REVIEW: Canon EOS M–Taking the Fun Out of Photography

Canon EOS M with 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Yeah, you’ve got to do this at least once ;-)

Let me just say up front that if you are looking for an article that makes you feel good about wanting an EOS M then you’ve come to the wrong place. While I enjoy reviewing cameras, there’s no camera that I’ve wanted to return faster than this one because I disliked it so much (well, the Nikon 1 V1 was close and previously held that title).

Why I Hate This Camera (Skip this if you don’t care why)

The reason why I hated this camera is because I’m just don’t get who the target audience really is for this camera. In the world I live in I see the need for one to three cameras for most people with the following logic:

• Cell Phone Camera – This is the camera that’s always with you and hopefully is one that doesn’t suck. For me it’s the iPhone 5 and it gets the shots that are just for me to share with my friends on Facebook and to capture a moment that would otherwise be lost without it (like where my car is parked at the airport – ha, ha). Cell phones like the Nokia 920 even rival the higher end compact cameras! For many people, this is the only camera they really need – but not you if you are reading this.
• Compact Cameras – This is the camera that you whip out when your cell phone just won’t do, but you don’t want the hassle of the DSLR. You get this camera because you want more control than your cell phone gives you (you know, like being able to control the depth of field, shutter speed to avoid blur or ISO to kill the noise when you can keep your camera stable, etc…). These days these cameras are getting so good that many rival lower end DSLR’s, and some are so fun to use that even photography enthusiasts can enjoy a creative outlet in a compact package. With great cameras like the X20 and RX100 this may be all “real photographers” who shoot for a hobby really need.
• Interchangeable Lens Cameras – This is for the serious enthusiast or part-time semi-pro photographer who is willing to make a serious investment in their photography to match the right lens to the scene. This is the buyer who wants the best and is willing to pay for it. Now for some the appeal of the micro-four thirds meets their needs and for others it’s a full-blown DSLR. However, for both camps I argue that this is the person who wants full creative control over their shots and wants quick access to the change the focus point, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO as needed.

Of course there’s other categories of cameras and pro shooters have a need for multiple interchangeable lens cameras, but the point is that for much of the photography enthusiast world this pretty much covers what most people will need or want.

Now at first glance one might think that the EOS M falls into the third category since it has a large APS-C sensor like you’d find on a 60D, interchangeable lenses and even a hot shoe. However, this camera fails miserably in the all-important “quick access” feature that I think is critical to serious photography.

The fatal flaw of the EOS M is that it is going for the minimalistic approach of the cell phone camera with serious features buried behind nested touch screen menus. It’s clear from the design this camera is designed for the picture taker (I can’t say photographer) who finds a cell phone about as difficult as they can handle, but they long to look like their friends with DSLR’s.

Now I’m not saying these are stupid people because you have to be well off to afford this nearly $800 camera plus the additional lenses and accessories (like a flash which isn’t included), but it seems that Canon is targeting this to someone who finds a Sony NEX-7 to be just too complex to use.

Despite the strengths of this camera, I just don’t see the point of a camera that has been dumbed down even more than a s110, yet it has no built-in flash and it requires you to read the manual (which many DSLR owners fail to do) just to get out of the cell phone-like automatic modes. Perhaps, if you are an amateur videographer you might find some value in this camera, but even then I’d argue that you’d want more control and features than this camera offers.

What I Do Like About this Camera

f/4 @ 28 mm (24-105mm), 1/320, ISO 100, AWB
Unprocessed In-Camera JPEG – Standard Picture Style

Okay, so now that I got that off my chest I can focus on what’s good about this camera. In practice I found this camera to be very much like a T4i in a nearly touch only body with what seemed to be better ISO performance and dynamic range. This is a good thing, especially with the must have EF/EF-S lens adapter as it means you can get some great shots if you work hard enough at it.

A Real World Lens Comparison

In my sample gallery I have bookshelf shots for those who want to pixel peep three of the lenses I tested with, but here’s a quick real world practical test that illustrates similar behavior I found with other frames. These shots were chosen not to send a religious message but simply because they were good examples under challenging conditions and are similar to high ISO shots of this same subject used in other reviews.

f/2.8 @ 22 mm (kit lens), 1/40, ISO 800
Lack of stabilization and sharpness
made me quickly avoid the 22mm lens

In my testing I found that the included 22m kit lens was disappointing (sample shown above), but the optically darker but stabilized 18-55mm zoom lens was much more practical in everyday use. Here’s an example of the same shot above with the :

The EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens performed well for a $299 lens
f/4 @ 26 mm (18-55mm), 1/50, ISO 1600, AWB, No Flash

If you have an investment in EF or EF-S lenses, then the EF/EF-S lens adapter is a must as you can use the best lenses Canon makes to get great results. The downside is that the improved AF performance (and IS when applicable) comes at a cost of draining the battery very quickly. Here’s a sample using my old EF 24-105mm f/4L IS with the adapter which offers edge to edge sharpness improvement at a cost of $799 more for the lens plus another $200 for the adapter:

My EF 24-105mm f/4L IS (with adapter) had better edge sharpness, but it cost $700 more!
f/4 @ 24 mm (24-105mm), 1/40, ISO 1600, AWB

If you are going to get this camera your takeaway should be to get the adapter if you own existing  Canon lenses, but if you don’t you’ll find the 18-55mm to be a good starter lens in terms of both size and performance (and especially battery life).

Good Lenses + Patience = Sometimes Good Results

When mastered, the EOS M can produce excellent results even with EF-M lenses
f/5.6 @ 44 mm (18-55mm), 1/80, ISO 640, No Flash, AWB
Click for original in-camera JPEG

If you are prepared to read the manual for this camera and learn how to use it properly, it will reward you when you match it to the right lens. It’s also quiet handy to point on the touch screen LCD to quickly pick your AF point (like the T4i offers), but you must be careful as grabbing this small camera body can also result in accidentally relocating the AF point – A LOT.

Bookshelf Test

Bookshelf Testing did include the 70-200mm

If you are frequent reader and are looking for my bookshelf test shots, you can find an assortment with three lenses at http://www.ronmartinsen.com/canon/eosm/e52365dee. As usual for non DSLR’s these are all in-camera JPEG’s all shot the same way. Touch to focus made it hard to get the same level of accuracy as I get with my other cameras tested, and it seemed easy for the meter to want to over expose by 1 stop.

In the center the smaller lenses perform well, but it’s at the edges where the expensive lenses show their value. Even at up to 55mm the EF-M lenses were only super sharp in the center.

Using the 70-200mm, here’s the best I got out of this sensor (but it was 1 stop over exposed)
f/5.6 @ 100 mm, 10s, ISO 100, No Flash, Manual Mode, AWB

Using the 70-200mm, here’s the best of the worst ISO 12,800
You MUST view at full size to see compare details
f/5.6 @ 100 mm, 1/13, ISO 12800

Overall I felt that ISO performance up to ISO 1600 was excellent, but even 3200 was good. 6400 under the right conditions was tolerable and 12,800 was usable but not suitable for printing above 4x6 prints.

For those wondering about RAW’s, see my other articles as to why I don’t include them. Yes, I do have the RAW’s and will make them available on demand for personal use only if you give me a free location to drop them. However, the delta of difference is the same in the RAW’s vs JPEG’s.

Video

I’m no videographer, but overall I found that with a good lens and decent light the video quality was very good. This is no camcorder though so expect DSLR like performance. The STM lenses do allow for near silent zooming and auto focus and the built-in audio was on par with DSLR’s.

Real World Sample Shots

Click here to see my full gallery of real world sample shots. These are the in-camera JPEG’s with zero post processing. With exception of the bookcase shots, all were taken handheld and where possible in the automatic modes to test the camera – not the photographer.

Be sure to look at the filenames to see which lens was used. Blurry or focus miss shots were included to point out shortcomings of focusing by touch or using the auto modes.

Bokeh freaks – yes, it’s possible – even here where I was riding at 70mph on a rough road <g>
f/4 @ 58 mm (24-105mm), 1/500, ISO 100, AWB, No Flash

The large APS-C sensor means you can control the depth of field very well
f/5 @ 37 mm (18-55mm), 1/30, ISO 6400, AWB, No Flash

I was impressed with the dynamic range and detail in the images
f/4.5 @ 28mm (18-55mm), 1/50, ISO 250, No Flash, AWB

High ISO performance was good, and seemed superior to the T4i, 60D and 7D
f/4 @ 105mm (24-105mm), 1/50, ISO 6400, AWB, No Flash

This doesn’t appear to be a lame G1X with interchange lenses as color depth seems to be better
f/5 @ 42mm (18-55mm), 1/80, ISO 160, No Flash, AWB

At times like this, I wanted to like this camera
f/4 @ 18mm (18-55mm), 1/30, ISO 3200, No Flash, AWB

Despite its size, this is no point and shoot. Just like a DSLR can burn you, so will this camera.
Sadly, I found it’s slow AF – even with good lenses to be problematic.
Unless you went to Manual mode, I found moving people to be impossible in all AF modes

External flash is required, yet painfully difficult to use in all but 0EV ETTL
f/4 @ 25mm (18-55mm), 1/60, ISO 1600, 600EX-RT Flash
Mouse over to see the ISO 4000 no flash version

I preferred the Shade White Balance over Vivid Mode (mouse over)
f/4 @ 45 mm (24-105mm), 1/80, ISO 160, No Flash

Conclusion

Putting a 24-105mm lens and a 600EX-RT on this body just feels stupid, and its touch screen makes it so easy to accidentally reposition the focus point that it becomes a real challenge to use this camera. This coupled with the reality that you have to go on a mission to change many camera settings made this a very unenjoyable camera to use, despite it’s decent image quality. This means you are then forced to either live without a flash or use the lame and bulky 90EX Flash and a EOS-M lens which would probably be bashed if that caliber lens were sold for a real DSLR.

In the end, I’d rather have a Sony NEX-7 which offers a built-in flash and superior physical controls as well as almost all of the benefits of the EOS M. I applaud Canon for trying to compete in the new interchangeable lens compact camera segment, but honestly this is almost as bad as the abysmal Nikon 1 V1. Canon and Nikon are the kings of the DSLR’s, but it seems that the small camera makers (i.e., Fujifilm, Panasonic, Sony and Olympus) still own this space.

If you are a parent or pet owner, I DO NOT recommend that you get this camera. It will frustrate you to no end as its too cumbersome to set the camera to the settings you need to get the shot (and even if you do, many settings are lost when the power goes off automatically). The touch to focus is also impossible for a child and the shutter lag makes the face tracking nearly useless (see the blurry photos at Tokyo Steakhouse in my gallery).

Where To Buy

If you are a die hard Canon person who has just gotta have one of these, and you appreciated my honesty then please support this blog by using my links when ordering. Empty your cart and click the links below to give me credit for your referral:

• Canon EOS M
• Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
• Canon EF/EF-S lens adapter
• Canon EOS-M 90EX Flash

Other articles you might enjoy…

• BlackRapid SnapR Camera Bag + Sling Strap (a nice camera bag choice for this camera)
• Gary Fong Flip Cage – A handy compact tripod for this camera
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 (with 2 lenses)
• Sony NEX-7 (which I prefer over the full-frame compact Sony DSC-RX1)
• Fujifilm XPro-1
• Canon G1X vs G12 vs Fujifilm X10
• Canon G15 vs s110 vs G12
• Which camera should I buy?
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories

Disclosure

B&H loaned this camera and two lenses to me for the purpose of this review. If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.

REVIEW: Sony Alpha NEX-7–Yeah, it lives up to the hype

Sony NEX-7 – Yeah, it’s really as good as everyone says it is

The Sony NEX-7 has been around for a while, and when I saw it in New York last fall I wasn’t captivated enough by it to give it a deep look. I tried to reach out to Sony, but they seemed uninterested in blogs like mine so I figured I’d focus on the much hyped Nikon 1 V1 and Fujifilm X100. Both of those cameras end up disappointing me, and the eagerly anticipated XPro-1 had brilliant image quality in yet another poorly executed end product. My dream of having everything I loved about the Fujifilm X10, yet with a better sensor had seemed to be an impossible dream.

While I won’t be replacing my X10 just yet, I’m impressed with the Sony NEX-7. I’m still in the camp that if you want a DSLR, get a great DSLR from Canon or Nikon, but if you want a compact camera then get X10. However, The NEX-7 is the camera I’d easily recommend over the Nikon 1 V1 (and J1), X100, XPro-1, and the Canon G1X.

Living with the NEX-7

Well laid out, but not has handy as you might think at first glance

While the NEX-7 isn’t as big as a full-blown DSLR, it’s big enough that it’s not going to drop in the door pocket of my SUV like some of the other cameras I’ve tested. The lenses are proper lenses, not some tiny pieces of junk like those found on the Nikon 1 V1.

The unit I tested also had the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens which surprised me with the fact that it didn’t suck like most kit lenses typically do. It seems to be well made with reasonable optics (not great, but usable) and features a very usable minimum focus distance. I also had the 50mm f/1.8 which cost the same as the zoom, but was much more frustrating to use due to its longer minimum focus distance (15.3 vs 9.84”). If I were buying one of these for myself, I’d definitely go for the zoom and pass on the 50mm. Here’s a sample image taken with both the 50mm and 18-55mm @ 50mm (both at f/5.0):

Mouse out for the 18-55mm @ 50mm (full-size) and
Mouse over for the 50mm (full size)

Controls & OLED Display

The grip, buttons and knobs are first class – no cheap feeling at all

This camera features an excellent grip and a very usable OLED display in the rear. I expected to be blown away by the OLED display, but I wasn’t. Perhaps I’ve become desensitized after staring at the new iPad display, but I didn’t perceive it to be any better in real-world use over the LCD’s in the latest Nikon and Canon cameras, nor was it to super to the Fujifilm cameras I’ve used. The controls have a good solid feel, but like many cameras in this class it’s lacking the controls I want where I need them, so often you are cycling through menus or buttons to get to what you need. This really hampers reactionary work, so this is definitely not a camera I would recommend to a photo journalist looking to downsize to something more discrete.

Flash Performance

I found the pop-up flash to be just as useless as most point and shoots, despite its interesting design. It still doesn’t go high enough to clear the hood on the zoom lens, and it’s a tiny nuclear bomb of light that hits the target like a laser instead of spreading wide to light the entire scene. Here’s what you can expect in your typical dark restaurant scenario:

Typical point-and-shoot like nuclear blast of light from the on-camera flash (0EV FEC)

Pulling the flash exposure compensation back is a challenge by default, but when you set it to –3EV it gets better but is still pretty hot due to the direct nature of the flash. Here’s an example which admittedly is being impacted by the white hoodie which acts as a reflector here, but you can see on the girl and toddler that the lights not quite as hot:

You can dial back the flash, but not enough (-3EV FEC)

Just like the Fujifilm X100 and XPro-1, this camera features a LCD viewfinder that matches what you see on the rear. However, it’s not as advanced as the brilliant Fujifilm design which also allows for true optical – there is no optical here. I also found the viewfinder to be frustrating as I’d often get my hand too close to it and end up causing the rear LCD to go black.

A good investment with growth opportunity

20 minutes before sunset on a cloudy day
Click for original (this has minor debris removal and cropping, original is untouched)

What I really like about this camera over the competitors is that Sony has made a great selection of E-Mount products in the NEX lineup that give you room to grow. There’s long, wide-angle, pancake, fisheye, etc… lenses as well as high quality Carl Zeiss lenses like the 24mm f/1.8 Sonnar.  This is a platform that grows with you, so you won’t be left out in the cold as easily as I fear will be the case with some of the other manufacturers highly proprietary designs. In fact, if you don’t mind manually focusing, Bower makes an adapter which allows you to mount your Canon EF lenses to the NEX-7.

Bookshelf Test

I found this camera to underexpose by about 1 stop compared to my other cameras so I shot all of these in M(anual) mode at +1 EV. These are all the in-camera JPEG’s with no modification. Click to view the originals for a fair assessment of image quality as artifacts appear in these small thumbnails that do not appear in the original file. I was VERY impressed with the results – this is competitive with any DSLR on the market.

18-55mm lens - f/5.6 @ 50mm, 6s, ISO 100, DRange Auto, AWB

50mm 1.8 lens – f/5.6, 8s, ISO 100

ISO 12,800 is usable for casual photos

HDR Result

HDR Mode +/- 6

This camera has built-in HDR support (JPEG only and discards exposures). The best it can do is shown above which is quite good, but one frustrating fact is that when you are in HDR mode you can’t use the timer. As a result your finger press can introduce shake that can ruin your long exposure. A remote release or great care is required to avoid camera shake at the start of the first exposure.

Mouse over to see the non-HDR and mouse out to see the HDR Auto version

I found the auto HDR setting to be very conservative, but the auto-alignment was brilliant. Hand-holding was never a problem for reasonable light exposures.

Conclusion

The battery was good for a day which was a big improvement over other non-DSLR cameras I’ve looked at. The performance of the Anti-Blur mode (JPEG only) was outstanding. It’s the mode you use when you are in the dark restaurant or pub and you want to get that family shot. Of course, it doesn’t help you with the the fact that there might not be a lot of light on your subjects faces, but at least your subjects won’t be hopelessly blurry.

I was impressed with image quality with the kit lens and availability of lenses (including third party), I find this to be a good choice for those looking for something smaller than a traditional DSLR – for casual use. I was also pleased with the pano feature which works much like the Fujifilm X10, but is more forgiving and fun to use (click here for samples). Video is also excellent, but sadly I didn’t get much time to test it so I have no meaningful samples to share.

My only real gripe about this camera are the annoying menu system and its lack of quick access to things like white balance and macro mode. I also hated that I didn’t have a easily accessible way to zoom the live view like I would on a DSLR. YES, I can realize I can reprogram buttons but the fact is I don’t see any candidates I’d want to reprogram. I just want more buttons for faster access, and its crappy menu system doesn’t help either.

If you are hell bent on going with a more compact alternative to a DSLR, then I think you’ll be happy with the Sony NEX-7.

Order your NEX-7 today at B&H and help support this blog!

Too expensive for your budget? How about this option…

If the NEX-7 is out of your budget, you might want to consider the NEX-F3 which is on sale now. It’s a fraction of the cost, comes with the excellent 18-55mm lens and is only $598!

The cool thing about the NEX system is that it seems to be well thought out and executed, so you could buy the F3 and then grow into the 7 down the round. Your lens and accessories would still work so you could get the body only for the 7 and you’d be back in business.

Real-World Sample Images

You can find the latest images that I’ve added at http://ronmart.zenfolio.com/nex7 as well as my article entitled “Sony NEX-7 Panorama Images Added”. Here’s a few that I’ve done so far that are worth mentioning. None have any post-processing and all link to their original in-camera JPEG’s:

I was pleased with the detail from hand-held shots in low ambient light

My wife thinks these are creepy, but this and others in the gallery give you an idea of how the lenses compare. These were all done hand-held in admittedly tough wind conditions.

This was really dark in real-life – I was shocked at how well the NEX-7 did here

Using Landscape mode and Shade White balance, rich colors were possible

This is a tough shot because my son is bouncing around like a head banger
Using the Anti-Motion / Blur feature, I stopped him his tracts and got a good clean shot.
That’s very impressive for this price point.

Taken on the go while walking back to the car
Macro mode sometimes just works

Macro mode was hit or miss. Here’s an example of a miss where the camera made an audible focus lock sound, but the net result was a total fail (which happened a lot):

Macro mode can let you down if you aren’t careful

50mm 1.8 lens - it works well as a portrait lens

Thanks to a shorter minimum focus distance, the 18-55mm outperformed the 50mm for this shot

Lots of detail even at ISO 1600

Horrible shot, but what’s noteworthy is that at ISO 640 there’s still plenty of detail in the netting

Another horrible ISO 6400 shot, but the detail on the strawberry is impressive (ISO 1600 version)

Shallow depth of field was much easier than with a point and shoot

Disclosure

I was provided with a loaner unit of this camera and lens which I intend to return. If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.

Canon G1 X replaces G12 with 6x bigger sensor–available for pre-order now

Canon G1 X (Adorama, B&H)

Pre-orders are available now at Adorama and B&H!

Word was already on the street that a new G12 replacement was coming, but this is much cooler than I expected. I’m probably in the minority but I’m VERY GLAD it is not a interchangeable lens camera as I love the heck out of my X10’s ease of use and amazing image quality. The size on this sensor is a massive 1.5” which is nearly as large as what you’d find on a 60D (APS-C size):

Image Courtesy of Adorama

While it is still a smaller sensor than the mighty X100, you know from my point and shoot comparison article that the G12 is one of the most user friendly cameras on the planet for a pro, and the X100 is probably the most UN-Friendly (but still cool <g>).

I can see this camera hurting Rebel sales for smart shoppers who realize that they want better quality but not the expense and hassle of a DSLR. The question is – will this camera make me want to sell my beloved 2 month old Fujifilm X10? I’ll let you know in my upcoming review.

Check out the in-depth articles from Adorama and B&H.

Here’s the press release from Canon for this and some new Elph’s…

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 9, 2012 – Continuing to revolutionize the digital camera market, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the introduction of a new flagship PowerShot model, the PowerShot G1 X, in addition to two stylish PowerShot ELPH models, the ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 110 HS.  The PowerShot G1 X camera will feature a 1.5-inch, 14.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, the largest sensor to date for a PowerShot model, delivering approximately nine times more light sensitivity and helping to produce amazing depth-of-field and high-quality images in tough low-light conditions.  For those users looking for a camera with advanced features in a compact form both the PowerShot ELPH 520 HS, the world’s thinnest 12x optical zoom with a 28mm lens¹, and PowerShot ELPH 110 HS feature a sleek design and compelling creative capabilities.

“The new additions to our PowerShot lineup further demonstrate Canon’s commitment to delivering users innovative imaging products,” said Yuichi Ishizuka executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “These sleek and compact cameras bring together powerful features, intuitive controls and unrivaled portability while maintaining high image quality.”

The Power of DIGIC 5

Living up to its reputation as a leader in the digital camera marketplace, Canon has incorporated the DIGIC 5 image processor into the HS SYSTEM for all three models.  Achieving better quality images in low-light settings, boasting faster operation and providing improved color accuracy, the DIGIC 5 image processor ensures users are able to produce high-quality images in the most difficult of lighting conditions. The processor will also enable the PowerShot G1 X camera to utilize the High-Speed Burst HQ² feature allowing photographers to shoot images at high speeds at full resolution to capture the perfect moving shot.  Additionally, to ensure images are crisp and clear, advanced noise reduction and a smarter multi-area White Balance can be utilized to achieve accurate color reproduction for a balanced image.

Advanced Smart AUTO

Advanced Smart AUTO, available in the PowerShot ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 110 HS, can detect up to 58 scenes varying from non-human moving subjects to people, landscapes, pets and vehicles, helping the camera determine the best mode of shooting.  This technology has been enhanced to include a new Face ID feature, allowing users to register up to 12 people on the camera and have the camera recognize and prioritize each person. When registering individuals on the camera, users can take up to five images of a subject at various angles or facial expressions and enter their name and birth date. This allows the camera to make one of three age distinctions: Babies (0 to 1 year old), Children (2 to 12 years old) or Adults (13 years or older).  Based on these different groups, the camera will give focus priority to the youngest recognized group in the frame and makes the images searchable as well with the ability to view only those images of a particular person.

Further additions to this new feature are Smile Recognition and Sleeping Face Recognition. With Smile Recognition, the camera will take three consecutive shots of a scene such as a smiling baby or of grandparents at a family get together and select the best out of the three for the final image. For Sleeping Face Recognition the flash, assist beam and sound is turned off for that precious moment to be captured while not disturbing one’s sleep.

PowerShot G1 X Digital Camera

Ideal for photography enthusiasts looking for the highest image quality in a compact, point-and-shoot design, the Canon PowerShot G1 X camera features the largest sensor to date for a Canon point-and-shoot model. The camera has a brand new, large 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14mm), 14.3-megapixel High-Sensitivity Canon CMOS sensor, delivering shallow depth of field, a wide dynamic range, an ISO range of up to 12800 and incredible light gathering ability helping to ensure brilliant images in even tough low-light conditions. Featuring an amazing Canon lens with 4X Optical Zoom, an aperture of f/2.8 to f/16 for beautiful images when shooting portraits and amazing clarity when shooting landscapes along with wide-angle capabilities starting at 28mm, the PowerShot G1 X camera makes certain that users will have the right optics for most any situation.  Further adding to the EOS-like feature set of this new model is 14-bit, RAW+JPEG shooting and compatibility with accessories such as Speedlite, Macro Twin Lite or the Macro Ring Light flashes. HDR Shooting has been included to ensure the best possible shot is captured as well. The PowerShot G1 X camera also shoots in Full HD 1080p video ensuring memorable moments are captured in the highest quality.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X camera has a bright, large 3.0-inch vari-angle LCD with 922,000 dots of resolution providing photographers with the highest quality available in a point-and-shoot. The inclusion of the Mode Dial on the top of the camera and the Front Dial helps provide more intuitive control of the camera.

The estimated selling price of the Canon PowerShot G1 X camera is $799.99 and is scheduled to be available in February. Pre-orders are available now at Adorama and B&H!

PowerShot ELPH 520 HS Digital Camera

The feature-packed Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS camera resurrects the original PowerShot ELPH design with a more contemporary and radiant look and feel.  This new stylish model has a 10.1-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor along with a 12X Optical Zoom lens, ISO range of up to 3200 and wide-angle capabilities starting at 28mm.  For photographers on the move, this camera also has Full HD 1080p video capture capabilities, a 3.0-inch LCD for easy viewing of images and High-Speed Burst mode where images are continuously captured at 6.8 frames per second.

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS camera will be available in black, silver, red and blue in March with an estimated selling price of $299.99. Adorama is taking pre-orders now.

PowerShot ELPH 110 HS Digital Camera

Canon’s PowerShot ELPH 110 HS camera comes in a variety of fun, bright colors (black, silver, red, blue, green and pink) and is the ideal camera for new photographers. With a 5X Optical Zoom lens and wide-angle capabilities beginning at 24mm, this camera provides the user with the ability to fit an entire landscape or a specific area of a subject into one shot.  The camera also features a16-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor, ISO range of up to 3200, 3.0-inch wide LCD and Full HD 1080p video capture for brilliant, high resolution quality. High-Speed Burst mode has also been included for continuous shooting up to 5.8 frames per second.

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS camera is scheduled to be available in February with an estimated selling price of $249.99. Adorama is taking pre-orders now.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With more than $45 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranked fourth overall in patent holdings in the U.S. in 2010†, and is one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2011. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility.

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  Specifications subject to change without notice.

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Nikon 1 V1, Fuji x10, Canon s100 Real World Video Test

Nikon 1 V1, Fuji x10, Canon s100 Real World Video Test 1 – Camera Setup

NOTE: This is part of my Nikon 1 V1, Fuji x10, & Canon s100 comparison articles. I highly recommend you enjoy this link before or after reading this article.

How many times have you looked at a video samples online of camera that you were considering buying, only to discover that the quality when you used it sucked? The reason why I think this happens is that reviewers don’t want to embarrass themselves by showing real-world video, but rather they’ll shoot video in ideal conditions and in some cases even post-process their videos to give you the image you want to see – not what you’ll really see. Well I hate those kind of reviews because I always feel so let down when I try the product myself and get crappy results. As a result I decided to sacrifice my perception as a photographer by shooting video in the EXACT conditions I would for real-life family events in my home.

It’s much like my Let the eyes tell the story notebook entry where I show how $12k+ worth of equipment can still give you a muddy looking shot if you don’t take time to process the photo. These videos can probably be cleaned up and of course you can always use manual settings to improve the results, but this is real world out of the box experience stuff here, so I hope you enjoy it!

Methodology

I lined all three cameras up in the same spot and had my wife start them all at roughly the same time so that there would be no advantage to one camera over another. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions based on what you see, but I know which camera I’d trust for my real-world family videos.

Since I didn’t have three tripods (anymore :)), I used my Gary Fong Flip Cage for the s100 and V1. For the X10 I used my tripod simply because the other cameras were already on the flip cages from my previous work. Before conspiracy theorists flip out, all three cameras demonstrated excellent stability during the video so this variable shouldn’t have any impact on the outcome.

In real life I wouldn’t use any support for video as I am no videographer – I’m just a point and record consumer when it comes to video. However, to reduce controversy I set up all cameras on stable support and pointed them to roughly the same spot (all three have different zoom lenses and crop factors, so this is an approximation).

This is not a test of video stability, my cinematography skills, or the level of the camera – this is a ballpark estimation of a real world usage. In fact on Christmas day I shot from both spots featured in these videos, so I consider this to be a real world scenario in my household.

Test 1 – Mixed Lighting in Dark Room

Natural window light from the left, tungsten back light and mixed light on the subject
with a shadow of the tree – it doesn’t get much worse than this

For this my goal was pretty much show the worst real-world scenario I’d likely get in real life to see how each of these cameras performed. I hate shooting anything in this room, but it’s the best place for the Christmas tree so I’m fighting all odds in here all the time. The tall cathedral ceilings don’t help either as little light gets reflected back down on the subjects.

All cameras were at maximum video resolution with factory default settings. Here’s the results in alphabetical order:

Canon s100

Play in HD

The Canon s100 did a reasonable job with the exposure, but it is still a bit on the dark side (although not as much as the Nikon V1).  The white balance feels a bit cold on me, but perfect on the background. The focus and depth of field were rock solid. I’d say that it got the job done reasonably well – especially given its cost compared to the other cameras.

Fujifilm X10

Play in HD

The Fuji X10’s light meter nailed this exposure to produce the best overall result, but the AF system was a bit off. There seems to be more of a shallow depth of a field on this video as well.

Nikon 1 V1 

Play in HD

The Nikon V1 did the best job of autofocusing and the image is pretty good, but the light meter sucks so it is way under exposed. I was also unimpressed with the auto white balance.

For reference, 10-30mm lens was used in this and the next video.

Test 2

Nikon 1 V1, Fuji x10, Canon s100 Real World Video Test 2 – Camera Setup

Good natural light was available for test 2

For this video I gave the cameras a little more help by facing myself towards a window that allows ample natural light through the window. It was about 4:00 PM in December in Seattle on a typical overcast day, so the light is diffused very evenly. The temperature is a bit cool, but easy for Auto White Balance (AWB) to do its job.

Canon s100

Play in HD

This video shows the lack of dynamic range of the s100 as the dark colors on me and the shades of green on the dinosaur get rather muddied. The white balance is reasonable, the audio is decent, and depth of field is good. I felt like the autofocus was bang on.

Fujifilm X10

Play in HD

The excellent dynamic range of the X10 really shines here. You can see that my shirt is a darker gray and that my jeans are dark blue. The full range of colors on the dinosaur are present and the auto white balance is excellent. I felt the autofocus and depth of field were much better in this video and the sound is acceptable for a point and shoot camera. The reds are rendered very well on the toys in the foreground as well.

Nikon 1 V1

Play in HD

Again the Nikon meter just misses its mark. The image quality and noise level is excellent. I can tell that the dynamic range of the foreground toy is very good, but it’s hard to tell farther back as the underexposure muddies everything.

A word about video editing software

I’d like to point out that all three camera companies have not stepped up to deliver a usable video editing solution for these cameras. Even simple tasks like clipping off a little of the video on the beginning or end is easier done on YouTube than with their bundled software. As a result if you are going to be doing anything serious with video you’ll need to invest in a better solution or rely on software bundled with your operating system. Thus far Adobe Premiere Elements 10 has been the easiest to use product that I’ve used for simple editing, and video is one area where the Mac is clearly the preferred platform for the video editing experience. I’ve been very disappointed with Final Cut Express and the full version of Adobe Premiere, and I have yet to try Vegas.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, I think it is easy for you to reach your own conclusions on this one. This isn’t rocket science – it’s just record, upload to YouTube, and play the results. I should also note that the HD results on YouTube are a fair representation of what I see from the originally captured videos.

NOTE: This is part of my Nikon 1 V1, Fuji x10, & Canon s100 comparison articles. I highly recommend you enjoy this link before or after reading this article.

Disclaimer

I’d like to thank B&H for loaning me the cameras for this review. The Nikon and Canon cameras were returned after this review and I purchased the X10 for my personal use. I may get a commission if you make purchases using the links in this article – thanks for supporting my blog by using my links.