Canon PowerShot G15 Review

Main Features

12MP - 1/1.7" CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 12800

28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Fixed Type Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

2 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

240 fps High-Speed Video

352g. 107 x 76 x 40 mm

Replaced Canon G12

Replaced by Canon G16

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Canon G15 Overview

First introduced in September 2012 , Canon PowerShot G15 is a 12.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Canon replaced the older Canon G12 with this model and later G15 was replaced with Canon G16. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Canon PowerShot G15 vs Canon G12
Compare Canon PowerShot G15 vs Canon G16
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Canon PowerShot G15 vs G12 vs G16

Canon G15 has an Overall Score of 60/100 and ranked #21 out of 627 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #336 out of 1175 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Canon G15 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Canon G15 Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon G15 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

External Flash Shoe

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

RAW Shooting

Face Detection Focusing

12.800 Max ISO

922k dots LCD Resolution

1/4000s High Shutter Speed

Long Battery Life (350 shots)

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

Fast 1.80 Lens at Wide

Fast 2.80 Lens at Tele

Panorama Shooting

240 fps High Speed Video

AE Bracketing

Built-in ND Filter

Buy Canon G15 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No Touch Screen

Low Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Only 9 Focus Points

Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps

Heavy Body: 352

No Environmental Sealing

Poor Low Light image quality

Canon G15 Sensor and Photography Features

Canon G15 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. G15 has a native ISO range of 80 - 12800 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon G15 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 G15 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 G15 sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 46 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Canon G15 here.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon G15's 1/1.7" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Canon G15 Physical Specs

Canon G15 weighs 352 g (0.78 lb / 12.42 oz) and has external dimensions of 107 x 76 x 40 mm (4.21 x 2.99 x 1.57″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Canon G15 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 40mm, it is not small either, 11mm thicker than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon G15

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon G15

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Canon G15 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon G15, 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 G15 with its main competitors:

Canon G15 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs G15	Thickness	vs G15
Canon G16	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	356g	4g heavier	40mm	equal thickness
Canon G12	10.0MP - 1/1.7"	401g	49g heavier	48mm	8mm thicker
Canon G10	15.0MP - 1/1.7"	390g	38g heavier	46mm	6mm thicker
Canon G11	10.0MP - 1/1.7"	375g	23g heavier	48mm	8mm thicker
Canon G7 X	20.0MP - 1"	304g	48g lighter	40mm	equal thickness
Canon G9	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	370g	18g heavier	43mm	3mm thicker
Canon G5 X	20.0MP - 1"	353g	1g heavier	44mm	4mm thicker
Fujifilm X30	12.0MP - 2/3	423g	71g heavier	60mm	20mm thicker

Canon G15 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 G15 Lens

Canon G15 features a 28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 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

G15

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

G15

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Providing a max aperture of f1.80 at 28mm, this lens is remarkably fast on wide end. Even better, having an aperture of f2.80 on tele end, this lens is exceptionally fast through out its range.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

G15

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

G15

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

G15 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Canon G15's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Canon G15 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Canon G15 has a Fixed Type 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

G15 has a built-in Optical (tunnel) viewfinder.

Max Shutter speed
Canon G15 can shoot continuously at max speed of 2 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash
G15 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Canon G15 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Canon G15 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Canon G15, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 24 fps and save in and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Canon G15 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

G15 also a high speed mode where it captures videos at 240 fps for ultra slow motion videos. G15 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Canon G15 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 G15 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Canon G15 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 350 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, Canon G15 has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Compact Cameras

Canon G15

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 G15 vs Fujifilm X30 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Canon G15 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon G16 >>Compare to G15	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	No
Canon G12 >>Compare to G15	1280 x 720	370shots	No	No	No
Canon G10 >>Compare to G15	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon G11 >>Compare to G15	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon G7 X >>Compare to G15	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon G9 >>Compare to G15	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon G5 X >>Compare to G15	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	Yes
Fujifilm X30 >>Compare to G15	1920 x 1080	470shots	Yes	No	No

What type of Photography is Canon G15 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon G15 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the G15 compares with the average Compact camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Canon G15 for Portrait Photography

Canon G15 has a score of 66 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Canon G15 for Portrait Photography

Canon G15 for Street Photography

Canon G15 has a score of 85 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
Image Stabilization

Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
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 G15 for Street Photography

Canon G15 for Sports Photography

Canon G15 has a score of 35 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 theG15.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
External Flash Shoe
Image Stabilization
Fast Lens at Tele: f2.80

RAW shooting capability
140 mm Tele Lens
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Canon G15 for Sports Photography

Canon G15 for Daily Photography

Canon G15 has a score of 70 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

352g
Body Thickness 40mm
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Canon G15 for Daily Photography

Canon G15 for Landscape Photography

Canon G15 has a score of 49 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

Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon G15 for Landscape Photography

Canon G15 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon G15 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of G15 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 G15 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon G15

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon G15 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Canon G16

Compare

Canon G12

Compare

Canon G10

Compare

Canon G11

Compare

Canon G7 X

Compare

Canon G9

Compare

Canon G5 X

Compare

Fujifilm X30

Compare

Canon G15 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon G15 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Canon G15's price range.

Sony A7

Compare

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Olympus E-M1

Compare

Panasonic GX85

Compare

Sony A6300

Compare

Canon M50

Compare

Canon M5

Compare

Samsung NX30

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon G15

Does the Canon G15 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon G15 have RAW support?
Does the Canon G15 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon G15 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon G15?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon G15?
is the Canon G15 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon G15 have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon G15 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon G15?

Canon PowerShot G15 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon PowerShot G15
Announced	2012-09-17
Body Type	Compact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F1.8-2.8
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Technology	TFT PureColor II G LCD
Screen Size	3″
Screen Resolution	922k 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	2.0 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	46
DxO Color Depth	19.9
DxO Dynamic Range	11.5
DxO Low Light ISO	165
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	1/1.7"
Sensor Dimensions	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Sensor Area	41.52mm²
Sensor Resolution	12 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4000 x 3000
Max Native ISO	12,800
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	1920 x 1080 (24 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
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	352g
Physical Dimensions	107 x 76 x 40mm
Battery Life	350 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NB-10L
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1