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Back to Full Canon PowerShot G5 Review
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	*	5.0-megapixel CCD for 2,592 x 1,944 pixel images
	*	4x optical zoom lens, f/2.0-3.0
	*	Auto, Scene Program, Program, and Manual exposure modes
	*	Unique tilt/swivel LCD panel

Manufacturer Overview
Canon U.S.A. has long been a dominant player in the film and digital camera markets, well-known for their high-quality optics, technical innovations, and aggressive product development. Over the last few years, they've developed a powerful lineup of digital cameras, ranging from surprisingly feature-rich entry-level models, all the way to the extreme high end of professional digital SLRs. Their PowerShot G2 prosumer model was one of the top two or three cameras on the entire Imaging Resource site at its introduction, a fact I attribute to the superb job Canon did in designing and producing it. The G2 was one of those rare cameras that really hit all the right notes with the "enthusiast" crowd, offering a rich feature set and excellent image quality.

Next, Canon introduced the G3, staying with the proven four-megapixel chip first seen in the G2, but offering numerous feature and user interface enhancements (including a 4x zoom lens with a fast f/2.0 maximum aperture). The latest model, the G5, upholds the same great standards, though finally now with a five-megapixel CCD. User interface and camera features are virtually the same as the G3, although the G5 now sports an all-black body. Read on for all the details!

High Points

• 5.0-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as high as 2,592 x 1,944 pixels.
• Real-image optical viewfinder and 1.8-inch, color LCD monitor with swivel design.
• 4x optical zoom, 7.2-28.8mm f/2.0-3.0 lens (equivalent to a 35-140mm lens on a 35mm camera) with auto and manual focus.
• Continuously adjustable AF area, and focus bracketing mode.
• Digital telephoto as high as 4.1x.
• Full Automatic, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Manual exposure modes, as well as three preset exposure modes, and two user-programmable modes.
• Manually adjustable aperture settings from f/2 to f/8, depending on zoom setting.
• Built-in neutral-density filter can be switched in via the shooting menu. (Equivalent to external ND 0.9 filter, 3-stop exposure cut.)
• Manually adjustable shutter speed settings from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds.
• Variable light sensitivity: Auto, 50, 100, 200, or 400 ISO equivalents.
• Evaluative, Center-Weighted Average and Spot metering modes, with an adjustable Spot area.
• Spot metering optionally tied to adjustable AF area.
• White Balance adjustment with nine settings, including two separate "custom" options.
• Built-in flash with nine operating modes, flash metering is TTL (through the lens).
• External flash hot shoe.
• Flash system supports full wireless capabilities of EOS speedlights, via optional Canon wireless transmitter.
• Flash system supports optional ringlight and Macro Twin Light accessory flash units.
• Continuous Shooting (normal and high-speed), Stitch-Assist, Auto Exposure Bracketing, and Movie recording modes.
• Contrast, Sharpness, and Saturation adjustment.
• Vivid Color, Neutral Color, Low Sharpening, B&W, and Sepia options.
• Remote control and utilities for operating the camera from a computer.
• JPEG and RAW still image file formats, movies saved as AVI / Motion JPEGs.
• Images saved to CompactFlash Type I or II memory cards.
• DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility.
• USB cable for high-speed connection to a computer.
• Canon Digital Camera software included, as well as ArcSoft Camera Suite 2.0.
• Powered by Canon BP-511 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, with AC adapter/in-camera charger included.

Changes from the Canon PowerShot G3
(And the G1 and G2, for historical reference)

As one of the most popular high-end "prosumer" digicams of the past year, many of our readers may already be quite familiar with the Canon PowerShot G2 and G3. The G5 is nearly identical to the G3, with a very similar body design and virtually identical controls. The few minor differences (apart from the larger sensor) are detailed below:

The PowerShot G5 is a solid update to Canon's wildly popular G2 and G3 models. The G5 retains the same user enhancements that debuted on the G3 model, including a 4x lens and various feature upgrades, but now features a larger, 5.0-megapixel CCD. The G5 also carries over all of the design elements I applauded in the previous "G" models, including the rotating LCD monitor that's one of my personal favorites. The monitor swings out to face the photographer, reverses and locks back into the camera's back panel (screen side up), or extends and rotates up to 270 degrees. This flexible LCD design lets you compose images while standing in front of the camera (with the remote controller or self-timer), or hold the camera at various angles, such as overhead or at waist-level. Most important is the ability to store the LCD face-down in its recessed compartment, protecting the delicate screen from fingerprints, scratches, and nose grease!

The G5 is very close to the size of the G3, at 4.8 x 2.9 x 2.8 inches (121 x 74 x 70 millimeters), and weights in at 14.5 ounces (410 grams) with the battery pack and CompactFlash card installed. While this may seem a little hefty when compared to other compact digicams, the G5 is quite comfortable in the hand, thanks in part to a chunky, angular handgrip on its right side that provides secure purchase for your fingers. It should fit easily into a large coat pocket or purse, and comes with a half-inch neck strap for added convenience.

The G5's eye-level optical viewfinder zooms along with its 4x lens and features a central autofocus / exposure target in the center. The diopter adjustment dial on the left side of the eyepiece controls the viewfinder focus for eyeglass wearers, and two LED lights on the same side report the camera's ready status. Canon positioned the optical viewfinder very close to the lens, apparently to minimize parallax between lens and viewfinder, but one result is that the lens protrudes into the lower left-hand corner of the viewfinder frame at wide angle focal lengths. (From maximum wide angle about 1/3 of the way toward the maximum telephoto setting.) The LCD monitor display is activated by the Display button, which also controls the monitor's information readout. When in Shooting (or Record) mode, the LCD reports the exposure mode, flash setting, single or continuous capture, metering, and quality settings. The G5 retains the playback-mode histogram readout first seen on the G2, which reports the tonal distribution of the image. In addition to the histogram display, any overexposed highlights flash in black and white on the screen to warn you of potential problem areas. A small status display panel on top of the camera reports settings such as file size, battery power, the number of frames remaining, and various other functions as they are enabled.

The telescoping, 4x optical 7.2-28.8 mm zoom lens (equivalent to 35-140mm on a 35mm camera) offers both manual and automatic focus control. The through-the-lens (TTL) autofocus system operates in either Continuous or Single Autofocus mode, controlling how often the autofocus mechanism adjusts the focus. The G5's powerful "FlexiZone" autofocus option lets you move the focus area freely around the central 60 percent of so of the frame. The autoexposure system can be configured to spot-meter from the area being used to set the focus. Manual focus mode is accessed by pressing a button on the upper right side of the camera's rear panel and then adjusting the focus with the Main dial on the top of the front handgrip, just below the Shutter button. A distance scale on the LCD monitor indicates approximately how far you are from maximum and minimum focus, with approximate distances shown in either English or Metric units. The Manual Focus display also enlarges the central portion of the frame about 2x, to make focus easier to determine visually. The G5's Macro mode lets you focus as close as 2.0 inches (5.0 centimeters). Digital zoom is controlled through the Record menu, with enlargements to 4.1x. (Remember that digital zoom only enlarges the center portion of the CCD image, therefore compromising image quality, softening the image in direct proportion to the magnification achieved.)

The G5 provides as much or as little exposure control as you want. The main exposure modes, which Canon refers to as "Creative Zone" functions are selected using the Mode dial on top of the camera. These include: Auto, Program AE (P), Aperture-Priority (Av) , Shutter Speed-Priority (Tv), and Manual (M). Shooting in Auto mode puts the camera in charge of everything except the flash. Program AE lets the camera choose the aperture and shutter speed settings, but gives you control over all other exposure options. Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority modes allow you to set one exposure variable (aperture or shutter speed) while the camera chooses the best corresponding one. Manual mode gives you full control over all exposure parameters. The camera's aperture can be set from f/2 to f/8, and the shutter speed ranges from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds. The G5 has an internal neutral density (ND) filter, that cuts the incoming light by a factor of eight. (This three f-stop attenuation will permit the use of slower shutter speeds or larger apertures with brightly-lit subjects, providing for special effects like motion blur or shallow depth of field. It also makes it practical to use the flash for much closer macro shooting than would otherwise be the case.)

The remainder of the G5's extensive exposure controls are accessible through external control buttons or the on-screen Record menu. They include a White Balance setting with nine options: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, and two separate Custom settings; adjustable ISO settings from Auto to 50, 100, 200, and 400; Exposure Compensation from -2 to +2 exposure values (EV), in one-third-step increments; Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) from +/- 1/3 EV to +/- 2 EV (three exposures in rapid sequence, with adjustable step sizes ranging from 1/3 to 2 EV); a choice of Evaluative, Center-Weighted Averaging, and Spot Metering modes, and Automatic Exposure (AE) Lock. The G5's built-in flash actually offers no less than nine operating modes: Flash off, on (forced), and auto, with options for red-eye reduction and slow sync independently selectable for each of the two active modes. There's also a Flash Exposure Compensation control that lets you vary flash power from -2 to +2 EV in one-third-step increments. The Flash Exposure (FE) Lock function (* button, in Record mode) allows you to lock the flash exposure setting based on a specific portion of the frame. A hot shoe accepts either dedicated Canon strobe units, or generic "dumb" third-party flashes. The G5 also offers full support for the wireless capabilities of Canon's high-end EOS external speedlights (through the use of Canon's optional remote transmitter accessory), as well as for Canon's very flexible Macro Twinlight.

The G5 also offers several special shooting modes accessed through the Mode dial. They include Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Stitch Assist, and Movie modes. Portrait mode uses a large aperture to focus on the subject, while maintaining an out-of-focus background. In contrast, Landscape mode slows the shutter speed and maximizes depth of field. Night Scene mode illuminates your subject with flash and uses a slow shutter speed to evenly expose the background. The Stitch-Assist mode is Canon's version of panorama mode, in which multiple, overlapping images can be captured horizontally, vertically, or in a rectangular grouping of four. Images are then "stitched" together on a computer using Canon's bundled PhotoStitch software. Movie mode allows you to capture as much as three minutes of moving images and sound at approximately 15 frames per second, with a choice of 320 x 240- and 160 x 120-pixel resolutions.

Continuous Shooting mode captures multiple, successive still images, at about 1.5 frames per second, as long as you hold down the Shutter button. (The number of images and actual shot-to-shot speed depend on several factors, including image size/quality and the amount of memory remaining on the flash card.) There's also a High Speed Continuous Shooting mode for faster captures of approximately 1.5 frames per second. The Self-Timer / Wireless Remote Control mode can be used to activate a 12-second countdown shutter-release function, as well as trigger the shutter remotely with the accompanying wireless infrared controller.

Images are saved onto CompactFlash Type I or II memory cards, with available pixel dimensions of 2,592 x 1,944; 1,600 x 1,200; 1,024 x 768; or 640 x 480 pixels. Three JPEG compression levels are available, as well as a RAW data file format, which results in a higher quality image compression (Canon ZoomBrowser EX software is required to process RAW images). A USB cable is provided with the camera for speedy connection to PC or Macintosh computers, and a software CD offers an impressive selection of utilities. Canon's own Digital Camera software package includes tools for downloading and organizing images, processing RAW files, stitching images captured in Stitch-Assist mode, and a unique application that allows you to operate the camera remotely through your computer (RemoteCapture 1.1). RemoteCapture not only controls the shutter, but provides a histogram of the subject so that you can check the exposure. ArcSoft Camera Suite 2.0 also accompanies the camera.

An A/V cable accompanies the camera for connecting to a television set. Combining this video composition and playback tool with the remote control capabilities can turn the camera into a very useful presentation tool. Power for the G5 is supplied by a rechargeable (high capacity) BP-511 lithium-ion battery pack and AC adapter, which are provided with the camera. The AC adapter serves as an in-camera battery charger, but a separate battery charger is available as an accessory, as well as an AC adapter kit, which plugs into an automobile cigarette lighter.

Design

With a similar body design as the previously-released PowerShot G3, the G5 maintains a boxy body style with a multitude of external controls. The body is just a hair larger than the G3, measuring 4.8 x 2.9 x 2.8 inches (121 x 74 x 70 millimeters), with all-black, plastic and metal body panels. Weighing in at 14.5 ounces (410 grams) with battery and memory card, the G5 has a slight heft to it. However, the hand grip is substantial enough to balance out the weight and provide a secure hold. The G5 can fit into a very large coat pocket or purse, or it can be carried with the half-inch neck strap. For extended location shooting, I highly recommend investing in a small, padded camera case.

The G5's front panel houses the lens, optical viewfinder window, built-in flash, autofocus assist light, microphone, and one of two remote control sensors (on the front of the hand grip). The 4x zoom lens telescopes out about an inch from the camera body when the G5 is powered on, and retracts when the camera is powered off. The lens is protected by a small plastic lens cap, tethered to the camera body with an attached cord. The microphone, which is barely visible next to the camera lens, records sound to accompany in-camera movies. A thick hand grip on the right side of the camera provides a secure grip and provides good traction on the camera body for your fingers. Also visible on the front panel is a small button below and to the right of the lens. This is a latch for the new bayonet-mount for accessory lenses. Pressing this latch lets you twist and remove the cosmetic lens barrel shroud, revealing a set of mounting flanges to which Canon's new lens adapter barrel attaches.

On the right side of the camera is a sliding/hinged door that accesses the CompactFlash slot, accommodating both Type I and II CompactFlash cards. At the top of the right side is an eyelet for attaching one end of the neck strap. A secondary remote control sensor is also on this side of the camera.

The left side of the camera has a speaker for playing back recorded sound, and a set of jacks for the A/V output, USB connection, and DC input for the included AC adapter/battery charger. All the jacks are protected by a hard plastic door that swings open to reveal the connectors. At the top of the left panel is the other neck strap attachment eyelet.

The G5's top panel features a small status display window; an external flash hot shoe; a Power dial; a Mode dial, with shooting and exposure options; a Main dial for controlling various camera settings; a Zoom Lever; a Shutter button; and a Continuous Drive / Self-Timer / Wireless Controller button. I always appreciate status display panels like the one on the G5, as they report camera settings and other miscellaneous information without the need for powering up the LCD monitor. The Power dial is normally locked to prevent accidental actuation in your camera bag. It's released when you place your finger on it, pressing in the small button at its rear. The Shutter button on the G5 angles toward the right side of the camera, to match the angle of your index finger as it wraps around the grip. The Main dial is beneficial in quickly changing camera settings such as aperture and shutter speed, and is located just below the Shutter button on the top front of the hand grip.

The majority of the exposure controls are located on the camera's back panel, along with the optical viewfinder and LCD monitor. The G5's eye-level optical viewfinder features a diopter adjustment dial on the left and two LEDs that report camera status on the right. The swiveling LCD monitor pops out of the camera back and rotates 270 degrees when fully extended. You can fold it back into its storage compartment with the monitor facing outward or leave it extended and turn the screen to accommodate a variety of shooting angles. Finally, the monitor can be turned around and popped back into the panel face-down, protecting it from accidental scratches and fingerprints. (All in all, a very handy design.) The Four-Way Arrow pad ("omni selector," in Canon parlance) protrudes slightly from the back of the camera, creating a thumb rest to its left that provides counter support to the large hand grip on the front of the camera. In addition to serving as a navigational tool through settings menus, the Four-Way Arrow pad also controls White Balance and Exposure Compensation settings. On the left side of the viewfinder eyepiece are the Flash/Index, Metering, and Macro/Jump buttons. A MF/Audio button is on the right side of the eyepiece, and the AE Lock/Erase, Function, and Display buttons line the right side of the LCD monitor. Just below the Four-Way Arrow pad are the Set/AE Area and Menu buttons.

The G5's bottom panel is reasonably flat, with a sliding door to the battery compartment and a threaded metal tripod mount. The tripod mount is positioned just slightly off-center (to the left of the lens), most likely to allow clearance for the bottom of the lens mechanism. Because the battery door and tripod mount are so close to one another, it would be difficult to make quick battery changes while working with a tripod. However, the side-facing position of the auxiliary power socket should address any power concerns when shooting in the studio.

Accompanying the camera is a small infrared remote control, with a rated working range of up to 16.4 feet (5 meters) from the front sensor, and to about 9.83 feet (3 meters) from the side sensor. By activating the Continuous / Self-Timer / Wireless Controller button in Shooting mode, you can use the Remote to fire the shutter, adjust the optical zoom, or scroll through the LCD display screens without coming in contact with the camera body. This works well with the rotating LCD monitor, because you can mount the camera on a tripod and compose the shot while standing in front of the camera. The remote also offers several playback functions, which are useful when viewing images on a television screen. The Index display and Replay zoom buttons on the bottom of the remote control enable you to view up to nine thumbnail images at a time, or enlarge one captured image on the LCD monitor. The four arrow buttons on the Remote give you the same capabilities as the Four-Way Arrow pad on the back of the camera, permitting you to scroll through stored images or maneuver within a larger one. Depressing the Remote's Shutter button while in Replay mode lets you play movie files on the camera's monitor or a television. As with the G2 and G3 models, I was glad to see the inclusion of this simple gadget as a standard feature on the G5, especially given its video capabilities, which allow the camera to be used as a presentation tool.

The G5 features both an eye-level optical viewfinder and a tilt/swivel LCD monitor on the back of the camera for image composition. The real-image optical viewfinder zooms along with the lens (except in Digital Telephoto mode, which requires the LCD monitor), and displays a set of target crosshairs in the center of its screen. A diopter adjustment control on the left of the eyepiece adjusts the viewfinder focus for eyeglass wearers. The viewfinder optics seem particularly well-suited for eyeglass wearers. The objective has a high enough "eyepoint" to accommodate even fairly thick eyeglass lenses, and the diopter adjustment seems to cover a very broad range. (Accommodating even my own 20/180 vision.) Two LED lights to the right of the viewfinder eyepiece report the camera's status during certain operations. For example, when you depress the Shutter button halfway, a steady green light (on top) indicates that the camera is ready to record and/or the flash charge is complete. A flashing green light indicates that an image is either being written to, read from, or erased from the CompactFlash card. A steady orange light (on top) indicates that the camera is ready to record and/or the flash is adequately charged, while a flashing orange light indicates a camera-shake warning (i.e. the shutter speed is too slow to handhold), or the battery is charging. The lower LED light glows yellow when the camera is set in Macro or Manual focus modes.

Just as I noticed on the G3 before it, the G5's optical viewfinder is very close to the lens, apparently positioned to minimize parallax between lens and viewfinder. One result of this though, is that the lens protrudes into the lower left-hand corner of the viewfinder frame at wide angle focal lengths. Overall, I'd have favored a bit more parallax and no interference by the lens barrel, as the present arrangement results in poor viewfinder coverage across quite a range of operation, whereas increased parallax error would only affect close-in shooting. Removing the cosmetic lens collar reduces the viewfinder obstruction somewhat, but that's neither a complete nor a practical solution.

Measuring 1.8-inches diagonally, Canon's low-temperature, polycrystalline silicon, TFT color LCD monitor features the same smart, swiveling design we first saw years ago on the PowerShot Pro 70, and later on the original G1. The monitor's plastic casing actually pops out of the back of the camera and swings around to face forward (the same direction as the lens). From that position, the monitor can be rotated forward 180 degrees or backward 90 degrees, allowing you to hold the camera in practically any position and still see what's going on in the viewfinder. The best part of the LCD's swiveling monitor design is that it can be flipped around to face the back panel and then closed, keeping the screen safe from scratches and smudgy fingerprints.

The Display button controls the LCD monitor's image and information display. Pressed once, it activates the LCD monitor. The second press turns on the information display, which reports Exposure, Single or Continuous Shooting, Manual Focus, and Flash modes (depending upon the Shooting mode you are using), as well as Digital Zoom and a handful of other exposure settings (when enabled). At the bottom of the screen are the Shutter Speed and Aperture settings, which appear only when the Shutter button is halfway depressed. The third press of the Display button cancels both displays.

The G5 preserves the enhanced manual focus utility we first saw on the G2's LCD display. Not only does the LCD show numbers on its distance scale (a feature I consider almost mandatory), it also enlarges the center of the image, making it easier for you to focus accurately based on what you're seeing in the LCD. The G5's LCD is also used when selecting exposure compensation, white balance, flash exposure compensation, and autoexposure bracketing options. Pressing the middle (FUNC) button next to the LCD on the camera's rear panel calls up a series of tabbed sub-menus that let you control ISO, picture effects, exposure and focus bracketing, flash exposure compensation, and image size and quality.

In Replay (Playback) mode, the LCD monitor provides a full-frame display of captured images, which you can view individually by scrolling left or right with the arrow buttons on the Four-Way Arrow pad. Depressing the Flash/Index button brings up a thumbnail index display of nine images at a time, and the zoom control on top of the camera activates the G5's Digital Enlargement mode, which lets you enlarge an image anywhere from 2.5x to 10x its normal size on the screen, in ten steps. The arrow keys permit you to move around the image and check the fine details. Unlike the implementation of this feature on some cameras, zoomed playback on the G5 lets you see all the way to the extreme edges of the image, important for checking critical framing. The 10x magnification is also quite sufficient for critical focus evaluation.

Optics

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The G5 features a built-in, 4x, 7.2-28.8mm zoom lens, equivalent to a 35-140mm lens on a 35mm camera. This amounts to a range from average wide-angle to pretty good telephoto coverage. When the camera is powered on, the lens telescopes out from the camera body into its operating position (extending about an inch from its stowed position), then retracts again when the camera is shut off. A plastic lens cap protects the lens when not in use, and features a small tether to attach it to the camera body. Focus can be automatically or manually controlled, with a range of 1.6 feet (50 centimeters) to infinity in Normal Focus mode. Macro mode features a focus range of 2.0 inches to 1.6 feet (5 to 50 centimeters). The aperture adjusts automatically or manually, with an f/2.0-3.0 to f/8 range, depending on the zoom setting. An internal neutral density filter can be deployed via a menu option to cut the light transmission by a factor of 8 (3 f-stops), permitting the use of wider apertures or slower shutter speeds in bright conditions.

Manual focus is activated by depressing the Manual Focus (MF) button on the back of the camera. Once pressed, a distance indicator appears on the LCD monitor, providing a reference scale for focusing. Scrolling the Main dial back and forth controls the focusing distance, which is displayed via a bar graph on the LCD monitor. The distance marks on the focusing scale are shown in metric or English units, as selected in the Setup menu. The readout shows meters or feet, centimeters or inches, depending on the range. I found the roughly 2x viewfinder enlargement that accompanies Manual Focus mode very helpful in setting focus. As soon as you turn the Main dial to adjust focus (while in MF mode), an enlarged portion of the subject appears in the center of the LCD display, making it easier to determine exact focus. While the manual focus system works quite well, I'd really like to see more numeric distance markings on the scale: In low light conditions, I've sometimes found it necessary to set focus by estimating the distance, but the very limited number of specific distance markings on the G5's manual focusing scale make it difficult to do this.

When shooting in Autofocus mode, the G5 offers both Continuous and Single Autofocus functions. In Continuous mode, the camera is constantly adjusting focus, even when the Shutter button is not depressed. In Single mode, the camera focuses only when the Shutter button is depressed halfway, which helps to conserve battery power. Given that the camera is continuously adjusting the focus in Continuous AF mode, you'd expect the shutter delay to be less. (Since the lens ought to be close to optimum focus most of the time.) Like most cameras with continuous autofocus modes though, the G5's shutter lag was actually slightly longer in Continuous AF mode in my tests. It might thus be useful for tracking moving subjects (which IR has no quantitative way of testing), but don't look to it as a means to improve shutter response.

The G5 features Canon's "FlexiZone Autofocus" system, which lets you change the focus area by scrolling smoothly up or down, right or left. The AF area can be positioned anywhere within a central area covering roughly 60 percent of the frame. To move the AF area, press the SET button while in Record mode. The central box that marks the AF area will turn green, indicating that it is selected. Using the up/down, left/right arrows on the Four-Way Arrow pad, you can then move the AF box smoothly around the frame. When you have it positioned where you want, press the SET button again to deselect it. Once the focus point is set and the picture is framed, pressing the Shutter button halfway will turn the box green if the selected area is in focus or yellow if it's not. Through the Record menu, you can choose to have the the Spot Metering function use this same area for its exposure determination, using the Spot AE Point submenu.

Canon's prior G3 model was the first camera I had seen with an Auto Focus Bracketing feature on it, and I'm pleased to see it return on the G5. Auto Focus Bracketing (AFB) snaps three exposures in rapid succession, shifting the focus slightly after each. This function is accessed through the FUNC button's sub-menus. You can set the focus step size from one to three in arbitrary units, by depressing the FUNC button, scrolling to the AFB option with the Omni Controller, and then using the Omni Controller again to choose the amount of variation between shots. Depress the Set button, then fully depress the Shutter button to start the series. The camera makes all three exposures with just one press of the Shutter button.

Digital Zoom is activated through the camera's Record menu and is operated with the same controls as the optical zoom. The amount of total zoom (optical plus digital) is reported in the top right corner of the LCD monitor whenever digital zoom is engaged, and can go as high as 16x. (The 16x total zoom corresponds to 4x optical plus 4.1x digital.) Digital Zoom is not available when shooting with the G5's Movie mode, or when using the RAW file format. (It's important to note that digital zoom simply enlarges the center of the CCD image, resulting in some loss of image quality in the form of reduced image sharpness that's directly proportional to the amount of digital zoom used.)

Like the G3, the G5 accommodates several optional conversion lenses via a lens adapter kit, so you can extend your camera's wide angle or telephoto capabilities with high-quality optics. The adapters attach via a bayonet mount on the lens barrel, and a small button below the lens on the front of the camera releases a catch, letting you remove the cosmetic collar surrounding the lens barrel and reveal the flanges of the bayonet mount.

Exposure

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The G5 offers excellent exposure control, with Automatic (AUTO), Program AE (P), Shutter Speed Priority (Tv), Aperture Priority (Av), and Manual (M) exposure modes, as well as a handful of special settings for specific shooting situations. Under the Automatic exposure mode, the camera controls both shutter speed and aperture settings, giving you control of digital telephoto, flash, compression, and image resolution. The Program AE mode also takes control of the shutter speed and aperture settings, but allows you to adjust all other exposure controls, including ISO, Exposure Compensation, Flash, Flash Exposure Compensation, Light Metering, AE lock, Auto Exposure Bracketing, White Balance, Contrast, Sharpness, and Color Saturation.

Shutter Priority mode puts you in control of the shutter speed setting (with a range from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds), while the camera chooses a corresponding lens aperture. As with the Program AE mode, you maintain control over all other exposure options. Aperture Priority works along similar lines, except that you control the aperture (f/2.0-3.0 to f/8) and the camera chooses the best shutter speed. Both the shutter speed and aperture values are displayed on the LCD monitor. If the camera doesn't agree with the exposure settings you've selected, the numerals indicating the amount of under- or overexposure on the LCD will turn red when you half press the Shutter button, letting you know that either the aperture or shutter speed needs to be corrected. In both Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, you can quickly adjust the designated exposure variable by simply turning the dial. In Manual mode, the dial adjusts both settings, you just press down to alternate between aperture and shutter speed.

Several preset exposure modes are also available for shooting under special conditions. Portrait mode uses a large lens aperture setting to reduce the depth of field, resulting in blurred backgrounds and strong focal emphasis on the primary subject. Landscape mode uses a small aperture to keep both the foreground and background in sharp focus. A slow shutter speed is also common in Landscape mode, so it's recommended that you use a tripod. Night Scene mode uses a slow shutter speed to capture the color and detail of an evening setting, along with a flash exposure to illuminate the primary subject in the foreground. When slow shutter speed and flash are used together, the overall scene is more evenly exposed. This mode can also be combined with the Red-Eye Reduction flash for portraits, or you can cancel the flash altogether. A tripod is also recommended when working in Night Scene mode, and portrait subjects should be warned to remain still after the flash, until the shutter is closed.

A quick-review mode allows you to confirm the recorded image immediately after exposure. To access the Review mode, you can simply continue to hold down the Shutter button after the exposure. The just-captured image will remain displayed on the LCD until you release the Shutter button. (I really like the convenience of this feature, as it's easy to access when you want it, without tying you down with long review times when you don't need them.) Or, you can turn on the Review function through the Record menu, which displays the image for anywhere from two to 10 seconds, in one-second increments. You can immediately erase the image by pressing the "*" button, which pulls up a small erase menu on the bottom of the monitor. Press the Right arrow button to highlight "OK" and press the Set button to complete the erasure.

Just as on the G3, the G5 offers the ability to decide after you've shot a photo whether you want to save it to JPEG or RAW file format. If the camera is set to record normally in JPEG format, you can elect to save the just-captured image to a RAW file by pressing the FUNC button at any time during the image-review period. (Whether you're reviewing the image by continuing to hold down the Shutter button, or via a preset review period programmed through the setup menu.) This seems like a handy option, as you could elect to save any images with problematic exposure as RAW files to maximize the data you'll have to work with on the computer after the fact.

Exposure compensation can be adjusted from –2 to +2 exposure values (EV) in one-third-step increments. The camera's metering system offers three operating modes: Evaluative, Center-Weighted Averaging, and Spot Metering. Evaluative metering looks at a number of points throughout the frame, and evaluates the brightness range and distribution between them to come up with the best exposure setting. Center-weighted averaging is based on an averaged reading of the overall scene, plus a reading from the center of the viewfinder or LCD monitor. Spot metering reads only the center of the image, the area that falls within the crosshairs of the viewfinder or within the small square that pops up on the LCD monitor when you press the Spot Meter button. Spot metering is useful when you're shooting under backlit conditions. In these situations, you can use the spot meter to obtain a reading of the area you want properly exposed, then lock the exposure with the AE Lock function, (activated by pressing the "*" button on the back panel in record mode), and recompose your shot for the final exposure. (Note: depressing any other button on the camera will disengage the Spot Metering function.)

Through the Record menu (Spot AE Point submenu), you can also link the Spot Metering area to the FlexiZone AF point described earlier. When the Spot AE Point option of "AF Point" is selected, and the spot metering option is activated, the AF box acquires a set of inner brackets indicating that spot metering is active, and that the AF box is where the metering is being done. If the Spot AE Point is set to "Center," the white brackets will appear in the center of the LCD screen, indicating that this is where the Spot AE metering is being done, regardless of the position of the AF point.

The G5 offers nine White Balance modes, including Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H (for daylight-balanced fluorescents), Flash, and two separate Custom modes. The Custom mode lets you manually set the white balance by holding a white card in front of the camera and pressing the "*" button to set the value. Having two Custom settings makes it easy to move back and forth between scenes with radically different lighting. (An example might be a shooting assignment that had you moving between indoor and outdoor spaces at night, with different types of artificial lighting used in the two settings. You could set one Custom white balance for the indoor shots, and the second for the outdoor ones.)

ISO film speed equivalents are set in a submenu of the FUNC button, with choices of Auto, 50, 100, 200, or 400 ISO values. The higher the ISO setting, the more you can extend the camera's exposure range in low-light situations, but keep in mind that image noise increases in more or less direct proportion to the ISO value. Other manual exposure adjustments in the Record menu include Sharpness, Contrast, and Saturation controls.

Flash

The G5's built-in flash operates in any one of nine available modes. You can leave it turned off, have it fire all the time, or only fire automatically, as the camera sees fit. In any of its active modes, you can turn on red-eye reduction (which illuminates the bright AF assist light on the front of the camera before the flash fires, to make your subjects' pupils contract), or enable Slow Sync mode, which combines the flash with a slower shutter speed to allow more light from the scene lighting to enter the lens. The combination of off plus two active modes (forced or auto) with four variations each (normal, red-eye w/o slow sync, red-eye w/slow sync, and slow sync w/o red-eye) adds up to nine modes total. The main flash modes of off, forced on, and auto are selected via the Flash/Index button in the upper left-hand corner of the G5's rear panel. Slow Sync and Red-Eye Reduction modes are controlled via the Record menu. Through the same menu, you can also specify whether the flash syncs with the first or second curtain. (That is, on shots with slower exposure times, the flash can fire either as the shutter opens, or as it's closing.)

The flash exposure can be adjusted from -2 to +2 EV in one-third-step increments by the using the FUNC button on the camera's back panel together with the Four-Way Arrow pad to access the Flash Exposure Compensation adjustment menu. You can also lock the Flash Exposure Setting (FE Lock) for a specific area of your subject, just as you would with a normal exposure. Simply center the portion of the subject you want to have metered and press the "*" button to lock the flash exposure. The flash will fire single pulse to lock the exposure reading, then you can recompose your image and make the exposure with the FE Lock in place. (Note that pressing any other button after the "*" button will cancel the flash exposure lock.) Canon rates the G5's flash effectiveness from 2.3 to 16.5 feet (70 centimeters to 5 meters), a figure that agreed with my own test results. (This is a more powerful flash than found on most consumer-level digicams.)

In addition to its built-in flash, the G5 features a hot shoe for mounting more powerful external flash units. Canon recommends using its own Speedlight 220EX, 380EX, 420EX, 550EX, MT-24EX Macro Twin Light, or MR-14EX Macro Ring models, but other manufacturers' models should work as well. The G5's flash sync speed is a maximum of 1/250.

Canon's handling of the sync-speed limitation on the G5 bothers me a little though, as it did on the G3 before it. If you're in Auto or Program AE exposure mode, all is well, the camera simply won't select a shutter speed greater than 1/250 when the flash is enabled. In Tv (shutter speed priority) or Manual mode though, you can select shutter speeds as fast as you want (all the way up to 1/2,000), but if you have the flash turned on (forced flash is the only mode available, the Auto option is only offered in Programmed exposure mode), the actual shutter speed will be restricted to 1/250! I disagree with this design choice. When a camera is in a mode that gives the user control over some parameter or other (such as shutter speed), the camera shouldn't arbitrarily override the user's settings. While the G5 does show you that the shutter speed has changed to 1/250 when you half-press the Shutter button, it's easy to miss seeing the changed shutter speed unless you're on the lookout for it. I guess it's good that the camera tries its best to deliver you a well-exposed shot, but I'd really like to see some way of optionally preventing an override like this.

Carried over from the G2 and the G3 is automatic Speedlight EX recognition in Aperture-Priority mode. When the camera senses that a Canon EX-model external flash is mounted and in ready mode, it automatically sets the shutter speed to 1/60 second, overriding the normal tendency of Aperture-Priority metering to set the shutter speed based on available lighting. This is very handy, as you can attach an EX-model flash unit, set the camera to Aperture-Priority metering, and then just turn the flash on or off as you wish, without worrying about what the shutter speed is doing. Note though, that the G5 must be in full manual mode to use with other non-Canon flash units. (Since the Aperture Priority mode will normally select a very slow shutter speed when an "unrecognized" flash unit is attached and the scene is dimly lit.)

Auto Exposure Bracketing

The Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) mode is another function controlled by the FUNC button's sub-menus. It automatically captures a series of three images, each at a different exposure setting. You can manually set the exposure step size in one-third-step increments, covering a range from -2 to +2 EV, by depressing the FUNC button, scrolling to the AEB option with the Four-Way Arrow pad, and then using the Main dial to choose the amount of variation between exposures. Depress the Set button to make your selection, then fully depress the Shutter button to start the series. The camera makes all three exposures with just one press of the Shutter button. In AEB mode, the exposures are chosen to bracket whatever exposure setting you've dialed in using the Exposure Compensation adjustment. Thus, the bracketing always occurs around whatever exposure you've chosen based on your evaluation of the scene and the camera's metering.

Note that Auto Exposure Bracketing cannot be used with flash photography. If the flash fires, only one image will be recorded.

Continuous Shooting

Controlled by the Continuous / Self-Timer / Wireless Remote button on top of the camera, the G5's Continuous Shooting mode captures multiple consecutive images at up to 1.5 frames per second (fps). This frame-capture rate may vary slightly, depending on image quality, and functions in use. (In my own testing, the G5 consistently delivered 1.39 frames/second, in a variety of modes.) The G5 will continue to capture images as long as the Shutter button is depressed, or until the camera's internal memory fills up. I again noticed one slightly odd behavior with the G5's continuous shooting mode that I also saw with the G2 and G3 models (and indeed, with a number of digicams as well). The interval between the first and second shot of the series is always about 0.26 seconds longer than subsequent ones, regardless of the size or quality setting being used. (If having a relatively consistent interval between each shot of a continuous-mode series is important to you, start slightly early, and discard the first frame.)

Through the Record menu, you can also select a High Speed Continuous Shooting mode. In this mode, the capture rate is much faster than normal Continuous Shooting, rated at two frames/second by Canon, and delivering 1.98 frames/second in my tests.

Both continuous modes capture data directly to the buffer memory, but the "standard" continuous mode does some amount of the signal processing on the fly. The result is that cycle times in normal mode are slower, but the camera can sometimes record longer bursts before having to pause to empty its buffer, particularly when working with smaller image sizes and lower quality settings. High Speed continuous mode captures more quickly, but doesn't do the processing on the fly, with the result that fewer shots can fit in the buffer memory before having to empty it.

The G5 has a fairly generous buffer memory, able to capture between 7 and 9 full-resolution, maximum-quality JPEG files or 3 RAW-format files before slowing. (In continuous mode, it can only capture 2 RAW-format files before pausing.)

Movie Mode

The G5 also offers a Movie mode, which is accessed by turning the Mode dial on top of the camera to the miniature movie camera symbol (a camera will appear in the upper left corner of the LCD display). The AVI / Motion JPEG files are recorded at either 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels, at approximately 15 frames per second. Recordings can last as long as three minutes at either resolution setting, depending on the amount of memory available on the CompactFlash card. To begin recording, you simply press the Shutter button once. A red dot icon appears in the upper right-hand corner of the LCD screen, indicating that recording is in progress, and a counter in the lower right-hand corner begins counting up to show the length of the current clip in seconds. To stop recording, simply press the Shutter button again. (Note that the recording options are largely preset in Movie mode: Macro mode, Resolution, Exposure Compensation, White Balance, Manual Focus, Picture Effects, self-timer, wireless delay, and AF assist beam are the only adjustable functions.)

When finished, you can view the recording by toggling the power switch to the playback position. Pressing the Set button brings up a little VCR-style playback control panel, with buttons for play, fast forward and fast reverse, go to end and go to beginning. A scissors icon lets you trim the movie to select just the part you're most interested in, and save it to the memory card as a separate file. When the movie is playing back, the control panel disappears, but you can stop playback by hitting the Set button again.

Quicktime(tm) 3.0 is required to view the AVI/Motion JPEG files recorded by the G5 in Movie mode. Quicktime is included with current versions of the Mac OS (any version later than 8.5), and a QuickTime player for the Windows platform is included on the Solutions Disk bundled with the camera.

Stitch-Assist Mode

The Stitch-Assist mode records a series of overlapping images that can be stitched together to create horizontal or vertical panoramas or stacked, 2 x 2-frame rectangular composites. A framing guideline for each format appears in the LCD monitor to help line up successive shots. After each shot, a portion of the image remains on-screen, as an aid to lining up the next image in the series. For the horizontal and vertical panoramas, you can take up to 26 images in a series, enabling you to record a full 360-degree circle of the surrounding scenery. For horizontal or vertical panoramas, you can set the camera to record the series of images either right to left or left to right, top to bottom, or bottom to top. The 2 x 2 mode uses a series of only four images, starting from the top left corner and moving in a clockwise direction, to create a complete composite. Once the images are downloaded, you can use Canon's PhotoStitch program to seamlessly combine them in your computer.

Self-Timer Mode

The Self-Timer button on top of the camera also controls the Continuous Shooting and Remote operating modes. When set to the Self-Timer / Wireless mode, the camera displays the standard self-timer icon (a clock face with one hand) in the LCD display, and the self-timer icon with a remote symbol (hard to describe, but it makes me think of a radar gun) in the LED panel on top of the camera. When in Self-Timer mode, depressing the Shutter button activates either a 2- or 12-second countdown, as selected via the Record menu. During the countdown time, the bright white AF-assist lamp on the camera's front panel blinks, gaining speed in the last two seconds. If the camera's Beep function is turned on in the Setup menu, the camera will also beep during the countdown. While in Self-Timer mode, you can also trigger a two-second countdown by pressing the Shutter button on the remote control, regardless of the self-timer delay chosen in the Record menu. Like several other cameras using infrared remote controls, there is no option for immediate shutter release when triggering the G5 from its remote. I confess I don't understand this, as I'd think that minimizing shutter lag would be a good thing, regardless of whether the camera is triggered from its own shutter button or via a remote control.

Interval Shooting

The G5 also features a built-in intervalometer, that lets you program the camera for extended time-lapse exposure sequences. You can choose intervals between successive photos ranging from one to 60 minutes, and anywhere from two to 100 photos in the series. This opens lots of opportunities for interesting time-lapse shots, but be sure to use the AC adapter for any long sequences, to avoid any interruption of power.

Remote Sensor/Transmitter

The G5's Wireless Remote Control allows you to trigger the camera from as far away as 16.4 feet (5 meters) from the front sensor, and as far as 9.83 feet (3 meters) from the right side sensor. The range of the remote control will depend somewhat on ambient lighting and the angle you're at relative to the front of the camera. Range in bright sunlight will be much less than in a darkened room, and you'll get more range when you're directly in front of the camera than when you're to one side. The G5 lets you set the shutter delay when using the remote to zero, two, or ten seconds. (The no-delay option is particularly welcome, as most digicams with IR remotes have a minimum delay of two or three seconds.) Besides simply triggering the shutter, you can also use the IR remote to adjust the optical zoom lens with its two Zoom buttons, and activate the LCD monitor with its Display button. With the LCD monitor rotated so that it faces you, you can use the Zoom buttons on the remote control to compose the image and the Display button to scroll through the LCD information screens to check exposure settings. In Replay mode, the remote control can be used to scroll through stored images, scroll around areas within a magnified image, view an index of up to nine captures, and replay movies, very handy for presentations using the built-in video output.

When you press the shutter release on a digital camera, there's usually a delay or lag time before the shutter actually fires. This time allows the autofocus and autoexposure mechanisms to do their work and can amount to a significant delay in some situations. Since this number is rarely reported by manufacturers or reviewers, and can significantly affect the picture-taking experience, I now measures shutter lag and cycle times using an electronic test setup I built for this purpose. It has crystal-controlled timing, with resolution to 0.001 second.

NOTE: My qualitative characterizations of camera performance below (that is, "reasonably fast," "about average," etc.) are meant to be relative to other cameras of similar price and general capabilities. Thus, the same shutter lag that's "very fast" for a low-end consumer camera might be characterized as "quite slow" if I encountered it on a professional model. The comments are also intended as only a quick reference: If performance specs are critical for you, rely on the absolute numbers to compare cameras, rather than my purely qualitative comments.

Like its predecessors, the G2 and G3 models, the Canon G5's combination of control buttons and dials may seem a little complicated at first glance. However, 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 through external controls, without resorting to the LCD menu, and the G5 does pretty well in this regard. Better yet, the G5's organization of multiple functions under the FUNC button's menus and the multiple functions of the Main dial make for very fluid camera control. 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 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.

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 so more of the scene will be in focus.
• Portrait: Employs a larger aperture setting to decrease the 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. Once set, you can recall the complete camera setup with a twist of the Mode dial. (Very handy when switching back and forth between very different shooting situations. (For instance, outdoors and indoors at a party or reception.)

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, High Speed Continuous, and Self-Timer/Remote Control 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.

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 G5.

Four-Way Arrow Pad (Omni Selector): 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 Four-Way Arrow pad, 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 still-picture 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. Additionally, this button accesses secondary settings in the Resolution, Effects, and Bracketing menus.

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. In Playback mode (and Quick Review 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 equivalents.
• Effect: Cancels special effects, or enables Vivid Color, Neutral Color, Low Sharpening, Sepia, Black-and-White, or Custom Effect modes. Pressing the Set button with the Custom setting adjusts Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpness.
• Bracketing: Enables Auto Exposure Bracketing or Auto Focus Bracketing. Pressing the Set button here lets you select the exposure or focus variation for the selected series.
• Flash +/-: Adjusts the overall power of the built-in flash.
• Quality: Sets the JPEG compression level to Superfine, Fine, and Normal.
• Resolution: Sets image resolution to L (2,592 x 1,944 pixels), M1 (1,600 x 1,200 pixels), M2 (1,024 x 768 pixels), S (640 x 480 pixels), or RAW.

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 sync are controlled via the Record 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.

The G5 has a single Mode dial on the top panel, which controls the exposure mode. A second Power lever controls whether the camera is in Record or Playback mode. Within Record mode, the Mode dial sets the exposure mode to either Movie, Stitch-Assist, Night Scene, Landscape, Portrait, Auto, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, or Custom (C1 & C2).

Record Menu (Red): With the exception of the Auto exposure mode and most of the Image Zone exposure functions, the Record menu provides virtually identical options for all exposure modes. These menus are accessed by depressing the Menu button once while in a Shooting mode. Following are the available settings:

• Flash Sync: Syncs the flash with the first or second curtain. (That is, when the shutter first opens, or just before it closes. Second-curtain sync is needed when shooting flash photos of moving objects in conjunction with long shutter speeds, in order to make the "motion trails" of the subjects follow the subjects, rather than appearing to stretch in front of them.)
• Slow Synchro: Turns Slow Synchro flash mode on or off.
• Red-Eye Reduction: Activates the camera's Red-Eye Reduction flash mode, which reduces the occurrence of Red-Eye in portraits.
• Continuous Shooting: Specifies whether normal Continuous Shooting or High Speed Continuous Shooting modes are available via the Drive setting. (High Speed mode gives faster frame rates, but with fewer shots possible in each sequence.)
• Self-Timer: Sets the duration of the self-timer countdown to two or 10 seconds.
• Wireless Delay: Sets the duration of the self-timer when used with the remote control. Times are zero, two, or 10 seconds.
• Spot AE Point: Establishes the area the Spot metering system bases its exposure on, either from the center of the frame or from the currently selected autofocus area point.
• ND Filter: Flips the ND filter in or out. If enabled, the ND filter cuts the incoming light by a factor of eight (three f-stops). The ND filter is handy for closeup flash work, or for enabling wider apertures or longer shutter times under bright shooting conditions.
• MF Point Zoom: Determines whether or not the focusing point is magnified in the LCD display when manual focus is adjusted. (Note that the MF point follows any AF point you may have selected with the FlexiZone feature.)
• AF Mode: Determines when the autofocus mechanism operates. Single autofocus sets focus whenever the Shutter button is pressed halfway. Continuous autofocus adjusts the focus continuously, any time the camera is in a record mode.
• AF Assist Beam: Turns the AF assist lamp on or off.
• Digital Zoom: Turns digital zoom on or off.
• Review: Sets the Quick Review time duration, with options ranging from 2 to 10 seconds, in one-second increments. You can also disable the Review function.
• Intervalometer: Activates Interval shooting mode, letting you capture a series of images at specific intervals. Intervals can range from 1 to 60 minutes, with a maximum of 100 shots in a series.
• Save Settings: Saves the currently selected menu settings for subsequent recall in the C1 or C2 camera modes.

Setup Menu (Orange): The Setup menu provides universal camera control options that remain the same in both Shooting and Replay modes. This menu is accessed by depressing the Menu button once and then scrolling to the right with the Four-Way Arrow pad. Following are the available settings:

• Beep: Turns the camera's Beep sound On or Off.
• LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness level of the LCD monitor to Normal (small sun) or Bright (large sun).
• Auto Power Down: Activates or deactivates the camera's automatic shutoff feature.
• Date / Time: Sets the camera's internal clock and calendar.
• Format: Formats the CompactFlash card, deleting all images saved on the card (even write-protected ones).
• Shutter Volume: Adjusts the volume of the shutter sound when an image is recorded. Volume options, which are selected by pressing the Left and Right Arrow keys, are on a scale of one to five, and Off.
• Playback Volume: Adjusts the playback volume for movie files, from one to five, or Off.
• Start-up Volume: Adjusts the volume of the start-up sounds.
• Operation Volume: Adjusts the volume of the overall operating sounds.
• Self-Timer Volume: Adjusts the volume of the self-timer beep.
• File Number Reset: Resets file numbering with each new card. (The default is to continue the numbering sequence across multiple cards, to prevent accidental overwriting of image files when they're copied to a computer.)
• Auto Rotate: Designates whether the camera automatically rotates vertically-oriented shots in the LCD monitor during playback.
• Distance Units: Sets the focus measurement to read out in either meters or feet.
• Language: Changes the G5's menu language to one of 12 language options.
• Video System: Sets the video output signal to NTSC or PAL.

My Camera Menu (Purple): The third menu available in any Record mode, this lets you customize the camera's start-up screen, sounds, etc. Each setting offers three choices already programmed into the camera (Canon screen, scenic view, or bird image), but you can also load your own images and sounds. I guess some folks may find this amusing, but I really don't understand Canon's expending the engineering resources to put this sort of thing in a camera for the serious amateur. I mean, do any of the G5's prospective buyers really care about having their cameras play a different startup sound or tune?

• Theme: Selects the theme for each My Camera setting item, adjusting all of the following.
• Start-Up Image: Selects which image appears at camera start-up.
• Start-Up Sound: Sets the sound that plays at camera start-up.
• Operation Sound: Specifies the noises played when the Four-Way Arrow pad is pressed, or any button other than the Shutter button.
• Self-Timer Sound: Sets the noise for the Self-Timer beep.
• Shutter Sound: Sets the shutter noise.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Play Menu (Blue): This menu is only available in the Replay mode. It allows you to scroll through captured images; erase, protect, and rotate them; or set them up in a slide show or for printing on a DPOF compatible device. The Play menu offers the following selections:

• Protect: Write protects the currently displayed image from accidental deletion, except by card formatting.
• Rotate: Rotates captured images 90 to 270 degrees clockwise.
• Erase All: Erases all images from the CompactFlash card.
• Slide Show: Automatically plays images in a slide show format. You can choose to include all images on the card or one of three Program selections. You can also set the Play Time (amount of time between images) from three to 30 seconds or Manual; and turn the Repeat function on or off
• Print Order: Sets up images for printing on a DPOF compatible device. Options include Standard or Index prints, the number of copies, Date Stamp On or Off, and File Number On or Off.
• Transfer Order: Selects images to be transferred with email software, when the camera is connected to a computer.

The G5 uses CompactFlash memory cards for image storage, accommodating both Type I and II card sizes. This means that the camera is also able to store images to an IBM MicroDrive for increased storage capacity. A 32MB CompactFlash Type I memory card is supplied with the camera. Entire CompactFlash cards cannot be write-protected, however, the G5's Play menu allows you to write-protect individual image files, protecting them from accidental erasure, unless the card is formatted.

Still images can be saved at one of four resolutions (2,592 x 1,944; 1,600 x 1,200; 1,024 x 768; or 640 x 480 pixels), while movies are recorded at either 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels. Still images also have three JPEG compression levels available: Superfine, Fine, and Normal, plus a RAW setting that records the image straight from the CCD, without any processing. The benefit of the RAW data file format is that it compresses the image file without any loss in image quality (that is, the compression can be completely reversed) and the color isn't adjusted to match any particular file format, such as RGB TIFF. All of the image color parameters are kept in their original state. (RAW images require the Canon Zoom Browser software for processing on a computer.)

Following are the approximate resolution / quality and compression ratios for a 32MB card (compression numbers are based on our own computations):

A full complement of interface software comes with the G5, as does a USB cable for speedy connection to a PC or Macintosh computer. The G5 supports "PTP" image transfer mode, which means you can connect it to a computer running Windows XP or Mac OS X without the need for additional driver software. (Drivers are included for other flavors of Windows and Mac OS though, so no worries if your computer is running an older OS.) I measured the G5's transfer rate on my Sony Vaio desktop computer (2.4 GHz Pentium, Windows XP), and clocked it at 451 KB/second using the Windows XP photo download wizard, and 341 KB/second using Canon's ZoomBrowser software. While not terrible, these aren't especially impressive numbers, as the slowest cameras I test are rarely slower than 300 KB/second, while fast ones routinely put up numbers close to or above 600 KB/second.

Direct Print
Besides the USB computer connection, the G5 also supports direct printing (no computer needed) to a number of Canon printers. Models that can be directly connected to the G5 include the compact Card Photo Printer models CP-200, and C-300 (as well as the earlier CP-10 and CP-100), and the i70, i470D, and i450 (as well as the earlier S830D and S530D Bubble Jet (inkjet) printers. The Bubble Jet printers support the EXIF 2.2 standard, which takes advantage of special "metadata" stored in the JPEG file header to optimize print quality.

The G5 has a video-out port with a choice of NTSC timing format, for US and Japanese model televisions, or PAL timing format for European televisions, which are selectable through the Play menu. The video output can be used for reviewing previously recorded images or running slide shows from the camera. It also shows all three LCD menu screens, as well as the preview display from the LCD viewfinder. Combined with the very flexible controls of the wireless remote transmitter, the live video output display opens up interesting possibilities for portrait photography, such as using a video monitor as a remote viewfinder.

The output cable is a true A/V cable, as it fans out into two RCA jacks, one for video, and one for audio. Plugged into any video monitor (or TV with direct video and audio inputs), the audio capabilities of the G5, combined with the wireless remote control, should make it an effective portable presentation device.

Power

The G5 is powered by an internal BP-511 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, a LiIon design that packs quite a wallop (meaning long run times). The camera ships with one battery pack, as well as an AC adapter that doubles as an in-camera charger. A standalone charger is sold separately, as is a car AC adapter that plugs into any automobile cigarette lighter. A CR2016 lithium battery keeps the G5's internal clock going, and fits into a small compartment within the battery chamber.

Because the G5 relies on its LCD display for viewing and selecting some of its settings, it can be somewhat of a drain on the power supply. Fortunately, the camera has an automatic three-minute shutdown mode to help conserve battery power, and you can control power consumption by reducing the amount of information displayed on the LCD monitor, and keeping the autofocus mechanism in Single mode rather than Continuous mode.

That said, the G5 offers really excellent battery life, as shown here:

I really like Canon's BP-511 batteries. While I generally prefer nonproprietary batteries (allowing many third-party solutions), the BP-511s hold a lot of charge.

Unfortunately, the proprietary external power connector of the G5 precludes use of an external battery pack for longer run times, but the BP-511's life is good enough that this probably won't be an issue for most users. Still, as always, I strongly recommend buying a second battery to have as a spare. (Murphy's law dictates that the battery in your camera will always run out just as the most interesting photos present themselves. Carry a spare and don't miss out!) Fortunately, there are now some third-party battery packs available to fit the G5, so it should be easier to find spare batteries in the marketplace. (Maha's Powerex MH-BP511 is actually rated at 1300 mAh, fully 200 mAh more than Canon's own BP-511.)

Included Software

The Canon PowerShot G5 comes with a software CD containing the latest versions of Canon's digital software, which provides a wealth of utilities. Compatible with Windows and Macintosh operating systems, the software package allows you to download images from the camera, process RAW data files, stitch together images shot in Stitch-Assist mode, set up images for printing, and operate the camera remotely from the computer. Also included is a second software CD loaded with ArcSoft Camera Suite 2.0, also for both PC and Macintosh formats. The suite includes PhotoStudio, for editing images, and VideoImpression, for editing movie files.

In the Box

Included in the box with the PowerShot G5 are the following items:

• Lens cap with strap.
• Neck strap.
• BP-511 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.
• AC adapter.
• Remote Control.
• 32MB CompactFlash Type I memory card.
• USB cable.
• AV cable.
• Software CDs.
• User Guide and registration kit.

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Since we're talking about memory and image storage, this would be a good time to mention the following: I get a ton of email from readers who've lost photos due to a corrupted memory card. It's tragic when it happens, there are few things more precious than photo memories. Corrupted memory cards can happen with any card type and any camera manufacturer, nobody's immune. "Stuff happens," as they say. A surprising number of "lost" images can be recovered with an inexpensive, easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount of email I've gotten on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digicam reviews. The program you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read our review of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it. It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with a money back guarantee. So download PhotoRescue for Windows or PhotoRescue for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the PDF manual and quickstart guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and it'll be there when you need it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if, but when... PhotoRescue is about the best and easiest tool for recovering digital photos I've seen. (Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales of the product, but I'd highly recommend the program even if we didn't.) OK, now back to our regularly scheduled review...

Test Results
In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only my key findings. For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the G5's "pictures" page.

As with all Imaging Resource product tests, I encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the camera performed. Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how G5's images compare to other cameras you may be considering.

• Color: The G5 produced excellent color throughout my testing. Color saturation was typically just about right, and hue was nearly always dead-on. The difficult blue flowers looked good in the Outdoor portrait, but were slightly dark indoors, although this last is much to be expected, given the very warm-toned lighting on that shot. Strong additive primaries such as red and blue were often just slightly oversaturated, but not too badly. Skin tones were typically slightly orange or slightly pink, but overall pleasing. White balance was very good under virtually all light sources, even the very difficult household incandescent lighting of my "indoor portrait" test, although the G5's Auto white balance setting had trouble there, and the indoor flash shot was quite orange from the room lighting. I noticed a tendency for the Auto and Daylight settings to run slightly warm, and the Manual setting to be a little cool and greenish, but the amount of deviation was fairly small under natural light sources. Overall, a very good job.
  
  
• Exposure: The G5 did a great job with exposure in most cases, and handled the test lighting well. As is typical, it underexposed the very high-key outdoor portrait shot just a little, but not as much as most cameras I test do. It did produce high contrast in response to that shots deliberately harsh lighting, but the camera's contrast adjustment did a good job of restoring detail to the shadows and highlights. Indoors, the camera required an average amount of positive exposure compensation to achieve a good exposure on my "Indoor Portrait test." On my "Davebox" test, the G5 had no trouble distinguishing the subtle pastel tones of the Q60 target, while still holding good detail in the deep shadows. Overall, excellent exposure characteristics.
  
  
• Image Noise: This isn't one of my standard "Test results" categories, but it's worth mentioning. I was surprised by how little image noise crept up with increasing resolution, as we've gone from the original 3-megapixel G1 to the four-megapixel G2 and now to the 5-megapixel G5. (I didn't have a copy of the relevant test shot from the G3 captured at ISO 50 to measure it's noise with, so my comparison only involved the G1, G2, and G5.) Here's a chart of my results, see the "Davebox" portion of the pictures page for more discussion:
  
  
  
  
• Resolution/Sharpness: The G5 performed very well on the "laboratory" resolution test chart. It started showing artifacts in the test patterns at resolutions as low as 750 lines per picture height, in both horizontal and vertical directions. I found "strong detail" out to at least 1,250 lines. "Extinction" of the target patterns didn't occur until about 1,600 lines. The G5's performance though, shows the tradeoff manufacturers face between aliasing and resolution. In the G5, Canon seems to have cut their antialiasing filter to the bare minimum, while keeping their unsharp masking operator very tight. The result is excellent rendition of fine detail, and minimum perturbation to the raw image data, but at the cost of a greater tendency to alias (visible in the form of "jaggies" and varying widths of the fine target lines here) than some of the competition. - See the resolution chart section of the Test Pictures page for further details.
  
  
• Closeups: The G5 performed well in the macro category, capturing a minimum area of 2.74 x 2.05 inches (69 x 52 millimeters). Resolution is very high, with strong detail in the dollar bill, coins, and brooch. Corner softness is only slightly visible in the top corners. The G5's flash had trouble throttling down for the macro area, overexposing the top left corner of the frame, and the camera's lens cast a dark shadow in the bottom right corner. - Plan on using external illumination for close-in macro shots.
  
  
• Night Shots: The G5 features full manual exposure control and a maximum exposure time of 15 seconds, which provides great low-light shooting capabilities. The camera produced clear, bright, usable images down to the 1/16 foot-candle (0.67 lux) limit of my test, with good color at all four ISO settings. The camera also has a bright autofocus illuminator, so it had no trouble focusing, even in total darkness. Noise was low in most cases, and even at ISO 400 remained reasonable.
  
  
• Viewfinder Accuracy: The G5's optical viewfinder is a little tight, showing approximately 86 percent frame accuracy at wide angle, and approximately 85 percent at telephoto. (This is quite typical of the optical viewfinders on digicams I test, but IMHO is too tight - I'd really like to see optical viewfinders on cameras more in the 95% range.) The LCD monitor proved much more accurate, showing roughly 100 percent accuracy at both zoom settings. Given that I like LCD monitors to be as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, the G5's LCD monitor is essentially perfect in this regard, but really like to see manufacturers bring their optical viewfinders closer to a full-frame view. (No special knock against Canon, this is unfortunately standard across the industry.)
  
  
• Optical Distortion: Optical distortion on the G5 is slightly better than average at the wide-angle end, where I measured approximately 0.7 percent barrel distortion. The telephoto end fared much better, as I found only 0.3 percent pincushion distortion. Chromatic aberration is very low, showing only about two or three pixels of very faint coloration on either side of the target lines. (This distortion is visible as a very slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.) The only other distortion I noticed was some flare in the patches of blue sky in the outdoor house shot, and some occasional softness in the corners of the frame.
  
  
• Battery Life: In a word, excellent. Like prior models in Canon's G-series, the G5 has excellent battery life. Worst-case runtime is 162 minutes in capture mode with the LCD turned on, stretching to an exceptional 11 hours with the LCD off.
  
  
• Shutter Lag and Cycle Time: The G5's shutter lag is slightly on the slow side of average, with lag times of 1.17 seconds at telephoto and 1.04 seconds at wide angle. (Average is between 0.8 and 1.0 second.) This isn't terrible, but is probably the weakest point of the G5's design. I confess that I don't understand why digicam makers can't seem to lick the shutter lag problem. (Why don't they just add an IR-based AF system as are found in film-based point & shoots?) I'd have hoped that Canon could have done better than "average" in this critical area on their flagship prosumer model. Prefocus shutter lag is a blazing 0.095 seconds though. Cycle times are very good, right around 2 seconds for large/fine JPEG images, and the camera's buffer memory holds at least 4 shots before you'll have to wait for the memory card to catch up.

Conclusion

Canon's "G" series of digicams have always been favorites of mine, and I was especially thrilled with all the updated features found on the G3 model. When the G3 came out though, the question on everyone's lips was "Where's the 5 megapixel model?" Well, here it is, and it's a dandy. All the features and performance of the G3, but with an extra megapixel of resolution. - And surprisingly good image noise for a five-megapixel sensor. With its 4x optical zoom lens, 5 megapixel sensor, and myriad exposure controls, the G5 has enough to suit experienced users and pros, while remaining approachable by novices when used in full-auto mode or one of its "scene" options. It doesn't take a crystal ball to predict big sales for Canon on this model. Highly recommended.

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