Updated (June, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot G12 vs Olympus PEN E-P3

Canon PowerShot G11

55

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot G11

Image stabilization
Image stabilization
Lens
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Macro focus
Great macro
1 cm
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel
Built-in flash
Built-in flash
Usually standard
Olympus PEN E-P2

35

Runner-up

Olympus PEN E-P2

Reasons to buy the Olympus PEN E-P2

Interchangeable lenses
Interchangeable lenses
Many lenses to choose from
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Canon G11

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
More than 2x higher resolution screen
Image stabilization Better image stabilization Lens vs Sensor shift
Help
Less risk of blur
Built-in flash Built-in flash Yes vs No
Help
A built-in flash is useful for taking indoor shots where there is little light
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.1 EV vs 10.4 EV
Help
0.7 f-stops more dynamic range
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Tunnel vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Canon PowerShot G11 Learn more about
the Canon G11

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-P2

Screen size Larger screen 3.0" vs 2.8"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies 720p @ 30fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution HD (720p) video
Overall image quality Better image quality 56.0 vs 47.0
Help
Around 20% better image quality
Interchangeable lenses Has interchangeable lenses Yes vs No
Help
Can take advantage of a variety of lenses
Sensor size Significantly larger sensor Four thirds 18.0x13.5mm vs 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
Help
More than 5.5x larger sensor
Color depth Better color depth 21.5 bits vs 20.4 bits
Help
Distinguishes 1.1 more bits of color
True resolution Higher true resolution 12.2 MP vs 10 MP
Help
Capture more than 20% more detail in your photos
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 505 ISO vs 169 ISO
Help
The PEN E-P2 has excellent image quality 1.6 f-stops higher ISO than the G11
Size Slightly smaller 121x70x36 mm vs 112x76x48 mm
Help
Around 30% smaller
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor NMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 3 fps vs 1.1 fps
Help
More than 2.5x faster continuous shooting
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
Help
4x longer exposures
Thickness Thinner 1.4" vs 1.9"
Help
Around 30% thinner
Weight Slightly lighter 355 g vs 375 g
Help
Around 10% lighter
Olympus PEN E-P2 Learn more about
the Olympus PEN E-P2
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digital cameras, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot G11 Canon PowerShot G11
55 vs 35
Explain scores
Olympus PEN E-P2 Olympus PEN E-P2
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot G11. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro digicam with a mirrorless interchangeable-lens.

advice

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by Julie-Maddams-Huggins last month
Canon G11 vs Canon G12

I love taking pictures of my family , particularly when we're on holidays or just playing around i...

similarities

Compared to recent digital cameras

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
External flash Support external flash Help
Better lighting
Fastest shutter speed Fast max shutter speeds Help
1/4000 of a second
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
G11:11.1 EV
PEN E-P2:10.4 EV
Movie format Poor movies Help
G11:480p @ 30fps
PEN E-P2:720p @ 30fps

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$569 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$376 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Fujifilm Finepix X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$599

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
External flash Doesn't support an external flash
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$1,125 with 14-45mm lens

Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization
Sony NEX-5N

Sony NEX-5N

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$598 - $600 body only

$698 - $700 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Image stabilization Doesn't have image stabilization

Canon PowerShot G11 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Supports 24p Supports 24p
HDR Has in-camera HDR
Weight Slightly heavier
Canon PowerShot G1X

Canon PowerShot G1X

Boutique

$799 - $800

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Macro focus Much worse macro capability
Size Larger
Canon PowerShot G10

Canon PowerShot G10

Pro digicam

Screen size Larger screen
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Macro focus Worse macro capability
Nikon Coolpix P7000

Nikon Coolpix P7000

Pro digicam

$249

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Overall image quality Worse image quality

Olympus PEN E-P2 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Olympus PEN E-PL2

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$485 with 14-42mm lens

Screen resolution Higher resolution screen
Built-in flash Built-in flash
Size Slightly larger
Dynamic range Less dynamic range
Olympus PEN E-P3

Olympus PEN E-P3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$849 - $900 with 17mm lens

Screen type Has an OLED screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Color depth Worse color depth
Olympus PEN E-P1

Olympus PEN E-P1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$184 body only

$375 with 17mm lens

Lowest price Slightly cheaper
Color depth Worse color depth
Olympus PEN E-PL1

Olympus PEN E-PL1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$260 - $279 with 14-42mm lens

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Built-in flash Built-in flash
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Overall image quality Slightly worse image quality
Olympus PEN E-PM1

Olympus PEN E-PM1

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$500 with 14-42mm lens

Movie format Higher resolution movies
3D Takes 3D photos
Overall image quality Slightly worse image quality
Color depth Worse color depth

appearance

Canon PowerShot G11 Olympus PEN E-P2
Canon PowerShot G11 Olympus PEN E-P2
Canon PowerShot G11 Olympus PEN E-P2

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