The perfect pocket camera for those who own a DSLR or similar.

First, this camera is not the best choice if it will be your only camera.  Everyone has a cellphone these days, and the photos they take are excellent in most cases.  There are even apps that allow you to manually control your cellphone's shutter speed and ISO.  So for many of us, the cellphone is our go-to device for casual photos here and there.

But the G9X is far more capable than any cellphone and can get photos in many diffrerent situations that a camera phone won't.  Plus, the larger sensor (about the size of your thumbnail, whereas the smart phone's sensor is about half the size of your pinky nail) means you can get shots in lower light that the phone would fail at getting.

So, why did I buy the G9X, rather than the models with more features?  I chose it for two reasons:  price and the fact that I own a DSLR.

If you already own an enthusiast/professional mirrorless (like Canon's M-series or Sony's A6000 series) or a crop/full frame DSLR, then you have something that can far exceed any point and shoot.  If you are looking at point and shoots, you are likely thinking about portability if, like me, you;re tired of hauling a bunch of gear on day trips and family vacations.  If you want a point and shoot with a much faster lens, a movable screen, etc., then you're probably going to be turned off by their size and thickness.  They might not comfortably fit in your pocket.

The G9X will fit in any pocket.  That's what makes it so enjoyable.  It is extremely small for what it can do and is solid as a rock.  I wore jeans on a field trip with my students and had no problem putting the camera in my pocket.  It even fit in the same pocket as my iPhone.  Not bad at all.

My only issue was having to get used to using a touch screen on a camera.  It seems like it would be automatic since I've been using an iPhone for five years, but I'm not used to it yet.

Sometimes I'll push the menu button, and then will struggle as I try to figure out how to scroll through the menus.  About the time my frustration level is up, I realize I need only click through the menus to activate functions.  Silly me.  That said, I'm happy with the thickness and height, but would actually prefer it to be half an inch longer so that more dials and buttons could be put on it and behind it.  The camera is smaller than it needs to be, in my opinion, but it's hard to complain about something that is so easy to carry.

And keep in mind that it's only a third the price of the most expensive in this class, the SOny RX100 mark iv.

If all you will own is a compact, then spend a bit more and get more features. But if you already have something big and want a true pocket camera with extremely advanced abilities, then this sub-400 dollar camera is worth every penny.