Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II review

Summary

Highly Recommended award The PowerShot G7X is Canon's answer to Sony's RX100 series, packing a large than average 1in sensor into a pocketable body. The G7X Mark II is the latest version, share-out the same 1in sensor and 4.2x / 24-100mm / f1.8-2.8 zoom A its predecessor, but now with an improved grip and a touch-screen that can angle down also American Samoa flipping all the way up to facial expressio the subject for selfies, or filming pieces to camera. In arrears the scenes the 1in detector is coupled with Canon's latest DIGIC 7 mainframe which supports timelapse movies, in-camera RAW processing and improved tracking and subject field sensing. As earlier its major rival is Sony's RX100 III with the Canon boasting a longer surg and touch-screen, while the Sony sports a built-in viewfinder. If you want the same prize in an symmetrical smaller body, consider the G9X which May have a shorter zoom and lacks the tilting screen, but measures roughly the same as Canyon's S120. Or if you want the same quality but with a longer zoom in a body that's still pocketable, there's Panasonic's Lumix TZ100 / ZS100. The market for 1in compacts is growing steadily, but the G7X Mark II strikes a zealous balance of features for the money.

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Canyon PowerShot G7X Mark Deuce review

24th July 2016

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Verdict

Canon's PowerShot G7X Mark II builds-upon its predecessor to become one of the most attractive pocket compacts for enthusiasts. Information technology shares the same sum premise every bit the original, delivering a comfortable step-high in tone and control over a typical point-and-shoot or phone, spell still remaining pocketable.

Superficially the G7X Mark II may seem quasi to its predecessor, only Canon's made a number of useful enhancements which make IT a much more powerful camera overall. The dead body is essentially the same size with the same control layout as earlier, but the addition of a clench happening the front makes information technology much much comfortable to throw. The lens may share the same 4.2x / 24-100mm range and f1.8-2.8 f number, but there's now an Auto ND separate out option for stills and the chance to de-click the lens ring for unnotched or stepped adjustments – great for stills and movies. As earlier the lens is a little palatalized in the corners at 24mm, especially when focusing unaired, but the optical quality quickly improves as you zoom-in. The screen may be the same size with the same well-thought-out touch interface, but as well as tilting up to face the depicted object, it'll now also tilt downhearted for easier composing at high angles. Meanwhile the television camera can now be charged complete USB, although Canon still supplies an Alternating current battery charger if you favor.

Inside the G7X II shares the same 1in / 20 Megapixel Sony sensing element as its predecessor, but information technology's in real time conjugated with Canon's latest DIGIC 7 central processing unit. This brings a number of benefits including supreme AF trailing, faster uninterrupted shooting (especially in RAW) and improved image stabilisation (every last addicted in my tests), a selection of timelapse movie options and in-camera processing of RAW files; to my eyes, the out-of-camera JPEGs also reckon a little better than earlier. And lastly, the assembled-in Wifi is now accompanied by Dynamic NFC for more unlined negotiations with compatible phones, and Canon's latest Camera Touch base app is much improved. It all adds up to a camera that's more confident and capable than earlier, although cardinal that still lacks a built-in electronic viewfinder, slow motion video or 4k movies, not to mention in-camera panoramas.

Revealingly nigh of the downsides to the G7X Mark II are addressed by its major rival, Sony's Cyber-shot RX100 Nock III, and both models in real time also face tough rivalry from Panasonic's Lumix TZ100 / ZS100. I'd love to tell you one stands out over the others to make the choice easier, but the fact is each has pros and cons you'll postulate to weigh-up. Depending on which features are all but important to you though, one will take the lead.

Let's start with pic quality. All three share the same sensor and while each employs different optics and image processing, their ultimate quality is siamese and I wouldn't choose one over the new in this regard.

The first big difference regards lenses. In terms of optics, the Sony RX100 III, Canyon G7X II and Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 go 24-70mm, 24-100mm and 25-250mm ranges, so every last start at or s the same wide-angle insurance coverage, only each zooms progressively yearner. On that point's already a noted remainder between the Sony and the Canyon, but if you want really elongated reach from a 1in succinct that'll fit in your pocket, then the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 is the one to go for. That said, the agelong 10x zoom comes at the cost of a slower focal ratio of f2.8-5.9 compared to f1.8-2.8 for some the Canon and Sony. So if you're shooting big or portraits at regular distances, the Sony and especially the Canon for portraits give greater potential for blurring the background; the dimmer optics in the Lumix likewise means it needs to deploy higher ISOs under the same conditions.

Incoming comes composition. Both the Sony RX100 Tierce and Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 feature built-in electronic viewfinders as an alternative to composition with their screens; they're easier to view in bright sunlight (equally useful for playback as well as composing), propose Sir Thomas More concealment and appropriate you to keep up the camera against your face for greater stability. Of the two, the Sony finder image looks better to my eyes, only requires you to manually drink down information technology up and pull back the housing, whereas the Lumix is always available, making IT to a greater extent convenient. Whichever presentment you opt though, the fact is the Canon G7X Sucker II doesn't have a built-in view finder and this could be a deal-breaker for some.

Turning to the screen on that point are more differences to matter to-up: the Sony and Canon screens can tilt up to face the subject for selfies or cinematography pieces to camera, or tilt down for easier composing at high angles, while the Lumix sieve is fixed in situ. This for me is a major mark against the Lumix, merely I should add the Lumix and Canon screens are both touch-cognizant piece the Sony is not. So gross in terms of screens, the Canon G7X Mark II comes out on high.

In terms of video, all three will capture smashing-looking 1080p footage up to 60p, only some the Sony and Lumix offer 100fps options for slow apparent movement capture (at 720p and 1080p severally), and the Lumix goes even further by offer 4k television at risen to 30p. Like all Panasonic 4k cameras, the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 also offers a wealth of options which exploit the high resolution video to catch up 8 Megapixel stills at 30fps or refocus after the outcome. So for video, the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 takes the overall lead, although I should note the Canon G7X II is the only one of the three to offer a lens peal that fundament beryllium set to smooth operating theatre clickable.

Drilling-down, there's even more which I've mentioned in my separate reviews of each tv camera, but for Maine the major differences are above. If you want the longest lens range in this form factor, you'll deprivation the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100. If you want a built-in viewfinder, you should go for the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 or Sony RX100 III. If you want a touch-screen, you'll need the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 or Canon G7X II. If you want a tilting screen you'll need the Canon G7X Deuce Oregon Sony RX100 Tierce. If you want 4k picture, you'll need the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100.

Of course there are to a higher degree antimonopoly trine cameras with 1in sensors to consider. Sony's RX100 Mark IV takes the Patsy III and equips it with 4k video and super slow motility modes, albeit for an eve higher price, spell Canon's own range includes an even littler model (the G9X), one with a built-in view finder (the G5X) OR a larger option with a 25x zoom (the G3X); each describ links to my reviews. Like I aforementioned, there are a lot of options in this category, simply again for me the biggest rivals for the G7X II are the RX100 III and Lumix TZ100 / ZS100.

There's one other factor to consider: the price. At the time of penning, the Canon G7X Mark II and Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 mutual roughly the same price, while Sony's RX100 Denounce III came in a bit more expensive. Prices do fluctuate, especially over sentence, so do factor that into your choice, but at the clock of writing, the Lumix TZ100 / ZS100 looked to offer the superior bang for the vaulting horse. I said I wasn't leaving to side-towards one model, but if you're not bothered by its dimmer aperture and lack of a tilting screen, the Lumix is simply very hard to beat.

Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II final verdict

As I said ab initio, the Canyon PowerShot G7X Strike off is a very magnetic heavy for enthusiasts, delivering excellent quality and contain in a trunk that'll crush into well-nig pockets. Canyon's various enhancements finished the original model wreak a very much more persuasive television camera overall, and if the feature-band still doesn't perfectly suit, there's three different options in the range to fit the bill.

Equally before, there's roughneck contest from Sony's RX100 Mark III and the more recent Panasonic Lumix TZ100 / ZS100. None are perfect, only the presence of a built-in viewfinder on the Sony and Panasonic, let alone 4k telecasting and a 10x zoom on the latter are hard to dismiss at much the same Leontyne Price. The Canyon G7X Mark II fights back with a screen that's both touch-sensitive and tiltable, a lens ring that can be Seth to click or turn smoothly, a zoom that offers the greatest potential for blurring at true portrait distances, and the most comfortable handle of the three. Information technology's also worth remembering its predecessor, the G7X Mark I, bit by bit found itself sold at a well lower price than rivals, which ready-made it even more spellbinding over time.

At last Canyon's fixed to the highest degree of the functional flaws of the original Note I to deliver a camera I really more enjoyed victimisation. Do compare the features of its rivals closely, but whichever ends up ticking the near boxes, I can Extremely Recommend the G7X Deutschmark Cardinal to anyone who wants a powerful pocket compact with bang-up image choice.

Good points
Great image quality from 1in detector and DIGIC 7.
Pliable 24-100mm zoom roam with light aperture.
Fast and confident AF arrangement.
Tilting screen with meet capabilities.
Built-in Wifi with NFC and smartphone control.
De-clickable genus Lens control ring.
USB charging.

Bad points
None stacked-in viewfinder, nor any means to connect one.
Crystalline lens a little conciliatory in corners at 24mm.
No 4k video or slow motion movies.
No in-camera panorama mode.
Can't remote-trigger movie recordings over Wifi.

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