I'm going to skip over my Kodak DX 3600 from 2001 and go straight to this puppy. I bought it in 2004 during a time of heavy travel and my only regret is that I didn't buy it sooner.

Weighing in at 5.0 Megapixel this thing was a monster, producing increible images at 2592 x 1944, way higher than the larger than average resolution I was using at the time, 1280 x 1024. With a 4x optical zoom and a competent macro mode, I felt like I could capture the world (and I just about did).

It came with a very detailed manual that described the best ways to use the camera's many features, which taught me most of what I understand about "intentional" photography today. This is probably why I have a soft spot in my heart for Canon products. One feature that keeps me from throwing this camera away is the "intervalometer", which automatically takes a picture at an interval that you set, which is necessary for time-lapse demonstrations. My next cameras do not have this feature. Other features the G5 has that are missing from the newer cameras: A remote control. The ability to use it as a webcam. The ability to control the camera from a USB-connected PC. Ability to charge the battery while inside the camera (or operate the camera with a power cord and no battery).

So pleased was I with the Canon G5, I thought it was time for an upgrade to the newest camera in the series in 2010, the G11. I did very little research and I paid for it because many of the features I was used to in the G5 were absent (like the intervalometer).

The biggest problem I had was the removal of the "superfine" quality setting, which I can assume was done because the sensor did not capture crisp images. I first noticed this when I took a picture of a park bench in vibrant grass and saw that there was very little definition separating the bench legs from the grass.

Of the three Canon cameras, this one does do some things the best. Optical zoom is up to 5x, and the macro mode on this thing is incredible (which is why I use it for most of the pictures on this site). It's the fastest to turn on and be able to capture, and lens protection is automatic (the other cameras have a manual lens cap). Indoor pictures with flash look fantastic. It is also the smallest and lightest camera of the three.

It wasn't long before I was ready to buy a new camera. Dealing with the general fuzziness of the G11's images, I did my research and ultimately landed on the G1X. This camera was incredible at just about everything I needed. A DSLR sensor in a package that could fit in the same backpack as my laptop and other things and still go under the seat in a plane.

Unfortunately, there are limitations that I wish didn't exist. The G1X's macro mode is awful; basically anything closer than 1.5 feet can not get focused on, and close photos that should not require macro mode selection require it. Zoom function is limited to 4x, which is a downgrade from the G11. The lens can't be removed and replaced with a more capable one, but this is part of why I like these cameras because they're simpler to travel with. The last G series camera is the G1X Mark III, and it was introduced in 2017. It's significantly more expensive than previous G series cameras and features a meager 3x optical zoom. I think I'm a cell phone camera guy from here on out.