Brief Review of the Canon Powershot G7X

[motionstills]

Nice comprehensive review there, was comparing G7X to RX100 MkIII, I feel more natural with G7X's UI, e.g. exposure compensation is so easily accessible with the dedicated dial right on top together with the mode dial...awesome!

 

[mexican88]

I am sorry that it don't work the way you would have like your camera. I like the lens ring, it is not wayyyy too stiff for me and felt that it was designed to feel that way, clicky... it work for someone, it don't works for other. As for movie mode, I don't use the movie digest mode at all, so I cannot comment on that. But I would really like to hear which other camera has a movie digest mode that is not laggy so that we can do side by side comparison.

As for whether you like or hate the way a camera handles it is very subjective and so not really relevant here. You hate how the camera handle doesn't equate to the camera's handling is bad, it is just that it don't handle as you like them, but to many, it is fine, or excellent or even better than other competitors.

(Edit: test a bit on the movie digest mode. I don't see the lagging thing you speaks of. You take the camera up, you point to your subject, you press the shutter button, and thats it. It took little less than 1 sec to record, because it is recording a still image as well as a short clip. Of course you are not going to get an instantaneous result. So I would say, it is an unreasonable expectation here.)

My old Canon S100 had no signs of lag at all when using movie digest mode. But then again, the movie digest mode of the S100 couldn't record in HD

and of course, I hate the way the G7X handles, but that's just me.. Some people like to drive sporty stiff suspension cars, some people like to cruise peacefully in a rolls royce lol

 

[rhino123]

My old Canon S100 had no signs of lag at all when using movie digest mode. But then again, the movie digest mode of the S100 couldn't record in HD

and of course, I hate the way the G7X handles, but that's just me.. Some people like to drive sporty stiff suspension cars, some people like to cruise peacefully in a rolls royce lol

Frankly speaking, I still don't understand what you mean by lag. I didn't experience it with my set. If by lag, you mean it take a long time to record the image and movie into your card, then I would again say, it is expected, because you are recording a short clip + still image into your card. Of course it is gonna take a while. And like what you say, it is taking HD clip and not a low format clip, plus the image had more resolution and a bigger file size as compared to your old S100, so obviously it is gonna take a while... plus that awhile is not really that long. I tried my G7X briefly... I don't think it will go pass 1 sec.

So again, I think that is an unreasonable expectation.

 

[rhino123]

Nice comprehensive review there, was comparing G7X to RX100 MkIII, I feel more natural with G7X's UI, e.g. exposure compensation is so easily accessible with the dedicated dial right on top together with the mode dial...awesome!

Thank you. I find the G7X an excellent camera there. Of course it is by no mean perfect but price wise, and all other nitpicking out of the way, this camera can go a long way.

 

[mexican88]

well, my only comment is that one shouldn't just read the reviews and see the end results and then buy the cam... Can always visit courts megastore where the camera can be test driven and then decide.

when they put the G7X next to the S120 and the G1X even, and then you play with all their focus rings, I think the difference is stark. I don't mind the slight lag (compared to S100) for the movie digest mode.. But I (personally) mind big time that the focus ring felt so stiff, like it's screwed on so tightly that it felt tiring to even think about using it. asked the salesman if there is something wrong with the particular copy on display, but he said nope, it's really THAT stiff for all copies!

hope canon can smoothen it, give it that nice silky smooth feeling used in the S120/G1X in future iterations (G7X mII or G8X or G7Y?)

 

[rhino123]

well, my only comment is that one shouldn't just read the reviews and see the end results and then buy the cam... Can always visit courts megastore where the camera can be test driven and then decide.

Good advise. Why don't you mention your insight in all other reviews?

 

[mexican88]

I paid particular attention to this camera only because I was so close to buying it, having done extensive research, getting heavily intoxicated by poison, already prepared to spend $799 that day, only to have 1 major stumbling block from actually parting my cash: the stiffness of the lens ring.

There might be people who wouldn't care, there might be people who wouldn't use the lens ring. But I do, which is why I hope canon will loosen the tension in the next iteration.

I'm not even a pro photographer, just a casual shooter who owned no less than 5 canon PnS, including the Ixus 75, S90, S100, amongst them. My opinion may be considered by some, but not to others and that's fine. Like I said, the lens ring is too stiff for me, and that's MY honest opinion. Now, if I had been interested in any other cameras I'd definitely give my 2c worth as well.

 

[rhino123]

I paid particular attention to this camera only because I was so close to buying it, having done extensive research, getting heavily intoxicated by poison, already prepared to spend $799 that day, only to have 1 major stumbling block from actually parting my cash: the stiffness of the lens ring.

There might be people who wouldn't care, there might be people who wouldn't use the lens ring. But I do, which is why I hope canon will loosen the tension in the next iteration.

I'm not even a pro photographer, just a casual shooter who owned no less than 5 canon PnS, including the Ixus 75, S90, S100, amongst them. My opinion may be considered by some, but not to others and that's fine. Like I said, the lens ring is too stiff for me, and that's MY honest opinion. Now, if I had been interested in any other cameras I'd definitely give my 2c worth as well.

Nearly bought this camera, thank goodness I went to play with it and discovered it's not for me. The lens ring is waaayyyyyy to stiff, fills almost as if it's stuck, and the real draw for the camera for me is the movie digest mode, which unfortunately in this camera, is wayyyy too laggy.

No doubt the image quality is good from what I've seen so far.. But the handling plays a huge part in choosing a camera too.. and I hate the way it handles.

I really do not want to do this, but, seriously that is a very fast change in opinion.

Look at the sentense in bold and that is what you have written. The real draw for the camera is the movie digest mode which is wayyy too laggy. And when asked to provide a camera that had less laggy feature, you say S100... which is unreasonable... why? the file size for S100 is smaller than G7X... which include the short movie clip and the still photo.

Then suddenly you mentioned that the movie digest mode is just a slight lag? Inconsistence here. And suddenly from wayyyy too laggy to don't mind it having slight lagging. See the problem here.

Then you keep saying the wheel is too stiff. Well, I respect that, and I tell you it is not in my opinion. The point here is, personal feel of the tightness of something is... well personal, it is difficult to quantify and justify. By putting that down immediately into a review site will cause confusion and mislead someone into thinking that it really is too tight. But in actual fact, it might just be tight to a small collective of people.

I would normally choose to put only things that I can quantify in a review, like image quality and general built of the camera. And it is kind of silly to come in and immediately piss on something with your own personal feel, like the wheel is too tight, the function is wayyyy too laggy, I don't like how it handles and stuff like that. Sure, you are entitled to your own preference, you may like how other brands camera felt, that is beside the point, the point is this is a review of a camera, it contain some technical information, picture quality, ISO noise performance. I try not to put in things that I cannot quantify into it and let the readers make their own decision, instead of trying to steer them to and from this camera. Let the reader try this camera up in the shop and stuff like that.

Finally, we do have another thread where you can lump your opinions in,

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1446791

Lets keep this thread clean. You can ask questions on this cameras that you are not sure about, I will do my best to answer them. Other than that, let it rest.

 

[rhino123]

In summary,

Look like, many people are interested in comparing this camera to the more expensive Sony RX100III. I did not have the RX100III, played with it only for short period of time. My take is, the overall IQ of RX100III is better than the G7X. It is sharper (this has been detailed in the thread I have mentioned before).

The key point of the G7X is that, it is small, as small as the RX100III (only slightly taller) and if you have big and deep pocket, you can put it in with no issues. It has good AF speed, slightly faster than the RX100III as mentioned in some reviews, I have not really have the chance to test that out, but I believe they should be about the same.

The G7X also had a wider focal range as compared to the G7X, whether you need that range or not, is totally up to the person... for example, almost 90% of my shots are done using the widest angle of the camera only, that is my shooting style.

Also it is significantly cheaper as compared to the Sony RX100III, as for Sony RX100II (if you can find one), it had a faster lens and newer technology.

I will not comment on the look of the camera, somebody like it, somebody hated it... so it is very personal and not quantifiable.

So... who was this camera for?

1) Those who already own the RX100 series of camera, I am really not seeing why anyone would ditch their Sony and go to Canon... unless their Sony died on them and they need a replacement.
2) Those on a budget who need a good, big sensor compact camera, this is an alternative you can choose from.
3) Those who main purpose with the camera is to shoot still. It really is not impressive with movie mode, for movie mode, I would go for Sony RX100III.

I wish this clear some air around here.

 

[BunGee]

I just picked up a Canon G7 X following their recent price drop (S$665 street price, incl. GST) and the RX100 III was a close contender (RX100 IV too expensive and G9 X sounds like a step backwards). Just wanted to add that what edged me over to the G7 X was the better zoom and---this one is important for me---the better ergonomics of the G7 X. Don't need Sony's EVF and Canon's touch screen is a nice-to-have but both these compacts are not light and having the extra thumb grip on the G7 X made a world of difference. The RX100 III is a slippery little devil and Canon seems to have taken previous ergonomics feedback seriously. Oh, I've also learnt how to shoot overhead photos with the G7 X tilt screen by holding the camera upset down
And FWIW, the G7 X lens ring is indeed stiffer than my old Canon S95 but honestly, anyone complaining it's way too stiff either has a defective unit or needs a better diet and exercise.