http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/p...powershot_g1_x

A new, fixed-lens compact, rangefinder style camera, with a new large sensor. The new sensor is smaller than Canon's APS-C format imagers, but it's larger than the 4/3rd / m4/3rd sensors and twice the sensor size of the Nikon "1" series cameras. It is around 6 times larger than Canon's own "G" series advanced compact cameras.

Very interesting. The only part that doesn't impress me is the lens itself which is "not ..." (wide enough, long enough, fast enough), and which is also not interchangable.

Originally Posted by MarkR Very interesting. The only part that doesn't impress me is the lens itself which is "not ..." (wide enough, long enough, fast enough), and which is also not interchangable.

Compared to the Fujifilm FinePix X100, for instance, against which I suspect this would compete, this might be preferable for many people. As a simple rangefinder digital camera, and a major upgrade over the average P&S and most digicams in terms of low light performance, it has my interest.

Add an auxiliary wide angle attachment lens, 24mm equivalence would be sufficient for my needs, and this could cover many of my travel photography needs. (There is no mention of a specific WA attachment for this camera, but I would be very willing to try my Canon WD-58, 0.7x wide-angle lens on this camera.)

It appears to have a standard Canon hot-shoe, so existing Canon dSLR flashes will work. Oddly, the camera only supports flash sync to 1/250th, with HSS/FP mode flash to 1/4000th. That would seem to imply a focal-plane shutter. (No electronic shutter like most other small digital cameras.) It also has a second-curtain sync, another indication of a focal-plane shutter.

I'll be most interested in responsiveness. (Sadly, responsiveness does not appear to be that great by any measure.)

I'm still impressed at how well the Sony DSC-R1 cameras have held their value. (The R1 being of a similar design of fixed zoom lens, large sensor and RAW capable.)

Originally Posted by ziggy53 As a simple rangefinder digital camera, and a major upgrade over the average P&S and most digicams in terms of low light performance, it has my interest.

This isn't a range finder...is it? I can't find anything that says it works like one. Can you tell me why you think it is?

Originally Posted by Ed911 This isn't a range finder...is it? I can't find anything that says it works like one. Can you tell me why you think it is?

I was more accurate in the first post to call it a "rangefinder style camera".

You are correct in that it is not a manual rangefinder focus, nor does it appear to have a digital rangefinder AF module. The body style and general appearance will appear very familiar to anyone who has used a rangefinder camera, as will the optical viewfinder (with all of its associated advantages and problems.)

With that sensor size, it's getting close to the point at which I might just go for it :-)

I like it. It looks like a great camera but that eye level VF is doing nothing for me.

It's really interesting what's coming out of this left field, and to consider what impact it might have as an alternative to dslrs, now that usability of images produced is so much less compromised in terms of quality in comparison.

Neil

Hmmm. Looks kinda cool. I'm liking most of it so far.

Some personal niggles:
The S100 has built-in GPS, and this doesn't?
The S100 is a f/2 lens, this is a dimmer f/2.8.
Poor battery life.
Heavy.

Originally Posted by David_S85 Hmmm. Looks kinda cool. I'm liking most of it so far. Some personal niggles: The S100 has built-in GPS, and this doesn't? The S100 is a f/2 lens, this is a dimmer f/2.8. Poor battery life. Heavy.

But the G1X has a much larger sensor. I was under the impression that f2.8 with a larger sensor would still be better in low light than an f2 with a smaller sensor. Or is that not the case?

Originally Posted by Chuck289 But the G1X has a much larger sensor. I was under the impression that f2.8 with a larger sensor would still be better in low light than an f2 with a smaller sensor. Or is that not the case?

Correct, or probably so; about a wash in that respect. A 2.0 with the larger sensor size (G1X) would necessitate a larger lens, so I'm pretty sure a compromise was reached in the design.

I also find that it odd that some features might have been left out (like GPS) as if they rushed this out to snag some sales away from competition like Fuji.

The S100 looks like a better deal for portability for us dSLR shooters, and at $300 less.

Originally Posted by David_S85 Correct, or probably so; about a wash in that respect. A 2.0 with the larger sensor size (G1X) would necessitate a larger lens, so I'm pretty sure a compromise was reached in the design. I also find that it odd that some features might have been left out (like GPS) as if they rushed this out to snag some sales away from competition like Fuji. The S100 looks like a better deal for portability for us dSLR shooters, and at $300 less.

I'd imagine, particularly as the battery life doesn't look that great, the GPS was left out to save battery life.

Is GPS that important to people? To people who care about the image enough to want a G1X? I'd happily leave it off to gain 20% more battery life, not mention reduced cost.

Originally Posted by David_S85 Correct, or probably so; about a wash in that respect.

The G1X sensor is more than 6 times larger than the S100 sensor (1/1.7"), so it shouldn't just be "a wash". The G1X at f/2.8 should be appreciably faster than the s100 at f/2.0.



That said, I would still like to see Canon announce an "S1X" which would be the G1X minus the viewfinder, hotshoe, articulating lcd, grip, knobs, with a 28-70mm f/2.0 - f/4.5 lens.

I still have my original 3MP G1 that I paid nearly as much for as this new one. Hey, do you think if I sent it in to Canon they'd retrofit it???

Originally Posted by Icebear I still have my original 3MP G1 that I paid nearly as much for as this new one. Hey, do you think if I sent it in to Canon they'd retrofit it???

Maybe in a couple of years the Canon PowerShot G1 X will be available through the "loyalty program"?

I like several things about this camera quite a bit, Ziggy, but I am still waiting to hear about AF speed and accuracy.

I wish they offered a real electronic viewfinder, like Lumix ICL cameras do, though.

The zoom range is quite useful for what most people will use this camera for, I suspect, 4 to 1, with a 28mm FF angle of view.

I look forward to seeing the image file quality, which will probably be pretty good, as I have some nice 16x20 prints from a G 10.

Very interesting. It has everything I am looking for. May consider to get one to become part of my body - carry-it-everywhere-I-go.

It may be one-step closer to what I requested - a mirrorless body from Canon. The big sensor, high pixel number and high ISO. Just need to take out the glasses, install the aperture control and autofocus drive, it becomes the mirrorless body for all my Ls.

A true mirror-less, with EF lens mount (or via an adaptor) is probably just over the horizon. But this G1X looks like it will do for the high-end shooters for this season.

Is this camera perhaps why Canon felt confident that they didn't need to enter the mirrorless ILC market?

For the price of a T3i, I'd rather have that and my 24mm f/2.8. That's a small combo - a little bigger, but much better responsiveness and quality. I'd be stuck with a prime lens (about 35mm equiv.). No zoom, but I'd prefer the features of a DSLR. Still, I think this camera will be a big seller, especially if there are good response times.