Canon PowerShot SX500 Review

The most wonderful factor regarding the PowerShot SX500 IS is that Canon managed to create a 30x 24-720mm lens, attach it to a body, and have it solely be four inches deep and weigh twelve ounces -- with its battery.

For people that sort of a ton of center a really compact, light-weight camera, that is the SX500 IS. It additionally has semimanual and manual controls, that ar somewhat of a rarity in lower-end megazooms, however Canon includes them altogether of its PowerShot SX-series models.

Unfortunately, within the SX500 IS Canon used a 16-megapixel CCD detector associated an recent Digic four image processor rather than one in all its higher HS CMOS sensors and a more recent, additional powerful Digic five processor. Yes, that keeps the value down, however it leads to a camera with a decent optical lens however slower performance, fewer shooting choices, and therefore the have to be compelled to shoot with lots of sunshine or long exposures to urge the most effective results.

Picture quality
As is that the case with several point-and-shoots, however happy you're with the SX500 IS' exposure quality goes to depend upon your wants and expectations. If you are expecting stellar digital SLR-quality pictures, you will be defeated. identical goes for excellent low-light photos. What the SX500 sensible|is sweet|is nice} for is out of doors shots in good lighting for tiny prints (8x10 or smaller) or viewing onscreen at fifty p.c or smaller.
Noise and artifacts ar visible even at ISO a hundred once picture element peeping, therefore if the standard at full size are a few things that matters to you, this camera can in all probability scotch. On the opposite hand, up to ISO two hundred you get ok detail that you simply will still do some enlarging and cropping.

Up at ISO four hundred is wherever the noise starts to be additional visible and may end in some noticeable yellow blotching. Going higher than that you will begin to envision additional color noise, artifacts, and loss of detail, that simply leads to subjects that seem soft and desaturated. The camera undoubtedly favors dropping shutter speed over raising ISO once left in automobile. that is sensible generally, however if you are not being attentive it may end in blurred photos.

Color performance is usually excellent up to ISO four hundred. If the majority of your shots are taken outdoors in sensible lighting, you ought to be pretty happy with the results. Exposure is usually excellent, too, as is white balance. like lots of compact cameras, clipped highlights ar common.
The 720p video quality is sweet and higher than I've seen from some entry-level "full HD" camcorders I've tested. however like its photos, you will see additional noise the less lightweight you have got. Also, you'll notice some vertical smear once shooting bright lightweight sources, like the purple streak on the left aspect of the screen grab higher than. this can be common with shopper CCD sensors.

The lens will zoom whereas recording and once it's zooming in you may hear some slight motor sound picked up by the stereo mics on high in terribly quiet scenes. Overall, though, for capturing the occasional clip for internet sharing, it will a fine job.

Shooting performance
The SX500 IS is one in all the primary cameras to feature a much-needed new optical device (AF) system for PowerShot models. Canon says rule enhancements, lighter lens components, a stronger lens motor, and reductions in process and AF scan times all end in quicker focusing and fewer shutter lag. Being quicker does not essentially mean it's quick, though.

The camera will have 2 continuous shooting modes, one with optical device and one while not, wherever it sets exposure and focus with the primary shot. the previous is capable of up to zero.6 frame per second, whereas the latter will arise to zero.8fps. Basically, if you are sensible at anticipating action and may learn to measure at intervals these limitations, you'll get shots of children, pets, and sports. On the total, though, i would not advocate it for frequently capturing fast-moving subjects, particularly inside.

Design and options
Considering its 30x, f3.4-5.8, 24-720mm lens, the camera is remarkably compact. a minimum of a part of the explanation for that's the dearth of associate electronic finder (EVF). this can be a deal breaker for a few individuals, tho' with its massive 3-inch LCD that gets bright enough to envision in daylight it is a very little easier to forgive.

The body can be compact, however there is still area for big, easy-to-press buttons. You get a one-touch picture record button additionally to show, menu, and exposure compensation buttons higher than and below the guidance scroll wheel. The wheel surrounds a Func./Set button and has high, bottom, left, and right pressure points for ISO sensitivity, focus (manual, normal, and macro), flash, and timer. The wheel is responsive with tactile stops to that, therefore you may not simply overshoot what you are making an attempt to pick. Its operation is overall straightforward to select up, however even seasoned Canon users can need to look at the total manual enclosed on the computer code disc bundled with the camera.

The camera has glorious optical image stabilization and therefore the applied science of the grip permit you to urge a firm hold thereon, with lots of area between it and therefore the lens barrel. tho' the body is plastic, the camera still feels durable. there isn't any lens rattle, that is common on lower-end megazooms, and therefore the weight of the lens keeps it from floating away entirely whereas you are making an attempt to shoot. Also, Canon place a framing assist button on the lens barrel that pulls the lens back therefore you'll realize your subjects ought to they are going out of frame. unharness the button and it zooms back in to wherever you started.

Several cameras during this category use AA-size batteries for power; the SX500 IS doesn't. Instead you get alittle reversible metal particle battery, that saves on area and weight and provides you sensible, if not nice, battery life. though it's rated for a hundred ninety shots, confine mind that victimisation the optical lens lots, raising the screen brightness, endlessly shooting, or recording movies, among different things, can devil that battery life.

Speaking of things that burn up your battery, the camera's flash doesn't crop up on its own, you have got to raise it. that is in all probability not a giant deal for several individuals, however if you are wont to a camera that will everything for you, this would possibly end in some lost shots. On the side, the camera a minimum of warns you to boost the flash once it's required.

One of the SX500 IS' blessings is that it's created for over absolutely automatic shooting. Among the various shooting choices on the camera's mode dial ar shutter-priority, aperture-priority, and manual. offered apertures at the wide finish ar f3.4, f4.0, f4.5, f5.0, f5.6, f6.3, f7.1, and f8.0; at telephotograph you get f5.8, f6.3, f7.1, and f8.0. Shutter speeds go from fifteen seconds right down to 1/1,600 second. If that is an excessive amount of management for you, you'll switch to Program and management everything however shutter speed and aperture.

Of course, you will additionally realize Canon's reliable good automobile, that associatealyzes your subject and mechanically selects an acceptable scene setting from thirty two outlined settings; some customary scene modes like Portrait, Landscape, and Fireworks; a Discreet mode that shuts off all noise and lights whereas shooting; and a picture mode for capturing clips at resolutions up to 720p HD in MOV or iFrame formats.

For those that ar keen about the exposure filters from a favourite smartphone app, Canon includes many of its high-quality inventive Filters: Fish-eye impact, Miniature impact, Toy Camera impact, Monochrome, Super Vivid, and Poster impact. Another mode, Live read management, permits you to simply experiment with exposure and color whereas seeing your results onscreen before you shoot (the same goes for the filters). whereas some might take into account these gimmicks that may be finished separate computer code, they will be fun to play with if you are looking to try and do one thing completely different and may truly assist you created your shot befittingly for the impact you are once.

Conclusion
If you merely should have the longest center the tiniest, lightest body at rock bottom worth, the Canon PowerShot SX500 IS is value considering. it isn't a quick camera and it isn't nice inside or in low lightweight, therefore if those ar must-haves, i would not hassle. For out of doors photos and video of stationary or slow subjects -- shut or distant -- it ought to satisfy.


Canon PowerShot SX500 IS Specification:

Specs	Canon PowerShot SX500 IS
Dimensions (WHD)	4.1x2.7x3.2 inches
Weight (with battery and media)	12 ounces
Megapixels, image sensor size, type	16 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD
LCD size, resolution/viewfinder	3-inch LCD, 460K dots/None
Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length)	30x, f3.4-5.8, 24-720mm (35mm equivalent)
File format (still/video)	JPEG/H.264 AAC (.MOV)
Highest resolution size (still/video)	4,608x3,456 pixels/ 1,280x720 pixels at 25fps
Image stabilization type	Optical and digital
Battery type, CIPA rated life	Lithium ion rechargeable, 190 shots
Battery charged in camera	No; external wall charger supplied
Storage media	SD/SDHC/SDXC

_________________________________________________________________________

Superzoom Series | Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Review

Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Specification:

Key specs	Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Price (MSRP)	$429.99
Dimensions (WHD)	4.8 x 3.6 x 4.2 inches
Weight (with battery and media)	21.2 ounces
Megapixels, image sensor size, type	12 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated CMOS
LCD size, resolution/viewfinder	2.7-inch vari-angle LCD, 230K dots/None
Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length)	35x, f2.7-5.8, 24-840mm (35mm equivalent)
File format (still/video)	JPEG/H.264 AAC (.MOV)
Highest resolution size (still/video)	4,000x3,000 pixels/ 1,920x1,080 at 24fps
Image stabilization type	Optical and digital
Battery type, CIPA rated life	Li-ion rechargeable, 370 shots (400, EVF only)
Battery charged in camera	No; external charger supplied
Storage media	SD/SDHC/SDXC, Eye-Fi SD/SDHC cards
Bundled software	ZoomBrowser EX 6.8/PhotoStitch 3.1 (Windows); ImageBrowser 6.8/PhotoStitch 3.2 (Mac)

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS may be a nice improvement over its precursor, the SX30 IS. Sure, they give the impression of being an equivalent, have an equivalent ultrawide-angle 35x telephoto lens, and, for the foremost half, have an equivalent shooting modes. however a switch to a replacement detector and new image processor perceived to have improved each exposure quality and shooting performance, although its performance continues to be consumption wind a trifle behind competitory models from Nikon, Sony, and Panasonic.

For that matter, thus is its feature set and its style, significantly if you would like to require advantage of its electronic view finder and manual controls. On the opposite hand, it's a number of the simplest JPEG exposure quality you are going to search out from a high-end megazoom.

Overall, exposure quality is superb for this category of camera. pictures do get softer and noisier higher than ISO 200--typical for point-and-shoots--but ISO four hundred and 800 area unit still terribly usable. Like alternative "HS" models I've tested this year, the noise and noise reduction area unit well-balanced thus you continue to get sensible color and detail up to ISO 800.

Colors desaturate some at ISO 1600 and 3200, subjects look terribly soft, and detail is greatly diminished. whereas you would possibly not need to look at them at larger sizes or heavily crop them, the high-ISO results ought to be satisfactory for the net or prints at tiny sizes, though, again, colours can look somewhat off. confine mind, too, that if you are shooting inside with lens extended, you will need the upper ISOs to stay shutter speeds quick enough to stop blur. Also, the automotive vehicle white balance is heat inside, which does not facilitate color once combined with higher ISOs; use the presets or use the custom possibility once potential. sadly, there's no choice to shoot raw files with this camera thus if you are a constituent peeper and not proud of Canon's JPEG process, you are stuck.

Color accuracy is superb, manufacturing bright and vivid results. Exposure is usually excellent, however highlights tend to blow out. alternative makers are resolution this to a point with high-dynamic vary modes which will take 2 or 3 shots at totally different exposures and overlay them for a more-balanced shot. Canon does not provide a mode like that and its i-Contrast feature is a lot of for rescuing shadow detail than highlights. However, the SX40 will have exposure bracketing, although it shoots slowly, thus your subjects have to be compelled to be still.

Video quality is on par with a really sensible HD pocket video camera: adequate for net use and nondiscriminating TV viewing. the complete HD video records at 24fps, and although panning the camera can produce vibrate and there's visible trailing on moving subjects, the video is watchable. Those things area unit typical of the video from most compact cameras, too. you'll be able to drop the resolution to one,280x720 at 30fps, however the vibrate really appears to urge worse. The low-light video is predictably coarse-grained, however it's a minimum of nearly as good as this camera's high ISO exposure performance. The telephoto lens will work whereas recording; it moves terribly slowly, though, doubtless to stop the movement from being picked up by the stereo mics on front. It will solely very be detected in terribly quiet scenes.

While it does not have plenty of trick shooting modes just like the Sony HX100V or the plentiful controls over exposure quality that you're going to realize on the Panasonic FZ150, the SX40 HS has all of the necessary things for the class. you will find full manual and semimanual shooting modes. offered apertures at the wide finish include: f2.7, f3.2, f3.5, f4.0, f4.5, f5.0, f5.6, f6.3, f7.1, and f8.0; offered in photograph are: f5.8, f6.3, f7.1, f8.0. Shutter speeds go from fifteen seconds all the way down to 1/3,200 second. If you return up with a group of values you would like to use often, there area unit 2 Custom spots on the mode dial. For those times once you need the camera to try and do the thinking there's a really reliable full-auto mode in addition as stock scene modes like Portrait, Landscape, and Fireworks.

In addition to the company's normal inventive-shooting options--Color Accent and Color Swap--it has alternative creative options: Toy Camera, Monochrome, Miniature result, Fish-eye result, a brilliant Vivid mode that intensifies colours, and an ad result that posterizes photos. These modes are not essentially must-haves, however they will be fun to play with, if solely to feature some interest to what would be associate otherwise boring shot. Plus, they are offered once shooting movies, too.

With its new CMOS detector and Digic five image processor, I had high hopes that the SX40 HS would be considerably quicker than its precursor. It's not. I mean, it's improved, however not by abundant. It goes from off to 1st shot fairly quickly at one.6 seconds then slows all the way down to two.5 seconds from shot to shot. Shutter lag--how long it takes from pressing the shutter unleash to capture--is excellent at zero.4 second in bright lighting and zero.6 in rheostat conditions. That was in research laboratory tests, though, and in my testing the camera felt slow to focus. What did show a lot of improvement were continuous shooting speeds. Canon includes a full-resolution, eight-shot-burst scene mode that's capable of up to ten frames per second. This sets focus and exposure with the primary shot, however that is common with these modes. there's additionally never-ending shooting setting that hits concerning two.3fps (again, with focus and exposure set with the primary shot) and never-ending with optical device that's way slower, however a minimum of it's associate possibility.

The SX40 HS uses an equivalent style from 2010's SX30 IS, wanting somewhat sort of a compact version of a Canon Greek deity Rebel dSLR. At the front of the massive, comfy grip may be a shutter unleash with a lever for in operation the intense 35x telephoto lens followed back by a shooting mode dial and power button. although the motor moves the lens swimmingly, it's slow and takes too long to maneuver the lens in and out. A Zoom Frame Assist button on back next to the thumbrest helps a trifle by pull the lens back and causing it forward once more once discharged, however it's still too slow once attempting to trace a moving subject.

Below the Zoom Frame Assist button to the correct of the thumbrest area unit Play and AF Frame Selector buttons, the latter permitting you to maneuver your AF frame per wherever you would like the camera to focus and alter the scale of the frame. Below that's a bearing dial that sits on high of a four-way directional pad. The dial is employed for navigation in addition as ever-changing settings. This includes changes to shutter speed and aperture; notably absent may be a thumb dial for doing this stuff. The dial moves too freely with no real stops, too, thus it's pretty simple to blow past no matter it's you are attempting to line.

The directional pad additionally sets focus sort, exposure compensation, ISO, and therefore the self-timer. The Func/Set button at the middle of the dial selects choices and brings up shooting-mode-specific settings. A separate Menu button below the dial brings up the remainder of the camera choices. It's joined by a show button.

The show button is what is accustomed go and forth from the two.7-inch rotating LCD to the little and somewhat dim electronic view finder (EVF) for framing shots. that may be fine if you did not have to cycle through totally different show settings to modify from one to the other: low-info LCD, elaborate LCD, low-info EVF, elaborate EVF. what is worse is that there area unit some modes that use the show button to access secondary functions, thus if you are in one amongst those and wish to modify from the LCD or EVF, you've got to depart the shooting mode you are in 1st. Or, you'll be able to flip the LCD, that mechanically activates the LCD if you are victimisation the EVF. Similarly, flipping the LCD to face into its cavity activates the EVF. It's ultimately a really frustrating style selection associated Canon ought to have used an LCD/EVF button placed next to the EVF like each alternative manufacturer. There area unit buttons on either aspect of the EVF, though. On the left may be a programmable road button, and on the correct may be a one-press record button for capturing movies. If you would like extra motion-picture show shooting choices, though, you'll be able to choose a full motion-picture show mode on the shooting mode dial.

In the end, the controls area unit fairly simple to use, however undoubtedly take some observe if you are not at home with Canon's menus and controls. Even seasoned Canon users can need to look at the complete manual, though, enclosed on the computer code disc bundled with the camera.

If you are looking for AA-size batteries for power, you'll need to seem elsewhere; the SX40 uses an oversized Li particle reversible pack that is rated for up to four hundred shots, that was secured in my testing. The battery is found in a very compartment within the base of the grip, that is wherever you will additionally realize the memory card slot. The compartment cowl does not lock--an odd omission for a high-end camera. Out of the box you'll assume Canon born the recent shoe from previous versions, too, however it's there on top; it's simply lined up. (There's additionally a lift-up flash activated by a button on the left aspect on high.) For connecting to displays and computers there area unit Mini-HDMI and Mini-USB/AV ports beneath a door on the correct aspect.

Conclusion
The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS does not provide all the bells and whistles of competitory life-size megazooms and its shooting performance lags behind them, too. However, it's many positives together with a number of the simplest JPEG exposure quality you will find during this category in addition as an awfully long lens. If those things matter most to you, the SX40 HS is that the thanks to go.

Canon Powershot N - your position, your choice

Canon Powershot N - your position, your choice

Trying to create a small point-and-shoot to vie with smartphones may be futile at this time, however it actually looks like Canon's PowerShot N is intended for simply that.

An entirely new PowerShot line, the N's ultracompact body measures three.1 inches wide by two.4 inches high by one.2 inches deep, with a number of that thickness aiming to its two.8-inch tilting bit screen, which may flip up ninety degrees therefore you'll a lot of simply experiment with positioning (and one thing you cannot do with a smartphone).

To any assist with experimentation, Canon born the everyday shutter release/zoom lever jazz group found on alternative PowerShots and went with new management rings around its 8x f3.0-5.9 28-224mm lens; associate degree outer ring controls the shutter, whereas associate degree inner ring works the zoom.

The PowerShot N introduces a replacement artistic Shot mode also, which matches on the far side the everyday effects and filters. Snap an image of one thing and therefore the camera can mechanically produce 5 completely different|completely different} versions victimisation different color modes, crops, and designs additionally to saving the initial exposure. With a more recent Canon Digic five image processor and a 12-megapixel high-speed, high-sensitivity CMOS detector, it ought to be intimate pretty quick, too.

Also new for the N could be a Mobile Device Connect button. victimisation the camera's integral Wi-Fi and Canon's free CameraWindow application for iOS and robot, the button enables you to quickly wirelessly transfer photos and videos to a smartphone or pill. The PowerShot N can store often used devices and accounts for quicker connecting and uploading. you will even be able to treat uploaded photos directly from the camera.

Judging by the dimensions of the battery compartment door, the N is victimisation one in all Canon's small metal particle reversible batteries, that haven't provided the simplest battery life in camera's just like the PowerShot Elph 520 HS. To combat that, there is a new Eco mode that guarantees around thirty p.c longer battery life by dimming and eventually closing off the show when ten seconds of inactivity.

New Canon Ultracompact Camera Elph 330 HS with 10x optical zoom

New Canon Ultracompact Camera Elph 330 HS with 10x optical zoom

Canon's PowerShot Elph lineup continues to be in transition from 2012 to 2013 models, with the new Elph 330 HS being solely the second new model to seem.

The ultracompact Elph 330 HS options a 10x f3.0-6.9 24-240mm lens, one in all Canon's high-sensitivity 12-megapixel CMOS sensors, and a 3-inch 460K-dot-resolution liquid crystal display.

The camera additionally has constitutional Wi-Fi, holding you wirelessly transfer photos and flick clips on to automaton or iOS devices. you'll discuss photos uploaded to Facebook directly from the camera, too, tho' i am not entirely positive why you'd need to try and do that, particularly while not slightly screen.

The camera is otherwise a reasonably simple point-and-shoot with principally automatic shooting choices, as well as Canon's sensible car that picks settings supported fifty eight scene sorts. a brand new Hybrid car is enclosed, too, which mixes Canon's flick Digest feature and sensible car.

Every time you're taking taking} an image up to four seconds of HD video are captured before the shot. At the top of the day, all the clips ar combined into one video recapping your day of shooting.

The PowerShot Elph 330 HS hits stores in March for $229.99.

Also connection the 330 HS within the Elph lineup is that the $169.99 PowerShot Elph a hundred and fifteen IS. it is the same because the Elph a hundred thirty IS proclaimed at CES 2013, however while not the Wi-Fi. It options a 16-megapixel CCD, an 8x f3.2-6.9 28-224mm lens, and 3-inch liquid crystal display.

Lastly, Canon introduced the entry-level PowerShot A2500, that is that the same because the A2600 proclaimed at CES, however it's a two.7-inch liquid crystal display rather than the A2600's 3-inch liquid crystal display. The modification drops the value by $20 to $129.99.

The Elph a hundred and fifteen IS are get into March, whereas the A2500 arrives in Apr.

Canon EOS 6D Review

Canon EOS 6D

In some respects, it's onerous to inform WHO Canon's targeting with the Greek deity 6D, its "budget" full-frame camera. It's got some fairly consumer-y options and specifications. GPS? Check. intrinsic  Wi-Fi? Check. Single Mount Rushmore State card slot? Check. optical device with but 100% coverage? Check. weak optical device system? Check. On the opposite hand, it's missing things sort of a intrinsic  flash that you'd expect in a very nonpro camera.

It's not that the 6D is not a extremely nice camera -- I happen to love it lots. It's got nice ikon and sensible video quality, comparatively fluid operational style with a soft shutter action, and a solid (but not weatherproof) build. however ultimately I notice it a confusing obtain and simply a little little bit of a disappointment.

Image quality Canon EOS 6D
I'm extraordinarily affected with the Greek deity 6D's ikon quality; it delivers glorious JPEG process and noise reduction, nice dynamic vary and tonal quality, and correct colours if you alter the defaults. JPEG shots square measure comparatively clean through ISO 800 and still quite sensible through ISO 1600, even for big prints. And relying upon scene content and usage, you'll most likely escape with it all the far through ISO 12800. By ISO 1600 I see noticeable blessings to shooting raw over JPEG for noise processing; Canon favors noise suppression over detail preservation, and i am willing to just accept slightly grain. All of that is tweakable within the camera, of course, if you are bent on on JPEGs.

I'm going out on a limb: despite all the numbers I see on the web oral communication that the Nikon D600 contains a higher dynamic vary, in follow I notice the Greek deity 6D has a lot of redeemable highlight detail in apparently clipped areas than the D600. I will bounce back results overall on the D600's highlights victimisation Nikon's Capture NX2 software package than with either Adobe Lightroom or part One Capture professional, however even then i could not reclaim some detail in comparable things. I notice the 6D and D600 roughly comparable once it involves shadow detail.

The 6D's default image vogue setting (Auto) looks a lot of fine-tuned than I've seen in previous models, pull back on the distinction and saturation so it does not lose the maximum amount shadow detail or shift hues.

Video usually appearance sensible, although the Canon Greek deity 5D Mark III's continues to be higher (smoother musical notation and higher handling of distinction in high-contrast conditions), and you wish to use the All-I codec to forestall a number of the aliasing and moiré.

Performance Canon EOS 6D
The 6D performs as good as, however "pretty well," whereas creating it akin to the 5D Mark II, still puts it behind the Nikon 600D; its biggest issue is quite sluggish low-light optical device, a minimum of with the few lenses I shot with. (The work tests were performed with the 24-105mm f4L IS lens, however I shot with a range of lenses throughout my field tests. Note that whereas these numbers are not comparable those of most older cameras we have a tendency to tested, the 6D was tested victimisation identical methodology because the D600, thus those square measure comparable.) It powers on, focuses and shoots in roughly zero.6 second. beneath bright conditions, it focuses, exposes, and shoots in zero.4 second, however that rises to concerning one.3 seconds in dim lightweight.

Although sometimes a camera does not feel as sluggish in field testing because it will within the work, during this case it did; I may feel the assorted lenses looking before lockup focus. Even the Greek deity 7D feels a lot of responsive in low lightweight. that may be thanks to the meagerly single cross-type device within the AF array. It fares well in typical shooting, though, taking just below zero.3 second for 2 serial shots, either raw or JPEG.

For continuous shooting, the 6D maintains a solid rate of four.5 frames per second for either raw or JPEG. whereas the JPEG buffer is actually unlimited -- it maintained four.5fps for a minimum of thirty shots while not swiftness -- shooting raw slows when twenty shots to concerning 2fps. The buffer lasts for concerning eight full-quality raw+JPEG shots before stopping to method. although I did not have enough time for important burst-shooting testing, I wasn't excited with the AF system's speed once it came to to lockup on the topic and chase.

I conjointly notice the 6D's metering slightly inconsistent. I habitually had to shoot with +2/3 to +1 stop exposure compensation additionally to identify metering once victimisation lenses quicker than f4; the spot is large, about 3.5 % of the optical device (for comparison, the D600's is one.5 percent).

Design and options Canon EOS 6D
The 6D contains a fine, well-built, and comfortable-to-shoot-with body, although the buttons that on alternative Greek deity models run down the left aspect of the liquid crystal display on the 6D square measure scattered round the back, thus it are often disorienting  jumping between the 6D and alternative bodies. Of course, that modification is an element of why the 6D's body is smaller than the company's alternative full-frame models. and a few of the burden loss comes from the construction: Associate in Nursing Al chassis coated by strengthened polycarbonate, although it's as dust- and weather-resistant because the 7D.

In fact, in a very ton of the way in style and build the 6D is harking back to the 60D: same feel, single Mount Rushmore State card slot, and management dial with inset navigation switch and set button on the rear (as against the joystick on the higher-end models and also the 7D). like alternative Greek deity bodies, the mode dial sits on the left shoulder, and has the same old assortment of manual, semimanual, and automatic modes and bulb and 2 custom settings slots. it's Canon's now-typical center lock button, that I forever notice slightly awkward, however not Associate in Nursing interface deal-killer.

On the correct aspect you will find the adjustment dial, and standing liquid crystal display with optical device, drive, ISO, metering, and illumination buttons on the highest. On the rear right high sit the AF-ON, exposure lock, and AF purpose buttons, with a Live View/Movie mode switch and record button by the optical device. The management layout feels comfy, and acquainted enough if you are wont to Canon bodies.

I'm somewhat defeated by the optical device. It's huge and bright, however solely covers ninety seven % of the scene, and lacks a grid overlay option; the 7D's optical device contains a lower effective magnification issue (0.63x) however i prefer it higher.

The Wi-Fi implementation fares as good as, as long as you bypass all the things that needs a Canon Image entryway membership, like direct uploads to alternative internet sites. The camera remote app enables you to modification shutter speed and aperture, ISO sensitivity, and exposure compensation, that could be a ton quite another apps. As is common, the GPS operation was inconsistent here in New York; I may get a symptom whereas shooting in Union sq., however much obscurity else, and if I forgot to show it off it drained the battery by ceaselessly looking for a symptom.

Beyond that, it's a reasonably customary feature set, with many notable capabilities. You get a set of the Servo optical device settings from the higher-end models. HDR junkies can appreciate its ability to bracket up to seven shots at +/- three stops. you'll came upon to four optical device warnings -- monochrome mode, white-balance correction, ISO enlargement Associate in Nursingd spot metering -- that seem as an punctuation mark on the screen. On the draw back, there is not any intrinsic  flash; though i do not advocate victimisation on-camera flash if it's in the least doable, it's very nice to own it in a very pinch. I miss twin card slots. a minimum of for my desires, a 3rd custom-setting slot would be lots a lot of helpful than either Wi-Fi or GPS. Your mileage could vary. For video shooters, it is a potpourri. The camera supports time codes, however not clean HDMI output, and lacks a earpiece jack.

Conclusion Canon EOS 6D
What's most frustrating is that the 6D ought to be a clearly higher obtain than the older, cheaper 7D, however it isn't. whereas the 6D perceptibly outshines its APS-C-based relative in full-frame ikon quality and it's a way broader feature set in theory, the 7D contains a higher optical device and quicker optical device, a a lot of sturdy shutter mechanism, and an additional custom setting slot, simply to say some of things.

If you are thinking of moving up from one among Canon's shopper APS-C-based models, just like the 60D, it's undoubtedly worthwhile for the ikon and video quality; if you are considering the 6D rather than one among the costlier full-frame models, it is a fine various if you do not mind the ninety seven % coverage optical device, single Mount Rushmore State card slot, less sturdy shutter, lack of a earpiece jack, fewer customizations, and every one those alternative very little ways in which during which you may ought to compromise.

As for the Canon Greek deity 6D versus Nikon D600 call for those who haven't committed to a system nevertheless or square measure thinking of shift, overall i believe I ultimately like the D600. i believe the highlight recovery issue is repairable -- at the terribly least, simply by looking at however you piece your exposure settings -- and also the superior performance and a lot of shooter-friendly feature set weigh in its favor. That said, either camera can deliver the standard edges of a full-frame model at a less painful value than the higher-end siblings on either side of the aisle.

Canon D5200 - Refinement D5100

The Nikon D5100 may be a solid camera with wonderful photograph and video quality, however comparatively sluggish performance tarnishes its attract on behalf of me. Nikon fixes that within the D5200 with identical new optical device and metering systems that debuted within the D600, and Associate in Nursing updated higher-end optical device, and therefore the result's a perceptibly higher shooting expertise that produces it a wonderful selection for all-round family and vacation photography.

Image quality
As with the D5100, still and motion image quality remains excellent; however despite a replacement sensing element and updated image-processing engine, it isn't perceptibly higher. The camera will an excellent job optimizing its JPEGs -- whereas raw still offers you a lot of adjustment latitude than JPEG, there does not appear to be any profit for sharpness or noise reduction till you hit regarding ISO 1600. pictures look pack up through ISO 800, sensible through ISO 1600, and stay usable through ISO 6400 relying upon subject material and output size.

Exposure and dynamic vary look sensible, although the camera tends to supply darker exposures than I expect underneath a given set of circumstances. redeemable highlight and shadow detail square measure in line with what I expect from a camera in its category. It reproduces colours with solid accuracy, and therefore the default color settings do not push distinction or saturation overmuch; the most important distinction between the quality and neutral settings appears to be sharpness.

Video appearance sensible similarly, with suprisingly few artifacts. Even low-light video, that on several cameras tends to point out plenty of sparkling and moiré on edges as noise will increase, displayed nice solidity. The tonal vary will decrease because the setting gets darker, with a lot of blown-out highlights and crushed blacks -- that is common -- however otherwise it's wonderful.

Performance
The performance of the Nikon D5200 has improved quite an bit over the D5100, due to Associate in Nursing updated optical device system, however that is not while not qualification. (Note: I've left the D5100's performance times within the chart, they don't seem to be directly comparable attributable to our amendment in testing MEthodology; I enclosed them as a result of they strike me as roughly representative. The T4i was tested victimization our current system.)

Because our shot lag tests incorporate a major distance refocus Associate in Nursingd exposure adjustment -- we start with the lens adjusted for an object near the camera, out of the vary of the lights before specializing in the a lot of distant, otherwise lit scene -- how briskly the lens drives to the new location well affects lag time. Since the D5200 has no inbuilt AF motor, that performance are heavily determined by the motor within the lens, and during this case, the 18-55mm kit lens drives comparatively slowly. However, our shot-to-shot times, that do not need any signficant lens movement or exposure adjustment, do mirror the speed boost.

The camera powers on and shoots quickly, in about 0.3 second. Time to focus, expose and shoot in sensible lighting takes regarding zero.5 second and in poor lighting regarding zero.8 second. 2 sequential shots run a wonderful zero.2 second for either JPEG or raw, and therefore the flash will increase that to one.2 seconds, although the latter is tough to live as a result of the camera does not answer a shutter press (i.e., you cannot prefocus) till the flash has completed usage.

It has wonderful continuous-shooting performance for its category, 5.1fps JPEG for Associate in Nursing effectively unlimited variety of frames (more than 40) while not fastness, a minimum of once equipped with a quick 95MB/sec SD card. For raw, it maintains five.5fps for eight frames, then slows -- unpredictably -- to regarding a pair of.2fps.

The updated optical device system is quick and correct, and as was common its continuous focus following system appears to figure practically. (I did not have the chance to check it extensively, however.) That aforementioned, the auto-area AF choice is as comparatively retarded as most of its peers, tending to pick out the closest or brightest space within the scene. though I did not formally take a look at the Live read (contrast) optical device speed, in observe it felt astonishingly responsive most of the time, each for stills and video. whereas it uses Nikon's full-time  AF for video, it isn't as quick or quiet as Canon's memory contrast-AF implementation; on the opposite hand, it's most likely quick and quiet enough for many uses (though it depends upon the lens), and it does not need an entire new set of pricey lenses.

Unfortunately, I still realize the show slightly too contrasty, oftentimes deceptive ME into thinking my exposures square measure off.

Design and options
Like several in its value category, the D5200 feels plasticky, however solid and comparatively light-weight. On the top-right shoulder of the camera sits the cluttered-looking mode dial with the same old set of manual, semimanual, and automatic modes and a Live read switch extending from it. The show record button, information button, and exposure compensation buttons square measure behind the jazz band shutter button and power switch, with a drive mode button on the center right. the rear controls square measure organized in an exceedingly typical fashion. info|the knowledge|the data} edit button -- to not be confused with the data button on the highest -- brings up the interactive information show wherever you modify most of your shooting settings. whereas there is still no thanks to lock the navigation switch to forestall accidental AF-point changes, I did not have the maximum amount bother with it now around. I like a thumb-operated record button and realize the drive-mode button a trifle degree|somewhat|slightly|alittle} small and exhausting to feel, however overall the camera delivers a efficient shooting expertise.

Though the optical device has similar specs thereto of the D5100's, and it's still slightly dim, it currently has massive, visible AF space markers Associate in Nursingd an optional  grid overlay; as i actually hate the small AF dots of its forerunner and Canon's Rebel series, to ME this is often an enormous improvement.

Like the body style, the feature set hasn't modified a lot of, however it's fairly all-round for its category -- as long as you do not yearn for on-board wireless file transfer or geotagging. The few tight effects choices embrace the clever visual modality mode, a awfully helpful thanks to profit of the sensor's capability of skyrocketing gain up to ISO 102,400. In color, the results would be useless. however by changing the results to black and white, you get the flexibility to shoot in close to darkness and procure usable -- although not optimum for high-resolution printing -- results. All operate in show capture similarly as still.

The two-shot HDR autocombine implementation remains annoying -- you've got to travel into the menus and re-enable it when each shot unless you assign it to Fn. however there square measure different things i need to assign to Fn. In either case, Nikon clearly views it as a one-shot override feature instead of a setting you'll have to use repeatedly for a brief time. moreover, 2 shots do not extremely give a "high" dynamic vary, simply a rather extended one. It works OK for gap up some shadow detail, however will very little to bring down the highlights. If you wish to try to to HDR the old style manner, you'll not be excited with the D5200's choices. It offers three-shot bracketing up to 2 stops.

On the opposite hand, Nikon's perpetually been there for time-lapse shooters, and therefore the inbuilt intervalometer remains a key advantage. There are 9 custom image vogue settings slots, and you'll outline up to ninety nine in software system and share them among multiple cameras. like the T4i, though, there is not any thanks to save and recall custom settings.

Like Nikon's different client dSLR bodies, the dearth of Associate in Nursing AF motor within the body implies that the D5200 needs the company's AF-S lenses if you intend to use optical device. that is not a major disadvantage for the everyday client WHO does not purchase plenty of lenses, however it's unsatisfactory if you wish a reasonable body to combine with more-expensive lenses.

Conclusion

While on paper the D5200 does not extremely stand out from the specialised competition -- Canon has its video-optimized AF system, Pentax has its weather-resistant bodies, and Sony has its speedy models with inbuilt geotagging -- it quite succeeds as a general model for family and vacation photography.

Canon Powershot SX500 IS Specifications

Canon Powershot SX500 IS Specifications

 

IMAGE SENSOR

Type	1/2.3 type CCD
Effective Pixels	Approx. 16.0M
Colour Filter Type	Primary Colour

IMAGE PROCESSOR

Type	DIGIC 4 with iSAPS technology

LENS

Focal Length	4.3 – 129.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 24 – 720 mm)
Zoom	Optical 30x ZoomPlus 60x Digital Approx. 4x (with Digital Tele-Converter Approx. 1.6x or 2.0x and Safety Zoom¹). Combined Approx. 120x
Maximum f/number	f/3.4 – f/5.8
Construction	13 elements in 10 groups (1 UD lens, 1 double-sided aspherical lens)
Image Stabilisation	Yes (lens shift-type), 3.5-stop. Intelligent IS

FOCUSING

Type	TTL
AF System/ Points	Face Detection, 1-point AF (fixed to centre)
AF Modes	Continuous, Servo AF/AE¹, Tracking AF
AF Point Selection	Size (Normal, Small)
AF Lock	On/Off Selectable
AF Assist Beam	Yes
Manual Focus	Yes
Closest Focusing Distance	0 cm (W) from front of lens in macro

EXPOSURE CONTROL

Metering modes	Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame), Centre-weighted average, Spot (Centre)
AE Lock	On/Off Selectable
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments. Enhanced i-Contrast for automatic dynamic range correction
ISO sensitivity*	AUTO, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600

SHUTTER

Speed	1 – 1/1600 sec. (factory default) 15 – 1/1600 sec. (total range – varies by shooting mode)

WHITE BALANCE

Type	TTL
Settings	Auto (including Face Detection WB), Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom

LCD MONITOR

Monitor	7.5 cm (3.0”) TFT, Approx. 461,000 dots
Coverage	Approx. 100%
Brightness	Adjustable to one of five levels. Quick-bright LCD

FLASH

Modes	Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro
Slow Sync Speed	Fastest speed 1/1600 sec.
Red-Eye Reduction	Yes
Flash Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments. Face Detection FE. Safety FE
Flash Exposure Lock	Yes
Manual Power Adjustment	3 levels with internal flash
Built-in Flash Range	50 cm – 5.0 m (W) / 1.4 m – 3.0 m (T)
External Flash	Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2

SHOOTING

Modes	Smart Auto (32 scenes detected), Program AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Live View Control, SCN (Portrait, FaceSelf-Timer, Low Light (4.0MP), Snow, Fireworks), Creative Filters (Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect), Discreet, Movie
Modes in Movie	Smart Auto (21 scenes detected), Standard, iFrame Movie, Program AE, Portrait, Snow, Fireworks, Miniature Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect
Photo Effects	My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color)
Drive modes	Single, Continuous, Continuous with AF, Self-Timer
Continuous Shooting	Approx. 0.8 shots/sec. with AF: Approx. 0.5 shots/sec. LV: Approx. 0.6 shots/sec.(until memory card becomes full)¹²

RECORDING PIXELS / COMPRESSION

Image Size	4:3 - (L) 4608 x 3456, (M1) 3264 x 2448, (M2) 1600 x 1200, (S) 640 x 480 16:9 - (L) 4608 x 2592, (M1) 3264 x 1832, (M2) 1920 x 1080, (S) 640 x 360 3:2 - (L) 4608 x 3072, (M1) 3264 x 2176, (M2) 1600 x 1064, (S) 640 x 424 1:1 - (L) 3456 x 3456, (M1) 2448 x 2448, (M2) 1200 x 1200, (S) 480 x 480 Resize in playback (M2, S, XS)¹
Compression	Superfine, Fine
Movies	(HD) 1280 x 720, 25 fps, (L) 640 x 480, 30 fps Miniature Effect (HD, L) 5fps, 2.5fps, 1.25 fps iFrame Movie (HD)
Movie Length	(HD) Up to 4 GB or 29 min. 59 sec.¹ (L ) Up to 4 GB or 1 hour²

FILE TYPES

Still Image Type	JPEG compression, (Exif 2.3 [Exif Print] compliant) / Design rule for Camera File system, Digital Print Order Format [DPOF] Version 1.1 compliant
Movies	MOV [H.264 + Linear PCM (stereo)] iFrame

DIRECT PRINT

Canon Printers	Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers and Canon Inkjet Printers supporting PictBridge (ID Photo Print, Fixed Size Print and Movie Print supported on SELPHY CP & ES printers only)
PictBridge	Yes

OTHER FEATURES

Red-Eye Correction	Yes, during shooting and playback
My Camera / My Menu	Start-up image and camera sounds customisation
My Category	Image tagging feature
Intelligent Orientation Sensor	Yes
Histogram	Yes
Playback zoom	Approx. 2x – 10x
Self Timer	Approx. 2 or 10 sec., Custom
Menu Languages	English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Chinese (traditional), Japanese, Korean, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Farsi, Hindi, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese

INTERFACE

Computer	Hi-Speed USB (MTP, PTP) dedicated connector (Mini-B compatible)
Other	HDMI Mini Connector (HDMI-CEC compatible) A/V output (PAL/NTSC)

MEMORY CARD

Type	SD, SDHC, SDXC

SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEM

PC & Macintosh	Windows 7 SP1 / Vista SP2 / XP SP3 Mac OS X v10.6 – 10.7

SOFTWARE

Browsing & Printing	ImageBrowser EX
Other	PhotoStitch

POWER SOURCE

Batteries	Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NB-6L (battery and charger supplied)
Battery life	Approx. 195 shots¹ Approx. 540 min. playback Approx. 240 min. playback
A/C Power Supply	Optional, AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC40

ACCESSORIES

Cases / Straps	Soft Case DCC-950
Flash	Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2
Power Supply & Battery Chargers	AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC40, Battery Charger CB-2LYE

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Operating Environment	0 – 40 °C, 10 – 90% humidity
Dimensions (WxHxD)	104.0 x 69.5 x 80.2 mm
Weight	Approx. 341 g (including battery/batteries and memory card)

Zoom	¹ Depending on the image size selected.
AF Modes	¹ Some settings limit availability.
Continuous Shooting	¹ Depending on memory card speed / capacity / compression setting. ² Using the batteries and memory card format supplied with the camera (where included), except where indicated.
Image Size	¹ XS is half the length and width of S
Movie Length	¹ The following Speed Class memory cards are required for maximum record time: (HD) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 4 or above. (Full HD) 1920 x 1080 Speed Class 6 or above. (iFrame) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 6 or above. ² Depending on memory card speed / capacity / compression setting.
Battery life	¹ Using the batteries and memory card format supplied with the camera (where included), except where indicated.

• *Standard Output Sensitivity / Recommended Exposure Index.
• According to ISO 12232:2006 (20th April 2006) which specifies the method for assigning and reporting ISO speed ratings for digital still cameras.
• All data is based on Canon standard testing methods (according to CIPA Standards) except where indicated.
• Subject to change without notice.

Canon Powershot G15 Review

A few years ago Canon's G-series was the place to look if you were in the market for a 'serious' compact, but more recently there has been a lot of development in this sector of the market. These days there is an entire range of cameras to choose from - all with slightly different strengths and weaknesses. As a consumer this is fantastic, but it does mean that your buying decision is harder now than it was. You need to honestly assess what's most important to you in your photography and then make the appropriate choice.

If you are looking for a pocketable 'enthusiast' camera the Sony RX100 with its large 1" sensor provides the greatest pixel count, the Panasonic LX7 comes with the fastest lens, and Fujifilm's X10 and XF1 offer the innovative EXR sensor with its impressive dynamic range and high ISO performance options (in 6MP mode). However, if an abundance of external controls, responsive operation, bomb-proof build quality and pocketability are high up on your list of priorities the G15 is definitely worth looking at.

In reality the choice for many buyers will be between the G15 and the Nikon P7700, which with its 28-200mm lens is the only other camera in this class to offer a lens longer than 120mm. That said, at F4 its lens is a stop slower than the G15 at the tele end. The Nikon comes with an articulated screen and a similar level of external control as the G15, but its body is larger than the Canon and lacks an optical finder. We're looking forward to putting the Nikon through our review process and see how the two cameras perform head-to-head, but for now, you can use our image noise and studio scene widgets to compare the cameras' image quality.

Ultimately the competition is fierce in the enthusiast compact sector and no matter what camera you choose you'll have to compromise in some area or another. That said, with its combination of very decent image quality, responsive operation, quick AF, excellent build quality and its versatile and fast lens, the Canon Powershot G15 is a safe bet for most photographers looking for a 'serious' compact.
Image Quality

The Canon Powershot G15 produces very good image detail at lower sensitivities and shows a good balance between noise reduction and detail retention as you go up the ISO scale. Focus and metering are consistently reliable, even in difficult lighting situations.

However, the Canon G15 has a relatively small 1/1.7" CMOS sensor that comes with the limitations we are used to seeing on many small-sensor cameras. Dynamic range in highlights isn't fantastic, and the camera tends to deliver relatively bright midtones, and what this means is that in high-contrast scenes you'll often have to deal with overblown skies and other burnt out image areas. Some of this lost highlight detail can be pulled back in raw conversion, though.

High-ISO noise is well-controlled by the JPEG engine but a lot of fine detail is blurred by noise reduction from ISO 400 upwards, at default NR settings. That said, even the highest ISO settings 6400 and 12800 are usable at modest output sizes. The G15's fast lens also means you can keep the ISO sensitivity lower than on cameras with smaller maximum apertures, which means better image quality, or alternatively use faster shutter speeds - great news if you're shooting moving subjects.

Ultimately the G15 offers very good image quality for the size of its sensor, but if you are in the market for a compact camera and image quality is your highest priority cameras such as the Sony RX100, Canon's own G1 X or slightly larger mirrorless models such as the Panasonic GX1 or Olympus E-PL5 might be a better option. Of course none of these models offer the same combination of a fast and versatile lens, compactness and manual control as the G15.
Handling and Operation

In our review of the Canon Powershot G12 we found the G15's predecessor to be one of the best-handling compact cameras on the market. The new model, with its two customizable control dials, dedicated exposure compensation dial and sensible ergonomics throughout follows right in those footsteps. However, there are a few differences you should be aware of.

In terms of operation and handling the main differences between the G12 and G15 are the increased AF speed and the lack of a swivel-screen and dedicated ISO dial. The AF speed on the G15 is noticeably and measurably snappier than on previous G-series models which, in combination with the responsive overall operation, makes the camera very pleasant to use. While the loss of the ISO dial is a shame, it's compensated by the much better positioning of the exposure compensation control which is very easy to use with your thumb. ISO can still be accessed quite easily via a dedicated hard-button on the multi-controller.

The loss of articulated screen will annoy some people but it's not all bad as it means you get a slimmer camera with a larger screen. The G15 feels indeed more pocketable and compact than its predecessor but there's no doubt that a swivel screen offers more flexibility when shooting from high or low angles.

---------   
Canon's PowerShot G-series is one of the most iconic lines of digital compact cameras, with the original G1 having debuted right back in September 2000. The original models sported fast lenses, articulated LCDs, optical viewfinders, Raw data recording and lots of external control, and were aimed at tempting enthusiasts who usually shot with 35mm SLRs to dip a toe into the brave new waters of digital photography.

The line took a hiatus for a couple of years between 2004-6 when affordable APS-C SLRs started to appear, before being reinvented with the smaller, slimmer G7 - redesigned as a compact camera for SLR-owning enthusiasts. To the dismay of many G-series fans, the G7had a slower lens, fixed screen and didn't record Raw. Since then the G7's design has provided the basis for a number of subsequent models, adding back Raw and the swivel screen along the way, right up to the G12 that's been on the market for two years. In the meantime Canon created the G1 X - a variant on the same basic design with a much-larger sensor, and at a correspondingly higher price-point.

Now, with the launch of the G15, Canon has added back one of the original selling points of the G-series; a genuinely fast zoom lens. This covers the same 28-140mm equivalent focal length range as the G12's, but is a stop and a third faster, at F1.8-2.8 rather than F2.8-4.5. This gives the G15 a distinct advantage over its predecessor not only in low light, but also in the ability to blur backgrounds a bit more when shooting at the long end of the zoom.

But while Canon gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. The G15's rear screen is fixed, rather than articulated, a move that Canon says was necessary to make the camera smaller and more pocketable. The G15 is indeed significantly slimmer than its predecessor - by about 15% with the lens retracted - but we can't help but feel that as many potential buyers will be dismayed by the loss of this useful feature as there will be enthusiasts who are delighted by the camera's portability. The G15's screen itself is a large, high-resolution 3" 920k dot unit with a tempered glass cover and a wide viewing angle.
Canon PowerShot G15 key features

    12MP 1/1.7" Canon CMOS sensor
    28-140mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens, 4-stop 'Intelligent IS'.
    DIGIC 5 processor
    ISO 80-12800
    Fixed 3" 920k dot PureColor II G screen
    Optical viewfinder
    Raw format recording
    Dual-axis electronic level

The G15 uses a Canon-made 12.1MP 1/1.7"-type CMOS sensor, the same as that found in the co-announced S110 (and similar to the one used on the S100), which offers an ISO range from 80 to 12,800 in concert with the DIGIC 5 processor. As we'd expect, Full HD movie recording is available, at a framerate of 24 fps and stereo sound from the built-in microphones. The G15 also (finally) gains a dedicated movie record button, for the first time on a small-sensor G, and the lens can zoom and focus during recording.

One notable improvement from the G12 is distinctly quicker autofocus - 53% faster, according to Canon - which if true, would make the G15 the fastest-focusing compact the company has made. The G15's CMOS sensor also enables rapid continuous shooting at 10 frames per seconds, although only in the somewhat-restrictive High Speed burst HQ mode. In other modes the G15 will shoot at 2.1 fps.

Body & Design

The G15 sports an angular, minimalist design that takes many of its cues from the G1 X, although it's not quite so sharp-edged. Aside from the fixed screen the body layout is almost identical to its larger-sensored cousin, which means the loss of the ISO dial compared to the G12, with this function now accessed via the 4-way controller. The flash is now of the pop-up type, released by a sliding switch on the top plate.

The G15 sports a huge array of external controls for such a small body, including twin control dials front and rear to go with the top-plate mode and exposure compensation dials. The G15 is also one of those increasingly rare cameras that still has an optical viewfinder, and the side views above show how the fixed LCD has allowed Canon to create a distinctly more-slender body than the G12, as well as fitting in a slightly larger screen.

Operation & Performance
The G15's top-plate is home to the pop-up flash on the left and power button, shutter button/zoom rocker, mode dial and exposure compensation dial to the right of the viewfinder hump. The layout is very similar to the G1 X, but the repositioning of the exposure compensation dial means it's easier to operate using your thumb without loosening your grip of the camera.

The hand grip is slightly less protruding than on the G1 X, but thanks to its soft rubber material and the G15's lower weight and smaller dimensions, it works well and ensures a stable hold of the camera. Like on the G1 X the pop-up flash on the left is operated with the adjacent slider ( the G12 had a fixed unit at the front of the camera).

The G15 is very similar to both the G12 and G1 X in terms of operation. For a compact camera it has an unusually large number of external controls, including a dedicated video button. This allows you to change many crucial shooting settings at the press of a button or, in the case of exposure compensation, the turn of a dial. The new model is only marginally smaller than its predecessor, but without the protruding swivel-screen the G15 feels noticeably less chunky than the G12 and is an easier fit for many coat pockets.

The build-quality is as good as it gets. The camera feels like a mini-EOS 1D, extremely solid with soft and comfortable rubberized hand grip and thumb rest. The magnesium alloy surfaces have been very slightly roughened, giving them a quality feel. It'll be hard to find another compact camera that feels this well put together. That said, the new G15's metal body is a touch more matt than the G12's, and while this gives the camera a very attractive appearance the surface is more prone to scratches and abrasion.

The camera rear features exactly the same control layout as the the G15's large-sensor cousin, the G1 X. Most buttons are located to the right of the screen. There's also a combined control dial/multi-controller that lets you access ISO, focus mode, flash settings and display mode. A press of the center button opens the FUNC-menu that lets you adjust further shooting parameters. The function of both the front and rear dials is customizable.

Above and below the multi-controller you find another four buttons - AF area selection, AE-lock, metering mode and the Menu button. The top right corner of the camera rear is the location of the video button, the play button is just to the right of the viewfinder and the only button on the left side is the customizable Shortcut-button. It can be programmed to have one of the following functions:

Overall handling and performance

The G15 is an evolutionary update from the G12, and on the whole the changes Canon has made look sensible and well-considered. In terms of operation and handling the main differences are the increased AF speed and the lack of a swivel-screen and ISO-dial.

Canon says the G15's AF is 53% faster than the (already quite snappy) G12 at wide-angle (CIPA-standard) and while we have no way of precisely measuring the differences we have tried both cameras side by side in varying conditions and can confirm that the G15 is noticeably quicker and one of the fastest focusing compact cameras we have tested. In real-life conditions we would estimate the G15 to be between 20 and 30% faster than its predecessor. The AF also works reliably down to fairly low light levels, although it slows down a little in dimmer conditions.

In terms of continuous shooting the G15 has been improved over its predecessor as well. That said, at 2.1 frames per second it is still not blisteringly fast. The table below shows you our measured frame rates for JPEG and Raw. The good news is that you can shoot at these rates until your card runs full, the bad news is that you only achieve these rates at the long end of the zoom and at certain settings. The JPEG rate goes down to approximately 1.8 fps at wide-angle and slows down a little further at higher ISOs and with noise reduction set to 'High'.

If you need more speed you can switch to the High-speed Burst HQ mode. However, this being a scene mode you have no control over shutter speed, ISO or indeed any other shooting parameter, although you can apply exposure compensation. In this mode the camera will take exactly 10 frames in one second. You'll then have to wait for the buffer to clear, which takes approximately five seconds, before you can press the shutter button again to shoot the next burst.

While the loss of the ISO dial is a shame, it's compensated by the much better positioning of the exposure compensation control which is very easy to use with your thumb. ISO can still be accessed quite easily via a dedicated hard-button on the multi-controller.

What's bound to be contentious, though, is the reversion to a fixed, rather than articulated, screen. This means you get a slimmer camera with a larger screen - something Canon is at pains to point out - and the 920k dot unit used is one of the best on any compact. But there's no doubt that a swivel screen offers more flexibility while shooting.

Despite the removal of the ISO dial the G15 offers one of the most extensive sets of external controls on any compact camera. Like its predecessor the G15 has both rear and front control dials which pretty much means you can operate the G15 like a mini DSLR. The rear dial is fine, but like most dials on a multi-controller is a little tricky to operate with cold or gloved fingers. By default, the front control dial changes aperture and shutter speed in Av and Tv modes, and shutter speed in manual exposure mode, but the behaviour of both dials can be customized if desired.

Overall the Canon Powershot G15 is one of the best-handling compact cameras we have seen for a while. It turns on very quickly and is generally very responsive, all important shooting settings are accessible via a dial or button, and with its high quality materials it simply feels nice in your hands.

Features

The G15's feature set, design and operation is very close to its predecessor G12 but there are some key differences. The G15 has a faster lens, a higher resolution movie mode and offers ISO 6400 and 12800 at full resolution. On this page we will concentrate on examining these new features but we have also included some features that were available on the G12, such as Raw shooting, in-camera HDR and digital filters.
Fast lens

With the launch of the G15, Canon has added-back one of the original characteristics of the G-series; a fast zoom lens. It covers the same 28-140mm equivalent focal length range as the G12's, but is a stop and a third faster, at F1.8-2.8 rather than F2.8-4.5. As we mentioned in the introduction to this review, this should give the G15 a distinct advantage over its predecessor in poor light since the G15's faster lens means that at any given light level you can keep the ISO at a lower setting, capturing better image quality with more detail.

The different sensor sizes of the cameras in this class make it difficult to directly compare their lenses. The graph below shows the equivalent apertures* of each camera available at each equivalent focal length. This makes it easy to visualize the lens ranges of the cameras and also means you can see which camera will offer shallowest depth-of-field at any given focal length.

RAW shooting

The Canon Powershot G15's ability to record Raw files allows you to modify many shooting and image parameters such as white balance, sharpening, noise reduction, and to a degree even exposure in post-processing. As you can see if you look at the full-size version of the sample shot below converting your Raw files in Adobe ACR 7.3. only gets you a minimal amount of additional detail, the G15's JPEGs simply show very good detail already.

However, Raw processing can still be very useful to recover highlight detail that has been lost in the out-of-camera JPEG. In our JPEG sample the sky has been 'blown out' and shows no detail at all. By pulling the Highlights slider in Adobe ACR 7.3 Beta all the way back we have been able to recover much of the blue sky and clouds, greatly improving the image.

 Resolution Chart Comparison (JPEG and RAW)

Images on this page are of our standard resolution chart which provides for measurement of resolution up to 4000 LPH (Lines Per Picture Height). A value of 20 equates to 2000 lines per picture height. The chart is shot at a full range of apertures and the sharpest image selected. Studio light, cameras set to aperture priority (optimum aperture selected), image parameters default. Exposure compensation set to deliver approximately 80% luminance in the white areas.

What we want to show here is how well the camera is able to resolve the detail in our standard test chart compared to the theoretical maximum resolution of the sensor, which for the charts we shoot is easy to work out - it's simply the number of vertical pixels (the chart shows the number of single lines per picture height, the theoretical limit is 1 line per pixel). Beyond this limit (which when talking about line pairs is usually referred to as the Nyquist frequency) the sensor cannot faithfully record image detail and aliasing occurs.

This limit is rarely attained, because the majority of sensors are fitted with anti-aliasing filters. Anti-aliasing filters are designed to reduce unpleasant moiré effects, but in doing so, they also reduce resolution (the relative strength and quality of these filters varies from camera to camera). In theory though, a sensor without an AA filter, when coupled with a 'perfect' lens, will deliver resolution equal to its Nyquist limit. Therefore, even though it may be effectively unattainable with normal equipment in normal shooting situations, an understanding of a sensor's theoretical limit provides a useful benchmark for best possible performance. Nyquist is indicated in these crops with a red line.

On this page we're looking at both JPEG and Raw resolution. For a (more) level playing field we convert the latter using Adobe Camera Raw. Because Adobe Camera Raw applies different levels of sharpening to different cameras (this confirmed) we use the following workflow for these conversions:

1.     Load RAW file into Adobe Camera RAW (Auto mode disabled)
2.     Set Sharpness to 0 (all other settings default)
3.     Open file to Photoshop
4.     Apply a Unsharp mask tuned to the camera, usually 100%, Radius 0.6, Threshold 0
5.     Save as a TIFF (for cropping) and as a JPEG quality 11 for download

The Canon Powershot G15 does well in our resolution tests, resolving all nine lines accurately up to around 2250 LPH in the camera's JPEG mode. Converting your RAW files gives you some additional detail, resolving the chart up to around 2400 LPH with some 'false detail' beyond that. This is getting pretty close to the Nyquist limit, which is equal to the G15's vertical output pixel count - i.e. 3000 pixels/LPH.

Conclusion - Pros

•     Good low-ISO image detail and reliable metering
•     Versatile, sharp and fast 28-140mm F1.8-2.8 lens
•     Good balance between noise reduction and detail retention at higher ISOs
•     Fast and responsive operation
•     Very pocketable format
•     Fast and reliable AF system
•     Very effective Image Stabilization system
•     Excellent 920k dot screen
•     Optical viewfinder useful in very bright light (but is relatively inaccurate, and has no shooting info)
•     Lots of external controls including two control dials and an exposure compensation dial
•     Customizable control dials and Shortcut-button
•     Excellent build quality and body materials
•     Decent battery life

Conclusion - Cons

•     Exposure compensation dial does not work in video mode (but you can set exposure compensation using the AEL button when the mode dial is set to movie)
•     No swivel screen (vs predecessor and some competitors)
•     No automated panorama mode (only stitch-assist)
•     HDR mode only works well with the camera on a tripod
•     Auto ISO only uses up to ISO 1600
•     Matt surface a little prone to scratches

Overall, despite the removal of the ISO dial the G15, like its predecessor, offers one of the most extensive sets of external controls on any compact camera. It has customizable rear and front control dials and can therefore be operated in an almost DSLR-like fashion. Its compact size in combination with the snappy operation and well thought-out user interface make the G15 a great camera to shoot with.