Canon G7X II Review: A great compact camera keeps much the same but gains needed improvements

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by Jeremy Gray

posted Friday, July 29, 2016 at 5:06 PM EST

When we reviewed the original Canon G7X -- which was released in October 2014 -- we noted that it was the first real competitor that the Sony RX100-series had faced in this exciting enthusiast compact camera market. With a compact body, a 4.2x optical zoom and a 20.2-megapixel 1"-type sensor, the G7X delivered a relatively bit more versatility with the lens and still very good image quality. However, it also had areas of weak performance. Thankfully, the Canon G7X Mark II follow-up released in May keeps the good aspects of the original while improving on a number of factors, to both the camera body itself and performance across the board.

We have just finished our Canon G7X II review and while the list of pros and cons is generally similar to its predecessor, the G7X II brings an expansive list of welcome improvements. The pocketable enthusiast camera remains easy to use with an excellent implementation of the touchscreen (which now tilts downward) and action shooters will be very pleased with the performance gains that the new DIGIC 7 image processor brings. However, like the original, the G7X II's lens -- impressive in its reach -- loses sharpness at the wide end. Autofocus performance is slightly improved but still not particularly impressive when shooting fast-moving subjects, and the lack of 4K recording is allowing its competitors to pull further ahead in the video department.

24mm equivalent (8.8mm actual), f/8.0, 1s, ISO 125. This image has been modified.

Nonetheless, this is a very good enthusiast compact camera, especially for users who are more focused on stills than video. If you don't need an electronic viewfinder, appreciate a good touchscreen and put an emphasis on still image quality, the G7X II might be what you're looking for. Read our full Canon G7X II review or head over to the conclusion to see our final verdict. If you haven't checked them out already, you should also read our Field Test, Image Quality Comparison and Print Quality Analysis.