Canon PowerShot G12 = G11 + 720p

There's not much to say about Canon's update to its G series of enthusiast compact cameras: the PowerShot G12 is almost identical to its predecessor, the G11, but with similar enhancements to those rolled out in the S95. Most notably, the G12 includes 720/24p video capture--a much-needed boost over the outdated VGA movies--now with stereo audio and a Mini-HDMI connector.

Like the S95, the G12 also adds an HDR scene mode which combines 3 shots. Unlike some other implementations, however, it requires the steadiness of a tripod.

Here's a recap of its specs and competitors:

So the real question is, does this relatively minimal update improve the G12 sufficiently to keep it competitive against models like Nikon's completely revamped P7000 and the strongly positioned but less expensive LX5? It's an interesting call. The G12 has the longer zoom range, articulated LCD, stereo audio and easier-to-work-with QuickTime MOV video over the LX5, but the latter has a wider, faster lens and both it and the Nikon have the ability to zoom during movie capture. Plus the LX5's new sensor's photo quality is a wildcard. And while the P7000 has the longest zoom range of the group, that could backfire on Nikon if it turns out to be mediocre. And of course these models also have to deal with their fan base jumping to similarly specced but smaller and cheaper ultracompacts like the S95 and Samsung TL500, as well as to slightly larger models with interchangeable lenses, like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 or Olympus E-PL1. Canon definitely has more of an uphill battle to fight in this segment than it did a year ago when the G11 shipped.