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Canon G11

 
Canon PowerShot G11 front
 
  • 10MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 2.8" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 28-140mm (F2.8-4.5) lens
  • 375g - 112 x 76 x 48mm
  • Introduced December 2009
  • Later Model is Canon G12
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
83
Imaging
34
Features
48
Overall
39

Canon G11 overview

Canon G11 is Canon's Small Sensor Compact camera first revealed on December of 2009. The camera houses a 10MP, CCD 1/1.7" sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 3648 x 2736.

Canon brought out the more recent Canon G12 (Read Full Comparison) as a way to upgrade this camera.

The G11 places at #44 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras & all round #746 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can try our Advanced camera filter to get camera results based on your customized factors.

Photography Glossary

The following is a diagram of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Canon G11 family

The Canon G11 has a history of related cameras. Down below, you can see all previous and brand new models alongside main specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Canon-PowerShot-G16 front thumbnailCanon G16
G11 vs G16
28-140mm
F1.8-2.8
12MP1/1.7"2013
Canon-PowerShot-G15 front thumbnailCanon G15
G11 vs G15
28-140mm
F1.8-2.8
12MP1/1.7"2012
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Canon-PowerShot-G12 front thumbnailCanon G12
G11 vs G12
28-140mm
F2.8-4.5
10MP1/1.7"2011
Canon-PowerShot-G11 front thumbnailCanon G1128-140mm
F2.8-4.5
10MP1/1.7"2009

Canon G11 Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of positives and negatives of the Canon G11 based on factors that are generally seen as useful in a camera.

above average flash sync speed (1/2,000 seconds)
built-in flash
built in zoom lens (28-140mm 5.0 x zoom)
decently wide (28mm)
exports RAW formats
great min ISO (80)
has HDMI out
has image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detect focusing
screen can move to multiple angles
screen is a good size (2.8")
screen is selfie friendly
you can focus manually
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
has no phase detect AF
heavier than competition in class (375g)
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
low resolution screen (461 thousand dots)
max fps low (1.0 frames/s)
max zoom aperture not good (f4.5)
no headphone support
no mic support
no Time Lapse function
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
very small sensor (1/1.7")
video resolution low (640 x 480 pxls)
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Canon G11 Sensor specifications

The Canon G11 houses the Digic 4 processor. The sensor dimension on the Canon G11 is 7.44mm x 5.58mm (1/1.7"). The 42 mm² sensor can resolve 3648 x 2736 pixels at aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization since the latter can produce cropping.

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The CCD sensor has 10 megapixels and delivers a native ISO range of 80 to 3200. RAW photos are saved so the user has wider room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below shows the G11's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The G11 sensor has a crop factor of 4.8 and is showcased in green.

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To get an idea of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon G11 dimensions

Canon G11 weighs about 0.83 lbs (375 grams / 13.23 oz) & the over all size of the camera is 112mm x 76mm x 48mm (4.4" x 3.0" x 1.9"). The weight of general Small Sensor Compact camera is 174 grams and the Canon G11 is weightier compared with various rivals.

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The following is a pic of the Canon G11 next to a soft drink to help you to get a sense of its scale.

Canon PowerShot G11 dimensions scale

The top view here will show the button arrangement on the G11.

Canon PowerShot G11 topview buttons dials

Canon G11 Lens specifications

The G11 provides an inbuilt lens and a focal range of 28-140mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which won't be very good however it will probably be useful in a few scenarios.

At the widest 28mm, it has an aperture of f2.8 which is kind of slow and not good for low light conditions and you will probably struggle to get a shallow depth of field. You will likely also have to boost the ISO setting resulting in noisy photographs. On the tele end, 140mm comes at f4.5 which is quite slow and you might need to set slow shutter speeds.

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Canon G11 Connectivity

The G11 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that feature NFC or Bluetooth compatibility can easily be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You will be able to copy photos and sometimes alter camera settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

Several applications even provide a Liveview and press the shutter when you aren't near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it could be connected to an external display. Nearly all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery through the USB socket.

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Canon G11 Video specifications

The highest video quality on the Canon G11 is 640 x 480 and you can capture in H.264 format. 480p is terrible for today's standards. You should really try to get at least FUll HD quality for good video. The camera doesn't include a microphone or headphone socket so you have no control over the sound. It is perhaps a better idea to get a different camera if you need good sound for your video clips.

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Canon G11 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing in the Canon G11 so you need to be cautious in rainy and dusty conditions.

Canon G11 Display and Viewfinder

The Canon G11 is equipped with a 2.8 inch fully articulated screen boasting a resolution of 461 thousand dots.

The display is selfie friendly to take self portraits as well as group photos if required. Sadly the screen is not a touch screen.

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The ViewFinder specs for Canon G11 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Optical (tunnel)

Viewfinders are really useful for bright outdoor conditions which will make the camera display washed out and very difficult to see.

Canon G11 Shutter specifications

Canon G11 can shoot continuously at 1.0 frames/s. The max shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Canon G11 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Canon G11 has both built-in flash along with external flash ability. The maximum flash sync speed is 1/2000 sec.

Canon G11 Autofocus specifications

Canon G11 has just Contrast Based Autofocus & doesn't have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier & exact compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera supports Face detect which is handy for portraits.

The AF system supports 9 focus points to choose from. Canon G11 has the ability to use manual focusing if required for low light scenarios or you want to have more precise control on focusing.

Photography Glossary

Canon G11 Battery life

The typical Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 features the highest (470) battery life for this range of cameras.

Following is a number of Small Sensor Compact cameras which have the best battery life:

Canon G11 for different forms of photography

The following bar chart shows a summation of the Canon G11 for different forms of photography. To read more, have a look at the specific section below.

Canon G11 Portrait photography information

The Canon G11 receives a rating of 47 which is moderate, and means the camera is relatively suitable for portrait photos. Taking portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor dimension, support for RAW photos and capability to utilize external lighting.

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manual focus
flash sync speed is above average (1/2,000s)
provides face detection focusing
delivers RAW formats
low MP (10MP)
small sensor size (1/1.7")

Canon G11 as a Street photography camera

Getting a above average score of 64, the Canon G11 is a respectable pick to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera features a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

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screen articulates fully
image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW files
sensor is small (1/1.7")
heavier than average (375 grams)

Canon G11 Sports photography info

A terrible sports photography rating of 27 indicates the Canon G11 is just not appropriate for taking pictures of sports. A camera must have fantastic autofocus plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Optical)
max fps low (1.0 fps)
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/1.7")
does not have phase detect autofocus

Canon G11 Travel photography highlights

Weight is pretty important in buying a travel camera. Overall, the Canon G11 gets a decent 57 for a travel camera which makes it relatively suited to take on your journeys.

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built-in flash
selfie friendly screen
reasonably wide (28mm)
lack of Time Lapse recording
heavier than others in class (375 grams)
MP count low (10 megapixels)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)

Canon G11 Landscape photography information

For those who are looking to purchase a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most critical factor will no doubt be image quality. The Canon G11 and it's decent rating of 46 for a landscape camera is somewhat suited in the current marketplace.

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has manual focus
reasonably wide (28mm)
screen size is decent (2.8")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW formats
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
sensor resolution not great (10 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/1.7")
does not have Timelapse function

Canon G11 as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera preferably should come with a moving display screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Taking all things into account, the Canon G11 is relatively acceptable as a vlog camera as it comes to a reasonable rating of 60.

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reasonably wide (28mm)
display is selfie friendly
image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect autofocus
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
video resolution low (640 x 480 pixels)
missing microphone jack
more heavy than competition (375 grams)

Canon G11 Alternatives

If you are trying to find replacements to the G11, here is a selection of the highest ranked cameras that fall under the class of Small Sensor Compact.

The graph here shows you a bird's eye view of the G11 vs it's highest scored rivals mentioned previously.

Here are a handful of other cameras you may regard as alternative options. To check out a detailed comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Canon
Model type
Canon PowerShot G11
Category
Small Sensor Compact
Introduced
2009-12-16
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Processor
Digic 4
Sensor size
1/1.7"
Sensor dimensions
7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor surface area
41.5mm²
Sensor resolution
10MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Maximum resolution
3648 x 2736
RAW files
Maximum native ISO
3200
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
28-140mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture
f/2.8-4.5
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Crop factor
4.8
Screen
Type of display
Fully Articulated
Display diagonal
2.8"
Resolution of display
461 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Optical (tunnel)
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
47
DXO Color Depth rating
20.4
DXO Dynamic range rating
11.1
DXO Low light rating
169
Features
Lowest shutter speed
15 secs
Highest shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting rate
1.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
7.00 m
Flash options
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Second Curtain
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Highest flash synchronize
1/2000 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
640x480
Video data format
H.264
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
375 gr (0.83 lb)
Dimensions
112 x 76 x 48mm (4.4" x 3.0" x 1.9")
Other
Battery ID
NB-7L
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type
SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMCplus card
Card slots
One
Cost at launch
$600