Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Review

April 29, 2014 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is a new premium compact camera with a large CMOS image sensor and a fast lens. The metal-bodied G1 X Mark II has a 1.5-type multi-aspect sensor, a 5x f/2.0-3.9 lens zoom lens, full manual controls, shooting mode dial, 3-inch tilting LCD touchscreen with 1,040K dots, built-in flash and a flash hot shoe, DIGIC 6 processor, wi-fi and NFC connectivity, ISO range of 100-12800, full HD movie recording, 14-bit RAW image capture, 31 AF points, focus peaking function, and dual lens control rings. The Canon Powershot G1 X Mark II is available in black priced at £799 / €949 / $799.99.

Ease of Use

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II tested in this review was kindly provided by CameraWorld, a real camera shop helping you to make the most of your hobby. Our expert team has many years experience within the photographic trade with knowledge gained over 40 years. Many are photographers themselves and enjoy passing their knowledge on. You'll also find our online service fast, efficient and courteous and you can always call us if you want to talk to a human being! We are dedicated to bringing you the very best in service, choice and price. We're very easy to find, our London store is just off Oxford Street between Oxford Circus station and Tottenham Court Road station. The Essex shop is located in High Chelmer Shopping Centre, just off the High Street in Chelmsford. Visit us and you'll always find a friendly welcome. Our policy is to serve our customers as we would like to be served ourselves, a simple ideal that we try hard to live up to.

Measuring 116.3 x 74.0 x 66.2 mm and weighing 558g including the battery and memory card, the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is slightly smaller and lighter than the original G1 X model that it replaces. Featuring a stainless steel chassis and all aluminium metal exterior with a solid feel and tank-like construction, the G1 X Mark II feels very well made indeed. The control layout has been changed quite a lot since the previous model, with external controls that offer just the right amount of stiffness and resistance and are large enough to be easily and quickly accessed in the heat of the action. The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II won't easily fit into a trouser or shirt pocket, being much more at home in a deep coat pocket or a small camera bag.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II features a large multi-aspect, 15 megapixel CMOS sensor that captures images either in the 3:2 aspect ratio at 12.8 megapixels or the 4:3 ratio at 13.1 megapixels whilst maintaining the same angle of view. Measuring 18.7mm x 14mm, it's almost the same height as the APS-C sensor used in many DSLR cameras. This should add up to better image quality especially in low-light, greater depth-of-field, and greater dynamic range, all the things that your typical compact cameras struggles to deliver.

Disappointingly the original G1 X's exposure compensation dial has been removed from this new model, replaced instead by a position on the rear control pad, as is the ISO speed, which makes choosing these key settings a slower 3-stage process. The G1 X's optical viewfinder has also bitten the dust too - instead you can choose to purchase the optional and rather pricey EVF-DC1 electronic viewfinder, a snip at £250 / $300. Another grumble is that, annoyingly for such a creatively rich camera, the full user guide is still provided on CD only. In what comes across as a cursory gesture, only a very slim printed quick start guide is included in the box.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II unassuming-looking front plate is dominated by the bulbous 5x zoom lens, with a bulb for the built-in self-timer/AF assist lamp flanking them on the left. Note that there's no thread included for fitting filters. The G1 X Mark II has also lost the original model's very useful front control dial, as featured on EOS DSLR cameras, which made changing the aperture and full Manual shooting mode very easy.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Front

Rear

Instead you now use a combination of the new dual control rings and the rear navigation wheel to change the aperture and shutter speed, each of which can be configured to suit your particular way of working, and impressively for each of the PASM shooting modes. The smooth, clickless front Continuous ring can only be assigned to AV, TV or Exposure Compensation, though, with the larger, clicking rear Step dial having more settings available. The Continuous ring also provides the additional ability to make fine adjustments when manually focusing and can be used to fine-tune the focus distance after AF is achieved. The third main configurable control is the navigation wheel on the rear, which we found to be a bit too thin to use precisely.

The left-hand side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II when viewed lens on now has a much more pronounced hand-grip than the original model, a big improvement that makes it more easier to steady the camera, and there's a similarly textured small pad at the back for your right thumb to rest on. Curiously, there are actually two editions of the G1 X Mark II, one with the large grip that is only available in Europe, Middle East and Africa and which we have reviewed, and one with a smaller grip that is available in the rest of the world, where you can optionally purchase the larger GR-DC1A custom grip.

From left to right the G1 X Mark II's top-plate houses the new folding pop-up flash, with a switch on the side for manually releasing it, along with a hotshoe for an accessory flash (in addition to the built-in bulb), the playback button, a springy raised nipple-style shutter release button surrounded by a rocker switch for operating the optically stabilised 5x zoom (24-120mm equivalent on a 35mm camera), and behind this again the small, recessed on/off button. The fact that the lens is image stabilised, says Canon, provides a four-stop advantage when shooting handheld, while the Intelligent IS system analyses the focal length, focal distance and type of camera movement and applies the most appropriate mode from seven possible settings, and the Hybrid IS system makes shooting macros easier than before by counteracting both shift and angular movements.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is quick to power up in a second or so, the rear LCD blinking into life with the 5x optical zoom lens simultaneously extending from storage within the body to its maximum wide-angle setting. It now starts at the equivalent of 24mm, making it very useful for those landscapes group portraits or getting the required shot in confined spaces. The G1 X Mark II also has much brighter apertures of f/2 at the wide-angle end of the zoom range and f/3.9 at full telephoto, a big improvement on its predecessor, plus a 9-blade aperture for better bokeh effects. As a further aid to landscape fans, a 3-stop neutral density filter option is provided among the function menu options, to be turned on or off as required, and the horizontal Electronic Level and RGB histogram can be enabled to help with composition and exposure.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Side Front

The G1 X Mark II also has a much improved continuous shooting mode, which in conjunction with Tracking AF makes it well-suited to both slow and fast moving subjects. The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II can capture an unlimited number of full-resolution JPEG shots at 5.2fps with the focus point locked at the first frame, or you can shoot continuously at 3fps with AF tracking, again up to the full capacity of the memory card in JPEG format.

The shooting mode dial features settings for Auto capture, Hybrid Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority and Manual, along with two user customisable settings, a smattering of scene modes (15 in all), Creative Effects and Creative Shot modes, and finally a video mode. The Canon PowerShot can shoot 1080p HD video quality at 1920x1080 pixels at 30fps. The G1 X Mark II also boasts stereo sound courtesy of tiny microphones positioned either side of the Play button and you can use the creative filters during recording to spice up your footage, and the 5x optical zoom can be used when filming.

The Creative Filters shooting mode contains 10 different options to help spice up your images. The High Dynamic Range mode is probably the most useful, automatically taking three exposures of the same scene at different settings, then combining them in-camera to create a single image with greater dynamic range. Note that you need to mount the G1 X Mark II on a tripod or stable surface to avoid camera-shake.

We appreciated the flexibility presented by the tilting LCD screen in terms of trying out unusual and formerly awkward framing. It can be titled forward through 180° for easier selfies and backwards through 45° in order to shoot over the heads of a crowd. The LCD has also been upgraded to a 3 inch monitor with a higher resolution of 1040K dots, although sadly it can't also be rotated about its axis or folded screen-in to the body for added protection, as on the original G1 X.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Top Flip-out LCD Screen

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II has a touch focus/shoot option which is on by default. To switch it off, change the Touch Shutter option in the main menu. This then becomes a touch focus screen which will lock onto the subject whereever you touched, with a press of the Display button centering the AF point. In playback the touchscreen can be used to change the magnification of an image by spreading and pinching two fingers, and switch between images by swiping from side to side, just like on a smartphone. You can also adjust the LCD's touch sensitivity to your liking with Standard and High settings available.

Top-right of the LCD is a new button for quickly connecting to a previously paired smartphone or tablet, rather strangely positioned adjoining the rear thumb-grip. The G1 X Mark II's wi-fi capabilities allow you to share images during playback via the Up button on the navigation pad. Simply enter a nickname for the camera and five more icons then appear, connecting the G1 X Mark II to another camera, a smartphone, a computer, a printer and the internet respectively. Setup is relatively straight-forward for each scenario, although you'll need a basic understanding of the protocols involved. Note that you need to install the dedicated and free Canon CameraWindow app to connect the G1 X Mark II to an iOS or Android device.

The G1 X Mark II's wi-fi functionality is also employed to tag your images with GPS data recorded by your smartphone ( latitude, longitude, altitude and shooting time) via the Canon CameraWindow app, which effectively replaces a more coventional built-in GPS system. We actually prefer having GPS built-in to the camera rather than having to sync it with an additional device, so in this regard the G1 X Mark II doesn't compare well with rivals that offer this feature, although it does side-step the issue of negatively affecting battery life. The G1 X Mk II also features NFC (Near Field Communication) technology (the same technology that's used for mobile payments), which allows you to connect it to a compatible internet enabled device or another NFC-enabled camera by simply tapping them together.

Underneath is the one-touch movie record button, which as its name suggests instantly begins recording a movie at the current quality and creative settings, and then the direct print button that more helpfully doubles up in shooting mode as a user assignable shortcut key to the likes of red-eye reduction or auto exposure lock. The MF button quickly toggles manual focusing on and off and doubles up as the Delete button, with a button alongside for setting the position and size of the AF point during shooting and for image search during playback. The G1 X Mark II focuses quickly enough for a compact camera in either good light or bad and at both ends of the zoom range , with a slight delay of around 0.25 second, but it's certainly not as fast as a DSLR or the best of the compact system cameras.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

Underneath this pair of controls is the four-way selection or control pad, with, at points north, east, south and west a means of selecting the exposure compensation (+/-2EV), choosing from the on-board flash settings, setting the ISO speed (the handy Auto ISO feature allows the maximum ISO speed to be set, therefore specifying what ISO range the G1 X Mark II will use if you leave it up to its own devices), and activating normal or 5cm macro focus modes. At its centre is the Function/Set button that is again consistent with the Canon G-series. Press this button at its centre when in any of the capture modes and an L-shaped toolbar that will be familiar to Canon users appears on the screen, offering pull out toolbars with further options from the range when you come to rest on a particular setting.

At the bottom right hand corner of the backplate are a further pairing of buttons for the Display options and accessing the main menu. A press of the Menu button brings up a trio of folders on screen, the first the Shooting menu where the likes of the AF assist beam and blink detection modes can be turned on or off, the second the Setup menu where sound options and LCD brightness can be tweaked, and the third being a 'My Menu' option for commonly used functions.

On the right hand flank of the camera - viewed from the back - we find covered ports for HDMI out, an optional remote shutter release cable plus combined USB 2.0/AV out connection. On the bottom is a familiar metal screw thread for a tripod, and a sliding cover for the compartment that houses the lithium-ion battery needed for power and the SD, SDHC or SDXC cards needed for image storage. Battery life is about the same as the previous model, at around 240 shots from a full charge, so you'll need to budget for at least one spare battery.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 13.1 megapixel SuperFine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5Mb.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II produces images of very good quality. It recorded noise-free images at ISO 10-800, with some noise at ISO 1600. ISO 3200 and 6400 show more obvious noise but still remain perfectly usable, and even the fastest setting of ISO 12800 doesn't suffer too badly.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II handled chromatic aberrations well, with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations and generally at the edges of the frame. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall exposure, although there's noticeable vignetting at 24mm. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 60 seconds being long enough for most after-dark shots.

Anti-shake works very well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. Macro performance is good, allowing you to focus as close as 5cm away from the subject. The images were a little soft straight out of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting.

The extensive range of My Color modes and Creative Filters make it easy to spice up your images, while the Dynamic Range and Shadow Correction modes help to etract more detail from the shadow and highlight areas.

Noise

There are 8 ISO settings available on the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW formats.

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg

Focal Range

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II's 5x zoom lens offers a fairly versatile focal range, as illustrated by these examples:

24mm

120mm

focal_range1.jpg focal_range2.jpg

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft at the default sharpening setting. You can change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default look.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

Chromatic Aberrations

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II handled chromatic aberrations well during the review, with fairly limited purple fringing present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the examples below.

Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations 2 (100% Crop)

chromatic1.jpg chromatic2.jpg

Macro

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II has a good macro mode that allows you to focus on a subject that is 5cm away from the camera. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro

Macro (100% Crop)

macro1.jpg macro1a.jpg

Flash

The flash settings on the Canon Powershot G1 X Mark II are Auto, On, Auto Red-eye Reduction, Slow Synchro and Off. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (24mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (24mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Flash Off - Telephoto (120mm)

Flash On - Telephoto (120mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Flash On or the Red-eye-Reduction settings caused any red-eye.

Flash On

Flash On (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg
   

Red-eye Reduction

Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Canon Powershot G1 X Mark II's maximum shutter speed is 60 seconds, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 15 seconds at ISO 100. I've included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Anti Shake

The Canon Powershot G1 X Mark II has an anti-shake mechanism, which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, we took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with anti shake turned off, the second with it turned on.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length Anti-Shake Off (100% Crop) Anti-Shake On (100% Crop)
1/40th sec / 24mm antishake1.jpg antishake1a.jpg
     
1/13th sec / 120mm antishake2.jpg antishake2a.jpg

Dynamic Range Correction

The Dynamic Range Correction mode automatically takes three exposures of the same scene at different settings, then combines them in-camera to create a single image with greater dynamic range. Note that you need to mount the G1 X Mark II on a tripod or stable surface to avoid camera-shake.

Off

Auto

dr_off.jpg dr_auto.jpg
   

200%

400%

dr_200.jpg dr_400.jpg

Shadow Correction

The Shadow Correction mode improves the shadow areas of the image without impacting on the highlights.

Off

Auto

sc_off.jpg sc_auto.jpg

My Colors

The My Colors function menu option contains a range of colour options for tweaking the look of your images before shooting.

Off

Vivid

my_colors_01.jpg my_colors_02.jpg
   

Neutral

Sepia

my_colors_03.jpg my_colors_04.jpg
   

B/W

Positive Film

my_colors_05.jpg my_colors_06.jpg
   

Lighter Skin Tone

Darker Skin Tone

my_colors_07.jpg my_colors_08.jpg
   

Vivid Blue

Vivid Green

my_colors_09.jpg my_colors_10.jpg
   

Vivid Red

 
my_colors_11.jpg  

Creative Filters

The Creative Filters shooting mode contains 10 different options to help spice up your images.

Off

High Dynamic Range

effects_01.jpg effects_02.jpg
   

Nostalgic

Fish-Eye Effect

effects_03.jpg effects_04.jpg
   

Miniature Effect

Toy Camera Effect

effects_05.jpg effects_06.jpg
   

Background Defocus

Soft Focus

effects_07.jpg effects_08.jpg
   

Monochrome

Super Vivid

effects_09.jpg effects_10.jpg
   

Poster Effect

 
effects_11.jpg  

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera, which were all taken using the 13.1 megapixel SuperFine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Canon RAW (CR2) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 58.6Mb in size.

Product Images

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Front of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Front of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II / Lens Extended

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Front of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II / Pop-up Flash

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Rear of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II

Rear of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II / Image Displayed

 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Rear of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II / Turned On
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Rear of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II / Function Menu
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Rear of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II / Main Menu
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Tilting LCD Screen
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Tilting LCD Screen
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Tilting LCD Screen
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Top of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Bottom of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Side of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Front of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Front of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Memory Card Slot
 
Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II
Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is a smaller, lighter and more full-featured update of the original G1 X camera that we enthusiastically reviewed way back in February 2012, with the faster, longer lens, improved AF system, wi-fi/NFC connectivity and dual lens control rings in particular making the upgrade worthwhile. The original camera's exposure compensation dial, vari-angle LCD screen and optical viewfinder have all been removed, though, so it's not all good news, but with its large image sensor, the Canon Powershot G1 X Mark II remains one of the few compact cameras that can deliver almost-DSLR-like levels of control over depth of field.

The G1 X Mark II's image quality is excellent for a compact camera thanks to the large sensor that lies at its heart, although we did notice more noise appearing slightly earlier in the ISO range than on the original model. Still, if you've ever wanted DSLR-like pictures from a fixed-lens camera, then look no further than the G1 X Mark II, with its fast f/2-3.9 lens creating very nice bokeh at both ends of the versatile zoom range when shooting wide-open. Sure, it still can't match a DSLR or an APS-C equipped compact system camera at the higher ISO speeds, but ISO 100-1600 is eminently usable with 3200 as a backup, not something that you can say about many compacts.

In terms of build quality and handling, the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II gets most things right, offering a reassuringly rugged metal chassis and a plethora of customisable controls, including the innovative dual lens control rings, while the tilting touchscreen LCD, folding pop-up flash and 31-point AF system are great features. While we didn't miss the original model's small and murky optical viewfinder, asking £250 / $300 for the optional EVF-DC1 electronic viewfinder may prove to be a stretch too far for most people interested in the already expensive G1 X Mark II.

Although it lacks a few things that we liked about its predecessor, the new Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II offers more than enough improvements to earn the same Highly Recommended award, even though the price-tag has crept inexorably upwards in Europe and the UK...

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II tested in this review was kindly provided by CameraWorld, a real camera shop helping you to make the most of your hobby. Our expert team has many years experience within the photographic trade with knowledge gained over 40 years. Many are photographers themselves and enjoy passing their knowledge on. You'll also find our online service fast, efficient and courteous and you can always call us if you want to talk to a human being! We are dedicated to bringing you the very best in service, choice and price. We're very easy to find, our London store is just off Oxford Street between Oxford Circus station and Tottenham Court Road station. The Essex shop is located in High Chelmer Shopping Centre, just off the High Street in Chelmsford. Visit us and you'll always find a friendly welcome. Our policy is to serve our customers as we would like to be served ourselves, a simple ideal that we try hard to live up to.

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4
Features 5
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 3

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II.

Canon PowerShot G16

The Canon PowerShot G16 is a premium compact camera aimed at the serious enthusiast. The new Canon G16 principally adds wi-fi connectivity, a faster processor and some new shooting modes to last year's G15 model. Is this enough for the Canon G-series to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded market? Read our Canon PowerShot G16 review to find out...

Fujifilm X20

The Fujifilm X20 is a brand new premium compact camera with a large 2/3-type 12 megapixel sensor and a fast 4x optical zoom lens. Boasting impeccable build-quality, intuitive handling and a long-list of photographer-friendly features, is the Fujifilm X20 the ultimate pocket camera for the avid photographer? Read our Fujifilm X20 review, complete with full-size sample JPEG and raw images, videos and more to find out...

Fujifilm XQ1

The Fujifilm XQ1 is a premium compact camera available at a price that won't break the bank. Offering a large 12 megapixel 2/3-type sensor, fast 4x optical zoom lens, high-res 3-inch screen, 12fps burst shooting, wi-fi and 1080p movie recording at 60fps, the new XQ1 seemingly has all the bases covered. Read our Fujifilm XQ1 review now to find out if it can beat the Sony Cyber-shot RX100, complete with full-size sample JPEG and raw images, videos and more...

Nikon Coolpix P7800

The Nikon Coolpix P7800 is a brand new premium compact camera for the keen enthusiast. The P7800 principally adds an electronic viewfinder to last year's P7700 model - is this enough to compete with the likes of the Canon PowerShot G16? Read our expert Nikon P7800 review now, complete with full-size JPEG and RAW sample images.

Olympus XZ-2

The new Olympus XZ-2 is a serious compact that's aimed at the enthusiast and professional user looking for a small yet capable camera. A 12 megapixel 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor, fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, high-res 3-inch tilting touch-screen LCD, and a full range of manual shooting modes should be enough to grab your attention. Read our expert Olympus XZ-2 review, complete with full-size JPEG, RAW and movie samples.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 is the latest premium compact camera hoping to find a place in a professional photographer's pocket. With the fastest lens of any compact to date, the LX7 also offers an improved 10 megapixel sensor, full 1080p HD movies and an even better control system than the previous LX5 model. Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 review with sample JPEG, RAW and video files now.

Pentax MX-1

The Pentax MX-1 joins the growing list of premium compact cameras aimed at advanced users. Offering a large 1/1.7" 12 megapixel sensor, fast f/1.8 4x zoom lens, tilting 3-inch LCD screen and an appealingly retro design, does the Pentax MX1 offer enough to compete in this increasingly competitive market? Read our detailed Pentax MX-1 review to find out...

Samsung EX2F

The Samsung EX2F is a new pocket camera for serious photographers, sporting a super-bright f/1.4, 3.3x zoom lens, sensible 12 megapixel sensor and a swivelling 3 inch AMOLED screen. 1080p video, RAW shooting, ISO 80-12800, 10fps burst shooting, image stabilisation and full manual controls complete the EX2F's star attractions. Read our Samsung EX2F review to find out if this is the advanced compact camera for you...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II

Last year's RX100 premium compact camera proved to be a runaway success for Sony - can the new Mark II version improve on the original? Read our expert Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II review to find out...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II from around the web.

digitalversus.com »

There aren’t many expert compacts out there that boast both a zoom lens and a sensor bigger than 1/1.7". In fact, you can count them on just one hand: there’s the Sony RX100 and RX100 Mk II (1"), the Fujifilm X20 (2/3"), the Leica X Vario (APS-C), the Canon G1 X and the G1 X Mark II (1.5"). Canon’s new and improved version of the G1 X keeps the 14-Megapixel CMOS sensor seen in its predecessor but gets a faster (f/2-3.9) and more powerful (5x zoom, 24-120 mm) lens with an integrated lens cap, as well as two customisable control rings around the lens barrel, a new-gen Digic 6 image processor, a tilting touchscreen, a reworked interface, Wi-Fi and NFC. The optical viewfinder has also been ditched in favour of an optional electronic viewfinder accessory. Canon has clearly gone to town with its new expert compact, and that’s reflected in its ambitious price tag, as this PowerShot sells at a similar price to certain advanced DSLMs and mid-range DSLRs. Canon has no room for slip-ups here then!
Read the full review »

pcmag.com »

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II ($799.99) is a camera that doesn't fit snugly into any specific category, which makes it interesting, if a bit difficult to evaluate. Its 1.5-inch image sensor is larger than you'll find in a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, but a bit smaller than the APS-C chip found in SLRs and the Leica X Vario zoom, which it's similar to in terms of design, but with a lens that's physically deeper. But even with its collapsible lens, the 12.9-megapixel G1 X Mark II is a bit too bulky to fit into a pants pocket, which makes it less portable than our favorite premium zooming compact, our Editors' Choice Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. The RX100 II keeps its place atop the heap in part due to ergonomics—the G1 X Mark II is a little awkward to hold and use—and in part because, even though its sensor is smaller, it holds its own in terms of image quality. But the Canon isn't a disappointment like the original G1 X, so it's worth a look if you're considering a large-sensor compact camera.
Read the full review »

Specifications

IMAGE SENSOR

Type 1.5 type (18.7 mm x 14.0 mm) Canon high-sensitivity CMOS
Effective Pixels Approx. 12.8M (Aspect ratio: 3:2)
Approx. 13.1M (Aspect ratio: 4:3)
Aspect Ratio Multi-aspect Sensor - 3:2 (default), 4:3
Colour Filter Type Primary Colour

IMAGE PROCESSOR

Type DIGIC 6 with iSAPS technology

LENS

Focal Length 12.5 – 62.5 mm (35 mm equivalent: 24 – 120 mm)
Zoom Optical 5x
ZoomPlus 10x
Digital Approx. 4x (with Digital Tele-Converter Approx. 1.6x or 2.0x¹).
Combined Approx. 20x
Maximum f/number f/2.0-f/3.9
Construction 14 elements in 11 groups (1 double sided aspherical UA lens and 2 double-sided aspherical lenses)
Image Stabilisation Yes (lens shift-type), approx. 3.5-stop¹. Intelligent IS with 5-axis Enhanced Dynamic IS

FOCUSING

Type TTL
AF System/ Points AiAF (31-point, Face Detection or Touch AF with Object and Face Select and Track), 1-point AF (any position is available or fixed centre)
AF Modes Single, Continuous, Servo AF/AE¹, Touch AF
AF Point Selection Size (Normal, Small)
AF Lock Yes, via customisable buttons
AF Assist Beam Yes
Manual Focus Yes, plus MF Peaking & AF + MF
Focus Bracketing Yes
Closest Focusing Distance 5 cm (W) from front of lens in macro

EXPOSURE CONTROL

Metering modes Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame), Centre-weighted average, Spot (centre or linked to Face Detection AF or AF frame)
AE Lock Yes, via customisable buttons
Exposure Compensation +/- 3 EV in 1/3 stop increments
Manual and automatic dynamic range correction
Automatic shadow correction
ND Filter (3 stop)
AEB 1/3 – 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments
ISO sensitivity AUTO, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500, 3200, 4000, 5000, 6400, 8000, 10000, 12800

SHUTTER

Speed 1 – 1/4000 sec. (factory default)
60 – 1/4000 sec. (total range – varies by shooting mode)

WHITE BALANCE

Type TTL
Settings Auto (including Face Detection WB), Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom 1, Custom 2
Multi-area WB correction available in Smart Auto
White Balance Compensation
White Balance Compensation in Underwater mode
Colour adjustment in Star Mode

COLOUR MATRIX

Type sRGB

VIEWFINDER

Viewfinder Optional Electronic Viewfinder EVF-DC1

LCD MONITOR

Monitor Tilt type 7.5 cm (3.0”) sRGB PureColor II Touchscreen LCD (TFT). 3:2 aspect ratio. Approx. 1,040,000 dots. In-cell capacitive type
Coverage Approx. 100%
Brightness Adjustable to one of five levels. Quick-bright LCD

FLASH

Modes Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro
Slow Sync Speed Yes.
Fastest speed:
1/2000 sec. (built-in flash)
1/250 sec. (external flash)
1/4000 sec. (external using high-speed synchro)
Red-Eye Reduction Yes
Flash Exposure Compensation +/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments. Face Detection FE, Safety FE, Smart Flash Exposure
Flash Exposure Lock Yes
Manual Power Adjustment 3 levels with internal flash (up to 19 levels with external EX Speedlites 270EX II and 430EX II. 22 levels with 580EX II, 600EX and 600EX-RT¹)
Second Curtain Synchronisation Yes
Built-in Flash Range 50 cm – 6.8 m (W) / 50 cm - 3.5 m (T)
External Flash E-TTL with EX series Speedlites¹

SHOOTING

Modes Smart Auto (58 scenes detected), Program AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Custom 1, Custom 2, Hybrid Auto, Auto, Creative Shot, SCN (Portrait, Smart Shutter (Smile, Wink Self-Timer, FaceSelf-Timer), Star (Star Nightscape, Star Trails, Star Portrait, Star Time-Lapse Movie), Handheld Night Scene, Underwater, Snow, Fireworks), Creative Filters (High Dynamic Range, Nostalgic, Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Background Defocus, Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect), Movie
Modes in Movie Smart Auto (21 scenes detected), Standard, Program AE, Portrait, Nostalgic, Miniature Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Underwater, Snow, Fireworks, iFrame Movie
Photo Effects My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color)
Drive modes Single, Auto Drive, Continuous, Continuous with AF, Self-Timer
Continuous Shooting Approx. 5.2 shots/sec until memory card becomes full¹
with AF: Approx. 3.0 shots/sec
with Live View: Approx. 3.1 shots/sec
(all speeds are until memory card becomes full)²³

RECORDING PIXELS / COMPRESSION

Image Size 3:2 - (RAW, L) 4352 x 2904, (M1) 3072 x 2048, (M2) 2048 x 1368, (S) 640 x 424
4:3 - (RAW, L) 4160 x 3120, (M1) 3072 x 2304, (M2) 2048 x 1536, (S) 640 x 480
16:9 - (RAW, L) 4352 x 2248, (M1) 3072 x 1728, (M2) 1920 x 1080, (S) 640 x 360
1:1 - (RAW, L) 3120 x 3120, (M1) 2304 x 2304, (M2) 1536 x 1536, (S) 480 x 480
4:5 - (RAW, L) 2496 x 3120, (M1) 1840 x 2304, (M2) 1232 x 1536, (S) 384 x 480
Resize in playback (M2, S)
Compression RAW, Superfine, Fine
Movies (Full HD) 1920 x 1080, 30 fps (HD) 1280 x 720, 30 fps, (L) 640 x 480, 30 fps
Star Time-Lapse Movie (Full HD) 30, 15 fps
Miniature Effect (HD, L) 6fps, 3fps, 1.5 fps
Hybrid Auto (HD) 30 fps
iFrame Movie (Full HD) 30fps
Movie Length (Full HD & HD) Up to 4 GB or 29 min. 59 sec.¹
(L and M) Up to 4 GB or 1 hour²
(Star Time-Lapse Movie) Up to 32 sec

FILE TYPES

Still Image Type JPEG compression (Exif 2.3 [Exif Print] compliant) / Design rule for Camera File system and DPOF ver. 1.1 compliant), RAW (14bit, Canon original RAW 2nd edition), RAW+JPEG
Movies MP4 [Video: MPEG4-AVC (H.264), Audio: MPEG2 AAC-LC (stereo)]
iFrame

DIRECT PRINT

Canon Printers Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers and Canon Inkjet Printers supporting PictBridge
PictBridge Yes (via USB or Wireless LAN)

OTHER FEATURES

GPS GPS via mobile (linked to compatible smartphone)
Red-Eye Correction Yes, during shooting and playback
My Camera / My Menu My Menu customisation available
My Category Image tagging feature
Intelligent Orientation Sensor Yes
Histogram Yes, live histogram
Playback zoom Approx. 2x – 10x
Self Timer Approx. 2 or 10 sec., Custom
Menu Languages English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Chinese (traditional), Japanese, Korean, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Farsi, Hindi, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Hebrew

INTERFACE

Computer Hi-Speed USB (MTP, PTP) dedicated connector (Mini-B compatible)
Other HDMI Micro Connector (HDMI-CEC compatible) A/V output (PAL/NTSC)
Computer/Other Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11b/g/n), (2.4 GHz only), with NFC support¹

MEMORY CARD

Type SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS Speed Class 1 compatible)

SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEM

PC & Macintosh Windows 8 / 8.1 / 7 SP1 / Vista SP2 / XP SP3
Mac OS X 10.7, 10.8, 10.9
For Wi-Fi connection to a PC:
Windows 8 / 8.1 / 7 SP1 only
Mac OS X 10.7 / 10.8.2 or later / 10.9

SOFTWARE

Browsing & Printing ImageBrowser EX
Other CameraWindow, PhotoStitch, Map Utility
Image Manipulation Digital Photo Professional for RAW development

POWER SOURCE

Batteries Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NB-12L (NB-12L battery and charger supplied)
Battery life Approx. 240 shots
Eco mode approx. 300 shots
Approx. 300 min. playback
A/C Power Supply Optional, AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC100

ACCESSORIES

Cases / Straps Soft Case DCC-1820
PowerShot Neck Strap NS-100
Waterproof / Weatherproof Case Waterproof Case (40m) WP-DC53
Waterproof Case Weight WW-DC1
Lenses Lens Hood LH-DC80
Filter Adapter FA-DC58E (Compatible with Canon 58mm Filters: Circular Polarizing Filter PL-C B, Neutral Density Filters ND4-L & ND8-L, Protect Filter, UV Filter, Skylight Filter, Softmat Filter No.1 & 2)
Flash Canon Speedlites (including 270EX II, 320EX, 430EX II, 580EX II, 600EX, 600EX-RT¹)
Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2, Off-Camera Shoe Cord OC-E3, Bracket BKT-DC1, Speedlite Bracket SB-E2
Remote Controller/ Switch Remote Switch RS-60E3
Power Supply & Battery Chargers AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC100, Battery Charger CB-2LGE
Other Electronic Viewfinder EVF-DC1
(0.48 type), 4:3 aspect ratio, Approx. 2,360,000 dots, 100% coverage
Canon AV cable AVC-DC400ST
Interface cable IFC-400PCU

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Operating Environment 0 – 40 °C, 10 – 90% humidity
Dimensions (WxHxD) 116.3 x 74.0 x 66.2 mm
Weight Approx. 558 g (including battery/batteries and memory card)
   
Zoom ¹ Depending on the image size selected.
Image Stabilisation ¹ Values at maximum optical focal length. Cameras whose focal length exceeds 350mm (35mm equivalent) are measured at 350mm.
AF Modes ¹ Some settings limit availability.
Manual Power Adjustment ¹ Not all functions of the flash are supported.
External Flash ¹ Not all functions of the flash are supported.
Continuous Shooting ¹ Sustained continuous shooting function requires compatible SDHC/SDXC UHS Speed Class 1 memory card, total number of frames captured varies depending on shooting subject.
² Under conditions where the flash does not fire.
³ Depending on memory card speed / capacity / compression setting.
Movie Length ¹ The following Speed Class memory cards are required for maximum record time: (HD) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 4 or above. (Full HD) 1920 x 1080 Speed Class 6 or above. (iFrame) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 6 or above.
² Depending on memory card speed / capacity / compression setting.
Computer/Other ¹ Wi-Fi use may be restricted in certain countries or regions. Wi-Fi support varies by device and region. For more information visit www.canon-europe.com/wirelesscompacts
Flash ¹ Not all functions of the flash are supported.

Your Comments

Loading comments…