Canon PowerShot G7

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Features
The new Digic III imaging processor which powers the 10-megapixel PowerShot G7 promises faster processing speeds, lower power consumption, better noise reduction and a new Face Detection function. Other cameras that use Digic III (at the time of review) include the IXUS i7 Zoom, IXUS 900 Ti and IXUS 850 IS. Judging by the buzz, Face Detection could be the Next Big Thing after high ISOs in digital cameras, with Fujifilm already adopting a similar feature in its FinePix F31fd and FinePix S6500fd before Canon. In idle mode, the G7 is able to track up to three faces, nine if you half-press the shutter and keep them in focus.

There are limitations to Face Detection, such as when the faces are too small, large, dark or bright relative to the overall composition, or when your subjects are looking sideways, moving too fast, etc. In a real-world scenario, this feature is more suited for taking posed pictures than impromptu portraits. Amid all the bells and whistles of the new G7, we were disappointed that the 6x optical zoom begins from 38mm (35mm equivalent) where it should have been a 28mm wide-angle lens. Put nine people side-by-side in a room for a group shot and you'll wonder why Canon didn't fit a 28mm lens on this PowerShot instead.

Another quibble we have on the G7 is a slower aperture of F2.8 at wide angle, stopping down to F4.8 at maximum telephoto. Its predecessor, the PowerShot G6, trumps the G7 with a faster F2.0 setting.

The PowerShot G7 ships with optical image stabilization and a maximum sensitivity setting of ISO 1,600--both of which are becoming de facto standards in most midrange consumer digital cameras. Using a lens-shift system, the image stabilization can remain on all the time or activated only when the shutter button is pressed. In panning mode, the IS compensates for vertical motion, useful if you are shooting panoramic pictures.

For photographers who want to have more handling control other than the aperture-, shutter-priority and manual options, they can also customize the display options of the LCD. What comes in really handy is the live histogram to make sure the exposure is correct. Dig into the camera's menu and you can further configure individual settings to be saved under C1 and C2 on the mode dial.

There's also a shortcut button on the top left corner at the back of the camera which you can preset to access settings which don't have their own dedicated key. Options include resolution, image quality, white balance and light metering.

Another tiny feature which we found useful is the focus check option. You can toggle the display during image review immediately after a shot to show the magnified area of the autofocus frame and to check whether the image is in focus. You can also navigate to other areas of the picture using the directional keypad. The G7 supports the use of a wide and a teleconverter. The wide converter (WC-DC58B) changes the focal length of the camera by a factor of 0.75x, while the teleconverter changes the focal length by a factor of 2x.

Canon includes support for SD high-capacity memory cards up to 4GB. You can record VGA movies at 30 frames per second for up to an hour or until your card runs out of capacity, whichever is earlier. According to the company, the 720mAh Lithium-ion battery pack can provide enough power for approximately 220 shots.