Canon PowerShot G7

Reviewed December 2006

Introduction

The digital camera world's equivalent of the Arms' Race, the relentless push towards an ever greater number of megapixels continues unabated, and the Canon PowerShot G7, introduced in the early Fall, offers a 10 megapixel resolution.

In this case, however, it seems to come at a cost. The G7 no longer offers the hinged monitor of the G6, the camera it supplants, neither does it have a generous grip, nor the SLR-like display screen on the right of the flash shoe. Design-wise, the G7 is retro, abandoning the course of the G6, which had evolved towards being a bridge camera, and returning instead to the roots of the G-series: the compact camera.

When the lens of the G7 is retracted it comes flush to a large, white metal, saw-toothed ring that surrounds the lens barrel, making it the most notable feature on the front of the camera. The ring, released by a button on the lower right, covers the bayonet mount used by lens adapters.

The zoom control serves to adjust the lens' focal length, moving the zoom from one end of its focal length range to the other in approximately 3 seconds. In playback the control serves to show 9 thumbnails when the control is moved to the wide side, and when pulled towards the telephoto side, to zoom into an image up to 10X.

Directly behind the shutter release, a chrome rectangular button serves as the power switch. To its left is the Shooting Mode Dial which has 10 positions, which, as is commonly the case with Canon cameras, are divided into two zones by the Green Auto Mode: The Creative zone, regrouping the more "hands-on" modes, and the Image zone, which encompasses the Scene modes, the Stitch Assist mode, and the Movie mode.

New with the G7 is a graphic display of the Mode dial that appears in the upper right of the monitor and which rotates as the Mode Dial is turned.

Auto Mode allows the G7 to select all settings automatically, making it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot.

	Aperture Priority: allows setting the aperture from f2.8 to f8, while the camera sets the shutter speed. Ten apertures are available at wide end, and five at the telephoto end, starting at f4.8.
	Manual Mode: provides total control over the camera, with the same aperture range as the Aperture Priority mode, and a shutter speed range that is also similar to the Shutter Priority mode. The screen can show both the aperture and shutter speeds available in turn, and switching from one to the other is accomplished using the button. The exposure — over or under — is indicated on the edge of the monitor using a vertical EV scale.
	Custom Modes 1 and 2: make it possible to save two sets of user preferences for most camera parameters available, including shooting mode, and even some settings such as Continuous Shooting or Self-timer, which are not remembered normally when the camera is turned off.

On the other side of the Mode Dial, the Image Zone starts with the SCN position, and * is the access to the G7's 16 Scene modes. As it is with the other modes, when the Mode Dial is turned to the SCN position, a graphic of the current Scene mode is displayed. Scene modes, however, are selected using the Control Dial (see further):

	Portrait		Landscape
	Night Scene		Sports
	Night Snapshot		Kids and Pets
	Indoor		Foliage
	Snow		Beach
	Fireworks		Aquarium
	Underwater		ISO 3200
	Colour Accent		Colour Swap

The remaining two shooting modes on the Mode Dial, are slightly different from all others:

Stitch Assist Mode: to capture a horizontal or vertical series of overlapping images which can be stitched together into a panorama later, using the software supplied with the G7.

Movie Mode: captures video clips with sound at any one of three frame sizes: Standard captures up to a 1 hour/4 GB movie at any one of two frame sizes: 640 x 480 pixels at either 15 or 30 frames per second, or 320 x 240 pixels at either 15 or 30 frames per second. High Resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels frame size at 15 frames per second for up to a maximum recording of up to 1 hour/4 GB . Compact: 160 x 120 pixels at 15 frames per second for up to a maximum recording time of 3 minutes. Colour Accent and Colour Swap capture up to a 1 hour/4 GB movie at any one of two frame sizes: 640 x 480 pixels at either 15 or 30 frames per second, or 320 x 240 pixels at either 15 or 30 frames per second. During the recording AF (auto focus), white balance, and zoom settings are locked at the first frame, but exposure is adjusted as the recording progresses. A Wind Filter is also available, selected as one of the Audio options of the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review for more information about the Setup menu).

The other side of the G7's top also supports a control, this one for sensitivity. The ISO Speed Dial makes it very simple and fast to increase or decrease the sensitivity of the CCD with the following modes:

• AUTO: Auto ISO (selected by the camera) or HI (selected by camera but higher than Auto).
• Program: Auto, HI, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 ISO.
• Tv/Av: Auto, HI (Forced to Auto), 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 ISO.
• Manual: Auto (forced to 80 ISO), HI (forced to 80 ISO), 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 ISO.

With all other modes, Scene modes, Stitch Assist mode, or the Movie mode, the camera sets the sensitivity automatically.

More controls are positioned on the upper back of the camera, around the 2.5-inch TFT LCD monitor composed of 207,000 pixels. Starting at the top right corner of the back where a round button is embedded. Just like the other 2 buttons beneath it, the button has functions in both capture and playback modes:

In the capture modes, the button serves to lock the exposure (AE-Lock), releasing it whenever a button other than the control dial, or the ISO Speed dial is pressed. The button can also be used to lock the flash exposure (FE-Lock) if the flash has been forced on. Moreover, with the camera set to the Program mode, pressing the button starts the Program Shift mode, which displays the shutter speed and aperture bars on the monitor, from which alternate combinations of apertures and shutter speeds can be selected.

in Playback, the button serves to add a Voice annotation. A sound recording, up to 60 seconds, can be attached to any still image. (Although this button is not related to it, note that the G7 can also capture up to 2 hours of sound; a function selected in the menu.)

The Playback button, , is on the right side of the viewfinder. It can also be used to start the camera if held down for more than 1 second when the G7 is turned off, avoiding having the lens extend, and turn it off. Started this way, a press of the shutter release extends the lens and makes the camera ready to take photos.

As noted above, the two buttons below also have a dual function. The one on the left is to:

And Delete one image at a time when the camera is set to the Playback mode.

And the one on the right is for:

Controls Exposure Compensation over ±2 EV in 1/3 EV increments when the camera is set to P, Tv, Av, SCN, or Stitch Assist. The button displays an exposure scale on the lower right of the monitor, and the level of compensation is set using the Control Dial (see below). In addition, the button also serves to: Toggle back and forth between Aperture selection and Shutter Speed selection when the camera is set to the Manual shooting mode. Toggle between Aperture selection and Exposure Compensation when the G7 is set to Aperture Priority (Av). Toggle between shutter speed selection and Exposure Compensation when the camera is set to Shutter Priority (Tv). Toggle between the Shooting Direction and Exposure Compensation when the camera is set to the Stitch Assist mode. Toggle between Scene mode selection and Exposure Compensation when the camera is set to the Scene (SCN) mode.

In playback, the button serves to Jump groups of images, the method being selected using the Control Dial: Jumps from one shooting Date to another. Jumps from one Category to another. Jumps from one Folder to another. Jumps from one Movie to the next, skipping over still images. Jumps 10 images at a time. Jumps 100 images at a time.

The next control on the PowerShot G7's back is composed of three parts:

• A rotating disk called the Control Dial that, as noted above, serves to change camera settings, or quickly move through the options of menu sections, or the options of each function in the Function Menu.
• A 4-direction control that serves to navigate the menu and make selections, or review images. In addition, each of its four directions control functions when the camera is set to a capture mode (see further).
• A small button in the centre that displays the Function Menu (see the Characteristics section of the review) and which also serves to confirm selections made in the main menu.

Each of the 4 directions is labelled with a function, accessible when the G7 is set to a capture mode. The up direction serves to:

Adjust the Manual Focus in the recording, which displays a distance scale on the right side of the LCD monitor that serves to select the focus distance using the Control Dial. To assist in focusing, the central part of the frame is magnified on the monitor.

The right direction is to select:

Flash modes: Auto, Flash On, Flash Off. A Slow Synchro mode can be enabled in the capture menu, and configured for first or second curtain, as can a Red-eye Reduction mode.

The down direction is to use:

either the Continuous modes, or the Self-timer modes. The Continuous mode captures images until the memory card is full. Two options are available: Continuous shooting, the default mode, captures 2 frames per second when the image quality is set to Large/Fine. or AF Continuous shooting captures images at a slower rate of 0.8 frames per second when the image quality is set to Large/Fine, but adjusts the focus.

While with the Self-Timer, three options are available: a 2 second delay. a 10 second delay. or a Custom delay, defined in the Capture menu (from 0 to 30 seconds and capturing from 1 to 10 shots).

And the left direction starts the:

Select the Macro mode which allows the G7 to focus on a subject placed from 1 cm (0.39 inch) to infinity with the lens at the widest angle. A yellow zoom bar is shown at the top of the monitor, indicating the useable portion of the zoom.

Two more buttons, aligned below the Control Dial, complete the controls on the right side of the G7's back:

Calls up the G7's three part Capture menu, or the 4-part Playback menu, depending on the camera mode. (See the Characteristics and the Interface and Software sections for an overview of the settings available in the various menus.)

The dioptre correction is positioned on the left side of the viewfinder. Unlike the G6 now replaced by this model, the viewfinder is reminiscent of the those of the G3 and 5 in that when the lens is set to wide angle, the lens is clearly visible in the viewfinder, blocking the lower left part of the image. Moreover, the sharpness of the image provided by the viewfinder is only average, tending to be clearer near the middle than the edges.

The other button is the Shortcut Button, , which can be configured in the menu to immediately access any one of 11 functions or settings (Resolution, Compression, White Balance, My Colours, Light Metering, Neutral Density Filter, Image Stabilizer Mode, Auto Focus Lock, Create Folder, Display Off) or none when the camera is set to a capture mode.

While with the camera set to the playback mode, the button serves to automatically upload images to a computer running the software supplied with the camera, or when connected directly to a PictBridge compliant printer via USB.

Moreover, when the G7 is set to the Playback mode, the button also serves to display the Category Screen directly, an option that is otherwise accessed in the Playback menu. The Category screen makes it possible to manually classify images based on the subject, which in turn allows searching and organizing images later.

Worth noting, when set to Auto Category in the REC menu (see the Characteristics section of the review) is set to Auto and the camera is used in one of the Scene modes, it will automatically categorize images based on the Scene mode used.

Finally, above the viewfinder the G7 offers a flash hot shoe that is compatible with Canon Speedlite 220EX, 430EX, or 580EX. Non-Canon flash units may work as well in Manual mode.

The PowerShot G7 is in many ways a departure from the model it replaces, the G6. In its design and shape the G7 is more of a compact-type camera than the G6, which makes it easier to carry — it fits very comfortably in small compact camera pouch. Nevertheless, the G7 is loaded with external controls, and the Control Dial combined with the 4-direction control is surprisingly efficient. Still, one change is regrettable with this new version: the loss of the hinged monitor of the G6.