- 5 megapixel sensor (2592 x 1944 pixels) for enlargements up to 20 x 30 inches
- 4.1x optical plus 3.6x digital (15x) zoom lens with autofocus
- Rotating/flip 1.8-inch LCD; up to 3-minute video capture with audio; large maximum aperture of f/2.0 – 3.0
- Includes 32 MB CompactFlash card; compatible with MicroDrives
- Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (BP-511, included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1
Product Description
With a stunning combination of resolution, speed and control, all housed in a rugged, elegant new black enclosure, the PowerShot G5 takes the lead as Canon’s flagship PowerShot. The PowerShot G5 features an all-new 1/1.8″ 5 megapixel CCD sensor, capturing a huge 2592 x 1944 pixel image with exceptional detail and color fidelity. It has a fast, high-resolution 4x optical zoom lens with iris-type aperture and user-operated, multi-stop control for spectacular depth of field, or elegant blur. Perfect focus, exposure, and color are achieved quickly with the combination of Canon’s exclusive imaging processor with iSAPS Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space technology, an Intelligent Orientation Sensor, and the use of primary color filters. All these features, plus a host of manual and automatic functions ensure that the PowerShot G5 will get the perfect shot every time.Amazon.com Product Description
With a stunning combination of resolution, speed and control, all housed in a rugged, elegant new black enclosure, the PowerShot G5 takes the lead as Canon’s flagship PowerShot. With a host of improvements and professional features, the PowerShot G5 will exceed the expectations of even the most discerning photographer.
Optics and Resolution
The PowerShot G5 uses a 5.0 Megapixel CCD sensor, providing a file with 2,592 x 1,944 pixels for stunning clarity and color in even your biggest enlargements of up to 20×30 inches in size. Primary color filters reduce noise while enhancing the natural colors of the scene photographed. At the heart of the PowerShot G5 is Canon’s powerful 4x optical, 4x digital zoom lens. With a 35mm equivalent range of 35 – 140mm, a large maximum aperture of f/2.0 – 3.0, and macro focusing down to 2 inches, there’s virtually nothing this lens can’t do. A 4x digital zoom feature extends the telephoto capabilities even further, effectively making it a 16x zoom.
The PowerShot G5 achieves sharp focus with both single and continuous focusing systems, perfect for any photography from sports to still life. With two types of AF, including FlexiZone, where the user defines the focus point anywhere in the composition, and a unique focus-bracketing feature, the PowerShot G5 can achieve perfect focus anywhere.
Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on CompactFlash Type I or Type II cards in uncompressed RAW format or one of three compressed JPEG formats. The camera uses a USB 1.1 interface and also outputs NTSC or PAL video with monaural sound. It can connect directly to Canon Card Photo Printer and select BJ Printers.
Movie Mode
It is possible to record video with mono sound in either 320×240 or 160×120 resolution. Total recording time varies depending on the size of the installed storage media, but individual clips may not exceed three minutes in length regardless of the available storage space.
More Features
The G5′s DIGIC Imaging Processor revolutionizes how you shoot digital by allowing the camera to process images faster and improving the accuracy of the autofocus. DIGIC also reduces the effects on noise in your images. The camera also incorporates Canon’s iSAPS scene-recognition technology. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC Imaging Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.
Other features include:
- Intelligent Orientation Sensor can tell whether you shot your photo vertically or horizontally
- 12 EOS-based Shooting Modes, including two user-defined custom modes
- The user controls every aspect of the shot, including aperture and shutter speed
- Compatible with Canon Direct Printing technology
- 1.8-inch TFT LCD
Power and Size
The G5 uses an included rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that allows for up to 360 minutes of playback time or enough time to take approximately 450 pictures with the LCD turned on. The camera measures 4.76 x 2.91 x 2.75 inches and weighs 14.5 ounces without batteries or storage media installed.
What’s in the Box
The camera comes with a lens cap, neck strap, AV cable, remote control, and 32 MB CompactFlash card that can store approximately 32 compressed images. It also includes a BP-511 Li-ion rechargeable battery pack, an AC adapter, a USB interface cable, and two software CD-ROMs.
3.5
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Canon PowerShot G5 5MP Digital Camera w/ 4x Optical Zoom
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I use a pro model digital SLR for my important work and purchased the G5 for a handy travel camera and for candids at parties,etc. I had previously used the Canon G2 for this purpose,but wanted more resolution in case I got a shot that I wanted to enlarge to 11X14. The Canon G5 fits the bill.It does everything I ask it to do and does it well. I agree that the noise produced above ISO rating 100 is unacceptable,but the ISO setting of 50 for the G5 is equal to 100 on other cameras and the 100 setting is equal to 200. I find that with the availability of f.2 to f.3 speedy aperture I find little need to shoot at any higher ISO. As far as the complaints I’ve read regarding soft images and poor focus,I have not found this to be the case.After taking around 800 shots with the G5 I can say that the images are very sharp with no focus problems.Perhaps the complaints stem from the users technique. Yes,the shutter lag is a pain,but shutter lag is a problem with all compact digital cameras.If you don’t need enlargements beyond 8X10 then go with the less expensive G3,but if you want enlargements up to 16X20 and don’t want to invest in a digital SLR I think you’ll be more than happy with the G5. Shoot at ISO 50 when possible. Keep in mind that a vast number of the best published 35mm images are shot on Fujifilm Velvia (ISO rating 50).
Rating: 4 / 5
I recently bought the G5 and I am extremely happy with it. When deciding which camera to buy, I was initially put off by the numerous negative comments (especially on here). But when I compared the G5 with its competition (Nikon, Sony, Olympus etc) it was clearly a hands-down winner in terms of overall features and image quality.
So why the bad reviews? Because this is a series, G1, G2, G3 and some reviewers here are comparing this camera against its predecessors. So yes, G3 users may be disappointed with the G5, but only because they’ve been spoilt with the G3. Giving the Canon G5 1 or 2 stars is plain silly.
This is a 5 star camera, and it knocks the socks off its competiton. When reviewers give ratings, they ought to rate the camera on its own merits, or compare it to its competitors, but to give it a low rating becase it doesn’t live up to elevated expectations is wrong.
It is also very unhelpful to potential buyers who may be put off by the low rating, buy another brand, and end up with a camera that is “surprisingly good” and “surpassed expectations”, but which is sadly inferior.
Disappointment noted, but the G5 is clearly the best in its class, and well deserving of 5 stars.
Rating: 5 / 5
Buying a camera, like buying most things, is a trade-off – there is no single right answer. On one hand, it’s “horses for courses” (get something suitable for the type of photography you plan to do). On the other, we each must weigh the features of different models against each other, prioritize our personal wants and preferences against the price, and decide what is best for us. It’s subjective and personal.
I had already had a Canon Powershot S20 for a few years when I decided to get a Canon G5. Why should I want to do that? Was I dissatisfied with the S20, with its limited manual operation features, 3MP resolution and 2× optical zoom? No; I had originally planned to keep both, but I have found that the G5 is not so much bigger after all, so I am going to sell the S20. I just don’t need both of them.
While the G5 is still a small camera, there are many things it can do that the S20 cannot. Of course, there are still a few things the G5 cannot do, but for the general sort of photography I do, they are not many.
Here are the main issues, chosen partly in the light of other users’ (sometimes negative) reviews of this camera:
1 Do I need 5MP resolution? Yes – mainly so I can crop a good chunk of the original image when I need to, which is quite often.
2 Do I need the 4× optical zoom? Yes. I don’t have the wide-angle or tele lens converters yet, but I may get them later.
3 Do I need the fully manual control and the many focussing and exposure options? Yes – quite frequently (more often now that I have them, of course).
4 Do I like the ergonomics and aesthetics of the G5. No question. A few minor quibbles, but nothing serious.
5 Good value for money? I think so. Actually I think that most competing products are also good value for money. We get more for our dollar in photography now than ever before.
Comments on some specific complaints that have surfaced in other reviews:
1 Chromatic aberration (manifests itself as purple fringing under certain light conditions): I conducted a very thorough review of reviews before I bought this camera, and I decided to risk it. I am glad I did. The problem exists, but under practical (not test) conditions it is rarely noticeable. You may see it in very contrasty parts of a picture (e.g. bright lights against a dark background) when you are using an aperture wider than about F/4. This problem seems to be somewhat worse in the G5 than in some other cameras partly because it has a faster lens, which I hardly see as a fault. In all other respects this lens is as good as any, and better than most.
2 The noise issue: at higher gain settings (`film speeds’), all digital cameras show increased noise. The G5, according to some reviews, is rather worse in this than some other cameras. However, according to the same reviews, the G5 shows higher gain than most other cameras for any given setting. ISO 400 on the G5 actually seems to be about ISO 700 on other cameras. In the end, I could not really see any difference in normal use. I use ISO 50 most of the time anyway.
3 The viewfinder: to avoid getting part of the lens barrel in the viewfinder at wide angles, the viewfinder would need to be located further from the lens, which would require a bigger body, or else you would have to have a smaller lens. It’s just another trade-off. Some cameras avoid this problem by just not having a viewfinder at all. There are times, however, when a viewfinder is the best way to frame the picture, at least for me. I can live with this.
4 The lens cap: lens caps are a necessary evil with any lens that does not retract more or less fully into the camera. The G5 has a simple (but nicely molded, not at all cheap-looking) plastic lens cap that comes off quite easily. This is surely intentional, because if you turn the camera on before removing the lens cap, it gets pushed off by the extending lens without damaging the zoom mechanism.
Overall rating? I’m giving it 5 stars, partly to offset some of the absurdly low ratings given by other reviewers. Otherwise I’d have given it about four-and-a-half.
Rating: 5 / 5
I love my 2 Megapixel Canon Elph. Small, sharp and reliable – during its time, it was all I could ask for. I even sold a couple of its pictures to magazines, so what’s not to love? While I have not discarded my Elph, I recently moved up to the G5 because it’s better in every way. With a fast 4X optical zoom (all the way out to a 35mm-camera-equivalent of 140MM) and 5 megapixel chip, it could easily become my new favorite camera. The manual is thick but it uses a lot of illustrations and the text is surprisingly clear and simple so the reader should not be intimidated. Not being one to read manuals, I was able to take the G5 out of the box and immediately shoot pictures without cracking the book (the battery came out of the box with a decent charge too – how cool is that?) That’s how simple and intuitive the camera is. I have already made a few 8X10 prints on my Canon color printer and they are sharp, show excellent contrast and have good color balance too. Like most auto-focus digital cameras there is a brief shutter lag. It’s not too bad but the shutter release is certainly not as quick as one of my 35mm Leicas. Speaking of Leica, the shape and size of the G5 is very close to that of the classic Leica M series cameras. And the clever design of the battery case allows it to serve as a grip – I found it comfortable and secure. (Note: a similar grip is a [$$$]option on a 35mm rangefinder Leica!) I don’t like the fact that you can’t screw a UV, skylight or other kind of filter on the front of the lens. I like to have a good quality filter on the front of my lenses for protection – but that’s me. For the average camera user, there are 2 auto exposure settings that should cover the vast majority of shooting situations. (I used “P” and got an “included in the box” 32mb compact flash card full of great exposures.) For the advanced photographer, the G5 comes with just about every manual control you could need or want – similar to those on their excellent EOS 1V pro camera. One cool feature is the ability to capture a shot in both RAW and JPEG at the same time. This feature will give you a “pure” file with no data loss due to compression and will allow you to make the largest, sharpest print possible. (The manual says that the RAW file is compressed, but there is no data loss – must be a new form of Japanese magic!) Bottom line, the RAW format will give you the biggest file with the most information. I suspect that a RAW file will allow the careful user (i.e., one who is fussy about focus, exposure and camera shake) to make an 11X14 inch print that is as good as any 35mm camera (maybe better!) When compared against the many excellent digital cameras out there, the Canon is a stand out. Its size, resolution, simplicity, and Canon’s excellent reputation for reliability made it and easy choice for me.
Rating: 5 / 5
I got my Canon G5 on 7-23-03 and I love it. I took some photos as a test to compare it to my Canon G1. WOW, what a difference.
The depth of field has improved a LOT. Now, you can photograph the same road, and see a 1/2 mile down the road in clear focus rather than a blurry end. You can pick out license plate #s two blocks away from where you took the photo. Ever taken a photo of a purple flower and had it come out blue and awful? I took photos of some purple flowers and they came out crisp and gorgeous deep color purple. Like to photograph insects? WOW, you get to see them CLOSE UP. The macro function is astounding. You can see the detail of fly eyes and misquito wing structure. The detail on my cats teeth is totally awesome using the macro function. I can see every bit of smile and every little scale on his tongue. Like photographing nighttime views over a moonlit water? MAN, it is so awesome using the night scene mode. You can get moonlight over the ocean and buildings lit up over the bay in clear focus with no pixelation. They must have fixed that.
About the fringing and the noise – if you take photos with a film camera, you know how tough it is to get a good photo at dusk or in shadow. The digital camera is doing what you tell it to, if it isn’t coming out right, try a different time of day or use the flash! If you are photographing a building against the sun, DUH, it’s going to have fringing around the edges. The sky will look white if you photograph an object with the sun behind it. Try using the white balance controls – this camera has so much you can test and try out. Read the manual. Try every function on the camera before you give up. Having trouble focusing? The dumb Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58B made especially for the Canon G5 is to blame, in my opinion, because when I take it off, WOW, OMG, the photos are perfect. I think the adapter blocks the focusing beam.
Pros – quality, crisp, clear closeup/macro photos, great depth of field in focus, rich color tones, tons of functions
Cons – a lot to learn in order to use it properly , but the best things in life require work, time, and dedication.
Rating: 5 / 5