In
the arena of compact digital cameras — in other words those cameras
that do not have an interchangeable lens and use a non-TTL viewfinder
— last year's PowerShot G2 seems to have been a hit. So, when rumours
started circulating about the PowerShot G3 a few months ago, expectations
were high. However, when the announcement came a couple months ago, there
was palpable disappointment that the G3 was 4 megapixel, not the anticipated
5 megapixel.
With the G3, now
both the front and back have metal covers in silver grey, and only the
grip area is a dark grey plastic.
The layout of
the controls on the G3 is also considerably different from the G2, and
in our opinion, better in some respects.
The top of the G3 continues the use of the zoom control as a ring around
the shutter release, but makes it protrude more towards the front of the
camera, while the shutter release is slightly angled to the right, and
is better placed for the index finger.
The G3 benefits from a new Main Dial at the top of the grip. The
Main Dial serves to control a variety of functions: apertures and shutter
speeds in the shooting modes, while also being usable to adjust the white
balance and exposure compensation. In addition, it serves to confirm selections
when pressed in, much like a mouse wheel.
A
separate button, located to the left of the shutter release, is used to
activate: the Continuous shooting mode; the Self-timer; or the Remote
shutter release, with the remote control that is included with the G3
(shown at left).
The
Mode Dial and the Power and mode lever are also separate.
The latter is used to turn on the G3 and select either the shooting or
playback mode, indicated respectively by either an orange or green LED.
The Mode Dial allows the selection of any of the 12 capture modes
available:
Full
Auto: the G3 automatically selects all settings. White balance,
exposure compensation, and most other photographic settings, aside
from the image size, cannot be controlled.
Creative
Zone
Image
Zone
Program
Mode: the camera automatically selects the aperture and shutter
speed, but lets the user vary most other settings (white balance,
exposure compensation, etc.)
Portrait
mode: uses a wide aperture to blur the background behind the subject.
Shutter
Priority: allows setting the shutter speed with the Main Dial while
the camera sets the aperture.
Landscape
Mode: selects a small aperture to maximize depth of field (shutter
speeds can be very low).
Aperture
Priority: allows setting the aperture (from f2.0 to f8 — 14
apertures) while the camera sets the shutter speed.
Night
Scene Mode: uses a slow shutter speed and the slow synch flash mode
to record the background and a well-lit foreground.
Manual
Mode: full control over all camera parameters — aperture,
shutter speed and all other functions. The correct exposure combinations
are indicated on the LCD monitor.
Stitch
Assist Mode: to create panoramic images, assembled on a computer,
post capture, using the bundled software.
Custom
Mode 1 and 2: makes it possible to save "presets" of shooting
settings for the P, Tv, Av, and M modes, in addition to other camera
settings.
Movie
Mode with sound: provides 2 possible frame sizes, 320 x 240 pixels
or 160 x 120 pixels, and a maximum recording time of 3 minutes per
clip for both, at 15 frames per second. AE, AF and zoom are set
and locked at the first frame.
On
the top left, the G3 is equipped with a slightly bigger display panel
than the G2. The panel serves to indicate most of the camera settings
in use.
A large number
of current settings are indicated, but in some cases only if they differ
from
the default settings. The information includes the number of remaining
photos, the flash modes, the aperture and shutter speed, metering, white
balance, image size and compression, etc.
As
with the G2, the G3 also provides a fold-out, 1.8 inch LCD monitor, which
can be rotated and pushed back flat on the camera's back, or left closed
to protect the screen.
The
back of the G3 supports all the other external controls. While some of
the functions continue those of the G2, some are an important departure
from it, and turn out to be more practical.
Most notable amongst these is the 4-direction control called the Omni
Selector.
Its role has been
redefined and now not only does it still serve to navigate the menus,
it also accesses 2 critical functions immediately: exposure compensation
(up arrow), and white balance settings (down arrow). (See the Characteristics
section for further information).
In addition, settings for a variety of parameters can be adjusted
with either the right/left arrows, or the Main Dial, which is next to
the shutter release.
Directly
below the Omni Selector, the SET and MENU buttons are similar
to those on the G2, and have similar functions: Menu calls up the menu
appropriate to the mode in use; Set confirms some of the choices made
in the menu, and alternatively, when pressed by itself, serves to choose
the Autofocus Mode.
Three other buttons are aligned along the right edge of the LCD monitor,
again as they are on the G2, but with a centre button that has a new function.
Starting at the top:
AE
(Auto Exposure) Lock when the shutter is half-pressed and the button
is pressed.
Calls
up a separate menu for ISO setting, Effects, Bracketing, Flash Compensation,
Image resolution and compression. (See the Characteristics
section for a look at the menu).
Turns
on the monitor, and controls the information overlay.
The remaining controls are aligned above the LCD monitor, on either side
of the viewfinder. Starting on the left is the button to control the Flash
modes:
Red-eye
Reduction Auto, Auto, Forced On with Red-eye Reduction, Forced On,
Forced Off. (First, or second curtain, and slow synch are controlled
in the main recording menu).
In Playback, the same button can be used to display 9 thumbnails
on the screen.
Metering
Modes: Evaluative, Centre-weighted, Spot (either at the centre,
or at the AF point).
Macro
Mode allows the G3 to focus from 5 to 50 cm (1.95 to 19.5 inches)
in wide angle, and 15 to 50 cm (5.85 to 19.5 inches) at the telephoto
end.
In Playback the button serves to jump 9 images at a time, forwards
or backwards.
Finally,
on the other side of the viewfinder, another button controls:
Manual
Focus, which can be easily adjusted with the Main Dial.
Voice annotation, which can be added to an image in the Playback
mode, and last up to 60 seconds.
The viewfinder also sees an improvement when compared to the G2. With
the G3 the diopter correction — the small black dial to the left
of the exit pupil — is less prone to being displaced than on the
G2 as it is recessed and only accessible on the side. Worth noting, when
the lens is set to the wide angle position, it can be seen in the lower
part of the viewfinder.
Two LEDs are used to indicate camera activity. The upper LED glows:
Orange
when ready to shoot with the flash; and blinking orange to warn of
a slow shutter speed, and possible camera shake.
Green
when metering is complete and the camera is ready to shoot; and blinking
green when an image is being saved to the memory card.
The lower
indicator is
Yellow
when the macro or manual focus modes are used; and blinks yellow when
the camera has difficulty focusing.
The
top of the G3 has a flash shoe mounted at the centre which is fully synchronized
with a variety of Canon flash units (Canon Speedlites 220EX, 380EX, 420EX,
550EX and the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX are listed as compatible in the
manual). Moreover, third party manual flash units can also be used.
With
the G3, some of the new controls are much easier to use and the way some
specific functions are accessed are more logical. Changing the white balance
setting or adjusting the exposure does not require cycling through some
unneeded functions; and changing image size and compression is faster.
Although the G3 may not have turned out to be what some had hoped for,
it is nevertheless a different camera from the G2, and improves on the
G2's functions.
A
separate button, located to the left of the shutter release, is used to
activate: the Continuous shooting mode; the Self-timer; or the Remote
shutter release, with the remote control that is included with the G3
(shown at left).
The
Mode Dial and the Power and mode lever are also separate.
The latter is used to turn on the G3 and select either the shooting or
playback mode, indicated respectively by either an orange or green LED.
