Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Let me start by being honest up front - I'd want my 7D and bag full of glass with me at all times if I had a personal valet and bodyguard. Unfortunately I don't which means I'm not going to shlup thousands of dollars and 20 lbs of equipment for a Saturday stroll through Pilsen or Chinatown - but I may still want to grab some nice shots. I also attend a lot of big festivals and concerts where "professional camera" = removable lens = not allowed but my Galaxy phone just doesn't cut it, especially as the sun goes down. This camera is the closest you can get to DSLR quality in a (rather) compact design. I'm upgrading from my G12 which has seen better days and was quite pleased with the upgrade for a couple of reasons: 1) I can now control my camera with my phone or tablet (live view + remote control) as well as instantly send those fantastic photos wherever I want on the spot. I do food photography on the side, great for the quick setup where I'm not getting paid, but still want to post a quality photo to Yelp, Foodspotting, whatever to do justice to their product. 2) Image quality is fantastic considering the platform and low light shooting is making me giddy for the possibilities 3) The wide lens range will be great for those architecture and crowd shots and then anything I need to zoom in on 4) I love the ability to shoot jpg/raw with different aspect ratios 5) Built like a tank For the cons: 1) No OVF - my G12 had one and I rarely used it. DSLR I absolutely need one, on a compact - not really. 2) Not very pocketable to say the least - the box shape of the G12 allowed me to fit it in my jeans when needed. The lens on this sticks out over an inch so it is difficult to impossible to get in my jeans pocket - and with the weight, forget about a shirt pocket. Looking to get either a wrist strap or small bag that I can drop it into. 3) Price - definitely not cheap - that took some consideration. But as a semi-pro / serious enthusiast, I needed something that could deliver quality shots for times I just didn't want to deal with the hassle of the big camera/bag/lenses. I've had the camera for a couple of days and so far loving it, will update the review if I run into any surprises - good or bad. Updated: One year later. Still loving this camera, although it is much bulkier than my old G12. The lens sticks out which means I absolutely need to carry it in a case on my belt which while a bit goofy, is worth the shots I'll get. Took it to a show recently (no pro cameras/removable lens) and came away with jaw dropping photos. Spot metering with a kicked down exposure, auto ISO, TV priority of 1/125. Viewing the photos on my 50" tv really shows how good this camera can be.