Canon PowerShot G9

Manual Control Options
DSLR users might miss the jog dial layout, but the G9 does have plenty of manual The G9 gives users a host of manual control options. Some are in the Function menu and others, like ISO, have dedicated on-camera controls.

Focus
Autofocus (8.25)
The PowerShot G9 uses a 9-point autofocus system that offers FlexiZone, Face Detect, and AiAF framing options. The FlexiZone autofocus allows users to move the focal point around using the button to the upper left of the multi-selector. AiAF is the default focus mode that automatically chooses what to focus on. The Face Detect mode, which automatically recognizes and focuses on faces, is an improvement from the G7.

The G7 can recognize up to nine faces at a time, but according to manufacturer specs the new G9 can recognize up to 35 faces in a frame, and at different angles. Subjects used to have to face the camera directly to be detected, but the G9 can recognize and track faces at semi-profile angles up to 45 degrees. Most digital cameras can recognize 10 to 15 faces, so Canon’s system is theoretically far ahead of the competition in this area. I could only get the camera to recognize and track up to five faces at a time, though.

There are Single and Continuous autofocus modes. The Continuous mode makes a dull electronic noise, but it shouldn’t be a show-stopper.

The through-the-lens autofocus has the same issues as most other digital cameras. Low contrast subjects are more difficult to focus on, as are low light scenes. The camera has an autofocus assist beam, but the green lamp is very bright and a distracting color green color. It stays on as long as the shutter release button is pushed halfway and is fairly effective. 

There is a Macro mode that can be set using the left side of the multi-selector. It allows subjects to be photographed from 0.39 inches to 1.6 feet when the lens is zoomed wide. Normally, the camera focuses from 1.6 feet to infinity.

Overall, the Canon PowerShot G9 has a lot of focus controls and features, but it's a little slower than some of its competition. 

Manual Focus (4.0)
The manual focus is activated by pressing the top portion of the multi-selector. The center of the view on the monitor is magnified so it is easier to focus on; this zooming function can be turned off if desired, though. A vertical bar appears on the right edge of the LCD screen, and users can scroll through the focus with the rotary dial. There is also a “safety MF” feature that allows the autofocus to override the manual focus; this can also be turned on and off in the Recording menu. There is a focus bracketing option in the Function menu that takes three pictures; one with the selected focus, and one on either side of that position.

ISO (8.0)
The PowerShot G9 has a designated ISO dial on the top of the camera. There are 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 ISO options, along with high and auto settings. The vast ISO range is appreciated, but it should be kept in mind that as ISO increases, image quality suffers. To see just how much noise creeps into high ISO pictures, look at the Testing/Performance section of this review.

For users who are attracted to high ISO sensitivity, beware the ISO 3200 Scene mode on the camera – it shrinks the image size to 1600 x 1200 pixels.

Recent PowerShot digital cameras, including the G9, have an Auto ISO Shift feature that increases the ISO to compensate for camera shake. The shortcut button can be set to activate this feature at a moment’s notice, or it can be accessed through the Recording menu.

White Balance (8.25)
Found in the Function menu, the white balance can be set with the help of the handy live preview. The options are Auto, Day Light, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom 1, and Custom 2. Having two custom settings is handy. Users can set white balance in a room they often shoot in and never have to set it again. Nice touch.

Exposure (7.75)
The exposure can be adjusted in every mode except Auto and Movie. The exposure compensation is accessed from the button to the upper right of the multi-selector. A +/- 2 scale is available in one-third increments. For users who can’t decide which exposure value is best, there is a bracketing feature in the more manually-oriented modes. The exposure bracketing takes three pictures at intervals of +/- 0.3, 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, 1.7, or 2. In the Recording menu, the exposure can be set to sync with the autofocus point. It can also sync with the face detection system so faces are always properly exposed. There is also a handy live histogram on the LCD screen.

The inclusion of Priority and Manual modes will appease DSLR owners as they allow users to control the visual effects within the image. There are two custom positions on the mode dial that allow users to quickly access frequently used settings of their choice.

Metering (7.75)
Like most other digital cameras, the Canon G9 has three metering modes. Evaluative is the default mode that automatically selects where to meter from. When the face detection is turned on, this mode incorporates facial brightness into the equation to determine exposure. The Center-Weighted Average metering mode meters from the middle of the frame. The Spot mode meters from a tiny point in the center, or can be linked to the autofocus frame.

Shutter Speed (7.5)
The G9’s shutter speed range isn’t spectacular at 15-1/2500 of a second. Most digital cameras in this price range offer exposures as long as 60 seconds and some, like the S5, as quick as 1/3200 of a second. The shutter speed can be manually adjusted in the Shutter Speed Priority and Manual modes by pushing the exposure compensation button to the upper right of the multi-selector and scrolling with the rotary dial.

Aperture (6.75)
The G9 comes with a proprietary 6x optical zoom lens with a wide f/2.8 aperture when zoomed out. This allows a lot of light to hit the image sensor. The aperture shrinks to f/4.8 when the lens is zoomed in. In the Manual and Aperture Priority modes, aperture can be manually adjusted by pushing the exposure compensation button until the aperture is selected and scrolling with the rotary dial. The smallest the aperture can go is f/8.

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