Canon G10 vs. G11

[Maddog59]

As it happens, I am an optics researcher. I'm well aware that dSLRs and point and shoots are different, but my main point is that the G10 is only 15mp on paper. The lenses in the camera are just not good enough to image accurately enough to take full advantage of the chip. The pixels in a G10 are about 1.7 microns across. whereas the smallest Airy disk that an F2.8 lens similar in size to the G10's is about 3 microns. this means pixels smaller than about 3 micons will not give more information. You may think that the crop has more information as it will have a larger pixel count, but it won't have any more information about the scene captured.

Sometime I wonder how we ever managed to take a decent photo in the past, we were limited to a few choices in types of film and only a few choices for cameras and yet we still managed to take the odd reasonable shot.

These days we all shoot whatever camera we have chosen for our own personal reasons and I'm telling you now if veiwed on the same media with the same parameters for all, none of us could pick which camera took which picture. So apart from personal likes and dislikes whether a camera has 10MP or 15 MP or 100MP the image will be for all intents and purposes the same. (i've been looking at Gilligans latest pictures on a 27" High Res monitor and I can see no apparent "noise" in these heavily cropped pictures!)The comparison between dSLR and P&S is like comparing a Nikon F2 with a Hasselblad 500EL, there is no comparison and comparing a G10 with a G11 with a S90 is like comparing an orange to an orange to an orange all from the same tree.

The more important discussion here should be about what features are accessable on each camera and what options in the way of housings, flashes and optional lenses are available to be used with each model.


Peter!

 

[M_Bipartitus]

I'm just trying to clear up deceptive information. Choosing a G10 over a G11 based on the MP count is unwise. Both these cameras are leaders in their segment and would server a diver well.

Sometime I wonder how we ever managed to take a decent photo in the past, we were limited to a few choices in types of film and only a few choices for cameras and yet we still managed to take the odd reasonable shot.
...
Peter!

 

[Hetland]

No, instead they did it for all uses, a higher sensitivity sensor with improved dynamic range and less noise across the board is a real improvement unlike jacking the MP count upward. At any magnification the reduced MP count would effect the picture would be offset by better picture quality and reduced noise. N

Useful if you want to take an available light photograph of a hull or other large subject that it would be impractical to light with a strobe. Too bad they saved the faster lens for the s90 Some of the jpg's I'm seeing on line are breathtaking in their lack of noise even at 800 iso. Imagine what will be possible once raw post-processing is straightened out for this camera! Fantasea already has a wet lens adapter for the Canon housing (hopefully inon is not far behind).

BestBuy has the G11 on sale for $450, and if you have previously registered an eligible Canon camera, you can even get a $20 rebate from Canon this month, so I'll be amazed if I make it through the week without picking up a new camera

 

[Maddog59]

I'm just trying to clear up deceptive information. Choosing a G10 over a G11 based on the MP count is unwise. Both these cameras are leaders in their segment and would server a diver well.

And what I'm trying to say is it doesn't matter one bit what the MP count is at this end of the scale!

 

[Dashrynn]

I have some g11 photos with and without a strobe, but does anyone else have some samples?

 

[highdesert]

A major difference between the G10 and the G11 is megapixels. The G10 is 15 and G11 is 10.

It may not seem important but for cropping purposes it is. If you are one of those people like me who crops almost every underwater photo I shoot megapixels are of major importance.

Good article here about the "Megapixel Myth"

The Megapixel Myth

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

I saw a question unanswered I believe. The G11 does not fit in the Fix G10 housing. There is a new Fix G11 housing on its way in a week or two.

 

[Rodraid]

I have some g11 photos with and without a strobe, but does anyone else have some samples?

Dashrynn,

Go over to the Regional Travel and Dive Clubs section, Central America section and then the Bay Islands. Look at Ronski's dive report on Fantasy Island Trip 11-7 to 11-14.

I was on that trip and both of us were using a Canon G10 with a Canon housing and no strobe.

Rodraid

 

[rajohn]

I know I'm gonna get creamed here, but here goes anyway. After reading all the posts extolling the G10 I bought one. Admittedly I'm still learning how to use it but so far it's a big disappointment. I used an Olympus Camedia Zoom 4000 for years and loved it. I let my dive buddy use the Olympus and I used the G10 on our last trip to Cozumel. His pictures were consistenly better than mine. I have a real problem taking very closeup or macro pictures with the G10. These are a layup with the Olympus. I'm using only the G10s built in flash and it's not as happy as the Olympus is under these lighting conditions. The Olympus is only a 4 megapixel camera but that was always enough. I think the focus on megapixels may be a mistake. I think lens and overall quality of the camera is more important. I'm sure I'll learn how to properly use my G10 and be happier with it, but as of now it's a big disappointment.

 

[Hetland]

I know I'm gonna get creamed here, but here goes anyway. After reading all the posts extolling the G10 I bought one. Admittedly I'm still learning how to use it but so far it's a big disappointment. I used an Olympus Camedia Zoom 4000 for years and loved it. I let my dive buddy use the Olympus and I used the G10 on our last trip to Cozumel. His pictures were consistenly better than mine. I have a real problem taking very closeup or macro pictures with the G10. These are a layup with the Olympus. I'm using only the G10s built in flash and it's not as happy as the Olympus is under these lighting conditions. The Olympus is only a 4 megapixel camera but that was always enough. I think the focus on megapixels may be a mistake. I think lens and overall quality of the camera is more important. I'm sure I'll learn how to properly use my G10 and be happier with it, but as of now it's a big disappointment.

What are you not happy with? Not enough light from the flash reaching the subject or something else?