Image Quality

Canon PowerShot G11 review – Image Quality

G11 review – Exposure

The G11 displays reassuringly reliable exposures, with the balance between shadows and highlights pleasingly apparent. This is helped by the impressive dynamic range displayed by the sensor – even in difficult lighting the G11 manages to both preserve shadow detail and prevent highlights from blowing out.

G11 review – Colour and White balance

Canon’s characteristic vibrancy and radiance is evident with the G11, with real punchiness displayed throughout the frame, without seeming to be too unnatural. White balance is slightly unreliable, with a tendency to err to either the warm or the cold side, but this is by no means beyond repair, and in general it’s solid.

G11 review – Raw and JPEG

The difference between Raw and JPEG files lays mostly with the in-camera processing. Noise is less pronounced in the JPEG files, owing to the G11’s in-camera noise reduction, though this does mean that JPEG files can be lacking sharpness present in the Raw files. Colour rendition also differs between the two – colour is punchier in Raw files, suggesting that JPEG processing mutes the colours somewhat. Finally, tonal gradation is smoother in Raw files than JPEGs.

G11 review – Noise and ISO

The improvements in noise control much-touted

by Canon is noticeably present thanks to the combination of fewer megapixels and new technologies. Comparing images from the previous model, the G10, and the G11 shows a vast improvement in noise control. Where fairly aggressive noise was visible at ISO 1600 previously, images are now considerably less-grainy – there’s at least a stop of difference that’s ideal for low-light shooting. At the maximum ISO 3200 image sharpness is compromised, though not entirely to the detriment of image quality, while image quality is of a good standard throughout the range.