The Canon G10! More than just a “Point and Shoot!”

CanonG10test-web-0120, originally uploaded by craig.proulx.

I have always wanted to get a decent compact point and shoot camera to pack in my pocket for travel purposes. I was fortunate enough to recently get my hands on the new Canon Powershot G10 and decided what better way to break in the camera then to put it to one of my tests.

First, let me start by saying that the G10 is not your ordinary “point and shoot”. It is a 15 megapixel camera that can shoot RAW and comes with a hotshoe. I decided to shoot a simple, 3 light commercial type shot using a mountain bike. Using an off camera shoe cord mounted to the G10, I fired off a speedlight in a small softbox to my left down at ground level. The speedlight was set to master and using the Canon wireless system, I was able to control a gridded speedlight to my right for some fill light, plus fire off a strobe with double fluorescent color conversion gels behind the bike. I zoomed the flash to give some kick. I also used a piece of white foam core below the softbox to provide a little more fill. With all that in place, I must say the camera did a fine job! With the G10, I was able to shoot at ISO 80 to give me a fairly noise free image. Controlling the master flash (main light) was simple to do from the camera’s menu, as it gives you a fair amount of control over a 580EX.

Don’t mean to sound like a spokesperson for Canon, but if anyone out there wants a compact, point and shoot that has the ergonomics of a DSLR, I highly recommend the G10. Like most point and shoots, the lowest ISO’s are the greatest. Noise is definately there at 400 and above, but for a compact I can handle that. The resolution this camera I am impressed with also. I see no problem printing 8 X 10’s or even larger from the G10. All strobes fired using the Canon wireless system.

I should also add that I will be getting the underwater housing for this and maybe an underwater strobe as well in an effort to capture some marine life when I go to Aruba in December.  I don’t expect many keepers for the first few tries, but I am sure eventually I will get some.

–Craig