Don't buy this if you have active children
This camera does a little of everything, video with sound as well as images. The pictures it takes can be fantastic. Unfortunately the subject has to be pretty still or in very good lighting to get a good shot. I took this camera to a soccer practice of a bunch of 10-year-olds in the daytime with heavy cloud cover and not a single photograph turned out. That included the few I used the built-in flash on (it couldn't focus). I also tried shooting some pictures at an indoor game that were disastrous because of the quick subjects (10-year-olds again) and low lighting.
Even during several outdoor games in bright sunlight it just couldn't hack it. I took several hundred photographs to get 30 or 40 worth keeping. Most of the time I was struggling with the camera trying to get it to focus and snap before the children ran away and out of focus.
I also took this camera to Hawaii for a vacation. It did much better when the subject stood still and smiled, but none of the evening sunset-shots turned out.
The camera also has a flaw in that the lens blocks out part of the viewfinder. This isn't much of an issue once you get used to using the LED to line up your shots.
On the plus side, this camera has a very long battery life and can use the Ultra II compact flash cards. The software was also very easy to use (be sure to read the instructions BEFORE loading it onto your computer, not during).
Overall, my recommendation is to spend a little extra for an SLR camera and leave this one alone.
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Best price/performance ratio
I've been using this camera for 3 months, and have clicked about 1600 photos as of yesterday. Here's my take on it.
- The lens is amazing. Fast and crystal clear. In digital cameras, the lens quality is more important than the mega-pixels beyond a certain point - for me personally that's 3.2MP
- The battery lasts forever compared to other cameras in this range.
- Tons of features, with amazing customization and configurability. I've taken beautiful photos in extremely low light conditions to very still pictures in high motion environments.
- Very capable.
- The package comes with everything you need. All the cables, remote control, charger, ac adapter etc... The only thing you have to buy is a big memory card.
- The software drivers are nice, but the rest of the software is pretty useless. Download picasa (http://www.picasa.com) - it's better than iPhoto and is now free.
- It is big and bulky (smaller than an SLR, but bigger than the S50). I bought this instead of the small S500 - at the time they cost the same; and have no regrets. The capabilities are worth the extra bulk.
Read all the reviews of the purple fringing and chromatic aberrations. Here's my take
- all cameras have them
- personally, I've never noticed it.
- the pictures look great when printed out or on the screen.
- if you really want, you can fix them using software.
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Second G5 I have bought and love it!
Long review, but I made it funny and informative just for you!
Just understand ANYTHING you buy, there will always be something out there worse AND better than it. There ARE cameras out there better than the G5. BUT..for what this camera can do, it rocks.
I fought in Operation iraqi Freedom on the ground in combat, and had this camera with me in the desert for over a year and not one scratch on the lens OR LCD screen. Most of the other guys had these dinky point and shoot cameras than had no manual controls on them. Sure they took good pictures as well, but try to adjust manually when the sky turns dark, and you want that perfect shot. The G5 is awesome. Just awesome.
Its been dropped, stepped on, left outside in the rain, and its still working! I wouldn't recommend you try this, but its good to know, right?
The G5 isn't a $5000- 49 megapixel 5 star fleet commander camera your friend might have bought to impress everyone, but when it comes down to great pictures, DURABILITY, protection of the LCD screen, and manual controls...it beats them all.
Let those individuals who think its all about the megapixels buy those fancy laser guided, 22 megapixel cameras. Its just going to be 'obsolete' according to what the manufacturer says in a year anyway; you're G5 will always work, and Why??? BECAUSE GET OVER THE FACT THAT UNLESS YOUR A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURES OF TOM CRUISE ACTING LIKE AN IDIOT, NO ONE NEEDS OVER 5 MEGAPIXELS, not today, not tomorrow, not in 300 years.
Just because its 2007 and not 2004 doesn't mean we as consumers need any clearer photographs. If they get any 'clearer' our pictures are going to be invisible!! In 2045, a 5 megapixel camera is still going to take awesome shots. Besides, the Hubble Telescope's 'Wide Field Camera' only uses ONE megapixel and look at the shots it takes! Ya, thats right cousin John, always bragging about your 10 megapixel piece of crap.
The whole concept of 'MORE' megapixels is just those idiot companies trying to get us to spend more money we don't have.
In my opinion, as an owner of 2-G5's, (bought the second because after surviving iraq, I dropped it in my pool; yes im an idiot, i know) if you want a camera thats going to last, go with this one.
And one last thing, when your family members or friends pull out their 40 megapixel government issued, super-expensive digital Pro XLX-2000 camera, bragging about how they can print 400'x400' posters, just slap them across the face, take a picture of their shock with your G5, and walk away laughing.
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Very happy with this camera!
It's been a number of years now that I've had my G5 and I've been very pleased with it. At the time I purchased it, it was the only camera with all the features I was looking for. The pictures are very sharp, the colours amazing, and the battery seems to go on forever! I absolutely love the swivel LCD screen and use it all the time (it was the only camera I knew of that had it at the time of purchase and one of the big reasons I chose it). It not only allows for unusual photos but it protects the screen as well. The remote is also very handy! The manual is well thought-out and easy to use. It doesn't come with a case but I was able to find one (Lowepro) at a local drugstore that fit the camera, battery, remote and a couple of memory cards quite nicely!
My only complaint is that it sometimes takes a long time to focus-if it does at all-when the subject is low contrast (mind you, even some of those shots come out beautiful in an abstract way). It's also a bit big to carry with me everywhere so I've recently purchased another smaller Canon camera (I'll review that one once I've had a chance to play with it). Other than that I've been very happy with this camera.
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