What's better than the G3?

[peterm1]

I bought the G3 for my wife (I use the 1DmkI), and I think it is a great camera for the price (I paid $400). The G5 did not seem to improve on it (more purple fringing and noise), and I don't like the Pro 1 either (tried in a store today and could not stand the fact that the LCD would freeze up while it focused - it's also expensive). Give me clean 4 megapixels over noisy 8 megapixels anyday.

Anyway, is there a better camera in the $500 range than the G3? I know it's not the smallest camera, but it has RAW (a must), the swiveling lcd screen, ND filter built-in, hot shoe for my Canon flash, good battery life, a remote, very good picture quality, and a 4x optical zoom. What other compact camera offers these or similar features with similar photo quality?

I am thinking about getting a compact for myself and I still don't see anything better than the trusty old G3.

-Peter

 

[bauerman]

I bought the G3 for my wife (I use the 1DmkI), and I think it is a
great camera for the price (I paid $400). The G5 did not seem to
improve on it (more purple fringing and noise), and I don't like
the Pro 1 either (tried in a store today and could not stand the
fact that the LCD would freeze up while it focused - it's also
expensive). Give me clean 4 megapixels over noisy 8 megapixels
anyday.

Anyway, is there a better camera in the $500 range than the G3? I
know it's not the smallest camera, but it has RAW (a must), the
swiveling lcd screen, ND filter built-in, hot shoe for my Canon
flash, good battery life, a remote, very good picture quality, and
a 4x optical zoom. What other compact camera offers these or
similar features with similar photo quality?

I am thinking about getting a compact for myself and I still don't
see anything better than the trusty old G3.

-Peter

The G5 was not really an upgrade and the Pro1 is a completely different beast with it's own set of issues. I would look for a G3 or maybe wait and see what the G6 brings................

--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz

 

[Glen Barrington]

I also agree the G3 is a truely remarkable camera and a great value. the only drawback is the MISERABLE viewfinder although the rest of the camera more than makes up for it. Whatever comes next sure won't cost less than $600 US, I bet

Well, I'm not sure there will be a G6, have you heard anything specific?

I know for me, I want a really good viewfinder (a rangefinder would be great too!) If the subsequent G series camera is just a high noise high CA 6mp version of the G3 I won't buy it. I've discovered I like shooting thru a viewfinder and my next camera will not be allowed to compromise how I shoot.

-Peter

The G5 was not really an upgrade and the Pro1 is a completely
different beast with it's own set of issues. I would look for a G3
or maybe wait and see what the G6 brings................

--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz

--
SOMEBODY SSSSTTOPPP ME!

 

[eta]

G2 has everything the G3 has, bar the ND filter & 3 zoom instead of 4 zoom. If you can live without them you get better image quality and the most clear 4 mega pixels.

I had both and was sorry for selling the G2 immediately after I got the G3. So I sold this one too and got 10D. Now I am buying a G2 again just to have something handy all the time.

Oh, well, one can be found only used ...

Emil

I bought the G3 for my wife (I use the 1DmkI), and I think it is a
great camera for the price (I paid $400). The G5 did not seem to
improve on it (more purple fringing and noise), and I don't like
the Pro 1 either (tried in a store today and could not stand the
fact that the LCD would freeze up while it focused - it's also
expensive). Give me clean 4 megapixels over noisy 8 megapixels
anyday.

Anyway, is there a better camera in the $500 range than the G3? I
know it's not the smallest camera, but it has RAW (a must), the
swiveling lcd screen, ND filter built-in, hot shoe for my Canon
flash, good battery life, a remote, very good picture quality, and
a 4x optical zoom. What other compact camera offers these or
similar features with similar photo quality?

I am thinking about getting a compact for myself and I still don't
see anything better than the trusty old G3.

-Peter

 

[Lucem]

Pro1 once it start selling under $700.
G6 if it is a G5 sans "Blue Fringe", and $200 away from Pro1.

 

[Mark77]

G2 has everything the G3 has, bar the ND filter & 3 zoom instead of
4 zoom. If you can live without them you get better image quality
and the most clear 4 mega pixels.

I had both and was sorry for selling the G2 immediately after I got
the G3. So I sold this one too and got 10D. Now I am buying a G2
again just to have something handy all the time.

Oh, well, one can be found only used ...

Emil

G2 is still available new, believe it or not.

http://www.bestpriceaudiovideo.com/products/product_detail.asp?Inventory=2206&Show=D

 

[JAGOeX G2]

G2 has everything the G3 has, bar the ND filter & 3 zoom instead of
4 zoom. If you can live without them you get better image quality
and the most clear 4 mega pixels.

I had both and was sorry for selling the G2 immediately after I got
the G3. So I sold this one too and got 10D. Now I am buying a G2
again just to have something handy all the time.

Oh, well, one can be found only used ...

Emil

G2 is still available new, believe it or not.

http://www.bestpriceaudiovideo.com/products/product_detail.asp?Inventory=2206&Show=D

--
Canon Powershot G2 w/ a 420EX; G3, A80, and S400 owner

 

[Max@Home]

Hi Peter/peterm1,

peterm1 wrote:
(cropped by M@H)

Give me clean 4 megapixels over noisy 8 megapixels anyday.

My idea!

Anyway, is there a better camera in the $500 range than the G3?

Not with specs as you describe below ->

RAW (a must)
the swiveling lcd screen
ND filter built-in
hot shoe for my Canon flash
good battery life
a remote
very good picture quality
and a 4x optical zoom.

What other compact camera offers these or
similar features with similar photo quality?

NONE!

I am thinking about getting a compact for myself and I still don't
see anything better than the trusty old G3.

Me neither, so I upgrade to a 10D ;-))

Kindest regards,

Max@Home

PS: please note: a few months ago new G3's were available from Normancamera.com !
--
Max@Home - Castricum - The Netherlands (see profile for equipment)



http://www.pbase.com/max_at_home (mind you, use underscores!)

 

[johnds]

It's still in stock at http://www.Normancamera.com
Canon Powershot G3 Digital Camera IN STOCK $479.95

PS: please note: a few months ago new G3's were available from
Normancamera.com !
--

 

[bauerman]

G2 has everything the G3 has, bar the ND filter & 3 zoom instead of
4 zoom. If you can live without them you get better image quality
and the most clear 4 mega pixels.

I had both and was sorry for selling the G2 immediately after I got
the G3. So I sold this one too and got 10D. Now I am buying a G2
again just to have something handy all the time.

Oh, well, one can be found only used ...

Emil

I would have to disagree with your statement Emil that the G2 has "everything" that the G3 has minus the 4X zoom and the ND filter. The list is actually quite long of the features that the G3 has that are not to be found on the G2. Having owned both - I do like the picture quality of the G2 slightly better - but there were so many "little" things that bothered me about the G2 that were almost all corrected with the G3.

Just the fact that the G3 is a "shooting priority" camera is big to me - I can go from review mode to shooting mode just with a half press of the shutter - that is big for me. The list could go on and on.

--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz

 

[Mick Ruthven]

I too much prefer my G3 to the G2 I had, including the fact that Manual Focus forced to infinity is as sharp as doing autofocus on a distant object, and it wasn't with my G2.

I'm curious about what you like better about the picture quality of the G2.

I would have to disagree with your statement Emil that the G2 has
"everything" that the G3 has minus the 4X zoom and the ND filter.
The list is actually quite long of the features that the G3 has
that are not to be found on the G2. Having owned both - I do like
the picture quality of the G2 slightly better - but there were so
many "little" things that bothered me about the G2 that were almost
all corrected with the G3.

 

[eta]

Hi bauerman,

While it's right that the list of bettering the G2 in the form of G3 is long and I do appreciate it very much, it was not in the direction of bettering the picture but the camera. Canon did good on this one keeping the picture quality as close as possible, but not on par IMHO. The colours were too saturated and somehow overdone , somebody likes it this way probably, and the clarity that every picture of the G2 has is the like of 1D rather than the 10D. The lens of the G2 is amaizing, and while the DIGIC helps speed and battery life, I gues, all the pictures from the DIGIC generation cams look somehow muddy and coloured to me. I did try G5 Ixus 400 and they look the same to me. Just an opinion. And there was something else I did not like about the G3. However I hold it I pressed a button, too cluttered, and I have small hands.

The only goodies for me were the ND and the x4 zoom from G2 to G3, and that's why I am kind of ignorant. But we are talking pleasure taking picture cameras for the sake of it, not demanding tool to work with.

But it is too personal the cam thing, you know.

Emil

G2 has everything the G3 has, bar the ND filter & 3 zoom instead of
4 zoom. If you can live without them you get better image quality
and the most clear 4 mega pixels.

I had both and was sorry for selling the G2 immediately after I got
the G3. So I sold this one too and got 10D. Now I am buying a G2
again just to have something handy all the time.

Oh, well, one can be found only used ...

Emil

I would have to disagree with your statement Emil that the G2 has
"everything" that the G3 has minus the 4X zoom and the ND filter.
The list is actually quite long of the features that the G3 has
that are not to be found on the G2. Having owned both - I do like
the picture quality of the G2 slightly better - but there were so
many "little" things that bothered me about the G2 that were almost
all corrected with the G3.

Just the fact that the G3 is a "shooting priority" camera is big to
me - I can go from review mode to shooting mode just with a half
press of the shutter - that is big for me. The list could go on
and on.

--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz

 

[bauerman]

I too much prefer my G3 to the G2 I had, including the fact that
Manual Focus forced to infinity is as sharp as doing autofocus on a
distant object, and it wasn't with my G2.

I'm curious about what you like better about the picture quality of
the G2.

I prefer the sharpness of the pics out of the cam on the G2 and the color rendition - especially with reds on the G2.
--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz

 

[Fredy Ross]

I bought the G3 for my wife (I use the 1DmkI), and I think it is a
great camera for the price (I paid $400). The G5 did not seem to
improve on it (more purple fringing and noise), and I don't like
the Pro 1 either (tried in a store today and could not stand the
fact that the LCD would freeze up while it focused - it's also
expensive). Give me clean 4 megapixels over noisy 8 megapixels
anyday.

Anyway, is there a better camera in the $500 range than the G3? I
know it's not the smallest camera, but it has RAW (a must), the
swiveling lcd screen, ND filter built-in, hot shoe for my Canon
flash, good battery life, a remote, very good picture quality, and
a 4x optical zoom. What other compact camera offers these or
similar features with similar photo quality?

I am thinking about getting a compact for myself and I still don't
see anything better than the trusty old G3.

-Peter

--
fredyr

Well I think the G3 is wonderful yet bought the pro 1 and admit it is overpriced but I have full view of what I am framing, a wonderful focal lenght of 28-200 with an L lens and the more I use it the more I like it. I seem to have more keepers than I do with my Rebel. No CA if used correctly and as for noise I bought Neat Image a long time ago as I am elderly and frail so kept the G3 on 100ISO too. On June 27th powershot.com has one of my photos which I could never have taken with the G3 or G5 as I used 200mm. Still it is overpriced I must admit so would never suggest anyone to buy such an expensive camera. On the other hand if one has a D10 or Rebel and wants an L lens with that focal length it is heavy, expensive and no LCD to use. Good luck in your decision.

 

[JAGOeX G2]

The DiGiC is the biggest problem w/ the G3, when compared to the G2. The reds, the softness, are all a result of that chip's processing, which is why the G5, A80, S400, etc, also suffer from the same issues.

G2 pictures are more true to life, and the fact that the G3 is made of less durable materials (the G2 is a tank compared to the G3), means that it will more likely survive a brutal trip (in my backpack while mountainbiking, for example). The G3 feels cheap, doesn't have the image quality, but does indeed have many improvements. It's too bad they came a bit too late, because if the improvements were already on the G2, it would be the perfect camera.

Still, even without them, I prefer to shoot with it over the G3.

I too much prefer my G3 to the G2 I had, including the fact that
Manual Focus forced to infinity is as sharp as doing autofocus on a
distant object, and it wasn't with my G2.

I'm curious about what you like better about the picture quality of
the G2.

I prefer the sharpness of the pics out of the cam on the G2 and the
color rendition - especially with reds on the G2.
--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz

--
Canon Powershot G2 w/ a 420EX; G3, A80, and S400 owner

 

[Mick Ruthven]

I mostly shoot RAW and sharpen in Photoshop or BreezeBrowser, so that leaves the reds. I haven't noticed a problem, but then I haven't looked at both cameras "red" results together.

I too much prefer my G3 to the G2 I had, including the fact that
Manual Focus forced to infinity is as sharp as doing autofocus on a
distant object, and it wasn't with my G2.

I'm curious about what you like better about the picture quality of
the G2.

I prefer the sharpness of the pics out of the cam on the G2 and the
color rendition - especially with reds on the G2.
--
bauerman
http://www.bauerman.galleries.photoshare.co.nz