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Expert Recommendation
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Overview
Equipped with amazing resolution (12MP), a sharp 6x super-zoom lens and fast image capture times, the Canon G9 will freeze action at the press of a button, and you won’t miss the winner’s moment of glory at the finish line. With its good low light performance, you can keep on freezing the natural expressions of babies without startling them with a flash. Its compact size (1.7”) and robust built ensures that you enjoy carrying it along.
My Best In Class Pick
Canon PowerShot G9
All these cameras offer auto and numerous scene modes (including an auto high-sensitivity mode which helps to take blur free shots in natural lights) for novice users.
The Panasonic TZ3 has faster performance, smaller size and lighter body than other two. However it lacks manual modes like Aperture/Shutter priority modes (useful for taking blur-free shots). It lags behind the other two on battery life and switch-on times. Its resolution is the lowest of the three. The Canon G9 & SX100 have better low light performance (producing grainy images at higher ISOs). The TZ3 images have water-color artifacts at higher ISOs.
The Canon SX100 has the largest reach among the three and has enough manual controls to satisfy advanced users. Its high ISO performance is good; however, it lacks an Optical Viewfinder.
That leaves us with the venerable Canon G9. Although it has the smallest optical zoom, it somewhat makes up for it with its digital zoom, which is more effective than usual here become its much higher resolution sensor and sharper lens. It has an optical viewfinder too (invaluable to have for tracking fast action). The useful features like dedicated ISO dials (facilitating quick adjustment of this critical parameter) and fast startup times somewhat compensate for its average continuous shooting speed. It has the best build of the three and has good low light performance too (especially if one shoots in Raw mode and converts them to JPGs using an image-editing program).
The Canon PowerShot G9 is my Top Pick.
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot G9
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Best Price:
$637
See It »
- $637 - $1389 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 6.0x
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Resolution: 12.1MP
- AF Shutter Lag: 0.6 sec
- Burst Speed: 1.5 fps
- Max ISO: 3200
- Easy to Use: Yes
Comparing My Best In Class Pick with Other Good Choices
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| Customer Rating |
 
(from 283 reviews)
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(from 439 reviews)
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(from 246 reviews)
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| Price | $637 - $1389 | $394 - $499 | $312 - $441 |
| Size (W x H x D) | 4.2 x 2.8 x 1.7 in. | 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.4 in. | 4.3 x 2.8 x 1.8 in- |
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Effective Sensor Resolution
The Effective Sensor Resolution tells you the total number of pixels that are recorded when you take a picture. The units are MP, which stands for megapixels or millions of pixels. For outstanding fine compression prints, 3MP is required for 5x7's, 7.1MP for 8x10's, and 10.9MP for 11x14's. The effective sensor resolution is only one of many important factors that will determine the quality of the photograph when displayed or printed at different sizes.
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12.1 megapixels | 7.2 megapixels | 8.0 million pixels |
| Shutter Lag Time (pre-focused) | 0.12 sec | 0.02 sec | 0.10 sec |
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Shutter Lag Time (including auto-focus time)
This is the time from fully pressing the shutter button until the image is captured. Longer shutter lag times make it more difficult to capture the desired moment.
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0.6 sec | 0.4 - 0.8 sec | 0.6 sec |
| Power to First Shot Time | 1.2 sec | 2.7 sec | 2.4 sec |
| Continuous Shooting Speed (single shot mode) | - | - | 0.6 frame/sec |
| Max Shooting Speed (continuous) | 1.5 frames/sec | 2.1 frames/sec | 1.5 frames/sec |
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Min Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. On any 35 mm film camera, a 30 mm or less lens is considered a wide-angle lens.
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35 mm | 28 mm | 36 - 360 mm |
| Optical Zoom | 6.0x | 10.0x | 10.0x |
| Image Stabilization Type | Optical (lens shift) | Optical Lens Shift | Optical Lens Shift |
| Manual Focus Available | Yes | No | Yes |
| Auto Focus Assist Light Available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Max Aperture (wide-angle)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (wide-angle) is the largest possible size at the wide-angle limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
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f/2.8 | f/3.3 | f/2.8 |
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Max Aperture (tele-photo)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (tele-photo) is the largest possible size at the tele-photo limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
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f/4.8 | f/4.9 | f/4.3 |
| Max ISO Setting | 3200 | 3200 | 1600 |
| Aperture Priority Mode Available | Yes | No | Yes |
| Shutter Priority Mode Available | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical | - | - |
| Flash Recycling Time | 2.7 sec | 4.3 sec | 6.0 sec |
| Battery Life | 240 shots | 270 shots | 400 shots |
| High ISO performance | Good | Average | Good |
| Weight (without batteries) | 9.4 oz | 8.0 oz | 9.4 oz |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
The Lumix DMC-TZ3 is the latest big zoom compact (1.5” thick) from Panasonic. This camera has a 7 megapixel resolution sensor and a 10x optical zoom with wide-angle lens (equivalent to 28-280mm on a 35mm camera). The lens is sharp, and the zoom is motor-operated. This camera too has an Image Stabilization feature to help avoid blurry pictures because of camera shake. The feature is akin to shooting with a cheap tripod. In low light, it helps to shoot using a relatively low ISO setting. At higher ISO ratings, the camera can shoot with less light, but there will more noise in the image. The life of its proprietary battery is approximately 270 shots/charge.
Where to buy
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
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Best Price:
$394
See It »
- $394 - $499 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 10.0x
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Resolution: 7.2MP
- AF Shutter Lag: 0.4 - 0.8s
- Burst Speed: 3.0 fps
- Max ISO: 3200
- Easy to Use: Yes
- Recommended at DPReview.com
- Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
- Rated Very Good by CNET.com
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
The Canon SC100 IS is superzoom without an eye-level viewfinder, which is a first of its kind from Canon. It offers 8MP resolution and ISO rating up to 1600. It is 1.8” thick and has a sharp 10x zoom lens (36-380mm equivalent on a 35 mm film cameras), which is image-stabilized. It offers full manual modes (Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, etc.). The camera has a face-detection feature and runs on 2 AA batteries.
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
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Best Price:
$312
See It »
- $312 - $441 Compare Prices »
Specifications
- Zoom: 10.0x
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Resolution: 8.0MP
- AF Shutter Lag: 0.5 sec
- Burst Speed: 1.1 fps
- Max ISO: 1600
- Easy to Use: Yes
How It Works
You tell us your budget, intended uses, and desired features. We show you personalized recommendations from unbiased experts to quickly identify the best digital camera for you.
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How to Pick Digital Cameras
- For Travel Photos
- For Photos of Children or Pets
- For Action or Sports Photos
- For Photos in Low Light
