Digital Compact Cameras

Digital Camera

PowerShot G9

PowerShot G9

PowerShot G9

  • Japan
  • Americas
  • Europe, Asia, Oceania
  • Outline
  • Specifications
Marketed September 2007

The Canon PowerShot G9 is the successor to the PowerShot-series high-end-model G7, which was launched in October 2006 and well received for its versatile shooting functionality. Like its predecessor, the G9 features a 6x optical zoom lens while newly incorporating an ultra high-resolution 12.1-megapixel CCD sensor. Additionally, a RAW mode enables image data to be saved from the CCD without any image processing. The G9 is equipped with a 3.0-inch “Clear Live LCD II” monitor that realizes increased visibility through its wide viewing angle and improved contrast and color reproduction capabilities. The model also features a range of advanced AF (autofocus) functions, including Face Select, which allows users to designate a specific face within the frame to ensure proper focusing for a given subject.

Camera Effective Pixels Approx. 12.1 Megapixels
Image Sensor 1/1.7-inch type CCD (Total number of pixels: Approx. 12.4 megapixels)
Imaging Processor DIGIC III
Viewfinder Real-image zoom viewfinder
・ Picture coverage: approx. 80% (representative value)
・ Eyepoint: 15 mm (0.6 in.)
・ Dioptric Adjustment: – 3.0 to +1.0 m-1 (dpt)
Lens 6x Optical Zoom Lens with the Lens Shift Type Image Stabilization
7.4 (W)–44.4 (T) mm (35mm equiv. :  35 (W)–210 (T) mm) f/2.8 (W)–f/4.8 (T)
Digital Zoom
Approx. 4.0x (Up to approx. 24x in combination with the optical zoom)
Safety Zoom
Large: 6x   Medium 1: 7.4x   Medium 2: 9.3x   Medium 3: 15x   Small: 24x
Digital Tele-converter (35mm equiv.)
1.5x: 52.5 (W)–315 (T) mm   2.0x: 70.0 (W)–420 (T) mm
Focusing Range
・ Normal: 50 cm (1.6 ft.)–infinity
・ Macro: 1–50 cm (W) (0.4 in.–1.6 ft. (W))
・ Manual focus: 1 cm (0.4 in.)(W)/50 cm (1.6 ft.) (T)–infinity
・ Sports mode: 1 m (3.3 ft.) (W)/3 m (9.8 ft.) (T)–infinity
・ Kids&Pets: 1 m (3.3 ft.)–infinity
LCD Monitor Wide Viewing Angle3.0-inch type, TFT color LCD, Approx. 230,000 dots (Picture coverage 100%)
AF System ・ TTL autofocus
・ AF lock and Manual focus are available
・ AF frame mode: Face Detect/AiAF (9-point)/Center/FlexiZone
Shutter Mechanical shutter + electronic shutter
Shutter speed
15-1/2500 sec.
・ The shutter speed varies depending on the shooting mode.
・ Slow shutter speeds of 15 to 1.3 sec. or slower operate with noise reduction.
Built-in Flash Auto, On, Off
Flash output compensation (±2.0 stops in 1/3-stop increments), Red-Eye Reduction, flash output settings (3 steps), FE Lock, Slow Synchro, 2nd-curtain Synchro and Safety FE are available.
Flash Range
Normal: 30 cm–4.0 m (12 in.–13 ft.) (W), 50 cm–2.5 m (1.6–8.2 ft.) (T) (ISO speed: Auto)
External Flash Flash output compensation (±3.0 stops in 1/3-stop increments), flash output settings (19 levels*), FE Lock, Slow Synchro, 2nd-curtain Synchro and Safety FE are available.
Terminal for External Flash
・ Hot shoe flash-sync contacts
・ Use of the following external flashes is recommended:
Canon Speedlite 220EX, 430EX, 580EX and 580EX II.

* 22 levels with 580EX II

Drive Modes Single Shooting, Continuous Shooting, Self-timer

Continuous Shooting
・ Approx. 1.5 shots/sec. (Large/Fine mode)
・ Approx. 0.7 shots/sec. (Continuous shooting AF, Large/Fine mode)
・ Approx. 0.8 shots/sec. (Continuous shooting LV, Large/Fine mode)
Self-timer
Activates shutter after an approx. 10-sec./approx. 2-sec. delay, Custom Timer
Computer-controlled shooting Shooting possible when connected to a computer using supplied software.
Exposure Control ND Filter, Exposure Compensation, Metering Methods, ISO Speed

ND Filter (built-in)
Light intensity reduction: 3 stops (Intensity becomes 1/8 of actual level)
Exposure Compensation
±2 stops in 1/3-stop increments
Metering Methods
Evaluative*, Center-weighted average or Spot (Center or AF-point)
ISO Speed (Standard Output Sensitivity, Recommended Exposure Index)
Auto**, High ISO Auto**, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600

* When [Face Detect] is selected, the brightness of the face is also evaluated.
** Camera automatically sets the optimal speed.

White Balance Auto, Day Light, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom 1 or Custom 2
Shooting Modes Auto, Creative zone, Image zone
Auto
Creative zone
Program, Shutter-speed Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Custom 1, Custom 2
Image zone
Special Scene*, Stitch Assist and Movie**

* Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sports, Night Snapshot, Kids&Pets, Indoor, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, Underwater, ISO 3200, Color Accent and Color Swap.
** Standard, High Resolution, Compact, Color Accent, Color Swap and Time Lapse.

Recording Media SD memory card/SDHC memory card/MultiMediaCard/MMCplus card/HC MMCplus card
File Format
Design rule for camera file system and DPOF compliant
Data Type
・ Still images
Exif 2.2 (JPEG)* or RAW (CR2) Sound memo: WAVE (monaural)
Sound recorder: WAVE (monaural)
・ Movies
AVI (Image data: Motion JPEG; Audio data: WAVE (monaural))

* Exif Print is a standard for enhancing the communication between digital cameras and printers. By connecting to an Exif Print-compliant printer, the camera’s image data at the time of shooting is used and optimized, yielding extremely high quality prints.

Compression Superfine, Fine, Normal
Number of Recording Pixels Still Images
・ Large :  4000 x 3000 pixels
・ Medium 1 :  3264 x 2448 pixels
・ Medium 2 :  2592 x 1944 pixels
・ Medium 3 :  1600 x 1200 pixels
・ Small :  640 x 480 pixels
・ Widescreen :  4000 x 2248 pixels
・ RAW :  4000 x 3000 pixels
Movies
・ Standard, Color Accent, Color Swap
640 x 480 pixels (30 frames/sec.)
640 x 480 pixels (30 frames/sec. LP)
320 x 240 pixels (30 frames/sec.)
Recording can continue until the memory card is full* (can record up to a maximum of 4 GB at one time)**
・ High Resolution (can record up to a maximum of 4 GB at one time)
1024 x 768 pixels (15 frames/sec.)
Recording can continue until the memory card is full* (can record up to a maximum of 4 GB at one time)**
・ Compact (Maximum recording length per clip: 3 min.)
160 x 120 pixels (15 frames/sec.)
・ Time Lapse (can record for 2 hours)
640 x 480 pixels (1 frame/sec. (shooting interval: 1 sec.), 0.5 frame/sec. (shooting interval: 2 sec.)) (15 frames/sec. during playback)

* Using super high-speed memory cards (SDC-512 MSH recommended).
** Even if the clip size has not reached 4 GB, recording will stop at the moment the clip length reaches 1 hour. Depending on the volume and data writing speed of the memory card, recording will stop after one hour of continuous recording even if the recorded data volume has not reached 4 GB.

Audio Quantization Bit Rate: 16 bit
Sampling Rate
・ Sound Memos, Movie (Compact): 11.025 kHz
・ Movie (other than Compact): 44.100 kHz
・ Sound Recorder: 11.025 kHz, 22.050 kHz, 44.100 kHz
Playback Modes Single (histogram displayable), Index (9 thumbnail images)/Magnified (approx. 10x max. in LCD monitor, forward or reverse selection through magnified images possible), Red-Eye Correction, My Category, Jump (it is possible to jump to every tenth or hundredth image, to the first image of each shooting date, to movies or to the first image in each category or folder.), Slide Show, My Colors, Sound memos (it is possible to record and playback up to 1 min.), Movie (editing/slowmotion playback possible), Sound recorder (up to 2 hours of recording/playback of sound only), Resize
Direct Print PictBridge, Canon Direct print, Bubble Jet Direct
My Camera Settings Start-up image, start-up sound, operation sound, self-timer sound, and shutter sound
Interface USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B), PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol)
Audio/Video output (NTSC or PAL selectable, monaural audio)
Communication Settings
MTP, PTP
Software
・ ZoomBrowser EX (for Windows OS)
・ ImageBrowser (for Mac OS)
Please read System Requirement in advance.
Power Source ・ Battery Pack NB-2LH (Rechargeable lithiumion battery)
・ AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC20 (sold separately)
Battery Capacity (Battery Pack NB-2LH Fully Charged)
・ LCD Monitor On :  Approx. 240 images (Based on the CIPA standard)
・ LCD Monitor Off :  Approx. 600 images
・ Playback Time :  Approx. 7 hours
Test Conditions
・ Shooting
Normal temperature (23±2°C/73°F±3.6°F), normal relative humidity (50%±20%), alternating wide angle end and telephoto end shots at 30 second intervals with the flash fired once every two shots and the camera power turned off after every tenth shot. Power is left off for a sufficient amount of time, then the power is turned back on and the testing procedure is repeated.
・ Playback
Normal temperature (23°C±2°C/73°F±3.6°F), normal relative humidity (50%±20%), continuous playback at 3 seconds per image.
Operating Temperatures 0–40°C (32–104°F)
Operation Humidity 10–90 %
Dimensions (excluding protrusions) 106.4 x 71.9 x 42.5 mm (4.2 x 2.8 x 1.7 in.)
Weight (camera body only) Approx. 320 g (11.3 oz.)