Canon Powershot G10 Digital Camera: Shopping -- Boston Superlatives

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Test Shots: Canon's Powershot G10 Digital Camera

Canon Powershot G10 Digital Camera
Estimated Selling Price: $499.95
Click here for the Powershot G10 at Amazon.com
Click here for the Powershot G10 at J&R Music and Computer World

Also available in Boston at:
Bromfield Camera (a Superlative recommendation)
10 Bromfield Street
Boston, MA 02108
617-426-5230
www.bromfieldcamera.com

Canon's new pocket-sized "flagship" digital camera, the
Powershot G10. (Photo courtesy of Canon USA)

As previously mentioned, many people were both praising and criticizing the picture quality of the Powershot G10 -- even before any real "sample photos" were available. Both sides of the debates had valid opinions based upon both logic and the constraints of current technology. What has been unknown, until today, is whether any new Canon technical "advancements" have improved picture quality in the G10.

Of particular concern was the possibility (or probability) of image "noise" in a high speed photo. While most quality digital cameras render nice shots at "normal" speeds (ISO 50 to 200), many photos taken at high speeds (ISO 400 ro 1600) exhibit digital "noise" ... noise is to digital photos what "grain" is to high speef photographic film.

In an attempt to let both proponents and critics decide on their own, we have posted a series of real photos taken at each speed on the G10 (ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600).

Each shot was taken from the G10 at the "P" setting (the camera determines the best shutter speed and aperture). The photos you will see (and can save to your computer) are unmodified in any way from the JPEG saved to the G10's memory. All shooting data (EXIF) for each shot has been kept in the JPEG file.

NOTE: These photos are 14.7 megapixels, with a real size of 4416 x 3312 pixels (they're HUGE!). To save the JPEG to your computer, right click the link and select "Save Target as"

This first set is a scene of Beacon Hill in Boston, with Cambridge in the background.

ISO 80

ISO 100

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 800

ISO 1600

The second scene has been posted as a result of reader feedback. Many commented that the first set of speed comparison test shots may not have been fair, primarily because I shot the photos onj a tripod and had set Canon's "Image Stabilization" to "ON". While I am not sure how those factors could have impacted the results, still I am happy to provide this second set -- shot on a tripod, with Image Stabilization set to "OFF". And like the first set, these photos were taken using "Program Auto Exposure", with the G10 saving the photo as the highest quality 15 megapixel JPEG possible.