Sufficient memory is not included.
Don't get caught without memory, get a high-capacity memory card.
Canon has given its popular PowerShot series a face lift with the addition of the PowerShot G12 Digital Camera. While remaining true to many of its predecessor's features, the G12 comes busting out of the gate with what's fast becoming a standard on digital cameras: digital video (with stereo sound no less!). Shoot 1280 x 720p HD video with stereo audio using this compact, yet versatile camera. Awesome, right?
In addition to riding the video tide the G12 also stays competitive with its 10MP still image capture. Shoot RAW and JPEG files to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards, among others, with the help of the camera's 1/1.7" CCD image sensor and DIGIC 4 image processor, otherwise referred to as Canon's HS System. The G12 additionally sports a 3200 ISO setting for excellent shooting in low light settings.
Long loved for its unobtrusive nature, the PowerShot series of cameras are excellent for the pro or amateur alike - it's no behemoth Pro DSLR, but it still manages to pack in many of the exciting and appreciated features of one. That being said, the G12's a heck of a lot easier to carry around in your bag. Some additional features pros, or anyone looking to make great photos, will appreciate include, the option for manual control, along with Canon's much celebrated Hybrid IS function which is the combination of the genuine Canon 28mm lens, 5x optical zoom, and optical image stabilization. Hybrid IS is particularly touted to make easy work of capturing stunning macro shots.
Another notable feature on the G12 is its High Dynamic Range. Based on the principle of bracketing, HDR helps you capture a well balanced image that presents both highlights and low lights (AKA: shadow) in an appealing manner - giving your images that pop factor! This function also has an aspect to it named, i-Contrast. i-Contrast lets the user determine the amount of HDR correction that's applied to the image, which can be helpful in avoiding highlight blowout and keeping details from getting lost in the shadows. Canon's Tracking AF also comes into play here by allowing the shooter to select a subject to 'track' in case of movement while shooting.
You'll be happy to hear that Canon kept its well-received Vari-Angled LCD screen as well - giving you a whole 2.8" of flip-out, multi-angled flexibility for composition and playback of all your video and still images. As a step up from the previous permutation the G12 features a number of aspect ratios, including: 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 4:5, and 16:9. Other notable features include Canon's Smart AUTO, electronic leveling, a high dynamic range, AF tracking, and a front dial - all of which are designed to help make your shooting enjoyable and successful.
In addition, a low light mode, new to the G series, lets you capture images in an astonishing range of conditions. The camera automatically adjusts the ISO speed from 3200 up to an enhanced 12800 when reacting to ambient brightness, subject movement, and camera shake
| Imaging | |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Effective: 10 Megapixel, Actual Pixels: 10.4 Megapixel |
| Sensor | 1/1.7" CCD |
| File Formats |
Still Images: JPEG, RAW Movies: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MOV Audio: Linear PCM |
| Other Resolutions |
3648 x 2048 @ 16:9 3648 x 2432 @ 3:2 3648 x 2736 @ 4:3 2736 x 2736 @ 1:1 2192 x 2736 @ 4:5 |
| Aspect Ratio | 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 4:5, 16:9 |
| Image Stabilization | Optical |
| Color Spaces | sRGB |
| Optics | |
|---|---|
| Lens |
EFL: 28-140mm Aperture: f/2.8 (W) - 4.5 (T) |
| Zoom |
Digital: 4x Optical: 5x |
| Focus Range |
Macro: 0.4" (1.02 cm) - 1.6" (4.06 cm) Auto: 1.6" (4.06 cm) - Infinity |
| Exposure Control | |
|---|---|
| ISO Sensitivity | Auto, 80-3200 |
| Shutter | 15 - 1/4000 sec |
| Exposure Metering | Center-weighted, Evaluative, Spot |
| Exposure Modes | Modes: AE Lock, Auto ISO Shift |
| White Balance Modes | Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Tungsten, Underwater |
| Flash | |
|---|---|
| Built-in Flash | Yes: Auto, FE Lock, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction |
| Effective Flash Range | 16 - 23' (487.68 - 701.04 cm) |
| External Flash Connection | Hot Shoe |
| Memory | |
|---|---|
| Memory Card Type |
SD SDHC SDXC MMC MMCplus HC MMCplus |
| Recording | |
|---|---|
| Video Recording | Yes, NTSC/PAL |
| Video | |
|---|---|
| Video Clip Length | Up to 4GB or 2 Hours |
| Audio Recording | With Video, Stereo |
| Viewfinder/Display | |
|---|---|
| Viewfinder Type | Optical |
| Screen | 2.8" LCD |
| Connectivity/System Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity |
USB 2.0 Audio Out AV Output HDMI C (Mini) 1 Please Note:Audio out= stereo audio out close |
| Environmental | |
|---|---|
| Operating/Storage Temperature |
Operating 32 to 104 °F (0 to 40 °C) |
| Power | |
|---|---|
| Battery | Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack |
| AC Power Adapter | ACK-DC50 (Optional) |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 4.41 x 3 x 1.9" / 112.01 x 76.20 x 48.26 mm |
| Weight | 12.4 oz / 352 g |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Most Liked Positive Review
Excellent image quallity
I have been photographing for many years as both professional and enthusiast with Leica's, Hasselblad's and Nikon's, and I am continually amazed at the image quality from the Canon G12, even from its jpegs...Read complete review
I have been photographing for many years as both professional and enthusiast with Leica's, Hasselblad's and Nikon's, and I am continually amazed at the image quality from the Canon G12, even from its jpegs (RAW is very impressive). I typically photograph with both formats, jpg and RAW, and save times are typically three seconds at most--not inconvenient but not instant either. Startup is very fast with the G12, AF is accurate, and the close-up capabilities are crisply impressive at wide-angle. Lens flare is virtually non-existent, image contrast is very high, sharpness is excellent, noise is extremely well controlled, and chromatic aberrations are hard to find (and easily corrected with software). I'd previously owned a G9, which was notable, but the G12 blows it away. I've also owned the Panasonic ZS7, which the G12 leaves in the dust, and own an Olympus E-P2, which G12 images compare favorably with although not as detailed. Even when printing at 13 x 18 inches the G12 results are surprisingly nuanced and detailed with little or no noise (ISO 80-200). Needless to say, I'm very happy with the results. I think it's Canon best G series to date.MOVIES: AF (continuous), AE Lock, and Exposure Compensation ARE NOT AVAILABLE in movie mode! In other words whichever focus point you began with when you started shooting is exactly where the camera will remain for the remainder of that video. No, you can't begin with a close-up and then shift to focus on something far. The AF won't work. Which is dumb. A huge disappointment from Canon for those interested in video! I hope they fix this with a firmware update.SOFTWARE: The included Canon Digital Photo Professional software does a great job of converting RAW files into 16-bit or 8-bit Tiff, including manipulating the parameters for Unsharp Mask, and notates the RAW file so that your settings can be recalled when re-opened. It also lets you adjust White Balance, Contrast, Tone Curve, Saturation, Sharpness, Noise, Crop, etc. While it doesn't have the finesse of controls in Adobe Camera Raw (Adobe Bridge) it does a very good job, including Batch processing. HANDLING: I found the handling and heft of the Canon G12 to be very comfortable, especially in using the swivel-tilt LCD screen (which is very sharp, by the way). The knurled ring on the front just below the shutter/zoom button (which allows you to adjust shutter speed of aperture, depending on Mode) is very useful, although I times I found it too easy to mistake it for the zoom control.Infrequently I found myself wishing that the zoom range was a bit longer, perhaps 28 to 200mm. But realistically I think Canon's decision to limit the zoom range to 28-140mm (more than enough for most situations) is probably one of the factors that makes the lens such an outstanding performer. The Canon G12 is a great little camera that tries to compete with Micro Four Thirds and blows point-and-shoots out of the water.
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Most Liked Negative Review
Nice camera, but a little overpriced
Overall, I think the G12 is a nice camera. My last Canon G-Series was a G2, which I really liked. Since the G2, I've mainly use Panasonic FZ series digital compacts, because ...Read complete review
Overall, I think the G12 is a nice camera. My last Canon G-Series was a G2, which I really liked. Since the G2, I've mainly use Panasonic FZ series digital compacts, because of the high-quality Leica lenses, the zoom range, the ability to achieve focus quickly, and the intuitive controls. I made the switch to the G12 because I wanted better quality from high-ISO images, decent manual controls, and the capability to take HD movies. The good… The camera produces very nice images that I have no doubt will allow printing up to 12"x18" at near the quality of my D300. The images at ISO 100 and 200 are very clean, and ISO 400 is completely usable. The lens has a little bit of distortion (mainly at the wide end), but it is very sharp. Also, the zoom range is fairly decent. The camera feels nice in-hand, and has all of the main controls very accessible.The bad… My main gripe has to do with the build quality and the price. The build quality is definitely nice, but it doesn't feel as nice as what a [$] compact should provide. It really should have an all metal body in this price range (only the front plate is metal). Also, some of the dials feel a little cheap. The other gripe has to do with the controls. As you adjust aperture/shutter speed/ISO/etc., the camera feels a bit sluggish to respond. It's not as fast as my 2 year old Panasonic. It's also not a speed demon when it comes to focusing. It takes about ½ to 1 sec to focus in good light. It's not bad, but I was hoping for closer to DSLR-speed for a high-end compact camera in the $500 price range. The battery charge indicator isn't very useful – it goes from full charge (three bars) to dead in about 10 minutes of actual use. However, this syndrome is pretty common with digital compacts. The tripod hole is not centered with lens axis. Lastly, the optical finder is almost useless.Sorry, no ugly… it's a good looking camera with very intuitive controls.Because of the build quality and the sluggish controls, I'm left just a bit disappointed. I would probably be satisfied had I only paid $400 for this camera. Despite this, I will still enjoy the nice images that can be produced using this camera.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I wanted to replace my old Nikon and this product seemed to have the added features that represented an upgrade. I especially like the larger, clearer LCD and the faster cycle time between pictures. The camera is heavier, but contains more power and capability.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
The Canon PowerShot G12 is a great camera for easy operation and pictures that you don't want to spend a lot of time with manual settings...without reading the manual it's a camera that anyone can use and take quality pictures!
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
The ability to take great shots at the click of a button as well as a host of manual functions.
The Scene modes are a really handy feature to this camera allowing you to take special shots without any real in depth photography knowledge. I especially like the new Miniature Effect.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
in journalistic reports, on the run. Small. Good quality photos & video.
Good: lightweight, rugged,
Not so great: Manual can be improved
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
This is quickly becoming my back-up point and shoot camera.
This is the closest that I have seen a point and shoot come to being able to have all the controls to switch easily to a manual set-up. This allows the photographer of this camera to quickly switch to a more manual controls, which makes it like a small DSLR.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
Good for the amature or pro
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I use my camera for travel photography.
The camera is easy to use or you can use the professional settings for more control.
I don't have any negative comments for this camera. I have two Canon G5's that I have been using for years and I feel this camera has great improvements with the newer technology in Canon's R & D.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
The fotos are so great
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I purchased this model because of good reviews by customers as well as Consumer Reports and dpreview.com. It is solid (much better than average plastic models) with many good features, including capacity to mount filters. I love my polarizer filters! Pictures so far are very good.In spite of an incredible amount of options, this camera is relatively easy to learn because of Canon's approach. Love the many manual dials, reminds me of my old 35mm SLRs, except smaller. The small size is nice for walking around, but just a bit cramped for my long fingers. Otherwise, I'm VERY pleased with the G12.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
High quality compact easy to use professional point and shoot.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I bought this camera after using a friend's G11 and the G12 has added bonuses! I love that the LCD flips open and around so that you can take pics of yourself and set up to take group pictures on the time. The video is always an added feature.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I purchased my G12 because I wanted better quality shots then the ones I got with my point-and-shoot and I wanted to feel my way around shooting in manual. So far, the G12 has done exactly that. It is really user friendly and the pictures are beautiful! Definitely recommend if you are a beginner/getting the photography itch!
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
i had a Canon G9 for 5 years but recently upgraded to the G12.
I love this line of cameras! It works great in full auto mode, and has all the manual controls of a DSLR. The photos and video from this camera look great, and the controls are user friendly.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
The G12 is great for those occasions when my 7D is too heavy or obtrusive. The menus and functions will be familiar to a canon shooter, so it is a quick learning curve. The G12 shoots raw files, will accept canon flashes, has an optical viewer, an articulating display screen. File output in Raw acceptable. Great camera for street photography.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I have a Canon G11 for my personal use.I purchased the G12 for my daughter as a replacement for her Canon S3 which was nearibg the end of it's fun filled life.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
Have a 7D that can be obtrusive at times, the G12 will provide an uninvasive option to a full size SLR. It offers RAW capture and a small and anonymous package.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I bought this for a first time trip to South Africa. It takes beautiful pictures, stunning HD videos and is so simple to use! I guess there are people who like to fool with manual adjustments. But on "auto" my shots came out great.
I should have purchased a telephoto lens with it, maybe a 24x. The 5x is OK but is not OK for distance shots. My fault, not the camera's.
I got an additional battery pack which was smart and took three 8 gig cards.
Check out the videos at hwh1946. Lots of bumps from the RangeRover and the wind. But check out the quality of the film.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I purchased a Canon PowerShot G12 after using my daughter's G12 over Christmas. My small digital camera had limited battery left and my daughter's G12 still had a full charge.
The camera was very intuitive. I had never seen nor operated it in the past and found it easy to operate, albeit only on auto. The photos I took with my digital vs. the G12 were incomparable. The G12 took much nicer photos. Additionally, the G12 was very quick.
I look forward to learning how to operate the G12 off of its manual setting.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I always carry it with me.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot G12 Digital Camera:
I love the 'swing out' viewer. This is wonderful and great for those of us who are some years beyond 20 20 vision.
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