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We clicked with:
Bargain! (£120)
Rechargeable battery included
Slim and compact
Blink and Smile Face Detection
Shots in the dark:
Slight focal issues
Screen focal issue (particularly with digital zoom)
Limited Manual mode
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In the UK, GE may only be a familiar name to grannies buying old two-bar electric fires, but in fact it's one of the biggest names in consumer electronics history, and is famous for everything from lightbulbs to refrigerators across mainland US and beyond. With a forthcoming global-scale Olympic sponsorship in the bag - not to mention a whole set of new G-series digital compact cameras - the GE logo is set to quickly become a commonplace symbol even here in jolly ol' Blighty… watch this space.
Heading up the G-series is the GE G2; a seemingly standard compact that has one distinct trick up its sleeve - price. Expected to undercut the competition at a cool £100-120, is the GE G2 is the ultimate entry level compact?
The Camera:
The GE G2 is a slim and streamlined compact with no protruding parts, so to speak - the lens is discreetly tucked away in the top left corner and the camera is ideal for many users looking for a compact that is, quite simply, compact. Add to this a rechargeable lithium-ion battery included in the box (most similarly priced rivals rely on disposable AA batteries) and it's likely that many competing brands will be re-scheduling budgets in the months to come!
The eight-megapixel GE G2 has a simple layout - the back comprising of a large 2.7” LCD screen, with a rotating thumbwheel to the side for choosing shooting modes and a directional pad and menu button below for more detailed options. While the thumbwheel doesn't light up to show you which mode is selected (which would have been rather swanky), it is replicated on the camera's screen - ideal when shooting in dim conditions.
Because the layout is simple, it's intuitive enough for hands of all sizes to easily hold and shoot, with quick access to all menu and option buttons. Those options aren't thin on the ground either - ensuring to pack as much of a punch as possible the GE G2 comes fully loaded with a multitude of modes including panorama (stitches three images), portrait, image stabilisation (electronic image stabilisation), manual and 10 scene modes.
Manual is more 'semi-manual' due to lack of shutter, aperture and focal options, so certainly wont blow many competitors out of the water - but this isn't to ignore the ISO64-1600 and five white balance options that become available, making for an excellent entry point compact for the more aspiring snapper.
Looking to expand upon the favourite feature list, the GE G2 pushes Face Detection technology one step further - now adding the option of one-touch smile and blink detection technology. It's a simple idea; the camera simply refuses to fire the shutter until the detected faces in frame are smiling. Great for photographing your friends, but less useful for a portrait of Jack Dee. Once the shot has been taken, should one of your smiley happy sunshine faces have blinky closed eyes, the camera flashes up that a blink is detected and prompts to retake the shot.
The biggest functionality issues the GE G2 faces are a slight (though not obscene) shutter lag and unpredictable screen focusing issues - the latter involving screen-based soft focus (that doesn't correlate to final image capture) and is particularly prominent through digital zoom and sometimes the extended range of optical zoom.
Secondly, the electronic image stabilisation mode is limited to its own mode - so it's not a case of mixing and matching modes and features with the IS, it's a standalone feature that could do with a smoother integration.
The images:
Lenses can be potentially complex bits of kit; the GE G2 has a GE Aspheric All-Glass Lens that is toward the lower end of the scale. On the one hand, this doesn't bode well for images being rendered a little soft; on the other it means you get a super-compact package.
However, for most users the difference is going to be negligible (especially for Facebookery), so it's no biggie. The big 'however' moment with the GE G2 though is less that the images are a little soft, and intermittently so. Even from a tripod, the auto focus failed to capture the exact same focal point or plane (in good light) despite being fixed and fired with self timer to avoid shake:
ISO: 64
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400
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800
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1600
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The ISO range is sturdy throughout, and while there is expected noise and image depletion, it's useable across the full range. Whereas in dim conditions, there's a prominence of shadow noise and some distortions that do occur:
Panorama mode is a nice touch, but being a new feature it's unrefined. The idea is that you can take three consecutive images (horizontally from left to right or right to left) with a portion of the last showing on screen to be matched up in order to generate one final panoramic image. Certain subjects will be impossibly difficult due to converging lines bending and re-converging as they pass into the next frame, whilst any moving subjects within a frame will be cross-faded out should they arrive on a frame's periphery. Get it right though, and it's great:
The array of scene modes are good, if not a little unusual in places - the inclusion of 'flowers' mode (not macro!) and 'museum' are a little dubious - some are surprisingly useful - 'glass' mode, for example, offers settings to shoot subjects behind glass. It's never going to be perfect, but from the right angle the camera is able to get a better shot through reflective glass than could be seen by eye:
Conclusion:
The GE G2 boils down to one distinct conclusion - it's cheap. Not cheap in the sort of 'no thrills' way either - it's excellent value and on the face of it exudes some class - looking simple yet chic in the red metal finish*.
Essentially, GE have launched a major offensive in the UK for the first time; making a camera that offers innovative new features, a variety of shooting modes and, because it comes with a rechargeable battery that's easily good for 150 shots per charge, is accessible to the masses. Effectively saying 'hello world', this is a coy and appropriate move from such a large global manufacturer that might shake up the compact price war - all the better for the consumer.
Sure, it's not without faults - a greater integration of IS, tighter shutter lag and sharper images with a tighter focus would take things up a notch. But if you're looking to buy a budget entry level compact then be sure to put your smiley face on, as at such exceptional value GE's new cameras are likely to fly off the shelves. Don't blink or you might miss 'em.
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Megapixels
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8
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Screen
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2.7" TFT colour LCD
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Zoom
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4x Optical Zoom (4.5x Digital Zoom)
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Picture Modes
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Auto, Manual, Panorama, Portrait, Anti-shake, and 10 scene modes
AVI movie
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Stabilisation
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Yes (electronic image stabilisation)
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Sensitivity
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to ISO1600
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White balance
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Auto, 6 options
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Storage
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SD
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Battery
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Lithium ion rechargeable
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Other / Key features
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Face recognition (with Blink and Smile detection options)
*5 colours available
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