Canon G7x Mark III Camera Review
- Quality of photos
- Quality of movies
- Battery
- Screen
- Additional functions
Canon G7x Mark III review in three sentences
The Canon G7x Mark III is a great camera that is also very versatile. It has nice optics, an equally good matrix, and many functions that can be useful to all of us. Mainly streamers or vloggers, but also people conducting online trainings or fans of holiday shots.
Sometimes it seems to us that small cameras are an area that smartphones have already completely taken over. But smartphones have factors that are almost impossible to leap from cameras without turning into them. Review of the Canon G7x Mark III, which is one of the small cameras that is not overpriced yet, and will meet the requirements of many holiday photographers, but also streamers or vloggers.
Benefits
- Quality of photos
- Nice stabilization
- Compact dimensions
- Very good colors
- Even decent RAWy
- Solid workmanship despite artificial materials
- Possibility to act as a webcam …
Disadvantages
- … But you have to look for unofficial power supplies
- It is a pity that the matrix is only 1 ″, in this budget you can find compacts with 4/3 ″
- Poor built-in modes
- Low battery
Contents
Set and price
The Canon G7x Mark III comes to us in a small cardboard box, and we won’t find much inside. Of course, there is the camera itself, battery, charger, wrist strap, manual and that’s it. As always, the SD card must be purchased separately.
The Canon G7x Mark III currently costs just over USD $749.
Specification
- 1 ”matrix with a 3: 2 aspect ratio
- Photo resolution 20.1 MPx
- 4K video recording
- FullHD up to 120 FPS
- Five-axis stabilization with 4EV efficiency
- A lens with a focal length of 8.8-36.8 millimeters, which is the equivalent of 24-100 for the full frame format
- Brightness from f / 1.8 to f / 2.8
- Built-in ND filter up to 3EV
- Battery sufficient for 325 photos
- Streaming directly to YouTube
- Tilting 3 “touch screen
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support
- 3.5mm microphone input
Build quality and build
The Canon G7x Mark III is a very well-made camera that reminds me a bit of the models from the Fuji stable. At the front, of course, we find a lens that closes in the form of a pancake with the camera turned off. There is also an automatically closing cover, which makes life much easier .
I have lost countless camera caps myself, and this option is no longer available here. The model name is G7x in the lower right corner and the Canon logo on the opposite side. The left part is very important, however, because it has a tab to improve the grip. With the right grip, we hold it with the middle finger of the middle hand, but if we want to grab the camera as if it were a large SLR, we will be disappointed.
At the top of the camera you will find a flash, a stereo microphone with a speaker, a power switch, a shutter button, zoom settings, a mode wheel, and an exposure compensation wheel. And I am incredibly happy with the latter. If I use semi-automatic modes, this is the perfect option when the automation fails in terms of selecting parameters. Canon G7x Mark III has it at a very good level, but even when using flagship cameras, sometimes you have to play for a while.
On the back of the camera, of course, we find the aforementioned three-inch screen, which we can tilt very strongly. As much as 180 degrees up so that you can see your face when vlogging, and about 45 degrees down. This allows you to shoot from above your head. On the right side of the screen there are some important buttons and above them there is a place for the thumb, which is also very well contoured.
All connectors are found on the sides of the camera. On the right edge there is USB-C with a microHDMI, but also a button for connecting with the phone. The left side hides the microphone connector and the button for releasing the lamp into the daylight, or rather when it is missing. The bottom is standard, there is an opening slot for an SD card and battery, as well as a 1/4 inch thread for attaching the camera to a tripod.
The materials from which the reviewed Canon G7x Mark III was made are mainly plastics . Almost the entire front is made of a rubber-like material, which ensures very little chance of the finger slipping. The case is similar with the back part, where there is only the same material next to the screen. The upper and lower parts are made of plastic with a pleasant texture. The mechanism of the screen, as well as the ring by the lens, are already made of metal, which can be felt almost immediately .
Buttonology, or what we can actually do
A small camera, few rolls and few buttons. At least when it comes to large constructions, but the Canon G7x Mark III is doing quite well anyway. On the back panel, going from the top, you will find a button to lock the exposure. We can “aim” the camera at a different place than the one we will ultimately photograph, and then lock the exposure and take a photo of something else. Next to it is a record button, the operation of which is rather bright. Below the selector are the gallery and menu buttons.
The selector itself, which is the circular element with five buttons, has a slightly longer list of options. The top button is for the shooting mode. We can turn on the serial mode, as well as a self-timer for two or ten seconds. On the right side there is a button for forcing the flash or not. Select the focus mode with the left button. There are macro, standard mode and manual focus here. The lower button changes the display mode, which allows us to choose what we want to see on the screen while shooting. The most important, however, is the middle button, i.e. quick settings. When taking photos, we will most often use its benefits.
Camera operation and menu
Canon G7x Mark III has an almost identical system to other models of the manufacturer. People who have had contact with the company will find each other without any problems. All options are explained quite well from the camera level, and if this is not enough for someone, more information can be found in the manual. The camera itself works very quickly, which is a positive surprise.
People unfamiliar with cameras will also probably find their way around quickly. A large proportion of people will probably not need to change anything. All they need is the auto mode, which is located on the mode dial at the top of the cameras. For those who want to play, the quick settings mode will be useful. It is easy to use, fast and quite convenient. I really like the ability to quickly switch to automatic ISO with two clicks. This is much better than running the full range to get to that option.
Canon Camera Connect app
With the help of the Canon Camera Connect application available for Android and iOS phones, we are able to download photos and operate the reviewed Canon G7x Mark III camera. Everything is done via Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth (depending on the selected function. The interface of the application is simple and a bit outdated, but it does the job.
In my opinion, the preview is the best option that the manufacturer can add to the camera application . it does not delay as much as in the case of older Panasonic cameras, it also allows you to change image parameters, take pictures, record videos, transfer photos from the camera to the phone, so we basically have everything we need.
Connecting to the application is also not extremely difficult. You should have Wi-Fi turned on, select the options responsible for connecting in the camera, select our camera in the application and that’s it. After about 20 seconds, the phone connects to the reviewed Canon G7x Mark III camera. With each subsequent connection, it takes much less time, because usually a few seconds after starting the application, the devices are already paired with each other.
EOS Webcam Utility, your best webcam
With the help of the EOS Webcam Utility drivers, we are able to turn the Canon G7x Mark III into a webcam. It is an ideal option for streamers, or even for people who need to show up at a conference from time to time, and at the same time want to have their own shooting equipment .
After installing the drivers, restart the computer and connect the camera to the computer via the USB-C connector. The whole thing takes a moment and works flawlessly in most cases. However, it is worth using a short cable, because with a cable with a length of two and a half meters, I had problems with enabling this function. The camera repeatedly went into charging mode and lost connection with the OBS application.
Unfortunately, when we use the camera in this way, it is not charged. All that is left is to replace the battery every now and then or buy an adapter that simulates a battery in a socket and is simply a power supply. However, you must keep the battery door open while charging, as the cable will stick out. However, if we use the camera normally, and not as a webcam, we can charge it via USB type C located on the side of the device.
The stabilization works well, but below the manufacturer’s assurances
The Canon G7x Mark III is equipped with a five-axis stabilization, which, according to the manufacturer, should have a performance of 4 EV . This means that we should be able to take a sharp photo with four exposure increments (of course in terms of exposure time) than without stabilization on. For example, if I am able to take a sharp photo at 1/125 of a second, then with stabilization we should keep the matrix steady for 1/8 of a second. Well, it’s not that good, because stabilization usually allows you to extend the exposure time four times, i.e. two exposure jumps. 1/125 of a second becomes 1/30, which is not a great result, but typical for cameras in this class.
Stabilization in movies has three modes of operation, but I personally see the sense only in using the two lowest. The third crops the image, resulting in degraded quality. The intermediate mode is definitely sufficient, even when walking, as you can see in the materials below. When using the Canon G7x Mark III on a tripod, it is best to turn off the stabilization completely.
Autofocus
Autofocus is the first element that I can attach more seriously to. It works with the help of contrast detection, which is standard for mirrorless cameras and compacts. We have a choice of 31 focus areas, searching for focus as long as we have the shutter button pressed halfway, as well as tracking a given point and searching for a face in the photo.
Face Search, of course, sees them almost everywhere. Consequently, I quickly turned off this mode when using the camera for photos while out in the city. It is simply not the optimal solution, as the camera will recognize that the face is not the person’s face, but the building behind them. Object tracking works very well though. If we do not have many similar elements in the frame, the Canon G7x Mark III should not get lost and in most cases it sticks to the point we set.
However, if we set a specific point, the camera will quickly find the focus point in good lighting. In dark conditions, it can run through the entire focus range several times to finally hit. The same is true in the movies. Of course, it is best to set the tracking of the object and follow it, but this is not always the perfect option. Let’s just remember to have an insert on a not-so-sharp piece of material, if necessary.
Quality of photos
At the outset, I want to highlight one very important element that many people forget about. The Canon G7x Mark III camera is not a phone and does not have so many photo algorithms, so sometimes photos from the phone may seem better at first glance. To get the most out of your camera, you need to play with it a bit.
For the best HDR effect, bracketing will be useful, i.e. taking several photos in a row with a shifted exposure, and then folding them in Lightroom or another processing program. Camera processors are developing, but it is still only a fraction of the computing power available in high-end smartphones such as Xiaomi 12 Pro , Samsung S22 Ultra or Sony Xperia 1 IV .
Now that we have this checked, we can move on to a more detailed discussion of the photos themselves. The Canon G7x Mark III is equipped with a one-inch matrix with a resolution of 20 megapixels and a lens with a brightness of f / 1.8 to f / 2.8 and an equivalent focal length from 24 to 100 millimeters. This means that we have a slightly over fourfold zoom to use.
Twenty-four millimeters at the wider end have a brightness of f / 1.8 and are the equivalent of standard lenses in phones. It’s about the same viewing angle and brightness. The brightness decreases linearly to the equivalent of 50 millimeters, where it stops at the value of f / 2.8. This is a fairly standard result.
The sharpness of the photos is at a very decent level, as long as we don’t make them very bright, reflecting the light. In such a situation, it is worth closing the aperture by about one step. The starting f / 1.8 is not very good in such situations, which results in a drop in contrast and sharpness of the image. In other conditions, it is very good.
The photos look natural, and for a camera with a one-inch matrix, the tonal range is also satisfactory. HDR mode is also available for use, but its performance is average. If we have the possibility, it is better to take three pictures in a row using bracketing, in my opinion the most universal option is -2 ev, 0 ev and +2 ev, and then put them together in Lightroom. This will provide much better results than the built-in option. The macro mode is also a very big advantage, which allows us to take sharp photos from a distance of only a few centimeters.
In the case of night photos, the camera is also doing very well. Thanks to reasonable stabilization, a bright lens and a high useful ISO, we are able to safely shoot in dark conditions. Also with only a few light bulbs turned on in the apartment, although here it is worth having less mobile objects for photographing than cats, which in my case will not sit still for too long.
The camera also does not turn up the colors without turning on special modes. It is worth bearing this in mind, although I reiterate my opinion that the full effects of using the camera can be obtained by taking the obtained photos, which are of course best saved in RAW format.
Quality of videos
The movies made with the Canon G7x Mark III camera, which is the hero of this review, are also of very high quality. The maximum resolution is 4K, and the bitrate is as high as 120 Mbps, which is a great result . This requires a fast memory card, of course, but it’s definitely worth it.
The camera allows us to record movies in 4K only for nine minutes and 59 seconds, but we rarely need more. For FullHD content, the limit is 29 minutes and 59 seconds, which is standard for products registered as a camera, not a camera.
The quality of the materials itself is very high. The images we get from the Canon G7x Mark III are satisfactorily sharp, the automation works very well, and the 180-degree rule is adhered to. It is based on the fact that with a film in 25 frames per second, the exposure time should be 1/50 of a second. In the case of material in 50 fps, we should expose each frame for 1/100 second. This gives the impression of a smooth image without tearing. The films are also pleasantly, naturally saturated and have a contrast that is not exaggerated either way.
Battery
The Canon G7x Mark III is equipped with a small one, with a capacity of only 1250 mAh, which is not a huge result. According to the producer, it is enough for only 325 photos. In my case, it allowed for a bit more, but the results are still not ultra-surprising and positive. It is worth having a powerbank with you to charge the camera during use.
Canon G7x Mark III review – summary
Canon G7x Mark III is a great camera for people who like to have a small camera with them on trips. It is also an ideal option for vloggers and streamers. Thanks to its small size, the possibility of connecting it as a webcam, good stabilization and many other small elements, it is a great solution for them. It provides very good image quality, flexible RAW files.
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