Canon G1X. Info on ownership

[Steve H]

I am thinking of purchasing a Canon G1X camera to use when i dont fancy carrying my 5D mkii. Has anyone got any advice on owning and using this camera. Both good points and bad so i can then make my decision.
Thanks

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

A review HERE

[GordonG]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

I replaced my G11 with the G1X three months ago and am very pleased with the results from it. I too have a 5D2 and find the G1X so much easier to carry around.

Good points...
1. Build quality
2. Image resolution so much better than the G11 (the sensor is 6x the size)
3. The lens is impressive
4. I love the articulated screen
5. The menu system is very similar to the Canon DSLR so the learning curve is minimal

Not so good points
1. Not really a compact. It is significantly bigger and heavier than the G11
2. The viewfinder. Only really used when the light is too bright to see the screen
3. Limited close focusing
4. Cannot screw on filters or a lens hood to the lens. I had to buy a filter adapter

GORDON

[Judder Man]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

I purchased the G1x an import from Hong Kong around March this year, great camera with excellent image quality and noise performance. Swivel screen is an advantage for those unusual viewing angles.
Camera won,t do macro unless you purcase the close up filter lens, focussing won,t be fast enough for rapid action shots.
Biggest advantage over other cameras is the sensor and quality of he lens is fantastic combination to get those great images. In my opinion its a bargain price at the moment, Fuji pro, Sony Nex 7, Panasonic GH3 are double the price and more.

[Steve H]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

Hi Guys thanks for your views. I had hold of one the other day for a very short amount of time and i found that when i depressed the shutter it seemed like a short time before i could hear the shutter fire. Was i just in the wrong mode or is this something that does actually happen. I would have thought the shutter should fire straight away on a camera of this price and quality.
Cheers Steve

[DrJon]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

It kinda depends on where you want to be on the size/weight vs capabilities ladder, oh and price of course. I've given up with the non-X G-series due to the small sensors and didn't fancy the G1X (that fixes this) due to the size and some performance issues.

I initially went to m43 (pre-G1X), and there are some really good m43 coat-pocketable cameras around with good sensors (e.g. Olympus PEN E-PL5, E-PM2 and E-M5). They'll all focus faster than the G1X and you can change the lenses (or stick with one of the small ones).

Now-a-days I usually pop a Sony RX100 in my pocket. At low ISO it has twice the Dynamic Range of a 5DmkIII (nearly twice a 1Dx) and it takes nice looking pictures. It's also teeny.

BTW I'm not giving up with m43, just changing it into a lighter weight set-up for long focal lengths or fast primes, for long walks and holidays. I really have to want to carry the 5DmkII around with a lot of glass.
E.g. for casual wildlife a GH3 (my m43 is c. 200g lighter but I'm thinking of changing to the GH3) with the 100-300 lens (that's before allowing for the 2x crop) is 1070g and the lens is 5" long. The 5DmkII with 70-200 and 1.4x is 2520g (it's more with the 2x and don't get me started with the bigger white lenses). A 70-300L (which I don't have) gets it down to 1860g, but still with much less reach.
Also I love carrying my 85/1.2 on the 5DmkII, but it is 1835g with nothing else in the bag. An E-M5 with the 45/1.8 is not as good in absolute terms (it is a very good lens though, and currently free with the camera) and weighs 541g and that's the heaviest of the Olympus cameras I mentioned.

So basically there is a world of choices out there. I'd say the G1X picture quality is really pretty good, but the AF is slow, the lens is slow at the long end (so's the Rx100) and the battery life isn't stellar, so as I started with, it all depends what you want...

Oh, and I'd definitely compare the G1X with the NEX6 with the 16-50 collapsible pancake zoom as that's a very impressive combo with a cool built-in viewfinder. (If the NEX telephotos weren't rare and huge I might sell the m43 kit for one.)

Edit - long list of options: http://www.cameralabs.com/buyers_gui...s_camera.shtml

[rhodopsin]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

Great camera when the 1DX isn't available. BUT no good for macro.

[Steve H]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

Thank you to all for there replies. I settled for the G15 instead and i am very happy with the results.
Cheers Steve

[ldb415]

Re: Canon G1X. Info on ownership

I just debated the G1X, G15 and G16. I also decided to go with the G15.