[Hands-On] Canon Powershot G1 X

Canon will release their latest flagship model in the Powershot series, the G1 X, at the beginning of March in Japan. “For this camera, we had a unified concept from development to product planning. The idea was to deliver the best pictures ever from a Canon compact camera.” “One big feature of this model is the sensor size. This camera has a 1.5 inch sensor, which is really big. Previous models used a 1x1.7 inch sensor, so this one has 6.3 times the area. The result is impressive pictures, with a great feeling of definition, and depth of focus on a par with an SLR.” By using a 14.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, almost as big as the APS-C sized sensor used in the EOS series, Canon has increased the light-gathering area per pixel by a factor of 4.5, delivering picture quality close to that of an SLR, with low noise at high sensitivity. “For regular use, the sensitivity can go up to ISO12800. Because the sensor is so large, this camera's pictures have low noise even in the high sensitivity range. So you get really clear pictures, especially at ISO3200 and 6400. This effect is particularly noticeable in nighttime and indoor photography.” The lens features a new Canon design, and goes from a 28 mm wide-angle to 4x optical zoom. This lens is only 1.4 times bigger than before, so the camera's body is still compact even though it has a larger sensor. “You can stop down to f16, so you get good pictures at small apertures, too.” “This model is mainly intended as a companion to an SLR for professional users, as well as for advanced amateurs. But it takes impressive pictures even on auto and regular settings, so we hope all kinds of users will give this model a try.”

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