The Canon G5 has the ergonomics, fit and finish I was looking for in a compact digital camera to back up my Canon 20D digital SLR. I like the solid feel of the body and the retro rangefinder like shape. It is small enough for a coat pocket but has enough heft to make one feel its weight, and it is the right size for my hands.
The manual setting options, RAW format (writing RAW files is very fast) and the swing out monitor all help make this a highly functional camera. So far image quality is excellent at ISO 50 or 100 -- the lens seems to be of very high quality; however it is too noisy at ISO 400 -- the only drawback I see so far. I bought the camera as a demo in November 2006 so it was like new even though it’s been on the market for 3 years -- ages in the digital age of photography.
Finally I really like the black color and the general look and feel of the camera. Its controls make sense -- things like ISO change are only two clicks away -- and are similar to my 20D.
All in all I'm very happy with the G5.