Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III Review

While the current smartphones are capable, there are still several reasons to utilize a specialized pocket camera for various tasks. For example, professional photographers using a large camera with interchangeable lenses for business may prefer a more miniature one for more informal trips.

Even if a smartphone may be sufficient for some, those who like the ergonomics and handling of a conventional camera will find the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III ($749.99) a worthwhile investment.

Although it isn’t our absolute favorite in the category, it is a perfect small-format camera. If you have the extra cash, consider our Editor’s Choice, the Canon G5 X Mark II, which has a bit more zoom power and an electronic viewfinder for $900 and is also made by Canon.

If you’re looking for a new camera to help you step up your vlogging game beyond the restrictions of a smartphone, the Canon Powershot G7X Mark III could be the right choice. It comes with a 16-megapixel sensor and a 5x optical zoom.

Canon just introduced the new G7X Mark III, which boasts enhanced capabilities and performance over its predecessor, the G7X Mark II.

Furthermore, it is the ideal small camera for people who want to take their photography to the next level with a camera that is as portable as a smartphone while maintaining high quality.

More: Memory Cards for Canon G7 X Mark III | Gimbal for Canon G7 X Mark III | Canon G7 X Mark III Bundles | Microphones for Canon G7 X Mark III

Build

It appears that several of the Canon G7X Mark III pieces are fabricated from inexpensive plastic components at first appearance, notably the ridged ring that rings around the lens mount. This is a shame since if you take it up and thoroughly inspect it, you will discover that it is a rather sturdy and well-built camera.

Its width and height are less than a regular smartphone’s, but it weighs more than 300g, making it a substantial kit (o.6lb). Nevertheless, the camera’s body feels sturdy in your hand, and there are no signs of hazardous components or internals.

Because the primary ring housing for the lens system is conspicuous and has the tell-tale shine of plastic designed to appear like metal – at least in the silver version – I can understand why folks might believe it’s a low-cost product.

Furthermore, even though the outside shell is made of toughened plastic, it is pretty sturdy and solid.

The G7X has a comfortable grip appropriate to the camera’s overall size.

In addition, the camera’s top plate is immaculate and straightforward. Be careful not to dust the video mic, a long narrow slot in the top plate with a mesh insert to prevent dirt from dropping in — this should be kept as clean as possible.

Hidden inside the camera’s top plate is a pop-up fill flash that can be expelled with the push of a little button on the left side. While this is a nice feature, the hinge mechanism that holds the flash feels a little flimsy, and I’d hate for it to get caught on anything and snap off completely.

When you look at the side of the camera closest to the grip, you’ll notice a single button with a WiFi symbol that is used to enter the connectivity menu quickly.

There is a soft cover over the USB-C and HDMI micro ports, which is fantastic to see because USB-C can be used for charging on the move, and HDMI can be used to record to an external device.

On the other side of the camera, there is a switch to activate the flash, and below that is another covering that conceals the Mic port, which is essential for using external microphones.

There are two camera strap lugs on the Canon G7X, which allows you to attach a neck strap instead of merely using the standard fragile wrist-strap pass-through lug seen on several small cameras.

The battery and memory card slots are both accessible through a lockable door located at the bottom of the camera’s body. While the base is made of rigid plastic, there is a metal screw attachment on the side for installation on a tripod.

Handling

The Canon G7X is a high-end compact camera, and as such, it has to be both comfortable and straightforward to use when taking photographs.

Furthermore, a camera of this sort must be small and portable, so the user is constantly tempted to carry it wherever they go.

Fortunately, thanks to its small size, the G7X checks off all of the boxes, making it an excellent camera for folks who want to toss it in their usual purse or back pocket without thinking about it. For vloggers, the fact that you can handhold this camera without using an additional grip or gimble means you will feel zero fatigue.

All of the controls on the camera are easily accessible and give a pleasant amount of positive feedback to let you know when you have achieved your goal. For example, the Command Dial and the Exposure Compensation dial have a positive tactile feel, are well-defined, and offer clicky feedback as you spin them.

The front lens ring also offers a satisfying clicky reaction and, depending on your shooting mode may be used to adjust parameters like zoom, aperture, and shutter speed, among others. Moreover, it has a rapid control option for making quick modifications.

G7X users can choose between using the rear panel buttons or their fingers to review the menus and configuration options. In this scenario, I like the touchscreen since it allows me to see what I’m picking and receive an immediate reaction from my taps.

The Canon menu system is straightforward to navigate and relatively intuitive. Therefore, it would be ideal for someone new to photography or videography or for those switching from an intelligent device and wanting to feel at ease.

The ability to see information on the screen is beneficial, especially for individuals new to shooting with a digital camera—each turn of the command dial results in an on-screen message or symbol explaining the selected mode.

When you move to Auto mode, for example, an icon appears on the screen that, when clicked, reveals the Creative Assist menu.

There are several choices in this menu – Presets, Background Blur, Contrast, Saturation, Color Tones, and Monochrome – and each may be altered individually. In other words, even in “auto” mode, you have several options and creative freedom.

Another outstanding feature is the option to push the play button, which turns on the camera and displays the image or video you most recently saw.

Furthermore, the touch screen may be utilized to set focus locations and activate the shutter when necessary.

Overall, the Canon Powershot G7X is a well-designed, user-friendly camera that incorporates appropriate ergonomics for a small camera of this caliber.

More: Best Canon Point and Shoot Camera | Best Point and Shoot Camera | Best Point and Shoot Camera for Travel | Best Budget Vlogging Camera

Performance

Regarding video-focusing performance, it must be noted that the Canon G7X Mark III is a touch lacking right out of the box – notably in low light and when subject tracking is enabled in video mode.

On the other hand, Canon recognized the problem and made steps to produce and distribute a firmware upgrade before the end of 2019.

This has resulted in adding a new set of focus settings and significant improvements in subject acquisition and face tracking. However, it is still not up to the standards that should be expected from a camera of this grade and price range in low-light circumstances.

When taking images in low light, the on-screen focus squares automatically picked by the camera would land on strange objects. This was especially true when shooting in low light. It was common for me to frame the composition with prominent foreground subjects, and then the focus selection would hop to the background – however, this was not an issue with better light.

Both in video and stills modes, the Canon works admirably in favorable lighting settings, with quick focusing in both ways.

It is a good feature of the G7X Mark III that, owing to the inclusion of a touch screen focusing mechanism, you can pick your focus point and take a picture right from the camera’s rear screen.

There was a substantial latency after taking the photo for the image preview to display and disappearing before you could take another shot, which was visible after the trial. However, using the picture preview switched off; I could quickly choose a focus point with one touch and then fire the shutter with the next touch without any delays.

It would be convenient to fast-tap the screen to skip the image preview and immediately take another shot.

Image Quality

In addition to JPEG, the Canon Powershot G7X offers the option to shoot in RAW and compressed RAW, as well as in RAW and compressed RAW.

In-camera RAW to JPEG conversion is a critical tool that enables you to rapidly transfer your altered photographs to your smart device for posting on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

JPEG photographs are colorful, contrasty, and crisp. However, RAW files provide sufficient freedom for those who like to play a little in an image editor to achieve the desired results.

Given the small sensor size, you shouldn’t expect to be able to extract a great deal of detail from highlights and shadows in the RAW files, but this is to be anticipated from a compact camera.

With that in mind, we can easily see why the G7X Mark III is such a popular camera in this price range due to its excellent image quality.

Video Quality

The Canon G7X Mark III is explicitly designed for vlogging and live broadcasting on the internet.

The camera produces excellent video quality in 4K at 30p with no crop and Full HD resolutions. There’s also a Full HD at 120p setting for creating entertaining cinematic slow motion – accessible through a dedicated video record button on the camera.

Transferring your movie straight to a service such as YouTube is a relatively straightforward process that anybody can do. The film may be transferred to your computer using the video saved on your memory card — this allows you to modify the clip before uploading it.

That same movie (as well as photographs) may be transferred from the camera to your smartphone via the Canon Camera Connect app, which can then be uploaded to YouTube.

As previously said, once you have completed the setup procedure, connecting the camera to a network is as simple as pressing the connection button on the camera’s side.

Regarding functionality, the Canon G7X’s ability to live stream directly to YouTube is one of the most impressive. What appears absurd is that the Canon handbook with the camera does not provide instructions on accomplishing this.

You’ll need a few essentials to get started, the first of which is a YouTube account configured for live streaming and a reliable WiFi connection with enough bandwidth to enable HD multimedia streaming.

The following step is to create a Canon Image Gateway account, which you may learn more about by visiting the Canon website. Afterward, you may configure your services by pressing the connect button on the camera’s side.

To complete the procedure, follow the on-screen instructions and those on the Canon Image Gateway website.

A few steps are required here, but all you have to do is look for a YouTube lesson on the subject, and you’ll be good. Once you’ve set it up the first time, the procedure of live streaming is straightforward from thereon.

While the integrated microphone on the G7X is rather excellent, you can supplement it with an external microphone by connecting it to the microphone connector on the side of the camera. However, because there is no attachment point on the camera, you’ll need to acquire a special bracket to place the microphone correctly.

Overall Performance

In terms of performance, the Canon G7X is a strong performer, mainly when the firmware update fixes some of the focusing difficulties. It would have been difficult to suggest it over other cameras in the same class if it didn’t have it.

Thanks to the connectivity features and the Canon Connect app, you can instantly connect to your preferred device and share your images on your favorite social networking sites. The built-in WiFi and Bluetooth allow you to connect to your select device and share your pictures on your favorite social networking sites.

A natural learning curve to understand the control dial and truly broaden your shooting expertise is provided by this camera, which is simple to use.

And this is a critically significant function of today’s digital cameras. Using Aperture Priority or Manual modes shouldn’t be restricted to only those knowledgeable about photography.

In this day and age of technological advancement, cameras should do more to assist beginner photographers in exploring all the process has to offer – it should be encouraging rather than intimidating.

One of the performance difficulties customers have reported is that the camera tends to overheat when used. However, I did not encounter any of these concerns throughout the period that I was using the camera in question.

Because it has such a small and compact chassis, I would anticipate that the camera will quickly grow heated when handled and recorded.

The Canon G7X starts swiftly and responds promptly to command movements with the buttons and touch screen. This means that having this camera in your regular carry bag allows you to whip it out and shoot away quickly.

Canon PowerShot G7 X III Specifications

Body type	Compact
Sensor
Max resolution	5472 x 3648
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 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 8
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
White balance presets	6
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Optical
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, normal
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3)Raw (Canon CR3)
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-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace 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″)
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	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/2000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/25600 sec
Exposure modes	ProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityManual
Scene modes	Self PortraitPortraitPanningStar PortraitStar NightscapeStar TrailsStar Time-Lapse MovieHandheld Night SceneHigh Dynamic RangeFireworksStandard MovieShort ClipManual MovieTime-Lapse MovieiFrame Movie
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash Range	7.00 m
External flash	No
Flash modes	Auto, on, slow synchro, off
Drive modes	SingleContinuousSelf-timer
Continuous drive	30.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 120 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 120 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I compatible)
Connectivity
USB	USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec)
USB charging	Yes
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone or wireless remote)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	NB-13L lithium-ion battery and charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	235
Weight (inc. batteries)	304 g (0.67 lb / 10.72 oz)
Dimensions	105 x 61 x 41 mm (4.13 x 2.4 x 1.61″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Conclusion

Canon has targeted two groups with this camera: those wishing to transition from their innovative smartphone to a “real” camera and those interested in vlogging and generating online video content for YouTube and other platforms.

The good news is that a long-overdue firmware update resolved some terrible focusing difficulties observed with video — the camera’s most compelling selling feature.

The Canon G7X Mark III is an excellent choice for photographers looking for a camera with a solid body, amazing stills and video performance, and some very innovative connection capabilities.

Beyond those who want to start vlogging or upload videos to YouTube, the G7X would be a good choice for tourists or those who want a convenient everyday camera for documenting family events and memories.

This stylish modern camera is comfortable and straightforward, despite a few dubious design decisions.

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III FAQs