The newly released Canon G7 X III and G5 X II Powershot cameras are finally upping the stagnant slow motion features of these lines to a very 2014 spec of 120fps Full HD. Up to now Canon had capped the Full HD Performance at 60fps 1080p and a maximum of 120fps at 720p with a severe crop. There is no mention of a 240fps 720p spec which makes us believe that there is no 720p video option besides maybe a 30p mode.
Both cameras sport a 20.1MP 1″ inch Stacked CMOS sensor and DIGIC 8 Image Processor reminiscent of the Sony RX series. We estimate this might be the same Sony sensor employed but without the super slow motion capabilities of 480/500fps and 960/1000fps modes that have made that line of cameras a cut apart.
Canon Powershot G7 X III Main Specs:
- 20.2MP 1″ Stacked CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 8 Image Processor
- 5x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 Lens
- 24-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 3.0″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- UHD 4K30p and Full HD 120p Video
- 20-fps Shooting
- Built-In Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- Live Streaming & Vertical Video Support
Canon Powershot G5 X II Main Specs:
- 20.2MP 1″ Stacked CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 8 Image Processor
- 5x Optical Zoom f/1.8-2.8 Lens
- 24-120mm (35mm Equivalent)
- 2.36m-Dot Pop-Up Electronic Viewfinder
- Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- UHD 4K30p and Full HD 120p Video
- 20-fps Shooting, 30-fps Raw Burst Mode
- Built-In Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- Manual Control Dials, Star Shooting Mode
Both cameras offer very much identical features except for form factor and lens which in the case of the G5 X II offers a little more reach at 120mm in the long end and it is geared more as an SLR companion interface feature wise. Both cameras offer live streaming for vloggers on Youtube, facebook live, periscope etc. which is a sought after feature and could be the main selling point for both cameras and a first for such a line.
Both cameras allow charging and shooting at the same through USB C which means you can add external battery packs and shoot time-lapse for many days non stop. The image quality is very good but not m4/3 or APS C size like which is understandable. The one inch 1″ sensors are much better than the tiny 1/2.5 and 1/1.9 sensors of the PowerShot pedigree of the last decade and match the Sony RX series except for slow motion features.
Sample High Speed?
At the 2-minute mark the video above shows a very small rendition of High-Speed Movie which is 120fps at Full HD 1080p. We will have to wait for the cameras to ship in August to offer more samples of this mode. Considering the sensor is good, we estimate the 120p mode will be more than acceptable if Canon has not crippled the codec bitrate or done funny things with the line capture.
Pricing and Availability:
Both Cameras will ship by August 2nd 2019!
Take Away:
In all, we cannot recommend either camera for slow motion enthusiasts as they lack advanced high-speed imaging (i.e 240p, 480p, 960p) like that present in the Sony RX Series for about the same money. The features these cameras offer like live streaming and USB C support for live shooting are probably coming over on a new Sony RX replacement this year since it seems to be the next big feature for compact cameras to try to stave off the siege from the smartphone market.
However, you are better off with the Sony RX Cameras if you need high-speed features that are worth something. The Canon cameras will be popular for vloggers but not for slow-motion enthusiasts. We will have image samples at 120p when they become available.-HSC