Canon Makes the PowerShot G3 X Official

[Etienne]

Used to be that you could count on Canon offerings to be at the top of their segment.
Canon's glass and high end bodies are great, but getting to be too big an investment, and the value seems increasingly questionable. The new C300 mk II will ring in at $16000, and the C100 mkII at almost $6000 is under-spec'd. They seem to keep holding back (the C100 II should have had Dual Pixel AF, higher frame rates, and better codec options). Even little BlackMagic Design is offering a lot for the $ in products like the Ursa mini.
Canon has nothing in a mirrorless, and their low end stuff is unremarkable.

I still love the 5D3, but will Canon do justice to the 5D4? I hope so. Canon needs to pull out all stops or Sony (and others) is going to steam-roll over them before long.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The 1000$ price tag combined with what this camera offers seems hilarious when you compare it to the just announced Sony RX100 mk4. Seems like Sony is so far ahead of Canon lately it's stunning.

How good does your Sony RX100 do at 200mm? 400mm? 600mm?.

Hint, its not a RX100 competitor, its a super zoom camera. Its not even a RX10 II competitor, The RX10 II only zooms to 200mm and costs $1300.

The closest competition is the Panasonic FZ1000, which goes to 400mm which now has dropped in price to $800.

This is a camera obviously aimed at those who bought a SX60 HS and would like better IQ and low light performance at the expense of losing focal length. Someone who would like a reasonably high quality image at 600mm, but does not want to spend $$$ on a DSLR plus 600mm lens. It could be useful for sports or wildlife, depending on how well and fast it focuses. I don't expect much there.

The lens is likely the most expensive part of the camera, but, as others have said, I find the price a little high. It will drop eventually.

 

[TeT]

I dunno, all these naysayers.

What about the Canon system?
And isn't Canon the #1 camera seller?

Not a System Camera, might as well be a point and shoot with a hotshoe...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I dunno, all these naysayers.

What about the Canon system?
And isn't Canon the #1 camera seller?

Not a System Camera, might as well be a point and shoot with a hotshoe...

I'd call it a point and shoot, just like the RX100, RX10, G7X, G1X. Its just a high end one. I don't see any issue there.

 

[Machaon]

Canon has nothing in a mirrorless...

M3?

 

[M_S]

How good does your Sony RX100 do at 200mm? 400mm? 600mm?.
...
The lens is likely the most expensive part of the camera, but, as others have said, I find the price a little high. It will drop eventually.

I guess the 600mm is a bit misleading. A 600mm lens is a normally a huuuge and heavy lens. I doubt that this thing will do good images on that focal length. Even more misleading is the fact that they advertise this lens as a f/2.8-5.6. Makes everybody believe that they don't need the super equipment to get the shot, just use this zoom on this small camera instead. Utter nonsense.

 

[dstppy]

So . . . no S130?

 

[mb66energy]

dead on arrival.

Shure? In Germany there's a saying: "Totgesagte leben länger" (rough translation: "Declared dead ones live longer")

IMO it depends on
* IQ of the camera
* usability
- 24-600 seems very holistic
- three (!) control wheels give access to e.g. f-stop, exp time and ISO
- some weather sealing
* development of pricing

No need to bash a product which hasn't arrived the market, is perhaps for other types of users ...

About some remarks of old tech or minor feature sets ... I really enjoy to use the old 5D classic due its reduced feature set which helps me to concentrate on what a camera is for: Taking photos!

 

[neuroanatomist]

I guess the 600mm is a bit misleading. A 600mm lens is a normally a huuuge and heavy lens. I doubt that this thing will do good images on that focal length. Even more misleading is the fact that they advertise this lens as a f/2.8-5.6. Makes everybody believe that they don't need the super equipment to get the shot, just use this zoom on this small camera instead. Utter nonsense.

If you want utter misleading nonsense, look no further than Panasonic. At least Canon doesn't print 600mm f/2.8 right on the lens barrel.

 

[JimS]

Worth looking at Canon's promotional videos, but wait for major price drop

The quality of the camera's images and videos as displayed in Canon's promotional videos impressed me. Worth a look:

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_g3_x#Experience_the_G3_X

THE PRICE:

1) I think price is really $1,250 not $999 since I cannot imagine spending that much money and not getting the optional EVF.

2) That's a RIDICULOUS price for this camera with its 1" sensor.

The camera is compact, but not pocketable. Given its size, the Canon is competing with the Panasonic FZ-1000 (I have one, and love it), and even the Canon EOS-M3 which has a bigger sensor and can be had for the same price, perhaps less.

I also have the impression that if one uses the EVF, then the pop-up tiny flash is blocked?

Canon drop the price $400-500 and I would consider this camera given its apparently rugged build, but until then there seem to be so many better choices at that price.

 

[distant.star]

.
In comprehensible is the only word that seems to fit this camera for me.

I can rationalize the one large price knowing that leaves room for really deep discounts. But no EVF makes me shake my head. I want Canon to trot out the guy who can hand-hold (this is a "portable" camera!) this at 600mm -- I'll give him a break and have him do 500mm, attain and keep focus on a nice, sunny day in the city. No tripod, not even a monopod. Hell, I can hardly do that with the M with an EF-S 60mm lens.

For at least a year now, I've been in the superzoom market. The best for me seems to be the Canon SX60HS. But I'm still not convinced enough to make the buy. It's hard to get good IQ from the tiny sensors being used, and RAW doesn't seem to help a lot. DPR just did a five-camera review of these...

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7192763593/2015-superzoom-camera-roundup

The G3X is short by typical superzoom standards, but all the others use an EVF. The sensor is larger -- typical superzooms are using the 1/2.3" size sensor while the G3X uses the one-inch sensor.

Pricing on typical superzooms ranges from $200 to $600 USD. That's a LONG way from one large -- a barrier no casual amateur is going through.

Canon must see something invisible to me -- but I think their vision is drug enhanced!

 

[dswtan]

Haters gonna hate. This looks very good to me.

I'm exactly in the market for a "top quality superzoom" to complement my other kit and replace an aging SX30 for stills-only. I never use EVF. I do use my Speedlites on my compacts (G-series). I do like the common user interfaces across Canon cams, and this furthers that. It may even reduce the utility of my M3. The initial price is high, as is common, but with some discount in due course, I'm interested.

Apparently I'm a niche -- which is exactly Canon's strategy, is it not? Each unto their own!

 

[abphotos]

Somebody should tell Yuichi Ishizuka to stop hitting the pipe so hard. As a long time canon user invested heavy in canon glass I can say I am going with the a7r II. I am so tired of being disappointed by Canons announcements. Maybe in the year 2045 the will put 4k in the c100...

 

[WoodyWindy]

I guess the 600mm is a bit misleading. A 600mm lens is a normally a huuuge and heavy lens. I doubt that this thing will do good images on that focal length. Even more misleading is the fact that they advertise this lens as a f/2.8-5.6. Makes everybody believe that they don't need the super equipment to get the shot, just use this zoom on this small camera instead. Utter nonsense.

If you want utter misleading nonsense, look no further than Panasonic. At least Canon doesn't print 600mm f/2.8 right on the lens barrel.

Actually, they do - just not on the "official" specifications on the front of the lens. On the top of the barrel it says 24-600 35mm Equiv.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I guess the 600mm is a bit misleading. A 600mm lens is a normally a huuuge and heavy lens. I doubt that this thing will do good images on that focal length. Even more misleading is the fact that they advertise this lens as a f/2.8-5.6. Makes everybody believe that they don't need the super equipment to get the shot, just use this zoom on this small camera instead. Utter nonsense.

If you want utter misleading nonsense, look no further than Panasonic. At least Canon doesn't print 600mm f/2.8 right on the lens barrel.

Actually, they do - just not on the "official" specifications on the front of the lens. On the top of the barrel it says 24-600 35mm Equiv.

Yeah, Panasonic left off an important bit.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Somebody should tell Yuichi Ishizuka to stop hitting the pipe so hard. As a long time canon user invested heavy in canon glass I can say I am going with the a7r II. I am so tired of being disappointed by Canons announcements. Maybe in the year 2045 the will put 4k in the c100...

H&G. :

 

[troppobash]

"I also have the impression that if one uses the EVF, then the pop-up tiny flash is blocked? "

On the G1XMII you can still use the pop up flash and bounce it
upwards... with the evf in the hot shoe. So it should be the same in this
one...

It will fill a niche for those who want equivalent 600mm zoom
without a DSLR.

 

[troppobash]

The media release stated:
It also features controls and menu operation inherited from the Canon EOS line of Digital SLR cameras, a first for the PowerShot G-Series. Useful controls include an Auto Exposure (AE) lock button, Auto Focus (AF) selection button and DRIVE/AF button. For photography purists, the PowerShot G3 X camera fully supports both manual exposure control and the user’s choice of RAW, JPEG or RAW+JPEG recording formats.

This sound very I intriguing....

How do we get this as a firmware update in the G1XMII

 

[3kramd5]

If you want utter misleading nonsense, look no further than Panasonic. At least Canon doesn't print 600mm f/2.8 right on the lens barrel.

Sweet, a compact camera whose lens has a 8-and-a-half inch diameter aperture.