ProductCritic: Canon PowerShot G7 Reviews

vnunet.com (100)

Although it suffers from grain-like image noise when shooting in low light above ISO400, under the vast majority of conditions the G7 marks itself out as a real winner, taking images as sharp as a knife and with plenty of bite.

Digital Camera Review (90)

For the person who wants a digital camera with top performance and extensive features in a stylish, retro-rangefinder package, the Canon PowerShot G7 is an excellent choice.

PhotographyBLOG (90)

The Canon Powershot G7 is the kind of camera that not only makes you feel like a better photographer, but helps you become one too, mixing both comprehensive and happily reliable hand holding features with a plethora of real photographic controls that, along with build quality, at times exceeds that offered by many – if not most – budget DSLRs.

Megapixel.net (88)

Positives: Excellent image quality with good light. Built-in Neutral Density Filter. Full range of shooting modes. High resolution 2.5-inch LCD monitor. ISO Speed dial. Very compact. Negatives: Some sensitivity to noise. Fixed LCD monitor. No RAW image format.

Steve's Digicams (86)

I was very pleased with this latest addition to Canon’s legendary “G” series line. While we miss the Vari-Angle LCD, the new 6x IS lens is a definite plus. The only negative issues we found were the problem with the optical viewfinder and the higher image noise at ISO 800 and 1600.

Cameras.co.uk (86)

The Canon Powershot G7 may cost a bit more than other compact digital cameras, but in my view it is money well spent. It has many advanced features and its picture quality is very good. This type of camera has fallen a long way in price over the last couple of years and is now affordable to many more serious photographers.

Cameralabs (86)

Sure it’s an excellent compact, with a great lens that’s capable of impressive results, but deep down we know it could have been much more special – and as we mentioned earlier, the PowerShot A640, EOS 400D and Panasonic FZ50 make very compelling alternatives.

Digital Camera Resource Page (84)

While a disappointing G-series camera, the PowerShot G7 stands on its own, and it earns my recommendation. If you don’t mind parting with almost $600 for it, it’s worth a look. Don’t forget to check out the just as capable, and less expensive, competition closely, though.

IT Reviews (84)

It’s been a while coming but the successor to the PowerShot G6 is still a worthy, solidly built, versatile and powerful digital camera for the semi-pro, although many will lament the loss of RAW capability and the shorter battery life.

Digital Photography Review (83)

Specification aside, the G7 is a camera I’d find a lot easier to wholeheartedly recommend if the cons list at the top of this page were a bit shorter, but as I discovered, once you tame it, most of them can be overcome. It’s not for everyone (and it’s not the best ‘social camera’ as the focus can struggle in low light unless you stick to the short end of the zoom), but after a month or so of testing I find myself liking it more and more.

Imaging Resource (82)

Despite the controversy about the missing items common to the rest of the G-series, the Canon PowerShot G7 is a well-built, attractive, and refined image maker. Though I’m bugged by its low ISO image noise and obvious anti-noise signature, there’s no question that printed images from the PowerShot G7 look great, even when enlarged to 16×20 inches.

ePhotozine (80)

There’s a slight element that the G7, having been cut down to size, has rather lost something. It has a number of admirable features and is genuinely nice to use, but the performance is slightly off. The loss of the flip-out LCD is a real shame, but for those wanting a camera that’s convenient to carry, the large weight and size loss is surely a good thing.

About (80)

The Canon PowerShot G7 digital camera is the much-hyped latest addition to Canon’s G-series line of advanced digital cameras with high-end features yet pricetags below that of typical digital SLR cameras.

Trusted Reviews (80)

While the G7 is unquestionably a superb camera, head and shoulders above anything else at the same size or price, the slower lens, smaller profile and lack of RAW mode will deter many potential buyers from trading in their G6. Instead of the best semi-pro camera on the market, Canon has produced a well specified general purpose camera that will appeal to the more ambitious casual user, rather than as an SLR-alternative for the serious hobbyist.

Good Gear Guide (80)

A great advanced camera that offers almost all the features you’d expect in a sturdy and stylish case.

Luminous Landscape (80)

Overall I was very impressed with the Canon G7. It does a lot of things right within the context of its price, size and its likely intended constituency. Unfortunately a consequence of being a JPG-only camera is that too many technical decisions need to be made prior to shooting. Things like colour balance, saturation, sharpening, etc all get baked into the file, and the ability to recover burned-out highlights (which raw files provide) is lost when all you have is a JPG.

Digital Camera Magazine (80)

The G7 is a beautifully built camera and you can’t help but admire its finish and neat rectangular shape. However, while it performs well at low ISOs, the escalating noise and the ‘smudging’ from the internal noise reduction is a real disappointment here.

Pocket-lint (80)

It’s fair to say the Canon PowerShot G7 is a comprehensively specified and brilliantly built camera, but it is also fair to say it is a disappointment. All the reasons to own a G-series camera (excellent, fast lens, RAW capture, reams of detail and low noise) have been removed by a company trying to keep up with the 10-megapixel “Joneses”. Canon’s premium compact series of digital models has lost its crown.

Computer Shopper (80)

Image quality was among the best we’ve seen from a compact camera, but wasn’t truly mould-breaking.

PC World (78)

The G7’s shortcomings aside, its generous controls and easy navigation may prove an ideal combination for photographers who frequently adjust manual settings in pursuit of the perfect shot. But photo enthusiasts looking for a backup camera to supplement their digital SLR may be turned off by the G7’s high price, lack of RAW support, and mediocre battery life.

CNET (75)

The Canon PowerShot G7 is a solid enthusiast camera for those who’ve ruled out a budget dSLR.

Popular Photography & Imaging (70)

The Canon Powershot G7 is a great-looking camera with cool styling, a great build, and good menu navigation. We were expecting big things from this camera, but its performance in the lab is a disappointment, especially at the higher ISOs.

PC Mag (60)

Although there are fewer enthusiast cameras for the Canon PowerShot G7 to compete with, its unexciting performance, high price, and hefty weight keep it from earning an EC.

NeoCamera.com (40)

The Canon Powershot G7’s rating may surprise those who see a well-built 10 megapixels compact digital camera with a stabilized 6X optical zoom lens and full feature set. The G7 is all that. However, it should not surprise those who see its lengthy list of shortcomings.