View Full Version : Canon G7 vs Fuji F30


azonicbruce
06-08-2007, 08:32 PM
A simple, unscientific comparison between the Canon G7 and Fuji F30.
http://www.60hzproductions.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=1

A direct link to the photos/gallery:
http://www.60hzproductions.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=35&g2_itemId=4422

http://www.60hzproductions.com/images/stories/60Hz/photo/g7-vs-f30/G7-vs-F30.jpg

My summary:

G7 Advantages
* More/better manual controls - it is MUCH easier to get to and change camera settings and parameters than the F30. F30 is much more menu dependent; G7 has more accessible, useful buttons and dials.

* More "creative" features - Things like external flash (comment below regarding this), ND filter, manual focus, etc. give more creative control and more image possibilities with this camera than the F30. Also, I'm a big panorama fan, and the photo-stitching capabilities are a real treat. You can still do it without the feature or PhotoStitch software, but it can be more difficult. PhotoStitch tends to do a very good job combined with the G7's stitch feature.

* Lens/Shutter Capability - G7 has IS, which helps when trying to shoot in the 1/10 to 1/30 shutter speed range. The lens also has a longer reach, 6X vs the 3X of the F30. Also, the F30 tends to lock focus even though the object you're shooting may be too close. Unless you realize you are too close and switch it to macro mode, the focus will lock but the image will be blurry. The G7 seems to not struggle as much in these situations; it seems to do better at short distances in focusing before needing to switch over to macro mode.

F30 Advantages
* Portabilty - Much more compact than the G7. Also, the F30 feels much easier to grip. It's lighter, and has a grip area for your thumb on the back of the camera. The G7 is heavier. You need to have a tighter grip on the camera.

* Noise - This is a tossup, in my opinion. Fuji's noise, as defined by the industry, is much lower than the G7, especially at ISO 400 and above. However, the F30 still suffers from what I call "artifacts" or "dots" that make the image not nearly as "clean" as those seen from a dSLR. Still, F30 is still considered "best in class"

* Speed - Much to my dismay, the focus speed and shutter lag were noticebly faster on the F30. This is especially true when using the LCD or flash; it is much slower on the G7. Using an external flash on the G7 is downright laughable. Someone else said it best regarding this: "That's not a lag - it's a siesta"

drg
06-09-2007, 07:27 AM
Interesting comparison. The two cameras really are in a different class.

I passed on the G7 as an upgrade (for reasons noted elsewhere at length) and the the F30 is an older camera from Fuji.

After reviewing the F31fd for this site, I was very impressed with the camera and its performance. The next version the F40 does not go beyond 2000 ISO I believe but the images seem to be even better yet. Fuji has tweaked the image processing even more to produce good photos.

The one big issue I saw was how well the images PRINTED. The Fuji won hands down. The Canon could be squeezed to make better photos with a lot of software and an a good/excellent inkjet.

But for commercial printing (RA papers) straight from the camera, properly made photos printed far better from the FUJI.


Thanks for the Info and taking the time to post.

Which camera are you using the most currently?

Please post a review in the review section (links at top of page) if you haven't. PR needs all the user reviews it can get.

Thanks and if you haven't sufficiently been told "Welcome to PR"!

azonicbruce
06-13-2007, 09:05 PM
Well, I originally bought the F30 for my wife. But as I mentioned I found myself "borrowing" it from her more and more. I then got a G7 for me. I am currently using the G7. Still have only had a few weeks with it, but I so far I'm pretty pleased with it. As I mentioned the main thing I like about the G7 is just how quickly I can change settings/parameters, and how much control I have over them.

Still waiting for that "holy grail" of compacts, though. Perhaps the Sigma DP1?

I've also read rumors Canon is working on a CMOS sensor for their compacts. That would just plain rock.

I just posted reviews for both those cameras, so hopefully that will help.:thumbsup: