Canon G9X Field Test: Large sensor, tiny body, real-world thoughts
posted Monday, February 8, 2016 at 1:49 PM EST
Over the last few years, Sony's category-defining RX100-series cameras (Battle of the RX100s) have gained a wealth of new features, but that's come with a corresponding increase in heft. They'll still fit in a pocket, but they're no longer the jaw-droppingly svelte enthusiast pocket-zoom cameras that they once were. For that reason, I found myself rather excited when, late last year, Canon launched the G9X enthusiast compact.
Based around the same 1"-type sensor size as used in Sony's cameras, the Canon G9X represents a return to the original spirit of the form factor: Shoehorning the biggest possible sensor into the smallest possible camera without foregoing a zoom lens. It's a concept that's not for everyone. Some enthusiasts will be turned off by the not-so-bright maximum aperture, or the lack of a Swiss Army knife approach that includes features that may go unused, such as an electronic viewfinder or tilting display.
But for anyone seeking the smallest possible camera that can trounce smartphone image quality, the Canon G9X espouses a very alluring formula.
Of course, that's on paper. How does it perform in the real world? Over the last few weeks, I've been shooting with the G9X around my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, capturing images in a wide range of conditions to uncover the answer to that question. Want to find out how the Canon G9X compares to its siblings and rivals? Head on over to my just-published Canon G9X field test now, and find out whether it's the right camera for you!
