Canon G7X Mark II Performance

Generally improved performance compared to its predecessor.

Startup to first shot time was about average for its class, but oddly tested slower than the G7X's 1.7 seconds. Switching from Play to Record and taking a shot was faster at 1.6 seconds, but also slightly slower than the G7X's 1.4 seconds.

The Canon G7X II's full autofocus shutter lag when shooting the same target multiple times was faster than average for a fixed-lens enthusiast camera, and improved over the G7X. The G7X II's full AF shutter lag clocked in at about 0.18 second at wide angle using center (1-point) AF, compared to 0.2 second for its predecessor. Full AF shutter lag was a little faster at full telephoto, at about 0.15 vs 0.18 second for the G7X. Enabling the flash raised shutter lag to about 0.49 second to account for the metering preflash, a significant improvement over the G7X's 0.89 second. Manual focus shutter lag was oddly a little slower than with autofocus at 0.18 second, but also improved over the G7X's 0.22 second. When prefocused, shutter lag dropped to only 35 milliseconds, much improved over the G7X's 97 milliseconds.

Shot-to-shot cycle times were noticeably improved over the G7X in single-shot mode, at about 0.6 seconds for best quality (Large/Fine) JPEGs or RAW+LF JPEG files, versus 0.9 and 1.3 seconds for the G7X respectively. We no longer test just RAW file cycle time in single-shot mode, as it's usually somewhere in between JPEG and RAW+JPEG.

The PowerShot G7X II's fastest continuous shooting mode (One Shot H) was much improved, particularly when shooting RAW files. The G7X II managed just over 8 frames per second for JPEGs, RAW and RAW+JPEG files. That's a moderate improvement over the G7X's 6.6 fps for just JPEGs, but a huge improvement when shooting RAW files, as the G7X dropped down to only 1.2 fps for RAW and 1.0 fps for RAW+JPEG files, and RAW files are now 14 bits instead of 12. However, be aware that focus, white balance and exposure are still locked at the first frame of a burst in this mode.

Canon rates the G7X II's top Continuous AF burst mode (Servo H) at 5.4 frames per second, however we did not test that in the lab. The camera also provides One Shot L and Servo L modes, both rated at 4.0 fps.

Buffer depths were also much improved, measured at 32 best quality JPEGs, 21 RAW and 19 RAW+JPEG files before the burst rate slowed. Compare that to only 14 JPEGs, 4 RAW and 2 RAW+JPEG frames for the G7X in its fastest burst mode. Buffer clearing was however sluggish at 8 seconds after a max-length burst of JPEGs, 15 seconds after a max-length burst of RAW files, and 20 seconds after a max-length burst of RAW+JPEG files, and you can't adjust settings or view just-shot photos while the buffer is clearing, however you can continue to shoot at much slower rates (see table above).

The built-in flash took an average of 4.8 seconds to recharge after a full-power discharge, which is a bit slow, but improved over the G7X's 6.2 seconds.

Summary: Canon has successfully addressed one of our biggest complaints with the G7X's performance: incredibly slow burst speeds and very shallow buffer depths when shooting RAW files. The G7X II can now shoot at up to 8 frames per second, but more importantly, it no longer slows when shooting RAW files, and offers much better buffer depths. However, buffer clearing takes much longer thanks to the deeper buffers and the lack of UHS-II support. Autofocus speed, shutter lag, single-shot timing and flash recycling have also improved, but oddly, power-up and play to record times have increased over the G7X, however they are still more than acceptable.

Battery Life
Below average battery life.

Like the G7X, the G7X II uses a custom NB-13L rechargeable lithium-ion battery for power, and ships with a dedicated charger. CIPA battery life has improved over its predecessor by some 55 shots, but is still below average for its class at only 265 shots per charge. There is however an ECO mode which improves battery life to a more competitive 355 shots (up from 310) by dimming and then shutting off the LCD more quickly than normal in shooting mode. Still, we strongly recommend you pick up a spare battery for extended outings.

The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of (on a fully-charged rechargeable battery as appropriate), based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions.

(Interested readers can find an English translation of the CIPA DC-002 standards document here. (180K PDF document))