The following document addresses issues that cannot be determined by looking at the camera's specifications. If you want to compare weight, megapixels, controls, etc., look up the camera's specifications and do some homework. This document also does not try to answer such questions as "Which camera is best?" There is no such thing as the perfect camera, only the perfect camera for you. There are many considerations to address when evaluating a digital camera. Some may insist that the best image is the paramount consideration above all else. I would argue that this is not the case. If image is everything, everyone should be carrying around a $15,000, 55 lb Wisner 20"x 24" field camera. When evaluating digital cameras, you have to make some personal choices as to what’s important to you. Some want pocket portability while others may want a 10x optical zoom. You can’t have both. Read the reviews at
www.dpreview.com and see which camera fits within your budget and choose the one with the feature set you want the most. This article is targeted toward owners and potential owners of the Nikon Coolpix 5000 or Canon Powershot G2. If you already own the CP5000, you may choose to go directly to the "CP5000 quirks, gotchas, and tips section". But if you do read the entire article you might learn something new about your camera.The Nikon CP5000 is the long awaited successor to the Coolpix 995. Nikon chose to skip the 4 megapixel arena all together and introduced a 5 megapixel camera. Canon G2 is considered by some the best all around 4 megapixel digital camera. Although there is a 1 megapixel difference between the two cameras, many consider the G2 a strong alternative to the CP5000.
This document will be updated regularly as new information becomes available. If you see factual mistakes, I would appreciate an email with the correct information outlined in detail. All constructive comments are welcomed. This document contains both facts and opinions. Your opinions may differ, and more power to you if it does. Remember that your comments are a reflection of your intelligence.
Nikon Coolpix 5000TM: Live Manual
Canon Powershot G2TM: PDF brochure G2 Manual
Comments specific to the CP5000 are in dark blue. Comments specific to the G2 are in light blue. All images on this site have been reduced without resharpening and saved in JPEG high (60) format for display. Do not try to judge sharpness with these images. Click on the original images to make accurate comparisons.
Technical Details:
Canon G2 tested with firmware Version 1.00D. Nikon CP5000 tested with firmware 1.6. Unless otherwise noted, all comparison shots were taken on a tripod with a timer for long exposures. Shots were done side by side under the same lighting conditions with each shot taken within seconds of each other. All settings were on default (auto) unless I was specifically testing a particular feature (i.e.: saturation). Every effort has been made to match exposure information but due to the fact that both cameras rate their ISO equivalence slightly off, exact exposure matching is not possible in many cases. None of the photos have been retouched in any way other than rotation. Crops and enlargements are made from the original photos and saved at high Jpeg quality with no other changes. All original photos contain EXIF data so you can verify the camera settings. Please note shutter speeds at or above 1 second are not displayed under the photos in Pbase.com. This is a limitation of that web site.
Disclaimer:
Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or usability of information contained within this website. The author has no affiliation with Nikon, Canon, or any other manufacturers or companies named in this website. No compensation has been made for mentions or links included in this website.
This document and all of its associated images are copyrighted. You may not duplicate any of this document, in part or in whole, without the express written permission of the author. You are authorized to print this document in whole without modifications for personal, non-commercial use. You are also authorized to cut and paste up to 100 words as a reference for discussions in the www.dpreview.com and www.popphoto.com forums. All images are copyrighted and may not be embedded, copied, or pasted into any other electronic or printed medium without the expressed written permission of the owner. If you want to reference a photo, please post the link to the photo instead.
All rights reserved. © 2002-2003 Patrick Yuen. Email:
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