'Aspect ratio' setting in new camera

[fairy bombs]

Hello

Received a new Canon G12 camera recently as a prize in a photo comp.Unfortunately it does not
come with instruction book.A disc contains them and I have yet to print them out. (is it possible to
buy a instruction book for this camera).

One thing I notice it has 'aspect ratio' none of the DSLR s have this,not sure what to put it on.advice needed.
I thought this camera was just a basic prize camera.I gave it to the kids to play with.But after inspecting it the other night-it seems a bit more than a regular P.S camera.Looking forward to learn about it.

[Brigitte]

Can't help with the camera but I did find a PDF file on the internet for my Nikon so would suggest you do a search.

[ricktas]

My Nikon DSLR has selectable ratio's 2:3 3:4 5:4 (so its certainly a feature of some/brands? DSLR's)

Basically it lets you select the shape of the photo produced, which reflects some of the other common aspect ratios 5:4 being the equivelant of the 8x10 photo.

[William]

The Canon G12 is in the High end of P&Shoots IMO , I would'nt let the kid's play with it

[ameerat42]

Fairy Bombs. Have a look at this link, which lists the Aspect Ratios that camera is capable of. Then this other link illustrates it.

It just means the ratio of the Length to the Height of the resulting image. It is (presumably) achieved by blocking off parts of the sensor.

Many Compact cameras have 4:3 Aspect Ratio, (most) DSLRs have 3:2 (for 6x4 prints) set, like the 35mm film frame.

Take 16:9, for example. You would achieve a "panoramic" shot by choosing this and a wide angle on your lens, like the "28mm" end of the camera's zoom range. The camera would crop out the top and bottom of what the sensor "sees".

As for the manual, I just usually download a PDF version from on-line and refer to it on the computer.

[fairy bombs]

Fairy Bombs. Have a look at this link, which lists the Aspect Ratios that camera is capable of. Then this other link illustrates it.

It just means the ratio of the Length to the Height of the resulting image. It is (presumably) achieved by blocking off parts of the sensor.

Many Compact cameras have 4:3 Aspect Ratio, (most) DSLRs have 3:2 (for 6x4 prints) set, like the 35mm film frame.

Take 16:9, for example. You would achieve a "panoramic" shot by choosing this and a wide angle on your lens, like the "28mm" end of the camera's zoom range. The camera would crop out the top and bottom of what the sensor "sees".

As for the manual, I just usually download a PDF version from on-line and refer to it on the computer.

Thanks for that,and other replies too

[Bennymiata]

Use the aspect ration that fills your screen.
You can take a shot at each of the ratios offered, and see which one fills the screen.
You can always crop it later in PP.

The G12 is an excellent camera and can take photos which are very close to a decent SLR.
It is the camera that Canon SLR users use when they just want something small, and it is the top of the range small camera that Canon makes.

It does fantastic macros too and has very good colours and contrast.
Some say the lens is like a mini Canon 24-105 L lens.

[ameerat42]

...The G12 is an excellent camera and can take photos which are very close to a decent SLR.
It is the camera that Canon SLR users use when they just want something small, and it is the top of the range small camera that Canon makes...

Benny, good as it may be, I think it's going to be hard to match an APS-x sensor with one that's approx 7.5mm x 5.5mm, ie, about 1/9th the area, and then there's the pixel density. The 2nd part of your quote I have no issue with.
Am.

[fairy bombs]

Benny, good as it may be, I think it's going to be hard to match an APS-x sensor with one that's approx 7.5mm x 5.5mm, ie, about 1/9th the area, and then there's the pixel density. The 2nd part of your quote I have no issue with.
Am.

Yes,I have not been really bowled over with image quality.Its a handy recon camera,good for throwing in the creel when fishing or camping.Not sure if I can say the images are in the leauge of a 24-105 L.The video feature in HD seems good.Will explore options-the 'pano aspect' ratio would be useful when I climb cliffs and want that view in an image.

One feature that is really a hit for me,is the tilt screen.This really is quite good,I see canon now have this on 600D.This feature is a remarkable tool.For macro,astronomy use and many others.I really feel my next DSLR will have to have this feature.

[William]

Quote : 10.0 Mpix, F/2.8-4.5, optical zoom: 5 x
Feast your eyes on an updated G series digital camera: the G12. It's ready to impress the advanced amateurs who have always celebrated the G series. The G12 is still loaded with powerful technologies that has made the G series cameras so renowned, like the Canon HS system, 2.8-inch vari-angle PureColor system LCD, and RAW + JPEG image modes. This flagship camera paves the way with these upgrades like 720p HD video with stereo sound to get crystal clear footage, multiple aspect ratios, high dynamic range, electronic level, tracking AF, a front dial and much more to give you even more creative control than before! , Wish I had one

[KLi]

Just set it to whichever gives you the highest res photo

[arthurking83]

In camera aspect ratios are a gimmick.
The manufacturers use it in their marketing as 'a feature'.

Nikon has it in their Fx (D3 that I know of, dunno about the D700 or D3x), but it's more of a screen over the vf to allow the user to visualise what they have as a concept.
This is more for speedy processing than anything else, as as I'm aware the actual image captured in one of the alternate aspect ratios is not absolute.
That is, if you shoot in raw format, even tho you've chosen an alternate aspect ratio to the full sensor capability, the NEF file still contains the sensor data out of the cropped aspect ratio chosen. It's merely a bit setting in the raw file that tells the software to render the image in the chosen aspect ratio. I'm sure that if you subsequently decide that you really wanted the entire image as per the aspect ratio of the sensor, you can reset the raw file to do this.

This is different to the various aspect ratio choices in the majority of P&S cameras. They shoot mainly in jpg format and that's that. Once chosen the image is final.
Where the G12 differs is that it can shoot in raw format(dunno the file extension tho) and if so it may have the ability to shoot in an alternate non full sensor aspect ratio, but where you may also have the ability to reset it back to the full sensor data format.

G12 is a very sturdy camera, and probably the top end of the P&S spectrum.
If I were ever to find myself in need of a P&S this would be the one to go for(even tho I'm a Nikon person!!).
Give it to the kids to play with.. they wont' break it

Of course this idea that it can take images that are DSLR like is a fallacy. it can never render a scene with as fine bokeh or shallow DOF as a good DSLR can(even APS-C DSLR) even tho the lens is f/2.8 rated.
I think from memory the DSLR equivalency aperture value for DOF is something like f/8(for the same framing!!). F/2.8 is still f/2.8 and gives the same amount of light passing ability, so it's fast and can render some shallow-ish DOF if needed, but not if a wider FOV is required at the same time.

IQ is above the P&S standard.

If they came in pink or purple I'd probably get one too!
(for my daughter!!! )

As for which aspect ratio to choose .. this depends purely on your level of laziness in post processing.
if your processing style is to shoot and show, then choose the aspect ratio that you prefer for the scene.
if you process your images individually and with due care, then shoot at the normal full aspect ratio, which could be 4:3 as Am said above, which gives you the full sensor data and then you alternatively choose to crop to any other aspect ratio of your choice in your image editor on the computer.

Note having said all this, there is one other exception to this aspect ratio clause, and that's with some Panasonic compacts. They have this peculiar Panasonic sensor design that when the wide aspect ratio is chosen, it crops off parts off the top and bottom of the main sensor area, but then initiates two peripheral parts of the sensor to capture more data from the edges.
What this then does is still give a decent sized image file.

Note if you crop a 12Mp image with a standard 3:2 aspect sensor, your final 12Mp image may only have a 6Mb file size as opposed to a full 12Mb. All you've done is to lose the top and bottom of the sensors data collecting ability. What these Panasonic's do, is to lob off the top and bottom as per usual, but not quite as much as a normal camera would, and then add these two extra data collecting sides too. Overall image size may have been something like 8-10Mb instead.
I remember this feature in Panasonics from a while back, and I'm not sure if they still do it in any of their current models of P&S's.
(just can't remember which model(s) they were).

[ausguitarman]

The Canon G12 is in the High end of P&Shoots IMO , I would'nt let the kid's play with it

Me either .

I bought mine specifically to use in the underwater housing. Pity I've barely used it underwater .

I've taken it away once when I couldn't be bothered taking the full kit for a two day trip. It ain't the same as the 5DMKII but that said it took some nice shots.