This is when things really start to get interesting! Almost two years have passed since Sony revolutionized the small camera industry by incorporating a 1″-type sensor into a camera that was really pocketable.
The Cyber-shot RX100 had a similar appearance to one of Canon’s S-series high-end compact cameras, but it had a sensor that was 2.8 times bigger, resulting in a significant improvement in image quality.
Amazingly, Sony has managed to remain undefeated in this area for more than two years, during which time it has ability to release two further iterations of the RX100 compact camera system.
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Adding an electronic viewfinder and a more consistently brilliant (although shorter) zoom to the RX100 III allowed it to go even farther ahead of the competition. With the introduction of Canon’s PowerShot G7 X, the company’s practically undisputed dominance comes to an end.
From most perspectives, the Canon PowerShot G7 X resembles the S120, which was the company’s previous pocketable flagship. Both have a rounded appearance, a matte black surface, and no grip, but that’s where the similarities end.
The G7 X boasts a more substantial-feeling metal shell, a tilting LCD, and a more ornate (and aesthetically pleasing) top plate than the G7. But I’ll get to it in a minute.
The AF illuminator on the G7 X is the only feature that stands out on the camera aside from the lens. The back of the camera is somewhat more crowded, thanks to the typical PowerShot control layout, which features a rear dial that surrounds the four-way controller.
The I/O ports, which are described in further depth on the following page, are located on the right side, along with a ‘Mobile Device Connect Button,’ which brings up the Wi-Fi menu.
The lens is set to its maximum telephoto zoom here. The button for the pop-up flash, as well as the NFC contact point, are located on the other side of the phone’s body.
Body & Design
With measurements of 4.1 by 2.4 by 1.6 inches (103 by 60.4 by 40.4 millimeters), the Canon G7X is almost identical in size to its closest competition, the Sony RX100 III. It is only a minuscule amount taller and broader than the Sony, yet despite having a lens with a greater field of view, it is just a minuscule amount thinner.
It is a touch heavier, though, coming in at a total of 10.7 ounces (302 grams) once it is loaded and ready to fire. To put this into perspective, when both the battery and the memory card are installed, the Sony RX100 III weighs around a half-ounce (15 grams) less.
The original Sony RX100 is its closest competitor in terms of weight and size among cameras in its class. Although this model’s lens is shorter and less bright and it lacks quite a few of the G7X’s features, the most notable of which are its tilting screen and Wi-Fi connectivity, this model is about 0.2 inches thinner and weighs 2.2 ounces (62g) less while maintaining the same 1″-type sensor size. Additionally, it has a smaller sensor size.
Front view
When seen from the front, the Canon G7 X has a profile that is simple and unpretentious. On the front deck, the only control feature is a ring that encircles the 4.2x optical zoom lens; other than that, there are no further buttons.
A little LED that performs double duty as an autofocus illuminator and a self-timer lamp can be found tucked away above and to the right of the lens (when viewed from the back of the camera). In addition, the lens itself has a sliding lens barrier that eliminates the requirement for a lens cap, which may be easily misplaced.
Top view
The G7X presents itself as an enthusiast camera when viewed from above thanks to the presence of a separate Exposure Compensation dial that is stacked wedding cake-style beneath the Mode dial on the right side of the camera body. Both dials, as well as the dial that encircles the lens ring, have a diamond-knurled pattern along their outer edges to enhance the amount of grip available.
The shutter button is located slightly to the left of the exposure compensation dial and the mode dial. It is encircled by a zoom rocker that may be used in both the recording and playback modes of the camera.
The Power button is located to the left of and behind this, and a popup flash strobe can be seen at the far left end of the top deck. In the middle is where you’ll find the ports for the stereo microphone on one side and the port for the speaker on the other.
Rearview
The back of the PowerShot G7X is likewise fairly clean and uncomplicated, despite the fact that the controls are grouped together relatively close to the camera’s edge. Because there is no front grip that protrudes, you will need to employ a two-handed grip in order to reach and use the majority of these controls with your thumb.
When shooting stills one-handed, however, having a little thumb grip in the upper right corner of the camera is helpful for securing your purchase.
The 3.0-inch LCD monitor can be found to the left of the control cluster and features a bezel that is rather large. The display is attached to a hinge that allows it to swing upwards 180 degrees for the purpose of taking selfies or filming from the hip. However, because the hinge is fixed, there is no possibility for the monitor to tilt downwards.
Because of this, it won’t be of any use if someone shoots above your head, and the screen also won’t be able to be adjusted so that it faces inwards for safety, unlike side-mounted tilt/swivel varieties.
3/4 view of the back with the LCD shown
However, Sony’s RX100 II, III, and IV all offer overhead or waist-level photography, and the latter two are also selfie-friendly. None of the closest competitors to the G7 X have a screen that can tilt or swivel, and none of those competitors have a screen that can do both. If you raise the flash, the bottom portion of the LCD screen of the G7X will not be obscured when using the camera in selfie mode. At least this is the case.
Concerning the controls, there are four buttons located around the four-way controller that can be found in the middle of the back dial. This controller also has a Function / Set button in its center.
A Video Record button and a Ring Func. the button is located just above the Four-way controller. The Ring Func. the button allows the user to select which variable will be controlled by the lens ring. The latter is located in a position that is so near to the edge of the camera that you will need to capture movies using both hands in order to prevent wobble.
Playback and Menu buttons may be found just below the Four-way controller, in addition to a card access lamp that is positioned immediately to the left of the Playback button and somewhat higher up. In addition, the four-way controller itself has buttons for Wi-Fi mode and Drive mode, as well as controls for Focus mode, Flash, and Display in its cardinal directions.
Right view
When the Canon PowerShot G7X is being used, the lens protrudes outside from the front of the barrel to a distance of at least an inch. This can be seen by switching to the right-hand side of the camera.
On this side, there is only one control: the Mobile Device Connect Button, which allows for a speedy connection to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It may be accessed by lifting a little flap that is located on top of the connection compartment.
An A/V output in standard definition as well as a digital USB data port are integrated into the bottom of the G7X. Additionally, there is a Micro HDMI port for connecting to high-definition screens.
Left view
When you move to the left side of the device, the only control you’ll find is a mechanical release for the built-in popup flash strobe, which is located on the top deck above you.
Bottom view
And now, at long last, we’ve arrived at the bottom of the camera. There isn’t a lot to see here, but it’s important to take note that the release on the card/battery compartment door and the base of the tilting LCD monitor both have the same diamond knurling as the various control dials and the lens ring. This is one of the few places where there isn’t a lot to see.
The metal tripod attachment is offset from the lens’s center axis, which makes it less than ideal for taking panoramas when mounted on a tripod. However, if you want to take a significant number of panoramas, this is an issue that can be easily remedied by using a shorter bracket.
In conclusion, the location of the camera’s Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna is indicated by a little logo that is inscribed into the base of the device. (Unfortunately, this feature is still exclusive to Android because Apple does not permit third parties to access the NFC radios that are incorporated into its most recent devices.)
Image Quality
The SuperFine JPEG option at 20 megapixels was used to capture each of the sample photographs included in this study. This setting results in an image that is around 8 megabytes in size on average.
The Canon PowerShot G7 X is capable of producing photographs of an exceptionally high quality. Images were captured without any noise from ISO 125–800, but there was noticeable noise at ISO 1600. Although ISO 3200 and 6400 exhibit more noticeable noise, they are still quite acceptable, but the fastest level of ISO 12800 should be avoided if possible.
Chromatic aberrations were handled competently by the Canon PowerShot G7 X, with the camera exhibiting just little purple fringing effects in high-contrast conditions and, more generally, around the frame’s periphery. Although there is significant vignetting at 24 millimeters, the built-in flash performed admirably inside, preventing red-eye and providing enough exposure overall. The after-dark photos came out quite well thanks to the camera’s maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and its Bulb mode, which allowed for exposures that were sufficiently lengthy.
When shooting in low-light settings with the camera held by hand or when utilizing the telephoto end of the zoom range, anti-shake performs really well. The macro performance is rather strong, letting you to focus on the topic from a distance as near as 5 centimeters. The pictures came out of the Canon PowerShot G7 X with the default sharpening setting. For the best results, you should perform additional sharpening in an application such as Adobe Photoshop; alternatively, you can adjust the setting directly in the camera. The pictures were a little soft when they were first taken.
Your photographs may be easily spiced up thanks to the vast choice of My Color modes and Creative Filters, while the Dynamic Range and Shadow Correction modes assist to etract more detail from the shadow and highlight regions.
Canon PowerShot G7 X Specifications
| Body type | Compact |
|---|---|
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 5472 x 3648 |
| Other resolutions | 5472 x 3080, 4864 x 3648, 4320 x 2880, 4320 x 2432, 3840 x 2880, 2304 x 1536, 2048 x 1536, 1920 x 1080, 720 x 480, 720 x 408, 640 x 480 |
| Image ratio w:h | 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 20 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 21 megapixels |
| Sensor size | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS |
| Processor | DIGIC 6 |
| Color space | sRGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 125-12800 |
| White balance presets | 8 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | Optical |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Superfine, fine |
| File format | JPEG (EXIF v2.3)Raw (Canon CR2, 12-bit) |
| Image parameters | ContrastSharpnessSaturationRed/Green/BlueSkin tone |
| Optics & Focus | |
| Focal length (equiv.) | 24–100 mm |
| Optical zoom | 4.2× |
| Maximum aperture | F1.8–2.8 |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaCenterSelective single-pointSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View |
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Yes (4x) |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Normal focus range | 5 cm (1.97″) |
| Macro focus range | 5 cm (1.97″) |
| Number of focus points | 31 |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT-LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | None |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 40 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/2000 sec |
| Exposure modes | AutoHybrid AutoProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityManualCustomMovieCreative FiltersSceneCreative Shot |
| Scene modes | PortraitSmart ShutteStarHandheld Night SceneUnderwaterSnowFireworks |
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 7.00 m |
| External flash | No |
| Flash modes | Auto, on, slow synchro, off |
| Continuous drive | 6.5 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 0r 10 secs, custom) |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedSpot |
| Exposure compensation | ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p) |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Videography notes | Also has star time-lapse. miniature effect, and digest modes |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible) |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Microphone port | No |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | image sharing via Canon Image Gateway |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | NB-13L lithium-ion battery and charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 210 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 304 g (0.67 lb / 10.72 oz) |
| Dimensions | 103 x 60 x 40 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.57″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes (star time-lapse) |
| GPS | None |
Canon PowerShot G7 X Price
Pros & Cons
- Integrated wireless technology (Wi-fi)
- Full HD Video
- Screen That Can Be Moved Around
- Image Stabilization
- Connectivity through NFC
- There is not an external flash shoe.
- Heavy Body: 304
- Low remaining battery capacity: 210 shots
- No Built-in Viewfinder
