Initial Impressions of the Canon G9

[CaptainBoog]

Jason, how many shots are you getting from your battery if you are utilizing the on-board flash to trigger your inon?

 

[jbb]

Jason, how many shots are you getting from your battery if you are utilizing the on-board flash to trigger your inon?

Sorry no easy answer to that one from me.

I have 3 batteries for the camera and I keep the camera in manual mode most of the time because you can reduce the intensity of the flash thereby saving battery power. I also turn the camera off whenever possible to conserve power and keep it from heating up and fogging the lense/case. My last trip I was making 3-4 60min. dives a day and I would make sure to change my camera battery after two dives. It does depend on how intense a photographer you are too. Some of my dives were really intense (lots of macro stuff or a night dive) so I would change the battery out after one dive (maybe 120 photos or so) so I guess it depends. Then after each dive I was deleting bad shots to have more space on the memory card. When I get back home to a computer I think I end up only keeping 15% of my shots and that just stuff that turned out halfway decent as a representation of the vacation then about 5% of those that I really like.

I was also on an island that only had 3 hours of electricity a day so I had two sets of rechargables for the Z240 as well. I need to get a focus light. Although the z240 has one you need to point the strobe right at the subject which may not be the optimal strobe arrangement.

I bought the canon name brand batteries as i have experience with aftermarket batteries that just don't hold as good a charge as the same age canon battery and that was for an old S400 canon. Others here seem to think the aftermarkets are better so maybe the quality/technology has improved.

 

[Zeeman]

Also I find this camera kinda hard to get a good focus. Anyone else have this issue? I know it's most likely I just need more practice with it.

Try to turn off AiAF in the menu (switch it to center or flexi frame (if you want to adjust were the focus point it) and make sure to set the spot, as apposed to evaluative.

This has made a big difference with me macro focusing on my A640 - probably the same thing needs to be done to the G9.

Z..

 

[BobArnold8265]

Great reports on the G9 everyone. I have been watching this camera since it's introduction and am getting very close to buying one myself. For those of you who have one, how's the shutter lag ????

I currently have an Olympus C-8080 which takes wonderfully sharp pictures but has a few things that bug the heck out of me. The first is shutter lag. I primarily use my cameras for action (sports on land and fish underwater). I can't tell you the number of times that I have missed a good shot because of the delay

Second is focus time. How quickly does the G9 focus in your opinion. Is it slow and gets in your way or quick enough that you don't really notice it.

Finally, I'm glad to see a camera with an actual viewfinder. I don't know about the G9's LCD display but on my C-8080, it would go black when I would hit the shutter release until the picture was loaded onto the memory card. Combine this with shutter lag and it makes it impossible to follow the movement of your subject while you are taking the picture.

I really like the idea of a compact camera underwater but am debating buying a new compact or biting the bullet and getting a DSLR. A DSLR would be great but at around $2,000+ for camera and housing it's a bit steep for me. I hope that the G9 might be the camera the keeps me from taking the DSLR route.

 

[CaptainBoog]

After much consideration and contemplating I am the new owner of a canon G9; as opposed to the new owner of a housing for my Canon 30D DSLR. While I'm sure I would enjoy the advantages of a DSLR set-up I am very impressed with the G9.

One of the deciding factors for me was that I recently returned from Kona I found the baggage of of dive gear; my DSLR for land shots, my SP-350/ike housing, and Canon SD 550 for on the go land shots to be a bit of a burden and quite the load.

I thought I was going to go the DSLR route, but that wasn't going to really lighten my load. I often like to mix non-dive activities on my 'dive trips' and sometimes I just don't feel like lugging the DSLR/tripod/large zoom lense package, so I also need to carry a compact.

I picked out the G9 because I like the operation/control package and the very usable RAW capability and the hotshoe makes ikelite wired ttl possible. What I am also looking forward to is carrying the G9 as my only camera on 'dive trips'; perhaps a back-up compact like the SD850 IS will be onboard as well, but the G9 really lightens my load.

For those who haven't checked it out; see the G9 review on dpreview.com

This camera can shoot RAW files at about 1 fps until the card is full! My SP-350 would take about 6 seconds before I could take another shot. Also, the 3" LCD is very nice.

Battery life should get me through two dives+ as the ike ttl set-up doesn't require use of the onboard flash.

Overall very pleased with this camera topside and will provide a more in-depth review after getting it wet!

Now I can get by with one carry-on and my large akona roller bag...

 

[friscuba]

gecko2.jpg (image)
Here's my first above ground shot with the G9.

I'm definitely not comfortable with the Canon menus or software just yet, but it'll come. I'm hoping to get the camera under for a few dives soon.

 

[richtpe]

I just upgraded to the G9 after my SeaLife DC500 broke on me for the 4th time. I received the Ikelite case and DS125 strobe on Friday and broke in the camera over the weekend. Overall, I'm very happy with the camera and housing. I'm able to use all of the camera's controls with the housing. The setup is heavier than what I was used to and I do have problems sometimes getting a good focus on macro shots, but I can get used to the weight and the focusing is probably more the result of my inexperience. I've only known point & shoot before this camera, so I need to learn about manual exposure controls, but I expect that I'm going to have a lot of fun learning it on this camera. Here are a few pictures taken with the camera this weekend.

 

[chewyjr15]

just curious what did the housing and strobe set up cost? and are you using the TTL for the strobe?

 

[richtpe]

just curious what did the housing and strobe set up cost? and are you using the TTL for the strobe?

Cost me a little over $1,600. I am using the TTL for the strobe.

 

[matva]

finally!
this should make for a very affordable underwater setup for a lot of people.
$600 for both the camera & canon housing at amazon.

Please post more uw pics!