The digital compact grows up

Complete with a 12MP CCD, image-stabilized lens and more tricks than Britney’s had Frappuccinos, the G9 bridges the gap between compact and DSLR. Encased in a robust, uncompromising and (slightly) intimidating body, it’s the Darth Vader of digital cameras. Light sabre not included

Novices should dig out the manual first. The sheer quantity of buttons and dials on the body is as unnerving as stumbling upon an angry Rottweiler in an alley. The square body isn’t comfortable either, we’d have preferred more grips and the zoom lever is a bit of a stretch.

Shutter bug

Putting these nags aside. With a responsive shutter, fast focusing, and outstanding 3in LCD, the G9 is a joy to use. Pictures are outstanding; sharp, detailed and with bags of colour. It’s not bad at controlling noise either, only becoming unbearable if you push it over ISO 800. Our favourite feature is ‘Focus check,’ which puts an end to blurred pictures by enlarging the focus area so you can check the sharpness.

The list goes on

A feature list as exhaustive as the unabridged Oxford Dictionary includes: manual control over the aperture, shutter, sensitivity and focusing, a hotshoe for a flashgun and lens adaptor ring. But the G9 isn’t just for wannabe pros. Even the most clueless shutterbug can snap away using scene modes and face detection.

At £430 this is pricier than some DSLR’s, but that’s without factoring cost of extra lenses and the bulky shape. For newcomers to photography and enthusiasts in the market for a second camera, the tough and quick G9 is perfect.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 7th, 2007 at 7:16 pm and is filed under Digital Camera. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.