Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Review

The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II is an ultra-compact camera with a 1″-type CMOS sensor that is bigger than the industry standard. This model, which is the entry-level model in Canon’s Gx-X series, has an MSRP of $529 and is available for purchase now.

Because it is the entry-level model, Canon has equipped the camera with a touchscreen-based interface that will be familiar to smartphone owners who are eager to upgrade to a more sophisticated camera system.

The original G9 X had a number of performance issues that were the primary source of concern. In addition to being slow, especially when using Raw or continuous focusing, continuous shooting was also unresponsive, and the camera’s battery didn’t survive for very long.

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Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Compact Digital Camera w/1 Inch Sensor...

• 1.0-Inch, 20.1 Megapixel High-sensitivity CMOS sensor
• Digic 7 image processor
• Ultra-slim, lightweight and pocket-size camera
• Autofocus - One-shot AF, Servo AF Manual Focus

Last update was on: May 28, 2023 12:54 pm

$649.00

More Info

• 1.0-Inch, 20.1 Megapixel High-sensitivity CMOS sensor
• Digic 7 image processor
• Ultra-slim, lightweight and pocket-size camera
• Autofocus - One-shot AF, Servo AF Manual Focus

The G9 X Mark II was able to resolve the majority of the performance issues, thanks mostly to its upgraded DIGIC 7 CPU. The burst rate has been increased, the buffer has been increased, and the interface has been made snappier.

While battery life has been increased, it is still not exceptional, however, an ‘Eco mode allows you to shoot an additional 80 photos beyond the industry-standard CIPA estimate of 235. Canon also upgraded the image stabilization for video recording and included in-camera Raw processing, as well as Bluetooth functionality.

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Design

The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II has an appearance that is almost exactly the same as its predecessor. It is a really pocketable quality compact camera, and unless you have pockets that are excessively tight, it should feel at home in most people’s trousers or jackets if they have pockets at all.

You have the option of purchasing the G9 X Mark II in either black or silver. The black version has a texture that is black, but the silver version has a tan coating that is somewhat textured. This gives the silver version a vintage and fashionable appearance. Even while there isn’t a raised grip on the camera, the texture helps give you purchase, and there’s also a very little raised thumb rest on the back of the camera as well.

There is a power on/off button, a playback button, the shutter release, which is accompanied by a zoom switch, and a mode dial on the top of the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II.

The mode dial has nine different exposure mode options. These include manual, aperture priority (Av), shutter priority (Tv), and program, in addition to auto, hybrid auto, scene, movie, and space marked as “C” that can be used for saving a group of custom settings. This is helpful if you frequently find yourself shooting a particular type of scene.

Because Canon included their most recent image processor, the Digic VII, in the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II, the camera is able to take far more shots in a row without pausing. The G9 X Mark II is capable of shooting at 8.1 frames per second for a maximum of 38 JPEG images, or at 5.3 frames per second with continuous auto-focusing for a maximum of 102 images.

The original G9 X had a rate of 0.8 frames per second, while the G9 X Mark II has a rate of 8.2 frames per second, which is a significant boost over the original G9 X’s rate. This makes things even better for raw users.

Although the magnification is relatively limited (3x), the switch that controls it makes the lens’s movement into and out of the frame quite fluid and seamless. It will delay ever so slightly before moving into the digital zoom zone if you have digital zoom activated, which is nice since it will allow you to keep an eye on just utilizing the optical zoom if that is what you want to do.

Last but not least, the built-in flash for the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II can be located on the top plate of the camera. There is a little switch located directly beneath it that may be used to elevate it. When you are through using the lens, you put it away by pushing it back into its housing within the camera.

When you turn the camera around, the rear is almost entirely taken up by the three-inch touchscreen that comes standard on the G9 X. On the other hand, there are four buttons that might be helpfully located close to the right of the screen.

There is a button designated specifically for recording movies, as well as buttons labeled “fast menu,” “main menu,” and “info.” The display on the rear of the camera may be altered by pressing the info button.

In addition, there is a touchscreen button that corresponds to the Q Set button. You may make adjustments to a collection of settings that are often used by either pressing the button or touching the symbol that appears on the screen. These settings include image quality, white balance, focusing type, and so on.

You’ll have to use the touchscreen to make your decisions because there are no directional buttons on the rear of the camera. If you’re not a lover of using touchscreens, the G9 X Mark II will rapidly become an annoyance for you to use.

Other common settings such as ISO, exposure compensation, and aperture can also be changed via the touchscreen. There are “buttons” along the bottom of the screen that can be tapped, and after doing so, you can change the setting by swiping along the screen; alternatively, you can use the rotating control dial that is located around the lens (once a setting, i.e. exposure compensation is selected).

It takes some time to get used to managing everything using the touchscreen of the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II, possibly more so than usual due to the fact that there are a few physical buttons on the side of the camera; nevertheless, once you do, it starts to become second nature.

Because there are no directional keys, there is no other method to set the focal point other than using the touchscreen. To do so, simply tap the region that you wish to utilize. It would be convenient if the Quick menu could be customized to contain just the commands that are most commonly used by the user, while also excluding commands that are not used very frequently.

It is necessary to press the main menu button in order to access the more extensive menu, which is, once again, navigated through using the touchscreen. Using the touchscreen for this action is a little more frustrating than usual because menu items require a double press, but once again, it is something you get used to.

To return to the control wheel that encircles the front of the lens serves a number of purposes and may be utilized in a variety of ways. When the camera is set to aperture priority, the aperture will be controlled by it by default. However, there is a button that you can press on the touchscreen to change the control from aperture to exposure compensation or ISO. This can be helpful if you prefer to change exposure compensation or ISO more frequently than aperture. When using the manual mode, you have control over the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings.

Hybrid Auto is a mode that can be found on the Canon G9 X Mark II, in addition to the majority of the company’s other small cameras. This captures a little video clip—about two seconds long—just before the shutter release button is hit and combines all of those movies into a single longer one at the conclusion of each day in the calendar.

The finished film may be seen in a manner similar to a slideshow, with both the videos and the still photographs being included. It is not too useful for most everyday photography circumstances, but it is a pleasant function to have for big events like weddings, parties, or maybe even holidays.

However, it would be wonderful if you could have more control over it; for instance, if you could pick which photographs make it into the final film, or if you could utilize it when shooting in different exposure modes, that would be useful.

Photographers that are really creative may choose to employ the Creative Shot setting. This process begins with an image and applies five distinct filters before cropping it. You do not have the ability to determine which specific filters or cropping options are used, but you do have the option to select “Auto,” “Retro,” “Monochrome,” and so on.

Again, it’s a fun function that can lead to some appealing outcomes, and because it saves the image as a clean JPEG, you aren’t left with an undesirable crop or filter if you don’t like what the camera creates. Again, it’s a tool that can lead to some pleasing results.

On the side of the Canon PowerShot, G9 X Mark II is a button that is specifically designed to turn on the wireless connectivity of the camera. After you have pushed this button, the name of the network that your mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, needs to connect to will be shown.

Once the connection has been made, you can use the free Camera Window app from Canon to either shoot photographs with your phone or download pictures that are already on the camera. It’s wonderful to see that you have a fair amount of control over what you can capture, including the aperture, the zoom length, the ISO, the flash function, the autofocus point, and so on.

Even when the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II is switched off, you will still be able to see and share your images by using a smart device such as a phone or tablet thanks to the new Bluetooth technology that maintains a persistent connection between the camera and the device. When shooting wirelessly from a remote location, you can also use a smart device.

It is highly recommended that users of the G9 X Mark II invest in a high-speed Class 10 SD card because, without one, the camera’s shot-to-shot timings can be excruciatingly sluggish (when using a Class 4 card for example). Even if you have a class 10, you will still have to wait a few seconds before you are able to take another shot; nevertheless, this should not be an issue for the vast majority of shooting situations that you encounter on a daily basis.

The rates at which focusing may occur are often quite fast. In conditions with less available light, the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II could search a little bit, but it’s extremely unlikely that a false positive would be shown. When the macro focus mode is set, you may also go quite close to your subject for images that fill the frame.

The battery life of the new G9 X Mark II has been somewhat enhanced, going from 220 shots per charge on the previous edition to 235 shots per charge on the new version.

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 G9 X Mark II is capable of producing photographs of exceptionally high quality. Images were captured without any noise while the ISO was between 125 and 1600, however, there was some noise when the ISO was 3200. ISO 6400 has more noticeable noise than ISO 12800 but is still completely useable; nonetheless, you should steer clear of using the highest possible level of ISO 12800.

Chromatic aberrations were handled competently by the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II, with little purple fringing effects occurring only in high contrast conditions and typically towards the corners of the frame. This was due to the fact that the camera was designed to manage chromatic aberrations.

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 focus on the topic from a distance as near as 5 centimeters.

The pictures came out a little fuzzy directly from the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II when the sharpening setting was set to default. For the best results, you can do further sharpening in an application such as Adobe Photoshop; alternatively, you may modify the setting on the camera.

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Specifications

Conclusion

The new Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II represents a minor step forward for Canon’s most pocket-friendly compact camera, particularly in its operational speed. Although owners of the original Canon PowerShot G9 X won’t be too excited by the improvements that are offered, the new Mark II does represent a minor step forward for Canon.

Because of the powerful Digic 7 CPU, continuous shooting rates, auto-focusing speed, and overall all-around performance have all been improved, and as a result, image quality at high ISOs has also been improved slightly. In addition to the enhanced picture stabilization and somewhat longer battery life, the new always-on Bluetooth connection is an improvement that is very much appreciated by the user.

In conclusion, the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II offers just enough additional capabilities to make it worthwhile to consider purchasing it as a pocket camera that can be taken virtually everywhere.

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Price

• Product
• Features
• Photos

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Compact Digital Camera w/1 Inch Sensor...

• 1.0-Inch, 20.1 Megapixel High-sensitivity CMOS sensor
• Digic 7 image processor
• Ultra-slim, lightweight and pocket-size camera
• Autofocus - One-shot AF, Servo AF Manual Focus

Last update was on: May 28, 2023 12:54 pm

$649.00

More Info

• 1.0-Inch, 20.1 Megapixel High-sensitivity CMOS sensor
• Digic 7 image processor
• Ultra-slim, lightweight and pocket-size camera
• Autofocus - One-shot AF, Servo AF Manual Focus