Canon PowerShot G3 Review
Review based on a production PowerShot G3
The original three megapixel PowerShot G1 was announced at Photokina 2000 (September 2000), just less than a year later (August 2001) they announced the four megapixel PowerShot G2 with a fairly significant range of improvements. A year after that at Photokina 2002 Canon announced the new four megapixel PowerShot G3, with a sleek new body design, new control layout and image processor and four times optical zoom lens.
Canon PowerShot G3 vs. PowerShot G2 (differences only)
 Canon PowerShot G3 |
 Canon PowerShot G2 |
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| JPEG format | EXIF 2.2 | EXIF 1.1 |
| Lens | 4x optical, 35 - 140 mm equiv. | 3x optical, 34 - 102 mm equiv. |
| Lens max aperture | F2.0 - F3.0 | F2.0 - F2.5 |
| Lens thread | 58 mm with bayonet fitting adapter | 58 mm with screw fitting adapter |
| Auto focus | Center area AF FlexiZone AF/AE (300+ areas) |
3 area selectable |
| ND Filter | Internal, menu option | None |
| Custom exposure modes | Two (similar to user memory) | None |
| Shutter speed | 15 - 1/2000 sec ** | 15 - 1/1000 sec ** |
| Manual WB | Two presets | One preset |
| Orientation sensor | Yes, with auto rotate | No |
| Focus bracketing | Yes | No |
| Manual flash power | Yes, 3 steps internal, 16 external | No |
| Flash sync select | Yes, 1st-curtain, 2nd-curtain | No |
| Photo Effects | Available in all modes | Dedicated exposure mode |
| Time-lapse photography | Yes, Intervalometer | No |
| Continuous shooting | 1.5 / 2.5 fps, up to 14 images | 1.5 / 2.5 fps up to 9 / 5 images |
| Movie clips (320 x 240) | Up to 3 minutes * | Up to 30 seconds |
| Self timer | 2 or 10 sec | 10 sec |
| Playback zoom | 10x (10 steps) | 6x (2 steps) |
| Movie editing | Yes, trimming | No |
| Play / record | Shooting priority | Switched play mode |
| Settings adjustment | Control dial on hand grip | 4-way controller |
| My Camera menu | Yes | No |
| Weight (inc batt.) | 481 g (17.0 oz) | 510 g (18.0 oz) |
| Dimensions | 121 x 74 x 70 mm (4.8 x 2.9 x 2.8 in) |
121 x 77 x 64 mm (4.8 x 3.0 x 2.5 in) |
* Requires high speed CF card
** At certain apertures (G3 considerably better than G2 in this respect)
The PowerShot G3 also includes some new technologies Canon were keen to stress at the time of announcement:
- DiGiC processor - a new processor which is responsible for
CCD control, AE/AF/AWB, signal processing, JPEG compression, memory
card control, LCD monitor display).
- Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space (iSAPS)
- Camera uses variables such as focus distance, exposure brightness
and cross references these against a large internal database of known
scene types and uses this information to optimize image processing.
- Flexible AF point selection - You can now select from any one of more than 300 positions around the image frame.
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this review (it may help you
understand some of the terms used).
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This review is Copyright 2002 Phil Askey and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey.
