Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - The Canon PowerShot G7 X is the manufacturer's answer to the new breed of pocketable compacts enabled with larger sensors

Product Overview

Overall rating:

91%

Canon PowerShot G7 X

Features:90%
Design:95%
Performance:90%
Value:90%
Image Quality:90%

Pros:

  • Excellent LCD touchscreen; Great image quality; Premium design; Good focal range

Cons:

  • AF system not the best; Lacking a hotshoe

Product:

Canon PowerShot G7 X Review

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£579.00
The Canon PowerShot G7 X is one of the most popular advanced compacts on the market, but how does it match up against its senior stablemate – the G1 X Mark II? Find out in our Canon PowerShot G7 X vs Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II

There’s been a great deal of pressure exerted on the compact camera market in recent times. Due to the continued march forward of the compact system camera the need for high image quality is more pressing that ever before, while the advancement of the smartphone has seen the lower level of compacts struggle to stand out.

As a result of this pressure, we’re now seeing some truly impressive advanced compacts breaking new ground in terms of their specifications.

Even the previously high-end and high-demand Canon PowerShot range is having to evolve to stand out. The PowerShot G7 X is the perfect example of that, as it is the first Canon compact to feature a 1in sensor and therefore lining up squarely in competition with Sony’s popular RX100 series.

Whether or not it manages to meet the performance of Sony’s RX100 series, and the latest RX100 III in particular, remains to be seen.

Canon’s PowerShot range of advanced compacts has proved incredibly popular over the past few years, and the all new PowerShot G7 X looks set to continue this trend. We caught up with Canon ahead of the launch to get the lowdown on the latest addition.

Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - front view

Canon PowerShot G7 X front view

Canon PowerShot G7 X Review – Features

As you might expect for a compact with firm aspirations towards the advanced end of the market, the Canon PowerShot G7 X boasts some impressive features and specifications.

For example, the G7 X incorporates Canon HS sensitivity system and the manufacturer’s latest DIGIC 6 processor. This combination manages a reasonable continuous shooting rate of 6.5fps which, although certainly not slow, is some what slower than the 10fps offered by the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III.

Although it might not be as fast, it does offer an impressive burst depth of up to nearly 700 frames. This frame rate does however drop down to 4.4fps should you decide to enable the continuous focusing functionality offered by the 31-point focus area.

The real talking point of the new camera, however, is the large sensor. The 1in, 20.2MP CMOS chip is nearly three times the size of that seen in the PowerShot G16, and as mentioned previously is the same physical size as that found in the RX100 III.

The sensor offers an ISO range between 125 and 12,800, which in itself should be more usable due to its larger physical size.

As you might expect from a new advanced compact, the G7 X comes complete with a host of connectivity. This includes both Wi-fi and NFC connections, allowing for the camera to be easily paired with either smartphone or tablet and then backup or upload images on the go.

Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - rear screen

Canon PowerShot G7 X rear screen

Tiltable LCD

The rear of the camera, meanwhile, sits an impressive LCD screen. The 3in, 1.04-million dot screen is both vari-angle and touchscreen meaning you can make all your adjustments to shooting settings and the like quickly and simply.

The high specification continues with the G7 X’s lens. The 4.2x zoom covers a focal range of 24-120mm in 35mm equivalent terms, although arguably its most eye-catching feature is the fast f/1.8-2.8 aperture combined with optical image stabilisation.

What this means in real terms is that you should be capable of capturing sharp images hand held in lower light conditions. It also allows for a shallower depth of field throughout the focal range, and thus is well suited to portraits.

This flexibility in terms of creativity is also aided by the presence of a built-in ND filter, perfect for shooting at the camera’s maximum aperture in bright light or for slower shutter speeds in daylight conditions.

The G7 X is certainly no slouch in the video capture department either, delivering Full HD video capture at 60p and complete with stereo audio recording, adjustable shutter speed control, manual aperture control and manual focus control.

  1. 1. Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - Features
  2. 2. Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - Design
  3. 3. Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - Performance
  4. 4. Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - Image Quality
  5. 5. Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - Verdict
  6. 6. Canon PowerShot G7 X Review - First Look
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