Canon G13 aka PowerShot G1X

I will not bore you to death with the full technical details, for this see the link below to the Canon product page ;-) Instead I will tell you what I like about this camera, what I don't like - and why!

Decent Size

It might be just me, but if I take a camera in my hands, I want to have the feeling of having a real camera in my hands and not some sort of tiny gadget. I want to reach all knobs and dials comfortably and not being afraid of changing a setting I don't want to change whilst doing something else. The G13 with its dimensions of 4.6x3.17x2.55 inches and 19 ounces of weight is certainly not as big or heavy as my trusty-rusty Canon Rebel, but still better than some of these ultra-slim, ultralight pocket cameras ;-) Plus still small enough to put into a hand bag or largish pocket!

Optical aka Real Viewfinder

Another point where I show my age, I really prefer optical viewfinders to LCD screens, drawback with the G13 is that its optical viewfinder covers only 80% of the image, which will take some time to get used to when it comes to image composition. And for those situations when I can't throw myself to the ground to get the shot I want, the swivel LCD panel will come in handy also.

Large Sensor

The larger the sensor, not in megapixel, but in inches!, the better usually the image quality. The G13 has a sensor that is only marginally smaller than the ones Canon uses in its DSLRs - big plus point! And yes, it does take 14MP images also, great for really large prints!

JPG+RAW Simultaneous Shooting

Another big one for me! I love the idea of being able to take a quick jpg for immediate use and having the raw file for playing around later in Photoshop. Many compact cameras don't offer this - has been always a deal breaker for me - until the G1X came along!

HD Movie / Video

Whilst it is not my main focus (sorry for the pun!), having the ability of shooting the occasional video in HD is certainly something what I am looking forward to ...

Full Manual Controls

Perhaps the biggest plus point for me, being able to control exposure and aperture completely manual or going for fully automatic as the need arises. The manual controls are exactly the same that are available on DSLRs, so again, I am a very happy bunny.

The G1X / G13 offers also a lot of creative modes like 'miniature', not something what I use on a daily base - but I will certainly try them all out ;-)

So, that are the biggest selling points for me, as your mileage may vary, have a look at the feature list link on the right to see if the G13 / G1X fits your photographic bill ;-)

Full list of features of the Canon G13 / Powershot G1X can be found here.

Brochurs and Manuals are available here

I warn you, this camera is not cheap, at $799 retail price it is aimed at serious photographers and / or DSLR users that need a smaller, yet professional, carry around camera. The image quality is stunning and the variety of features like the ability to shoot jpg+raw at the same time and the full manual control, if desired, make it well worth every cent for me.

Will I buy the Canon G13 / Canon Powershot G1X when it becomes available? Budget permitting, YES! It is exactly the digital compact camera I was dreaming of for years. There are some points I would like to see improved, like the 28-112mm focal range (would love to see a bit more at the zoom end of things ;-)) and others I am thoroughly happy with like the in-build intelligent image stabilization which will come in handy as I get older ;-)

If you are serious about photography, this camera might be exactly what you are looking for, but if you don't plan to make ever use of its advanced features, there are cheaper cameras around that might be better suited for you (see below).