Canon PowerShot G9X, we've tested it

Canon PowerShot G9X

The Japanese giant of the image Canon has recently expanded its range of compact PowerShot G with two new models, the PowerShot G5X and the protagonist of this test, the new Canon PowerShot G9X . While the former ranks as the most advanced option in the G- series thanks to its optical viewfinder and manual control options, the G9X presents itself as an advanced performance, easy-to-operate camera, but it also features a comprehensive snap mode. Handbook. Technically, this new PowerShot components incorporated as the sensor of an inch and 20.2 - megapixel also equips the G5xas well as the same five-axis stabilization system , the new DIGIC 6 processor, and the same three-inch touchscreen LCD .

canon-g9x-02

Equipped with a three-magnification optical zoom and an attractive manual control ring around the lens, this new G9X  has really small dimensions that allow us to carry it comfortably in our pants pocket and always have it at hand so as not to miss any shot. It is already available, and its recommended retail price is 550 euros . Read on to find out how the new Canon PowerShot G9X goes

Technical characteristics

The PowerShot G9X represents the gateway to the range of compact G of Canon . This range is made up of a series of equipment that offers a reduced or smaller size than interchangeable lens cameras, but maintains the possibilities and advanced handling of those, which makes them the ideal option for all those looking for a camera. small but capable, or for photographers who want to buy a pocket camera that does not make them miss the features of their SLR too much .

Canon PowerShot G9X

To do this, the G9X features the same sensor of an inch and 20.2 - megapixel her older sister, G5x . The size of this sensor, almost three times higher than the compact as the popular PowerShot S120 , is a factor to consider when differentiating G9X from all other compact cameras PowerShot from Canon . A larger sensor means more ability to absorb light, more dynamic range and therefore better image quality. Continuing with the specifications, the entire imaging process is carried out by the DIGIC 6 chip that also equips its older sisters G7X and G5X. And to get more stable photos and Full HD movies without shake, the G9X also has an advanced stabilization system that acts on five axes .

The goal is another of the benefits of the  PowerShot G9X because Canon has equipped its new compact lens with a focal range equivalent to 28-84 mm in standard full - frame and an interesting maximum aperture of f / 2 in its most angular position. Although there are models on the market that open up to f / 1.8 or f / 1.4,  this data is important because with this aperture we will be able to take close-ups with large background blurs or take pictures indoors in low light without having to stretch the ISO sensitivity to values ​​that generate noise in the image.

Canon PowerShot G9X

Design and handling

The first thing that strikes you after taking the PowerShot G9X out of its packaging is its size, which is really compact. With dimensions of 98.0 mm wide by 57.9 mm high and 30.8 deep , the new Canonallows us to carry it in any pocket without causing inconvenience due to its size or weight. Available in an elegant silver color with brown protections, or in a discreet and more “professional” finish in black, it offers correct finishes and a pleasant touch to hold thanks to the rough reinforcements on both sides. The front is completely dominated by the lens, which in turn is surrounded by the menu-assignable manual control ring. At the top we will find the mode dial, accompanied by the usual set of shutter button and zoom control that we can find in all cameras of the “ Point & Shoot ” type (point and shoot). We will also find here the on and off button, the Play selectorto see our photos and videos and the retractable flash with the corresponding button to release it.

As for the rear, the good operation of the touch screen of this model makes it possible to do without many of the usual buttons in this type of advanced cameras. Thus, the G9X  has bypassed the typical cross-shaped controls to navigate through the menus, keeping only the dedicated button to activate video recording, the “ Quick Set ” or quick menu button, access to the general menu and the button. Info to specify the amount of information we want to see on the screen.

Moving on to the handling of the PowerShot G9X , we have already mentioned before the good operation of the touch screen in any of its shooting modes. In fact, it works so well that on occasion during testing we forgot about the manual control ring on the front. For example, in manual mode, the screen shows us the four main parameters (speed, aperture, exposure compensation and ISO sensitivity setting .) at its lower edge. With a single touch on any of the parameters we can change its value from the same screen, without having to navigate to another menu or touch any other button. In addition, once we have the image parameters adjusted we can focus at the desired point and even shoot by pressing on the screen, it is not necessary to touch the shutter if we do not want to. A small green circle over one of the parameters indicates that this is the setting assigned to the control ring, and this assignment can be changed using a button that appears on the right side of the screen. If we choose one of the semi-automatic modes such as AV (aperture priority) or Tv(shutter priority), the control ring will be assigned by default to the corresponding value, making the operation of changing modes very fast, especially if we go to Tv mode to capture moving scenes such as sports scenes or photos of children. If we select the fully automatic modes, such as P, AUTO or SCN, the ring will control the exposure compensation, the zoom or the selection of scenes and creative modes, with which we can experiment with retro-type effects, black and white photos , miniature mode or monochrome tones.

When we have the desired photo we can quickly send it to our smartphone to share it on social networks thanks to the proper functioning of the NFC and WiFi ports combined with the Camera Connect application . Once we have this application installed, we can activate the transfer of photos or videos with a simple contact between the camera and the mobile. The app also allows us to add location information to photos or operate the camera remotely, being able to view on the phone screen what the camera is capturing and even adjust the zoom, the ISO, exposure and of course focus and shoot without touching the camera. The process is really quick and easy, and in no time we'll be getting the most out of the application.

In short, the PowerShot G9X offers agile and fast handling based on the good organization of the controls on the touch screen and the extra control that the front ring offers. Of course, users who do not want to know anything about manual adjustments and simply want to take a photo with the highest possible quality will be able to opt for the AUTO mode , which selects the exposure and settings that best suit the scene we want to capture. fully automatic. In this case, it will only be necessary to zoom to the desired position with the shutter-release selector or the control ring, focus and shoot.

Picture quality

After a few days of use, the little G9X has revealed itself as a very competent and fun camera thanks to its full manual control mode, the WiFi connection  and the NFC port  . In short, its performance fully justifies its price by complying with what is expected of this newrange of advanced cameras, which is nothing more than offering more quality than that offered by current smartphones. As aspects to improve, we could mention that sometimes a bit more range is needed in the zoom, and that a folding screen would have been perfect to be able to shoot from difficult angles. It is also strange to act on the manual control ring without approaching the camera to the eye to look through the viewfinder, but to do that we would have to opt for the superior Canon PowerShot G5X , larger and more expensive. In short, a great little camera suitable for both advanced users who want a camera to always carry, and for those who simply seek image quality in a compact format.

Canon PowerShot G9X review

Canon PowerShot G9X review

Actual size detail

Actual size detail

Canon PowerShot G9X review

Canon PowerShot G9X review

Scene in Nostalgic mode

Scene in Nostalgic mode

Canon PowerShot G9X review

Canon PowerShot G9X review

Crop to actual size

Canon PowerShot G9X

BrandCanyon
ModelPowerShot G9X
TypologyAdvanced compact

Sensor

Type1-inch backlit CMOS
Effective pixels20.2 effective megapixels (3: 2 aspect ratio)
Total pixels20.9 total megapixels
Image processorDIGC 6 with iSAPS technology

objective

Focal length10.2 "" 30.6mm (35mm film equivalent: 28 "" 84mm)
Opening (No. F)f / 2.0 - f / 4.9
Zoom3x optical

6x ZoomPlus

Digital approx. 4x (with digital teleconverter approx. 1.6x or 2.0x)

Combined approx. 12x

Building8 elements in 6 groups (2 double-sided UA aspherical elements and 1 single-sided aspherical element)
Image StabilizerYes (offset type), approx. 3 steps [13]. Intelligent IS with 5-axis Advanced Dynamic IS

Focus

TypeTTL
System / AF PointsAiAF (31 points, Face Detection or Touch AF with Tracking and Face or Object Selection), 1-point AF (any available position or fixed in the center)
AF point selectionSize (normal, small)
Manual focusYes, with MF Peaking

Exposition

Measurement modesEvaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame), center-weighted average, spot (center or linked to touch AF frame)
AE lockYes, by customizable buttons
Exposure compensation+/- 3 EV, in 1/3 stop increments

Automatic and manual dynamic range correction

Automatic shadow correction

ND filter (3 points) On / Auto / Off

ISO sensitivity125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1,000, 1,250, 1,600, 2,000, 2,500, 3,200, 4,000, 5,000, 6,400, 8,000, 10,000, 12,800 [15]

AUTO ISO: 125 - 12,800 (Maximum ISO sensitivity and rate of shift can be set)

Shutter

Speed1 ”“ 1 / 2,000 s (standard) 1/8 ”“ 1 / 2,000 s (Video mode)

B (long exposure), 30 "" 1 / 2,000 s (total range: varies depending on shooting mode)

White balance

TypeTTL
SettingsAuto (including White Balance with Face Detection), Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, High Fluorescent, Flash, Underwater, Custom 1, Custom 2, Multi-area White Balance Correction available in Smart Auto)

White balance compensation

Adjusting the color in Star mode

screen

screen7.5 cm (3.0 ”) LCD Touch Screen (TFT). Format 3: 2 Approx. 1,040,000 pixels. Capacitive type, sRGB.
CoverageAbout 100%
BrightnessAdjustable to one of five levels. Quick-bright LCD

Flash

Scope50 cm "" 6.0 m (wide) / 50 cm "" 2.4 m (tele)
ModesAuto, manual flash on / off, slow sync
External flash Canon HF-DC2 High Power Flash

Shooting

ModesSmart Auto (58 scenes detected), Program AE, Shutter Speed ​​Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual, Custom, Hybrid Auto, Creative Shooting, Scenes (Portraits, Stars (Night Scenery with Stars, Trails of Stars, Portrait with Stars, Time-Lapse Video of Stars), Handheld Night Scene, Fireworks, High Dynamic Range (HDR), Nostalgic, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Background Blur, Soft Focus , Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Video
Video modesSmart Auto (21 scenes detected), Standard, Program AE, Manual, Portrait, Nostalgic, Miniature Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Fireworks, Short Video, iFrame Video
Serial shootingApprox. 6.0 fps

with AF: Approx. 4.3 fps

Up to 2,000 frames

Image size3: 2 - (RAW, L) 5,472 x 3,648, (M1) 4,320 x 2,880, (M2) 2,304 x 1,536, (S) 720 x 480

4: 3 - (RAW, L) 4,864 x 3,648, (M1) 3,840 x 2,880, (M2) 2,048 x 1,536, (S) 640 x 480

16: 9 - (RAW, L) 5,472 x 3,080, (M1) 4,320 x 2,432, (M2) 1,920 x 1,080, (S) 720 x 408

1: 1 - (RAW, L) 3,648 x 3,648, (M1) 2,880 x 2,880, (M2) 1,536 x 1,536, (S) 480 x 480

Playback resizing (M2, P) with JPEG images

Video size(Full HD) 1,920 x 1,080, 59.94 / 50 / 29.97 / 25 / 23.98 fps

(HD) 1,280 x 720, 29.97 / 25 fps

(G) 640 x 480, 29.97 / 25 fps

Stars Time-Lapse Video (Full HD) 29.97 / 25 / 14.99 / 12.5 fps

Miniature Effect (HD, G) 6 fps, 3 fps, 1.5 fps

Hybrid Auto (HD) 29.97 / 25 fps

IFrame Video (Full HD) 29.97 / 25 fps

Length of videos(Full HD and HD) up to 4 GB or 29 minutes 59 seconds

(G) up to 4GB or 1 hour

(Star Fast Motion Video) up to 128 seconds

Connections and autonomy

Memory cardSD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS Speed ​​Class 1 compliant)
With cablesHi-Speed ​​USB (MTP, PTP)

HDMI micro connector

Without cablesWifi

NFC

BatteryRechargeable lithium-ion battery NB-13L (battery and charger supplied)

Approximate autonomy: 220 shots approx (335 in Eco mode)

Physical specifications

Dimensions98.0 x 57.9 x 30.8 mm (W x H x D)
Weight209 grams (body only)

+ info

Release dateOctober 2015
Manufacturer's websiteCanyon

Price: 550 euros