Canon Canon Powershot G7x vs Sony rxiii

Nice. From what I see and from own usage (my friend is using a RX100III and I have the honour to play with it side by side with my G7X - no pics to show though), I find that IQ is pretty much similar, although I do admit that the RX100III was able to capture a bit more details as compared to my G7X but you would need to pixel peep.

The main problem still came down to movie mode, I do find G7X a bit lagging behind in term of movie, but since I am not a videographer and I only take short video or clips occasionally, it doesn't bother me at all. As to the build in pop up viewfinder of the Sony, I find that a waste of time (at least for me). First off, the RX100III is such a small and compact camera, holding it up and smashing it against my face is already not too comfortable, not to mention, I am wearing glasses and my nose ain't particularly small, so it make controlling and fiddling of the camera a bit tough. So finally I understand why Canon do away with this feature.

The only thing I like about Sony that Canon is lacking is the wonderful LCD that can flip both upward and downward, so I can get overhead shots easier, while Canon seemed to have gone for the cheaper version (like the Samsung NX mini) which is a bummer.
 
+1 after shooting many flower/close ups this weekend...

The only thing I like about Sony that Canon is lacking is the wonderful LCD that can flip both upward and downward, so I can get overhead shots easier, while Canon seemed to have gone for the cheaper version (like the Samsung NX mini) which is a bummer.
 
The only thing I like about Sony that Canon is lacking is the wonderful LCD that can flip both upward and downward, so I can get overhead shots easier, while Canon seemed to have gone for the cheaper version (like the Samsung NX mini) which is a bummer.
Really easy to shoot overhead - just shoot with the camera upside-down... I did a few like that yesterday.

-Ray
 
Really easy to shoot overhead - just shoot with the camera upside-down... I did a few like that yesterday.

-Ray

Need to thank Ray again. I put the techniques Ray had mentioned to test during one of my work event. It works like a charm, granted that I need to get familiar with it but it did the job well. The photos result are great, my boss is pretty impressed... Thanks again Ray.
 
The Camera Store has their RX100 vs G7X shootout up on youtube now:


I disagree with them on almost everything here, but they're entitled to their opinion. They make a big deal of the overhead shooting of the screen on the RX100 and how the Canon lacks it. You don't have to be a genius to just turn the thing over if you really want to shoot overhead. They make a big deal about how much better the manual focus is on the RX100 because the front ring is smooth instead of a click wheel but don't mention that there's not even a rudimentary distance scale on the RX100. And are people really using manual focus for critical focus tasks with these little cameras? They also find a big AF advantage for the Sony, but I've seen conflicting reports in different reviews and I started using the AF in my low light office on the G7X while watching the video and it's plenty fast in these conditions...They never mention the ergonomic advantages of the G7X, like the exposure comp dial. They talk about the customizable Fn button on the Sony but totally neglect the also customizable Func/Set button on the G7X. They don't mention the crippled auto-ISO setup on the Sony and the very good set of auto-ISO options on the Canon. I agree with them that the EVF on the RX100 is a big deal for those who use one a lot and I agree that the RX100 is a bit sharper under pixel peeping, particularly at the wide end. But I don't think they give enough credit for having a usable fast portrait range on the G7X, which adds another pretty big layer of function to that camera. They just seem to have it in for Canon because they didn't innovate here and don't most other places either. Which I agree with, but that's beside the point when you're just comparing the usefulness and usability of these two cameras.

I can understand a conclusion that they're pretty close and it comes down to user preference for features like an EVF vs a longer zoom range, but they basically just trash the Canon for being a Canon and love everything about the Sony. Which I think is insane personally. I didn't generally think much of Canon as a company either and haven't liked one of their cameras in a while. But I hated the RX100 and really quite like the G7X (despite my prejudice) and find it a LOT more fun to shoot with in almost every way.

Oh well, no accounting for taste! :rolleyes:

-Ray
 
Nice video and comparison.... Yes, Canon is in the right way, but a half cooked one.... I really like the camera, better then Sony for usage. The touch af is good, but one way lcd not very good. Yes I tried the 180 degree opposite way... The bokeh is very nice esp at 100mm, but you cannot shot wide open for close ups (lens is too soft) and the af is really not good esp for smaller subjects... I like clicky wheel, but it is harder to turn... Mine is going back due to lens misalignment from 50-100mm when I shoot 50-150 yards and it doesn't correct it until f8... I am sure I will miss it...

After comparing to raws at 24mm, Sony has less lens corrections compared to Canon. Corrected image also fits to the full page, eg there is less need for upscaling. G7x has similar lens distortion to Canon g1x m2, more then 15% correction per lenstip vs 12.4% Sony. If you don't correct the distortion you can get a wider view with Canon, so it also upscales the image more... Canon of course wins it at 100mm:)
 
Well, there's no getting around the fact that if the lens is misaligned on one's camera then it's defective and should go back. But, generally, I think it's down to simple personal preference between the G7X and the RX100 III. I honestly think all the pixel-peeping kind of misses the point of this type of camera. Myself, I'm still trying to work it out. I like the clicky controls and exposure compension dial of the Canon. But I'm trying to decide if I really want/need the Sony's EVF. I have to get to B&H and play with both cameras.
 
Well, there's no getting around the fact that if the lens is misaligned on one's camera then it's defective and should go back. But, generally, I think it's down to simple personal preference between the G7X and the RX100 III. I honestly think all the pixel-peeping kind of misses the point of this type of camera. Myself, I'm still trying to work it out. I like the clicky controls and exposure compension dial of the Canon. But I'm trying to decide if I really want/need the Sony's EVF. I have to get to B&H and play with both cameras.

Yeah, something like the EVF is a good basis to decide. Or the range of the Canon or where-ever your personal preferences land in terms of the shooting experience. I can see the differences in IQ between the two cameras at the wide end, but I have to look real hard and it doesn't make any practical difference for the kinds of shooting I'd ever do with a camera like this. For me, it's the expanded zoom reach, lens speed, and what I find to be a vastly better shooting experience that leads me to the G7X. For some the EVF and perhaps a preference for the shooting experience with the RX100 would push them the other way.

I don't have any issue with anyone preferring either of these cameras over the other. And I'm more that willing to stipulate that Sony is the tech leader and the G7X is a "me too" in response to the RX100. But I still think the review is a pretty unjustified hatchet job, focussing on a few details that favor the Sony, ignoring some that favor the Canon, and focussing more on Canon's corporate shortcomings than anything having to do with these two cameras. I know when I worked in a camera store we made less money on Canon than nearly anyone because they sold so well on name alone that Canon didn't have to give us any incentives to sell their stuff. To make money, we had to steer people away from them more often than not. That was almost 30 years ago and I have no idea what sort of dynamic exists with that today and I doubt that the Camera Store guys are responding to that kind of thing anyway - I've always liked their reviews and find them generally pretty fair when I've had enough knowledge of the products they were talking about to be able to tell. But this one I think is far too kind to the Sony and far too hard on the Canon.

This is the first of their reviews that really got my blood boiling. Even when I came to different conclusions in the past I thought they were reasonable in their criticisms. Not this time though...

-Ray
 
yes, it is better to check both if you have the chance. Kai has some shots of evf in his version of RX100 III vs X30 comparison video:

But I'm trying to decide if I really want/need the Sony's EVF. I have to get to B&H and play with both cameras.
 
The Camera Store has their RX100 vs G7X shootout up on youtube now:

...But I hated the RX100 and really quite like the G7X (despite my prejudice) and find it a LOT more fun to shoot with in almost every way.

-Ray

Yes, I find that Sony and Panasonic color algorithms cant adequate draw space. Looks like they sacrifice some color transitions, undertints for more detailed and clear picture with agressive NR. Unlike Fuji, Canon and Samsung. Thats the reason why I cant choose Rx III.
Sorry for my english.

Another 1 user review with many incam jpegs at the end.
 
Cameralabs review is finalized and is much more balanced, IMHO, than the Camera Store.

Canon PowerShot G7X review | Cameralabs

Talks a lot about IQ, noting that the G7X is marginally softer, particularly in the corners, at 24mm, but that from 50mm on up, it's marginally sharper than the Sony, but overall doesn't see IQ as much of a differentiating factor. Talks about features and what might make you choose the GX7 and what might make you choose the RX100 III. He doesn't declare a winner, but sees the key differentiating factors as I do - the EVF on the RX100 III vs the longer/faster lens and touch-screen on the G7X. He also makes note of the smaller details of both, but doesn't take sides on features like the click-wheel or the screen tilt direction.

He's basically very impressed with both cameras, sees the G7X on equal footing but with a few differentiating features, and leaves it at that.

THIS is a review I can recommend to anyone wrestling with a decision between these cameras - it won't tell you what to buy, but will give you plenty of information to base a decision on...

-Ray
 
I have long unsubscribe from the camerastore youtube channel, because it simply didn't give me much information when I am trying to decide on two different cameras and many of the supposed test between cameras are not objective. Taking the comparison between the Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 lens and Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 lens, the entire comparison was done on two different bodies, the panasonic lens on the panasonic body and the Oly lens on a Oly body, which is kind of funny. What if I want the Pany lens on a Oly body, can it achieve the same result or using the Oly lens on a Pany body?

Secondly, I kind of switch off when a reviewer came into view already with something he prefered in his mind, the entire objective is already not clear, he is just trying to seek out the fault of another camera and put the camera he liked in front...
 
DPReview has an update to their preview of the GX7. Seems that Canon is still behind the curve on autofocus. Disappointing.
And yet there's the Cameralabs review that finds the AF on the Canon better than the Sony??? I doubt there's enough between them to worry about. I'm in NYC shooting with the G7X at the moment and haven't missed any shots because of AF problems.

-Ray
 
And yet there's the Cameralabs review that finds the AF on the Canon better than the Sony??? I doubt there's enough between them to worry about. I'm in NYC shooting with the G7X at the moment and haven't missed any shots because of AF problems.

-Ray

I had the RX100m3 and now have the G7X. If AF is different between them it is not by much. Both are "fast enough" and "accurate enough" imo.
 
I had the RX100m3 and now have the G7X. If AF is different between them it is not by much. Both are "fast enough" and "accurate enough" imo.

That's certainly my impression having both the original RX100 and G7X and never having heard that the RX100 III was that much better in terms of AF than the original. I thought the first RX100 set a new standard for AF in a compact and the G7X is certainly as good, if not a little bit better. Assuming the III is slightly better than the original RX100 as well, that puts them in similar enough territory not to worry about.

I'm amazed at the small differences people are choosing to emphasize between these two cameras, making mountains out of what I perceive to be molehills, if that. I continue to think it'd down to Sony's EVF and somewhat better video vs the G7X's longer faster zoom and touch-screen. And if you have a preference for the way one of them handles and the shooting interface, add that in as well. To me, the difference in interface for what I do is huge, but I realize it's not for everyone.

-Ray
 
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