Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II Review

Canon Powershot G7X Mark II, 1” type sensor is a very small and compact camera . This camera comes with a new DIGIC 7 image processor which enhances the look of the photos, especially those taken in the low light. This is an improved premium compact camera which unabashedly competes with the Sony RX100 series camera.

Camera Specification

Image Processor : DIGIC7 

Effective Pixels : 20.1 MP 

Sensor Size : 1.0 inch 

Lens : 4.2x zoom. 8.8mm to 36.8mm ( 24mm to 100mm equivalent of 35mm film) 

LCD : 3.0 tft screen with 1.04 million dots

ISO : 125 to 12800 in ⅓ stop increments 

Shutter speed : 1-1/2000s

Aperture : f/1.8 to f/11

Continuous Shooting : 8 shots per second. 

Shooting Modes : C, M, Av, Tv, P, Hybrid Auto, Scene, Movie and Full auto.

Shoots RAW: Yes 14bit RAW

Video : 1920x1080, 1280x720 and 640x480

Battery : NB-13L 

Number of images: 355 images / 265 Images ( Eco Mode / CIPA compliant mode )

Video recording time : 55m 

Wifi : Yes

NFC : Yes 

Camera specification speaks a lot, however we need to review the camera in real life scenarios to see how the camera performs. The feature that clearly caught my attention is that we can shoot RAW, with 8fps in both JPEG and RAW format. Canon also claims improved subject recognition and tracking. But in some instances, autofocus performance had few weak areas. 

The overall image quality has improved with the Digic 7 processor. The images are sharper and in high ISO, noise reduction also works well. We can see the results in a few test shots which you can see a little later. 

The new G7X MII’s body is improved and more comfortable to use, there is now a rubber grip in the front and the size of the camera is very compact. The only annoying thing is that the 3-inch touchscreen display sticks out a little. This camera lacks a built in viewfinder and doesn't have a hotshoe either. I.e. you cannot add additional flashes or better mics. 

The built in lens, delivers best in class performance. The images are sharp at f4 - f/8. Otherwise, we could see a little soft images, especially at the corners. The RAW images are way better i.e. it will not have the in camera corrections which it applied to JPEG images. This doesn't mean that the JPEGs are not good, they are good for most cases. The colours are great, and the sharpness was acceptable. 

The HD Video quality is fine, but a 4K would have been a great addition. There are no microphone ports or headphone ports which would have improved the audio of the videos with external mics. If you don't need 4K, then this will be a great asset. Those who want 4K should look elsewhere.

Sample Shots

Indoor, 8mm @ f/4 1/60 ISO 1250

Indoor, 15mm @ f/4 1/60 ISO 6400

Indoor, 8mm @ f/4 1/60 ISO 2000

Outdoor, 18mm @ f/2.8 1/500 ISO 125

Outdoor, 10mm @ f/2.8 1/640 ISO 125

Outdoor, 10mm @ f/2.8 1/500 ISO 125

Outdoor, 8mm @ f/2.8 1/400 ISO 125

Indoor, 11mm @ f/4 1/60 ISO 3200

Indoor, 19mm @ f/4 1/100 ISO 6400

Final Thoughts

This camera is a great compact shooter which can be used as a daily camera as well as an all rounder. Those who hate bulky and interchangeable SLRs would definitely love this camera and its output. It delivers great images with details as well as in great colours. The camera also supports RAW images with amazing feel to the buttons and dials. Flippy selfie screen is also an added advantage for those who are obsessed with selfies. Price point of this camera is approximately Rs. 40,000 which is nearly half the price of Sony RX 100 V. 

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Rahul Devakumar

Creative Media Studio

We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.