Rating: 
Summary: I love this camera but....
Review: I really love this camera. It takes excellent photos with very little fuss. Great clarity, color. I use Paintshop Pro, Adobe and Auto Fx for software and I really don't need to tweak the photos (I do anyway, I'm just like that.) Great battery life. I used to have an Epson that gobbled power, so this was a wonderful surprise! The only drawback I can see is the lack of lens choices. I'd get a larger flash card too. I got a 128 mb card...If you really need the len choices and have the money, I'd upgrade to the Canon D-60. All in all this camera is killer!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT pictures for the "pro" consumer.
Review: This is a great camera for the pro-consumer. I stepped up to this camera from a 1.2 MP Olympus, which I personally think took incredible pictures. I thought long and hard before moving from my trusted olympus. I switched because this camera has great reviews everywhere from very technical sites to average users here on amazon. I would have stayed with olympus if they switched to compact flash.Here's some things about this camera:
- Heavy (relatively) although it's not too bad
- Feels solid
-The swivel/rotating lcd is very cool
- If you're afraid of technology or not interested in photography, this camera isn't for you. -Don't forget that this camera uses a proprietary battery pack (same Li-Ion as canon cam corders so it should be easy to find).
-Get a 2nd battery pack.
- Uses CF or microdrive (very cool) - I HATE when manufacturers use bizarre proprietary cables/connections. Unfortunately this camera uses a truly bizarre connector for the USB. The camera-side connector reminds me of the flimsy connector on a pcmcia modem - you know, the one that always breaks. I don't know why they didn't use a usb-b or micro usb like on my rio player. Other than that, this camera takes great pictures that are truly amazing. I think, however that my olympus was easier to use (it only had 3 buttons). This camera is definately not designed for the beginner. (then again, it's not targeted toward that market)
Rating:
Summary: The most awesome camera!
Review: Prior to purchasing this camera, I was not the most avid photographer...taking a few shots here or there on my 35mm. This camera has been so much fun to use that I've been taking it everywhere. I consider myself to be quite the amateur photographer, and some of the reviewers here have stated if you want a point and shoot your money is wasted on this camera whose features can do so much more. I'm here to say that even if you are looking to buy a digital camera for point & shoot purposes, but are thinking about expanding your photography skills, get this! I spent several months researching cameras, and this camera has been a dream come true. It is completely easy to operate right out of the box....so if you have been apprehensive about learning the tricks of digital photography like I have...no worries...the manual is easy to use and very user friendly. The greatest feature of this camera is the rotating LCD display. Self-portraits are quite easy, and when you are using the handy remote control to take shots of yourself with friends, you can zoom in based on what you see on the display. I have been having tons of fun taking black and white & sepia pictures, and experimenting with the exposure settings. A great companion to this camera is the "Shortguide to Using the Powershot G2", which I purchased through Amazon....it is extremely helpful to the amateur photographer who would like to learn more about taking advantage of some of the more complex features of the camera. I purchased a 128MB Viking card with the camera & a carrying case; the 32MB card that comes with the camera does not hold that many pictures. Also, as many of the other reviewers have noted....the battery life on this camera is fantastic! That was one concern I had about purchasing a digital camera....Canon has exceeded my expectations with this camera completely.
Rating:
Summary: It won't brush your teeth!!!
Review: About the only thing this camera WON'T do is brush your teeth. I've had this camera 3 weeks now and it is truly amazing. This is my 2nd digital camera and the last one ate batteries to the point I couldn't afford it any longer. This camera keeps going and going and... I took about 250 photos and down loaded them and the battery guage was still showing full. Plus the I set the quality of the photos about 3 steps down from top quality. I could get 54 photos with the 32 MG flash card and I dare a layman to tell the difference between this camera and 35mm SLR.
I love it I'm certain in a few years they will put a tooth brush with it.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: I picked this camera because it received a 9 out of 10 at cnet.com along with the Nikon but this one was rated as more user friendly. How true. It has tons of functions I havent used but I was able to point and shoot for a 5 week trip to the UK. According to my sister, 4 mega pixels is near professional quality (and allows you to blow an image up really large). I didn't realize this when I bought it. I just thought 4 would be better than 2.
Rating:
Summary: Great Camera, Great Price
Review: The price may seem a little high, but trust me this camera is worth every penny! I just got it and I can't put it down. It gives vibrant and rich colors, and is filled with great features. Awesome swivel LCD, Champagne colored casing. also I have taken over 100 shots and the battery hasn't even budged! In addition, if you have a 256 MB card like me, you'll get 220 pics at medium compression. Like I said before, awesome camera!
Rating:
Summary: Powershot G2
Review: The Powershot G2 is an awesome camera. It has loads of capability and flexibility for both manual and automatic shooting. The picture quality is outstanding...and upload to PC is fast and easy. This camera also has an excellent design and feel. It's heavier and feels more solid than many other digital cameras in this range. It feels good in your hands. An excellent choice for a 4 MP camera.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive in almost every way.
Review: Having recently purchased this camera after owning a 1.2MP camera for 3 years, I really didn't know what to expect. Pictures of similar quality, only larger? The ability to print large photo's without pixellation? What I didn't expect was not just larger pictures and larger prints, but absolutely superb images from almost every shot. I have been impressed to the point that the thousands of other photo's I took, many of which I was very proud of, now look dull and almost comical by comparison. This is a fantastic camera, with a myriad of customization controls and super point-and-shoot capability. If you want to play with the manual controls, fine, they are available, and really broaden your photographic repertoire. If you don't, using the Auto mode, I've found, will produce a perfect shot in almost every situation. My old camera had a problem, like a lot of older digicams, in low light situations. Not so the G2, which will take a shot in almost complete darkness and render a decent, if not lovely, image. With dim indoor lighting, the camera just takes beautiful pictures, completely unimpeded by the ambient light. The amount of detail, even incidental detail captured, is incredible. One of the first shots I took in RAW mode was of the area overlooking my neighborhood, with the tops of houses in the foreground. Looking at this same picture on the computer, I noticed what I thought was a dead pixel or two up in the corner of the sky. I zoomed in on that area, and zoomed in several more times to about 50X magnification, and lo and behold I had captured a fighter jet passing over our area! I didn't even see (or hear) this jet when I took the photo, but the camera captured it in incredible detail. In another case, I shot a photo of the night sky, with several stars and what I knew as the planet Saturn in the frame (I also like astronomy). Fair enough, when I looked at the picture on my monitor I did see the dots of light surrounded by blackness. However, zooming in on captured twinkle of Saturn, I actually was able to resolve the rings at high magnification, something I have never been able to do with the naked eye! Pretty amazing. There are a few cons; the camera is heavy enough that I'm loathe to use one hand when shooting, as I could with my other camera. You just don't want to drop it. The screw-on lens cap is a nice touch to protect the lens, but couldn't they have figured out a way for the lens to unscrew itself and pop the lens cap when powered on? I hate having to unscrew it every time. In addition, in very bright sunlight, this camera tended to overexpose in Auto mode. You should learn the different settings to make your shooting effective under these conditions. I should also mention that this camera is not kind if you have a blemish or scars or any other item you usually find unnoticeable in other photo's. The high pixel count gives you a very very large and sharp amount of detail, and you may find yourself wishing you had washed your face after the marinara if you are not careful. Although not a "con" per se, but worth mentioning, is that the G2's Jpeg files are very large, the RAW mode files even larger on average (although not as large as TIFF - thanks Canon)! In just a few weeks of ownership, and a few hundred photo's, I managed to gather enough pictures to fill two 700MB CDR's. This is more than I have filled in three years in the highest quality mode on my trusty old 1.2MP camera. Be forwarned - you will have to archive much more often. If you are considering this camera, I cannot recommend it enough. You would not regret buying one, even at the almost 800 dollar price.
Rating: 
Summary: News from a Novice
Review: ...
I see three major differences when reviewing cameras. That is what sold me on the G2, not the accolades of digital photography. 1. Speed. I read a lot about how long it takes to resolve a photo to its digital form. I have yet to snap a photo where the feedback on the display is there before I can lay my eyes on it. Does it need to be faster than that? 2. Battery life. I recharge my battery each day, so I have not tested it for endurance. I bought a backup and a 2-battery dc charger. So far, they have not been required. I am running around showing the camera to my friends and co-workers, running the display while they gawk at my first attempts at digital photography. There have been no warnings about low batteries or much of a perceivable dent in the display after carrying around my camera with me all day at work. (yes, and I even get a lot of that done too boss!) 3. I hear a lot about photo quality. I have a friend that purchased a Nikon, and know a few others. They all mention red-eye, just as the reviews do. I really did not want to deal with that.
And the fun stuff is great. When I get home, I spend a little time setting up the downloads to the albums I created for digital prints... The G2 has so many features, I decided to wade into the world of digital rather than try and learn it all at once. It is helping. I find myself asking questions about how to do this or that with a print. I get the book out and now I am applying what I learn while doing it... There are no disappointments where I wish I were working with silver media. The best part is, I can still take digital work and then send it off or take it to a good camera store and have the image transferred to silver for a print if I want...
If I really, really want to keep the photo's. I can burn them to CD-ROM and they will keep better than a negative. No scratching, no fingerprints by well meaning friends, etc.
I see a whole New World opening up, and I personally am glad I chose the G2 doorway. There are others, and I will let those owners speak for themselves. As far as myself, I am very happy with the camera. I expect to find new things I can do with the camera for a long time. Why did I wait so long to get started. By the way, I purchased the black model in a kit. It is a little more, but I like that too. You get a traditional leather carry case to protect the camera while carrying. Also there is a 96 Meg compact flash card included. That makes it a pretty good deal...
Rating:
Summary: Almost perfect
Review: The G2 was the third digital camera I bought and it immediately made the other two totally obsolete. It's not a conventional 35mm SLR camera but this thing is so close I am still amazed. Picture quality (for a digital) is superb! The battery pack is long-lasting, allowing you to take an endless parade of pictures before needing a recharge (and I have a 256 meg card in mine). The camera has sufficient weight to feel solid but is quite compact. And it's the first digital camera that I've actually had luck with the red-eye reduction feature. The 3X optical zoom is a blessing when you want to zoom in on something and still retain great clarity (digital zoom creates a grainy picture)and I've captured some fascinating pictures with the macro feature that allows you to get in close for detail shots or capturing the small things in the world. The different shooting modes make picture taking nearly fool-proof but the camera is flexible enough to allow you to be "creative" if and when you want to be. The movie feature allows you to capture "mini" movies of 30 second duration. Though the movie picture is small and grainy (compared to its regular shooting modes), it's a great little feature for capturing those spur-of-the-moment things. Improvements I'd like to see are faster focusing, shorter processing time, and shorter start-up time (program load-up) but these things are minor and can be overcome by simply knowing what to expect as I grow more accustomed to the camera's "personality." Am I happy with the G2? No. I'm ecstatic! It was worth every penny of its price. With its great image clarity, great focusing (though it can be a little tricky at times), and countless little features to explore, the Canon Powershot G2 is a heavenly piece of technology that actually exceeded my expectations quite handsomely. And if you're not very familiar with cameras, don't let all the little extras deter you from enjoying this gem because you can use it like a point-and-click (with focusing) until you're ready to explore its more advanced features. In short, this G2 is a sweet digital camera!
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