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7.4 out of 10

Canon PowerShot G9

12.4 megapixels

Information found in: from 125 sources in 21 countries

Great Deal: $1,000.00

  • User Score (897)
    8.8 8.8 from 897 reviewers
  • Expert Score (37)
    8.2 8.2 from 37 reviewers
  • Design (6)
    7.7 7.7 from 6 reviewers
  • Value for money (58)
    7.0 7.0 from 58 reviewers
  • Features (43)
    7.8 7.8 from 43 reviewers
  • Ease of use (45)
    6.9 6.9 from 45 reviewers
  • Performance (83)
    7.8 7.8 from 83 reviewers
  • Picture quality (118)
    7.6 7.6 from 118 reviewers
  • Durability (5)
    7.6 7.6 from 5 reviewers
  • Reliability (7)
    8.1 8.1 from 7 reviewers
  • Overall quality (16)
    8.4 8.4 from 16 reviewers
  • Battery performance (21)
    6.6 6.6 from 21 reviewers
  • Display (79)
    7.9 7.9 from 79 reviewers
  • Construction (3)
    6.2 6.2 from 3 reviewers
  • Video quality (7)
    8.4 8.4 from 7 reviewers
  • Ergonomics (79)
    6.6 6.6 from 79 reviewers
More grades Less grades
  • Score Distribution

Experts:
9-10
(16)
7-8
(17)
5-6
(4)
3-4
(0)
1-2
(0)
Users:
9-10
(506)
7-8
(195)
5-6
(28)
3-4
(21)
1-2
(29)
  • Expert Reviews

  1. Shutterbug

    Shutterbug
    30 August 2011

    With its 12.1-megapixel sensor, Raw and Raw+JPEG Capture modes, 6x (35-210mm equivalent f/2.8-4.8) zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer, real image optical zoom finder, 3" LCD, and dedicated hot shoe, the top-of-the-line Read more

  2. Camera Labs

    Camera Labs
    8.7/10
    1 October 2007

    The Canon PowerShot G9 is a very powerful compact which will greatly appeal to enthusiasts or anyone looking for a pocketable backup for a DSLR. Read more

    • 6x optical zoom with IS and decent macro., Flash hotshoe for Speedlites and wireless., Dedicated ISO dial and control wheel., Great manual exposure and RAW support.
    • No flip-out screen, nor much grip to speak of., Noise at 400 ISO and above., Modest AF speed and slow continuous shooting., A650 IS and EOS 400D compelling alternatives.
  3. Imaging Resource

    Imaging Resource
    14 January 2008

    If you really loved the old rangefinder film cameras from 30 years ago, with their metal bodies, precision feel, and good heft, the Canon G9 is going to be your idea of a compact digital camera. Read more

    • Great build quality, Raw format option, Impressive 12-megapixel sensor, High quality optics with image stabilization and 6x optical zoom, Above average performance, Good autofocus times, Excellent prefocus shutter lag, Fas...
    • Inconsequential grip, A bit heavy, a bit too large, Can't save ISO setting in custom settings, Inaccurate optical viewfinder, High chromatic aberration at wide-angle, Inconsistent interface, Oversaturation of reds and blue...
  4. What Digital Camera

    What Digital Camera
    8.9/10
    14 January 2008

    Canon has finally seen fit to up the stakes and re-introduce the Raw shooting mode that previous PowerShot users had been pining for. Read more

    • LCD screen, noise control.
    • Minor image flaws.
  5. DP Review

    DP Review
    23 March 2008

    Powershot G9 vs G7: What's changed? The G9 is an incremental upgrade in the truest sense; externally the body is almost identical, and there are only three really key changes; the raw mode, the screen and the sensor. Read more

    • Excellent resolution and respectable edge-to-edge sharpness across the zoom range, Raw mode, Raw+JPEG option, surprisingly fast - and useful, Classic 'rangefinder' styling looks great, fit & finish superb, Marginally impro...
  6. Wired

    Wired
    14 January 2008

    Reminiscent of a pro-style compact rangefinder, this metal-cased 12.1-megapixel digi-snapper clearly intends to be much more than a simple point and shoot device. Read more

    • Picture and video quality are outstanding. RAW capture is a boon to the pixel purist. Hot shoe for Canon’s 580EX II pro flash increases versatility. Macro function focuses clearly down to 1 centimeter. Panorama mode can st...
    • LCD is so big, so sharp and so easy to see from any angle, it renders the optical viewfinder superfluous. Sheer breadth of modes, features and options is almost too staggering for a normal person to learn in a reasonable a...
  7. Steve's Digicams

    Steve's Digicams
    12 October 2007

    Continue on to Features & Controls Powershot G9 Specifications Type of Camera Compact digital still camera with built-in flash, 6x Optical / 4x Digital / 24x Combined Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer System Image Capture Read more

  8. DigitalCameraInfo.com

    DigitalCameraInfo.com
    26 September 2007

    - Hot shoe - Enormous LCD screen - Retro design - Lots of manual controls - Optical image stabilization - Image inspection tool - Excellent color accuracy - Great resolution - Excellent videos for a digital camera Dislikes - Read more

  9. Digital Camera Review

    Digital Camera Review
    26 September 2007

    Before the advent of affordable digital SLRs, prosumer/enthusiast point and shoot (P&S) digital cameras were the driving force behind the exponential expansion of the digital imaging revolution. Read more

  10. Macworld

    Macworld
    7 November 2011

    Make no mistake—this serious-looking black brick of a camera is capable of producing great images. But the G9 is out of sync with the marketplace, offering few compelling advantages, and some distinct disadvantages compared... Read more

  • User Reviews

  1. Love and heartbreake

    Amazon
    10/10
    Reviewer: fishlips, Amazon
    4 December 2011 See Product at Amazon ($1,000.00)

    When i bought the canon G9 camera i was so excited. it took me four months to decide that this was the one. when i finally got it home and got to using it and exploring my options i fell in LOVE. Read more or see product

  2. Canon PowerShot G9

    10/10
    Reviewer: asrkreddy, pcworld.com
    3 weeks ago

    After going through many reviews I have recently purchased this camera. I have taken many shots with this camera and all the shots are extraordinay and equalent to professional DSLRs. Read more

    • A small camera equallent to Professional DSLR
    • none
  3. "Short shelf life and grainy pictures"

    CNET
    3.0/10
    Reviewer: mazzster, CNET
    3 February 2011

    My first Canon was a PowerShot S series. It took beautiful pictures that I was able to enlarge 20"x24" with beautiful clarity. I think that it was an 8 megapixal camera. I bought a G9 after the motor on the lens died. Read more

    • I love Canon's features. I found it very easy to program settings to my liking. The camera is easy to use. Day, night, macro settings are easy to use and make a difference when appropriate. The view finder is large.
    • This was my second higher end point and shoot camera from Canon. There are two very serious flaws, 1) picture quality is inconsistent. I felt I had to take 5 pictures to get one good one. 2) The motor on the lens died in o...
  4. no deel

    Ebay
    2.0/10
    Reviewer: shayerel, Ebay
    1 week ago

    Currently, I didn't get the camera, almost 2 month after winning Read more

  5. Fantastic Buy

    Newegg
    10/10
    Reviewer: RedRooster2, Newegg
    27 August 2008

    Let's put it this way, this is NOT the camera you give mom or dad for their birthday which they'll use on all their trips ;) . This is a more advanced camera geared toward those who are interested in learning about real... Read more

    • Very high and clear picture quality. Like-DSLR. Shoots in RAW. Many controls to get a more advanced shot. Great Macro ability. Video quality looks good as well, but I haven't really used it much nor did I get the camera fo...
    • Semi-noisy pics in low light such as indoor situations after ISO 200, but will take better pictures with better indoor lighting. Some what grainy after ISO 200 in low light.
  6. LetsGoDigital

    9.0/10
    Reviewer: Mukati - United States, LetsGoDigital
    22 November 2011

    The PowerShot G9 is my third digital camera. I decided to upgrade to a near digital SLR experience before jumping on to the real deal. The pictures are sharp, the colors are crisp and the photo review is so cool on its 3 inch... Read more

  7. Canon Powershot G9

    OneCall
    4.0/10
    Reviewer: migcha, OneCall
    12 September 2008

    This G9 Digital camera has good features. Bad distortion at the widest angle. When zoomed out, lens intrudes into viewfinder. Good size for a compact. Price: To expensive for a compact. G9's menu is easy to follow. Read more

    • Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy Setup, Easy to Keep Clean, Short Lag Time
    • Poor Operation in Low Light
  8. Light weight heavy weight camera

    B&H Photo
    8.0/10
    Reviewer: ladarlene, B&H Photo
    4 December 2008

    This camera is just about what I wanted in a small footprint/high resolution RAW-enabled camera. Even though I favor my Nikon D80 for professional shots, there are times I don't want to, or can't, carry that heavier camera. Read more

    • Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Easy Setup, Easy To Use, Great Picture Quality, Strong Construction
    • RAW format not read
  9. Great Camera All Around

    CameraWorld.com
    8.0/10
    Reviewer: Josh, CameraWorld.com
    18 February 2008

    I use this camera when I travel because I cannot fit my larger equipment in my carry on. The Canon is most useful when hiking, walking, and traveling. Read more

    • Bright LCD, Easy to Keep Clean, Pro manual controls, Strong Construction
    • Distortion, Lens intrusion
  10. Great SLR alternative

    Beach Audio
    8.0/10
    Reviewer: Jordan, Beach Audio
    18 October 2007

    I've only had the Powershot G9 for a couple of weeks and I'm still learning how to use the advanced features. This camera has most of the features of other SLR's, but it is much smaller. Read more

    • Bright LCD, Comfortable Controls, Strong Construction
    • Takes time to learn
  • WikiFreak Description

Canon’s PowerShot G9 has a face detection technology and a red-eye fix built in. It also has a 12.1 megapixel CCD that captures just the right amount of detail for pictures that will be printed in poster-size. It has a NB-2LH lithium-ion battery that is already included when the camera is bought. The charger of the battery is also given. It is able to do 6x optical zoom and a digital zoom of 4x. In addition, it has a real-image optical Extra Details regarding this camera: Its white balance control c…

See more

Canon’s PowerShot G9 has a face detection technology and a red-eye fix built in. It also has a 12.1 megapixel CCD that captures just the right amount of detail for pictures that will be printed in poster-size. It has a NB-2LH lithium-ion battery that is already included when the camera is bought. The charger of the battery is also given. It is able to do 6x optical zoom and a digital zoom of 4x. In addition, it has a real-image optical Extra Details regarding this camera: Its white balance control can be presents or auto, custom 1 or 2. Its recycling will take about less than 12 seconds. It does not have wireless control. But it automatically activates its shutter after setting either two or ten delay for the self timer. The playback time of this camera is about 300 minutes. Its video out can be PAL or NTSC and it’s audio out is monaural.

Review Summary

The Canon PowerShot G9 is a very powerful camera which despite some of its flaws, has been appreciated by many. The features of this digital camera are many but the main package is that it’s zippy and built like a tank. Upgraded straight from the Canon PowerShot G7 model, the Canon PowerShot G9 is the real backup to an entry-level DSLR camera. The other special feature in this is that it offers the ultimate control over image quality for those prepared to find the time refining their images post-capture. That would be what the perfectionists would want to have. The Canon PowerShot G9 is appreciated by many of its users for being different from the other compacts, in other words, its features of manual controls are sensibly implemented and best of all it is unrestricted. The Canon PowerShot G9 also has a bigger 3-inch LCD with a smaller optical viewfinder and more resolution is available from the 12.1 megapixels, features that were missing from the previous versions. Its photo quality appears to have improved in this model and it has also restored raw-format support while maintaining the same balance performance. The pictures taken with the Canon PowerShot G9 are sharp. Its colors are crisp and the photo review on the 3 inch LCD is a sight not to be missed. Mode selections available on this camera are Color Accent, Color Swap, Time Lapse, Compact, and Standard. These modes might help many as well as confuse many as users wouldn’t know which mode is more appropriate. Some tend to find the camera covered with too many buttons, applying that a person with large hands won’t be able to hold the camera properly without accidentally pressing a button. On the whole, the Canon PowerShot G9 has not disappointed its users; it has rather satisfied them in many ways.

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  • Manufacturer's Description

Given the success of Canon’s highly acclaimed G Series, it’s no surprise that ambitious photographers have been eagerly anticipating the next model in its evolution. The wait has paid off handsomely with the introduction of the PowerShot G9. In image quality and functionality, the G9 stands above the competition with 12.1 megapixels of resolution, a 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, and RAW mode for the ultimate in creative control. Sophisticated design a…

Specifications

  • Format
    Compact
  • Max resolution
    4000 x 3000
  • Low resolution
    3264 x 2448, 2592 x 1944, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480
  • Image ratio w:h
    4:3, 3:2
  • Effective pixels
    12.1 million
  • Sensor photo detectors
    12.4 million
  • Sensor size
    1/1.7 " (7.60 x 5.70 mm, 0.43 cm²)
  • Pixel density
    28 MP/cm²
  • Sensor type
    CCD
  • Sensor manufacturer
    Unknown

Release Date

  • First seen
    11 April 2007

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