Canon officially announces the PowerShot G5 X Mark II and PowerShot G7 X Mark III

[Jethro]

Yes, but it's not that easy at all that a company improves the firmware of several cameras to make customers happier.

There must be a LOT of buzz/complains/bad reviews/etc. to achieve that.

Fortunately it happened, and Canon took the right decision. (Obviously, not only to make people happier, but to sale more & keep loyalty at some level)

Actually firmware updates seem to be a relatively regular occurrence with newer cameras, both to add new features (maybe developed after the initial release), to fix bugs etc and (yes) occasionally to add features that weren't included in the original menus. The best way to get them to do it seems to be to tell Canon Support directly - they seem to take more notice of that than endless threads in discussion sites.

 

[PVCC]

Actually firmware updates seem to be a relatively regular occurrence with newer cameras, both to add new features (maybe developed after the initial release), to fix bugs etc and (yes) occasionally to add features that weren't included in the original menus. The best way to get them to do it seems to be to tell Canon Support directly - they seem to take more notice of that than endless threads in discussion sites.

No, it's not right that it's a "relatively regular occurrence". That might be the impression due to this particular but "abnormal" event.

Firmware updates are almost always only released to fix bugs ("phenomenons" on specific situations), "sometimes" (I remark it) to improve AF (LOT more common to improve sensitivity of central AF points on Optical Viewfinders of high-end DSLRs), to improve Compatibility with newer lenses, etc.

But VERY, VERY seldom to add a new feature.

This is especially true for Canon. I'm really old on this matter, and worked a lot about that. That's why I know it very well... Deeper than I ever expected.

I do hope Canon changes and opens mind, but it's a big Company (always seeking better sales and "protecting" different product segments).. and a VERY rigid managed one. (Don't confuse Canon USA with Canon Japan. ALL decisions are taken by Canon Japan)

This time we were VERY lucky indeed... Addition of 24p + improved AF on G7X III (I hope they also improve AF on G5X II)

 

[stevelee]

I thought I posted this the other day, but it didn't show up here. As we left Venice just after sunset I took pictures from my stateroom balcony. This one was made at 1/20 sec at ISO 3200, handheld from a moving ship. I reduced noise in the sky a bit. I probably could have cut back on the highlights slider to reduce the flare from lights. It probably wouldn't blow up that great, but I still think it is a nice shot under the circumstances. I took another one that I might like a little better, but it was at ISO 6400, so a little noisier from the small sensor. I reduced the noise too much on the JPEG I did, so I'll probably go back and redo it.

 

[PVCC]

I thought I posted this the other day, but it didn't show up here. As we left Venice just after sunset I took pictures from my stateroom balcony. This one was made at 1/20 sec at ISO 3200, handheld from a moving ship. I reduced noise in the sky a bit. I probably could have cut back on the highlights slider to reduce the flare from lights. It probably wouldn't blow up that great, but I still think it is a nice shot under the circumstances. I took another one that I might like a little better, but it was at ISO 6400, so a little noisier from the small sensor. I reduced the noise too much on the JPEG I did, so I'll probably go back and redo it.
View attachment 187556

Great beautiful shot considering the situation!

I'm sure you could have lowered the shutter speed if you were on the ground, thanks to the image stabilization, hence decreasing ISO too.

The I.S. is a must have nowadays...

I have the Canon EF 24-70 2.8L II and still miss it a LOT to shoot handheld static subjects/landscapes in low light without needing to increase ISO, even when I have very good technique & use self-timer, etc

 

[PVCC]

Hey!!

I finally got the G5X II camera

I need to test it well, but the EVF seems very helpful (more than I expected) in sunlight situations where you can barely see the LCD

IMPORTANT QUESTION:

I tried to charge the Battery in the camera using the USB-C Port on the G5X II. But so far my cables didn't work...

Is the VERY expensive Canon USB-C Cable the ONLY way??
(I can't believe it... there must be a "normal"/not expensive USB-C Cable that works..)

Thanks!

 

[stevelee]

Hey!!

I finally got the G5X II camera

I need to test it well, but the EVF seems very helpful (more than I expected) in sunlight situations where you can barely see the LCD

IMPORTANT QUESTION:

I tried to charge the Battery in the camera using the USB-C Port on the G5X II. But so far my cables didn't work...

Is the VERY expensive Canon USB-C Cable the ONLY way??
(I can't believe it... there must be a "normal"/not expensive USB-C Cable that works..)

Thanks!

Congratulations! I hope you have as good results as I have with mine. The EVF really helps a lot in those situations. I'm still going through the 3200 pictures I shot in Europe. I've made it about halfway. There have been surprisingly few duds. There were three or four with bad focus, and then there were the pictures of the floor when somehow the touch screen shutter release was on when I thought it was off.

I've never tried charging the battery when it was in the camera. I made it through every day with enough charge until I got back to the hotel room or the ship.

 

[PVCC]

Congratulations! I hope you have as good results as I have with mine. The EVF really helps a lot in those situations. I'm still going through the 3200 pictures I shot in Europe. I've made it about halfway. There have been surprisingly few duds. There were three or four with bad focus, and then there were the pictures of the floor when somehow the touch screen shutter release was on when I thought it was off.

I've never tried charging the battery when it was in the camera. I made it through every day with enough charge until I got back to the hotel room or the ship.

Hi!
Thanks for all your help, really appreciate, it was extremely helpful to me!

I'm setting "Favorite" custom menus, as I did on my DSLRs, and learning the features.

Still have to upgrade to the newer Firmware!! For 24p and supposed better AF (and a vulnerability patch)

- About the USB-C port:
Not only is possible to charge the battery, which is really good if you are in the field and low battery, but you can also make the camera work without battery!

I did read it. The point is to find a proper power charger or maybe power bank to connect the cable. Someone told me is not only the USB-C cable.

So I'll keep trying. This feature can be really useful..
(I carry spare batteries anyway since they don't last too long, very small, but the option of charging/using via USB-C is very appealing to me)

I'll keep you informed if I find the proper way!

BTW, I also have to test the filter adapter, didn't have time yet, since G5X II came for Christmas
I'll let you know about ut too.

Thanks a lot!

 

[CANNOT]

@stevelee @PVCC You need a charger or powerbank that supports the PD (Power Delivery) protocol. Else it's not going to work.

I can recommend you the products of 'ROCK' on AliExpress and cables by UGreen. If you want to be ahead of your time, get this Baseus GaN charger.

 

[PVCC]

@stevelee @PVCC You need a charger or powerbank that supports the PD (Power Delivery) protocol. Else it's not going to work.

I can recommend you the products of 'ROCK' on AliExpress and cables by UGreen. If you want to be ahead of your time, get this Baseus GaN charger.

Hi CANNOT!!

Thanks a lot. I was expecting you would see my post and might help us, and fortunately you did!

How can I know if a charger is PD comparible? It's always stated? I don't know what it means, nor didn't know it existed.

- I need to buy it at Amazon due to my country customs regulations, so will have to search for one.

- If I buy a charger supporting PD, then can I use my normal USB-C Cable? Or I do need a special cable too?

Thanks a lot!!

 

[PVCC]

@stevelee @PVCC You need a charger or powerbank that supports the PD (Power Delivery) protocol. Else it's not going to work.

I can recommend you the products of 'ROCK' on AliExpress and cables by UGreen. If you want to be ahead of your time, get this Baseus GaN charger.

Hi @CANNOT,

I found this at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07GWQ2GJC/

- Should it work to charge the G5X II using a "NORMAL" USB-C to USB-C cable?

- Since it has a USB-A port too, I suppose I could charge traditional devices via this port. What do you think? (It would solve the problem, avoiding to carry 2 chargers..)

Thanks a lot once again to all of you!

 

[CANNOT]

@PVCC Yeah, Anker, RAVPower, Aukey etc are on Amazon as well and have USB-C PD chargers. Just make sure it says so. Enhanced compatibility with QC, FCP, AFC etc would be benificial if you have multiple different devices with different protocols as well. One USB-C ain't the other, there's different Amp ratings. My favourite one is the Meenova Ultra Type-C to Type-C USB 3.1 Gen-2 Cable 10Gbps, 100W PD (rated 5A), again on AliExpress however, but here as well on Amazon you'll find the likes of UGreen and Anker which provide solid 100W USB-C to USB-C (PD protocol via USB-C power socket output!) cables as well.

 

[CANNOT]

So... having a quick glance... I'd personally get this charger:
- https://www.amazon.com/Charger-RAVPower-Adapter-Compatible-MacBook/dp/B07PLR7T1M/
with this cable:
- https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Delivery-Charging-Matebook-Chromebook/dp/B07V5MKXJ1/

But have a look around, maybe you can find something better.

 

[Kit.]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07GWQ2GJC/

- Should it work to charge the G5X II using a "NORMAL" USB-C to USB-C cable?

- Since it has a USB-A port too, I suppose I could charge traditional devices via this port. What do you think? (It would solve the problem, avoiding to carry 2 chargers..)

1. It should.

2. Based on similar Anker products, you should be able to charge your USB-C PD camera and your another USB (non-PD) device simultaneously.

 

[PVCC]

So... having a quick glance... I'd personally get this charger:
- https://www.amazon.com/Charger-RAVPower-Adapter-Compatible-MacBook/dp/B07PLR7T1M/
with this cable:
- https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Delivery-Charging-Matebook-Chromebook/dp/B07V5MKXJ1/

But have a look around, maybe you can find something better.

@CANNOT,

Thanks!

So I also need a PD compatible USB-C Cable...

I need a charger to charge the G5X II AND my Samsung (micro USB) Smartphone

- If I buy the Anker I posted before ($11 cheaper than the Rawpower), and the Cable you posted, I could charge both devices? (Using a USB-A cable for my Samsung)

I'm "new" to this Power Delivery Feature/Protocol...

Thank you!

 

[CANNOT]

Yup, it should.

Just, I always think in the future... so a high-Watt charger is obviously going to be more versatile and useful for you.

 

[privatebydesign]

I have had very good experiences with various Hyperdrive products. I use this one a lot...

HyperJuice 87W/96W Dual USB-C/USB-A Charger — Dual USB-C PD3.0/QC4.0 + Dual USB-A QC3.0

The Hyper Juice 87W dual USB-C and USB-A charger has four ports and can quick-charge two USB-C devices and two USB-A devices simultaneously.

www.hypershop.com

 

[PVCC]

I have had very good experiences with various Hyperdrive products. I use this one a lot...

HyperJuice 87W/96W Dual USB-C/USB-A Charger — Dual USB-C PD3.0/QC4.0 + Dual USB-A QC3.0

The Hyper Juice 87W dual USB-C and USB-A charger has four ports and can quick-charge two USB-C devices and two USB-A devices simultaneously.

www.hypershop.com

It looks very nice, but I'm looking for something more in a budget..

I think I'll probably buy the Rawpower @CANNOT posted before or maybe an Amazon Basics charger with PD that I found.

I wonder if this cable would work (already have it) or should buy a new one..:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-USB-Type-C-Charger-Cable/dp/B01GGKZ1VA/

- I need only 1 charger for the G5XII + any Smartphone I can carry (and Android tablet).

If I knew about Power Delivery feature, I'd have purchased all compatible cables before...

 

[privatebydesign]

It looks very nice, but I'm looking for something more in a budget..

I think I'll probably buy the Rawpower @CANNOT posted before or maybe an Amazon Basics charger with PD that I found.

I wonder if this cable would work (already have it) or should buy a new one..:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-USB-Type-C-Charger-Cable/dp/B01GGKZ1VA/

- I need only 1 charger for the G5XII + any Smartphone I can carry (and Android tablet).

If I knew about Power Delivery feature, I'd have purchased all compatible cables before...

Make sure any budget options have a huge number of positive reviews and few if any negative ones, the days of simple transformers as chargers are long gone and it can be easy to damage internal electrics of valuable devices using badly designed chargers.

I get on well with the linked one because it charges my laptop, iPad and phone, but it is bigger and more expensive than you need for two devices.

As for cables, wait until you are looking for Thunderbolt3 cables! They are $60 for a 2m cable and even then the functionality can be reduced, TB3 specs top out at a 1m cable!

 

[PVCC]

I was checking the OEM Canon charger that came with my G5X II and this is unbelievable..

It outputs only 4.2V and 0.7A to the battery.

So a normal USB-C charger should perfectly work, no need at all for high wattage to charge this very small battery... unless it charges in 1 minute

Canon forces you to spend lot of money (~$120) on their USB Power Adapter PD-E1 (only 1 USB-C output and not handy/pocketable)

This kind of thing forces customer to buy another option, so annoying Canon...

 

[CANNOT]

lol yeah the Kasey 'Cameraconspiracies' Stern Canon Cripple Hammer at work. Let's find something to annoy our customers with and makes them buy our other stuff... sigh.

Funny enough it was the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS that got me into video (one of the first cameras that did 1080p... and it was hackable with CHDK)... but following that, I never tried my luck with them ever again. xD I've had Nikon cameras... Olympus, but mainly Panasonic, since the GH2 onwards.

But a lot of the YouTube community swore by the Canon G7 X Mark II for vlogging and the idea of a little pocketable do-it-all with a bit more versatility than a smartphone appealed to me (I used to shoot with my Panasonic LX100 premium compact quite a bit, but my Huawei/Leica collab P20 Pro and then P30 Pro made me leave it at home) so I figured the G7 X Mark III might get me back on the Canon train. Off to a rough start. At least they addressed the C-AF with firmware, which helped... a little. The omited 24p got put back in again; should've been there from the start, but alas. Unfortunately Panasonic's successor to the LX100: the Mark II was a little lacklustre, very disappointed there and Sony... ugh, wouldn't spend a whole sum of money on one. Nikon should've gone through with that very promising looking DL line-up of premium compacts, such a shame. Hopefully some further firmware will fix the rest of the G7 X Mark III C-AF quirks. Panasonic has shown with their cameras that C-AF FW update fixes really can amount to significant improvement.