FIRST LOOK: Canon PowerShot G1X

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      In summary

      Canon is a late-comer to the large-sensor compact camera category and its first offering, the 14.3-megapixel G1X, isn’t an interchangeable-lens camera. The naming of this camera is unfortunate because of its similarity to Panasonic’s recently-released DMC-GX1, although the G1X is totally different. Instead of releasing a mirrorless interchangeable-lens system, Canon has extended an existing – and very successful – camera design

      Full Review

      Canon is a late-comer to the large-sensor compact camera category and its first offering, the 14.3-megapixel G1X, isn’t an interchangeable-lens camera. The naming of this camera is unfortunate because of its similarity to Panasonic’s recently-released DMC-GX1, although the G1X is totally different. Instead of releasing a mirrorless interchangeable-lens system, Canon has extended an existing – and very successful – camera design.

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      Angled front view of the new G1X.

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      Back view of the G1X with the articulating monitor extended.

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      Top view of the G1X.

      The G1X slots into the flagship position in Canon’s G series without replacing the PowerShot G12 (which will remain on sale for the foreseeable future) or cannibalising sales of EOS DSLRs. It’s expected to sell for roughly $150 more than G12’s current RRP of $699 on its release in March.

      Opting for a fixed lens camera is a smart move on Canon’s part. While other camera manufacturers have seen their mirrorless cameras as a step-up for digicam buyers (and down-specced their cameras accordingly), Canon has developed the G1X to provide the convenience of a G-series PowerShot with similar image quality to a DSLR.

      Canon’s strategy is more cost-effective than the interchangeable-lens option, both for itself and for potential customers. Anyone who currently uses  G-series PowerShot as a ‘walk-around’ camera will appreciate the G1X. The fact that its body is similar in size and design to existing PowerShots makes transition to the new model hassle-free. 

      The specifications for the G1X predict it is likely to out-perform competing interchangeable-lens cameras, partly because its sensor is larger and partly through its integrated lens. The table below compares key features of the G1X with its main rivals, Panasonic’s GX1 and the Nikon 1 V1.

       

      Canon G1X

      Panasonic GX1

      Nikon 1 V1

      Sensor area

      18.7 x 14.0 mm

      17.3 x 13.0 mm

      13.2 x 8.8 mm

      Effective resolution

      14.3MP

      16.0MP

      10.1MP

      A/D processing

      14-bit

      12-bit

      Lens

      15.1-60.4 mm, f/2.8-f/5.8 (28-112mm in 35mm format)

      interchangeable

      Crop factor

      1.85x

      2x

      2.7x

      Shutter speeds

      60 to 1/4000 second

      30 to 1/4000 second

      AF system

      TTL Autofocus

      ‘Light Speed’ Contrast system

      Hybrid phase-detect/contrast-detect

      ISO range

      100-12800

      160-6400

      100-6400

      Built-in flash

      Yes; GN 7 at ISO 100

      Yes; GN 7.6 at ISO 160

      No

      Max. burst speed

      4.5 fps for 6 frames

      4.2 fps with mechanical shutter; 20 fps at 4M with electronic shutter

      5 fps with mechanical shutter; 60 fps with electronic shutter

      Viewfinder

      Real-image optical zoom; 77% FOV coverage

      Optional EVF with approx. 1.44 million dots, 100% FOV coverage

      0.47-inch EVF  with approx. 1.44 million dots, 100% FOV coverage

      LCD monitor

      3-inch Vari-Angle LCD with 922,000 dots

      Fixed 3.0-inch, TFT LCD with Touch panel with 460,000 dots

      Fixed 3-inch TFT LCD with 921,000 dots

      Battery/capacity

      NB-10L/250 shots/ charge with LCD; 700 shots with viewfinder

      DMW-BLD10/ 310 shots/charge with H-PS14042 lens

      EN-EL15/400 shots/charge without flash

      Dimensions (wxhxd)

      116.7 x 80.5 x 64.7 mm

      116.3 x 67.8 x 66.2 mm (with 3x zoom lens)

      113 x 76 x 85.5 mm (with 3x zoom lens)

      Weight

      492 grams (without battery and card)

      367 grams (with 3x zoom lens but without battery and card)

      409 grams (with 3x zoom lens but without battery and card)

      The emphasis on image quality is emphasised by the 14-bit raw file processing, which covers four times the brightness range of 12-bit files. This enables images captured in raw file format to be pushed further during conversion to editable formats and disclose more detail in both highlights and shadows without compromising image quality.

      The lens includes three glass-moulded elements produced with the same technology as EF lenses to minimise a wide range of common aberrations (including spherical aberration, curvature of field and chromatic aberrations).  Its maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the 15.1mm focal length (wide) setting reduces to f/5.8 at full optical zoom (60.4mm).

      The equivalent zoom range in 35mm format is 28-110mm, whereas the G12’s lens is equivalent to 28-140mm and has a maximum aperture of f/4.5 at full optical zoom. Both lenses are ideal for travel, candid and street photography rather than sports and wildlife.  There’s less scope for close-ups with the G1X, which can’t focus closer than 20 cm, compared with 1 cm for the G12.  

      However, the lens has Super Spectra coatings on its glass elements to minimise flare and ghosting and a six-bladed iris diaphragm, which closes to a circular aperture, should produce more attractive bokeh with the larger sensor. Optical stabilisation (lens-shift type) claims a shutter speed advantage of up to four f-stops using the ‘Intelligent IS’ system introduced in the PowerShot S100, which can detect the shooting situation and select the most appropriate stabilisation mode.

      Accessories for the G1X include three regular Canon Speedlites plus macro twin light and macro ring light attachments that require an optional adapter.  Brackets are also available for attaching Speedlites, along with a Speedlite transmitter for remote flash set-ups.

      An off-camera shoe cord is also available, along with a cabled remote triggering switch and USB cable. The lens accepts 58 mm diameter filters but an optional filter adaptor is required to fit them. A lens hood, soft case and waterproof housing are also available as optional accessories but you’ll need to provide your own HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HD TV set.
      Build and Ergonomics
      The resemblance to existing (and former) G-series cameras is strong. Build quality is excellent and, if anything, the G1X feels slightly more solid than recent G-series PowerShots, probably because more body parts have been fabricated from metal, harking back to earlier models.

      Despite the differences in sensor sizes, the G1X is only 4 mm wider and taller than the G12, although it’s 16.4 mm thicker because a larger lens is required with the much larger sensor. The weight difference is only 137 grams.

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      Front views of the G1X (left) and PowerShot G12 (right).

      Aside from the changed lens sizes, the main difference between the front panels of the G1X and G12 is the built-in flash. The G1X has a pop-up flash tucked into the camera body, while on the G12 the flash panel is visible on the front of the camera. Neither camera’s flash is far enough off the lens axis to eliminate red eyes in flash shots but both cameras include red-eye correction during playback.

      The grip moulding on the G1X is slightly taller and marginally deeper than on the G12, making it more comfortable to hold but the moulding for the front dial wheel is smaller and slightly shallower. The AF-assist/self-timer LED and optical viewfinder window are in the same positions on both cameras, as is the ring release button and lens ring that is removed when attaching accessory lenses.

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      Top views of the G1X (left) and PowerShot G12 (right).

      The most radical changes have been made to the top panel. The ISO dial on the G12 has been replaced with the exposure compensation dial, which has been moved from the left hand side of the top panel to allow the flash to be recessed. The Quick Shot and Low Light modes on the mode dial are replaced with the Discrete mode, which was introduced at CES 2011 (details below).

      The shutter release button with surrounding zoom ring and the power on/off button are in the same places. So is the flash hot-shoe, which accepts Canon’s Speedlites.  A slider switch for popping up the flash is located to the left of the hot-shoe. The lugs for the supplied neck strap are in the same places as on the G12 but tucked more closely into the camera body.

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      Back views of the G1X (left) and PowerShot G12 (right).

      Changes on the rear panel are largely cosmetic and involve some minor re-allocation of button functions. Most important involved shifting the ISO settings down to the arrow pad, where they replace the manual focus setting.

      A dedicated button for movie recording replaces the G12’s AE/FE button, while this function is shifted down to replace the metering mode settings on the G12. The metering modes have been relocated to what was the Display button on the G12, while the Display settings replace the self-timer modes on the down button of the arrow pad.

      As on the G12, the arrow pad is surrounded by a control dial that lets you select and adjust certain camera settings and scroll through images in playback mode. (Many of these operations can also be carried out with the directional buttons on the arrow pad.)

      The LCD monitor on the G1X is slightly larger than the G12’s monitor and has double the resolution (922,000 dots). Its aspect ratio is 4:3 and, like the G12’s monitor, it can be tilted through approximately 175 degrees and rotated through 270 degrees. Five levels of brightness adjustment are provided.

      Display options for shooting include the same extensive range of camera settings as the G12 provides.  In playback mode, shots can be displayed with or without basic information, as thumbnail plus detailed information including brightness or RGB histograms and as thumbnail plus enlarged section in the Focus Check display.

      Unfortunately, the viewfinder on the G1X is a let-down, being small and rather tunnel-like.  As in previous G-series cameras, it only covers 77% of the field of view, although in bright light it’s better than point-and-guess shooting with the monitor. Dioptric adjustment of -3 to +1 dpt is provided via a knurled wheel on the left side of the finder housing.

      Since using the viewfinder also conserves power, it’s a shame Canon didn’t improve this aspect of the camera’s design. Owners of previous G-series cameras should be accustomed to making the required framing adjustments when composing shots, although most would prefer much wider frame coverage.

      Two indicator lights to the right of the viewfinder display status messages as shown in the table below.

       

      Colour

      Status

      Operation status

      Upper indicator

      Green

      Lit

      Camera ready/Display off

      Blinking

      Recording an image/reading data/ transmitting data

      Orange

      Lit

      Flash on

      Blinking

      Camera shake warning

      Lower indicator

      Yellow

      Lit

      Manual focus/AF lock

      Blinking

      Proximity warning,/Can’t focus

      USB and HDMI ports are located beneath a lift-up cover on the right hand side of the camera body. Like the G12, the G1X’s battery and memory card share a compartment in the base of the camera.

      The batteries in both cameras appear to be similar, although the G12 uses an NB-7L, while the G1X uses the newer NB-10L, which is also used in the PowerShot SX40 HS. Power consumption is slightly higher in the G1X, which is CIPA rated for 250 shots/charge when the monitor is on or 700 shots with it off, whereas the G12 is rated for 370 shots/charge with the monitor on or 1000 shots with it off.

      Sensor and Image Processing
      The G1X’s sensor is brand new and developed specifically for the camera. Canon didn’t release its full photosite count when we had our hands-on briefing on the camera so we can only reveal that its effective resolution is 14.3 megapixels.
      Although we didn’t really need another sensor format to contend with, it matters less when the camera’s lens is non-interchangeable. While the G1X’s sensor isn’t quite APS-C sized, it’s larger than the M4/3 sensors and significantly bigger than the sensors in the Nikon 1 models.  The diagram below illustrates the differences.

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      The chip is 6.3x larger in area than the sensor in the PowerShot G12 and has a diagonal measurement 2.5x longer. These changes should dramatically reduce image noise at high ISO settings and provide superior low-light performance and greater control over depth of field (and, consequently differential blurring of backgrounds).

      Coupled to the sensor is the latest DiG!C 5 image processor, which was introduced with the PowerShot SX40 HS. Designed to provide the high processing speeds necessary for Full HD video recording and fast continuous shooting at high resolution, this chip claims to be six times faster and create 75% less noise than the DIGIC 4 processor in the G12. 

      The G1X’s top shutter speed of 1/4000 second is unchanged from previous G-series cameras. It also supports exposures of up to 60 seconds in the Tv and M shooting modes. Its ISO range spans from 10 to 12800, a significant increase on the G12’s top of ISO 3200.

      Like its predecessors, the G1X supports JPEG and raw file capture, along with simultaneous RAW+JPEG recording. It also provides five selectable aspect ratios for recording JPEG images, which are obtained by cropping the frame, either at top and bottom or along both sides.

      Raw files are never cropped and always recorded at 4352 x 3264 pixels. Selecting RAW+JPEG via the Func./Set button sets the camera to record a raw file and a Large/Fine JPEG file with each shot, both at 4352 x 3264 pixels. The aspect ratio is fixed at 4:3 with this setting.

      Raw files are losslessly compressed – and as in Canon’s EOS DSLRs, the processor applies 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion to give users more image data to work with. JPEG compression ratios are much the same as the G12’s and relatively modest with the Fine setting, but heavier with the Normal mode. Typical image sizes for the 4:3 aspect ratio are shown in the table below.

      Recording format

      Image Size (pixels)

      Compression

      Fine

      Normal

      RAW

      4352 x 3264

      21.05MB

      RAW+JPEG

      4352 x 3264

      16.86MB

       n.a.

      Large

      4352 x 3264

      3.85MB

      1.64MB

      Medium 1

      3072 x 2304

      2.02MB

      1.45MB

      Medium 2

      1600 x 1200

      0.63MB

      0.49MB

      Small

      640 x 480

      0.20MB

      0.15MB

      Note: When the aspect ratio is changed and the image area is cropped, image files become a little smaller. The exception is for M2 images captured with the 16:9 aspect ratio, which have an area of 1920 x 1080 pixels and are, therefore, larger.

      Shooting Modes
      Intending buyers can be reassured that the necessary P, Av, Tv and M shooting modes are prominent on the mode dial. There are also two Custom memories where frequently-used combinations of settings can be stored for quick recall.

      The ‘Intelligent’ Auto (point-and-press) mode includes automatic scene detection, motion detection, face detection and subject detection and can select the most appropriate scene type from 32 pre-sets. With Face Detection AF, the AF frame can be moved and fixed on a specified face.

      The Discrete mode disables the flash and switches off the AF-assist light as well as suppressing all camera sounds so you don’t attract attention. It’s ideal for shooting in places like museums and concert halls and also good for taking candid shots and photographing babies and small children who can be disturbed by the bright beam from the AF-assist light.

      The Special Scene mode contains 14 pre-sets, most of which have been ported across from other Canon cameras. Among them are the multi-shot HDR (high dynamic range) mode, the Smart Shutter mode (with Smile triggering plus Wink and Face self-timers) and the Movie Digest mode, which was introduced at the end of April, 2011.

      In the latter mode, the camera will record both a still image and up to four-seconds of VGA-quality movie pre-recorded while the shutter button is half-pressed before the still frame is captured. At the end of the day, these clips are compiled into a single folder, which allows users to share the highlights of a day’s shooting on YouTube and Facebook.

      Creative Filter effects include the standard High-dynamic Range, Nostalgic, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Colour Accent and Colour Swap settings. My Colours modes (which can only be applied to JPEGs) are Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green and Vivid Red.

      Four continuous shooting settings are provided, the highest burst speed being 4.5 frames/second (fps) with a maximum of six frames. The standard frame rate is 1.9 fps, which should allow shots to be processed on-the-fly, thereby extending the number of shots per burst. In both cases, focus and exposure are fixed on the first frame in the burst.

      Continuous AF allows the lens to re-focus as shots are recorded to allow for subject movement. The fastest frame rate is 0.7 fps with this setting. The same frame rate applies when bursts are recorded with the monitor used for shot composition as it takes time to refresh the display.

      Although the G1X doesn’t include the the  Super Slow Motion Movie modes provided in the PowerShot S100, otherwise its movie modes are similar.  Three settings are available: Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) at 24 fps, HD (1280 x 720 pixels) at 30 fps and 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps. The table below shows typical recording times for each setting (which are the same as for the S100).

      Recording pixels

      Frame rate

      4GB card capacity

      Max. clip length/playback time

      1920 x 1080

      24 fps

      14 minutes 34 seconds

      One hour or 4GB

      1280 x 720

      30 fps

      20 minutes 43 seconds

      640 x 480

      43 minutes 43 seconds

      Autofocusing and zooming are supported while video clips are being recorded and the menu includes a wind cut filter that can be switched on or off. Many of the scene pre-sets and some of the built-in special effects can also be used in movie mode.

      The camera can also apply scene recognition to match shooting parameters with pre-programmed scene pre-sets. Most effects produce similar results for both still pictures and video clips.

      Camera Settings
      The user interface in the G1X is a cross between the G12 and Canon’s EOS DSLR cameras. Although most menu pages duplicate the functions provided in the G12, the G1X’s menu lets users customise certain camera controls as in EOS cameras. You can allocate different settings to the front and rear control dials in different shooting modes and also register different functions to the S button, as in the G12.

      The clock function from the G12 is provided in the new camera. Holding down the Func/Set button displays the current time on the monitor and you can rotate the rear control dial to select the colour from green, pink, blue and black. The display rotates with the camera’s orientation.

      Power saving is available for both shooting and playback. In the former, the screen switches off about a minute after the camera was last used and the lens retracts and power turns off after two more minutes. In playback mode the camera switches off roughly five minutes after it was last operated. Users can adjust the time before the screen turns off and turn off power saving.

      The G1X provides the ability to embed copyright information in images; a first in a compact camera.  The menu pages are similar to the EOS1100D, with a dedicated page that lets users display copyright information, enter the author’s name and copyright information and also delete unwanted data. A separate page with an alphanumeric keyboard is provided for entering data.

      Playback and Software
      The G1X provides all the playback functions users of Canon’s recent cameras expect, including single and index displays, auto rotation, magnified playback for focus checking and slideshow playback. Other options include Blink Detection, Hints and Tips display, Red-eye Correction and in-camera Resizing.

      Users can display a Histogram or Overexposure Warning on displayed shots, scroll through images using the rear dial, create new folders, allocate shots to different My Category settings and advance and reverse through magnified images. The standard Jump and Auto Play functions are also provided, along with DPOF (Print Order/Image transfer) tagging.

      The software disk includes the latest versions of Canon’s Digital Camera Solution Disk applications: ImageBrowser/ZoomBrowser and PhotoStitch. We assume the Digital Photo Professional raw file converter is also provided, although it’s not listed on the specifications sheet we received.

      First Thoughts
      We’ve been actively encouraging Canon to produce a camera like the G1X for several years so it’s great to see so many of our specified ‘wants’ and ‘likes’ implemented in the new camera. Although not exactly perfect, it will replace the trusty PowerShot G10 we’ve been using as an adjunct to our DSLRs since late 2008 without changing the ways in which our DSLRs are used.

      We would like to have seen a better viewfinder in the G1X. However, having adjusted to the limitations of the G10’s finder, using the finder on the new camera won’t present additional problems.

      It’s a pity there isn’t a lock on the mode dial because we’ve found it easy to inadvertently rotate the G10’s dial to the wrong setting when taking the camera out of a camera bag. A locking dial would prevent this problem.

      We would also have preferred to keep three dial controls on the top panel, rather than sacrificing one of them to allow for a pop-up flash that provides no real advantages over the built-in one. We almost never use the flash on the G10, whereas ISO is often readjusted. Otherwise there’s little to complain about.

      Some readers may feel disappointed that Canon didn’t make an interchangeable-lens camera system.  Interestingly, just before we published this report, Japanese website DC Watch Impress published an interview with Masaya Maeda, Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Image Communication Products Operation at Canon Inc. in which he stated Canon was ‘planning to release mirrorless compact system cameras in 2012′. An English translation of the interview is available at http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/cameras/Canon_aps-c_compact.html.

      With 2012 being a Photokina year (the show opens in Cologne, Germany on 18 September), it seems we can look forward to further developments of small but capable cameras, probably  with interchangeable zoom lenses and certainly with much bigger sensors than Canon’s current compact cameras. If the G1X is anything to go by, they will be enthusiastically welcomed.

      Specifications

      Image sensor: 1.5-inch type (18.7 x 14.0 mm) High Sensitivity CMOS Sensor with 14.3 megapixels effective
      Image processor: DiG!C 5
      A/D processing: 14-bit
      Lens: 15.1-60.4 mm, f/2.8-f/5.8 (28-112mm in 35mm format)
      Focal length crop factor: 1.85x
      Zoom ratio: 4x optical, up to 4x digital
      Image formats: Stills – CR2.RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW+JPEG; Movies – MOV (H.264/PCM audio, 2-channel stereo)
      Image Sizes: Stills (4:3 aspect ratio) – 4352 x 3264, 3072 x 2304, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480; Movies – Full HD 1920×1080 at 24fps; 1280 x 720 and 640 x 480 at 30 fps
      Image Stabilisation: Lens Shift Type optical, approx 4 steps
      Shutter speed range: 1-1/4000 second in Auto mode; up to 60 seconds in Manual and Tv modes
      Exposure Compensation: +/-  3 stops in 1/3-stop increments (+/- 2 for exposure shift)
      Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
      Focus system: TTL Autofocus with Face AiAF, Tracking AF, Centre, FlexiZone frames; range 40 cm to infinity; macro to 20 cm
      Focus modes: Single/Continuous AF, Servo AF (with Servo AE), Manual
      Exposure metering: TTL metering with Evaluative, Centre-weighted average & Spot patterns
      Shooting modes: Intelligent Auto (with Scene Detection), P, Tv, Av, M, C1, C2, Discreet,  Movie,  Special Scene  (Movie Digest, Portrait, Landscape, Kids & Pets, Sports, Smart Shutter with Smile, Wink Self-timer & Face Self-timer, High-speed Burst HQ, Handheld Night Scene, Beach, Underwater, Foliage, Snow, Firework, Stitch Assist)
      Creative Filters: High-dynamic Range, Nostalgic, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Colour Accent, Colour Swap
      Colour space options: sRGB (JPEG), Adobe RGB available for raw files
      ISO range: Auto, ISO 100-12800 in 1/3EV steps
      White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom 1, Custom 2
      Flash: Built-in flash with Auto, on, off, Red Eye Correction, Red Eye Reduction, Slow Synchro, Second Curtain Synchro, FE Lock, Safety FE modes plus Manual Flash Output; range – 50 cm to 7.0 metres; hot-shoe for Canon EX series Speedlites
      Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 2 EV
      Sequence shooting: Max. 4.5 fps for 6 frames; AF and LV approx 0.7 frames/sec
      Storage Media: SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards
      Viewfinder: Real-image optical zoom viewfinder with dioptric adjustment (-3.0 – + 1.0m-1 dpt); 77% FOV coverage
      LCD monitor: 3-inch Vari-Angle LCD with 922,000 dots
      Playback functions: Single-frame, Index, Blink Detection, Scroll Playback, Folder Creation, Hints and Tips display, Red-eye Correction, Slideshow, My Category, Index, Resize, Magnified, Focus Check, Advancing and Reversing through magnified images, Jump, Auto Rotate, Histogram, Overexposure Warning, Auto Play
      Interface terminals: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B compatible), HDMI
      Power supply: NB-10L rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 250 shots/ charge when LCD monitor is used for shooting or 700 shots  when viewfinder is used
      Dimensions (wxhxd): 116.7 x 80.5 x 64.7 mm
      Weight: Approx. 492 grams (body only); approx. 534 grams with battery and SD card

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