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Canon PowerShot G3 The third generation of Canon's popular G model retains last year's 4 megapixel CCD, but brings a 4X zoom lens and a host of other improvements. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet G3 Photo Gallery! G3 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on G3 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 8:Operation & User Interface Review First Posted: 9/16/2002

Operation and User Interface

Like its predecessor, the G2, the Canon G3's combination of control buttons and dials may seem a little complicated at first glance, but once I became familiar with the features, I actually found the user interface to be very intuitive. I generally prefer to change as many exposure settings as possible without resorting to the LCD menu, and the G3 provides a fair amount of external control. Better yet, the G3's reorganization of multiple functions under the FUNC button's menus makes for much more fluid camera control than did the G2. The camera controls are somewhat spread out, but it's possible to operate the camera one-handed and still access the majority of the buttons. (I wouldn't recommend it unless you're working at fast shutter speeds or with a flash.) The new configuration of the mode dial, power switch, shutter button, and the addition of a command dial constitute a significant improvement in the G3's ergonomics over those of the G2.

I appreciate the small status display panel on top of the camera, which allows you to check current camera settings without having to activate the LCD monitor (a nice battery conservation feature). I also enjoyed shooting with the rotating LCD screen, which makes composing shots from odd angles a lot easier to manage. The ability to flip the monitor all the way around to face the back panel was great for keeping fingerprints and smudges off of the screen when handling the camera.

The more sharply angled handgrip of the G3 was a real bonus, as it provided a firmer hold on the camera than did the more gently curved design on the G2. One of my biggest gripes with the G2 was that the mode dial and power switch were both too stiff to operate reliably with one finger. I'm consequently very pleased to see the new implementation of these controls on the G3. Herewith my usual rundown of all the camera's controls and their functions:

Control Enumeration

Shutter Button: Sloping downward to the right on the camera's top panel, this button sets focus and exposure when halfway pressed, and fires the shutter when fully pressed. (It looks a little odd, but I really like the angled shutter button - It fits your finger better than the traditional flat-mounted design.)

Zoom Lever: Surrounding the Shutter button and also sloping slightly, this lever controls the optical and digital zoom in any record mode. In Playback mode, this lever controls the digital enlargement of recorded images.

Mode Dial: Directly behind the Shutter button and Zoom lever on the camera's top panel, this notched dial controls the camera's exposure mode. The following options are available:

• Movie: Records short movie clips with sound, with a maximum recording time of three minutes (depending on resolution and the amount of available space on the memory card).
• Stitch-Assist: Captures as many as 26 consecutive images to make up a single panoramic shot. Images are "stitched" together on a computer later, using the software provided by Canon.
• Night Scene: Optimizes the camera for night shots, using a slower shutter speed to allow more ambient light into the image.
• Landscape: This mode is best for wide shots of scenery. Focus is fixed at infinity and the camera uses a smaller lens aperture to capture more detail.
• Portrait: Employs a larger aperture setting to decrease the overall depth of field, leaving the primary subject in sharp focus and the background slightly blurred.
• Auto: Places all exposure variables and choices under automatic control. Only limited controls are available to the user, including file size, compression, flash mode, and zoom.
• Program AE: All exposure options are adjustable by the user, with the exception of shutter speed and aperture.
• Tv (Time Value, or Shutter Priority): Allows the user to select the shutter speed setting, while the camera picks the best lens aperture.
• Av (Aperture Value, or Aperture Priority): The opposite of Shutter Priority mode, the user selects the lens aperture, while the camera chooses the shutter speed.
• Manual: All exposure variables are available to the user, including both shutter speed and aperture.
• C1 and C2: These are Custom modes, with multiple exposure settings designated by the user and remembered by the camera. You can then recall the complete camera setup with a twist of the mode dial.

Power Switch and Button: This lever and button combination controls both the camera's power and mode. Located to the left of the Mode dial, the lever portion features a small button on the front, which allows it to turn when pressed. Turning the lever to the left activates Record mode and powers on the camera, while turning it to the right enables Playback mode. In the center of the lever is the Off button, which powers the camera off.

Drive Mode Button: In front of the Power Switch and Off button, this button cycles through the camera's available drive settings. Choices are Single, Continuous (or High Speed Continuous if enabled through the Record menu), and Self-Timer modes.

Main Dial: Directly below the Shutter button, on the top of the handgrip, this dial controls a variety of camera settings. It adjusts aperture or shutter speed depending on the exposure mode, sets any menu setting in the Function menu, sets White Balance and Exposure Compensation options, and controls the manual focus setting. In Playback mode, this dial scrolls back and forth through captured images. This is the first time we've seen a command wheel control of this sort on a PowerShot, and it's a welcome addition. (I do wish though, that the internal timing of the camera were such that you could scroll through shutter speeds more rapidly. If you turn this dial too quickly, the camera largely ignores it, advancing the shutter speed only one step for each rotation of the dial, rather than rapidly scrolling through the available settings. (Note to the Canon engineers: You should significantly reduce the debounce interval on this control, or increase the polling rate of the sensor, to let the user make more rapid adjustments.)

Lens Ring Release Button: Hidden beneath the lens in the lower left corner of the front panel, this button releases the lens ring so that it can be removed. Removing the ring allows you to connect accessory lens adapters to the G3.

Omni Controller (Four-Way Arrow Pad): Dominating the top right corner of the camera's back panel, this rocker button features an arrow in each direction. In any settings menu, these arrows navigate through menu options. In most Record modes, the up arrow activates the Exposure Compensation menu, at the bottom of the LCD display. Pressing the down arrow enables the White Balance menu. In Playback mode, the right and left arrow keys scroll through captured images.

Menu Button: Directly below the Omni Controller, this button displays the settings menu in any camera mode. It also dismisses the menu display.

Set Button: To the left of the Menu button, this button confirms menu selections. In standard Record mode, this button lets you change the AF area. After pressing the button, the AF indicator frame turns green, and can be moved throughout the frame with the arrow keys.

MF / Sound Button: Tucked on the right side of the optical viewfinder eyepiece, this button switches the camera between auto and manual focus control. In Playback mode, this button enables sound recording, for short sound clips to accompany images.

AE / FE Lock (*) / Erase Button: The top button in a series lining the right side of the LCD monitor, this button locks the normal exposure, or the flash exposure (if the flash is enabled) in any Record mode. Additionally, this button accesses secondary settings in the Resolution, Effects, and Bracketing menus. In Playback mode, this button calls up the single-item erase menu.

Function Button: Below the * button, this button displays a set of menus on the LCD monitor. Icons for each submenu line the left side of the display, and item choices appear along the bottom of the LCD display. The following menu options are available:

• ISO: Sets the camera's sensitivity to Auto, 50, 100, 200, or 400 ISO equivalent settings.
• Effect: Cancels special effects, or enables Vivid Color, Neutral Color, Low Sharpening, Sepia, Black-and-White, or Custom Effect modes. Pressing the * button with the Custom setting adjusts Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpness.
• Bracketing: Enables Auto Exposure Bracketing or Auto Focus Bracketing. Pressing the * button here lets you select the exposure or focus variance for the series.
• Flash +/-: Adjusts the overall power of the built-in flash.
• Resolution: Sets image resolution to L (2,272 x 1,704 pixels), M1 (1,600 x 1,200 pixels), M2 (1,024 x 768 pixels), S (640 x 480 pixels, and RAW. Pressing the * button enables the JPEG compression setting, with options of Superfine, Fine, and Normal.

In addition to its other functions, pressing the FUNC button during the review interval after a shot has been taken offers you the option of saving the just-captured image in the RAW file format, rather than the usual JPEG.

Display Button: Directly below the Function button, this button controls the image and information displays on the LCD monitor. In Record mode, this button turns on the image display with the first press, activates the information display with the second press, and cancels both with the third press. In Playback mode, the button cycles through the captured image information displays, including a detailed information display with a histogram.

Macro / Jump Button: The first button in a series on the left side of the viewfinder, this button accesses the Macro function when the camera is in Record mode. In Replay mode, it pulls up the "jump bar." When the jump bar is displayed, the right and left arrow buttons jump nine images forward or nine images backward, rather than the usual single-image movement.

Metering Button: To the left of the Macro / Jump button, this control selects between Evaluative, Center-Weighted Averaging, or Spot metering modes when the camera is in Record mode.

Flash / Index Display Button: Positioned in the very top left corner of the back panel, this button cycles through the three primary flash modes of off, on (forced or fill-flash) and automatic. (The sub-options for the flash of red-eye reduction and slow sync are controlled via the record setup menu.) In Playback mode, this button displays up to nine images at a time, in a thumbnail index format, on the LCD screen.

Diopter Adjustment Dial: Next to the circular viewfinder eyepiece, this notched dial adjusts the optical viewfinder's focus to accommodate eyeglass wearers. As noted earlier, the G3 seems to have a very wide range of diopter adjustment.