Canon PowerShot G6

Startup time is a potential sticking point though; compared to the lightning-fast lens extension of Sony's DSC-W1 (see issue 121, p70), the G6 is relatively pedestrian with a ready-to-shoot time including lens extension of about 2.8 seconds. And it certainly doesn't have the instant response of its SLR relative the EOS 300D (see issue 111, p74) when it comes to pressing the shutter; a delay of about half a second is the norm.

The end results are certainly worth the wait though. All of our test shots were devoid of chromatic aberrations, and resolution was superb. By default, images are slightly soft, which is all the better for judicious tweaking of Photoshop's Unsharp Mask to properly bring out detail. Its only Achilles heel is very slightly higher noise levels than we'd like; ISO100 is definitely the preferred setting if you're sensitive to this.

Canon does seem in danger of painting itself into a corner, with the lesser models squeezing from the bottom end in terms of quality and features, and the 300D shouting from the wings that it costs only £200 more. But if you want good old-fashioned rangefinder-style manual control coupled with very high-resolution images and almost unparalleled advanced features, the PowerShot G6 will deliver. Just don't expect the build quality of a Leica.

Author: David Fearon