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Posts Tagged ‘PowerShot’

Canon unveils AI-powered automatic camera, the PowerShot PICK

01 Feb

Canon has launched a campaign on the Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake for an AI-powered camera, the PowerShot PICK. The campaign has proven to be highly successful, attracting nearly ¥100,000,000 in support. The goal was ¥1,000,000.

The experimental PowerShot PICK camera can analyze a scene, identify people, track their faces and then, using artificial intelligence, determine the ideal moment to capture a photo. In a rough translation, Canon refers to the PICK as an ‘automatic shooting camera.’ The PowerShot PICK combines Canon’s optical, video processing, and artificial intelligence technology.

In terms of design, the PowerShot PICK is a compact, modern-looking device. It has been designed to blend in, while Canon has also considered ways to give the PICK some character. You can also take the PICK with you when you leave the house, such as when going to a family gathering or an event. You can place the PICK on a tripod as well, and Canon is offering special Velbon tripods as part of the campaign.

The PowerShot PICK uses a 1/2.3-inch 12MP CMOS image sensor. The sensor is paired with a 19-57mm equivalent zoom lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8. The PICK includes built-in image stabilization. The PICK pans 170° in both directions and can tilt 110°. The PICK records to a microSD card and weighs a mere 170g. As you can see in the video above, the PICK is small, with a height of about 3.5″ (90mm) tall.

The Canon PowerShot PICK is a compact device. It has a 360° field of view and incorporates a 12MP image sensor. Image credit: Canon on Masuake

While the PICK is designed to take photos automatically in the background, which Canon believes will result in more authentic images and better mementos, the PowerShot PICK can also be manually controlled using keywords. A user says, ‘Hello PICK,’ followed by commands to take a photo, record video, change subjects and stop capturing.

The PICK will launch alongside a dedicated smartphone app, allowing you to view and share photos and videos captured by PICK. The app automatically recommends the best photos, although you can view all images.

The setup process promises to be easy. After pairing with your smartphone, which is required, you simply power on PICK and place it somewhere, depending on the situation. You could place it on a table at the center of a family meal, on a tripod near an event, on a bookshelf, etc. As mentioned, although PICK can operate automatically, it can be controlled using voice or by using the smartphone app.

The Canon PowerShot PICK is currently available only to backers on Makuake. The price for the PICK works out to just under $ 400. Given the campaign’s success, the only remaining units are for the PICK and charging cable. The tripod bundle has sold out. Canon intends to ship the PICK to backers this July. Canon hasn’t announced global or public release plans, so it’s unclear if the PowerShot PICK will be available outside of Japan. You can learn more about the PowerShot PICK by visiting Makuake.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Canon PowerShot Zoom fits in your pocket and zooms to 400mm

14 Oct

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Canon has just released the details on the PowerShot Zoom, an extremely compact digital monocular. Users can view scenes through an electronic viewfinder at switchable 100mm or 400mm focal lengths, and then digitally zoom to 800mm (all 35mm-equivalent).

Of course, a modest sensor and aperture make it possible to cram all that reach into your pocket, and the Zoom has a 1/3″ sensor capable of taking 12MP JPEG images (no Raw capture is supported) or 1080/30p video through the F5.6-6.3 lens. The ISO ranges from 100 to 3200, and we’d expect the Zoom to be best-suited for daytime use with plenty of light. There’s also optical image stabilization and AF tracking with face detection, and the Zoom will focus down to 1m (3.28ft) at 100mm and 4.5m (14.76ft) at 400mm.

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Given the stills and video specs, it’s not surprising that Canon is pitching the Zoom mostly as a ‘viewer,’ allowing users up-close and personal looks at wildlife, sports matches, live music or general travel use. However, a familiar PowerShot user interface and wireless connectivity do make it easy to send supertelephoto images to your phone for quick sharing. You can also save them to a MicroSD card.

On its built-in USB-C chargeable battery, the PowerShot Zoom will run for around 70 minutes as a viewer and capture around 150 images before running out of power. Movie clips top out at 9:59 before needing to restart a new clip. The PowerShot Zoom comes with no claims of environmental sealing.

The PowerShot Zoom will be available in November 2020 for $ 299 USD.

Press release:

Canon debuts the company’s first-ever, Compact Telephoto Monocular, the PowerShot ZOOM

MELVILLE, N.Y., October 14, 2020 –– Hiking, birdwatching and nature gazing, consumers are embracing the beauty of the outdoors this season and beyond. With this in mind, it is important to have a convenient and intuitive imaging tool to explore the world. Developed to showcase an impressive telephoto reach in a user friendly, compact design, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today launches the PowerShot ZOOM, the company’s first telephoto monocular.

The lightweight telephoto monocular sports 100mm, 400mm and 800mm telephoto viewing capability1 with a one-touch switch, and is equipped with impressive instant zoom capability to help users view distant subjects. Additionally, the monocular can capture images and videos to a micro SD card, and by pairing it with a compatible smart device2 and the Canon Camera Connect app3, these files can easily be downloaded. This pairing feature transforms the PowerShot ZOOM monocular into a friendly companion to compatible smartphones for viewing and capturing super-telephoto scenes.

“In today’s ever-changing world, consumers are looking for intuitive and portable imaging tools to view telephoto scenes up close and with ease,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of the Imaging Technologies & Communications Group of Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Built for those users who enjoy outdoor activities, the PowerShot ZOOM monocular delivers a small, compact viewer with a long focal length. We are eager to see how consumers use this tool and the convenience it will add to their daily lives.”

In addition to its zoom capability, compact size and ability to pair with compatible smartphones, the PowerShot ZOOM telephoto monocular also features:

  • Auto focus when viewing through the electronic viewfinder (EVF) and recording images and video with face tracking
  • Optical Image Stabilization for shake correction
  • 39 inches, 2.36 million dots EVF
  • 12-megapixel still-image capture
  • Full HD video capture up to 30p (29.97)
  • Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® connection with the Canon Camera Connect app and use of compatible mobile devices2
  • Live view and download of photos and videos with the use of the Canon Camera Connect app3
  • USB C terminal for charging and supplying power
  • Micro SD memory card slot

???Price & Availability

???????Available in white, the Canon PowerShot ZOOM compact telephoto monocular is scheduled to be available in late November 2020 for an estimated retail price of $ 299.99*. For more information, please visit usa.canon.com.

*Availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

1 35mm film equivalent focal length. Both 100mm and 400mm uses optical lens and 800mm uses 2x digital zoom.

2 Compatible with iOS® versions 12.4/13.7, Android™ smartphone and tablet versions 6.0/7.0/7.1/8.0/8.1/9.0/10. Data charges may apply with the download of the free Canon Camera Connect app.

3 This app helps enable you to upload images to social media services. Please note that image files may contain personally identifiable information that may implicate privacy laws. Canon disclaims and has no responsibility for your use of such images. Canon does not obtain, collect or use such images or any information included in such images through this app. Compatible with select smartphone and tablet devices (Android™ version 5.0 or later and the following iOS® devices: iPhone 4s or later, iPad 3rd gen. or later, iPod Touch 5th gen.or later) equipped with Bluetooth® version 4.1 or later and the Camera Connect App Ver. 2.7.10. This application is not guaranteed to operate on all listed devices, even if minimum requirements are met.

Canon PowerShot Zoom specifications

Price
MSRP $ 299
Body type
Body type Compact
Sensor
Max resolution 4000 x 3000
Image ratio w:h 4:3
Effective pixels 12 megapixels
Sensor size 1/3" (4.8 x 3.6 mm)
Sensor type CMOS
Image
Image stabilization Optical
Uncompressed format No
File format
  • JPEG
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.) 100–400 mm
Optical zoom 4×
Maximum aperture F5.6–6.3
Digital zoom Yes (2x)
Normal focus range 100 cm (39.37)
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD No
Viewfinder type Electronic
Videography features
Format MPEG-4, H.264
Modes
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p / 30 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone Stereo
Storage
Storage types MicroSD
Connectivity
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Wireless Built-In
Physical
Environmentally sealed No
Battery Built-in
Battery description 800 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery Life (CIPA) 150
Weight (inc. batteries) 145 g (0.32 lb / 5.11 oz)
Dimensions 33 x 51 x 103 mm (1.31 x 2 x 4.06)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hands-on with the the Canon PowerShot Zoom

14 Oct

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

From clunky concept mockup to final shipping product, the Canon PowerShot Zoom has been a long time coming. We first saw an early working sample at the CP+ show in Japan, last February. Back then it was a boxy, colorful camera with a simple button-driven interface, which evolved over the course of a year into a slimmer, subtler and much more rounded design, last seen at CES 2020. The final product looks a lot like that last concept, but with some subtle changes.

Read on to learn more about this unusual camera.

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

The PowerShot Zoom is a 12MP compact camera, which can capture stills (JPEG only) and video (Full HD up to 30p.)

Where the last working concept of what is now called the PowerShot Zoom featured five buttons, all on the top, the final shipping camera (Canon is calling it a ‘monocular’) simplifies the top layout even further to just three buttons, none of which is a shutter control. The lozenge-shaped button is the zoom toggle, and sits perilously close to the power and menu buttons. I say ‘perilously’ because with your eye to the finder, they’re so close together that it’s easy to accidentally press the wrong one. Ask me how I know.

The Zoom can be used one-handed, but is more stable (and a little more usable) with two.

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

The shutter and movie-record buttons are positioned below the EVF, adjacent to a diopter control. Unusually (but logically) the shutter button is labeled ‘PHOTO’. The shutter button can be half-pressed to focus, and takes a picture when fully depressed. The shutter is electronic, and a brief flash of the outline around the EVF image is your only indication that a picture has been taken.

In use, I’ve found it easiest to use these controls with the thumb of my right hand (which holds the camera), with my left hand reserved for toggling the zoom control on the top of the camera.

The controls themselves are adequate, but the control interface (when you need to use it) is hard to get used to. When I unpacked the PowerShot Zoom for the first time I was really hoping that the diopter wheel was a control wheel, but sadly not. Menus are navigated and options selected using the buttons alone. The hardest thing is setting the date – I challenge anyone to do it without turning the camera off accidentally at least a couple of times (I did it five times, but perhaps I’m unusually stupid).

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

At the heart of the PowerShot Zoom is a 12MP 1/3in sensor, behind a 2-position zoom lens, which can be used at either 100mm or 400mm (equivalent). Early concepts included an intermediate 200mm position, but in the end Canon went with a simple 100/400mm toggle.

The lens is pretty complex, being made up of no fewer than 11 elements in eight groups, but there’s no specialty glass or aspherical elements. It is optically stabilized, and while Canon does not quote a figure for the exact amount of stabilization, it was easily capable of steadying compositions at 400mm on a very windy day here in Seattle.

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

Slightly surprisingly, the PowerShot Zoom records pictures and videos to a physical memory card. I rummaged around in my drawers for this fairly old 8GB Micro SD (good for almost 1,000 images according to the camera’s info display). Using the Canon Camera Connect app, images can be downloaded to a smart device and edited, shared or saved to your camera roll.

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

The battery, however, is non-removable, and is charged over USB C (a cable is included). The 800 mAh battery is good for 150 images (CIPA). A full charge from empty takes just under two hours.

Hands-on with the Canon PowerShot Zoom

Despite its tiny size, the PowerShot Zoom features a decent electronic viewfinder, featuring 2.36 million dots and an automatic switch to turn off the display when you take the camera away from your eye. The view is crisp and clear, but in common with a lot of cheaper compact cameras, the preview image doesn’t always match the final picture once you’re able to get it off the camera and take a closer look. Typically, I’ve found that captured images lack a little of the ‘bite’ of the preview image in the EVF.

100mm

When you first turn on the PowerShot Zoom, the lens is set to 100mm (equivalent). While technically this is the ‘wide’ setting, 100mm is still pretty long, and the minimum focus of 1m (3.3 ft) precludes closeup work. There is no macro setting, either.

400mm

Image quality at 400mm is slightly lower than it is at 100mm, but when shooting distant objects, as always, air quality and thermal haze can also be a factor when it comes to sharpness. At 400mm minimum focus is 4.5m (14.6 ft)

Autofocus performance is pretty good with decent light, but prone to hunting in lower light levels. You have two AF modes: face detection + tracking (a sensible default, which works reliably well for most subjects) and single point AF as an option. Continuous AF can also be toggled on/off.

800mm (digital zoom)

Like all digital zoom options, the Zoom’s ‘800mm’ setting is handy, but not great from a critical image quality point of view. It’s basically just a crop, upsized in-camera to 12MP. Convenient (and good enough for sharing over a text message or on Facebook) but nothing special.

Final thoughts

With an MSRP of $ 299, the PowerShot Zoom falls outside of the realm of ‘impulse buy’ for most people, but there are some definite use-cases. I can see it being a hit among birders, for example, and for casual documentation of garden wildlife. Similarly, if package cruises ever become a thing again, I can imagine a pocketable 400mm lens being pretty handy for taking pictures of penguins on melting ice sheets etc., from the comfort of a 7-story high floating hotel.

The still image quality of the PowerShot Zoom is no match for a more conventional camera, or even for a smartphone, but that’s really not the point. What it offers is a telephoto lens in a small, lightweight and hand-holdable form factor. No current smartphone can offer true telephoto without a digital zoom, making the PowerShot Zoom a powerful companion for anyone who regularly wants to share images of (for example) birds, boats or aircraft without the need for bulky, expensive gear.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon is crowdfunding its monocular-style PowerShot Zoom concept camera in Japan

15 Sep

Last year, at CP+ 2019, Canon showed off a number of concept cameras with new and unusual designs. While some of those concepts are still just that, at least one more is well on its way into the consumer market — in Japan, at least.

The Canon PowerShot Zoom is a monocular-style point-and-shoot that’s being crowdfunded on Makuake, not unlike the approach Canon took with its Ivy Rec camera. Inside the almost cartoon-looking design is a 12.1-megapixel 1/3” CMOS sensor that works alongside a DIGIC 8 processor to capture stills and record Full HD video at 1080p.

In front of the sensor is a zoom lens that can toggle between 100mm and 400mm (full-frame equivalent) focal lengths. You can also double that to an 800mm (full-frame equivalent) focal length when combined with the camera’s digital zoom.1 The device features built-in image stabilization, Canon’s Face AF technology, a USB-C port for charging and a microSDXC card slot.

The camera features three buttons on the top: power, menu and zoom, as well as three on the bottom: a dial, a capture button for stills and a capture button for video. Photos and video can be transferred via the microSD card or wirelessly when paired with Canon’s accompanying smartphone app.

The PowerShot Zoom is currently being crowdfunded in Japan through Majuake. The campaign has already raised over $ 280,000, far surpassing its initial goal. Japanese backers are able to secure the first units for around $ 300.

There’s no mention of whether or not the PowerShot Zoom will become available outside the Japanese market at this time.


Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

1Canon had previously said it hoped to have intermediary focal lengths during zoom, but it appears that feature isn’t available at this time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Gear that changed my (photographic) life: the Canon PowerShot G3

02 May
Old and new: The Canon PowerShot G3 and the PowerShot G1 X Mark II.

This article was originally published in 2017 as part of our ‘Throwback Thursday’ series.

It’s hard to believe that the Canon G-series is almost 17 years old, and while technology has certainly marched forward, ‘G cameras’ have consistently been a favorite of enthusiasts and even pros. (OK, there was that whole kerfuffle when the G7 dropped Raw support, but Canon saw the error of its ways and corrected course with the G9.)

However, through all the years, there’s one model in particular that always stands out in my memory: the PowerShot G3. In part, this is surely due to the fact that it’s one of the cameras that helped me make the transition to digital, but I don’t think I’m alone in this. The G3 was released right around the time that a lot of photographers were making the same transition, and the camera offered a fast lens and all the manual controls you could want. Its ‘rangefinder’ look undoubtedly appealed to aesthetic tastes as well.

Taking the PowerShot G3 to the summit. North Cascades National Park, Washington.

Photo by Dale Baskin

It’s predecessor, the PowerShot G2, was already a popular camera, but the G3 improved on it in a number of important ways.

Most notably, the G3 featured a 35-140mm equivalent F2.0-3.0 lens that maintained a relatively fast aperture throughout the range (which wasn’t quite as fast as the G2’s 34-102mm F2.0-2.5 lens, but it provided a lot more reach). Although it had a tendency to exhibit some purple fringing in high contrast scenes, it never stuck out as a terrible problem to me. To make good use of the lens, Canon added FlexiZone autofocus and the ability to manually select from over 300 focus areas around the screen

Crossing the Dome Glacier.

Photo by Dale Baskin

It was also one of the first (if not the first) compact camera to get an internal neutral density filter, a feature that continues on G-series cameras – and many other compacts – to this day. It made the camera usable at wide apertures even in bright sunlight, and allowed for long exposures to create motion blur, such as with moving water.

Of course, the thing most people cared about was image quality, and the G3 didn’t disappoint. In Phil’s original review, he praised the G3, saying ‘The Super-Fine JPEG option delivers almost TIFF-like image quality with no JPEG artifacts or loss of detail.’

Lantern light near Juneau, Alaska.

Photo by Dale Baskin

What appealed to me were the G3’s Raw files. Although it had the same 4MP resolution as the G2, the G3 could capture 12-bit Raw files, compared to the G2’s 10-bit files. Whether this actually made a real world difference in images from those older, smaller sensors, I don’t know. But it sounded good. (Fun fact: back when the G3 came out, DPReview even made sure to tell readers how many Raw images would fit on a 1GB Microdrive. The answer is 272, if you’re curious.)

One feature that hasn’t carried through to modern day ‘G cameras’ is the optical viewfinder. The G3 had an ‘optical tunnel’ viewfinder with about 84% coverage, and beginning at moderately wide angles the lens blocked the lower left corner of the image. But it was an actual viewfinder, making it easier to take pictures in bright places, like on top of a glacier. With practice I became very adept at using it.

Sunset descent. Cascade Mountains, Washington.

Photo by Dale Baskin

As I look back at the G3 now, I realize that it was a camera designed to appeal to SLR users who wanted to go digital, but who weren’t ready to break the bank on an EOS D60. Other than interchangeable lenses, it had all the features you could want: Raw images, viewfinder, top plate LCD, PASM modes, E-TTL hot shoe, command dial on the grip, manual focus point selection, and even the ability to use filters with a bayonet adapter. And it also looked a little more like a traditional camera than the more curvy G2.

Between its relatively compact size, large feature set, and excellent Raw files, the G3 was a camera I could carry along on adventures, confident that I would be able to get the shots I wanted. And it did just that, accompanying me to the tops of mountains, through national parks, and to a few foreign countries. Just playing around with it while writing this article makes me want to go use it again.

Ah, nostalgia…

Read our Canon PowerShot G3 review


If you have a piece of gear that you’d like to write about, we’d love to hear from you – and you might even get featured on the DPReview homepage. Leave us a short note in the comments and if you have a longer story to tell, send it to us, and we’ll take it from there.

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Canon’s new software will turn select EOS, PowerShot cameras into webcams for Windows 10 PCs

29 Apr

As more and more people desire higher-quality video communication over internet while working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for webcams has increased dramatically, triggering incredibly high prices, sometimes three to four times over MSRP. And that’s if you can find one at all.

To help bridge a growing gap, Canon has announced the release of the EOS Webcam Utility Beta, a program for that will, with a single USB cable, turn compatible Canon EOS interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) and PowerShot cameras into dedicated webcams on PCs running the 64-bit version of Windows 10.

‘In unprecedented times, it’s imperative for Canon to provide our customers with useful, simple and accessible solutions to assist them in whatever imaging needs they have,’ says Tatsuro ‘Tony’ Kano, executive vice president of the Canon U.S.A., Inc. Imaging Technologies & Communications Group in the press release. ‘Our goal is that the EOS Webcam Utility Beta software can help reduce some of the remote workday stress for employees who are tasked with video conferencing and virtual meetings.’

A list of the EOS and PowerShot cameras currently supported.

Downloading the EOS Webcam Utility Beta must be done from the downloads page of your supported camera’s product page on Canon’s website. Thankfully, Canon has created a library on its dedicated EOS Webcam Utility Beta page linking out to the appropriate page for each supported camera. Once to the camera’s download page, simply click the download button to start downloading the installation file.

Being it’s a beta program, Canon is asking for feedback pertaining to the application, which can be left on Canon’s dedicated forum.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Gear of the Year 2019 – Jeff’s choice: Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

13 Dec
Photo: Dan Bracaglia

It goes without saying that a lot of cameras come and go through the DPReview office. Over the last year, most of them have been something you either can’t carry around for hours, or don’t want to (looking at you, Panasonic Lumix DC-S1).

One of the few actual compacts that we received (and reviewed) was the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II, which was announced alongside its nearly identical twin, the G7 X Mark III. The latter provides additional video features, while the former – targeted more toward enthusiasts – eschews these in exchange for an electronic viewfinder.

ISO 125 | 1/1600 sec | F4.5 | 69mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

When I first laid eyes (and hands) on the PowerShot G5 X Mark II, it was very obvious what camera Canon was going after: the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V. They both have fast lenses with a control ring around them, a centered, pop-up flash and tilting LCDs. Even the button layouts are similar. And let’s not forget the EVF that rises at the push of the button: a feature so similar that I wonder if Sony licensed the design to Canon.

ISO 125 | 1/1000 sec | F4 | 30mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

Despite their similarities, I’d grab the Canon every time, mainly because I find the shooting experience much more engaging. The front grip and thumb rest are perfect, and the rubberized front plate prevents the camera from sliding out of my hands. I tend to adjust exposure compensation fairly often, and I like that I don’t have to move my thumb to reach the provided dial that adjusts that setting. While I like the clicky control ring around the lens, I’m still not a fan of the small, fiddly dial on the back.

ISO 125 | 1/500 sec | F8 | 120mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

And then there’s the EVF. It’s not the cool new design found on the Sony RX100 VI and above, which extends the eyepiece automatically, but I don’t mind having to manually do so. What I don’t like is that it’s very easy to press it back in when your eye is to the finder, at least with glasses on. Speaking of glasses, the OLED EVF allows me to wear my polarized sunglasses without a problem (which can be a problem with LCD panels). The location of the EVF also keeps my nose off of the screen, which is always a plus.

ISO 125 | 1/1600 sec | F4.5 | 24mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

A lot of enthusiast compacts make compromises in order to get fast maximum apertures. On the RX100 V and Panasonic LX10, the focal length tops out at around 70mm equivalent. The Sony RX100 VI and VII have very ambitious 24-200mm equiv. lenses, but they let in 1.3 stops less light than the G5 X II.

Converted from Raw using ACR 12. Exposure and sharpness adjusted.
ISO 125 | 1/100 sec | F2.8 | 108mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

For me, the G5 X II has just the right balance. The equivalent focal length of the lens is 24-120mm, which is more than enough for the kind of shooting I typically do. The max aperture range of F1.8-2.8 gives it good light low performance and nice background blur, especially on macro shots than I enjoy taking.

ISO 200 | 1/400 sec | F3.2 | 24mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

I spent several weekends with the camera, taking it over the Cascade mountains and back again (among other places), and I have no complaints about the quality of the photos I captured. A lot of people like to crow about the vibrance of Canon color, and I’m one of them. I took a number of photos in low light and was able to pull up the shadows without too large of a noise increase: at least for my needs (read: social media).

When all is said and done, I found the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II to be a great ‘daily driver’. It’s a camera that I can stuff into a back pocket and take for walk around town – in bright or low light – and get great results straight out of the camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon PowerShot G7 X III review: the compact camera that lets you broadcast to the world

20 Nov

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Silver Award

81%
Overall score

The Canon PowerShot G7 X III is the third in a series of 1″-type sensor compacts aimed at smartphone camera upgraders and enthusiast photographers looking for a small second camera. Its core photography features – notably its fast 24-100mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens – are very similar to the G7 X II that preceded it, but Canon has given the Mark III a new Stacked CMOS sensor and Digic 8 processor that together promise better image quality and performance.

The biggest changes in the G7 X Mark III are to its suite of video features, which now includes the option to live stream video: a useful feature for vloggers. Resolution has been bumped up to 4K, with 30p available out of the box and 24p coming via a future firmware update.

Key Specifications:

  • 20MP 1″-type Stacked CMOS sensor
  • 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens
  • Built-in 3-stop ND filter
  • Touchscreen tilts up 180° and down 90°
  • 8 fps burst shooting with autofocus, 30 fps Raw burst mode
  • 4K/30p and 1080/60p video recording
  • Microphone socket
  • Live YouTube streaming support built-in
  • Vertical video capture
  • 1080/120p slow motion video (with no audio or autofocus)
  • Wi-Fi + Bluetooth wireless connectivity
  • USB 3.1 (with USB-C connector) for data transfer and charging
  • 235 shot battery life per CIPA standard

Aside from the lens, the majority of the features highlighted above are new, so the Mark III isn’t just a small upgrade, even if it’s hard to differentiate cosmetically from its predecessor.

The G7 X Mark III is priced at $ 749 and comes in silver/black and black finishes.


What’s new and how it compares

The G7 X III has a new sensor, new processor and a first for a compact camera: live video streaming.

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Body, controls and handling

The design of the G7 X III has barely changed compared to its predecessor, and that’s not a bad thing.

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Image quality

While its lens isn’t the sharpest, the G7 X III’s image quality is still very good.

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Autofocus and video

The G7 X III is good, but not great, in terms of both autofocus and video quality.

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Conclusion

Find out if the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is the right camera for you.

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Sample gallery

View over 100 photos taken with the G7 X III to evaluate its image quality with your own eyes.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III sample gallery updated

20 Oct

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Our testing of the Canon G7 X III continues, which means we’ve brought along on plenty of day trips and adventures to get a feel for its performance in a number of situations. Take a look at some of the resulting images while we finish up our testing.

See our updated Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon plans to add 24p recording to select EOS, PowerShot cameras via firmware update

09 Oct

The people have spoken and Canon has listened. In an email sent to DPReview Canon says it ‘plans to introduce 24p mode (23.98fps) for movie recording via a series of future firmware updates for select [EOS and PowerShot] models.’

According to the email, the move comes ’In response to feedback from our customers about some of our recently launched EOS and PowerShot models.’ Canon specifically says the first models to receive the firmware update with support for 24p (23.98 fps) shooting modes will be the EOS 90D and the EOS RP at the end of October. ‘The PowerShot G7X Mark III and G5X Mark II will follow at the end of 2019 and the EOS M6 Mark II during the first half of 2020,’ reads the email.

Once the firmware is released for the cameras, each supported model will be able to shoot 24p (23.98 fps) in 4K and Full HD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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