GeraldW
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Veteran Member
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Posts: 8,872
Re: Canon G9: JPG or RAW? Why?
I'm probably late to this thread; but here goes, anyway.
I have owned most of the G series since the G5, including the G7 and G9. The G7 didn't have RAW; but a great JPEG engine. Canon claimed it didn't need RAW, and I tend to agree. But the customer complaints lead to the G9 (same lens, 12 MP sensor, different processing, larger LCD) which had RAW; but in my opinion, the JPEG was a step back.
The G9 has an excellent lens and with 12 MP, its resolution in prints is as good as the 14.5 MP G10, and with a little higher contrast to boot.
I shot nothing but JPEG with any of my G series cameras. I shot the G9 in Program most of the time, and always used Custom in My Colors with sharpening set to +1, and exposure compensation usually at -1/3, or sometimes -2/3. I did not like the results in Auto.
There is one thing you really need to know about the G7 and G9. The optical viewfinder is badly designed; as the axis of the lens and the axis of the OVF cross at around 5-6'. For greater distances, the camera aims high if you use the OVF. I eventually learned how to compensate; but it took a while. For much greater distances, use the top of the upper tick mark in the finder's reticle. All other Canon OVF's that I have tried have the axis of the lens and the axis of the finder coincide at infinity.
Also, the LCD screen on the G9 (but not the G7) is polarized, and if you wear polarized sun glasses, the screen looks black.
The G9 is quite good about noise up to ISO 400, and ISO 800 is usable for smaller prints.
It's a great "walking around" camera, and even in narrow streets in places like Strasbourgh's old town or Colmar, I never wanted a wider view than the 35 mm equivalent the G7 and G9 have. Digital zoom works pretty well if you use it sparingly to effectively increase your focal length by no more than 1.5x.
Canon EOS M5
Canon PowerShot S95
Canon PowerShot G15
Canon G7 X II
Sony RX10 IV
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