Canon's enthusiast compact with 1/1.7-inch sensor, vari-angle LCD, and RAW shooting — pre-1-inch era classic.
The Canon PowerShot G11 launched in 2009 as Canon's enthusiast compact, deliberately reducing resolution from the G10's 14.7MP to 10MP for improved high-ISO performance. This prioritisation of quality over quantity was unusual and well-received by photographers.
The 10MP 1/1.7-inch CCD sensor delivers cleaner high-ISO images than its predecessor despite fewer pixels. Fast f/2.8-4.5 28-140mm equiv zoom. RAW shooting. Full manual controls. Optical image stabilisation. DIGIC 4 processing.
Vari-angle 2.8-inch LCD — first G-series with articulating screen. Optical viewfinder. Hot shoe. Built-in flash. 355g. USB 2.0 charging. SD card. Full manual exposure control with dedicated dials.
Available used at budget prices. The 1/1.7-inch sensor class has been surpassed by 1-inch compacts like the G7 X. The vari-angle screen and optical viewfinder combination is unique. A charming compact camera that prioritised image quality — a philosophy Canon has since continued.