After quite a significant waiting period, the Canon G12 has finally been upgraded in the shape of the 12.1 million pixel Canon PowerShot G15, unveiled at Photokina 2012 . At first glance, the Canon G15 looks pretty similar to the Powershot G12, but there are a few significant differences.

The PowerShot G15 is the latest advanced serious compact camera from Canon. Daniel Bell reviews.

Fast f/1.8-2.8 lens; Full 1080p HD video recording; 10 fps continuous shooting at full resolution; Much improved screen resolution; 1cm minimum focusing distance; Excellent image quality; Images are usable throughout the ISO range; Plenty of creativity modes

Some may have preferred the articulating screen that the; Using the optical viewfinder may be a little uncomfortable for some; Price puts it up there with mirrorless cameras and entry-level DSLRs

Canon was right to keep the PowerShot G1 X in play when it shipped the G15, as despite their common heritage they're fairly dissimilar cameras.

Redesigned top plate; Colour reproduction; Professional features; Movie performance

Expensive in its field; Some wind noise on movies; Fixed screen

Canon's PowerShot G series began in 2000 with the launch of the 3.3-million-pixel G1 and for years it was considered vastly superior to most of its competitors in terms of quality, engineering and specification.

Canon's new PowerShot G15 replaces the popular G12 and is the second G-series model released this year (although the G1X's large sensor puts it in a different class). We're not sure why Canon skipped the intervening numbers but the latest iteration maintains the same basic design and handling...

Canon's "G" line of cameras have always appealed to point-and-shooters looking for more of a pro experience. The new G15 has some great details - is it a $649.95 camera worth considering?

DPReview.com doesn't try it with the G15, but when they try it with the pricier Canon PowerShot G1 X (*Est. $750) , the software leaves seams, stitching errors and a bent horizon. Like others in its class, the Canon G15 has a USB port to hook up to a computer and an HDMI port to attach to an HDTV.

Outstanding photos; even in low light; Snappy performance and great handling; Rock-solid build; Big-camera features like a viewfinder and hot shoe; Fits into a jacket pocket

Video mode offers little manual control; No in-camera panorama

Many "professional" reviews compare this camera to similar "large sensor" cameras and conclude that the large sensor cameras "win" - but you should ignore those reviews. The optics on this camera blow away the competition - there is no 5x zoom point-and-shoot camera with an F2.8 lens at maximum...

good battery life; Good Low-Light Performance; Nice features/settings; excellent image quality; durable; Bright LCD; Lightweight/Portable; Simple controls/menu; easy to use; two custom settings; separate flash on/off control

none

I bought this camera to substitute my 60D when I'm travelling, which is most of the time. It is as the DPReview test states, a solid camera whose deeper modes and features are easily accessible without having to dive into menus or go searching for elusive buttons.

I had been waiting for an update to G12 and Canon hit a bulls eye with this camera. One could argue about G1X etc but I was looking for not just something more portable and handy for the situations when I did not want to lug my DSLR equipment around but something which would provide me with all the...

Fast/accurate auto-focus; Good Image Quality; Good Image Stabilization; Good in Low Light; Great Zoom; Large Clear LCD; Short Lag Time