CANON Powershot G7

Decide to buy Canon Powershot G7, don't know if is the right decision or not. I need a compact digital camera for normal use like photo products, photo properties, some shots of movements like shots of some sports action but very few. Did compared with Panasonic Lumix and Fujifilm products but found G7 have horse shoe for flash but the other doesn't for the compact line. Do you think this is the right decision?

Keep in mind, although the G7 has an improved image processor (Digic III), more pixels (10MP compared to 7.1, and a more versatile lens (35-210mm) when compared to the G6, the lens is much slower, limiting you to F2.8 at 35mm. The relatively fast F2.0 lens of the previous G series cameras was always one of the selling points.


In fact, reading reviews, it seems there's not much to recommend this camera, as it's being called an "unwelcome downgrade" of the G6.

From DP REview:


Conclusion - Cons

Many features that made the G series stand out have been removed; fast lens, raw mode, vari-angle screen, IR remote, big long-life battery, LCD status panel

Some shadow noise visible even at ISO 80

Lack of grip and 'classic styling' don't make for great handling

ISO 1600 so noisy it's pointless, ISO 3200 very low resolution

Focus sometimes hunts in low light at longer focal lengths and in macro mode

Indistinct 'half press' point and long shutter release travel make refocusing more difficult than it should be

Continuous mode slows down over ISO 200

Non-standard Exif means non-Canon software can't read ISO values

Highlight clipping and metering issues in bright conditions

Purple fringing and some CA visible at wide end of zoom in some shots

Focus speeds and shutter lag (when using LCD) could be better

Battery life not great

Quite pricey

Thanks Poorman, it seems a very negative choice for G7, by force, any comments if I swift to look at Fujifilm's Finepix S-9600 or Panasonic's DMC-FZ50.