New G Series cameras!

[timz]

It's going to be another 3 months before any underwater housing is available.

 

[timz]

I've print screen the Specification of G5X vs G16 from DPreview.com and highlighted the advantages of each camera over another.

Honestly, I don't see much improvement to spend double over the 1" sensor and the resolution and the touch screen where we can't use underwater. Honestly, the 1" sensor will do great when it comes to Noise management and details in the picture.

In fact, the much older G16 have much more to offer in terms of On Paper specification when it comes to Underwater Photography.

The price of G5X is double the G16. Actually kinda disappointed to me...

I'm purely looking from the perspective of on land photography. I used to work in Canon as a sales and technical adviser and also an event photographer.

 

[MrEvanJ1]

Well it would be great if the g5x offers a big improvement in IQ and noise performance over the (now effectively discontinued?) G15 /G16 form factor point & shoots.
The way I see it the issue with the canon G cameras for UW photography has mostly been the compatibility with wet wideangle lenses, with the air dome solutions only offering the equivalent wideangle of the cameras lens on land, or specialty lenses like the inon zm80 forcing you to use smaller apertures for decent corner sharpness.
The last high end compact from canon to have a simple wet wideangle solution seems to be the s120 (unless you count the g7x with a dedicated wide port)
I agree that the g16 is a great choice in terms of features and value - right now I use a g15 and find the macro and closeup capabilities very impressive especially with strobes. But going wide is not easy with these cameras and iso of 400 and up results in a very steep nosedive in IQ.
So if some aspect of the physical proportions of the g5x lens, or the housings' ports developed for it, allows good WA with all those awesome dials and wheels I'd consider it a major leap from the g15/16 line and worth the extra $$.
But as some point out this seems to be the lens from the g7x anyway so perhaps my hope for good WA compatibility will be wishful thinking.
The DOF benefits, close-focus and high magnification of the g15/16 cameras makes them excellent macro and close-up/portrait specialists which I'm frankly sad to see not being continued.

 

[timz]

Well it would be great if the g5x offers a big improvement in IQ and noise performance over the (now effectively discontinued?) G15 /G16 form factor point & shoots.
The way I see it the issue with the canon G cameras for UW photography has mostly been the compatibility with wet wideangle lenses, with the air dome solutions only offering the equivalent wideangle of the cameras lens on land, or specialty lenses like the inon zm80 forcing you to use smaller apertures for decent corner sharpness.
The last high end compact from canon to have a simple wet wideangle solution seems to be the s120 (unless you count the g7x with a dedicated wide port)
I agree that the g16 is a great choice in terms of features and value - right now I use a g15 and find the macro and closeup capabilities very impressive especially with strobes. But going wide is not easy with these cameras and iso of 400 and up results in a very steep nosedive in IQ.
So if some aspect of the physical proportions of the g5x lens, or the housings' ports developed for it, allows good WA with all those awesome dials and wheels I'd consider a major leap from the g15/16 line and worth the extra $$.
But as some point out this seems to be the lens from the g7x anyway so perhaps my hope for good WA compatibility will be wishful thinking.
The DOF benefits, close-focus and high magnification of the g15/16 cameras makes them excellent macro and close-up/portrait specialists which I'm frankly sad to see not being continued.

I was hoping that the rumours of G17 using 1" sensor to be true. But somehow, they decided to skip G17 and made G7X and G5X or any other camera except for G17...

[emoji30] [emoji30] [emoji30]

 

[rob1967]

I was hoping that the rumours of G17 using 1" sensor to be true. But somehow, they decided to skip G17 and made G7X and G5X or any other camera except for G17...

[emoji30] [emoji30] [emoji30]

I'm a little confused... If you were hoping for a G17 with 1" sensor, well that would be called a G7X, or if you want it with a hot shoe and EVF, well that is now a G5X. If you want an S120 with a 1" sensor, that is the G9X.

Canon is simply revamping the numbering scheme of their high-end compacts. Similar to their DSLR's , a lower number means higher end. G1X has an even bigger sensor (1 1/2"), and their G3X is a super zoom, which is useless underwater.

I guess it remains to be seen if Canon will make another high end compact with a 1/1.7" sensor, but I think the 1" sensor is a nice size for underwater compacts. It seems to give a nice combination of excellent image quality, yet still compact and versatile enough to do both wide angle and macro on the same dive. Given the price of housings, I would go for the most advanced compact possible. G7X would be the best choice right now; we will have to wait and see what housings come out for the G5X and G9X.

 

[MrEvanJ1]

... If you were hoping for a G17 with 1" sensor, well that would be called a G7X, or if you want it with a hot shoe and EVF, well that is now a G5X. If you want an S120 with a 1" sensor, that is the G9X.

...and their G3X is a super zoom, which is useless underwater.

Not sure its that simple. I guess the main question is: are any of these cameras are as well suited to UW use as their predecessors?

Outstanding issues as I see them are:

G9x - no front dial like S series + useless touch screen means it is unlikely to be good for manual shooting, zoom range impractically short for macro

G5x - short zoom range + large sensor means not naturally as good for macro as smaller sensor P&S w longer zoom range. Possible issues for true WA like g7x

G3x- N/A

G7x- housings which fully enable you to have both macro and wideangle require separate ports for each, so why not invest in ILC if you are going to spend that much $$?

Sorry to only highlight the negatives, I'm actually a canon powershot fan but every new G release seems to present big tradeoffs/impediments for UW use since the move from 1/1.7 in. Sensor compacts. Especially considering the whole advantage for taking a P&S underwater is meant to be the cost effectiveness and ability to do both WA and macro on a single dive.

 

[timz]

Not sure its that simple. I guess the main question is: are any of these cameras are as well suited to UW use as their predecessors?

Outstanding issues as I see them are:

G9x - no front dial like S series + useless touch screen means it is unlikely to be good for manual shooting, zoom range impractically short for macro

G5x - short zoom range + large sensor means not naturally as good for macro as smaller sensor P&S w longer zoom range. Possible issues for true WA like g7x

G3x- N/A

G7x- housings which fully enable you to have both macro and wideangle require separate ports for each, so why not invest in ILC if you are going to spend that much $$?

Sorry to only highlight the negatives, I'm actually a canon powershot fan but every new G release seems to present big tradeoffs/impediments for UW use since the move from 1/1.7 in. Sensor compacts. Especially considering the whole advantage for taking a P&S underwater is meant to be the cost effectiveness and ability to do both WA and macro on a single dive.

That's what I'm talking about. If they say they are changing the numberin system, most of the things just doesn't seems right... other than the 1" sensor.... most of the features are being traded off.

 

[rob1967]

Not sure its that simple. I guess the main question is: are any of these cameras are as well suited to UW use as their predecessors?

Outstanding issues as I see them are:

G9x - no front dial like S series + useless touch screen means it is unlikely to be good for manual shooting, zoom range impractically short for macro

G5x - short zoom range + large sensor means not naturally as good for macro as smaller sensor P&S w longer zoom range. Possible issues for true WA like g7x

G3x- N/A

G7x- housings which fully enable you to have both macro and wideangle require separate ports for each, so why not invest in ILC if you are going to spend that much $$?

Sorry to only highlight the negatives, I'm actually a canon powershot fan but every new G release seems to present big tradeoffs/impediments for UW use since the move from 1/1.7 in. Sensor compacts. Especially considering the whole advantage for taking a P&S underwater is meant to be the cost effectiveness and ability to do both WA and macro on a single dive.

Mr. Evans, I think you are being a bit too pessimistic. I think the answer to your first question is yes. All the reviews I have read agree the G7X is a step up from the G16 for underwater. Macro performance is quite similar if not better than the G16, and with an accessory macro lens, the G7X is very very good. True, with a regular port, you can only go to 28 mm equivalent, but that is not so bad. Nauticam does have a short port so that you can go wider with an accessory wet lens, but that is only if you want wider than 28 mm. You don't have to get the short port (and housings other than Nauticam don't have it), and the camera is still quite versatile.

Have a look at Alex Tattersall's review of the G7X, the photos to me look amazing! Review: Canon Powershot G7 X by Alex Tattersall :: Wetpixel.com

To address the other points you make:

G9X does have a front dial, although that is the only control dial.

G5X has the exact same sensor, lens and zoom range as the G7X, and can focus down to 5 cm, so already proven to have macro performance very similar or a better than G16 (despite larger sensor). It is the G9X that has the shorter zoom range, but this may actually be a good thing for underwater; 28-84mm equivalent to me seem perfect. Lens can focus down to 5 cm so should be fine for macro, while at the wide end, probably will be able to take a wet lens without the need for a shorter port. 84mm vs 100mm not a big deal to me, since quite often the best macro performance is not at full tele (as the minimum focus distance may increase when fully zoomed in).

So for me, I see the release of the G5X, G7X and G9X as positives for underwater compact shooters.

 

[timz]

Mr. Evans, I think you are being a bit too pessimistic. I think the answer to your first question is yes. All the reviews I have read agree the G7X is a step up from the G16 for underwater. Macro performance is quite similar if not better than the G16, and with an accessory macro lens, the G7X is very very good. True, with a regular port, you can only go to 28 mm equivalent, but that is not so bad. Nauticam does have a short port so that you can go wider with an accessory wet lens, but that is only if you want wider than 28 mm. You don't have to get the short port (and housings other than Nauticam don't have it), and the camera is still quite versatile.

Have a look at Alex Tattersall's review of the G7X, the photos to me look amazing! Review: Canon Powershot G7 X by Alex Tattersall :: Wetpixel.com

To address the other points you make:

G9X does have a front dial, although that is the only control dial.

G5X has the exact same sensor, lens and zoom range as the G7X, and can focus down to 5 cm, so already proven to have macro performance very similar or a better than G16 (despite larger sensor). It is the G9X that has the shorter zoom range, but this may actually be a good thing for underwater; 28-84mm equivalent to me seem perfect. Lens can focus down to 5 cm so should be fine for macro, while at the wide end, probably will be able to take a wet lens without the need for a shorter port. 84mm vs 100mm not a big deal to me, since quite often the best macro performance is not at full tele (as the minimum focus distance may increase when fully zoomed in).

So for me, I see the release of the G5X, G7X and G9X as positives for underwater compact shooters.

Macro 5cm(G7X) vs 1cm(G16)

Ability to mount external flash which is very useful for under or above water usage.

Zoom range

Continuous shutter

I don't think G7X has nothing to do with G16 except they are both Canon and are both G series compact.

 

[KeithG]

focus as close as 5cm. i assume that is at full wide angle.

anyone know how close it will focus at full telephoto zoom? for macro work, that is where close focus really counts.