What is the pixel pitch of the Canon G12?

The Canon PowerShot G12 provides 10 megapixels from a 1/1.7-inch sensor. This pixel density gives rise to a size of the individual pixel of 2.07µm.

The pixel size or pixel pitch can be calculated by dividing the sensor area by the pixel count and then taking the square root. In particular, the sensor in the Canon G12 measures 7.6mm in width and 5.7mm in height, so that the total imaging area of the sensor amounts to 43 mm². Moreover, the G12 has 3 648 horizontal pixels and 2 736 vertical pixels, for a total of 10 megapixels. Then, the size (height or width) of each individual pixel can be calculated as the square root of the ratio of the sensor area (43 mm²) to the MP count (9 980 928).

Larger pixels provide advantages with respect to gathering light, particularly in low-light situations. Large pixels notably have a better signal to noise ratio, meaning that they can better differentiate between incoming photons and the noisy signals that the internal processes of the camera create. As a result, big pixels are particularly helpful to the photographer when shooting with high ISO settings.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Canon G12 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon G12	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/24p	20.4	11.2	161	47
2.		Canon G15	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.9	11.5	165	46
3.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
4.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
5.		Fujifilm X10	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.5	11.3	245	50
6.		Nikon P7800	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	21.2	11.7	200	54
7.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
8.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
9.		Panasonic G2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	493	53
10.		Panasonic G10	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.1	411	52
11.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41

Further information on the sensor in the Canon G12 and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.

In the United States, the G12 was initially launched in September 2010 at a price of $499.

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Camera to camera comparisons

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