Canon G1X vs Sony RX10 II

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Canon G1X vs Sony RX10 II

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1.5 inch 261.8mm²
14.3 megapixels
28.00mm - 112.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Canon G1X Review.
See real-world photos taken with the G1X.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10 II.
Compare Sony RX10 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon G1X Mark II
Compare G1X vs G1X Mark II
Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Sony RX10 II

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Differences

Canon G1X advantages over Sony RX10 II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Larger sensor
1.5 inch vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.30 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
G1X test data on DxO Mark RX10 II test data on DxO Mark

644 vs 531 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
64 mm vs 102 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
543g vs 849g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger RAW buffer
Unlimited vs 29 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)

Sony RX10 II advantages over Canon G1X

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More telephoto lens reach
200 mm vs 112 mm
Capture objects farther away
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
RX10 II test data on DxO Mark G1X test data on DxO Mark

12.6 vs 10.8 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

400 vs 250 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Less shutter lag
0.16 vs 0.70 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
20.2 vs 14.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Wider angle lens
24 mm vs 28 mm
Capture more of the scene
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster JPEG shooting
14.2 fps vs 4.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
44 vs 6 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.0 fps vs 1.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
Integrated ND filter
Both provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities

Common Weaknesses

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance

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Sony RX10 II

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Review Excerpt

Large-sensor image quality. Sharp lens with useful zoom range. Tilt/swivel LCD. Twin dials. Smaller than competing interchangeable-lens cameras with a similar lens. Lots of photographer-friendly features.
Not as small as you might hope. Mediocre burst shooting and autofocus speed. Far too easy to accidentally change exposure compensation. Viewfinder is of surprisingly little use. Battery life could be better.
Read our Canon G1X Review

Excellent build quality; Superb viewfinder; Excellent image and video quality for its class; Bright and versatile zoom lens; Very fast autofocus; Great burst performance and depth; Incredible slow-motion capabilities; Really intuitive Wi-Fi image transfer; Good battery life.
Expensive compared to its nearest competitors; Less zoom reach than rivals; Soft in corners wide-open; Slow buffer clearing; Small rear control dial has poor tactile feedback; Long delay to render each high frame-rate movie; No tilt/swivel or touch on the LCD panel.
Read our Sony RX10 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sigma DP1 Merrill

Canon G1X

Sigma DP1 Merrill

$576
1.5 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

$849
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon G1X vs Sigma DP1 Merrill

Sony RX10 II

Sigma DP1 Merrill

$998
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$849
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 II vs Sigma DP1 Merrill

Compared to Sony RX10

Canon G1X

Sony RX10

$576
1.5 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon G1X vs Sony RX10

Sony RX10 II

Sony RX10

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Higher effective ISO

$698
1 inch

Less expensive

Compare Sony RX10 II vs Sony RX10

Compared to Sigma dp2 Quattro

Canon G1X

Sigma dp2 Quattro

$576
1.5 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

$899
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon G1X vs Sigma dp2 Quattro

Sony RX10 II

Sigma dp2 Quattro

$998
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$899
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 II vs Sigma dp2 Quattro

Compared to Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Canon G1X

Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

$576
1.5 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$899
1 inch

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Canon G1X vs Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Sony RX10 II

Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

$998
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Integrated ND filter

$899
1 inch

More telephoto lens reach
Longer exposure

Compare Sony RX10 II vs Leica V-LUX (Typ 114)

Compared to Canon G1X Mark III

Canon G1X

Canon G1X Mark III

$576
1.5 inch

Bigger pixels
More telephoto lens reach

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon G1X vs Canon G1X Mark III

Sony RX10 II

Canon G1X Mark III

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
More telephoto lens reach

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 II vs Canon G1X Mark III

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