G3 - Mistake or Calculated Chance??

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3 when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and (hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to compete against the current top contenders they will lose market share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

the G2... nothing to scream headlines about... but really nice change to the best selling camera... but you just would not steal thunder with this camera. It is so obvious. My conclusion is the same based on rumors of the ~ $1,000 DSLR camera based on the Canon Rebel... not the 300V, film camera rumor, but something else... It's starting look like Christmas...

They are targeting the exact level they need to target. Keep the features simple enough so anyone can use it, don't make it overwhelming for people new to digital photography but add enough features for prosumers to really snap it up.

I would imagine they will hit that "in-between" level with another camera soon, but the G2 was very popular and the image quality excellent. They stepped it up a notch and made some really significant improvements to it. Besides, how many people realistically look at 5 MP over 4 MP anyways. Most prosumers will read the reviews and understand about the excellent image quality/low noise on the Canon sensors.

This camera looks to target a huge audience and I think it will be even more popular than the G2.

Does it make all the G2 users want to upgrade? Probably not, but there is a huge market out there looking for a good solid camera and this looks to be the one.

Have a great day
http://www.pbase.com/wp12001

Canon produces several models of cameras. They have been very busy developing the 2 to 3 meg P&S low price cameras and they have been very busy developing it DSLR line. I would expect they see much more growth potential in those markets than in the market for the G2/G3, F707, etc.

There are a lot of compormises in these "prosumer" cameras vs. a DSLR and I would expect the price of the DSLR will be coming down in the future and putting the squeeze on these prosumer from the top while the low cost P&S cameras squeeze it from the bottom.

So like the Pro90, Canon may see these cameras becoming obsolete in the future and working toward that end. I would expect that the G3 is designed to keep a foot hold in that market as they evolve to the next generation of the digital technology.

Myself I have been very disappointed with this entire prosumer line. I looked long and hard and ended up with a G2. There are just too many compormises in these cameras. At 4 or 5 megs you don't have the resolution to even print an 8x10 at 300 dpi. The manual capabilities are a joke on all these cameras. I have found two uses for these cameras. The first use I have found for it is to take pictures of the grandkids, or just general "vacation" pictures. The second use is to use it to preview shots I am going to take with my 4x5 film camera for correct exposure.

But as a kick butt camera, these prosumer cameras just don't cut it.

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

Click to expand...

Truman

Frankly, I think I'm one of the people this camera is targeted for. A semipro with an EOS3, 550EX, ST-E2, and enough Canon glass that I will ultimately upgrade to a dSLR. I've had a G1 and now a G2 for the past year, which has about 4200 images on the counter. I also shoot quite a bit of film, but when I do shoot digital, I want a camera that gives me the most similar characteristics possible to the EOS. I also want the best image quality possible, and I want a camera that I can carry everywhere, whether I have my other gear or not.

With the improved focusing (and I haven't had a lot of issues with focusing myself), the ability to focus down to 1.5 inch, better metering, faster response, greater dynamic range and ability to use all the Canon flashes, including the ST-E2 and the macro lights, this camera looks like a real winner to me. At the price of $799, which, if correct, is quite a bit lower than the 5x and 7x zoom cameras some people are comparing this to, it fits 90% of the shooting I do and becomes even more valuable in the studio. The built in ND filter is pure genius, not only for bright sunlight, but also for bright studio lights, and if I want 10x worth of zoom, I'll buy the accessory lenses, which I might use on occasion, and which will be a snap to use with the bayonet mount. By the way, I'm guessing that the G3 with both accessory lenses will probably come in at a price point comparable to those 5x and 7x equipped cameras. Eighty percent of what I shoot digitally is on a tripod, so taking the time to mount an accessory lens is insignificant to me.

For my needs, this camera is well worth the cost of whatever difference there is between its price and what I can get for my G2. And as a camera in the $799 to $899 class, it looks like a good choice for anyone new to digital with needs similar to mine. Of course, once Phil has done his review, I expect to be even more convinced, but am aware that his opinion could alter mine.

Dan
http://www.pbase.com/digital_edge

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be
put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople
favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3
when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and
(hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp
than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a
G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to
compete against the current top contenders they will lose market
share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in
the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that
conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see
something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of confusion.

Just to add that last saturday I was in a major photo store in Rome to play with a Nikon 5700 and, since I own a G2, one of the salesmen questioned me about the G3, whose specs he was aware of.

He said that customers are more and more categorising digicams in "megapixels brackets" (like Watts for Stereos and horsepower for cars), adding that in the 4Mp ground Nikon 4800 is outselling Canon G2: Nikon brand (slightly stronger than Canon's), same 4 Mp, 4x zoom and nearly € 200 cheaper. He was puzzled about Canon not increasing Mp's to 5 to get into 5700's territory (best selling high-end non-SLR). In his view customers will compare also the G3 to the 4800, having the latter a more favourable price / brand content. (I am reporting the discussion "face value", perhaps Nikon gives more margin; I assume very few customers go through Phil's or other digicam sites).

Ciao

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be
put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople
favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3
when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and
(hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp
than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a
G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to
compete against the current top contenders they will lose market
share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in
the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that
conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see
something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

Click to expand...

--
Greets from Rome

Mauro

http://www.pbase.com/m_ben/

Hi there!

I own a G1 and I'm quite happy with it... when the G2 came out, I read a lot about it, when to a show and tested it... I thought it was quite better than my G1, better RAW (10bits real) better focusing (3 points) better resolution (3.8 vs 3.14 real)... but I thought it wasn't worth to pay the difference...

So I went on with my G1 shooting around happily!

Now there is a new "kid" on the block... the G3... better than G2... sure! worth to upgrade from it?... dunno... worth to upgrade from G1? uhm... dunno either... but if Phil report on image quality is positive... I will surely fall for it!

my two Eurocents!

Enjoy!

Canon doesn't look like they put that much effort into the camera....

put a few things in it, to sell it, but........ really ..... only 4megapixels ? - give me a break, this just doesn't cut it........ :-(

I'm a G2 owner, and the G3 just doesn't merit the extra money.....

There are bigger and better things coming from Canon and the G3 is a dismal upgrade, - people would be better off buying the G2, when the prices drop because of the G3 coming out.

Mauro.B said:

He said that customers are more and more categorising digicams in
"megapixels brackets" (like Watts for Stereos and horsepower for
cars), adding that in the 4Mp ground Nikon 4800 is outselling Canon
G2: Nikon brand (slightly stronger than Canon's), same 4 Mp, 4x
zoom and nearly € 200 cheaper. He was puzzled about Canon not
increasing Mp's to 5 to get into 5700's territory (best selling
high-end non-SLR). In his view customers will compare also the G3
to the 4800, having the latter a more favourable price / brand
content. (I am reporting the discussion "face value", perhaps Nikon
gives more margin; I assume very few customers go through Phil's or
other digicam sites).

Ciao

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be
put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople
favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3
when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and
(hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp
than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a
G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to
compete against the current top contenders they will lose market
share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in
the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that
conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see
something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

Click to expand...

--
Greets from Rome

Mauro

http://www.pbase.com/m_ben/

Click to expand...

i cannot believe that this camera will make current canon owners happy, but some of us looking to brand jump will be pretty happy.

i have been using my kodak 280 for several years now. both the 2 megapixel and the 2x zoom were at times frustrating. i do not know how many times i said i would want a 4mp camera with 4x zoom. both the g1 and g2 have been favorably reviewed, so i was hoping for exactly the specs this camera has.

WP said:

They are targeting the exact level they need to target. Keep the
features simple enough so anyone can use it, don't make it
overwhelming for people new to digital photography but add enough
features for prosumers to really snap it up.

I would imagine they will hit that "in-between" level with another
camera soon, but the G2 was very popular and the image quality
excellent. They stepped it up a notch and made some really
significant improvements to it. Besides, how many people
realistically look at 5 MP over 4 MP anyways. Most prosumers will
read the reviews and understand about the excellent image
quality/low noise on the Canon sensors.

This camera looks to target a huge audience and I think it will be
even more popular than the G2.

Does it make all the G2 users want to upgrade? Probably not, but
there is a huge market out there looking for a good solid camera
and this looks to be the one.

Have a great day
http://www.pbase.com/wp12001

Click to expand...

--
Jim
[email protected]

Snapshot7 said:

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be

Click to expand...

Almost every other manufacturer?

These are the models I came up with:

• Minolta Dimage 7Hi & 7
• Nikon 5000 & 5700
• Olympus E-20
• Sony DSC-F717

Did I miss anyone?

Since april I have had the S40, and I am quite satisfied with this camera (compact, yet with very good manual control possibilities). Sometimes I wished I had the G2 instead, mainly because of the faster aperture F2.0 - F2.5. Of course, ideally, the G3 should have been upgraded to 5Mp. The G3 will simply replace the G2 with some newer technology and a 4X zoom lens. I don't think this is a mistake or an act of stupidness! As for myself, I won't buy a new digital camera for at least 2 years. By that time, I am pretty sure there will be several semi professional camera models with 7Mp or more.

I think it's a calculated chance with good odds that the improvements will be field tested and show up in a more advanced camera. Canon knows that in order to be dominate they need to improve digital cameras where they need it the most.

As far as I can see one of the biggest complaints about digital cameras is the focusing system - slow and/or intermittently inaccurate

I think that the main improvements - the DIGIC technology which supposedly allows for faster focusing and that dial up front which hopefully fixes the manual focus issues, are significant.

If Canon's next camera is say a 5 Megapixel Pro90IS WITH a field tested improved focusing system from the G3, I think that would completely dominate the market for digital cameras.

When they made the G1 they also released the Pro90. That was an ideal combo. Now we have only the G3. dSLR is nice if you already own Canon glas, but if you have to buy lenses the price of the body doesn't make that much difference. I do not want to buy a dSLR i want a G3 technologie with an 10x zoom IS lens and a few other tricks if possible. I know i sound like a little child who did not get his candy, but i'm free to write what i want (as long as i do not offend people)

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be
put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople
favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3
when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and
(hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp
than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a
G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to
compete against the current top contenders they will lose market
share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in
the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that
conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see
something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

Click to expand...

As a semipro, skip the marginal improvement of the G3 and buy a D60. The $300 or $400 you would lose on the G2 to G3 upgrade could be applied to the D60. If you need a ND filter for your G2, they are already out there. If you need accessory lenses for your G2, they too are already available. From the specs I have read, the technical improvements of the G3 over the G2 are marginal. But hey, its your money.

Cheers,

Colonel M

Dan said:

With the improved focusing (and I haven't had a lot of issues with
focusing myself), the ability to focus down to 1.5 inch, better
metering, faster response, greater dynamic range and ability to use
all the Canon flashes, including the ST-E2 and the macro lights,
this camera looks like a real winner to me. At the price of $799,
which, if correct, is quite a bit lower than the 5x and 7x zoom
cameras some people are comparing this to, it fits 90% of the
shooting I do and becomes even more valuable in the studio. The
built in ND filter is pure genius, not only for bright sunlight,
but also for bright studio lights, and if I want 10x worth of zoom,
I'll buy the accessory lenses, which I might use on occasion, and
which will be a snap to use with the bayonet mount. By the way,
I'm guessing that the G3 with both accessory lenses will probably
come in at a price point comparable to those 5x and 7x equipped
cameras. Eighty percent of what I shoot digitally is on a tripod,
so taking the time to mount an accessory lens is insignificant to
me.

For my needs, this camera is well worth the cost of whatever
difference there is between its price and what I can get for my G2.
And as a camera in the $799 to $899 class, it looks like a good
choice for anyone new to digital with needs similar to mine. Of
course, once Phil has done his review, I expect to be even more
convinced, but am aware that his opinion could alter mine.

Dan
http://www.pbase.com/digital_edge

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be
put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople
favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3
when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and
(hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp
than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a
G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to
compete against the current top contenders they will lose market
share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in
the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that
conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see
something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

Click to expand...

--
I must be a photographer - I keep running around in circles of
confusion.

Click to expand...

Ladehaug said:

These are the models I came up with:

• Minolta Dimage 7Hi & 7
• Nikon 5000 & 5700
• Olympus E-20
• Sony DSC-F717

Did I miss anyone?

Click to expand...

Olympus 5050

Yang said:

Member said:

These are the models I came up with:

• Minolta Dimage 7Hi & 7
• Nikon 5000 & 5700
• Olympus E-20
• Sony DSC-F717

Did I miss anyone?

Click to expand...

Olympus 5050

Click to expand...

Olympus C50: 5mp pocket camera.

...I will be looking at once the reviews for both are out.

Specs on the 5050 look pretty impressive, whereas the G3 should really be named G2 v2.0. It's really just a version upgrade as opposed to a truly new product, as they say in the software industry.

Regards,

Theo

Yang said:

Member said:

These are the models I came up with:

• Minolta Dimage 7Hi & 7
• Nikon 5000 & 5700
• Olympus E-20
• Sony DSC-F717

Did I miss anyone?

Click to expand...

Olympus 5050

Click to expand...

From Imaging resource:

717:
Shutter lag, full autofocus 0.63/0.65

Autofocus speed is exceptional - This is one of the very fastest "prosumer" cameras I've tested to date, as of late August, 2002!

G3:
Shutter lag, full autofocus 0.94 - 0.80
Both figures are about average.

Well at least the G3 makes it up to average.

Snapshot7 said:

I have to believed Canon is either very stupid or very smart with
the release of the G3.

The problem is I'm not sure which !!!!

I have to wonder exactly WHO this camera is targeted for?

Any "newbie" to digital MIGHT not get past the fact that it has 4mp
versus 5mp from almost every other manufactuer. They also might be
put off by the lower magnification. I can also see salespeople
favoring other cameras with more attractive features over the G3
when a customer asks for the "best" compact digital camera.

And there is a good chance the people who will do the research and
(hopefully) find that the G3 takes better pictures with it's 4mp
than the others with 5mp already own a digital camera; maybe even a
G2.

Will those people feel the G3 is worth the upgrade?

I can't believe Canon is this stupid.

They have to know that without a 5mp/5x zoom or better camera to
compete against the current top contenders they will lose market
share.

And NO...getting a DSLR like the D60 is not an option for many in
the market for several reasons so trying to force people to that
conclusion will hurt their sales.

Canon has been many things recently.... but THIS stupid?!?!?!

I have to believe that come November or Christmas time we will see
something to compete with the 717's, CP5700's, and D7Hi's.

For Canon to not do this would be bad business.

Click to expand...

Before they even announced the G3, I went ahead and got a D60. I figured that any imrovements over the G2 would hardly be enough. The G2 is a fantastic camera as it is. It is more than capable of holding it's own even against the mew 5 mp cameras. had I not bought a D60, I don't think I would have even considered upgrading to a G3 no matter what the improvements were.

Colonel M. said:

As a semipro, skip the marginal improvement of the G3 and buy a
D60. The $300 or $400 you would lose on the G2 to G3 upgrade could
be applied to the D60. If you need a ND filter for your G2, they
are already out there. If you need accessory lenses for your G2,
they too are already available. From the specs I have read, the
technical improvements of the G3 over the G2 are marginal. But
hey, its your money.

Cheers,

Colonel M

Click to expand...

--
Clifton
a VERY happy G2 owner!
http://www.pbase.com/klyphton
http://www.photosig.com/userphotos.php?id=2838 \t

M.P. Kooij said:

When they made the G1 they also released the Pro90. That was an
ideal combo. Now we have only the G3. dSLR is nice if you already
own Canon glas, but if you have to buy lenses the price of the body
doesn't make that much difference. I do not want to buy a dSLR i
want a G3 technologie with an 10x zoom IS lens and a few other
tricks if possible. I know i sound like a little child who did not
get his candy, but i'm free to write what i want (as long as i do
not offend people)

Click to expand...

Have to agree, a longer zoom would be nice. I did look at the new Nikon 5700 but was disappointed in the way it manual focused (well not that my G2 is any better).

Wonder if size was the consideration in Canon's case. Eg they were trying to keep the small point and shoot form factor which a lens with bigger zoom capabilities might negate.

Kevin

... and you'll notice that G3 improves over G2 more than 7i over 7 or 7Hi over 7i.

Theo said:

...I will be looking at once the reviews for both are out.
Specs on the 5050 look pretty impressive, whereas the G3 should
really be named G2 v2.0. It's really just a version upgrade as
opposed to a truly new product, as they say in the software
industry.

Click to expand...

--
Teppo @ Finland
Cameras: Canon PowerShot S30, Nikon CoolPix 5700
Galleries: http://th.joroinen.fi/home/photography.html