Canon PowerShot G9 12.1-megapixel digital camera with optical image stabilization

Features
Inputs and Outputs Notes
Supplied Software

Features

LCD Monitor: The Canon PowerShot G9 has a 3" low temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD monitor featuring approximately 230,000 pixels. The monitor has a near 100% picture coverage. You can adjust the brightness to any of 15 levels.

LCD Viewfinder: In addition to the LCD monitor, the camera has a real-image optical zoom viewfinder with a dioptric adjustment to let you focus the image in the viewfinder to your vision. The viewfinder has approximately 80% picture coverage. When shooting closeups, it is recommended that you use the LCD monitor to frame your shot.

Image Stabilizer: Canon's exclusive Optical Image Stabilizer helps you achieves excellent-quality images in situations prone to camera shake and image blurring. Whether you're shooting outdoors at dusk, inside without a flash, or at the end of the zoom range, camera shake is detected and effectively canceled.

DIGIC III Image Processor: The PowerShot G9 features the new DIGIC III Image Processor. The DIGIC III chip gives you superior image quality, faster image writing to the memory card, more efficiency to extend battery life, and higher definition for the LCD monitor.

Face Detection Technology: The DIGIC III chip includes the new Face Detection Auto Focus/Auto Exposure technology. Face Detection finds all the faces in the frame and sets the most suitable focus point. Exposure and flash are controlled to ensure proper illumination of both the faces and the overall scene, eliminating the common problem of overexposed faces.

iSAPS Technology: The iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology uses an internal database of thousands of photographs to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

Image Sensor: For optimal image quality, the camera uses a 1/1.7" CCD image sensor with approximately 12.4-million total pixels and 12.1-million effective pixels.

Recording Media: The camera records still images or moving images with mono audio on SD Memory Cards, SDHC Memory Cards, MultiMediaCards, MMCPlus cards, and HC MMCplus cards. Still images are recorded in JPEG or RAW, and the movies are recorded in AVI format (Image data: Motion JPEG, Audio data: WAVE (monaural)). A 32MB MMCPlus memory Card is included with the camera.

Still Image Resolution/Compression: You can choose from the following still image resolutions: Large (4000 x 3000), Medium 1 (3264 x 2448), Medium 2 (2592 x 1944 pixels), Medium 3 (1600 x 1200 pixels), and Small (640 x 480 pixels). You can also select a Widescreen (4000 x 2248) size for displaying large images on a computer monitor. For each resolution, you can set the compression to Superfine, Fine or Normal.

RAW File Format: The RAW file format records the image data as captured by the camera imaging element without further processing. The images show almost no deterioration in image quality, and are a higher quality than JPEG images. To view RAW images on your computer, you must use the supplied software (ZoomBrowser EX/Image Browser). Using the software's image processing function, you can broadly adjust the images without deterioration, and then convert the image to a JPEG, TIFF, or other type of image in line with your intended use. You can choose to record RAW files or JPEG files alone, or you can record RAW files and JPEG files simultaneously.

Memory Card Capacity: The estimated number of still images that can be recorded on compatible memory cards is as follows:

Optics: The camera features a 6x optical zoom lens. The 4x digital zoom extends the telephoto capabilities to a total zoom of approximately 24x.

AutoFocus Modes: The camera utilizes TTL (through-the-lens) automatic focusing with four focusing methods:

• Face Detect: camera automatically detects the position of a face and uses the data to set the focus and exposure while shooting
• AiAF: camera detects the subject and highlights the AF frames, from 9 evaluative points, that it will use to determine the focus
• Center: camera focuses using the center AF frame, convenient for focusing on a specific part of a subject
• FlexiZone: the AF frame can be moved manually to the desired area. This is convenient for making sure the focus is exactly where you want it.

Focus Settings: You can choose one of the following focus settings:

• Continuous: the camera is continuously focusing on whatever it is aimed at, even when the shutter button is not pressed
• Single: the camera only focuses when the shutter button is pressed

Focus Bracketing: In this mode, the camera automatically takes three shots; one at the manual focus position, and one each with focus positions preset farther and nearer.

AF-Assist Beam: The AF-assist beam will sometimes emit when the shutter button is pressed halfway to assist focusing in certain conditions, i.e. dark conditions. The AF-assist beam can be turned off. If animals are your subject, you can turn off the beam when shooting in the dark to avoid startling them.

Shooting Modes: Using the Mode Dial on the top of the camera, you can select from numerous shooting modes:

• Auto: camera selects the settings according to surroundings and conditions
• Image Zone:
  • Special Scene: for taking optimal pictures by selecting one of the appropriate shooting modes:
    • Portrait: blurs the background and makes the subject stand out
    • Landscape: optimized for shooting landscape scenes that contain both near and far subjects
    • Night Scene: allows you to capture human subjects against the backdrop of an evening sky or night scene
    • Sports: well-suited for shooting fast moving subjects
    • Night Snapshot: allows you to take snapshots of people against twilight or night backgrounds by reducing the effects of camera shake, even without using a tripod
    • Kids & Pets: lets you capture subjects that move quickly without missing photo opportunities
    • Indoor: prevents camera shake and maintains the subject's true colors when shooting under fluorescent or tungsten lighting
    • Foliage: shoots trees and leaves in vivid colors
    • Snow: shoots without a blue tinge and without making subjects appear dark against a bright white background
    • Beach: shoots without making subjects appear dark near water or sand where reflected sunlight is strong
    • Fireworks: captures fireworks in the sky sharply and at optimal exposure
    • Aquarium: selects the optimal ISO speed, white balance and color balance to capture fish and other items in an indoor aquarium
    • Underwater: use this setting for shooting images with Waterproof Case WP-DC11 (sold separately); records images with natural hue and with optimal white balance setting to reduce bluish tones
    • ISO 3200: shoots with the ISO speed set to 3200, avoiding blurring of the subject and the effects of camera shakes
    • Color Accent: you can specify one color in the LCD monitor, and have only that color remain while the camera turns the other colors to black and white
    • Color Swap: specify one color in the LCD monitor, and have that color transformed into another color
  • Stitch Assist: for taking shots you want to combine into a panorama
  • Movies: When you press the shutter button, you can shoot movies in the following modes:
    • Standard: shoots in 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 at 30 or 15 fps
    • Color Accent: like standard mode, but lets you specify one color to remain while all others are turned to black and white
    • Color Swap: like standard mode, but lets you change a specified color to another
    • High Resolution: shoots in 1024 x 768 at 15 fps
    • Compact: shoots in 160 x 120 at 15 fps
• Creative Zone:
  • Program AE: use the program AE mode to have the camera automatically set the shutter speed and aperture value to match the brightness of the scene
  • Shutter Speed-Priority AE: when you set the shutter speed in the shutter speed-priority AE mode, the camera automatically selects an aperture value to match the brightness
  • Aperture-Priority AE: when you set the aperture in the aperture-priority AE mode, the camera automatically selects a shutter speed to match the brightness
  • Manual Exposure: you can manually set the shutter speed and aperture to achieve a particular effect
  • Custom Settings: you can save frequently used shooting modes and various shooting settings to the custom mode. This camera is equipped with two modes (C1 and C2), allowing you to save two types of custom settings.

Focusing Range: The camera features the following focus ranges:

• Normal AF: 1.6' to infinity

• Macro Mode: 0.39" to 1.6' (wide angle)

• Manual Focus: 0.39" to infinity (wide angle); 1.6' to infinity (telephoto)

• Sports Mode: 3.3' to infinity (wide angle); 9.8' to infinity (telephoto)

• Kids & Pets: 3.3' to infinity

Auto Rotate Function: The PowerShot G9's Auto Rotate function uses an Intelligent Orientation Sensor to sense whether your images were shot horizontally or vertically. During playback, the camera automatically rotates the image to the correct viewing orientation in the display. Auto Rotate can be turned on or off in the menu.

Flash Modes: The PowerShot G9 has a built-in flash. Using the Function/Set button, you can select Auto (flash fires in low light), On (flash always fires), or Off (flash doesn't fire). In the menu, you can add the following flash functions when the flash is set to On or Auto:

• Red-eye Reduction: When activated, the red-eye reduction lamp fires when the flash is used in dark areas. This reduces the light reflecting back from the eyes, making them appear red.

• Slow-Synchro: The flash timing is adjusted to slow shutter speeds. This reduces the chance that only the background will appear dark when a person is photographed against a twilight background or night scene, or when an interior shot is taken.

Flash Timing: The flash timing can be set to 1st-curtain or 2nd-curtain. When 1st-curtain is selected, the flash fires right after the shutter opens, regardless of the shutter speed. When 2nd-curtain is selected, the flash fires right before the shutter closes, regardless of the shutter speed.

Flash Range: The built-in flash has a range of 1' to 13' in Wide Angle and 1.6' to 8.2' in Telephoto.

Flash Exposure Lock (FE Lock): You can lock the flash exposure so the exposure settings are correctly adjusted for a particular portion of the subject.

My Colors: You can choose the look and feel of the photos you take by using My Colors to add the following effects:

• Vivid: emphasizes the contrast and color saturation to record in bold colors

• Neutral: tones down the contrast and color saturation to record neutral hues

• Sepia: records images in sepia tones

• B/W: records images in black and white

• Positive Film: makes red, green, and blue colors more intense

• Lighter Skin Tone: makes skin tones lighter

• Darker Skin Tone: makes skin tones darker

• Vivid Blue: emphasizes blue tints to make blue subjects, such as the sky or ocean, more vivid

• Vivid Green: emphasizes green tints to make green subjects, such as the mountains, new growth, flowers and lawns, more vivid

• Vivid Red: emphasizes red tints to make red subjects, such as flowers or cars, more vivid

• Custom Color: lets you adjust the contrast, sharpness, or saturation settings or the color balance between red, green, blue, and skin tones

• My Colors Off: records with no effect

Continuous Shooting Mode: You can use this mode to shoot successive frames while the shutter button is fully pressed. Images may be recorded in continuous mode until the memory card is full. A special high speed memory card is recommended for best results. You can choose from the following Continuous Shooting Modes:

Metering Modes: You can select from the following metering modes:

• Evaluative Light Metering: used for standard conditions. The area within the frame is divided into several zones and light is measured based on subject position, brightness, direct light and backlighting.

• Center-Weighted Averaging: averages the exposure from the entire image, but places more weight on the subject at the center

• Spot: allows you to select Center, which meters the area within the spot AE point frame at the center of the LCD monitor (or viewfinder), or, AF Point, which meters the spot AF point corresponding to the AF frame

Exposure Compensation: If you are shooting against a bright background or strong backlight, you may need to correct the exposure so that the subject doesn't come out too dark. You can set the adjustments from -2 to +2 in 1/3-step increments.

Auto Exposure Bracketing: With auto exposure bracketing (AEB), the camera automatically changes the exposure level up to +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments for three successive shots.

Locking the Exposure Setting (AE Lock): You can set the exposure and focus separately. This is effective when the contrast is too strong between the subject and background, or when a subject is backlit.

ND Filter: The brightness can be decreased by setting the ND filter on. This allows you to select a smaller aperture and a slower shutter speed than usual. Standard brightness is decreased to approximately 1/8 with the filter on. Use of a tripod is recommended when using this mode.

White Balance: You can choose from the following white balance settings:

• Auto: the camera sets the white balance automatically according to shooting conditions

• Daylight: for recording outdoors on a bright day

• Cloudy: for recording under overcast, shady or twilight skies

• Tungsten: for recording under tungsten and bulb-type 3-wavelength fluorescent lighting

• Fluorescent: for recording under warm-white, cool-white or warm-white (3-wavelength) fluorescent lighting

• Fluorescent H: for recording under daylight fluorescent, or daylight fluorescent-type (3-wavelength) fluorescent lighting

• Flash: for when you are using the flash

• Underwater: use this setting for shooting images with Waterproof Case WP-DC11 (sold separately)

• Custom: allows you to manually set the white balance and store the settings

ISO Speed: The ISO speed can be set to 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, Auto, or High ISO Auto. An ISO 3200 setting is available as a special scene mode.

Self-Timer: The self-timer starts when the shutter button is pressed. The delay time can be set to 10 seconds, 2 seconds, or Custom Timer. The Custom Timer allows you to choose the timer delay setting: 1-10, 15, 20, or 30 seconds for up to 10 shots.

Editing Movies: The Edit function in the movie control panel enables you to cut unwanted portions at the start or the end of a movie clip.

Sound Memos: You can attach sound memos (up to 60 seconds) to an image while in the replay mode.

Sound Only Recording: You can record a continuous sound memo for up to approximately 2 hours without taking a picture. You can select a sampling rate of 11.025kHz, 22.050kHz, or 44.1kHz. The recording quality rises progressively as the sampling rate increases, however, the recorded file size increases correspondingly, reducing the total recording time. During playback, you can rewind, fast forward, erase, protect, and adjust the volume. The Sound Recorder can record in the following durations:

Slide Show: Images stored on a memory card can automatically be displayed one-by-one using the Slide Show function. Image settings for slide shows are based on the Digital Print Order Form (DPOF) standard. You can playback all images on a memory card in order, or play images specified by date, category, folder, movies only, stills only, or up to 3 customized slide shows of up to 998 images. You can select from 3 transitions between slides, plus set the amount of time each image is displayed in a slide show (3-10 seconds, 15 seconds, or 30 seconds). In addition, the repeat function allows you to repeat a slide show after it has finished.

Index Replay: This feature allows you to view nine images at once on the LCD monitor so that you can search for an image quickly.

Image Magnification: When viewing a still picture in Single Image Replay mode, you can magnify the image up to 10x. You can also pan around the zoomed image to view a particular portion of the picture.

Rotating Images: You can rotate an image by 90 or 270 degrees clockwise in the LCD monitor.

Protecting Images: The protect feature allows you to protect important images from accidental erasure.

Power Requirements: The Canon PowerShot G9 is powered by the supplied NB-2LH rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack (7.4V/720mAh). The battery pack can be charged in the supplied CB-2LW battery charger. Charging time is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. For long periods of continuous use, or when connected to a computer, it is recommended that the camera be connected to the optional CA-PS700 Compact Power Adapter, which is included in the optional ACK-DC20 AC adapter kit. The typical performance of the batteries are as follows:

Power Saving Functions: The camera is equipped with the following power saving functions:

• Auto Power Down Function: When activated the Auto Power Down function operates in the following situations:

  • Shooting Mode: power automatically shuts off approximately 3 minutes after the last function is accessed

  • Playback: power automatically shuts off approximately 5 minutes after the last function is accessed

  • Printing: While connected to a printer, the power will automatically shut off approximately 5 minutes after the last function is accessed or printer ceases to print.

    • Note: The Auto Power Down Function will not activate during a Slide Show or while the connected to a computer.

• Display Off: While in Shooting Mode, the LCD monitor or viewfinder shuts off after a specified period of time and no camera control is accessed. The following time settings can be selected: 10 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min.

PictBridge/Direct Print: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a PictBridge-compatible printer of any brand, or a Canon printer that supports the Direct Print function. You can also connect the camera directly to certain Canon Bubble Jet printers. In this way, you can make prints directly from the camera without having to hook it up to a computer.

Exif Print (Exif 2.2): The Canon PowerShot G9 conforms to "Exif Print," a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos that can be even better than the originals.

DPOF Print Settings: On your memory card, you can select which image or images you want to print and how many copies you want. This is convenient for printing images all at once on optional photo printers or at participating photo labs. You can choose from the following print settings:

• Print Type:

  • Standard: prints one image per page
  • Index: prints the selected images together at a reduced size in an index format
  • Both: prints the images in both the standard and index formats
• Date: adds the date to the print
• File Number: adds the file number to the print
• Clear DPOF Data: clears all print settings after the images have printed

DPOF Transfer Order: You can use the camera to specify settings for images that you wish to download to a computer. The settings used on the camera comply with the Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) standards. A maximum of 998 images can be selected per memory card, and are transferred in order from oldest to newest by shooting date.

My Camera Function: The start-up image, start-up sound, operation sounds, self-timer sound and shutter sound can be customized with the My Camera function.

Wide Converter and Tele-converter Lens Compatibility: The separately sold Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58H is required to use conversion and close-up lenses with this camera, such as the separately sold Wide Converter WC-DC58B and Tele-converter TC-DC58C.

Optional External Flash Compatibility: The PowerShot G9 features a hot shoe that allows you to use optional external flashes, including the following Canon Speedlite models: 220EX, 430EX, and 580EX.

Inputs and Outputs Notes

Digital Terminal: The PowerShot G9 has a Mini-B Version 2.0 USB terminal to allow you to connect the camera to a compatible computer or compatible Canon printer via the supplied USB cable. This USB 2.0 Hi-Speed-compatible terminal allows you to rapidly download images to your computer or printer.

A/V Output: The camera's 3.5mm (1/8") minijack output allows you to connect the camera to a TV or video monitor with mono RCA audio and composite video input jacks using the supplied audio/video cable. You can set the video output to NTSC or PAL.

Supplied Software

Minimum System Requirements: