PLEASE talk me into buying the G2!

[photo1]

It seams easy to see that there are a lot of G2 lovers in this forum so I should probably say, Talk me out of the Sony 4.1 with the "special", (Can't remember the name) Lens. I've owned an A1 and AE1 for about
20 years but I lost touch with Photography the last few years. I now use my cameras again but would like to go digital. Is this camera really worth the extra money?
Thanks for any help.

[NewG2]

How about the G2 lens is the same exact lens as the "Special Carl Zeiss" lens on the DSC-85/75/70....

And the G2 doesn't require you use only proprietary equipment like the Sony does...

My father owns a Sony DSC-85, I own a Canon G2. I like the Canon MUCH better.

[BudMan]

The only proprietary equipment on the G2 is the battery. It's a non issue due to it being a long life lithium. It's my first digital camera but I have been reading up on them for about 22 months. One would have good pics but bad battery life. Another would have both good pics and battery life but had proprietary memory or no hot shoe or USB. I mean it went like this in this industry since the beginning. I went to stores to look at and handle cameras I thought would consider but hated the feel or sluggish action to name a few, and menu layouts that were just awful. I backed off for a few months.Having a 4 year old Daughter I wanted to get going on the instant pics and short videos so I went out there again. Enters the G2! WoW!

Go down load and read the .pdf manuals, to familiarize and then go put your hands on one.

Good Luck, AC

[RFLd]

Perfect timing with your post... I just received a sony dsc-s85 (the 4megapixel one) for christmas, and I returned it and ordered (online) a Canon G2.

[BudMan]

I tried to like the Sony DSC-F707 but the Canon won me over.
By the way. I have received my Lensmate adapter and filters (UV & Polarized) and the fit and quality are very good.

[pics]

Ahhhhhhhhhh The Canon Powershot G2. Just got mine. I immediately popped the battery in without reading the instructions. I messed with it without reading the instructions and I was snapping away beautiful pictures within minutes of taking out of the box. I love this camera and the pictures it takes are just incredibly beautiful. I only have two pet peeves with this camera thus far and that is the on and off and review(the picutures) switch being combined with the different mode switch sometimes causes me to get the camera into a different mode accidentally. No biggie as I just need to learn to click the switch from the back of the camera rather than fingering it from the top. The other thing that I think is just a matter of digital cameras (since this is the first one I've owned) is that the picture does not click right at the second I press the shutter button. Of course the camera needs to make the necessary measurements first, but still it seems a bit slow not allowing me to catch the action at the VERY SECOND it happens. Maybe there is something I haven't learned yet, maybe not. I don't really care because the pictures I have thus far have been just great. I just went nuts with it and snapped anything and everything. Getting the software loaded onto my Windows 98 machine also was a snap. Connected the USB wire, loaded the program and next thing I knew I was downloading pictures out of my camera and saving them to my hard drive and CD-RW disks. The LCD is just incredible, the menus easy to use, I still haven't read more than what 5 or 6 pages of the manual yet. I am having too much fun shooting. This camera has brought back my love for photography that I lost a long time ago.

If you load your battery like I did right out of the box then don't expect to get a lot of pictures. I got about 70 at highest and second highest resolution before it died. First full battery charge today. Even better news is that my 1GB Microdrive should be arriving tomorrow or the day after. I will just burn through batteries snapping everything in sight. I love it so you will too! Buy it you won't regret it!

[mutungi]

Get the G1....it is more hunky and ruggedly handsome.....like the Audi TT, the G2 is rather sissy!

[Barry]

As I'm onto my third digital camera, and having borrowed several others on the way, for value, handling, performance and quality you will not buy better. The G2 is my latest purchased at the time when I was considering higher resolution 'prosumer' cameras - Sony 707, Dimage 7, Coolpix 5000 - I tried them all.
But after 11 months with the G1 I was smitten and the G2 is in my camera bag - you will not be disappointed!

[pics]

One thing is for sure my G2 took a helluva a fall and survived and so did my IBM 1GB Microdrive !

[scottaa]

I just received my G2 two days ago and I am thouroughly impressed. This is my first digital as well. I studied and put my hands on dozens of digital cameras over the past couple of years and it took me this long to finally grab the G2. I had thought for quite a while that I wanted the Nikon (either the 880, 885, or 995). But was not jazzed enough to bite. Then I found the G2. Reasons for purchase: non-proprietary compact flash I or II or microdrive compatiable (big plus), hot shoe, LCD screen (what a plus to be able to shoot throught the viewfinder and not get nose smudges all over the LCD), 4 megapixels, 3 focus zones, multiple program modes (for when you just want to shoot lazy), easy menus and controls (definitely beat the Nikons here), the size (it actually fits in your hand instead of feeling like something you're goint to drop at any moment, ie Nikon 885), rechargeable Li-Ion battery, and on and on and on.

It's just the first digital I couldn't pass up. Sorry Nikon, but you'll always be my first choice for 35mm.

[gadgetman]

I still havn't purchased my G2 because I have not found a place yet with the right price. But like you I was also debating on buying the Sony DSC-S85. Here are a few thing that helped me make up my mind:
- Uses standard CompactFlash memory so memory is cheap and abundant.
- Sony uses it's own propriatary memory stikk
- If you really need alot of space G2 supports IBM Microdrive 384Mb and 1Gb
- Sony memory stikk only goes up to 128Mb for the time being
- G2 has a swivle 1.8" screen which I am told is very practical as you don't get all those finger prints and nose prints all over it. It's also great for self portraits!
- Sony has a 1.8" screen but is fixed and is right under the view finder. Messy!

[hapm]

The best site for digital camera reviews is http://www.dpreview.com/
It has very thorough reviews of the G2 and its competition. Phil Askey who runs the site just posted an interesting review of the new Nikon Coolpix 5000. In the review there is one page comparing the 5mp Coolpix to the 4mp G2. Here are some quotes.
"The G2 may only be a four megapixel digital camera but it's fairly well recognized as the best (at the time of writing this review). "
"While the G2 may have less pixels available it is clear that it is making 'more of them' thanks to a sharper lens and better image processing. The 'megapixel advantage' which the Coolpix 5000 carries doesn't appear to be producing very much visible (or usable) detail here."
Hap

[RRCampbell]

I believe the sony 4mp model has the buttons on the left side, which may be a bit awkward to push quickly if you are accustomed to right side control buttons....
The swivel LCD on the G2 is very nice!

[justincase]

rrcampbell, you're right about the s85's buttons being on the left hand side but, really, it's not too bad and easy to get used to. HOWEVER, canon's menu/navigation system is by far easiest to learn and use, bar none!