Canon G12 vs Canon G11 Comparison

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Canon G12

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

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Canon G11

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

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Canon G12 vs Canon G11 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Canon G12 with the camera that it replaced, the Canon G11, list out what is new, its advantages over its predecessor and finally try to conclude if the G12 is a worthy upgrade to the G11. Canon G12 was introduced to the market in January 2011 and Canon G11 was launched in December 2009 so it will be interesting to see how much difference this 13 months between the two cameras make.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon G12 and Canon G11 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon G12 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-01-19

10MP - 1/1.7-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.80" Fully Articulated Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

1.0fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

401g. 112 x 76 x 48 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot G11 Compare

Canon G11 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-12-16

10MP - 1/1.7-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.80" Fully Articulated Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

1.0fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

375g. 112 x 76 x 48 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot G10 Compare

Canon G12 was replaced by Canon PowerShot G15. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot G15 vs Canon PowerShot G12
Canon PowerShot G15 vs Canon PowerShot G11

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon G12 and Canon G11 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G12 over Canon PowerShot G11

Dynamic Range	11.2 vs 11.1	higher dynamic range
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video

CHECK G12 PRICE

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G11 over Canon PowerShot G12

Weight	375 g vs 401 g	26 g lighter
Low Light ISO	169 vs 161	better High ISO performance

CHECK G11 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot G12 and Canon PowerShot G11

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Fully Articulated	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs Yes	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot G12 and Canon PowerShot G11

Max Resolution	10 MP vs 10 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Size	2.80" vs 2.80"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	461k dots vs 461k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Optical Viewfinder Type	Tunnel type vs Tunnel type	View is not through the lens

Canon G12 vs Canon G11: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon G12 and Canon G11 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon G12 has external dimensions of 112 x 76 x 48 mm (4.41 x 2.99 x 1.89″) and weighs 401 g (0.88 lb / 14.14 oz) (including batteries). Canon G11 has external dimensions of 112 x 76 x 48 mm (4.41 x 2.99 x 1.89″) and weighs 375 g (0.83 lb / 13.23 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon G12 and the Canon G11. In this case, we can see that Canon G12 and Canon G11 have the exact same height, width and thickness.

Comparison image of the Canon G12 and the Canon G11 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon G11 is 26g lighter than the Canon G12 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

G12

G11

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

G12

G11

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Canon PowerShot G12 nor Canon PowerShot G11 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G12 and Canon G11's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 2.80 inches.

Both cameras feature Fully Articulating screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels. Fully articulating screens are also useful for taking Selfies and video.

Canon G12 vs Canon G11: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon G12 and Canon G11 have 1/1.7-inch sized 10.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the G12 and G11 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon G12 and Canon G11 Cameras

Canon G12 and Canon G11 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Canon G12	47	20.4 bits	11.2 Evs	161 ISO
Canon G11	47	20.4 bits	11.1 Evs	169 ISO

Canon G12 vs Canon G11 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon G12 and Canon G11 features 28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 5× zoom lenses so they have the same focal range and light collecting ability.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 28mm and have the same max aperture of f2.80 at this focal length. Both cameras have a tele angle reach of 140mm and have the same max aperture of f4.50 at this focal length.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

G12

G11

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

G12

G11

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

G12

G11

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

G12

G11

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Canon G12 and Canon G11 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon G12 and Canon G11 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon G12 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Canon G11 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon G12 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon G11 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Canon G12 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon G11 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Canon G12 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon G11 for Daily Photography

GOOD

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
401g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
375g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Canon G12 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon G11 for Landscape Photography

POOR

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon G12 vs Canon G11: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Canon G12 and Canon G11, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon G12 and Canon G11 scores compare:

Canon G12

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #30 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #434 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon G11

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #35 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #450 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon G12 has a higher Overall Score than the Canon G11 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon G11 vs Canon G12 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot G12	Canon PowerShot G11
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2011-01-19	2009-12-16
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/1.7-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	7.44 x 5.58 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	41.52mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5×)	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F2.8-4.5	F2.8-4.5
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fully Articulated	Fully Articulated
Size	2.80"	2.80"
Resolution	461k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (tunnel)	Optical (tunnel)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	7.00 m	7.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/2000s	1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	1.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	640 x 480
Video Formats	H.264	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	401g	375g
Dimensions	112 x 76 x 48mm	112 x 76 x 48mm
Battery Life	370 shots	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	47	47
DxO Color Depth	20.4	20.4
DxO Dynamic Range	11.2	11.1
DxO Low Light ISO	161	169
	Report a correction	Report a correction