A couple of days ago Canon launched a new camera, and they called it the G10….. Why would Canon decide to call this new camera the G10 ? It’s going to play havoc with the search engines when people are trying to find information about this new camera. Perhaps there is nobody even reading this post right now because when you typed G10 into google, instead of showing you this article you were directed to a CNET review of a 2 year old point and shoot camera. Yes you have seen the Canon G10 name before adorning the side of one of their popular Powershot G10 cameras from 2008. At the time is was a very popular camera which has been superseded by the G11 and now G12.
I’d bet sales of Powershot G10 accessories skyrocket when the G10 video camera hits the shelves and people seek out spare batteries and carry cases only to find the ones that arrive are strangely far too small for their shiny new Video Camera!
The release of this new camera surely marks the end of the Powershot G-Series though. The G11 and G12 were launched alongside the s90 and s95 respectively. Those cameras had the sensor from their bigger brothers but squeezed into a MUCH smaller package. They were a runaway winner when choosing between the two so it always seemed like the G-Series’ days were numbered. When looking at top of the line point and shoot cameras these days you can’t help but take a look at the interchangeable lens cameras like the Panasonic GF-2 or the Sony NEX series as well. For just a little more money you get so much more camera to play with. Sales figures for EVIL cameras have soared in the last 12 months and with Olympus, Panasonic, Fujifilm, Leica, and Samsung taking a shot at the compact camera/large sensor market we knew it would be only a matter of time before the big two stepped in……
As I mentioned in this post making some predictions for 2011, Nikon has filed many patents relating to such a camera and their EVIL solution is all but certain to be revealed this year. Canon has remained a lot quieter in the area though, but it makes total sense to dispatch the old G-Series Powershots and replace them with a mirrorless camera of some sort. For me, the introduction of a G-Series video camera seems to confirms this.
