The Canon G1 X Mark II compact camera is the the follow-up to the brand's Canon G1 X (which was itself, a replacement for the Canon G12).
With the high-end compact camera market rapidly growing, as people trade up from basic compacts and smartphone camera, there's plenty of competition out there in the form of the Sony Cyber-Shot RX100, the Nikon Coolpix A and the Fujifilm X20.
With the high-end compact camera market rapidly growing, as people trade up from basic compacts and smartphone camera, there's plenty of competition out there in the form of the Sony Cyber-Shot RX100, the Nikon Coolpix A and the Fujifilm X20.
Canon G1 X Mark II: Size and build
The Canon G1 X Mark II has a similarly chunky brick-like chassis as
its predecessor did, which means that's it's not entirely pocketable,
but it is still a solid alternative to a DSLR, or a good choice for a
secondary back-up camera.
Canon G1 X Mark II: Features
The new model sports a 5x optical zoom (the previous model had 4x)
along with a brand new 24-120mm f/2.0-3.9 lens which enables close-ups
up to 5cm away from the camera - something that's been vastly improved
since the last model.
One of the biggest improvements on the new camera is the inclusion two new manual control rings around the lens. The inner ring has a satisfying click action as it goes round, while the other has impressively smooth operation. These can be prgrammed for various functions and also help to give the camera a more DSLR-like grip in the hand.
One of the biggest improvements on the new camera is the inclusion two new manual control rings around the lens. The inner ring has a satisfying click action as it goes round, while the other has impressively smooth operation. These can be prgrammed for various functions and also help to give the camera a more DSLR-like grip in the hand.
Canon G1 X Mark II: Screen
The 3-inch LCD screen is now mounted on a bracket that can be pulled
out from the camera and tilted up and down. On the previous model, the
screen flipped out to the side, which felt a little cumbersome.
We much prefer the new vertically tilting screen, which makes it
easier to capture shots from awkward angles and can even be flipped
right round so you can line up your selfies properly. It's also a touch
screen, giving you more options for control and making it easier to
navigate through menus.
Canon has ditched the Electronic Viewfinder from the previous model as many felt that it was too small to be genuinely useful. Instead, the maker has created an optional EVF that be bought separately (for £200).
Canon has ditched the Electronic Viewfinder from the previous model as many felt that it was too small to be genuinely useful. Instead, the maker has created an optional EVF that be bought separately (for £200).
Canon G1 X Mark II: Picture quality
While we didn't get to test out the picture quality in our brief
preview, we have high hopes for the new model. Its predecessor's image
quality was never really in question, so we expect a similarly high
standard from the Mark II as it packs the same sensor along with the
DIGIC 6 processor.
Fans of the Star Mode on the Canon PoweShot S120 wil be pleased to note that this appears on the new G1 X and that the the new model boasts a more sophisticated version of the video Star mode.
Fans of the Star Mode on the Canon PoweShot S120 wil be pleased to note that this appears on the new G1 X and that the the new model boasts a more sophisticated version of the video Star mode.
Canon G1 X Mark II: Verdict
Our first impressions of the G1 X Mark II were all good - it apears
that Canon has listened to all of the issues that were raised on the
previous model and addressed them all to produce a highly specced
compact. We look forward to taking it for a full test run.
Canon G1 X Mark II release date: May 2014
Canon G1 X Mark II price: £749
Canon G1 X Mark II release date: May 2014
Canon G1 X Mark II price: £749
