G9/G-10/G-11/G-12 upgrade

[Blueskys4ever]

I jumped in when the G-9 was out. I purchased a Canon DC 21 housing for it and got pretty good results for the investment. Now my camera is history. I still have the housing and have looked on e-bay for a used G-9. Oddly, these have been selling for around 300.

Should I just suck it up and get a G-11 and a new housing?

I now live on Okinawa and I must say I like it here. I am itching to get a camera replacement.

 

[slowhands]

The G12 will probably be announced next month, available October? That's my guess based on rumors. And it will cost the same as a G11. The housing may be delayed a month after the camera, not sure.

It's amazing how the G9,G10 and G11 hold their value, true. I don't think you save much by buying an older model. There is one exception: right after the G12 is announced, early adopters of the G12 will be dumping their G11s and the price may drop $50 on average.

Or, you could change over to the S95, which will be out next month and I like better. Did I complicate the issue? We have an abundance of good choices, no?

 

[xariatay]

If u have time & willing to pay more, sell your g9 case & wait for the new model...
I have used my friend's G11, the focusing speed is better than my g9 & it weighs less...

 

[Banon]

Blueskys4ever,

I have a G9 and my wife has a G11. We dive with both in the Canon housings. Contrary to a previous post, the G11 is slightly larger and a little (5g) heavier, but the difference is small enough that you won't notice unless you have them side by side.

The G11 feels a little more polished in actual use, but I'm not sure it takes significantly better pictures in most diving situations. We've gotten some real nice shots with both cameras. I think the G11 has a little better high ISO performance, but that's not typically a big factor for diving.

For me, I don't like the G11 enough more than the G9 to go through the hassle and expense of upgrading. I'm waiting for a few good reviews on the S95 and soon to be released G12, and then will re-evaluate.

We'll see if that new CMOS sensor in the S95 and G12 lives up to all the hype of being bigger/stronger/faster with HD video, low light performance, fast focus, etc etc.

Regards,
Banon

 

[PatW]

I have the G11. The new G12 does high res video, which I do not use. Otherwise the G11 is the same machine as the G12. They both have the same sensor.

The G10 has 14 mega pixels vs the 10 of the G11. But the G11 has superior high iso performance. Also on small sensors, diffraction issues limit resolution unless you are shooting cameras at your lowest apetures. I think the G11 is superior. I am not familiar with the G9, but it seems that the changes from year to year are pretty small. Why don't you squeeze another year out of your camera and see if the one after the G12 has substantial performance increases. If not, squeeze another year out of your current camera. Don't change it until the improvement of technology makes it worth your while.

 

[under water]

The G9 has a 35mm lens vs the 28mm for the G 10+ series. This means you get a slightly wider view with the newer cameras. It also means that many add-ons you have for the G9 may not work with the G10+ (have to zoom to avoid vignetting.. that kind of thing.)
The G9 also has the best video (pretty decent!) of all of them short of the G12.
These are the reasons that the G9 still gets $300 on eBay.
I stayed with the G9 and saw no reason to migrate up the G10+ series.
Eventually I switched over to the Oly Pen which is a substantial step up.
I still bring my G9 in the canon case as a backup. It can use all the trays, handles, arms, strobes and focus light that I have for the Pen.
The G9 is a great camera.

 

[andydob27]

I just went through the same thing a couple months ago. My G9 died and I sold the case for pennies on the dollar to a friend. A bought the S90 and housing. It's good and I like it, but I wish I went with the G11 instead. I just got back from a diving trip and was overall pleased with the performance/results. But the S90 doesn't perform (focus) as well in Macro. If you like nudi and other small critters; I would definitely get the G11/12.

I don't know how shipping to Okinawa works, but check kakaku.com for the cheapest prices on electronics in Japan.

 

[Blueskys4ever]

Thanks for all the viewpoints. It looks like the S95 is now available in Japan. But due to the yen rate, it is not a bargain by no means.

I believe I will wait for the G12 to be released and read the reviews.
What is another month?

 

[xariatay]

Blueskys4ever,

I have a G9 and my wife has a G11. We dive with both in the Canon housings. Contrary to a previous post, the G11 is slightly larger and a little (5g) heavier, but the difference is small enough that you won't notice unless you have them side by side.

Regards,
Banon

Oops, from the dpreview specs, G11 weighs 355g, while G9 weighs 320g! But honestly everyone I know who had held these 2 felt that G9 was heavier... Maybe because of the lack of grip?

Blueskys4ever, please do a review on the G12, when u get it! :blinking:

 

[nicelife2010]

what about the performance of G12?