I've had the camera for about a month now and feel ready to review it.
First, and perhaps most important, this is a review of how well this camera meets my photographic goals. That's the only meaningful basis on which to compare cameras, in my experience. I don't personally care if camera X is the perfect vlogging tool, for example, or is great for shooting sports. I do neither of these things.
Also, a bit of background: I own a Nikon DSLR and am reasonably happy with it. It's a mid-range amateur DSLR, and I'm a mid-range amateur. I shoot for my own enjoyment, and I rarely print what I shoot.
My reason for buying a new camera was not to replace my DSLR. I intend to continue to use it. But I have grown tired of lugging around a large camera when traveling. I find it takes too much focus away from experiencing the rest of life. I'm going to Europe this spring and wanted something lighter and smaller. Also, sometimes when I'm out and about, something catches my eye and I want to shoot it. The only camera usually with me was my iPhone, and I've grown quite frustrated with its limitations, particularly its dynamic range (or lack thereof). It also doesn't zoom, and crops from its photos look crappy.
So I wanted something:
1. SMALL and light
2. Able to take shots with excellent image quality and dynamic range so I could manipulate them in post-processing (which I love)
3. Able to take shots that could be cropped down afterward, since I'm a major cropper
4. Highly configurable and fun to use.
Basically, I wanted a mini-DSLR without the interchangeable lenses. The cameras I narrowed it down to were the Sony RX100 V, the Fujifilm X100F, and the Canon G1X III. The Sony had the size I wanted but not the ergonomics. The Fuji had the ergonomics and the image quality, and it was a strong contender. But the fixed-length lens and weird post-processing artifacts were detractors, and it felt a little too big.
So I went with the Canon. And after a month with it (yes, finally I'm getting to the review itself), here's my take, based on the above-mentioned goals. It's worth noting that I shoot RAW and do PP in Photoshop.
Small and Light
It's small enough, somewhere between the Sony RX100 V and the Fuji X100F. I carry it in my coat pocket or in my purse. I've taken it with me everywhere since I got it, and it hasn't been a burden. I've gotten shots I otherwise wouldn't have been able to get as a result, and that's huge. Would I like it to be smaller still? Yes, probably, though only if ergonomics remained good. Some day they'll make a fully capable camera the size of my iPhone. Until then, I'm happy with this.
Image Quality
The IQ from this camera is as good as my DSLR, for the most part, which is all I'd hoped for. Images are sharp. Shadows in high-contrast shots are easy enough to pull up in PP, and highlights can be turned down as needed. I take a lot of outdoor shots where this comes in particularly handy. The G1X does a great job of capturing the subtleties of clouds, of skies at dusk, of skin. That's really why I wanted the larger sensor.
I also take indoor shots and night shots with this camera, without a flash, and it performs very well. These are largely stills or portraits or people hanging out, so I can go down to some very slow shutter speeds. The image stabilization in this camera is excellent, the best I've yet seen, which makes those lower shutter speeds possible without a tripod.
I'll shoot at up to 6400, rarely going above that, and find the noise very manageable in PP. In order to stay at 6400 and below, if I'm in a very dark place I find it best to avoid zooming all the way in. I'm also not averse to a little noise, and this camera retains detail very well even at higher ISOs.
What I don't shoot is action scenes in low light or activity on a distant indoor stage. This camera would probably not be ideal for either of those things, though I haven't yet tried the flash.
I'm quite happy with the separation this camera produces, and the bokeh looks pleasing, not ragged. If I want tons of bokeh, I'll use my DSLR and F1.6 prime lens.
Cropping and zoom
I'm a major zoomer with my DSLR. I knew I'd have to give some of that up for a small camera with a big sensor. I like the 18-72 range of this lens well enough for most situations and find that it provides a decent degree of flexibility. With the 24-megapixel sensor, I've cropped shots way down to less than 25% of their original size, and the clarity remains sharp. I find this goes a long way to alleviate the limited zoom.
Configurability, ergonomics, and fun factor
I'm seriously impressed with this camera on all three of the above counts. I have average-sized hands for a woman, and the grip and controls on this camera feel terrific. There are lots of configurable physical dials so I can keep out of the menus for the most part, which is a huge plus. (I hate noodling in menus when I'm shooting.) I'm still customizing it for my needs, which is very easy to do. The "Quick" menu gives me access to most of what I need when I do have to move beyond the physical controls, and the touch screen makes it very easy to get around.
I also love the touchscreen focus. I look through the viewfinder most of the time (also excellent) and use my thumb to shift the focus. You can set part of the touch screen to be non-active when focusing, which alleviates problems with your nose touching the screen.
And the focus is zippy and dead-on accurate, even in low light. It beats my DSLR hands down on that score.
Love the silent shutter. This camera makes very little noise.
Canon has obviously given a ton of thought to how best to make shooting fun, and it shows in this camera. I've also gotten more comments on this camera than any other I've had. People want to hold it and try it. I find it much more attractive in person than in pictures for some reason.
Summary: Neither fish nor fowl
To sum up, the Canon G1X III is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. And that's interesting, because it doesn't seem to fit neatly into any category. It looks and shoots like a DSLR but doesn't have interchangeable lenses. It zooms but isn't a super-zoom. It has a large, capable sensor but to take full advantage of it in low light you need to avoid zooming. It's a compact but costs as much as some DSLRs. It's definitely a niche camera. I just happen to fit perfectly into that niche.
I'll keep my Nikon DSLR for long-distance shots, especially of wildlife; for closeups when I want heavy bokeh; and for the rare low-light action shot. But as a companion camera, the G1X III hits the sweet spot of an all-around, take-with-me-everywhere compact with DSLR quality.
Street lights at night. Approx. 20 percent crop. No noise reduction or sharpening.
Fog lights. No crop, no sharpening. Highlights lifted.
Lights at dusk. Focus on the blue light in the front. Slight crop.
