G12 is announced

"I really don't understand why Canon and Nikon are pushing video features so hard, at the expense of developing features for still photography."

Really??? You STILL don't understand? How about Sony? Olympus? Fuji? Samsung, Sanyo, Flip, Kodak, et. al. You get the point...They are ALL instituting video, and have been for YEARS!!! We are just now getting HD in ALL of them. And why in the WORLD would you consider it "At the expense of developing features for still photography"??? Seriously...Digital still photography quality from EVERY line of camera...from the P&S to the best DSLRs. Video capability has done nothing...zero, zilch to negatively affect image quality on the still side of the equation...and development has moved forward...HDR, better dynamic range, higher ISO, faster focus, better sharpness, faster lenses, weather sealing....the list goes on!!!

"I mean, if I wanted to shoot video, I'd buy a dedicated video camera."

Good for you!!! But MOST folks disagree...MOST folks want MORE features on their devices...See current cell phone trends, social sites for uploads, etc. Smaller packages, more options. That's society.

"Outside of sensor-dependent limitations (e.g. dynamic range), the priorities are completely different - still photographers value things like sync speed, FPS, greater AF coverage/speed/accurac​y, and so forth, while videographers value things like being able to shoot at 24, 29.94 and 30fps."

And as has been proven by Canon, that can ALL come in the same fancy little package. Examples; 5d2, followed by 7d, followed by t2i, then the 1dIV....Sony and Nikon are hot on the trail with 1080p shortly. These "new" DSLRs have taken the independent film market by storm! Not to mention, the 5d2 is the cream of the crop for FF sensor/still photography....the 7d, WOW!!! An incredible 1d junior package for a third the cost...8 fps, phenomenal AF acquisition, faster sync speed...ALL of the things you mention that you believe have been "Back Burnered" because of Video capability. Total BS!

"Furthermore, the opportunities for showcasing video are so much less frequent"

Have you picked up an iPad? iPhone? Checked out any websites lately? BIG news sites? CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo, etc...ALL of them have picture and video sections right at the top! Video has become JUST as big a showcase as still photography with the inundation of broadband speeds and wireless internet access getting faster and faster! Interactive periodicals in Electronic form IS the future...Both video and still technology will share the roost.

"- you can produce prints of still photos, or scroll them in a digital frame or online gallery, whereas most people will view a video clip once or twice, then forget about it. "

Not if it's GOOD video! See YouTube! They're opening up Live streaming this week...Ustream, Vimeo, Face Time on the iPhones, video conferencing on Skype....Motion is becoming more and more in demand...not that still photography is done...I think it's more alive than ever with the technology in mainstream digital cameras becoming so good at affordable prices.

"It's not something that you can hang on the wall and just appreciate..."

Sure it is! Haven't you seen the new OLED TVs...the new LED thin panels...LCD picture frames, etc!

"Apart from basic video for emergencies (which is really just an extension of Live View),"

See...you said it! The algorithms were already there to capture motion...and keep in mind, 1080p is TWO MEGAPIXELS!!!! Definitely not a detriment to the quality of the still in said camera


"best to have a still camera dedicated to stills and a video camera dedicated to video, rather than some in-between device which does a mediocre job at both."

Wow! Someone should alert the big manufacturers...and the niche ones (Red, Canon, Flip, Nikon, Apple, Sony...the list goes on)....Mediocore??? Are you serious? Again...someone should really notify George Lucas, Vincent Laforet, whoever that DP was from the hit show "House" (final episode shot entirely on 5d2), and ohhhhh soooo many more!!!

Sorry dude...not trying to totally discredit you...actually, I am! If you are completely ignorant to the motion capability of these cameras (I've made my mortgage payment for two decades doing video production and carrying around many hundreds of pounds of gear!), you REALLY oughta get out and give it a SHOT!!! No pun intended. You may be surprised. 720p @ 24fps is NOT crippled! 24fps if the film standard...and 720p, on a G series camera is most excellent IMHO. 99.9% of folks wouldn't be able to distinguish 720 from 1080 content on their less than 70" plasmas and lcds in the home. And, for the most part...folks will be posting their content to online sites and sharing with families with this camera. On facebook, youtube, vimeo, et al... 720/24 is going to look excellent!

Rant over.

J

Jeremy, thank you for that post. I had previously started to reply myself, but my reply would not have been worth much. Especially in comparison to yours. Well done sir!

And yeah, I think video might just be here to stay.

Jeremy H wrote in post #10906487
Really??? You STILL don't understand? How about Sony? Olympus? Fuji? Samsung, Sanyo, Flip, Kodak, et. al. You get the point...They are ALL instituting video, and have been for YEARS!!! We are just now getting HD in ALL of them. And why in the WORLD would you consider it "At the expense of developing features for still photography"??? Seriously...Digital still photography quality from EVERY line of camera...from the P&S to the best DSLRs. Video capability has done nothing...zero, zilch to negatively affect image quality on the still side of the equation...and development has moved forward...HDR, better dynamic range, higher ISO, faster focus, better sharpness, faster lenses, weather sealing....the list goes on!!! ...............

Geez dude...........take a breath.

bsmotril wrote in post #10906362
comparison chart, Nikon VS Canon:
http://www.pocket-lint.com …/nikon-p7000-vs-canon-g12

Thanks for the link, but they forgot one comparison point.............. The Nikon is UGLIER than the Canon.

arg245 wrote in post #10906906
Geez dude...........take a breath.

I'm with Jeremy, this same old **** and moaning comes up every time Canon does anything with video. It's as if Canon could have used the minuscule resources it spent on adding HD video to it's cameras to put a full frame sensor into the G12 and made sensor noise a thing of the past.

I'm glad I picked up a new G11 for $350 recently. At that price a G cam is definitely worth it. At $500 it is more tempting to spend a bit more and buy the larger T2i.

@Bave. Where did you find a new G11 for $350 ?

Finally! HD video on the G series ! Yay!

10megapixel wrote in post #10908026
Finally! HD video on the G series ! Yay!

+1

Shadowblade wrote in post #10905372
I really don't understand why Canon and Nikon are pushing video features so hard, at the expense of developing features for still photography. I mean, if I wanted to shoot video, I'd buy a dedicated video camera. Outside of sensor-dependent limitations (e.g. dynamic range), the priorities are completely different - still photographers value things like sync speed, FPS, greater AF coverage/speed/accurac​y, and so forth, while videographers value things like being able to shoot at 24, 29.94 and 30fps. Furthermore, the opportunities for showcasing video are so much less frequent - you can produce prints of still photos, or scroll them in a digital frame or online gallery, whereas most people will view a video clip once or twice, then forget about it. It's not something that you can hang on the wall and just appreciate... Apart from basic video for emergencies (which is really just an extension of Live View), best to have a still camera dedicated to stills and a video camera dedicated to video, rather than some in-between device which does a mediocre job at both.

This was a big concern / argument two years ago when Canon officially announced the 5d2 and when Nikon announced the D90. Since then many dslr owners have produced lots of well thought facinating videos, won short movie competitions, recorded commercials, and even recorded a commercial prime time TV show (5d2).

Many photographers might not care about the video feature. But the number of photographers that welcome these features is growing. Many of these photographers might never have tried videography if it wasn't already on their camera. And many are turning it into a new hobby and in some cases, a passion. Just look at how busy the digital video section is becoming.

jemanner wrote in post #10906341
Rene, I have been a solid Canon person for many years, but recently purchased a Olympus E-P2 with the VF-2 viewfinder. What can I say, except a great camera, and I hate to put it down. Sure, more expensive than the G12, but with a 4/3 sensor and outstanding viewfinder, it is in my opinion superior to the G12 in every respect. This said, will stick with my Canon DSLR for more challenging work (however, it may not see as much use as previously!)

Ditto for this post. I've owned G9, G10, LX3 over the last few years. Purchased a micro 4/3 Olympus E-PL1, and it's image quality leaves all the aforementioned cameras in it's dust. It is a tad bulkier though, but not by much.

Would I purchase the G12? If I needed one, for sure. It will be a great camera I'm sure, but I don't need one now.

I had an E-PL1 with 20mm 1.7 pancake lens. For it's compactness it was great and actually had acceptable video. However, it is slower to capture action than the S90, G11, or LX3 (Lecia D Lux-4). It is not a good compact for action (kids, etc). Then again, none of the mentioned excel at that.

I help out in a camera store and I would say that 90% of the customers don't care about the video feature when you tell them about it. It's just a novelty item.

Have you guys even read the spec sheet? The G12 added the front control ring that is currently in the S90/95, HDR processing, tracking autofocus, and stereo audio capture. As an S90 owner, I can tell you the front ring is very useful, and I'm excited about the HDR processing.

I'm down for the P7000 just for a change, wotthehell. Could I change my mind in 10 minutes or next year? Sure. But wotthehell, the slight weight advantage and big screen resolution advantage come at the right time for me, and I guess I'm in the minority that doesn't want an articulating screen. Oh boy, a new toy!