The Dials

• The PowerShot G7 has two dials on top and a third dial on the back, all of which are used for controlling photographic elements. The main mode dial is standard in digital cameras and includes the usual suspects: auto shooting mode, scene selection, video, program mode, shutter and aperture priorities and full manual. Additionally, the mode dial on the G7 has two custom settings, which you can adjust in the menus. The second top-mounted dial is a bit unusual. The PowerShot G7 mimics old film cameras and has a digital equivalent of the film-speed selector dial: a dedicated ISO-dial. The control wheel on the back surrounds the control pad and is used for selecting focus points and navigating through images in review mode.
  
  

Lens

• The built-in lens on the PowerShot G7 has an optical zoom of 6X, or a 35mm-equivalent of 7.4-44mm -- a very wide-angle. The lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at its wide-angle setting (no zoom) and f/4.8 when zooming in. At f/2.8, you'll be able to capture photos in low-light without a flash. Canon also has two lens extenders for the G7, a wide-angle converter and a telephoto converter, both of which attach over top of the fixed lens (using an adapter, sold separately) to increase the scope and zoom of the G7.
  
  

Hotshoe

• The PowerShot's most unusual part is surely the flash-pack hotshoe, a standard feature on DSLR camera bodies but -- in 2006, at least -- an uncommon add-on for a compact digital camera. The hotshoe allows you to connect three of Canon's Speedlite Flashes to the G7 -- the 220EX, 430EX and 680EX. With these, you can take your photography to another level, taking more professional photographs indoors (or outdoors, using the fill flash mode) than with most point-and-shoot cameras.
  
  

Viewfinder

• The final indication that Canon tried to jam all of its DSLR components into this tiny point and shoot is the optical viewfinder. These are standard in DSLR cameras, which use a (relatively) large mirror to translate the image from the lens. The viewfinder system in the G7 works differently (though still with mirrors), but considering the small body and the giant zoom on the telephoto lens adjustment, you can't expect the viewfinder to be 100 per cent accurate all the time. Fortunately, the G7 has an LCD screen that you can use to frame your shots too.