Canon G9X vs. G7X, Sony RX100 M1, others

Strapped for cash and looking to pick up a 1" sensor cam that can outshoot my iPhone 6s. I was thinking of buying the Sony RX100 Mark1, which I've owned previously and thought well of. But the gets me into eBay and all that. So I looked at the G7X which looked good until I read some reviews that counted it poorer in the IQ dept than the RX100. Then I looked at the G9X which was considerably cheaper but has a lesser lens than the G7X, so I figured it would be worse. Some of the reviews speak highly of the G9, saying the IQ is pretty much the same as the G7 and ALSO pretty much the same as the first version of the RX100. My shooting is all over the place--travel, portrait, dog, art, general. No printing, but I might print if the quality was good enough. Been shooting a long time but by no means a "photographer," and certainly not a "good" photographer. Still, I see noise in images, stuff breaking up, unsharpness, bokeh, etc.

Need a little help with this, advice and consent, all that. Much appreciate any advice. Thanks all--

"So I looked at the G7X which looked good until I read some reviews that counted it poorer in the IQ dept than the RX100."

My experience with my G7X is it has slightly better IQ than my RX100II that I hardly ever use anymore.    Plus the RX100II image stabilization is less effective and at long zoom, the lens is a lot dimmer.

Thanks for this. Their must be some dispute but I'm pleased to hear that the IQ is close enough for there to be dispute. How do you compare the G7X and the G9X?

fbx wrote:

Strapped for cash and looking to pick up a 1" sensor cam that can outshoot my iPhone 6s. I was thinking of buying the Sony RX100 Mark1, which I've owned previously and thought well of. But the gets me into eBay and all that. So I looked at the G7X which looked good until I read some reviews that counted it poorer in the IQ dept than the RX100. Then I looked at the G9X which was considerably cheaper but has a lesser lens than the G7X, so I figured it would be worse. Some of the reviews speak highly of the G9, saying the IQ is pretty much the same as the G7 and ALSO pretty much the same as the first version of the RX100. My shooting is all over the place--travel, portrait, dog, art, general. No printing, but I might print if the quality was good enough. Been shooting a long time but by no means a "photographer," and certainly not a "good" photographer. Still, I see noise in images, stuff breaking up, unsharpness, bokeh, etc.

Need a little help with this, advice and consent, all that. Much appreciate any advice. Thanks all--

I have both the RX100 m1 (bought soon after it came out, in 2012) and the G7X, which I bought to replace the RX100. The G7X lens is much more ambitious, being both wider and brighter. This does mean that it's heavily compromised at the wide and, but so is the RX100 lens to a lesser extent (which doesn't get as wide). As already mentioned, the G7X has better image stabilisation. It also starts up quicker and I prefer the controls. It has WiFi, which the old RX100 m1 lacks (later RX100 models have it).

However, it also lacks the multi-frame features that you find in most Sony cameras, such as in-camera panorama, Hand-Held Twilight, etc, It's also a bit thicker and noticeably heavier. I shoot RAW, and it's annoying that the G7X has no buffer capacity for RAW shots, so you only get about 1 fps (the new G7X II fixes this) burst mode.

Oddly enough, apart from the Wi-Fi, the 2015 G7X feels like an older camera than the 2012 RX100 m1. It's heavy, well-built, but lacking in modern electronics.

IQ of G7X generally better than RX100M2...and more bokeh, longer reach, touch display. This isn't even a contest unless you need the hot shoe. Performance is very good unless you need fast continuous RAW. See many of the reviews from people coming from dSLR.

damian5000 wrote:

IQ of G7X generally better than RX100M2...and more bokeh, longer reach, touch display. This isn't even a contest unless you need the hot shoe. Performance is very good unless you need fast continuous RAW. See many of the reviews from people coming from dSLR.

Not longer reach than the RX100 m1 and m2. In essence, the G7X lens zoom is the superset of all the RX100 models while being, on average, brighter. But at the wide end, the image is heavily distorted and doesn't even cover the sensor, so after correction, it's not sharp:

G7X image at the widest end, no lens correction.

fbx wrote:

Strapped for cash and looking to pick up a 1" sensor cam that can outshoot my iPhone 6s. I was thinking of buying the Sony RX100 Mark1, which I've owned previously and thought well of. But the gets me into eBay and all that. So I looked at the G7X which looked good until I read some reviews that counted it poorer in the IQ dept than the RX100. Then I looked at the G9X which was considerably cheaper but has a lesser lens than the G7X, so I figured it would be worse. Some of the reviews speak highly of the G9, saying the IQ is pretty much the same as the G7 and ALSO pretty much the same as the first version of the RX100. My shooting is all over the place--travel, portrait, dog, art, general. No printing, but I might print if the quality was good enough. Been shooting a long time but by no means a "photographer," and certainly not a "good" photographer. Still, I see noise in images, stuff breaking up, unsharpness, bokeh, etc.

Need a little help with this, advice and consent, all that. Much appreciate any advice. Thanks all--

Sony Rx100 I is a slow lens

G7X and mii are fast 1.8 to 2.8 lens

G7X much better portrait colors for skin tone

G7X feels like a mechanical camera, Sony like electronic gadget

Zoom these cameras in and see which goes to 100mm and which goes to 70mm, and which starts at 24 and which starts at 28. IQ is a step up regardless of corrections... whether it's a significant step up in reach or IQ, that's debatable.

in terms of bokeh, a significant step up from either 100m1 or 100m2.

damian5000 wrote:

Zoom these cameras in and see which goes to 100mm and which goes to 70mm, and which starts at 24 and which starts at 28.

A good suggestion. Why don't you try it?

IQ is a step up regardless of corrections... whether it's a significant step up in reach or IQ, that's debatable.

in terms of bokeh, a significant step up from either 100m1 or 100m2.

I take it you haven't ever actually used an RX100 m1? It zooms from 28 to 100mm equiv. I should know -- I've owned one for almost four years. It's the m3/4 that go from 24-70 equiv.

The G7X lens distorts very badly at 24mm equiv, and that's why the sharpness suffers after correction. None of the RX100 models distort as badly at the wide end, which is why they don't suffer as much in the corners as the G7X.

I really try not to use 24 f1/8 with the G7X, as the IQ is so poor. I didn't need to do that with the RX100 (which, as I pointed out, doesn't zoom as wide). And, yes, the RX100 m1 lens is much slower at higher zoom than the G7X lens.

The R100 m3/4 have very little distortion at 24mm, which is why their IQ is markedly better at the wide end than the G7X. But their lenses only go out to 70 equiv, and are slightly slower on average.

So, as I said, the ambitious GX7 lens has the superset of the zoom range of all the RX100 models, and is also faster. That's great, but the price you pay for is poor corners at wide angles.

Thanks for the many replies. I'd like to narrow this to a comparison of the G7X and the G9X.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of both, and how does the IQ compare between the two? I gather that the G7X is much favored, but I'm curious if there's a lot of difference between the two in shooting and in product.

The advantage of the G9X is the very small size.   It truly is pocketable, like a Canon S110.

But to achieve the small size, there is less zoom range, the lens is less bright.  And the image quality is reduced.

If found this review informative

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_PowerShot_G9X/index.shtml

the same website also has a review of the G7X.

Digital Nigel wrote:

damian5000 wrote:

Zoom these cameras in and see which goes to 100mm and which goes to 70mm, and which starts at 24 and which starts at 28.

A good suggestion. Why don't you try it?

IQ is a step up regardless of corrections... whether it's a significant step up in reach or IQ, that's debatable.

in terms of bokeh, a significant step up from either 100m1 or 100m2.

I take it you haven't ever actually used an RX100 m1? It zooms from 28 to 100mm equiv. I should know -- I've owned one for almost four years. It's the m3/4 that go from 24-70 equiv.

The G7X lens distorts very badly at 24mm equiv, and that's why the sharpness suffers after correction. None of the RX100 models distort as badly at the wide end, which is why they don't suffer as much in the corners as the G7X.

I really try not to use 24 f1/8 with the G7X, as the IQ is so poor. I didn't need to do that with the RX100 (which, as I pointed out, doesn't zoom as wide). And, yes, the RX100 m1 lens is much slower at higher zoom than the G7X lens.

The R100 m3/4 have very little distortion at 24mm, which is why their IQ is markedly better at the wide end than the G7X. But their lenses only go out to 70 equiv, and are slightly slower on average.

So, as I said, the ambitious GX7 lens has the superset of the zoom range of all the RX100 models, and is also faster. That's great, but the price you pay for is poor corners at wide angles.

The IQ of g7x is also a step above either the M1 or M2, generally... I was quite surprised at the difference http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_PowerShot_G7X/outdoor_resolution.shtml

At f2.8, you may have a strong point there. I haven't seen a properly done comparison. At f4 they are of a different class when peeping.

fbx wrote:

Thanks for the many replies. I'd like to narrow this to a comparison of the G7X and the G9X.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of both, and how does the IQ compare between the two? I gather that the G7X is much favored, but I'm curious if there's a lot of difference between the two in shooting and in product.

IMO, the biggest difference is brightness. You'll have much more low light versatility with G7X when zooming. If you're generally shooting wide, then the gap narrows significantly (f1.8 v f2.0)... g7x has a wider view (24mm v 28mm). I carry mine in a soft case on my belt... generally no problem.

damian5000 wrote:

Digital Nigel wrote:

damian5000 wrote:

Zoom these cameras in and see which goes to 100mm and which goes to 70mm, and which starts at 24 and which starts at 28.

A good suggestion. Why don't you try it?

IQ is a step up regardless of corrections... whether it's a significant step up in reach or IQ, that's debatable.

in terms of bokeh, a significant step up from either 100m1 or 100m2.

I take it you haven't ever actually used an RX100 m1? It zooms from 28 to 100mm equiv. I should know -- I've owned one for almost four years. It's the m3/4 that go from 24-70 equiv.

The G7X lens distorts very badly at 24mm equiv, and that's why the sharpness suffers after correction. None of the RX100 models distort as badly at the wide end, which is why they don't suffer as much in the corners as the G7X.

I really try not to use 24 f1/8 with the G7X, as the IQ is so poor. I didn't need to do that with the RX100 (which, as I pointed out, doesn't zoom as wide). And, yes, the RX100 m1 lens is much slower at higher zoom than the G7X lens.

The R100 m3/4 have very little distortion at 24mm, which is why their IQ is markedly better at the wide end than the G7X. But their lenses only go out to 70 equiv, and are slightly slower on average.

So, as I said, the ambitious GX7 lens has the superset of the zoom range of all the RX100 models, and is also faster. That's great, but the price you pay for is poor corners at wide angles.

The IQ of g7x is also a step above either the M1 or M2, generally... I was quite surprised at the difference http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_PowerShot_G7X/outdoor_resolution.shtml

At f2.8, you may have a strong point there. I haven't seen a properly done comparison. At f4 they are of a different class when peeping.

The G7X lens weak spot is when wide open at 24mm. The quality, particularly in the corners, with the lens at f/1.8 is really poor. Once you stop the lens down, it's much better, but that nullifies most of the benefits of the fast lens. The RX100 lenses are more usable wide open.

dpr4bb wrote:

It's not that great at 28mm, either. I use mine essentially as a 35-100mm camera.

Is it too difficult for you to stop it down to f/4 or so?

Mine is also not great at 28mm and below, but very very close to my Rx100-2, and good enough I don't fear to use it below 35mm.

Hi,

No matter which camera you get, there is not a perfect one. Having used both m43 systems and older good Panasonic P&S cameras, I can assure you that the G7X that I have is one of the best compromises I have ever found.

The quality of the G7X can be easily found in flickr. For me this guy here has really mastered this camera achieving excellent results:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/big_rock/

If you are interested in the shortcomings of this little gem, you can read my review some months ago:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56854979

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56849984

If I were now for an 1" camera, I would look into:

1) the G7X mk2 as all around solution

2) the G9X for its great little size

3) the ZS100 for its long zoom combined with its small size.

Definitely not an RX100 because of lack of touchscreen and high cost.

Best regards