact camera sensors that are pushed to their limits and beyond by the focal lengths that also happen to make the same products so appealing to consumers. In large part, overall image quality will be very close, so choosing boils down to particular feature sets and  cost considerations. Here’s how the FZ35 competes with the Sony Cybershot Hx1 and Canon PowerShot SX20 IS:

Nikon D3s Digital SLR Camera In Depth Review

Introduction

When Nikon introduced the D3 in August of 2007, it was nothing short of game changer. Compared to its predecessor, the Nikon D2h (or D2hs), it was a huge leap forward. A 35mm sized full frame sensor, a notable increase in resolution, and improvements in overall speed and AF performance as well. It was a camera that DPReview.com described as “always seems to be one step ahead of you”, and the combination of its abilities and the now well discussed AF issues that Canon’s competing EOS 1D Mark III suffered from, caused hoards of professionals to upgrade or switch to the Nikon D3.

So at first blush the Nikon D3s may seem to be the most modest of refreshes, a “D3 with video” might be one way to describe it. And while that is in large part the path that Nikon took with the D300s ( a “D300 with video”), it isn’t an entirely accurate way to describe the Nikon D3s. Yes, it does add Nikon’s D-movie mode to the D3, which allows for 720p HD video, but it also makes a number of small improvements and one quite notable one.

Starting with the most notable, the Nikon D3s gets a newly redesigned 12.1-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor, measuring 36×23.9mm that aids in offering an expanded ISO range of 25,600 to 102,400. Nikon makes no secret of its philosophy for high ISO capabilities, “big pixels equal greater ISO capabilities” so while the D3s gets no improvement in resolution it does improve on the already class leading ISO abilities of the Nikon D3, meaning photographers now have even more usable ISO settings in the 1600-12,800 range, and providing more play with aperture and shutter settings.

Next is the already discussed, Nikon D-movie mode which provides 720p HD video at 24 fps. Implementation is similar to the Nikon D300s, and like all Nikon models, the D3s records to a AVI file, compressed via Motion JPEG, which is generally less satisfactory for really excellent video quality than Canon’s harder to edit H.264 video wrapper. That said, what may appeal to some filmmakers and convergence friendly photographers, is the ability to exploit the Nikon D3s’ high ISO capabilities while shooting video. At ISO 102,400, the D3s practically allows you to shoot in absolute darkness.

Following those 2 new improvements is a host of smaller, but still respectable, improvements including:

• Larger buffer for more than double successive RAW frames
• Added “Info” and “Live View” buttons
• 5 Active D-lighting settings
• Added the “Quiet Shutter” shooting mode
• Added 1.2x crop option
• In-camera RAW editing
• The inclusion of Nikon’s Dust Reduction System
• Improved algorithm to control “jello” rolling shutter effect in video compared to other Nikon models.

So no, the D3s doesn’t represent the huge evolutionary step forward that the D3 did, and Nikon’s nomenclature itself points to this particular model being more of an upgrade than an all new model (Nikon D3s vs. Nikon D4). The question is do the improvements of the D3s warrant your purchase or even attention? To find out, please continue reading our in depth review of the Nikon D3s.

Availability

The Nikon D3s is now available for order at B&H Photo.

Nikon D3s Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Nikon D3s and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the following links at B&H Photo Video. Your purchases there help us continue to provide you with more great content. Camera Body (only)

Competition

The Nikon D3s’ most clear competitor is the also very new Canon EOS 1D Mark IV. The two cameras do take slightly different approaches at appealing to professional photographers, with the Nikon offering a 12 megapixel full frame sensor (no crop), while the EOS 1D Mark IV uses an APS-H type sensor with a 1.3x crop and 16 megapixels. The two cameras offer specifications quite close to each other, and are housed in very similar form factors. One notable other difference outside of sensor approaches is the EOS 1D Mark IV’s more robust video offerings, with both HD resolutions and selectable frame rates.

Key Specifications

Highlights

A brief look at some of the highlights offered by the Nikon D3s

An all new sensor design allows for ISO expansion to 102,400.	Extensive use of magnesium alloy means flagship level durability.
The FX format now gets sensor cleaning.	Shutter unit good for 300,000 cycles.
EXPEED technology means 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit image-processing pipeline, for improved color rendition.	Viewfinder offers 100% frame coverage.
Dual CF cards with robust configurations.	Includes Quiet Shutter, which holds the mirror up while finger is on the shutter.
Nikon Multi-CAM 3500FX AF sensor module, 51 AF points with 15 cross-type points.	The 51 AF points allow for substantial coverage over any scene.

Review of the Nikon D3000 by Patrick Dean and Mike Huemmer

Introduction

Moving up to the realm of DSLR cameras from the world of compacts can be a confusing, complicated, and frustrating journey. DSLR cameras are quite a bit different from their compact cousins, and learning to use a DSLR camera can frequently send users back to their compacts. Thankfully, the major camera makers have responded with paired down offerings of their prosumer type offerings, frequently with paired down external controls and simplified interfaces. One of the most popular of these entry level cameras was Nikon’s D60, and after a long successful run it has now been replaced by the Nikon D3000. Keeping the same 10.2 megapixel sensor, but acquiring the 11 point AF system from the D5000 and D90, the D3000 makes things even easier for “noobs” by adding a “Guide” shooting mode which offers a great deal of hand holding for the learning photographer. With a feature set similar to its competitors, the D3000 is a compelling offering, but it does omit such popular features as Live View and movie recording. To find out if the D3000 is right for you, please continue reading our review of the Nikon D3000.

Competitors

The D3000 faces a number of challengers including the Canon EOS Rebel XS, the Olympus E-520, the Sony A230. All center around 10 megapixel sensors and feature similar feature sets, though you’ll note some do include Live View. Also of note is the Pentax K-x, which is a bit more expensive but offers an impressive feature set. Below is a look at some of the key specifications of the D3000 and its main challengers.

Availability

The Nikon D3000 is available at your favorite camera retailers including B&H Photo. Making your purchases through the following links helps to support this site.

• D3000 SLR Digital Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens at B&H with Free Shipping
• D3000 SLR Digital Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens at Amazon

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Initial Thoughts

We’ve gone through a whirlwind of testing ever since our review unit of the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV arrived, thanks to the tremendous efforts of B&H Photo. I don’t know how they did it, but they got us a copy in short order, and we of course want to give you some results ASAP. We’ve spent a good deal of time lately with the Nikon D3s, and wow, I’ve just been really impressed with its low light abilities. So naturally you and I are both curious as to how the EOS 1D Mark IV compares so let’s hit a couple of points, then get to some image and ISO samples.

Availability

For photographers looking to get their hands on the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, it’s going in and out of stock at B&H Photo. The best thing to do if isn’t in stock, is do their email notification, it doesn’t look like it’s taking very long for new shipments to come in, so you likely will get your copy soon. For all your camera gear we strongly recommend B&H Photo, but especially for a camera like the 1D Mark IV, you don’t want to trust your $5000 purchase to retailers with less than stellar reputations. Shopping at B&H Photo helps to support this site, so by using the links below you get the best deal, and great reliability and service, while supporting Neutralday.com

• Canon EOS 1D Mark IV camera body at B&H Photo: $4999.95

Impressive In the Hands

First up build wise, nothing’s changed from the Canon EOS 1D Mark III. the Mark IV is a well made camera, solidly built, with a great feel, and obviously a substantial heft in the hands. It’s big and heavy, but not too heavy. The grip is, for those unfamilar with the 1D series, very much like the 5D Mark II’s, it’s beefy, but not as nicely nuanced as the EOS 7D’s. Comparisons here with the D3s are tricky, on any given day I could say one over the other, and in may ways the cameras are quite similar. I think the Mark IV wins on looks, but the D3s has a better feel in the hands. Another difference, the D3s relies more on switches, the Mark IV more on buttons. I like the D3s’ switches for certain functions like metering and focus modes, it’s a bit quicker to adjust, but the Mark IV wins with better button placement, (like ISO for instance).

Image Quality Looks Good

Next let’s address image quality. The Mark IV has a 16.1 megapixel sensor, but unlike the D3s, this one isn’t a full frame. Instead the Mark IV uses an APS-H size sensor with a 1.3x crop (approx.). Right away you know the Mark IV is putting more megapixels on a smaller sensor ( the D3s uses 12.1 megapixels on full frame sensor (1x crop), yet both cameras feature top end ISO settings of 102,400. So how is the IQ? Well it’s very good, images seem to have a bit of punch to them even at the default settings and noise is pretty minimal, even at higher ISO settings. I’m impressed with overall detail and sharpness, not to mention overall exposure quality. If you compare it to the D3s though, well the Mark IV looks quite a bit noisier, even at ISO 1600 the D3s looks quite a bit better to my eye. Minus the D3s, the Mark IV looks slightly better than the 5D Mark II and likely in-line with D3 and D700 offerings. To be clear–captures look great and ISO characteristics are very good, but the D3s is clearly superior at low light.

Much Improved AF

Finally a few thoughts on the newly improved 45 point AF system.  You get 45 manually selectable points, 39 of them being the cross-type. Even in AI-Servo you can select any point, and the Custom functions allow for scaling up or down the number of points to choose from. We tried the new AF out a local high school basketball game and found the new AF to be fast lock onto focus, while also being very effective at tracking and maintaining focus on moving subjects, even if temporarily blocked by another player. The whole thing felt pretty fluid focusing on one player, and switching to another was easy, and results from either a single point or a point assisted with surrounding points were very good. I’m fairly certain of the OOF (out of focus) shots we got most would be from user error, the likely result of not being able to track the subject with the selected AF point, or picking a bad “point of entry” (trying to focus on a player not visible). I can’t guarantee it, but I think most professionals are going to be much more happy with their results from the Mark IV, versus the Mark III.

ISO Comparisons

Camera set to aperture priority, set to f/8. Noise reduction is disabled and dynamic range enhancers are also disabled. A quick note, I generally run these tests through Adobe’s Lightroom, however the files looked so poor in 2.6, that I instead have used Canon’s included Digital Photo Professional (DPP) for these files. Noise Reduction sliders were adjusted to “0″. Also of note, at times the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV will render a “bad” image at high ISO, a image that will typically have a very heavy cast of yellow, sometimes in a gradient across the image. This can happen for several attempts in a row, it’s odd, but waiting a moment with the camera and then trying again usually alleviates the problem. Use the image below to orient yourself to the positions of the crops, and each crop can be clicked for a 100% view of each crop. The full set of uncropped, full sized ISO samples can be found here. The low light examples are here.

Crop Source

Crop 1

ISO 100	ISO 200
ISO 400	ISO 800
ISO 1600	ISO 3200
ISO 6400	ISO 12800
ISO 25600	ISO 51200
ISO 102400

Crop 2

ISO 100	ISO 200
ISO 400	ISO 800
ISO 1600	ISO 3200
ISO 6400	ISO 12800
ISO 25600	ISO 51200
ISO 102400

Low Light Crop Example
Same as crop 2 above but with much less available light.

ISO 1600	ISO 3200
ISO 6400	ISO 12800
ISO 25600	ISO 51200
ISO 102400

AF Samples

Taken in less than ideal indoor light, with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. Click each crop for a larger view or explore the “original size” link for the full sized file.

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 195 mm ISO Speed: 5000 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 180 mm ISO Speed: 5000 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 125 mm ISO Speed: 4000 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 175 mm ISO Speed: 5000 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 200 mm ISO Speed: 4000 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 190 mm ISO Speed: 4000 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 120 mm ISO Speed: 3200 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/640) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 115 mm ISO Speed: 3200 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size

Image Samples

Click each image for a larger view, or explore the “original size” link for the unedited original.

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1600) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 185 mm ISO Speed: 800 Exposure Bias: +4/3 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 70 mm ISO Speed: 800 Exposure Bias: +4/3 EV original size
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 185 mm ISO Speed: 800 Exposure Bias: +4/3 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 195 mm ISO Speed: 1600 Exposure Bias: +2/3 EV original size
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320) Aperture: f/7.1 Focal Length: 73 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 150 mm ISO Speed: 800 Exposure Bias: +4/3 EV original size
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125) Aperture: f/2.8 Focal Length: 185 mm ISO Speed: 3200 Exposure Bias: +2/3 EV original size	Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Exposure: 0.006 sec (1/160) Aperture: f/9.0 Focal Length: 95 mm ISO Speed: 100 Exposure Bias: 0 EV original size

We’ll have more on the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV when our review is published, and stay tuned for ISO comparisons with the Nikon D3s.

Order the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV now at B&H Photo

Canon PowerShot G11 Digital Camera In Depth Review

A compelling alternative for photographers unwilling or unable to bring a bigger DSLR camera body, the Canon PowerShot G11 offers DSLR like capabilities in a robust, tactile, and much more compact size. Of course compact is a relative term, the G11 is much smaller than any prosumer or better DSLR, but it also unquestionably and quite noticably larger than most compacts. This beefy camera body doesn’t mean a bigger sensor, the G11’s 10 megapixel sensor is the same one found in the Canon S90, but the G11 does allow for more camera controls, a better grip, and a level of familiarity for photographers used to handling a DSLR camera. Intended for advance amateurs and beyond, the G11 is the latest in the well regard G series from Canon, and it features two distinct improvements over its predecessor, the first being a lower resolution sensor with improved low light capabilities (10 megapixels vs. 14.7), and the second being a versatile flip out and rotate, 2.8 inch LCD. To find out if the latest  G series offering is worth your consideration, please continue reading our in depth review of the Canon PowerShot G11.

Competition

The G11 sort of exists in a class all by itself. To find competitors one has to reach to cameras like the Olympus E-P1 or the Panasonic GF1, but these certainly wouldn’t be very fair comparisons. Alternatively one could mention the Panasonic LX3, or even the Canon S90, but again these comparisons don’t quite seem relevant either. The G11 isn’t about pocket-ability, or finesse, it’s really a compact on steroids, able to offer photographers the abilities, even the feel of their DSLR camera. That said, I know Canon fans looking for the best performing “compact” camera will mention the S90 and the G11 frequently in the same sentence. We tested both, and the image quality between the two cameras was exactly the same for all intents and purposes. But both cameras have such distinctly different intentions that users should have no trouble deciding which form factor will be right for them.

Availability

The Canon PowerShot G11 is available and in stock at your favorite camera retailers. I personally get all the photography gear that I can at B&H Photo, so naturally I highly recommend them. They’ve got the best selection, great service, and great prices, and your purchases there through our links go a long way to supporting our site. Need one more reason? How about free shipping on the G11?

• Canon PowerShot G11 at B&H Photo
• Canon WP-DC34 Underwater Case for Canon PowerShot G11
• Canon PowerShot S90 at B&H Photo