I am in possession of a Canon EOS 20D, including equipment and a IXUS 970 IS. With the EOS I can take pictures professionally, it's fun and the results are great. The IXUS is always there-Knips camera that I almost always in manual mode with ISO 100 use. For snapshots I sit sometimes an automatic mode. The photos are OK, but is it really just snapshots. In the last two years I have "snapped" to 98% with the IXUS (the EOS was just too heavy and unwieldy), but made me happy having the images of course, never. Also, I have the RIGHT photographing unfortunately forgotten downright. Ergo: I needed a good camera with a very good image quality, but I (almost) always with you may have. After a long search I've tried the PEN PL2, the S95 and the G12. All three are quite different at least from handling it.
The G12 I have kept and have a lot of fun to take pictures with her! The image quality is very good in all three cameras. Ultimately, it is a taste decision. For me, only the G12 came into question because they, unlike the other two cameras has the right setting at the right places. I will not have to work through the menu always to adjust shutter speed, ISO and exposure. All this and much more can be set directly on the camera at the G12. Toll !!!!! I can use it as my EOS and the operation is almost intuitive for those who know the Canon system. The image quality is as good as the photographer ;-) the G12 is not suitable as Knips camera - this can too much and the automatic mode is not as great as with almost all compact. The ISO speed is too fast too high and controlled with> 400 ISO I just like to make any images. Only in emergency. It is larger than an ultra-light compact camera, but it is great in the hand. The S95, however, was not so pleasing to my hands.
By the way I ordered the following manual to: Digital ProLine: The practical manual PowerShot G12 This is really worth it and it's fun to get to know the possibilities of the G12 in this way. A suitable bag is this one: Canon SC-DC65A camera bag for Powershot G11 and G12. Although it is really expensive (to), but it fits like a glove, is easy to operate and has the camera ready to use in no time. I also appreciate that this pocket camera can not be disproportionately much larger and so I can put in my pocket.
As much lighter alternative to DSLR (especially EOS) I can highly recommend the G12!
Update 20/08/2012
I photograph still very happy with the G12. Briefly I considered myself to buy a 60D as a successor for my 20D (and had also 14 days), but I have realized that I just can take beautiful photos with the G12. The advantage of low weight is just fantastic. The camera I really always there. The only thing I find annoying, are about 3 seconds until the camera is ready for use. For snapshots, which is sometimes a bit too long. Nevertheless, there is for me no better alternative to G12. I have also seen the newly released Sony RX100 me recently, but it lacks the many manual controls, which has my G12. The G12 is larger but is it much better in the hand.
