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Canon G15 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Canon G15

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    Main Features

    • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch 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
    • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video
    • 240fps High-Speed Video
    • 352g. 107 x 76 x 40 mm
    • Replaced Canon G12
    • Replaced by Canon G16
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Canon G15 Overview

    First introduced in September 2012 , Canon PowerShot G15 is a 12.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 lens. 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

    Canon G15 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Video
    8. Other Features
    9. Lens
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Canon G15 has an Overall Score of 56/100 and ranked #23 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #384 out of 1223 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    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:

    Canon G15 Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Canon G15 Camera Body

    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.


    Canon G15 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Canon G15 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now let's compare Canon G15 size with the camera that it replaced: Canon G12. Canon G15 is 5mm narrower and 8mm thinner than Canon G15 but they have the same height of 76mm.


    Canon G15 vs Canon G12 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
    Comparison image of Canon G15 and Canon G12 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

    Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Canon G15 with its main competitors:

    Canon G15 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs G15 Thickness vs G15
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G16
    Compare
    356g 4g heavier 40mm equal thickness
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G12
    Compare
    401g 49g heavier 48mm 8mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G1 X
    Compare
    534g 182g heavier 65mm 25mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G11
    Compare
    375g 23g heavier 48mm 8mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G7 X MII
    Compare
    319g 33g lighter 42mm 2mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Sony RX100
    Compare
    240g 112g lighter 36mm 4mm thinner
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G5 X
    Compare
    353g 1g heavier 44mm 4mm thicker
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G7 X
    Compare
    304g 48g lighter 40mm equal thickness

    Weather Sealing

    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 Sensor and Photography Features

    Canon G15 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (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.

    Canon G15 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-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Canon G15 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Canon G15 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    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 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.



    Canon G15 back view and LCD

    G15 has a built-in Optical (tunnel) viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor.

    Canon G15 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    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 PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G16
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 360shots Yes No No
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G12
    Compare
    1280 x 720 370shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G1 X
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 250shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G11
    Compare
    640 x 480 shots No No No
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G7 X MII
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 265shots Yes No Yes
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Sony RX100
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 330shots No No Yes
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G5 X
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 210shots Yes No Yes
    Canon PowerShot G15 Camera Canon G7 X
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 210shots Yes No Yes

    Canon G15 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.

    High-Speed Video

    G15 features a high speed mode where it captures videos at 240fps which helps to create slow motion videos. If you shoot a video at a frame rate of 240fps and play it back at 24fps, the video will be 10x slower and longer than normal.

    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 P7100 or Nikon Coolpix P7000 in a similar price range.

    Canon G15 Other Features

    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.

    Canon G15 PROs and CONs Review

    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
    Full HD Video
    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
    240fps High Speed Video
    AE Bracketing
    Built-in ND Filter
    Report a correction

    Buy Canon G15 from AMAZON 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
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Canon G15 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Canon G15 in 5 different photography areas.

    Canon G15 for Portrait Photography

    Canon G15 has a score of 54 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top 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 82 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 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 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
    5.0X 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 36 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theG15.
    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.
    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
    Canon G16
    Compare
    Canon G12
    Canon G12
    Compare
    Canon G1 X
    Canon G1 X
    Compare
    Canon G11
    Canon G11
    Compare
    Canon G7 X MII
    Canon G7 X MII
    Compare
    Sony RX100
    Sony RX100
    Compare
    Canon G5 X
    Canon G5 X
    Compare
    Canon G7 X
    Canon G7 X
    Compare

    Canon G15 Alternatives in Cameras

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

    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?
    What is the Weight of Canon G15?
    What are the Dimensions 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 Mechanical 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-inch
    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


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