ET review: Canon G1X Mark II

The enthusiast photographer never had it so good. On one hand, there are so many excellent DSLRs available (and at great prices) and on the other, compact prosumer cameras are getting better all the time. Canon’s G1X Mark II is the latest in a long line of capable (and expensive) bridge cameras — they have all the features you would find in a DSLR but in a smaller size.

Importantly, the G1X Mk II edges closer to a DSLR (similar sensor size, RAW shooting, full creative control) and surpasses it in some aspects (hybrid autofocus system, dual customisable control rings). It’s not a small camera, so it’s not going to fit into any sort of pocket.

Plus the all-metal design makes it heavy. The controls look deceptively simple and there’s only one mode dial on top. However, there are two customisable rotating rings on the lens barrel, a customisable D-ring plus a customisable shortcut button so that you can quickly adjust the things that matter to you without going through the menu.

Some of the biggest wins of the G1X Mk II are the excellent results, great lens, fast autofocus and solid build quality. On the downside, it still captures a fair bit of noise at ISO 800 and above, is slower than a midrange DSLR and has average battery life.

For roughly the same price, you could get a Canon EOS 700D kit (18-55mm). We’ve also seen the smaller and lighter Canon EOS M kit (with 18-55mm lens, external flash, 4GB card and bag) available for just Rs 21k.

The excellent Sony RX100 II is available for roughly Rs 36k and if you need an APS-C sensor in a smaller, lighter chassis, there’s always the NEX-5TL (Rs 43k). Overall, it’s not that the G1X Mk II is bad— far from it.

It’s just that the high price, large size and weight put it in a very niche category. Ultimately, most users will be better off with one of the alternatives we suggest.