Ok, lets get on to the high ISO tests. I did not have much of a chance to get out and shoot this camera at high ISO in the evening with real subjects so I put the G10 on my tripod and shot my typical clock high ISO scene. Here are the results which are all 100% crops of the image at every ISO.

Basically, the G10 stays clean up until ISO 200 where you see a tiny but of noise creep in. By ISO 400 you get more noise but the file is still VERY VERY usable. At 800 it starts getting a little hairy and by 1600 the details are shot and you start getting that smudged overly done noise reduction look.

I would go up to ISO 400 in every day shooting and use 800 only if absolutely necessary. I would avoid 1600 if possible. One thing I noticed is that at ISO 80, the file seems to be overly smooth to the point of making the image lose sharpness. These were all shot on a tripod at the same F stop which was 3.2.

So, typical performance for a compact camera but a little worse than the Leica D-Lux 4 at 1600 IMO...

ISO 1600 FROM THE LEICA D-LUX 4

ISO 1600 on the Leica D-Lux 4 is not so hot either but it does not smear the details as much as the Canon. I would not want to shoot either one at 1600 but it is nice to have it available.

As for other things like Auto White Balance, I found the G10 to give SUPER results here. I never had a shot where the WB was off on the G10. 5 Stars here as there are so many cameras out there that get this so wrong. The G10 also has a built in flash but I NEVER use flash, EVER.

To me using a flash outside of a studio is like a sin. It almost always looks un-natural and bright. Especially on compact cameras! BUT I was out with the G10 and took a family snapshot of my son in the pool. The flash went off as the camera was in fully auto mode. It was smart enough to know that my sons face would of been underexposed due to the meter seeing all of the bright water.

If you are a person who does not mind flash then it appears the G10 flash works great. This will also probably be the only image on this site EVER that will feature a flash (unless I do some studio stuff at a later date)!

So far, this little G10 is proving to be a very very cool camera. After a week or two I stopped worrying about the aspect ratio bullshit and started enjoying it for its strengths.

SO IS IT WORTH THE $500 PRICE TAG?

Hmmm. That depends on YOU. If you want a compact digital that does not feel like a toy. One that has plenty of resolution and features and you do not mind that there is no HD video. One that has great ISO performance only up to 400 then YES it is!

After it was all said and done though,  I do prefer my little Leica D-Lux 4 to this Canon G10. That is most likely because I am used to that camera, its files, and its features. But let’s keep it real. The G10 is $499. The D-Lux 4 is $699. That is a $200 savings with the G10.

Again, my main problem with the G10 is its low light capability. Mainly, the slower lens. If it has a fast F2 lens and a little bit better high ISO performance it would be THE best compact on the market. To me, that title still goes to the Leica D-Lux 4. You can read my D-Lux 4 review here.

But even with those weaknesses the Canon G10 makes a GREAT all around camera and even an alternative to those big bulky DSLR’s. Hang this G10 around your neck and you will not only take great images, you will also look the part. The classic style and feel will make you fall in love with it.

B&H Photo sent me this one to review, and I thank them! If you want your own G10, I HIGHLY recommend B&H Photo. They are my main dealer of choice for ANY kind of camera gear, my mac computers, ink, telescopes, film, or even pro audio gear. When I order they always ship same day, and their return policy is the best there is.

You can click here to go direct to their Canon Powershot G10 page to read even more technical details on this camera, or to order.

Thank you for reading my real world use report on the Canon Powershot G10! Click on over to page 4 to see more samples from my time with the camera!

SEE PAGE 4 FOR MORE PHOTO SAMPLES FROM THS CANON POWERSHOT G10!