Received my Canon G9X - Initial Thoughts
Oct 24, 2015
10
I received my Canon G9X today from Amazon and I have some initial thoughts.
I have owned the Canon S120 and Canon G7X. I don't currently have either one, so I can't directly compare them side by side. However it does seem like a good cross between the two. S120 pocket-ability with G7X quality in low light.
1. The G9X is slim, but does seem "slightly" thicker than the S120. The textured grip is very comfortable. I like the overall feel in the hand. It also seems VERY light.
2. The lack of a back control dial/ring takes some getting used to. It seems very strange at first just navigating around the menus. You have to change your thinking and use it more like an iPhone or other smartphone. I really wished it had a back control dial. However...
3. Canon has done a good job with the new interface making it much more touch screen friendly. There are several "one" touch buttons on the screoen to change functions with a single press. It really is easy to change Aperture/shutter, exposure comp, ISO, lock exposure, and more. For example...
4. With one touch on the back screen you can switch the dial around the lens to exposure comp. One more touch and it's back to your preferred setting for the dial. You can also just tap the exposure comp or ISO on the screen and then it brings up a larger graphic and you can then change it with the dial around the lens. All in all, it takes getting used to, but it's really not that bad.
5. You can use both the dial around the lens and the zoom lever to navigate around the menus. There is still a "set" button. So you can actually navigate around menus without touching the screen if you want.
6. The Movie button has a ring or "lip" around it which makes it slightly harder to press than the other buttons. I assume this is to make it harder to accidentally press. It's still not as hard to press as my Sony A6000. I would just prefer to leave it alone without the lip around it, but this is a personal preference.
7. The video quality seems good and I don't hear strange auto focusing noises like I always heard with the G7X. Also, the audio quality seems very good. Maybe even better than G7X? But then again, I can't really compare them side by side, it might just be my imagination,
I haven't had it but a few hours, but I am happy with the image and video quality. I think it fulfills my goals of having G7X/RX100 quality, but in a smaller body. This is my backup camera to carry in my pocket and I will use it for both stils and short videos. I liked the S120, but was never happy with the image quality (especially in low light). The only thing I will have to get used to is the lack of a back dial. But with the changes Canon made to the touch screen menu, I think I will be able to handle it fine. I would rather have the small size than the control ring in the back (if I had to choose between the two).