Canon Powershot G7 Digital Camera - Review

Canon PowerShot G7
10MP Digital Camera with 6x Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom

Canon's G series cameras all offer superior image quality but the G7 is one of their first to offer DIGIC III Image Processor with Face Detection Technology. Not only are images clearer and higher pixel count, but the processing and saving is twice as fast as previous technologies. You'd think such power would run your batteries dead in no time, but Canon addressed that as well by integrating low power consumption into the DIGIC III processor.

The Power Shot G7 6x zoom lens, and compatibility with auxiliary lenses lets you snap shots in the middle of a soccer game without ever stepping on the playing field. You won't lose brightness or clarity as you zoom in and out of the game, either. Meticulously engineered lenses reduce and correct aberrations while Canon's new SR coating technology (used here for the first time in a digital camera) virtually eliminates ghosting.

There are so many shooting modes on the G7 you'll be hard pressed to use them all:

Auto mode lets you focus on your subject and makes all the decisions for you. It's great for everyday pictures in normal light and motion situations. The P program is a more advanced Auto mode with the addition of advanced exposure compensation. The AV aperture priority mode allows you to isolate your subject or, in the alternative, to add clarity to your entire picture. The camera chooses shutter speed on the AV setting.

If you like more control of shutter speed, the TV shutter priority allows you to adjust shutter speed and possibly add blur while the camera chooses the appropriate aperture. Canon's noise reduction will reduce the noise when on the TV setting. For ultimate control, choose the M, or Manual, setting. You choose the ISO speed, exposure and white balance. Once you find a setting you like on M, you can save it as a C, or Custom, setting.

Do you build panoramas or want to start? The Stitch Assist will help align the images in order efficiently and neatly.

Movie makers will love the Power Shot G7's options of shooting in XGA - 15 fps (frames per second); VGA and QVGA - 30 fps for up to 1 hour or up to 4 gigabytes; QVGA (60 fps) for up to 60 seconds or QQVGA (15 fps) for up to 3 minutes.

If you like the blurred-background look of traditional portrait shots, choose the Portrait special scene mode. It will automatically focus on the subject while blurring the background. For sharpness from front to back, the Landscape scene mode will set a small aperture for a great landscape photo.

Nighttime shooting comes with a set of problems all its own. Canon realizes this and added a night scene mode for impressive nighttime pictures. When you choose this setting, the camera will automatically expose the background and use a slow flash. Sunsets will "pop" when you choose the G7 to shoot.

Soccer moms will love the super accurate auto-focus feature that comes in the form of the Sports scene mode. Capture little Johnny kicking the game winning field goal or smacking the ball for a home run.

Autumn foliage and blossoms won't come of dull or muted when shot through the lens of the Power Shot G7. The Foliage scene setting will automatically pick up the brilliance of the colors of greenery and flora.

Snow shots have often come out looking bluish or darkened. Those days are over when you use the G7. Choose the Snow scene mode to fix the off-tints and darkened hues.

Clear beach shots might have been a sore spot in the past but Canon addressed this by adding a Beach scene mode. Gone are the darkened faces and blurred background waves with the Beach mode.

Fourth of July used to mean fireworks - and bad pictures of them. Not so when you set the G7 to the Fireworks mode. You'll pick up the brilliance of the skyrockets and awe-inspiring ground fireworks on Independence Day.

Underwater photographers have been thought of as well. With the optional waterproof case (part number WP-DC11) and the Underwater scene mode, you'll be able to encapsulate the beauty of the submarine world with reduced or even removed backscatter effect.

Indoor aquarium shots often come with flash exposures and unnatural hues. The Aquarium scene mode allow for flash-free exposure and natural colors you see in indoor aquariums.

The Indoor scene setting will reduce blur and pick up more accurate colors when shooting inside. With the ISO 3200 feature, you won't have to use the flash in some indoor settings.

Children and pets are always on the move, making a family photographer's job that much more difficult. The Kids & Pets setting reduces the time you'll spend focusing by freezing fast-moving subjects like Sally and Spot. No more stories of the shot that got away.

The Color Accent setting will produce natural-looking photos with subjects lit by flash and beautiful bright backgrounds

Change that blue shirt to red or green eyes to brown with the Color Swap feature. This is possibly the coolest special effect feature you'll find in Canon's Power Shot G7.

You'll find the G7 easy to use with dedicated dials for ISO settings and Scene Modes. The zoom is quick and easy. The camera itself is small, light and painless to carry. The price tag you should expect to see on the Canon Power Shot G7 is about $600, though you might find it a little cheaper at discount camera shops.

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