Canon G7 X- 1" Sensor, Aimed at the Sony RX100?
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Canon has announced a new point and shoot that should not be overlooked. The Canon G7 X is a slim, pocketable camera sporting a 1" sensor.
Significantly larger than your typical P&S sensors and able to provide much better low light performance. The Sony RX 100 shares the same sensor size and possibly even the same sensor(G7 X has a Sony sensor).Sony's RX 100 and now Mark II and Mark III have been selling well and receiving favorable reviews - we will compare the two in a moment.
Canon G7 X Specs
- 20.2MP 1" High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 6 Image Processor
- 4.2x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 IS Lens
- 24-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 3.0" 1,040k-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- High-Speed AF with 31 Focus Points
- Full HD Video Recording at 60p
- ISO 12,800 & 6.5 fps Continuous Shooting
- Control Ring, Dials & Built-In ND Filter
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
A pocketable camera with a fast lens f/1.8 to f/2.8 that includes a touchscreen, full HD video with neat manual control ring and an ND filter for shooting at those faster apertures in bright light- this seems like a YouTubers dream camera and the screen does flip up for selfie framing. Photo quality should be excellent as well. No word if the remote control/app can trigger videos or if this is for photos only? 
The current king of the large sensor compacts is the Sony RX 100 Mark III. On paper these two look very similar with the exception that the Sony offers a small popup viewfinder, The G7 X is LCD only. However, despite both having f/1.8-f/2.8 lenses the G7 X offers a much better aperture range through the zoom- as you zoom with the Sony you quickly hit that f/2.8 and the G7 X stays wider well past that point.
| Canon G7 X | Sony RX100 III | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 20.1MP 1" | 20.1MP 1" |
| Focal Length | 24-100 (4.2x) | 24-70 (2.9x) |
| Max Aperture | F1.8 - F2.8 | F1.8 - F2.8 |
| Number of Focus points | 31 | 25 |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | No | Yes - EVF |
| FPS | 6.5 | 10 |
| Video Resolutions | 1080p at 60fps | 1080p at 60fps(also offers 720p at 120fps) |
| Video Format | MPEG-4, H.264 | MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S |
| Battery Life | 210 | 320 |
| Weight | 304 g (0.67 lb / 10.72 oz) | 290 g (0.64 lb / 10.23 oz) |
| Price | $699 Amazon | B&H Video | $798 Amazon | B&H Video |
Battery life on these little compacts isn't great but charging is relatively quick and you bring along a spare battery or two.Buy the Canon G7 X if you want the range and the best low light performance at the longer end of the range. Touchscreen is a bonus. Buy the Sony RX 100 if you want a viewfinder and slow motion video.AND. . .If you don't mind carrying around a slightly larger camera- Panasonic has announced the LX100
Panasonic LX 100 - Pocketable Micro 4/3
The headline feature in the LX 100 is the Micro 4/3 sensor. The larger sensor offers a significant advantage in lower light at the expense of a slightly larger body but still smaller than the current crop of micro 4/3 cameras. You also have 4K video recording. 
Spec of the Panasonic LX 100
- 16.8MP 4/3" Multi-Aspect MOS Sensor
- Leica DC Vario-Summilux f/1.7-2.8 Lens
- 24-75mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 11 FPS
- 2,764k-Dot EVF
- 3.0" 921k-Dot Rear LCD Screen
- 4K Ultra HD Video at 30/24 fps in MP4
- Full HD Video at 60fps in MP4 or AVCHD
- Manual Control Rings and Dials
- Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- External Flash Included
Beyond the sensor your get excellent manual controls and 4K video recording(limited to 15 minutes) and a slightly faster lens. The Wifi does support photos and control of video too.
