Finally a new king in the 1-D series from Canon and what a monster it is with 10fps and dual Digic processors.

What a beast!

It makes me really wonder what Nikon is going to come out with this year…D3x, D300? D3h?

Specifications

• World’s fastest AF DSLR with approximately 10 fps continuous shooting in One-Shot AF or AI Servo AF
• Maximum burst (JPEG Large, compression level approximately 110 shots; RAW, approximately 30 shots (based on Canon’s testing standards)
• Dual DIGIC III Image Processors for fine detail, natural color reproduction and high-speed performance
• ISO 100-3200 with ISO speed extension, L= 50, H = 6400
• Live View in camera and remote, wired and wireless
• New 45-point Area AF sensor with 19 high-precision, cross-type points (f/2.8 compatible), 26 standard-precision AssistAF points
• New AF point selection methods
• AF micro-adjustment (fine adjustment of AF point of focus)
• New methods of AF point expansion during manual AF point selection

• New 10.1-megapixel CMOSsensor, APS-H size
• Professional EOS Integrated Cleaning System with Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit, Dust Delete Data acquisition
• RAW, sRAW (new SmallRAW), RAW+JPEG, sRAW+JPEG, JPEG+JPEG simultaneous recording
• Increased shutter durability of approximately 300,000 cycles
• Large and bright 3.0-inch LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels and wide viewing angle
• Selectable noise reduction for high ISO images, 50% less shadow noise for all images
• Ships this spring for $3999 (body only)

So price here should be around RM14,000.

Related Reading

1. Canon Press Release
2. Full res sample images from Canon
3. High iso sample images from Canon
4. More info from Canon USA

A lot of people have been waiting for the Canon Powershot G7 to come out, a solid replacement for it’s very well received predecessors (some of the only PnS type cameras with a f/2.0 aperture! This made then excellent for low light photography).

Basic Features

• 10.0-megapixel (effective) CCD, delivering image resolutions as high as 3,648 x 2,736 pixels
• 6x optical zoom lens, 35mm equivalent of 35-210mm
• 4x maximum digital zoom
• Real-image optical viewfinder
• 2.5-inch color LCD monitor
• Full Manual through Automatic exposure available, including Aperture and Shutter priority and 17 preset Scene modes
• Built-in flash with five modes and an intensity adjustment
• Topside external flash hot shoe
• SD/SDHC/MMC memory storage (32MB card included)

It seems like Canon made a bit of a goof with the G7 and didn’t hit the spot quite right, the build quality is there but the features, the hardware (widest aperture of f/2.8) and the picture quality are definitely not there.

I’ve seen quite a few people buying it with the underwater casing for dive photos, it’s quite a reasonably priced package at around RM2300 (less than US$1000) for the camera and casing, and as it has pretty good high ISO and decent bright lens it should be ok.

I’m leaning towards the more versatile (And cheaper) Canon Powershot A710 IS though, with the underwater casing it comes in at around RM1900.

I also agree with the reviewers who say there is a gap in the market that could have been filled by the G7, by people who don’t need or want to carry an SLR but need more than a PnS can offer, people like myself, and most of you reading this site I imagine.

Personally I was looking forwards to the G7, but I am a bit disappointed, I’m still holding off my purchase of an underwater kit, to see what else comes out.

I’m tempted by the Fuji F31 too, but no stabiliser and only 3x zoom feels limiting.

G7 Reviews:

Canon PowerShot G7 – CNET

Though the reasons for buying the PowerShot G7 have dwindled, they haven’t disappeared entirely. It’s an optimal choice as a second camera, when you can’t or won’t schlep a dSLR with you, if you’re not quite ready to take the leap from a point-and-shoot to a full-fledged interchangeable lens system, or if you need the flexibility of a movie-capture mode.

Canon Powershot G7 – Steve’s Digicams

Bottom line – 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. That said, the G7 is a good choice for the beginner, novice, or enthusiast that wants a less bulky alternative to carrying around a dSLR and a bag of lenses

Canon PowerShot G7 Review – imaging resource

Those SLR owners looking for a second or third shooter should give both the Canon G7 and the A640 a close look. In addition to IS, the G7 has the advantage of a long-lasting Lithium-ion battery, like you’re used to with your SLR. But I have to warn you that you might be disappointed with the speed of the Canon G7 relative to your digital SLR. Once you’re tuned to one type of shutter, it’s very difficult to return to a slower mechanism, but not bad if you’re already accustomed.

DCRP Review: Canon PowerShot G7

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.

Canon PowerShot G7 Review – DPReview

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.

G7 Review – Luminous Landscape

As it is, the G7 will still have a lot of appeal due to its really good noise characteristics and a sharp lens with a decent focal range. A solid metal body and appealing assortment of additional features such as IS and audio recording contribute to its attractiveness. I don’t know of any current digicam that offers as much quality for the money. That same money will now by you a DSLR with kit lens, but then this won’t fit in your pocket, doesn’t have the same reach, and can’t shoot silently. There is a place for both, regardless of Canon’s apparent fears of cannibalization.

Submit a favorite photo of your own on any topic of your choosing for possible publication in an upcoming issue of National Geographic. Selections will appear in both the print and online magazines.

Before you begin the submission process, please make sure your photograph meets the following requirements:

* JPG or JPEG file format (ex. YourImage.jpg or YourImage.jpeg)
* At least 1,600 pixels wide (if a horizontal image) or 1,600 pixels tall (if a vertical image)
* Total file size must be under 2 megabytes (MB) (2048 kilobytes [KB])

Entering is easy! The rules for entry can be found here.

National Geographic invites interested parties to submit a digital photograph for possible publication in National Geographic magazine and on ngm.com. To submit a photograph on a topic of your choosing for possible publication in an upcoming issue of National Geographic, click Submit Your Photo and follow the step-by-step directions on that page. We will accept submissions beginning on the 15th of every month. No more than 5,000 submissions will be accepted per submission period. Limit one photograph submission per person. One or two images will be published in the print magazine and an additional three images will be chosen for publication online. You must be 18 years of age or older to submit a photograph.

You can submit your photography to Natgeo here:

Your Shot Entry Submission

FAQ is here.

The photographic set FS-122 is designed for amateurs and professionals to take close-up pictures of distant subjects on a colour or black-and-white film: animals, birds and plants in natural environment, sports actions, architectural shots.

It’s pretty cool eh, sniper fitting for your camera!

The photographic set FS-122 comprises Zenit-122S SLR camera with TAIR-3S telephoto lens, MC Helios-44M-6 interchangeable lens and accessories.

More info here:

Zenit PhotoSniper

This is a extremely useful page if you are into checking out the performance of the CF cards you are purchasing.

It’s also updated fairly frequently when new cards come out.

CF/SD Performance Database

The data in the tables below was derived by timing how long it took the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II to write out 16 Large ( Quality 8 ) JPEG and 10 RAW .CR2 photos to the card. Timing commenced when the camera’s card status light illuminated, and stopped when the light went out. Each test cycle was performed 3 times (if the card’s capacity allowed for that) to ensure accurate results. All cards were first secure erased, then formatted in the camera (except for larger-than-2GB SD cards, which won’t work in this camera unless they’re formatted on a computer), prior to testing.

Personally I don’t go for the latest fastest cards (Currently SanDisk Extreme IV 2GB) as they are expensive, but I only buy SanDisk as that’s what every pro recommends and they are definitely the most reliable.

I’m currently using 2x 2GB SanDisk Ultra II cards and 1x 1GB Apacer just as a backup.

As my camera is only 5fps and has a fairly good buffer (around 19 shots with RAW) and I don’t often shoot sport I don’t need the super fast write speed the 166x speed cards write.

I do recommend using SanDisk and also spreading out your cards, it’s better to have 4x 2GB cards than 1x 8GB card, as if that one 8GB card fails everything is gone..

A lot of people still use 1GB cards as they prefer to swap often and safeguard their pics.

I’m thinking of getting a PSD (Portable Storage Device) as well, something like the Epson P-5000, but they are so freaking expensive.

Urgh….GAS (Gadget Acquisition Syndrome) is bad.