Canon PowerShot G15 - User's Perspective

After using a cheapo Canon A1200 p&s for well over a year -

Please see: Canon PowerShot A1200 User Review

I bought a Canon G15 -

I used the A1200 because it was about the only game in town at the time with a real optical viewfinder - to quote myself from that other thread:

" A real optical viewfinder allows me to shoot with camera to face giving 3 points of support allowing slower than normal shutter speeds. It also allows me to see better for momentary changes of expression or pose etc. - LCD screen cannot keep up. "

The <$80 A1200 p&s managed shots like:

Image from the cheapo A1200 auto-everything p&s - slow-sync flash

However I missed the versatility and flexibility of a compact more like the G10 I had - the G1 X was new at the time I got the A1200 - although the G1 X IQ was spectacular - it was too big and at the time too expensive. I was really looking for a more compact replacement for my broken G10 but it had to have an optical viewfinder - it seemed that the G12 was about to be replaced soon.

I did have to wait but eventually the G15 was introduced - and seemed like what I had been wanting - waited for the reviews and test images, and then for the price to settle down - just after the new year I purchased the G15 for $400.

Took it out the very first night I got it:

I use a lot of slow-sync flash that freezes an image and still keeps the shutter open to capture the ambiance

slow-sync flash

slow-sync flash

slow-sync flash

No flash

another gig 4 nights later @ same venue - different/brighter lighting:

different venue -

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