Powershot G7

laguano · Feb 17, 2007

I recently got the Canon Powershot G7, and i really love it. Do you personally think it's a good camera for me? also, anything i should know about this camera, such as hidden features etc. One last question, does it have a timelapse feature?

Garbz · Feb 18, 2007

how can we tell if it is a good camera for you if we don't know what you want / need in a camera ?

Jeremy Z · Feb 20, 2007

The G7 is a very nice point & shoot camera. When I say point & shoot, I mean non-SLR. It has a sharp lens, optical image stabilizer from the company that pioneered it, and even a hot shoe so proper flash can be used.

It has a couple of weaknesses though:

1) It is limited by its lens, since it isn't interchangable. You can get thread-in lenses, which give more capability, but optically, they won't give the same quality results as SLR lenses.

2) It uses either an LCD or EVF instead of a real-time, optical image of what you are shooting. This can be a disadvantage for shooting fast action.

However, why would you want to second-guess yourself? You'll give yourself a complex if you wait for everyone else to approve of your choice of camera.

I can only assume you did some research and had good reasons for choosing this camera.

Welcome to TPF!

gubak · Feb 21, 2007

If you are a beginner in photogarphy, this is the perfect machine for you!

usayit · Feb 21, 2007

Jeremy Z said:
2) It uses either an LCD or EVF instead of a real-time, optical image of what you are shooting. This can be a disadvantage for shooting fast action.
Welcome to TPF!

Nope.. It has a real viewfinder much like a rangefinder.... All G-series cameras have an option of using either the LCD or look through the optical viewfinder. Note.. it is a viewfinder and not a prism viewfinder like in SLRs. If you need a TTL view (much like in macro shooting) you need to switch to the LCD.

I personally would rather have the G6. There are a few things that made the Canon G series a wonderful line of cameras that were left off of the G7 for some unknown reason.

* G7 has a slower lens. f2.8 instead of f2.0
* All G series prior had swing out and rotating LCD. The G7 is stationary
* The G7 uses a smaller shorter life battery. The G series prior uses the same battery that is used in many of their SLRs.. the B511. It has almost twice the operating power.
* This is the BIGGEST missing functionality. The G7 does not shoot RAW. All G series prior shoot RAW.

There are a few other "missing" stuff, but I can't remember the others.. those are the ones that matter to me. Of course, the G7 is newer, more mpixels, newer digi processesor, etc... I just don't think its specs meet up to the Canon "Gseries" of the past.

Big Mike · Feb 21, 2007

* This is the BIGGEST missing functionality. The G7 does not shoot RAW. All G series prior shoot RAW.

Ya, that's a big one.

One last question, does it have a timelapse feature?

You are the one who owns the camera...and the manual...so you tell us.

My guess is that the camera itself does not, but if you tether the camera to your computer and use 'Canon Remote Capture' software...then you probably can.