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G7 X impression after two weeks shooting

Started Nov 11, 2014 | User reviews thread
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Robert Fraik New Member • Posts: 4
G7 X impression after two weeks shooting
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I have been a Canon fan for many years and have owned about 12 Canon cameras so far. I have a 5D Mk III which is a fantastic camera but not always the best for traveling light. Also have a SX50-HS which has been a surprisingly good travel camera with its 50X zoom capability, superb image stabilization and RAW output. On a recent 6 week family trip to 14 national parks, I took the 5D and my wife primarily used the SX50. My arm is still recovering after 7,000 photos. We shoot far more stills than video.

Got the G7 X as a grab-and-go camera for an up coming trip to Australia. I considered the Sony RX100 III, which has been the class leader for pocket 1 inch sensor cameras. I chose the G7 X mainly because of my familiarity with Canon menus and settings making very easy for me to start shooting. Also didn't care for the newly shortened focal length of the latest RX100. I had the chance to use a Sony RX100 II for a short time, which took great pictures but was awkward feeling for me. The new III model has the benefit of a new EVF but has a shorter maximum focal length of 70mm, less than the previous RX100's.

The Canon G7 X lacks an EVF, which so far has not been a big problem for me. The Canon's screen is a touch screen which adds some new capabilities, at least for me. Touch to set focus area is familiar to anyone with an iPhone and works well. The touch shutter function is not as successful in my opinion. Touch functions can be disabled. Unrelated, I have tried the shoot on smile function which works well in lieu of a remote shutter.

The G7 X is capable of excellent pictures but does take some time to get familiar with to achieve good results. It has a very fast f1.8-2.8 24-100mm equivalent lens with extremely good Canon image stabilization.

What I don't like about the G7 X is the battery life, autofocus and RAW burst / shot-to-shot speed. Other reviews discuss the poor battery life. I was able to shoot 230 photos (RAW) with lots of chimping and no video with a full battery before getting a low battery indicator. I have purchased a second battery, just under $51.

At first I found the autofocus performance slow and inaccurate. I have gotten use to using the touch screen to select focus area. AF can get lost occasionally, has not caused me to want to return the camera. After time with the camera now and pleased with most photos.

Shooting RAW has some issues. Shot-to-shot times can push a second or more, making exposure bracketing in RAW unusable. Overall FPS performance is poor in RAW. It will shot around 10fps in continuous drive mode when set to L and Super Fine JPEG output.

Messed with the iPhone app a little. It works but is uninspired. Useful for getting into the shot and downloading photos.

All that said, I still prefer the G7 X over the Sony RX100, which for me has its own set of issues. If you think a 1" sensor cameras is going to allow you to leave your DSLR at home, think again. It's really hard to appreciate a $700-$800 camera after using something as nice as a Canon or Nikon DSLR!

I have posted some sample images on Flickr

 Robert Fraik's gear list:Robert Fraik's gear list
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Canon PowerShot G7 X Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon EF-S 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM +5 more
Canon PowerShot G7 X
20 megapixels • 3 screen • 24 – 100 mm (4.2×)
Announced: Sep 15, 2014
Robert Fraik's score
4.0
Average community score
4.4
bad for good for
Kids / pets
acceptable
Action / sports
acceptable
Landscapes / scenery
good
Portraits
great
Low light (without flash)
good
Flash photography (social)
okay
Studio / still life
acceptable
= community average
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