This is my third Canon digital camera, an upgrade from my Elf S400, a very nice camera that took very nice pictures. But the G6 blows it out of the water in terms of features and picture quality. Coming from the film school, I have not seen many digitals that could replace Kodak or Fuji slide film... until now. One picture on automatic out of the box made me a believer... superb! Flash shots are perfectly exposed edge to edge even in very dim light. And the list of features will take me years to learn, although many are similar to 35mm film boxes. Taking a poor picture with this camera would require either a defective unit or body movement while shooting. The included remote control takes care of hand shake blur.... a winner of a feature. I compared sample pictures on line from this camera, the Pro1, and the Sony DSCV3. Of course, I read all the reviews as well. The pictures from the G6 were the same or slightly better than from the Pro1 and significantly better than the Sony. This camera is a real deal for what you get... recommended without reservation for someone who wants more than a point-and-shoot model, although it does this extremely well. If is also for the person who enjoys a learning curve and who does not mind a camera with a bit extra bulk and weight... it is like a compact SLR film camera.

I owned previously a Canon S45. I decided to move up a little bit as my interest in ohotograpy increased. I own this G6 now for about 4 months. Very user friendly and picture quality is perfect. They could put a little bit more zoom though.
The only con to me is the lens adapter if you want to use filters or other lenses.
An almost SLR...

I had been using a Powershot A20 (2 megapixel) camera for several years and decided to upgrade to a digital camera that gave me the ability to learn and use shutter speeds, lenses, etc. I didn't want to spend $1,000 or more on a camera that required instant knowledge of basic photography (it's been many years since I tried to manually focus). The G6 has provided everything I wanted. By using the various modes (Auto, P, Tv, Av and M), I can take point & shoot shots for general use and still have the option to use manual controls to learn the best shutter speed for water shots, etc. The 4x optical zoom is fine for most shots, and with the 1.75x teleconverter you increase that to 7x. The macro and supermacro setings are absolutely fantastic - I've got shots of dew drops on flowers that are amazing. There are many other settings in the menu and function areas worth looking at. The vivid setting punches up colors (perfect for flowers, etc. but be careful to change it back when shooting people), the ND filter is great when you want to use slow shutter speeds, and the flash sync allows you to change when the flash goes off. One of the coolest abilities of this camera is the ability to shoot in Jpeg and, during the review period right after taking the shot, push the flash button and your shot is converted into RAW. This means that you don't need to take all your shots in RAW (just in case you get that one special shot). As RAW reduces your storage capacity by more than half, this is wonderful. The battery life is one of the best - I can get about 3-5 days of average use (50-80 photos/day) on one battery charge. I bought one extra battery and I haven't found myself without power yet. I use one til it dies, pop in the other and finish my day, then that night I charge the first (it only takes 90 minutes) and the next day I'm ready to go again. No more pockets filled with disposable batteries.
In respect to the included 32mb card, you definitely want more (512mb minimum) - however, in the world of digital cameras, 32mb included is pretty good. Many still include an 8mb card only.
Memory storage at the Large/Superfine (3072 x 2304) setting are as follows:

32mb - 9 shots
64mb - 19
128mb - 40
256mb - 81
512mb - 163
1gb - 327
2gb - 645

Note that these numbers are affected by additional settings such as landscape, wide angle, zoom, macro and supermacro, in addition to the complexity of the shot composition (landscape vs. single flower). However, in my usage, I have found them to be accurate enough to bank on.
All in all, this camera has provided me with a great "point and shoot" camera with great advancement potential. In addition, it actually assists me in learning photographic techniques (use the Tv mode and manually set your shutter speed, the camera automatically sets the best matching aperture setting - after a while you start to get a feel for what combinations work best).

Do not buy Canon G6. Buy Sony V3 instead. I have done the research and paid the price for you.

When I buy cameras, the most important thing to me is picture quality. I have owned two digital cameras (3 MP and 5 MP, both are Sony) and I was upgrading to 7MP.

I narrowed my search to Sony V3 and Canon G6. I thought G6 may deliver better picture qualify because it has a bigger lens. I found out in a hard way that in this case, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER!

Here is the story: I bought a G6 about 3 months ago (at $599.99). I compared it side by side (same objects same conditions) with my 3MP Sony DS75 and astonishingly saw that my three-year-old Sony DS75 beat the G6 both in resolution and color of the pictures. I was very disappointed and decided to compare the G6 and V3. I brought my compact flash card to a local chain store that sells both the G6 and V3. The sales person was kind enough to let me take dozens of picture at the store using my compact flash card in both the G6 and V3. I compared the pictures at home. Every single shot (in door) by the V3 was better.

What about outdoor pictures? I bought the Sony V3. I took many outdoor pictures using both the G6 and V3. Again, the V3 outdoor pictures have much better resolution and color. I was totally convinced that the G6 was just a piece of junk.

Another thing for the G6: It does not have date/time stamp unless you print in out in a Canon printer. Years from now, I don't want to check the time I create the picture file to figure out when the pictures were taken. If date/time stamp is important to you, another reason to forget about the G6.

I returned the G6 (paid 15% restock fee). I have taken over a thousand pictures with my V3 and I am very happy with it. Picture quality is much better with the Sony V3. Don't be fooled by the size of the Canon lens. If there is a 0 star option for rating, I will give G6 a 0 star.

I am convinced that this is the best 7-megapixel camera in its class. My previous cameras have been Canon Powershot s45, Minolta A1, and the Sony V1. This surpasses them all. I was very pleased with the sensor in the camera and have found that it has much less noise than the 8-megapixel variety. Many 8-megapixel cameras have had some noise and "fringing" issues in trying to cram too many megapixels on such a small sensor, but the G6 is the perfect "marriage" between resolution and compactness. The G6 is very responsive and is fast between shots.

Some bells and whistles that I did not plan on using very much but that now I cannot live without are the swivel LCD and the remote. They have greatly added to the "fun factor" of the camera!

I am a bit annoyed with some people giving this camera marks even as low as four stars, for reasons that are beyond the scope of the camera (example- reviewers wishing that the G6 had a longer optical zoom). If you want a longer zoom, then buy a camera with a longer zoom.

This camera deserves a 5-star rating. It is incredibly good at what it was designed to do- take high quality shots, for those who want a prosumer camera, in a compact unit!

I purchased this camera about a month ago and have taken at least a hundred photos with it so far. I'm still learning the technical jargon of photography and it'll probably take a few more months to learn everything this camera can do.

It's not going to fit in your pocket, but it will fit in a small camera case you can put on your belt or over your shoulder. A lot of people scoff at anything that isn't a digital SLR, but their size makes them too cumbersome to carry around if you like to go out in the "bush" with you. With 7.1 megapixels, you will get sharp pictures that can be blown up large enough to put hang on the wall (perhaps 11X17 or larger). Remember, you won't see much if any difference on a computer screen because the most CRT's resolution is less than 7 megapixels. It's only when you zoom in that you notice the increased detail.

If you're an amateur photographer that wants to learn photography and produce high-quality images, you can get this camera for under $500 bucks. I suggest at least buying the 58MM adapter for the wide angle lens or telephoto, because you can then buy polarizing filters, which are essential for taking excellent photos on sunny days. I think that the most overated stat on these types of cameras is the zoom. It's occaisionally useful to have some zoom capability, but most of the time you want a wide angle shot to show the largest field of vision possible, especially for scenery shots.

If you really want 5x optical zoom or more, don't buy this camera, but make sure you get one with image stabilization.

I even saw it for sale for $360, but that deal actually sounded too good to be true! Search around and find the best price-I paid about $480 bucks. BUT do read the store reviews and make sure you're dealing with a reputable place.

I purchased this camera as a upgrade from my first one and I LOVE it! It takes wonderful high quality pictures! It is so easy to use with some very cool features! I love the picture zoom, also takes great close up shots! If you are considering this camera, go for it!! You will love it! Ton's of accessories are available, very nicly made camera!!!

Have use the Canon G6 camera for the last two months and I'm quite impressed with the quality of the photos and its operations. The photo sharpness and vivid colors are superb!! It is also easy to use. I found that you must rely on the viewfinder for outdoor shots - their is always to much glare on the LCD. The flexible LCD is fantastic for viewing shots. Have not tried out all of the manual functions yet and may not have too - this camera takes great pictures in auto mode. Battery life is very good - shot well over 200 pictures with plenty of juice left for viewing. Shot movies and panorama images and both were excellent. So far I'm a happy customer...

I love this camera....I've had it for a little over a month now and it's been nothing but good to me. The instructions were clear and the pictures even clearer!!

I have only had the camera for a short time but have truly enjoyed using it. It is easy to use, the camera takes sharp pictures and the colors are true. It as easy to set up and use initially and the built in flash works well for up to about 12-14 feet. I look forward to learning more about the features.

This camera took great pictures and I just loved it until I found myself on a two month trip and it stop zooming or focusing.
Canon's said it would cost $175 to repair this 9 month old camera as it had " impact damage". This camera was never dropped or bumped and was always with me. I have travelled many years with cameras other than a Canon and have never had a problem. I don't know if this camera is too "delicate" or what went wrong but Canon certainly was not willing to back up the camera without a hefty charge! I'm very disappointed in the product. A camera of this price should last longer than 9 months!

This is my third digital camera, but it's been a few years since the second and it was definitely obsolete. I was tempted to go top of the line, because I've two excellent SLRs (Nikon and Minolta) with all the trimmings, but the prices made that unfeasible right now.

I'm very satisfied with the features of the Canon G6 however; I've taken about 400 shots so far, plus one movie, tried out all the software for stitching panoramas together, etc. I still mainly use PhotoShop, but the Canon software is quite good.

The photo quality is excellent, including color and the optical
zoom and wideangle range is good for most purposes. The macro setting also does a nice job.

The controls are easy to use for the most part for anyone at all familiar with full featured SLRs, and better than most. I've made very few mistakes in the field as a result of control confusion.

What I'm less thrilled about (nitpicking):
Like most electronics these days, even if you've got very small hands like me, it is hard to keep from getting a finger in the wrong place, just about every square inch is covered with a control. I would have liked to have an insert (like Nikon supplies) to cover the flash hotshoe contacts. And every time I remove the battery or memory card, I have to watch out to grab the camera by the few areas that don't have a control on them. Also, the cable input has a typical tiny plastic door that would be all too easy to break off, and the neck strap attachment is too close to the memory card door, and tends to interfere with it opening all the way.

Also, in preview mode it tells you how many shots you have taken but not how many left, and in shooting mode, vice versa. It is annoying to have to switch to shooting mode to see how many left, especially if you are using the lens cover, because then the lens deploys out, and you have to remember to take the lens cover off first (deploying the lens with the cover on is a no-no.)

I also got the camera case designed for the G6. Again like all too many "cases" it is a tight fit, only has a single inside pocket that you can only get an extra card in and still get the camera in too. And the case would not really be good dust protection and it zips up the sides but the top opening is just covered by a flap. And because of the tight and awkward fit, it is easy to accidentally turn the camera on, deploying the lens, while putting the camera into the case. The case comes with a belt loop, but you have to supply your own belt, and it has no other strap or handle except a tiny loop located at the top end of on side zipper, where it just gets in the way. Not a good design.

I also checked out some of the accessories available, like additional lens and flash, but they're very expensive, like the macro lights are more than the camera! So I don't know if I'll get any of the add-ons later on.

But overall, the G6 is already my next favorite camera to my Nikon SLR, powerful yet easy to use, and even fun! Definitely 5 stars for the camera, 1 star for the case.

This camera does all that Canon says it does. Fantastic pictures. Great flexibility for manual control or simple point-and-shoot use. I did a lot of research before buying, and I could not be happier with the Canon G6.

A camera more for the advanced photographer with a very detailed instruction booklet. Takes excellent photos in auto mode. Memory chip included is not near big enough.

Incredible quality and zoom! Low power consumption. Buy the 1GB SanDisk compact flash card. It gives you plenty of room for a 2-3 week vacation.

I am by no means a pro at taking pictures, but this camera makes me look close to it. So far I have just used it as a point and shoot and the pictures have been of really good quality. I am tring to learn more of the functions and one I have run across so far that I enjoy is you can choose in certain functions for your photo to be black and white, color, or sepia. I am not high tech but I can use this camera pretty easily. My first digital camera was a canon digital elf with only 3.2 mega pixels and there is a huge difference in the quality of the pictures when you compare. So if you can affored to spend more for more mega pixels do it. The only down sides I have seen so far is it doesn't come w/ a great memory card which most do not and I imagine if I did not have small hands that the camera would be a little awkward to handle. It has lots of buttons and dials so you have to hold just right so that you don't hit any. But overal I am very satisfied w/ my purchase and hope to become a better photographer with the help of this camera. Canon cameras have served my family and I very well over the years.

The Canon G6 is a great camera. I upgraded from a Canon Powershot A80 to the G6. The A80 showed me that Canon makes a good camera, but was lacking a few features I really wanted.

To me, this camera is a perfect collection of compromises. I want a small camera for family snapshots, that's easy to use. I want a large, capable camera for art work like portraits and landscape, and action shots like sports and recreation.

When I'm on vacation, and want some snaps of the kids goofing around or of dinner or something, I don't need a camera that makes me jump through hoops to get a decent shot, I just want to point and shoot. In full auto, or aperature priority, or shutter speed priority, the pictures are usually sharp and crisp. Set the image size to one of the medium or small settings and you can use the high speed multi-shot feature to get a series of action shots that guarantee that you'll get at least a few good ones.

I have no qualms about setting this camera to auto, handing this camera to a person with little or no photgraphic experience, and letting them click away. It's easy enough to learn that most folks can be taking nice pictures in less than an hour, and pros can be taking great pictures in no time at all.

On the other hand, a lot of the work I do is very artistic, and involves using manual settings. When going for the perfect picture, it is often necessary to adjust the focus, aperature, and shutter speed to get the exact picture you want. This camera has manual focus, a feature I sorely missed on my older Powershot A80.

Another thing that bothers me on most other cameras, is that you have to wade through a bewilderingly large collection of menu options to make the smallest changes. While I can understand using a layer or two of menus for things like basic settings (time, format a CF card) I can't see it for something as basic as film speed or white balance.

Which is why I love this camera. The following items are one button away:

Flash
Flash Output Level
Multi-image
Time delay photo
Autofocus area
Macro mode
Manual Focus
White Balance
Zoom in / out
Film Speed (50 to 400)
Picture mode (auto, Manual, Manual preset 1 and 2, Av, Tv, Portratit, Landscape, Backlit, Panorama, movie)

My favorite things about this camera:

Battery life is excellent. I bought a spare battery, but I've never actually use the one that came with it in less than a day. It charges fast too.

Picture quality: The larger lens allows for better pictures in low light conditions, and it is very clear. The large CCD allows you to get pictures in a large enough resolution to print out fairly large copies and have them look very good.

Ergonomic. This is a very comfortable camera to hold for a long time. It's not quite in the same range as some much more expensive units, but I've never gotten tired from holding it. Plus, all the buttons you need to hit while running it are right there under your fingertips. The scroll wheel under your right index finger is very intuitive to operate. Push it to change modes, roll it to change the settings. The fold out screen allows you to take pictures from odd angles without ever having to lay down on your back for a picture. Plus, the fold out screen feels very solidly built, not like it'll snap off in your hands. I was always worried about my Powershot A80, as it didn't feel very solid.

It works well with my computer, which runs Linux. I use gtkam, a great camera program

It has an infrared remote that can be used to take pictures without worrying about camera shake. This is very useful for group pictures you'd like to be in yourself.

User savable white balance settings.

Real flash shoe. This camera takes a standard Canon flash unit.

Manual focus mode puts a close up of the center of the screen right in the middle of the picture for you to check the focus with. This would be really bothsome for composing pictures, except that when you half depress the shutter button, the small zoomed square in the center disappears and leaves you with the whole picture.

The rapid fire photo option is very useful for action shots, and some candid stuff, like subway pictures.

The mechanical view finder is more than just an adornment on this camera. It's quite good, and it changes its field of view according to the current zoom setting. It also has a focus adjustment on it. This is very nice if you wear glasses, as it lets you adjust the view finder to your eye, and you can get your eye right up to it, and not keep bumping your glasses into the back of the camera.

Very wide open Fstop of 2.0 to very closed off 8.0.

And lastly, it remembers virtually everything you setup the last time it was on or in a certain mode, and reverts to those settings the next time you turn it on or switch modes. This includes things like white balance, settings that were NOT remembered by my Powershot A80.

Now for the negatives:

The door that covers the USB port / DC input, and AV output is very easy to catch in the swivelling / revolving fold out screen, and as the screen takes a fare bit of effort to revolve, it's quite likely you'll have snapped the door in half before you notice it's gone and gotten itself caught in the spinning LCD screen that's passing by. If it's gotten a little bent, it will get caught every time by the fold out screen until you snap it off or bend it back in place.

The flash is way too close to the lens, which makes for some pretty obvious shadows in the bottom right hand corner of some photos. Luckily, I'm not much for flash usage, and if I was, I'd probably spring for a real flash that sat in the hot shoe. Still, if you're looking for a great built in flash, this is NOT the camera for you.

Slow focus, and the autofocus can become confused by objects within a few yards, and never really focus. Plus, focusing is pretty slow. If you are looking for a camera with a very fast, nearly perfect autofocus, you might do better with another camera.

Movies are limited to 3 minutes maximum, which seems rather arbitrary. Even 5 minutes would be a big step up, as it would allow me to catch the average musical performance in one step.

Final Word:

This is a great compromise camera for someone who really wants two separate cameras but can't afford them. It's a good snap shot camera, and a good big lense, big body, big CCD machine capable of creating art.

It's not the best at either of those categories when compared to other cameras, but for one that does both, it represents a a perfect compromise at a pretty reasonable price.

I bought my G6 a month ago and have taken 441 photos.

There is a real, and serious lag between the time you press the button and the time the camera takes the picture. You can cut the lag in half by focusing first and holding the button down halfway until you are ready to shoot, but that fails if your subject takes a step toward you or away from you. If your subject is your 2 year old grandson, he moves all the time. Minus one star.

The optical viewfinder only shows about 80% of the image the camera captures, and that varies with the zoom setting. You can cut off the head of your subject without knowing it and embarrass yourself when you see your photo or include a bunch of white space and waste pixels and paper. Minus 1/2 star.

The "on" switch has turned itself on twice, once when I put the camera into the large cargo pocket of my heavy winter coat and went for a walk and once when I put the camera into a separate shoulder bag and put that in the car. That can damage the camera if the extended lens tube gets bent. Minus 1/2 star.

Good news:

The 7 MP are enough to print an 8x10 photo at the "standard" 300 dpi.

It has plenty of zoom range,4X.

The battery lasts a very long time. I took 327 photos with the builtin flash on the first charge and used the flipout screen to explore options quite often and only charged it a second time because I was going to photo a birthday party and wanted to be sure not to have the battery run out in the middle of the party.

The G6 has a hot shoe for an extra flash, and can control a Canon Speedlite to make much better flash photos than the builtin flash on any digital camera.

I decided to keep the camera but I have ordered a case for it to prevent it turning itself on while being transported.

I am a semi professional photographer and loved my Canon G2. So,I was sure my upgade to a G6 would be a pleasant experience. I took the first 20 pictures with no problem. Then, for no reason the camera stopped. Full battery charge...no display...nothing. Tech support suggests returning and replacing the camera. Hoping the next G6 will restore my confidence in the brand

This camera has been called a "pro-sumer" model and you should really take that title seriously. The quality of the pictures that it takes are just as good as a professional digital camera of the same resolution. The trade off is that it is really not happy being thrown in a bag (or big pocket, if it fits). Why? Because Canon have given it a really annoying power-on switch that is guaranteed to turn the camera on 90% of the time when you're moving it to or from a bag. To compound this problem, the lens extends (in your bag), pushing off the lens cap and leaving it open for possible damage. So, if you think of this as a professional camera, to be kept in a real camera-case, you'll probably be okay. If you're somebody, like me, who likes to throw his camera in a bag or pocket, you're going to be annoyed by the power switch. That said, I do LOVE the quality of the pictures and all control that the camera gives you over every aspect of taking them.

CONS: stupid power-on switch that always catches and turns camera on; lens cap is kind of loose and falls off easily; widest angle is maybe a little too telephoto still (around 35mm?)

PROS: awesome pictures; tons of controls all over the outside of the camera allowing you to control a lot without having to resort to menus; professional features including flash hot-shoe and replaceable lens; great battery life; awesome pictures

I was in the market to buy a new camera last year and walked into BestBuy alone just browsing. I have an older EOS Canon Rebel 35mm Camera from 1992, and I loved that camera too.

So this was my second camera purchase, and was not sure what I wanted, but I knew what I wanted to take pictures of. I take this camera everywhere, vacations, visiting friends and family, take pictures of scenery, sporting events, and people.

There are a lot of options on this camera that I don't know how to use, but can't wait to learn them too. I upgraded my memory card to 1 GB so I can take a lot of pictures and not have to worry about running out of room.

When I travel or go to a sporting event, I take anywhere from 75 to 200 piictures. I get a lot of compliments on the camera and the photos it takes are great!

This is my third digital camera I have owned, and it is by far the best. It takes wonderful pictures (excellent I must say!) and the rechargeable batteries do last a long time without having to recharge them all the time. I can take about a hundred pictures before I think about recharging them. Yes, I do take pics with the LCD on. I do not find that it is slow turning on and getting ready for the first shot. Mine is really fast. Also, buy a compactflash card that has a 20 MB/sec sequential read/write speed (SanDisk SDCFX3-2048-901 2 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card). With this type of card you will be able to take your next shot immediately.

The Canon Powershot G6 is a nice amera, Physically the camera looks a bit different than the G5, the G6 is narrower and stubbier. The extra Girth supported by the G6 makes it easier to handle than its predecessors. especially those with large hands like me.

What i like about this camera is the 9 point auto focus point, which it got from the higher end SLR professional cameras. Normally, to focus on a subject one has to aim using the center of the camera, where the focusing point is. but what if you want to put some artistic flare into your photo, and what if you have to subjects that are not aligned? by having the 9 auto focus point spread throughout the viewing area, when you press the shutter half way, the camera instantly focuses on all the subjects. it instantly puts squares over what you have in the frame indicating That it has locked on. it will then adjust the settings and the light to give you the best possible shot. The downside of this camera is that it is expensive.

Whether your an amateur enthusiast or a serious Photographer on the verge of going pro the Canon G6 is for you.

I purchased this camera in July 2005. I have taken thousands of pictures with this camera. It's easy to operate. The camera has a lot of functionality to it. It's great for those of us who don't want to move up to a DSLR.

In the two-plus years I've owned the camera, I've not had one problem with it. It just survived a trip to the races at the dirt track in Wheatland, MO.

I got this camera in early 05 and have been thrilled with it. It has been banged around, dropped, spilled on, etc and never had a problem. I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Had a Canon G6 years ago, gave it up for a Digital Rebel. After a myriad of other cameras i got a used G6 with bent CF pins for $10 and straightened the pins. Figured I would sell it and now finding myself selling one of my other cameras instead. This is a wonderful little camera, high resolution, don't expect anything higher than ISO 100 to be great, then again don't expect any compact to be great over 100. Its usable all the way up to 400 but i tend to not shoot over ISO 50 anyways.