Canon G11 or SX20IS

[shoturtle]

I think the OP is still considering, she seems to be seeking opinion about the different models.

If you are looking for opinion on camera's in general not just about UW photo, check out Steve's Digicams - Main Menu it is a very good camera forum.

 

[Nemrod]

I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. I've been contemplating between the G11 and the S90 for a while now. I would love to get a dslr but money is a huge factor in my decision-making process and unfortunately, this trumps shutter speed for me.
I'll have to check into the SX IS series.
I am curious to know which one the OP ends up with.

When the S90 is configured with all the fancy stuff OFF the S90 has a very responsive shutter. I am very pleased with it as a camera. I don't do video so cannot speak to that but as a camera the S90 is great. I have more fun with it than any camera since my first SLR. The front ring is perfect, the ability to control shutter and f stop without pushing buttons and digging in menus is a welcome relief, it handles like a real camera, so much so I am almost willing to call it a real camera. N

 

[ScubaJoy65]

I agree with everything posted thus far, there is some great knowledge, but what hasn't been posted are any arguments with the Ikelite housings. We got five Ikelite housings when I worked for NOAA, of which two broke within the first month and a third was assembled wrong. These were all for Canon P and S's. Conversely, I have been nothing but happy with my Canon housing.

Your post is timely. How have you attached slave strobes to the Canon housing? And out of curiosity which camera(s) do you use?

 

[smellzlikefish]

NOAA used cameras from Canon's SD series which used a somewhat new line of Ikelite housing designed for compact cameras. We used 4 of these and I was not impressed with either the cameras or the housings. The housings kept breaking/leaking and the cameras were really basic without any easily found manual functions.

The fifth housing was for a video camera and it came in with a lever where a push-peg should have been.

My Canon housing is great so far, my only complaint being that I have to be more anal than usual in keeping any hair/dirt out of the O-ring. I have been on > 100 dives with it and have come up with a fogged housing a couple of times but always find a hair in the seal, usually originating from my good-for-nothing cat.

The slave strobe (no ttl option) attaches via a sticky, clear velcro piece that fits over the outside of the housing in front of the onboard flash. It uses the flash to signal when to fire the slave, transmitting the signal via fiber-optical cable. I was skeptical at first but have gotten some really nice images with the setup. After figuring out how best to work the strobe/camera and what settings worked where, I have been extremely happy since.

 

[shoturtle]

I'm glad I stumbled across this thread. I've been contemplating between the G11 and the S90 for a while now. I would love to get a dslr but money is a huge factor in my decision-making process and unfortunately, this trumps shutter speed for me.
I'll have to check into the SX IS series.
I am curious to know which one the OP ends up with.

The S90 is a very good camera. The G11 is a bit bitter camera. It has a longer zoom, and the view finder is a plus. When top side it gives you better shot framing ability over the LCD. I am a dslr user for top side photos, and the viewfinder would sway me to picking the G11 over the S90. If you shut down all the fancy option on the G11 is is not that bad either. Both gives you allot of manual features.

 

[Nemrod]

<G11>
f2.8 max
5X zoom not much use underwater but useful above
Larger size, smaller flip out LCD, will not fit in pocket
Wet lens challenged--double bummer
Perhaps better macro
Small and nearly useless optical vf
Has a hotshoe
No lens ring control--bummer
Housings by Ikelite, Canon, FIX, Patima, others?

<S90>
Faster f2.0 lens (twice as fast)
4X zoom better interfaces with wet lenses
Smaller size, larger LCD, fits in pocket
Depending on housing choice works with various wet lenses-- triple yippee
No optical vf---bummer
No hotshoe
Intuitive multi-function lens ring control---yipppeeeeeeee
Housings by Ikelite, Canon, FIX, possibly others in future


Which of the two is better depends upon what you value.


The G11 and S90 use the exact same sensor and processing engine, the S90 has a faster lens and direct control of both shutter speed and f stop via rear and front lens control ring. Neither have HD video as they are intended for serious amateur photogs and the emphasis is on picture taking. The G11 has weird flip finder but some may enjoy that feature for candids.

The S90 has essentially rave reviews across the board for it's intuitive interface, low noise and fast f2.0 lens. You can get the same shot at 1/125 the G11 must drop to 1/60 or at ISO100 instead of ISO200 or shoot at ISO400 instead of ISO800 with the same settings, speed might matter to some people. The camera is very small and pocket-able and at least one of the housings, the FIX90, is actually smaller than the G11 sans housing in some dimensions.

On the other hand, the G11 is the latest successor to a long line of Canon G series loved and enjoyed by many. Probably a better SLR stand-in if you are a one camera person topside and bottom side. The FIX housing does have a wide angle option and the Patima supposedly does and the Ikelite at least has a corrector port available so all is not lost there either.

Me, I valued, little, fast and wet lens options and direct interface. Next year, who knows. G12 with DX sensor?

N

 

[shoturtle]

Actually the G11 is a jacket pocket camera without issues. it is not that much bigger then the S90. I would disagree, the G11's VF is not that bad and is usable.

 

[shoturtle]

If you want more options like a dslr, you can also add conversion lenses to the G11 giving it more options, like a wide angle lenses, macro len, and Teleconverter giving you more range.

 

[Nemrod]

I think my comparison was fair. I pointed out both pro an con of both with obviously with my own bias since ultimately, I got the S90 and largely due to the FIX housing and the promise of compatibility with wide angle and ultra wide angle as well as macro lenses I already own. But, this is not important to many users and so they can factor that in as they please.

The G11 is MUCH larger than the S90 bare. The S90 in FIX housing is about the same size, if slightly smaller in some dimensions than a G11 bare. It is just fact. Does this matter, depends on the person, it matters to me, not to others and beyond that is of no direct consequence to the performance of either.

The G11 is a great camera, the failing of it and the S90 is that they both have the tiny little sensor.

I cannot see through the G11 optical vf (perhaps it is that I wear glasses and not a completely fair assessment) and the LCD screen is definitely smaller on the G11 and therefore again has a larger squint factor for vision challenged people like me.

Anyways, carry on, whatever y'all think is good . About the time this horse is beat dead Canon will come out with new models and we can go at it again. Wouldn't it be nice if they would build in more backward compatibility to the housings we buy, dream on. N

 

[Tigerman]

...
Anyways, carry on, whatever y'all think is good . About the time this horse is beat dead Canon will come out with new models and we can go at it again. Wouldn't it be nice if they would build in more backward compatibility to the housings we buy, dream on. N

About 2-3 new generations of the current models in the discussion most likely