I had the opportunity to get my hands on the G9 a week ago and have used it exclusively for the past week.

Based on my personal observations (And I loved the G7):

I see practically no differences in Image Quality at all. I thought the G7 was superb, and I find the G9 to be superb.

The 12 MP is practically indifferent from the 10 MP on the G7. Sure it gives you slightly more pixel to play with for cropping and printing, but negligibly so.

The design is virtually the same -- the screen is a bit larger, but for all practical purposes it looks and feels the same. I don't see any difference in "brightness" on the screen -- it looked great on the G7 and it looks great on the G9.

THere is a slight contour change on the front with a barely noticable front grip molding -- maybe 1/16 inch more than the original. I honestly can't feel a difference although some users have.

It does have RAW - a feature I don't need nor do I plan to use. But its nice that it is there for those who want it.

The ISO and noise appears to be the same -- the G9 excels at night neon shots - just like the G7. I see no difference in noise between the two cameras.

The shutter lag is exactly the same as the G7 - I don't see any difference like some reviewers have mentioned... it seems exactly the same.

I also don't see any difference in battery life -- maybe its more problematic if you use RAW, but I've gotten the same 450 plus shots out of the battery, just like the G9.

The design of the lens and the connections are the same, so I expect those of us who carry it around in our pockets are going to have the same dust problems we had with the G7.

Finally in similarities -- the camera feels the same and weighs the same. It responds the same when you start it up, and it makes just as much noise as the original. The trademark Canon grinding lens noise is intact.

in differences: that old 2GB card that used to get 800 shots at 10 MP now gets 600 shots at 12 MP.

The autofocus seems slower on the G9.

Macro shots do not focus as quickly or as well on the G9. There are some shots that I routinely was able to quickly use macro for on the G7, that now require quite a bit of futzing to get sharp and focused in the G9. I suppose that is one of the changes because of the larger sensor, but I don't know. I actually thought there might be something wrong with the camera, but looking at another G9 at a different camera shop (so it wasn't the lot number) I was able to reproduce the same difficulty focusing with Macro as on my personal G9, so it's apparently a camera thing.

The long and the short of it -- I don't think it is worth the Upgrade if you have a G7 unless you really really want the RAW. For all other practical purposes, it's the same on a day-to-day usage level.

If you are new to the Canon Powershot G line, then skip the G7 and purchase the G9 -- it is like "G7 SuperCharged" -- while in general the two are identical. THe G9 is actually less expensive than the G7 as well.

If you are a pro like me, this camera's raw files are not yet supported by Canon's Digital Photo Professional or in Adobe Lightroom per the Canon technical support person I spoke to regarding this issue. They claim they will be including a fix/update for Digital Photo Professional sometime in the future and are aware of the issue.

So if you are going to purchase this for its RAW file abilities, you will be very crippled working with Canon's ZoomBrowser EX only. For that reason I give it only 2 stars. The pictures look very good, but I am just not able to fully manipulate the RAW files from the G9. Quite a disapointment for me.

I have had a G7 since Christmas 2006.
I have shot many pictures with mine All at the highest resolution. I have two 4Gig HC cards that I constantly fill up and I edit my pictures on my PC and insert them into my Videos I make.

I have been super happy with it... This is my first Digital camera, and I had always said I would not buy a digital camera until they are Over 10Meg and Affordable. So, the G7 fit that bill.

I see no major difference between my G7 and the G9, other than the RAW format. If I was to buy one today, I would go with the G9, but truly since I don't need RAW, I am OK with my G7.

I would highly recommend either one of these cameras. I have been an Avid Fan of Canon cameras for the last 40 years. I still own an A-1 with lenses going up to 500mm. My first Canon was a FTb camera, All Manual and All Joy. too bad it was stolen from me by my College Buddy/Roomate.

Peace

I've owned the G7 for about 1 month now and I've really learned to appreciate all its advanced features - but recently I received my G9 and I will be returning the G7. What I like about the G9 over the G7:

1. Bigger screen (3.0" vs 2.5") - with no apparent decrease in battery life.
2. Picture quality is better. I have done many parallel tests using the exact settings on both cameras (with the exception of the 12 vs 10 MP of course) and the results have been clearly more favorable towards the G9 in terms of light metering and sharpness. The G9 has a new metering system as well as a more advanced focusing system too.
3. RAW option is great. Even though most pics will be taken using JPEG (to conserve memory space), you know it when you've got a great landscape with just the perfect lighting conditions that you know may result in a printable pic, in which case you will want to have a raw copy for processing it to the highest potential.
4. Timelapse photo functionality is a very nice to have option which the g7 lacks
5. The physical handling of the camera is better, the front has more grip.
6. Some other design aesthetics have also gone into the g9 which I prefer.
7. Noise levels are exactly the same as in the G7. I tested both up to 400 ISO (I would not use anything higher that that) many times and the speculations found on the internet forums that the higher number of pixels would result in more noise is simply incorrect - at least in my ability to see it in my tests.

* the only thing I dislike in the g9 over the g7 is that new usb connection door mechanism. It feels like it may one day break even with proper use. The "slide out" door (like the battery door) mechanism was so much better in terms of use and possible durability.

If I were a G7 owner (and you could not return it because you've had it longer than 30 days) I would not upgrade as the g7 is a superb camera - but if you were looking to buy a new camera the g9 is a better choice over the g7. The g9 is the perfect camera alternative to a bulky SLR - without the loss of total photographic control or quality. Highly recommended.

How come every Canon G series upgrade is a great camera but probably not worth the cost of upgrading to the new version? I have read this in nearly every review of upgrades since G3. Is G9 no better than G3? When each new camera comes out most reviewers say it is great but not worth ugrading from the previous version. The bottom line is the difference between G9 and G3 is HUGE. The improvements happened somewhere but somehow the reviewers missed them.
Just my thoughts...?

Before I bought the G9, I owned both the G3 and G6. I loved both cameras. When I had the G3, I didn't really do much with it. The G6, I did a little more. With the G9, I plan to learn and do a whole lot.

I pre-ordered the camera from Amazon on Thurs., Aug. 30th, and received it on Wed., Sept. 12th. I have taken over 600 pictures with it already.

If you are a G6 owner, you should move up to the G9. Why? It definitely has both a different look and feel. It has taken me some time to get used to. I really love the camera.

The Canon G series has been great for those of us who want more out of a P&S camera but won't or can't move up to a DSLR.

For DSLR users, this camera would be a great companion camera. It is not designed to replace a DSLR as some people think.

I have used the G9 only for one week but it has become my favorite over several very good cameras. I am an experienced amateur and have some very nice equipment but I bought the 9 for it's compact size and ease of use, and the generally unobtrusive rangefinder style which is basically point and shoot with incredible breadth as applies to creativity. It is a very versatile camera with no limitations for general photojournalism and figure work which are my main interests. Incidently, it is my first Canon, and it is fast and accurate.
Pro: versatile, creative, crystal image, fast steady autofocus. Crisp colors and fair battery life.
Cons: I am trying to find a way to increase the grip. Menu items work only in certain modes which makes the learning curve a little steep.

If you're a photographer who cares about image quality, and can't always lug around a DSLR, buy this camera. You will have no regrets.

I've had its predecessor, the G7, for about a year. It has been my normal always-in-the-bag camera. The G7 was limited at ISO 400; the G9 isn't. My normal workflow with the G9 is to use CS3 to import RAW images (fixing chromatic abberation on the way into CS3 in 16-bit mode), and then to use Noise Ninja to clean up image noise. With this workflow, ISO 400 and ISO 800 are completely usable. (You can also play with some other settings in Adobe Camera Raw, like Recovery.)

And for everyone: you really should never, ever use a built-in strobe on a camera. The G9 (like the G7) has a hot shoe. Use it!

Canon fixed a bunch of the G7's problems in the G9, the most glaring of which is the G9 now has a battery meter! (I can't tell you how much that lapse bugged me.) The new LCD monitor is much, much bigger -- and gorgeous. And best of all, the camera body is the exact same size and shape, and fits in my underwater housing.

Nits: the new cover for the USB connector is a downgrade, but one that I can put up with. The lens is unchanged, and has a fair bit of barrel distortion at its widest angle. You can clean up the barrel distortion somewhat in CS3, but straight horizontal lines become slightly wavy. I'm being hyper-picky here, but please know that you're not replacing a DSLR with a prime wide angle lens. You're just buying a small camera that you can take anywhere.

Buy it. Shoot lots of pictures with it. Be happy!

This model isn't currently available in my area (DC) but I got it in less than 24hrs after ordering on Amazon (this was with FedEx Ground!). The camera is well built and the controls are easy. So far the picture quality is excellent in all the test shots I have taken. I recommend this camera to anyone with more than just a passing interest in taking pictures.

This camera has all of the features a serious photographer would want: a comparatively large 1/1.7 sensor, full manual controls, almost-useable manual focus, and raw image capability. But that's where it fails miserably. While the industry is trying to standardize image formats, Canon chose to introduce yet another propriatary raw format. Photoshop doesn't recognize it. Both Apple's Aperature and Lightzone can open the file, but the white point is w_a_y off. So one must load Canon's kludgy image browser/image processor (yet /more/ software and disk space and time) only because of Canon's format decision.
This is one of many nice snapshot cameras if you only shoot JPGs. If you're a serious photographer, then save your money in case the Sigma DP-1 turns out to not be vaporware.
And it looks like maybe Canon is distancing itself from this thing; their camera registration link for the G9 is dead.

I have bought and returned 3 PowerShot G9 cameras because of stuck pixels.

I really like the features and size of the G9, but I cannot accept it if has stuck pixels.

The first G9 I bought had two stuck pixels in every shot I took: One bright red one near the center and one faint green one about 3/4ths to the right. The stuck pixels were present in the image files. This was a major defect.

The second G9 I bought had a bright blue stuck pixel on the LCD screen whenever the shot was previewed through the LCD viewfinder, but no stuck pixels in review mode (when the LCD was viewing pictures but not taking them), and no stuck pixels on uploaded pictures. This one was strange -- a distracting blue dot on your LCD viewfinder which isn't a permanent LCD display defect but always appears in camera mode. I suspect a software bug or something with the lenses/mirrors which only affects the LCD viewfinder.

The third G9 I bought had a faint green pixel stuck on the LCD. I have not fully tested the extent of this stuck pixel yet because I will be returning the G9.

I bought these three G9s from different venues (stores), and all had these problems. But since they were all right after the G9 was first released, it's possible they all came from the same bad manufacturing lot.

Great camera, great features, great size, so long as you don't get stuck pixels.

Reluctantly switching to a S5 IS.

Caveat emptor.

Come on Canon. I've 'docked' 4 plus digital cameras to my Mac and this is the first one that didn't just work. Also, the UI on the camera SUCKSASS!. Out of the box, I want to throw this thing across the room. This is not my first rodeo, if it was. I'd say, my bad... So far, so bad. I'll load your proprietary software and see if I can actually download some images to my computer. How about you just let me use my computer and my software and not have to download 600k of crappy software, please. I was a Nikon guy and was swayed to Canon for many reason, Clearly; UI, compatibility, and ease of initial use are not something Canon is interested in.
Stay tuned, I'll be back.

I am returning the camera. The images have plenty of problems:
- wrong white balance indoor with artificial light, was not able to compensate with manual controls;
- images are too contrasty, too dark and overexposed areas with relatively soft light; control does not allows to compensate for it;
- too intense red and blue; the faces look purple;
- not sharp enough; poor focusing
I compared images on this camera with the images of the same objects, taken at the same time, with my Canon A710. The difference is obvious in favor of my old camera.

I've had my G9 for a few weeks now and am very pleased. Image quality is top-notch for a non-SLR and the ability to shoot in RAW format is inidspensible. I've also used the G7 quite a bit previously and thought people might be interested in a comparison between the two.

In short, if you already have a G7 and don't need RAW support, you won't see any huge advantage to the G9. However, anyone worried that the G9 will have greater noise issues due to the greater megapixel count will be reassured to know that, even at high ISO, the G9 seems to take slightly better pictures than the G7. Of course both are still pretty noisy at high ISO compared to a dSLR or even Fuji's Finepix f-series, but for overall picture quality and features I'd still go with the Canon unless high ISO shots are your primary focus.

Users of the G7 will find a few menus reorganized, which is mildly inconvenient. The shortcut button makes it easier to set custom white balance modes but you can no longer use it to switch image stabilization on or off; you'll have to go through the menu for that. On the other hand the new screen is easier on the eyes, and despite the increased size the battery life is about the same.

As others have mentioned, the one serious disadvantage to using this camera *now*, if you like working with RAW, is inconsistent support for the new RAW file format of the G9. It works reasonably well with the latest camera raw driver for Photoshop CS3, and I have no problem working with it in Adobe Lightroom, but it's not yet supported by iPhoto and the default exposure settings sometimes seem to be misinterpreted by other apps, so photos require more tweaking to "develop'. If you have a previous version of Photoshop or another program you can use the free Adobe DNG converter to convert the files, but this is an inelegant solution. Software updates will undoubtedly resolve these problems, but it's disappointing that Canon chose to introduce yet another proprietary format.

As a current owner of the G7, I had high expectation for the G9, but given that is was released so soon after the G7, I wondered if it was going to be a substantial upgrade or a minor one. Seems the only real differences from the G7 to the G9 are they added RAW and increased the MPs. As for the MPs, the G7 already had plenty, if not too many so the G9 increase was more of a marketing thing. As for the addition of RAW, I and many others never used it to begin with so you cannot miss something you don't use. Recently saw they came out with firmware upgrade for the G7 which includes RAW (for those that want it), so I will definitely be keeping my G7. Hopefully the G10 will be more in line with what consumers want and need and less focus on marketing purposes as the whole MPs rage has gotten carried away.

1. Background info: I am not a Canon user (but I have nothing against Canon products), I've shot with film for many years (Contax), and digitally for the past 4+ years (Sony 828, Sony V3, Sony R1).

2. I was very interested in the G9 when it was recently announced because of the great reputation of the Canon G series and most importantly--> the return of the RAW format in the G9. Furthermore, everything on paper completely outshined my ancient Sony V3; a very good camera but very very slow... and with limited zoom range etc...

3. Thus it was very dissapointing when I had to return the Canon G9 after several days of testing. Here were my impressions of the camera.
a. Build Quality: Good
b. Size: Good; actually smaller than my V3.
c. Performance: excellent--> RAW write times were impressively fast (for a point and shoot).
d. LCD: completely terrible. This is supposed to be the state of the art LCD (3 inch), but there was an overt cool /bluish color cast. I tried every suggested variable (via Canon Tech and various on the forums), I went to a local camera store to try another G9 (same problem), and my observations were also confirmed via numerous folks on the web. Some suggested that I just ignore the color cast and just use the LCD for framing and for checking basic exposure--initially a resonable argument but then when you logically think about it--> why should anyone put up with an overt color cast (and also an overly contrasty) image on the LCD, in a supposed top of the line point and shoot camera, from an industry leader like Canon? It just doesn't make sense. I mean, a $200.00 cheap 5 MP camera has better color rendition on the LCD than this G9.
e. Even with the above LCD issues, I was still going to keep it if it weren't for the only "ok" image results. I did some basic testing comparing the G9 vs Sony V3 (real old camera)--> all shot in RAW, all shot via Tripod, all shot using calibrated gray card etc... Bottomline, the G9 images were good and I'm sure that people will be able to get nice shots from this camera--> but when / if you actually compare it to something like the Sony V3 (which again is an old camera)--> the Sony consistently just produces more sharper images.

4. Thus each person will have to decide what's important to them in regards to their photographic needs / wants / goals etc... For me, it's always image quality and thus I had to return the G9. All around a decent camera that could and should have been a lot better. For now, I'll continue using the Sony V3 and episodically be frustrated with the slow performance, but at least the image quality will be excellent.

I understand the limitations of the point and shoot camera. Among point and shoots digital cameras, this is the best available on the market. I wish Canon would stop jumping on the megapixel bandwagon and focus on IMAGE QUALITY. Cramming 12 megapixels into a tiny sensor comes at a price. In this case, it results in VERY poor ISO sensitivity. 400 ISO is pretty bad, and anything above that is utterly useless.

I'd be much happier with a 8 megapixel camera with usable ISO in the 800 to 1600 range. People who buy this camera aren't going to get tack sharp 30 inch prints. Turn down the megapixels and turn up the ISO.

4 stars out of 5 because of the LOUSY ISO.

I've been in love with my G7 for a year now, and my Nikon D-SLR rig has been in the closet for just as long. I've borrowed a friend's G9 for the weekend and came up with these observations. In essence, the only significant difference between these superb cameras is the G9's ability to capture RAW files.

The difference between 10MP (G7) and 12MP (G9) is frankly a small one. With 12 you may have more room to crop and enlarge, but that's about it. The design 'improvements' are minor: a brighter screen, a minimal grip contour increase, a slightly improved optical viewfinder and an increase in battery life. Its autofocus seems a little bit slower than the G7, but it might just be my perception.

If you own a G7, stick with it, enjoy it and wait for the G10. However, if you're new to the Canon G series and want the best digital 'point and shoot', spring for the G9.

NOTE: All G7 and G9 users are encouraged to visit this great page for tips, secret cheats and accessory reviews:

http://www.mycanong7.com/

I've had my G9 for a couple of weeks and I'm pleased with it. It will not replace my Canon DSLRs, but will go with me when they will not.

Image quality is quite good, up to ISO 200. Shooting in RAW 400 and 800 are usable, with the provided Adaptive Noise processing (ZoomBrowser or ImageBrowser) doing a good job in cleaning up the RAW image. The 2 megapixel ISO 3200 SCN mode can be used for social events, in a pinch.

My LCD has no objectionable color cast nor leakage.

Optical viewfinder is usable, but I have to use the upper "tick" mark for composition -- since that's where the center of image is in most shots. No big deal since the big and bright LCD is used most frequently for composition.

Overall, the G9 excites me while the G7 did not: Better IQ, much better LCD, grip improvements, RAW and MSRP $100 lower at introduction. Certainly not a quantum leap but a keeper (which my G7 was not).

I am a professional landscape photographer and I wanted a small point & shoot to have handy to grab pictures of my family as well as keep in the car at all times. The G9 delivers on all counts. I was waiting for Canon to release a point & shoot that could capture in RAW format, and when I heard about the G9 and after hearing lots of great things about the G7, I knew this would be the camera for me. The G9 is built like a tank for a point & shoot, captures beautiful images and is easy enough for my wife to use! My only beef is that the images get quite noisy at ISO's above 200, but that's the nature of the small sensor in a point & shoot. In most cases, it delivers very clean images. I like the manual dials on the top that allow me to very quickly choose the shooting mode and ISO. This is also a great camera to shoot in scenarios when you want to be a little more inconspicuous - great for street shooting. Overall, I am very happy with the G9.

Theres really not much difference between the new 12.1 megapixel Canon PowerShot G9 and the 10 megapixel PowerShot G7 it replaces. They pretty much look alike. They both are optically stabilized the same way. They have the same zoom lens (35mm equivalent), hotshoe and an optical viewfinder that's about the same. The G9 has a slightly bigger 3-inch wide view LCD. But I find them pretty much the same.

I do love the fact that this camera responds quickly and it's built really tough. These days, that's a major asset.

It does seem to have quite a bit of distortion at the widest angle when you zoom it way out as far as it will go. And the lens sort of gets in front of the viewfinder. It rather interferes with it to a small degree. Also there is no optical zoom during movie capture.

This is a good camera that's similar to a true dSLR. And the fact it is ruggedly built adds to its desirability.

The fact the zoom is stabilized is important. I wouldn't consider buying a camera that didn't offer this. Also, my macro shots are terrific. Another good feature with this camera.

This is truly a camera for a real photographer. It includes a dedicated ISO dial, multi-control dial and customizable shortcut button.

Highly recommended.

with that weight on it at least I expect bigger and better sensor.
Overall not bad for 200$ camera but for 500$ price tag I would expect better quality image.
The image is noisy and grainy I think they expect too much from 12 mp sensor, it would be great camera if they used bigger sensor with fewer MP.
They menu and buttons in the right place.
They raw format give it the edge over competitors

pro: it comes with full manual controls. the large and clear LCD view. support raw formats( works with the latest version of LightRoom. very handy to carry around.
con: macro focus does not seem to be work properly on low light condition. the manual focus works at ok level.

The Canon PowerShot G9 is an impressive camera that delievers on features. Automatic mode delievers beautiful point and shoot pictures and the manuel mode delievers on creativity. Filled full of features, this camera is good for both the novice and pro. Image stabilization is effective for cancelling out hand shakingness and for zooming in with the zoom. Face dectection delievers accurate colors to the face requiring little to no editing. Overall, the camera delievers on its promises.

I have returned four G9s because of the LCD light leak problem. Just search G9 light leak on dpreview.com and you'll see photos of what I'm talking about. My 40D, 20D, SD550, and HV20 do not have the light leak issue that the G9 has.

If you don't want to search, just put the camera in playback mode without a SD card installed and take a look at the lower right hand of the screen. If you have ever pressed the screen of your laptop, a similar effect is shown on the affected G9.

I really want to own the camera, but not at the expense of a lower quality LCD screen.

I'll wait until Canon fixes the problem or until I get a "good" copy before I update this review with the actual usage of the camera. The first thing I do when I get the camera is to check if the LCD has this issue, if it does, I promptly return it for an exchange.

pros: 3" screen, RAW, image stabilization,numerous program modes but can also be fully manual, ND (neutral density) filter, lightweight, will shoot RAW and high quality jpg together, takes great photos

cons:
--the neckstrap that comes with this camera is cheap looking and IMHO unnecessary. as the camera doesn't weigh much, I ended up attaching a wrist strap to the eyelet on the right side of the camera (works best for those who are right handed,and it is also away from that big screen).
--Outside of Canon's own software (ZoomBrowserEX), no other converters available (yet) for processing RAW images
--megapixel overkill/ not enough wide angle: I would have been happier if the G9 were only 10MP and the lens were wider (25-28mm, for example). Interior shots and landscapes just cry out for a wide angle lens...


general comments:


I bough the G9 as an "upgrade" to my canon s400, after first having looked into lighter weight dlsrs (Canon XT,XTi/Nikon D40x, D80 etc etc) on the market. Unfortunately, they all turned out to be much too heavy for me.

Alot of comments have been posted (also on the G7)about the controls being small-->if you have small hands, this is a big advantage. One of my favorite film cameras (besides my F3 is my old Olympus OM-10, which is scaled to smaller hands).

On the G9, the ISO is set using a selector dial on top of the camera, most camera modes (auto, manual, aperture priority, etc) are also selected via another dial (except individual program modes, which are selected from the screen menu). The dials not only gives the camera a bit of a retro look,it is also super convenient that not everything is screen based and menu driven.

So far, I'm a happy camper, not a twinge of buyer's remorse!

This is my first "real" digital camera but I was quite involved in photography in the film era.What is nice about this camera is the build quality.The camera just feels good to hold,if you own a basic compact camera you will see and feel the difference the moment you pick it up.
The down side is the inaccurate viewfinder.I like to use the viewfinder in direct sunlight and to steady the camera without a tripod but like all compacts the viewfinder shows only 80% of the actual field. You will also get better results by choosing white balance settings rather than leaving it on auto white balance.
I think $500 is a lot for a compact but this camera has the manual controls and solid build quality that the others don't have.The program and iso dials on top make those functions easy to use and the display screen is big and bright.There is a separate on /off switch for the display so you don't have to boot the whole camera to review your pictures.
I'm not disappointed with this purchase because I wanted a quality camera with manual controls and still be able to carry it in a jacket pocket or slip it into my laptop case.

I am very pleased with this camera. I upgraded from a Canon S200 series that I have had for five years. It was only 2 MP. I have been looking at the newer canons for a while and I liked the bigger screens that were coming on the compact camera but the cameras overall were getting too small for me. I wanted something that would fit in my pocket if I needed it to but offered the features and clarity of the larger cameras.

It does have some weight when compared to the compacts but my (much) older one weighs in about the same. I am not going to use every feature that is on this camera so please read the other reviews for their technical opinions. I do like all the scenes that you can easily choose from. The action is best for action, kids and pets is best for close-up of my kids, snow is good for indoor pictures where there is a lot of glare, etc. I think canon did a good job with the selection and I find the controls very easy to manage.

I am very pleased with this purchase and the price. The shipping was also very quick.

The new canon G9 is powerful, yet compact, with 12.1 meg! I no longer need to always carry my Canon EOS IDS 17 megs $7,000 wonderful but very heavy camera to every shoot. This small and retro canon is now always in my purse and does the job with precise quality and less weight! I just love it. Took it to India recently and the shots are spectacular. All the features, including telephoto and movies, with a large 3in screen for less than $500!!! I never thought I would be so happy.

Pros:
1. huge 3" LCD screen, I still can get used to how big it is. It does have light blue tinge on it when LCD screen is facing natural day light.
2. the image quality is awesome (compare to my old 5MP Canon powershot A95), but somewhat noicy at 200 ISO. Note: you have to know a little bit about digital camera, my most beautiful shots didn't not come out of auto setting. Tip: fix ISO on 80 or 100, turn IS (image stabilizer) to Single, try not to use autoflash or flash unless it's absolutely necessary. I set C1 for kids (face detection, +1 color contrast, +1 sharpness, +1 saturation, -1 skin tone---the custom setting in my colors)
3. In camera red eye reduction works very well.
4. pretty accurate face detection , if you mainly use this to film your kids, this is a huge plus. I will never need to worry about my daughter's face not being on the focus (like my old A95 and S500). Face detection doesn't work well (can't detect face at all) under indoor low light or only one side of the face shown.
5. My color option allow you to select the sharpness, contrast and color saturation level.

Cons:
1. When you set AF (autofocus) at "continuous" mode, there is constant noise "ka, ka, Ka" inside the camera, it sounds quite obvious when the ambiance is quite. I can figure the noise comes from the lens trying to focus constantly. I don't know if it's just my camera is defective, or it's in every one model. Can anyone please confirm this for me? I'm afraid that at this rate of noise, my camera is going to wear out in a month.
2. The LCD is too big and stand out that it warrants a screen protector. I'm talking about 3/4 of the camera is occupied by the huge LCD, and LCD panel is slightly sticking out the surface, I can foresee that if you are not careful, the screen is very easily scratched. I wish Canon would at least have given us a simple protective film right out of the box to cover the LCD (even my $20 odometer has one) before we have the time buy a good quality one.
3. I wish Canon could have attached a wrist strap instead of neck strap.

Sum: I'm very happy the image quality and built quality of this camera. After shooting about 3 days, I have to agree with most of the critics---this is the digital camera that provides the image quality as close as you can get to a SLR camera.

I've been showing off my new camera to people and everyone is impressed. My favorite feature is the live histogram that ensures you'll get proper exposure - on my old camera sometimes the image would look ok on the little screen but when I brought it to the computer it would be too light or too dark.

If you're like I was, teetering between a "point-and-shoot" and a dSLR, this camera is highly recommended. It bridges the gap, producing near-professional-quality pictures while still being pocketable.

I was disappointed in the G7 but I've found the G9 has noticeably better IQ as well as other worthwhile improvements. It is not a simple point & shoot in spite of it's size. Advanced photographers will appreciate the features packed in the G9.

I really looked around before deciding on this camera, because for just a little more I could have gotten a pretty decent DSLR kit. But when I thought about what I use a camera to do, I came back to the G9. I want to be able to take it with me places and have it when a photo op appears, I want to be able to shoot a lot of pictures of people and not scare them off when I'm shooting, I want to be able to stick the camera on a tripod and play around with some macro shots, I want to shoot a short movie clip here and there when babies are suddenly making noises or learning to roll over, and I want to really have full control over the camera and be able to make quick adjustments to all exposure controls. The G9 does all of these things, and it's interesting to note that a DSLR cannot do some of those things. Bottom line for me was that I can carry the G9 almost all the time - it even slips into my back pocket. I can pull it out to snap a shot, and probably have time to recompose a second or third before anyone notices I'm taking pictures. I can switch over to movie mode and back to stills with no difficulty. And it takes phenomenal pictures. It definitely has its limitations, but it can take some great pictures if you work with and around the camera's abilities. I'm keeping it, and if you want to borrow mine then maybe you should get your own.

The G9 is a great camera fitting into the gap between compact 'point and shoot' and full sized SLR both in terms of size and functionality. The G9 is a bit big to slip into a normal pocket (cargo pant wearers might be able to) but is still small enough for discreet shooting. It has a satisfying weight in the hand and build quality is high. I took it straight out of the box and started shooting without needing the manual so the controls are intuitive and well laid out. My only quibble is why is Canon shipping this camera with a 32MB card? It's a joke. This is a 12MP camera!
One of the key reasons i bought the G9 is the built-in time-lapse function. It's a bit limited - 1 and 2 frames per second but these intervals produce good results in most situations. The camera user manual is a bit brief and takes a few readings to understand. I can't make a comment on the bundled software yet but overall this a great camera with functionality and image quality to satisfy those photographers looking for more control on the image than a P&S without lugging an SLR around.

The Canon PowerShot G9 is an impressive camera that delievers on features. Automatic mode delievers beautiful point and shoot pictures and the manuel mode delievers on creativity. Filled full of features, this camera is good for both the novice and pro. Image stabilization is effective for cancelling out hand shakingness and for zooming in with the zoom. Face dectection delievers accurate colors to the face requiring little to no editing. Overall, the camera delievers on its promises.

Canon PowerShot G9 12.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Really having a good time into week four with my fifth digital camera in five years - the Canon G9. I would say it was, in total, a bit pricey, camera, tele lens, adapters, bag, extra batt. But after fudging around the fall scenes of these hear eastern states, taken pictures inside with lamplight of the preggers wifey, I'd have to say it's worth it.

Small con, the manual focus is a bit of a twist to learn.

But, easily the toughest camera I've ever owned. Fast start up, quick focus, good movies, excellent low light. But, buy that small flash for the hot shoe. makes parties and what-not a real blast.

I wanted the function and capability of a DSLR without the bulk. Canon's G9 is the perfect compromise. It's a compact point-and-shoot camera with a lot of functionality - certainly doesn't have all the advantages of a proper DSLR but there are enough features to work with for an avid amatuer and even professional.
The lens is a bit noisy and the grip can get awkward for someone with larger than average hands, and I find the viewfinder with diopter too awkward and unnecessary, but these are minor compared with the G9's versatility and great features.

I started long time ago with several film manual 35 mm SLRs and point-and-shoots. Then came a digital era, and I purchased several generations of Minolta DiMAGE pocket cameras. For my downhill skiing trips I wanted a rugged, dependable miniature and intelligent cameras with viewfinder, minimum of controls and ability to shoot movie clips. Back then DiMAGE cameras met my all expectations. I used them at home, daily at work and during vacations. Unfortunately Minolta folded before producing a compact camera with image stabilization. IS is very important for low light shooting from hands. During my September trip to the picturesque Greek Santorini island my DiMAGE X50 had to struggle on it's own with both strong and low lighting of day and night. There thoughts of a better camera with manual controls came to my mind, views were so precious! I carefully studied reviews of DSLRs, looked at them - O boy, they are bulky, and they do not shoot movies! Super-zooms with fixed lenses were not smaller either. Thoughts of falling again during skiing on such camera didn't make me happy - I had few of them. Suddenly I stumbled upon Canon G9 review - it was what I wanted: relatively compact, flat, almost no protruding parts, small Lithium battery, compact but effective optical image stabilization, F2.8 35 mm 6x zoom lens , amazing 3" LCD + viewfinder, ergonomic manual controls, black, takes movies and have newest 12 MP image sensor. I immediately ordered it on Amazon because of better price and assortment of options available; I wanted a decent camera case with it as well. UPS ground parcel came shortly; camera was safely packed and started to work right away. I used camera only for a month so far at home and outside. Quality of the pictures with stunning details exceeded my expectations. Skin tones in portrait shooting came out so good! DiGIC III processor was able to adjust even to strong back light conditions. During night shooting I saw IS kicked in: pictures came out sharp and colorful. I took Halloween pictures in a dimmed light using built in camera flash and got praises from my friends on the web photo album; velvety fabrics came out beautifully. I shot several short movies at standard resolution at 30 fps - they came out crisp and well balanced with good sound from the built-in microphone. I'm wondering: does G9 sensor provides pixel binning for a movie resolution, or is a better sensor? My Minoltas with rise of sensor pixel count would capture exceedingly darker and blockier movies. G9's black paint makes it to look larger and heavier, but it feels just right in hands and don't strain my shoulder on a strap. Lens on power up/down telescopes in and out fast, and hides behind the lens protector - no lens cap needed. Shooting lags for portraits was imperceivable. LCD image is so good, even with sun beaming behind - I didn't glance into viewfinder yet. Shutter release is a feather like comparing to Minolta's; at first I was struggling to find "half way" for the focus check. So far, I charged battery only twice during a month. Soon I will take G9 for a first skiing trip, details to follow.
Overall impression about the G9 camera is excellent, it even exceeded my expectations!

I bought the 12MP Canon G9 to return to photography as it was meant to be. With the advent of "Digital" most people take "Pictures-in-bunches" as if they were shooting with a machine gun, not Photographs. As a purest who was weaned on the "4x5 Crown" I wanted to return to the days of the past.
On to the G9, and the Raw Setting, even with the 4Mb card at full setting, space forces frugality. I may even get back to some real Photography.
Take your time George, Aim-compose-shoot, you'l have a better slice of the world.

Great camera, but when I try to enter the "7ACBUY5F" claim code to get the free 2g gard, it will not let me. WTF, Amazon?

Please let us know what is up with the disappearing freebie offer ASAP, so we can beat the Dec 3 deadline.

I know very, very little about cameras and the world of photography. I am currently very interested in photography and so I was in the market to buy a camera a few months ago. I browsed Amazon for Canon digital cameras, as I heard from a friend that Canon was the best. I found this camera and read the product description, as well as the reviews. This prompted me to buy it, which turned about to be a VERY good investment. If you are like me, new to photography and very unexperienced, this camera is definitely worth buying to learn how to take good pictures. It had millions of different functions that allow you to learn about what each one does and how they will work to help your photos come out amazing. The manual that comes with the camera is extremely helpful, especially if you are inexperienced or if this is you first camera ever. I doubt this review is helpful, as I can't compare it with other cameras because this is my first camera. However, the reaction that I get from people who see my photos or when I show them what I can do with it is always, "Wow, that's amazing!" or "It has how many megapixels!?" I am really happy with the zooming capabilities. I have used friend's cameras before, and the zoom function is not always that great, for there is usually a lot of noise or pixelation in the picture. That is not the case with this camera. The pictures are clear and sharp, even when you zoom in to the maximum zoom capacity. Buy it and try it for yourself. This is an excellent camera!

I bought the G9 as a replacement for my Casio Exilim P600, which I loved.

I've been shooting with Canon Cameras since the early 1980's. I've got the Canon 5D, which is a very impressive camera, but wanted a good quality point and shoot. Researched for days, read all the reviews, finally ordered the G9. I just couldn't wait until it arrived!! Got here in two days, felt nice and sturdy when I took it out of the box, 3" LCD Screen is HUGE, controls are easy to get to...but after "battling" with it for the last 24 hours, I am terribly disappointed. It's going back.

This camera's "AUTO", P, TV and AV functions are absolutely useless. The G9 is unable to balance highlights and shadows. It blows out the highlights, which is even more aggravated by the quality of the LCD screen. When you get the shot on the computer, it's not nearly as bad as it looked on the screen, but, it's still bad. With a herculean effort, you can get a decent (not great, but okay) shot in Manual, but if I wanted to work that hard I'd just pull out the 5D.

The image stabilization feature totally ruins the shot with noise, it looks like you've "sharpened" it to the hilt in photoshop...took me awhile to figure out why everything looked almost "crystallized"...so you have to have the IS turned off and without it, the G9 is just not a low light camera. The Flash really produces a very strangely colored shot, which really IS as bad on the computer as it looks on the LCD screen.

The color on the LCD screen is really washed out so you can't see if any shot you take under any lighting conditions shot is usable...or should I say "fixable" in PhotoShop, because none of the 250 shots I took today were "usable" straight off the camera...until you download it to the computer. The autofocus is not reliable...I had pictures taken in broad daylight of still subjects, come out blurry. I am just in totl shock. I can't even believe this is a Canon product.

I am sending my Casio in for repair.

Fantastic camera. Beautifully designed and fun to shoot. Has advanced digital features for a professional and easy no brainer modes for the less adventurous. All in all this is the best digital point and shoots I've owned. Manual exposure control and focus overrides make shooting a pleasure for the professional. Good value compact size and decent battery life. Recommend purchasing a larger SD card immediately.

This is a great camera, I only have 2 complaints. There should be an easier way to keep the flash off unless you want it on, and there is no specific sunset setting.

I am impressed with what this small camera can do. I wanted to upgrade to a small P&S that would have great image potential and would give the controls of a DSLR. The problem with small sensor cameras is that they are useless, for the most part, over ISO 400. I didn't expect this camera to be any different. It is the most advance P&S camera I've every used and in some respects is more advanced that my 40D. I don't shoot in "MODES" very often, so most of the consumer features are meaningless to me. The face recognition is interesting and works as advertised. Having a flash hot shoe really makes this camera nice for night work. Although my 580EX flash is larger than the camera. I have also tried it with Minolta flashes and it works just as good.

DON'T EXPECT DSLR pictures out of a this P&S....but this is as close as I've every gotten to them. Until I played with this camera the Canon S70 was the king. This camera is better than the S70 in every side by side test I've run.


NOTE: If you don't know much about photography and want a "happy snappy" this isn't the camera for you.

PROS:
RAW
Great Battery Life
Excellent Image Quality
Excellent Color Recognition
AF is quick
IQ is quick
Great large display with all info needed WB/RGB
Ability for full manual control
ISO 80-200 rocks
ISO 400 has great grain and make killer B&W (like shooting Tri-X film)
IS works for 1-2 stops depending on zoom length
Adapter for filters and extra lens are cheap
$28 dollar grip mod is KILLER
Like shooting LECIA rangefinder

CONS:
35mm is not quite wide enough (adapter 10-28s are cheap though)
ISO 800-3200 is useless (ISO 800 is good for web under right conditions)
Menus are Canon confusing (although I have the Canon thing down so it doesn't bother me)
You will need to PP the RAW and JPEG to get the best out of the camera (really though, most camera are this way)
NOT FOR THE NOVIS or PARTY PIC shooter.
Price ($435ish)

Read several online reviews of this and other digital cameras in this price range. Still learning, as I will be for some time, about the amazing feature set of the G9. Easy to use, sharp, crisp pics. Had been wanting a camera that would produce good macro shots. Well satisfied. Highly recommend the G9.

I have both the G7 and the G9. The 2 extra megapixels are unnoticeable. The reason I purchased this camera for my recent vacation was the ability to use RAW mode which works so well on my Nikon D200 (for which this is my backup camera). After using it for a month, it has near zero advantages over the highly functional G7.

While it can capture a good image, the only way to convert the raw image to a jpg is to use their wimpy, me-too image editor, one at a time. Their batch convert gives the error message: "Unable to export movies, sound files or raw images". Additionally, I see another error message about "Information added by [various programs] will not be included in the exported images" which indicates to me that any titles, captions or key words you enter will be destroyed.

I tried both the CD sold with the camera as well as the most recent upgrades of both the zoom browser and the eos utility on both my laptop as well as my desktop, each a standard XP machine with the latest patches. The errors follow the software, not the machine.

The functionality of their software is abysmal. For instance, when browsing you can't use the left and right arrow buttons like most other, modern image viewers support; you must use their next button. The performance in rendering the image is roughly 20 times slower than Photoshop or Bibble when rendering a raw image. You see tiny, 1/2 inch chunks appear on the screen in a very tedious rendering process making me wonder whether they are using decade old, recycled, 16 bit code to save money for canon.

After taking over 1200 images on vacation, mostly in raw mode, I have no way to extract them from the canon proprietary ".CR2" format other than spending days doing each one by hand with an extremely slow, klunky, proprietary program. At roughly a minute each, it would take 20 hours of hand editing to convert each by hand. Picasa shows the images, but the colors are horribly mangled. I can only select a few of the very best images to process by hand and wait for Bibble to support the G9 raw format in batch mode.

canon technical support claims to provide "no hassles, no run-around, total satisfaction" while on hold. The support person person told me that I was free to use any third party conversion software but could not suggest one. She offered no diagnostic support whatsoever nor any comment on the error messages. Am I dealing with burger flippers turned technical supporters ;-o ?

Canon, please get out of the software business in which you have negligible competence, stick to making camera hardware and hire a qualified third party like Bibble Labs to write functional image processing software for you.

My recommendation is to avoid the G9 until the raw mode conversion works in batch mode with user input annotations.

Update: after a half hour wait on technical support hold, it has just been confirmed that the export function is broken for raw (".CR2") files and that individual hand processing, one at a time, is required to export raw files to .jpg or .tif.

Claiming to support both raw and .jpg images is one thing. Omitting a clear and conspicuous disclaimer warning that raw file batch processing is broken in their software would seem to be a gross oversight if not an unconscionable withholding of critical information from potential buyers.

Very unhappy with the camera package. :-(

Being a total fan of the Canon's line up of digital SLRs and the proud owner of the 30D, 40D, Rebel XTi and the 5D, my purchase of the G9 was almost inevitable. I thoroughly researched the competition and made an informed decision by reading all the reviews on Amazon.
I like to have a camera at all times and the big lenses and bodies of the SLRs are not always practical to capture the "moment!" For the most part I much prefer the SLR, that was until I handled a G9. I could write reams of data on the performance of this camera, but it has all been said before and therefore will reluctantly refrain from doing so. You must read these reviews!
In short, this camera is phenomenal! It is a power house loaded with huge options and the images it produces, once you have learned it's adjustments and functions, will rival the SLRs. The build of this camera is outstanding, it doesn't feel like a paper thin point and shoot. It feels substantial and yet very portable in the pocket.
Full marks Canon on the G9 :)! This is a must for the photographer who likes quality in images and build.
Look no further--- go buy one! It will be the best purchase you have made in a long while!
I have purchased many photographic items through Amazon. I have never been disappointed. Always on time and brand new with the original packaging. The service has always been first class. Thank you Amazon!

I've been using Canons for 30 years. Until I recently bought a Canon 30D, my main camera was a Canon G-5. There is no question about its superior image quality and its rugged build, but the best thing was the LCD which flips out and tilts up or down. This meant if the only way to get your shot was to stand on a ladder or lay on the ground, you could set the LCD so that you could look straight up at it while holding the camera over your head or set the LCD so that you could look into it while bending over and holding the camera close to the ground. It had the added advantage of enabling you to compose and shoot in stealth mode by not having to hold the camera to your eye. In fact, of the thousands of images I shot with my G-5, I only looked through the viewfinder a dozen times or less.
I hope no one takes offense at this not being a review of the G-9, but I've been wanting to whine to someone about Canon turning their back on the incredible feature they discontinued after the G-5. Video cameras still have this type of LCD, but as far as I know it has entirely disappeared from the world of still cameras.
My experience with Canons and with the G series tells me even without that wonderful pan and tilt LCD viewfinder, this might be the best camera you can buy short of a reflex, and maybe better given its small size and low price which is quite a bargain compared to the $850 paid for my G-5 just a few years ago.
My advice -- if you can find a good quality used G5, buy it.

I have been shooting with manual focus, manual exposure SLR systems since I was twelve years old. That's almost thirty years using kit like the Olympus OM-1 (my first love, too bad it was stolen!), Pentax MX, numerous lenses, professional flash equipment like Vivitar 283 and Sunpak 383. My cousin asked me to shoot her wedding, so I thought maybe the time had finally come to switch to digital.

Okay, so maybe I'm old school, and maybe I have some unrealistic expectations for modern equipment, but every time I looked at the digital SLR offerings, I was disappointed. Even the Nikons (well, the affordable ones like the D70 and D80) were polycarbonate bodies with plastic lenses. Not professional-grade. Do you have to pay thousands of dollars to get a metal-bodied SLR today? Something built to withstand a 5 fps motor drive, like in the old days? Well, I looked at the Pentax K10D -- metal body, reasonably affordable, fully compatible with all my lenses -- but I just had this vague sense of dissatisfaction. These fragile contraptions are big, clunky, dare I say dorky compared to an old film SLR. Hey, and don't let any dust get on the sensor. Sheesh, talk about wearing kid gloves.

Then a friend told me about the Canon G9. Whoa, paradigm shift here, folks. I hadn't considered a non-SLR, but I sure am glad I did. This thing has pro-grade features: aperture and shutter priority modes as well as full manual exposure, manual focus, RAW capability, decent optical zoom range, spot metering, a hot shoe that works with all my existing flash gear, and many other things that usually only make it into SLR's.

For example, with most P&S cameras, shutter lag is a huge problem. Good portraits demand instant shutter response. The G9's shutter is almost instantaneous SO LONG AS you half-press to lock the focus, and compose with the optical viewfinder (i.e, turn the LCD off). I am getting great portraits of my kids using this technique, and it does feel a bit like using an old Leica rangefinder. Never understood why anyone would give up an SLR; now I get it. Quiet, easily concealed, doesn't announce "I AM A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER!" or otherwise make you look or feel like a dork. The optical viewfinder zooms pretty closely with the lens, and parallax has not been a problem. I wear eyeglasses and the viewfinder works just fine with them; in fact, better than with my MX. When using the viewfinder, the LCD just displays important camera information: shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, stuff like that. I've found it's pretty easy to glance down at the LCD to check those things, then return to composing in the viewfinder.

For those moments when I really need to see exactly what's in the frame, I switch to composing with the LCD. This is handy to set the manual exposure, too. I shot some pics of my kids in front of the fireplace and in front of the Christmas tree, with available light, and I just dialed down the shutter speed in manual mode until the exposure looked right in the LCD. And what an LCD -- again, it's SLR-grade.

Overall, the build quality is phenomenal for this price. It feels solid. Others have compared it to a tank, or a swiss watch, or a Leica. It is very enjoyable to hold and use. Taking pictures is fun again!

Video capability is a bonus, too, that you won't find on SLR's. I'm not a big video shooter, but I have two young kids and there'll be times when I want it. Back when I was looking at SLR's, I always figured I'd need to purchase a separate (cheap) video camera, maybe a Pure Digital Flip model. Not anymore.

The G9 is not perfect. Some shortcomings can be overcome or compensated for, while others simply can't. I am disappointed with the noise above ISO 200. Autofocus is not as fast as an SLR. Wide-angle zoom isn't as wide as I'd really like. The retractable lens looks a bit fragile to me. I recommend the Lensmate lens adapter for when you think you might bump into things. It's anodized aluminum, so it's rugged; unfortunately, it really sticks out into the optical viewfinder, cutting off about half the view. Well, that's when you go with the LCD, I guess. Works of man fall short of perfection, and all gear has strengths and limitations. Learn them and use them, or work around them as best you can. There are lighting conditions that NO digital handles well, and for those, I'm happy to continue shooting film.

But for everything else, I'm really happy with the portability, control, responsiveness, and quality of the G9. All things considered, especially that it's less than half the price of a D80 or "serious" DSLR, it is a great camera.

This one is the best canon camera out there. This is my third digital camera. And the second canon. I have tried Sony but didn't like its picture quality especially the sharpness. The shots come out really sharp and the colors are crisp with this Canon G9. The 12.1 resolution is awesome, you have lots of option when it comes to editing your snaps without losing its resolution. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a decent camera with excellent picture quality, and still rugged enough to bear all types of jolts.

I'm a professional photographer and I don't always want to carry my 1D or 5D around with me on trips, biking or in the kayak. They are just to heavy and easy to steal. This little camera fits in my fanny pack and gives me about 70% of the control I have with the bigger cameras.

The manual control is simply outstanding both in what you can do and how Canon implemented the menus. I have a SD500 that I've used for years and it has little manual control. What the SD500 does have in manual control is all burried in layers of menus that make it slow and hard to get to. The G9 is nearly as easy to use as my 5D and that is amazing for a little camera like this one. Having the ability to shoot RAW is the final icing on the cake. Don't let earlier reviews worry you about RAW, Adobe photoshop and Lightroom support it fully.

The build quality is amazing, it feels like a tank and I expect it to stand up to my needs very well. I will also be using the underwater case and that is a great additional feature that further inhances its value to me.

On the down side, the f/stop is a little limited. It stops at f/8 which is a little less than I would like but it is mostly fine. It is very noisy at ISO 400 or larger which makes me wish the camera manufactures would stop playing the megapixel game and focus more on image quality. I would take a 8mp camera that looks great at ISO400 over a 12mp that doesn't any day.

In the end it is a camera that I will have with me a lot and it will take great photos in most of the situations I need to to. Those photos will all be outstanding compaired to not having a camera with me at all which is after all the point of photography.

Highly reccomended!

This camera is easy to use and takes crystal-clear photos. I love my Canon Rebel EOS XT (SLR) camera, but it is too bulky and heavy to comfortably fit in a purse. My problem with itty-bitty cameras is the lack of zoom capability and advanced features. This camera - while on the larger and heavier end of point-and-shooters - combines the best of all worlds. It's feature rich and still small and light enough to be toted around on a long day of sightseeing. It's like having a digital SLR in a small package. The battery life is exceptional, by the way.

A good combination digital camera, useful for novices and more serious photographers. You can easily use the camera for point and shoot, just be careful to learn how to get it to focus or you will be dissappointed. For the more serious users, there are more than enough settings to get the shot you want. But, be prepared to study how the user interface works to get that shot.

One issue is the 32MB memory. Enough for 6 shots in high res. So, plan on getting a memory card upgrade. 2GB is plenty.

Another is battery recharging. You have to remove the battery from the unit and install it in a separate wall charger. Not too big a deal, but I wonder if the battery door is robust enough to take years of battery installs / removals.

After months of reading reviews and waiting for the release of the G9, I finally purchased one (arrived quicker then declared with good protective packaging).
5 days and some 100s of pictures later I am still exploring its wonderful functionality.
No, it isn't tens of menus with sub menus of unnecessary features; it is the full manual ability that gives you great artistic and photographic control.
Learn to use this `jewelry anvil' (smallish, sturdy and heavy) and you will have very few excuses for not taking that shot that you can see in your head.
I don't know much from first hand on the competition in regards to speed, but from a complete subjective point of view, this camera is sufficiently fast, it shoots quickly an image after image with or without flash, Jpeg, Jpeg+ RAW at full resolution and quality (on a cheap no name 2GB SD card!) and it seems to ask for more.
All together you can use this camera as creatively as you want using part or all manual modes, with the simplicity for your basic; kids, pets, family, all round photography in all automatic modes.
I prefer ergonomics over fashion statements, a larger grip, a real thumb rest could help a lot,
I would happily give the 2 extra mega pixels the G9 does over the G7 for a wider lens. ..

I am a canon fan and had only very positive experiences so far with canon cameras and lenses. I changed my Powershot S80 (5 stars in my opinion) for the G9... which also has 5 stars specifications for my needs (mainly outdoor photography).

Unfortunately I had to return back my G9 after a week because the lenses were full of dust. Not sure yet if I was unlucky in getting a poorly build examplar of the G9 or if the tropicalisation is badly conceived, but dust entered far too easily in the lens which can be unmounted only in a specialized canon center (still haven't received it back after 3 weeks now).

Should you consider using it for outdoor activities where dust can be a issue, you may reconsider using/buying the G9. In general, most specialized reviews will correctly point out that Canon seems not to be at the level of other constructors for tropicalisation (exposure to dust & water) related matters, so be careful if this is an important issue fot you.

Hope this information will prevent you from getting into troubles.

Kind regards.