Canon PowerShot G12 Review

Main Features

10MP - 1/1.7" CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.8″ Fully Articulated Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

1 fps continuous shooting

1280 x 720 video resolution

401g. 112 x 76 x 48 mm

Replaced Canon G11

Replaced by Canon G15

$499.99

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Canon G12 Overview

First introduced in January 2011 , Canon PowerShot G12 is a 10.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor. Canon replaced the older Canon G11 with this model and later G12 was replaced with Canon G15. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Canon PowerShot G12 vs Canon G11
Compare Canon PowerShot G12 vs Canon G15
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Canon PowerShot G12 vs G11 vs G15

Canon G12 has an Overall Score of 59/100 and ranked #28 out of 626 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #352 out of 1173 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Canon G12 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Canon G12 Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon G12 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

External Flash Shoe

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

RAW Shooting

Face Detection Focusing

461k dots LCD Resolution

1/4000s High Shutter Speed

Long Battery Life (370 shots)

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

Fast 2.80 Lens at Wide

Selfie Friendly LCD Screen

Buy Canon G12 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 3.200

Only 9 Focus Points

Small LCD Screen ( 2.8″)

Low Screen Resolution ( 461kdots )

Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps

Heavy Body: 401

No Environmental Sealing

Poor Low Light image quality

Canon G12 Sensor and Photography Features

Canon G12 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. G12 has a native ISO range of 80 - 3200 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon G12 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon G12 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Canon G12 sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 47 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Canon G12 here.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon G12's 1/1.7" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Canon G12 Physical Specs

Canon G12 weighs 401 g (0.88 lb / 14.14 oz) and has external dimensions of 112 x 76 x 48 mm (4.41 x 2.99 x 1.89″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Canon G12 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 48mm, it is not small either, 19mm thicker than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon G12

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon G12

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Canon G12 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon G12, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Canon G12 with its main competitors:

Canon G12 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs G12	Thickness	vs G12
Canon G16	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	356g	45g lighter	40mm	8mm thinner
Canon G11	10.0MP - 1/1.7"	375g	26g lighter	48mm	equal thickness
Canon G15	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	352g	49g lighter	40mm	8mm thinner
Canon G10	15.0MP - 1/1.7"	390g	11g lighter	46mm	2mm thinner
Canon G7 X	20.0MP - 1"	304g	97g lighter	40mm	8mm thinner
Canon G9	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	370g	31g lighter	43mm	5mm thinner
Canon G5 X	20.0MP - 1"	353g	48g lighter	44mm	4mm thinner
Nikon P7100	10.0MP - 1/1.7"	395g	6g lighter	48mm	equal thickness

Canon G12 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Canon G12 Lens

Canon G12 features a 28-140 mm F2.8-4.5 5× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm and 140mm reach on tele gives a lot of flexibility and satisfy most of your needs.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

G12

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

G12

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f2.80, this lens is fast on wide end, but only moderately fast at the tele end with max aperture of f4.50.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

G12

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

G12

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

G12 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Canon G12's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Canon G12 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Canon G12 has a Fully Articulated 2.8″ LCD screen with a resolution of 461k dots. At only 2.8″, the screen is on the smaller side and 461kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

For those of you who loves shooting self portraits or group photos, Canon G12 will make your life easier with its Selfie friendly screen.

G12 has a built-in Optical (tunnel) viewfinder.

Max Shutter speed
Canon G12 can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash
G12 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Canon G12 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Canon G12 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Canon G12, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 24 fps and save in and H.264 formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

G12 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a None speaker.
Canon G12 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Fujifilm X30 in a similar price range.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect G12 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Canon G12 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 370 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, Canon G12 has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Compact Cameras

Canon G12

Min

Average

Max

Fujifilm X30 with its 470shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Canon G12 vs Fujifilm X30 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Canon G12 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon G16 >>Compare to G12	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	No
Canon G11 >>Compare to G12	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon G15 >>Compare to G12	1920 x 1080	350shots	No	No	No
Canon G10 >>Compare to G12	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon G7 X >>Compare to G12	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon G9 >>Compare to G12	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon G5 X >>Compare to G12	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon P7100 >>Compare to G12	1280 x 720	350shots	No	No	No

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Canon G12 is $499.99

What type of Photography is Canon G12 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon G12 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the G12 compares with the average Compact camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Canon G12 for Portrait Photography

Canon G12 has a score of 62 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

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 of how we scored Canon G12 for Portrait Photography

Canon G12 for Street Photography

Canon G12 has a score of 88 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Image Stabilization

Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Small Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Canon G12 for Street Photography

Canon G12 for Sports Photography

Canon G12 has a score of 33 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theG12.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
External Flash Shoe
Image Stabilization

RAW shooting capability
140 mm Tele Lens
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Canon G12 for Sports Photography

Canon G12 for Daily Photography

Canon G12 has a score of 69 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
RAW shooting capability
5X Optical Zoom

401g
Body Thickness 48mm
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Canon G12 for Daily Photography

Canon G12 for Landscape Photography

Canon G12 has a score of 48 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability

Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon G12 for Landscape Photography

Canon G12 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon G12 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of G12 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon G12 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon G12

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon G12 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Canon G16

Compare

Canon G11

Compare

Canon G15

Compare

Canon G10

Compare

Canon G7 X

Compare

Canon G9

Compare

Canon G5 X

Compare

Nikon P7100

Compare

Canon G12 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon G12 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Canon G12's price range.

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Panasonic GX85

Compare

Sony A6300

Compare

Canon M50

Compare

Canon M5

Compare

Samsung NX30

Compare

Panasonic G7

Compare

Fujifilm X-T100

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon G12

Does the Canon G12 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon G12 have RAW support?
Does the Canon G12 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon G12 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon G12?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon G12?
is the Canon G12 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon G12 have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon G12 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon G12?

Canon PowerShot G12 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon PowerShot G12
Announced	2011-01-19
Body Type	Compact
Price	$499.99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F2.8-4.5
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fully Articulated
Screen Size	2.8″
Screen Resolution	461k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (tunnel)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	15s
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	7.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/2000s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Second Curtain
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	47
DxO Color Depth	20.4
DxO Dynamic Range	11.2
DxO Low Light ISO	161
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CCD
Sensor Size	1/1.7"
Sensor Dimensions	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Sensor Area	41.52mm²
Sensor Resolution	10 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	3648 x 2736
Max Native ISO	3,200
Min Native ISO	80
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
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1280 x 720 (24 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720
Video Formats	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	401g
Physical Dimensions	112 x 76 x 48mm
Battery Life	370 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NB-7L
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus
Storage Slots	1