I’m one of those people who, despite their love of photography, don’t carry a camera around anymore. I think smartphone cameras these days are more than capable of sustaining my passion for photography. But there was a time when I was never seen without a camera, safely tucked away in a belt pocket. The classic Sears gave way to my beloved Canon A400 and then my beloved Canon 400D. But my newest possession, the Canon 1200D, is gathering dust somewhere in the house. I don’t see any use in having my iPhone always in my pocket.
This is why I wanted to try out the Canon Powershot G7X Mark III, a high-end point-and-shoot camera from the Japanese camera company. I wanted to see where the point-and-shoot segment was after being devastated by smartphones.
The new 20.1MP Canon PowerShot G7X is a very compact, rugged camera that’s easy to hold in your hand. It features a pop-up flash and a 3-inch touchscreen LCD that can rotate to help you record videos yourself or focus from odd angles. There’s a lens around the ring, along with a dial near the menu button that can be used to choose the right setting. There is also a setting ring near the trigger. All well laid out and easy to understand.
The camera uses Canon’s new DIGIC 8 Image Processor with a 1-inch stacked CMOS sensor. So the results are very good and almost on par with what you would get with an entry-level DSLR. The camera offers very fast autofocus, and you can also use the display to choose the size of the focus area and the exact location where you want it locked. Additionally, you can achieve an unprecedented 1/25600 shutter speed with electronic mode.
I liked this camera’s low-light performance, which was almost in line with some of the mirrorless models I was using at the time. The camera also allows you to expand ISO up to 25600. Plus, full manual mode offers DSLR-like controls, which weren’t common in point-and-shoot modes in the past. I did a bit of testing with the same thing and the results were very satisfying.
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III camera sample. (Resized image for web) (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan)
There are plenty of preset modes, though these aren’t really new features. However, the fisheye mode and HDR options are great for those who love clicking photos for Instagram and other social media platforms. One problem I’ve had is a small delay in saved images when taken with some current modes. I’m not sure if this is due to the SD card or to the processing power of the camera itself.
The Canon PowerShot G7X camera supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and you can use the Canon app to pair the camera. Once paired, photos taken on the camera can be easily transferred to a smartphone for editing and sharing. The whole experience was smooth and not as frustrating as some of my recent experiences. The camera also offers the option to stream to YouTube.
Now, that’s not the only reason why this camera might be popular with vloggers. There is also 4K capability at 25 frames per second and enhanced Full HD at 12o frames per second. Videos shot on the Canon PowerShot G7X appear smooth even when you move from wide mode to zoom mode.
The box price is Rs 52,995 which might be a bit high for a point and shoot. But then, this is no ordinary point and shoot. This is a camera that has evolved over time and meets the needs of today’s users with connectivity, premium video capabilities, and ease of use.
