Archive notice: This article was originally published on May 7, 2014. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II is the new flagship compact camera and successor to the PowerShot G1 X, which saw the light of the market two years ago. The new model has been refreshed in terms of design and equipped with features intended above all to encourage professionals to buy the new one. The new model does not fare badly at all in the usual tests. Price: 849 euros including VAT.
The G1 X Mark II impresses with DSLR-level image quality. It is handy and compact, but still too large for a trouser pocket; however, that should not present a problem for professionals accustomed to much heavier equipment if they are considering the "perfect additional camera" – as Canon calls it.
Here are the features in detail:
Sensor
The camera has a 1.5-inch Canon CMOS sensor. Like the APS-C sensors in DSLR cameras, it enables photography with a shallow depth of field. The new sensor configuration allows adjustment and full use of the entire width of the lens circle, whether capturing images in the standard 3:2 aspect ratio at 12.8 megapixels or in the 4:3 ratio at 13.1 megapixels without changing the effective focal length.
The sensor’s pixels are 4.5 times larger than those in the most recently introduced PowerShot G16. They provide even greater light sensitivity as well as less image noise in low-light conditions. The larger pixels also increase dynamic range.
Lens
According to Canon, despite its compact dimensions, the fast f/2.0–3.9 lens retains an f/3.9 aperture even at maximum zoom. The lens has a 5x optical zoom with a focal-length range of 24 to 120 millimeters and a nine-blade iris diaphragm. The model also features ZoomPlus technology, in which the reach of the optical zoom is digitally doubled. In addition, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II allows macro photographs with a minimum focusing distance of five centimeters.
Handling
As mentioned at the beginning, the design was also revised for the new model. In addition to the stainless-steel chassis and external aluminum housing, work was done on the grip, so to speak, which is now intended to make the camera sit more ergonomically in the hands of professionals or ambitious amateur photographers.
Focusing
The AiAF system has been optimized and now works with 31 AF measurement fields, compared with 9 AF measurement fields on the PowerShot G1X. According to Canon, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II also has two fully configurable lens-control rings.
The 7.5-centimeter (3.0-inch) capacitive LCD touchscreen gives photographers additional control options. Image reproduction on the high-resolution display takes place in the sRGB spectrum, which is identical to the recorded and processed color space.
DIGIC 6 and Intelligent IS
The camera has Canon’s DIGIC 6 image processor. It is up to 2.4 times faster than the DIGIC 5 processor. According to Canon, the increased processing power enables even cleaner JPEG images and MP4 movies with less noise in low-light conditions. Shutter lag is reduced by up to 56 percent overall, continuous shooting is fast and consistent, and functions such as the "Background Blur" and "Handheld HDR" modes are supported.
In movie mode, 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD 30p movies with stereo sound can be recorded. The optical zoom can also be used during movie recording. Not to be forgotten: the optimized Star mode now has a new Star Portrait option for recording subjects against a starry sky.
Back-up
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II has new WLAN functions. These include integrated NFC support for connecting the camera to an NFC-enabled smartphone by holding the two devices together. This allows recordings to be transferred to a smartphone and subsequently uploaded and shared from almost anywhere via the mobile device’s data connection. WLAN connectivity enables remote control of the PowerShot G1 X Mark II through a compatible mobile device on which the Canon CameraWindow app is installed.
