G7 Movie Mode Zooming?

The G7 has not made it's way up here yet (Toronto, Canada) and I was wondering if any of you lucky people who already own one can answer the zoom capabilty of the G7 when filming video. Can you zoom in and out while shooting video? Is it optical zoom or digital zoom? Also can you take pictures while filming video (S3 has this handy feature)? The S3 has a seperate button to start and stop recording video, leaving the shutter button to take pictures while filming. Thanks and I hate you because I haven't had the chance to hold a G7 nevermind buy one.

Anyone?

I don't have one but it will not zoom in and out while recording, and, as it doesn't have a 2nd record button, you will not be able to take a still photo while recording.
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Steve
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I do own one. It has two primary video modes (standard and and high res.) in standard mode you can zoom during recording but is a digital and not optical zoom. In high res. you can not zoom during recording but it is optical zoom when you zoom prior to recording. hope this helps by the way this camera does take great photos and is very fast for a point and shoot.

That helps greatly! Too bad it's missing those feature's. I know it's not a video camera, but I don't think it would have taken much to include optical zooming while shooting video. The Sony H5 and Canon S3 can zoom in and out while filming video and the S3 allows you to even take pictures while shooting video. Thanks for the reply everyone!

degull said:

That helps greatly! Too bad it's missing those feature's. I know
it's not a video camera, but I don't think it would have taken much
to include optical zooming while shooting video. The Sony H5 and
Canon S3 can zoom in and out while filming video and the S3 allows
you to even take pictures while shooting video. Thanks for the
reply everyone!

Click to expand...

The S3 IS has a USM motor, so you cannot hear the noise of the zoom. Most cameras don't allow optical zooming while recording movies because the noise is too loud.

I see, so there is a mechanical limitation. It's too bad. Making video's without the ability to pan in and out is very dry. Again I know it's not video camera.