As I have mentioned before on my posts, the war on camera's especially among bloggers has escalated to the point that every Tom, Dick and Harry would own him/herself a DSLR picture, henceforth I started a ban on myself from using any DSLR cameras for my pictures (read my rantings on this matter here).
However the problem lies on actually getting a camera that is worth your while. Undoubtedly I will man up and admit that a DSLR camera would take ridonk majestic pictures, something that most average cameras in town would not be able to match. But I am adamant to search for a cheaper, just as reliable alternative against a DSLR. After much collaboration with TeamTehTarik's resident photoblogger Safriz as well as several friends in town, my search came down to these two babies....
[Introducing the Canon Bros.!]
Right now the fad in the market would be the Canon G11 and the Canon S90 which carries almost enough punch to be reliable enough for an average camera user to have "almost as majestic" pictures that a DSLR has to offer. The problem is, which one between the two is better?
If you try to Google Search our two friends here, most people would not be able to give a straight answer to the question above, simply because of the similarity that both cameras has to offer. I'LL BE THE FIRST TO TAKE A STAND BETWEEN THE TWO CAMERAS!
Just for the fun of this review, I'm going to do it this way: each picture taken of the Canon S90 will be taken by the Canon G11 while pictures of the G11 will be done vice versa with EXACTLY THE SAME SETTINGS, WITHOUT ANY PHOTO ALTERATION as well as USING THEIR TIMER SYSTEM. Any pictures that has the both of them together would be done with Safriz's Canon EOS 7D. Cool? Lets go!
General View
The G11 would be your miniature DSLR without the weight and hefty price tag. Boasting 10 megapixels size pictures, 28 - 140 mm lens as well as other gizmotech statistics, this camera is soon becoming an all time favorite for many DSLR users who at times are too tired to carry around their cameras.
As an average photographer, one thing good about the camera is that it doesn't take a camera genius to really figure out the mechanics of the camera. Although I have to admit that I would still have to read the manual book to truly understand the nooks and crannies of the camera, in the end you wouldn't really have to take a course to get the functions of the camera. Even if you end up relying on the auto functions of the camera, it would still produce the results you want.
Two things that this camera really boast among other cameras out there, first would be the advent of the "hotshoe" or a slot that would allow the user to user and additional flash for the camera. To many, this would prove itself to be extremely useful as some would prefer the pictures be taken with that flash.
[Insert flash here]
Second would be the 360 swivel screen that is built in with the camera. This would mean that not only you would be able to take those "hard-to-reach" angles but also for you "camwhores" out there, taking a picture would now be a breeze as no more would you have to take your picture with you looking like a deer that is about to get hit by a truck.
[Camwhore Friendly!]
The S90 is a the definition of "little things that come in small packages". Despite having the same size as your average point and shoot cameras in the market, the picture taking capabilities of this camera is impressive. On specifications, the camera itself, also boasting at 10 megapixels with 28 - 105 mm lens. With all the capabilities of a professional DSLR camera packed into one, the mobility of the camera becomes a key factor why this camera should be considered into the ranks.
One major pro about the camera, coming from a guy who knows close to nothing about camera functionality, the camera can be extremely helpful to deal with those hard to adjust scenarios when taking a picture. This comes extremely handy when you're on holiday, dangling in an exotic cave and spotting a scene where you only have 30 seconds to take the picture. Point and shoot away...
One key feature that I find cool about the S90 would the the dual dial system that it has on the camera. Basically you would see a dial on the front lens of the camera as well as around the control dial behind the camera and it is up to the user to decide what those dials would represent. This would be a feature that they lack in most cameras out there, even for the DSLR.
[Dial "S" for spectacular]
One other cool feature of the camera would be the sensitivity as well as the focus of the camera, which for a layman would mean that the camera works absolutely perfect in dark areas and would even compensate for the camera even without the assistance of the flash. That would be perfect for beginner average users out there.
Reliability
After testing out both the cameras, both show equal reliability when it comes to taking pictures. For one things however, cameras such as this would require more care due to the size of the lenses that both camera boast. At the moment, both the S90 as well as the G11 now have the largest lenses for a point and shoot camera out there in the market.
For a more adventurous situation, so far the G11 has shown its worth better than the S90, especially for underwater pictures.
Size and Weight
Even on first glance, the difference between size can be seen clearly as the Canon G11 has a bigger size range in comparison to its S90 counterpart. Due to the functionality of the camera itself as well as the 360 swivel LCD screen on the camera, it does have a considerable larger weight as well in comparison to the S90 which in some form would be good as it creates a more stable frame in comparison to the S90.
Problems of the Camera
For the Canon G11, the major problem with the camera would be the weight. For an average point and shoot, the weight of the camera may be a little too much for you to carry around and does not give the same amount of mobility for the user himself. Apart from that, despite it boasting more functionality for the camera, it can be quite confusing for an average user to truly understand the capability of the camera itself. Finally, the 360 swivel LCD does tend to make the camera a little more fragile than it looks which would mean that the user would have to take extra attention in the care of the camera itself.
For the Canon S90, one major problem would be the dial control at the back of the camera which may be a little too sensitive to touch when taking pictures. If that itself is not already a problem, the dial itself is also located near the holding point of the camera itself. Another major issue of the camera would be the flash, where it would pop out in the most inconsiderable places while you are taking a picture. Talk about major pic block...
In conclusion, as the average cameraman, which would I prefer? My choice would definitely be the S90 by a long shot and I will explain why!
For every aspect on the camera it has been able to match the specifications of the G11. One thing about myself and I am pretty sure for most bloggers out there, mobility is the key factor for picture taking especially during events. The last thing you want is to fiddle around for your lenses while a great shot goes by.
So far, picture quality of the camera has yet to fail me. As most of you can make the comparison between the quality of the two cameras, you would be able to make your own judgement as to how both cameras would stand next to each other. Compact size, clear picture quality, as well as allows the user to have some form of creativity when using settings for a situation, my preference for all of you out there looking for a camera to go for the S90. You would not be sorry. :D
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