Sep 6, 2009
Features comparison: Canon PowerShot G11 vs PowerShot G10 vs PowerShot S90
Hey, I hope everyone’s having a great long weekend. But are you still feeling all excited about Canon’s new cameras? Can’t wait for our Canon PowerShot G11 review? Here’s a little something to temporarily quell your Canon G11 lust (or S90 lust) – a nice and simple comparison of the PowerShot G11’s feature set versus its predecessor (G10) and mini-G partner (S90). Hit the link to read more!
DPInterface Canon PowerShot G11 feature set comparison vs G10 and S90
Brad Soo – September 6th, 2009
| Difference | Canon PowerShot G10 | Canon PowerShot G11 | Canon PowerShot S90 |
| Resolution | 14.7 megapixels | 10.0 megapixels | 10.0 megapixels |
| Sensor size | 1/1.7 inch CCD | 1/1.7 inch CCD | 1/1.7 inch CCD |
| Lens | 28 – 140 mm F2.8 – F4.5 |
28 – 140 mm F2.8 – F4.5 |
28 – 105 mm F2.0 – F4.9 |
| LCD screen | 3.0 inch (460k pixels) | 2.8 inch (460k pixels) | 3.0 inch (460k pixels) |
| Rotating LCD | No | Yes | No |
| Optical finder | Yes | Yes | No |
| Shutter speed | 1/4000 to 15 seconds | 1/4000 to 15 seconds | 1/1600 to 15 seconds |
| ISO range | 80-1600 at full-res | 80-3200 at full-res | 80-3200 at full-res |
| Flash range Wide-angle Telephoto |
(Auto ISO) 30 cm to 4.6 m 50 cm to 2.8 m |
(Auto ISO) 50 cm to 7.0 m 50 cm to 4.0 m |
(Auto ISO) 50 cm to 6.5 m 50 cm to 2.5 m |
| Flash hotshoe | Yes | Yes | No |
| Custom mode | 2 mode spots | 2 mode spots | 1 mode spot |
| Custom WB memory | 2 settings | 2 settings | 1 setting |
| Low-light mode | No | Yes | Yes |
| Burst mode Normal Continuous AF |
1.3 FPS 0.7 FPS |
1.1 FPS 0.7 FPS |
0.9 FPS 0.6 FPS |
| Movie mode | VGA (640 x 480) at 30 FPS with mono sound | VGA (640 x 480) at 30 FPS with mono sound | VGA (640 x 480) at 30 FPS with mono sound |
| Battery life (LCD) | 400 shots | 390 shots | 220 shots |
| Size (mm) | 109.1 x 77.7 x 45.9 | 112.1 x 76.2 x 48.3 | 100.0 x 58.4 x 30.9 |
| Weight (grams) | 350 | 355 | 175 |
Oh, just a few quick words to explain things a bit: the Canon PowerShot G11 uses the same lens as the G10 and the same image sensor as the S90. Both the Canon PowerShot G11 and G10 feature optical viewfinders with identical specifications and dioptric correction (for people who wear glasses).
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Thanks for this chart, I for one, am about to buy a digital point and shoot and find this really useful. As for now I’m kinda swaying towards the G11. But i’m also considering the Panasonic LX3, the Leica D-Lux 4 and the Olympus EP-1.
Thanks for the great chart! I am debating between the G10 and G11. Do you have an opinion as to which would be better for underwater photography? I am concerned that the smaller LCD screen of the G11 will be more difficult to see detail underwater. My close vision is not very good.
Thanks.
Hi Eric, it depends on how often you’re going to take the camera underwater. The 0.2 inch difference in LCD size isn’t very big, but if you’re planning to take underwater pictures on a frequent basis, you’d probably be better off getting the largest LCD screen you can find.
Brad I disagree being a diver. Low light ability is more important than screen size…especially when we are talking about 0.2″ (grin). Both have the improved low light ability (and ISO 3200 which will me too grainy but gives you options), but the G11 will be easier for underwater housing companies (i.e., Ikelite) to engineer. Both will be great cameras, but think about the engineering in the housings. How are you going to change those manual settings using the ring underwater? Maybe some kind of rubber belt or clock wheel contraption…who knows. They will eventually figure it out, but for scuba you will see a G11 housing months before you see a S90 housing. Think about it, the G10 has been out for awhile and the G11 isn’t that different, so you will see underwater housings on the easiest to design: G11. You will also have a lot more housing options from different manufacturers too. You mentioned diving…shall we talk about flash (i.e., TTL)? dSLR’s don’t change to a new model as quickly as do point-and-shoots, so if you are going to spend $600 to $1400 for a housing, you better get the housing ASAP to get the maximum life out of your scuba setup. Hope that helps and have provoked additional questions.
Thanks to both Brad and David. I should have mentioned that I am 59 years old, with presbyopia. I wear contact lenses for the loss of close vision, but still, the .2 inches may make a difference. Do either of you have experience with the G10 shooting moving subjects (e.g., fish)? Does the G10 focus and shoot quick enough to capture moving sea creatures?
I only get to dive once per year, for about 10 days, so a DSLR set up for $4,500+ is not justified (plus I can’t afford it). My Canon SD790IS is great for documenting what I see, but the lack of depth of field is obvious. I’m hoping that a G10 would give me increased depth of field without having to cough up $5K.
Thanks again.
I was told by a canon rep that the G11 went down to 10 MP due to the difficulty processing the 14.7 in low light conditions. Diving as you know is generally low light and the G11 is supposedly superior to the G10 in low light and should therefore be better in underwater scenerios. I am also comparing the two and I think I will go with the G11. The G10 is a nice point and shoot though and would be hard to go wrong with.
I’m also considering the Panasonic LX3. It would be nice if you would include a comparison between G11 and LX3.
Guy’s,
i’m from Holland and for underwater shooting i would go with the G11. A great lens and best in class low light shooting. It even has a underwater setting on it!!
Have a lot of fun and shooting (foto shooting of course
Chris
Ps. for the underwater setting, see the user guide (downloadable from canon.com)
Well guys, I am a still photographer and my understanding is the screen won’t make that much of a difference on the G10 but what will make a bigger impact underwater because of dimmer light would be the G11. I would imagine that the reason they dropped the resolution in the G11 is, if you have the same size sensor and more pixels you will have more noise in low light. You can use bigger pixels which gather more light than the smaller ones. So my guess is the G11 would be better in low light because of the larger pixels in it.
Yes, what you have just said is correct. The G11’s sensor, which is of the same size as the G10’s but with less pixels, will in theory produce better pictures (lower noise overall, doesn’t have to be specifically low-light but it helps).
Eric’s situation above is different, however, as he would want a screen as large as possible due to his eyesight.