Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II Review

The Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II is the update to the G7 X, and as a serious compact camera with a larger than normal 20 megapixel 1inch sensor, it is designed to offer excellent image quality, with a bright 4.2x optical zoom lens, whilst still being pocketable. The Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II is available for around £549.

Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II Features

The G7 X Mark II updates the original G7 X, with an updated tilting touch-screen, which can now tilt down as well as up. The camera features the same 4.2x optical zoom lens as the G7 X, with a bright f/1.8-2.8 aperture, and is equivalent to 24-100mm in 35mm terms. The camera can focus down to 5cm for close-up macro shots. 

New features introduced with the G7 X Mark II: 

• Improved grip (front and rear)
• Control ring clicks can be switched off
• New DIGIC 7 processor
• "Super Fast" AF speeds
• 8fps Raw shooting (14-bit)
• Improved battery life (240 shots vs 210 shots)

A 20.2 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor from Sony sits in the middle of the camera, and this is BSI (Backside Illuminated) for improved low light performance. The camera has an ISO range of ISO125 to ISO12800. The camera has numerous shooting modes, include full manual controls, a custom mode, plus auto, hybrid auto, and scene modes.

Competitors to the G7 X Mark II include the G5 X, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 series (Mark III and IV), and the Panasonic Lumix LX100. Here we've compared the cameras, showing their main features:

*ISO25600 available in multi-frame NR mode

Wi-Fi and NFC are built-in making it possible to connect the camera to an iOS and Android smartphone or tablet. This lets you transfer images, remotely control the camera, as well as add GPS location information to images.

FullHD video recording is included and the camera offers 5-axis optical image stabilisation, stereo sound, and a range of frame rate options, with the quickest available being 60fps. You can also use the optical zoom and touch-screen whilst recording video.

Key Features

• 20.1 megapixel 1inch BSI CMOS sensor
• 4.2x optical zoom lens, f/1.8-2.8, 24-100mm equivalent
• Optical image stabilisation, Intelligent IS with 5-axis Advanced Dynamic IS
• 3inch tilting touch-screen, 1040K dots
• 8fps continuous shooting
• ISO125 to ISO12800
• FullHD video recording, 60p, Stereo sound
• Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity
• 5cm macro focus
• 240 shot battery life

Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II Handling

With an improved front and rear grip, holding on to the compact camera is much better than the previous G7 X. The camera has a solid metal body, which makes the camera feel reassuringly solid and well built.

The dials on the camera, which includes the mode dial, exposure compensation dial, and front control ring are made from metal and these feel good, with a textured surface making them grip well. The mode dial is in the middle of the exposure compensation dial, and both provide a good level of resistance so that you don't accidentally turn them, for example when taking the camera in and out of a case or pocket. The exposure compensation dial is also neatly away from the edges of the camera to make it difficult to accidentally turn this. 

There is a switch next to the front control ring that lets you switch on or off clicks when turning the ring. For example, so you can make silent changes to settings whilst recording video or in areas where you want to be as quiet as possible. The function of the front control ring can be quickly changed by pressing the RING FUNC button. 

The 4-way controller / scroll wheel has a middle Q / Set button and easy direction lets you quickly access a different option, including the drive mode, focus mode, flash settings, and Info which lets you change what is shown on screen. 

The built-in pop-up flash is activated by pressing the release button on the left-hand side of the camera, and there's also a Wi-Fi logo here. There is a dedicated Wi-Fi button on the right, next to the HDMI and MicroUSB ports. Underneath is where you'll find the NFC point, which you can touch to a compatible Android smartphone. The screen quality is very good, with a bright clear display, and you can use this to set the focus point, as well as select options. 

Menus – Pressing the function button on the back of the camera brings up all of the most commonly used photo settings on screen, and it's possible to customise these so you have quicker access to your favourite settings. You can also use the touch-screen to set these options as well as the main menu options. The menus are clearly laid out, with colour coded sections, and will be familiar to anyone who's used a Canon camera before. If you haven't then there is built-in help which will give you a brief explanation of some of the options. 

Wi-Fi features - There is a dedicated Wi-Fi button on the right-hand side of the camera, and this activates Wi-Fi connectivity. Using the Canon Camera Window app on an iOS or iOS device makes it easy to view photos that are on the camera, setup remote shooting, or add GPS locations to images on the camera. Optical zoom and focus can be controlled remotely, as can other options, like the flash mode for example. This can be especially useful for those who are partial to taking the odd 'selfie' or group photograph, as the image can be composed easily using your smartphone's display. You can also use NFC to connection to compatible Android devices.

Battery life - Battery life is rated at 240 shots according to Canon / CIPA test results. You can enable the ECO mode to extend battery life. Canon don't specify how long the battery lasts with ECO mode enabled, but considering 240 shots is quite low, we'd recommend using ECO mode, or purchasing a second battery.