G1 Problems? Share them

[rspaulson]

Of the four digital cameras I've owned, the G1 has given me the most problems:

1) 'Hot spot' pixels on the sensor (four of them now, getting worse.

2) SLOOOWWWW response to shutter release command in Program mode. I've missed a lot of shots relying on the Program mode. With the G-1, I am pretty-much reduced to non-moving objects, or shooting only in manual modes.

3) Strong cyan 'fringing' on edges of high-contrast subjects

4) Massive battery useage

The S20 was much better on all counts, except for the higher resolution & zoom of the G1. My D30 does not have the same problems.

A friend showed me his Olympus. MUCH better than the G1, in the respects mentioned above.

[John - NJ]

I've had my G1 for quite some time and have not had the problems you describe. You may have a defective camera.

[gandini]

rspaulson wrote:
Of the four digital cameras I've owned, the G1 has given me the most problems:

1) 'Hot spot' pixels on the sensor (four of them now, getting worse.

** some of us live with them, others send them back to Canon for a repair. You choose. I live with 1 serious, 3 occassional dead pixels.

2) SLOOOWWWW response to shutter release command in Program mode. I've missed a lot of shots relying on the Program mode. With the G-1, I am pretty-much reduced to non-moving objects, or shooting only in manual modes.

** How sloowww? There is certainly some time lag between taking a picture and being ready to take the next--for me I use the LCD to frame photos, and have a 2-second review. Without the review or the LCD it would be faster, but I accept the compromise.


3) Strong cyan 'fringing' on edges of high-contrast subjects

** There *is* CA in the G1, and the purple fringing can be pretty bad on strong contrast, strong light edges. I generally try to avoid the photograph in the first place. Otherwise, it's PhotoShop for this problem.

4) Massive battery useage

** Now this one makes no sense, since the G1/G2 are known for their great miserly battery use.

I've had great success with my G1--and I really can't find much to fault it. I'd say that my current limitations are my imagination and technique. I'll work on them...

cheers,

[Vasily]

Have G1 for quite a long time now - one of the greatest cameras in it's class!

Sorry to hear about your experience with G1, I have to agree with gandini, the only limitation is only in imagination and technique...

[rspaulson]

1) 'Hot spot' pixels
** some of us live with them, others send them back to Canon for a repair. You choose.

When the camera is beyond the warrantee, the choice gets expensive. When compared to other models & makes that don't have problems with hot pixels, it decreases the value of the G1, and prevents my recommending it to others.

I haven't given up on Canon. I purchased their D30. In heavy use, it has had a much better track record with me.


2) SLOOOWWWW response to shutter release
** How sloowww? There is certainly some time lag between taking a picture and being ready to take the next--

No... I'm talking about pushing the shutter button in program mode, and waiting 2-3 seconds before it even takes the shot. It most often happens indoors, where the autofocus apparently struggles to decide on a focus point.

When I push the shutter, I want it to take the shot NOW... not search back and forth on the focus.

Why don't I just shoot manual all of the time? See my original post. The autofocus should be well-enough designed to avoid the extended focus loop.

You pay dearly for automation on the G1, it should work flawlessly. Perhaps it's been fixed in the G2.

3) Strong cyan 'fringing' on edges of high-contrast
** There *is* CA in the G1, and the purple fringing
it's PhotoShop for this problem.

I don't find it easily fixed in Photoshop without loosing quality in the result.

An example would be tree branches against the sky & clouds. How are you going to get rid of the fringe without going in pixel-by-pixel? Increasing the contrast will affect at least the band you marquee for adjustment.

4) Massive battery useage
** Now this one makes no sense, since the G1/G2 are known for their great miserly battery use.

?? You apparently don't use your LCD screen much. The draw on it will drain a battery quite rapidly. I have three batteries that I take on an afternoon's worth of G1 shooting. I only get about 50-60 shots on a battery. What is your rate?

I agree that if you don't use it for framing, composing, etc. and only a 2-second review, it will last longer.

I don't think that even Canon would claim that in average use, the G1 is 'known' to be a battery miser. .. I don't have the G2, and can't speak to it's battery useage.

[Harv]

I don't have that battery issue either. I use the LCD exclusively with the wide angle adapter (which blocks the viewfinder). I can fill my 340MD on RAW mode on a single battery. I use the two second review as well.

However, I use manual mode almost all the time, and I never use the internal flash.

[gandini]

rspaulson seems to have had an entirely different experience with the G1 to me. I can't, and won't attempt to, explain why. I just don't have the problems, or the same reaction to well-known "features" of the G1 as he does. So be it.

However, in the end, the G1 is a "dead" camera. Yes, you can buy a new one almost anywhere for a discounted price, and the G2 is a better camera, even though I doubt rspaulson will find it has addressed his concerns, other than the CA, perhaps. But anyone buying a G1 should be pretty well aware of its limitations, and make a fully informed decision.

I envy rspaulson with his D-30. What a wonderful camera. I would like to see some photos he taken with this camera--a public gallery for us to peruse, perhaps? For me, at present, I'll stick to the G1, carry it with me 24/7 and live with its foibles. I choose to call them idiosynchrosies!

cheers,

[fredshead]

Quick fix for most fringing:

Photoshop:

Zoom in "as close as you can" on the image where you see the fringing most. It's purple or blue.

Open the Hue/Saturation controls (CNTRL + U)

From the pulldown menu select Magentas or blues depending on the color of your fringe.
I find magenta to be the best choice.

Now go to your image and your cursor is an eyedropper. Select the average range of fringe color. You will see the color slider in the H/S box move to that area of color.

Now, since you can't select the Z tool with the H/S open use the keyboard shortcut CNTRL and - to zoom out so you can see the entire image and hence get a better idea of how this next step will effect the entire image.

Drop the saturation (middle slider) and you will see the fringe change from purple to a grayer tone.

you're done.

DISCLAIMER:
In a photo that contains a lot of purple or blue tones this might not be the best solution.
Sometimes you only have to "soften" the fringing by taking the saturation down to say -50.
I find this technique useful when I shoot flourescent tube lights and trees with bright sun behind them.
This fix seems more complicated the first time around. once you do it it will become a much faster process.

Sorry to hear about your G1 problems. Overall I have nothing bad to say about this camera. I love it.

freddie

[Mike K]

1. the camera can be sent in to Canon to map out the stuck pixels, otherwise you will have to clone them out in PS. Are these hot or stuck?
2. sounds like you are having problems with focus lock. options: focus on another object at similar distance with high contrast and in better light. push the MF button on the side to lock, recompose and shoot. All consumer level digicams are slow and less reliable compared to 35mm film in this regard, due to the limitations of contrast focusing. The G-1 is average in this area, but the actual shutter lag is quite fast:
http://www.finchnest.com/house/photo/G1speed.html
3. CA: use of high quality multicoated UV filter has been reported to reduce (but not elimnate) CA. Typically it will be worse at the corners of the image. I have read of ways to minimize CA with editing;
http://www.normankoren.com/Tutorials/Chromatic.html
4. The G-1 battery lasts much longer than most digicams. Are you using single focus? Continous focus is not as relaible and uses far more power as it is always moving the lens to focus. What do you have your auto power down setting at? With the Auto power down defeated and the LCD on you will get more hot pixels due to CCD heating and probably only 2 hours of run time. With the camera on continously and the LCD off it will last 6+ hours and 400+ shots.
Mike K

[rspaulson]

Thanks to those who have answered the original post.

Freddie, it is nice to get a response that actually has helpful , concrete instructions.

MikeK, also thank you. I'm trying to see if Canon will give this long-out-of-warantee camera a service for the pixel problems that seem to be inherent in the manufacture.

Gandini, I like your suggestion about the gallery. Where can I upload some of the pictures? Also, I like your posts on the D30 forum, you offer some good suggestions.