Test Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II: a good SLR companion

The search of an ideal camera will probably be over when we learn how to record impressions directly in the brain and retrieve them in a form which we can show and tell the others at short notice. But so far everyone is looking for the best option for themselves among the technical devices offered by manufacturers. In this article we are going to tell you about a camera that can suit photographers of all skill levels and will do them good, both on vacation and at work.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II, general view

Technical Specifications

Sensor – CMOS, 18,7 × 14,0 mm, form factor 1.5 “resolution up to 13.1 million pixels. 4:3

Lens – rigidly built in, variable FR, 24-120 mm, F2.0-3.9

Image stabilization – optical, 5-axis, integrated in the lens

Viewfinder – external optional, 2.36 million. dots

Display – hinged type, 7.5 cm diagonal, 1 040 000 dots, capacitive touch screen

Focus – automatic by contrast and manual, up to 31 focus points, face detection, AF frame-by-frame/continuous, minimum distance 5 cm

Shutter speed ranges from 1/4000 to 60 seconds

Shooting modes – P, A, S, M, fully automatic, 58 scenes detected, Hybrid Auto mode, HDR, Smart Shutter

Exposure metering is matrix, center-weighted, spot metering

Flash – built-in, guide number 6.8, the short sync time of 1/2000 sec

Sensitivity – from 100 to 12800 ISO

Photo formats – RAW CR2 , RAW+JPG, JPG 2 levels of compression

Memory cards – SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-1 SD

Continuous shooting – up to 5.2 frames per second JPG/RAW at full resolution

Interval video shooting of stars – 15, 30 fps

Full HD video shooting 1920×1080@30fps . Final MP4 format H.264

Interfaces are miniUSB, microHDMI, Wi-Fi, NFC

Power – battery 3.6 V, 1910 mAh

Dimensions – 116,3×74,0×66,2 mm

Weight – 558g with battery and memory card

The approximate retail price is 34,000 roubles.

Looking for the perfect camera

Any professional tends to use the most advanced tools they can afford. Photographers, of course, are no exception. We often see pro photographers with two or three cameras on their chests, equipped with different lenses for certain scenes.

For example, the first one is for long shots, the second one is for close-ups, and the third one is for portraits. Photoprofessionals take it in order not to lose precious seconds for changing “lenses” as they have to shoot completely different moments and from different distances. Sometimes “DSLR people” get by with two cameras with zoom lenses which have different focal length ranges.

But it’s not only big, heavy cameras that you need for your arsenal of pros: for some tasks it’s reasonable and convenient to use smaller and more inconspicuous models. However, despite their secondary role, the second and third cameras should provide the professional with a high level of image quality.

A few years ago a class of compact cameras with big sensors most of APS-C form-factor appeared, equipped with high quality and fast lenses with fixed f. There are now both wide-angle and so-called normal, and even long-focus portrait models. Their use is quite justified for certain types of photography for example, reportage , because they will noticeably increase photographer’s mobility, if they replace DSLR’s. But is a photographer always ready to walk around with even such equipment??

Surely there are professional photographers who don’t even want to think about photography on vacation. But still the majority of them in any situation catch with trained eye an interesting scene that you want to make a record of at once. But to have a rest is a rest – not many people would carry around bulky working “DSLRs”, but they want to have something, capable of delivering the usual high quality.

Here we remember again about the compact cameras with large sensors but we understand at once that there is a great variety of subjects for vacation and it is impossible to use any of the “fixes” for them with the same success . It turns out that you need such a serious compact camera, but with a universal zoom lens. And what can the market offer us in this situation??

As a more compact alternative to DSLRs, six years ago there appeared the so-called “mirror-less” cameras. There’s a big selection of models and brands and each manufacturer has a zoom lens “for everything. But as a rule it comes in two non-ideal variants.

Or it is light and compact enough, has high magnification, but it doesn’t have high aperture ratio and can’t provide the same quality in the whole FFR range. Or it’s quite good optically, but then it’s heavy, has a small zoom ratio and costs a lot of money.

It turns out that a photographer with high demands for quality shooting will have either to pick up to “mirror-less” a few high-quality lenses, or try to find another universal solution that allows you to avoid the bother of juggling multiple “glasses” and the need to carry them a special photo bag or backpack. And there is such a universal solution on the market – a camera with a high-quality and fast aperture zoom lens. One of the most compact models in its class created by Canon, and now available in a second, improved version. And that’s what we’ll talk about next.

Competitive advantages

The compact Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is a major upgrade from its PowerShot G1 X predecessor, and offers a number of important advantages. The second-generation camera fixes many of the shortcomings of the first: improving the design and reducing the size of the body, expanding the range of the zoom lens, adding the ability to use an external electronic viewfinder EVF . Now let’s tell in detail about all the advantages of the new model.

The G1 X Mark II’s high image quality comes from its large 1.5″ CMOS sensor slightly smaller in size than APS-C sensors and slightly larger than Four Thirds and 5x zoom lens with a 24-120mm equivalent focal length and F2 aperture.0-3.9. Of course, the powerful DIGIC 6 image processor also makes a major contribution.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II sensor compared to other sizes

An experienced photographer knows that to get decent results in any situation, a camera needs to be fast and flexible in all major shooting settings. He would expect the same from a model which replaces his basic DSLR on vacation. Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II, of course, does not duplicate the buttons and dials SLR, but offers no less flexibility and in its own convenient controls.

Looking ahead a bit, the second model in the family has the ability to work with an external electronic viewfinder EVF . Among other things, it allows you to shoot with the camera in front of your face just like a DSLR. And the most convenient locations for the main controls are the front panel and the base of the lens.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II optical system

In creating the camera Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II developers have considered a traditional design “manual” lenses, the most successful technical solutions in terms of hardware, proven successful in digital compacts Canon and several other manufacturers. The most obvious result of this synthesis are the two control rings located on the fixed part of the lens.

Design and handling

The camera body is made of lightweight, durable magnesium alloy. It still looks heavier than a normal compact because it is equipped with a fast zoom lens. Looks like it weighs as much as the camera body itself. The massive lens barrel does not protrude much from the front, making it easy to find a place for the camera in almost any bag.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. View from above when the camera is switched off.

However, on tours and excursions, the camera is likely to hang around the neck of the owner – it looks strict and solid, and the readiness for action will be maximum. And with the external viewfinder mentioned later , getting the camera out of the bag every time isn’t as inconvenient, and it’s an accessory that can be damaged in a hurry.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. Controls on the top panel

Nevertheless, the designers have also considered the variant when the camera will be frequently taken out of the bag and put back in. That’s why the buttons that can switch the camera on are recessed into the body. Yes, exactly “buttons” – there are two of them. The first, of course, is the standard power button. And the second, in accordance with a long tradition for Canon cameras, is the button enabling the playback of footage. Characteristically, this alternative switching on the camera does not extend the lens.

Although the camera weighs about “half a kilo”, thanks to the non-slip pads on the front and back, it is easy to hold with one right hand. It is quite comfortable to take photos as well as to change the shooting modes by turning the knurled selector dial with your thumb. To activate and shoot video it is still better to hold the camera with your left hand because you have to move your thumb from the comfort of the rear stop to the right. It should be noted that this solution is good protection against unintentional pressing of the video record button.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. Rear panel controls

As said before, the main innovation in the camera controls are two control rings located on the lens barrel. The outer one farther away from the body has smooth movement and is, in fact, a usual focus ring for interchangeable optics that has no travel limitation. As such it can be used on a par with the multiselector ring.

Here it’s appropriate to tell about manual focus tools. For rough pre-focus, the on-screen scale, which displays the distance to the subject in centimeters or meters, comes in handy. Focus Peaking makes manual focusing more precise. It lights up the outlines of the objects in focus in one of the colors of your choice: yellow, blue or red. By pressing the DISP button. Focus area can be further enlarged by a factor of two or four. I should add that there is a separate MF button for quick manual focus.

In addition to focusing, the outer ring can also be used to adjust a single shooting parameter shutter speed, aperture or exposure compensation value , and preselected separately for each of the creative shooting modes P/A/S/M .

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. Top view in working condition

The internal ring, unlike the external one, switches discretely, i.e.e. with clearly audible clicks. Through the main menu, you can also pre-assign a key setting shutter speed or aperture and combine that with exposure compensation and one of the other settings such as dynamic range expansion, shadow correction, ISO, white balance, aspect ratio and stepped zoom. The top “button” of the multi selector is used to switch within this combination of settings and the change of setting is shown on the virtual scale that appears on the screen as you switch rings. As you can see, the basic settings are conveniently and clearly arranged, and most importantly, they can be operated without taking your eye off the viewfinder.

In other shooting modes, the inner ring serves as a more convenient alternative to the multiselector ring when selecting a scene mode, effect filter, color filter. You can also always use it to switch between the numerous options in the Quick Menu, which can be accessed with the FUNC button.

The other camera controls, multi selector switch made in the form of a ring with “push-buttons” and conventional buttons are located within thumb reach, to the right of the LCD screen. Their functions are typical and understandable to any somewhat experienced photographer.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. View of display

We’ve already found out that the control rings and the FUNC button. The camera is easy to recall most of the important settings and functions, but it also has other reprogrammable controls. This is the S button and the video button. Each of these can be associated with one of the 20 functions available. However, the author would not reassign the function of the video recording button – it is conveniently located and often useful. Not using the S button, on the other hand, would be a waste of time. For example, a button for exposure freezing AE lock or ND filter activation, Servo AF mode, manual white balance setting or other functions would not be superfluous on a compact camera.

To sum up the ergonomics, it is safe to say that you get used to the camera in your hands very quickly and all the basic functions are at your fingertips by the end of the first day. No irregularities were noticed in the menu structure or the settings algorithms. In a word, a convenient and flexible tool for those who understand.

Optical System

In a digital camera, the optical system includes not only the lens but also the light-sensitive sensor. The Canon G1 X family of cameras uses a large 1.5-inch CMOS sensor. This form factor is unique in today’s photographic market. The new model unlike the first one uses only about 13 million pixels out of 15 million. It was done in order to fit frames with aspect ratio of 3:2 and 4:3 into the “working” part of the round image formed by the optics, and to keep the same angle of view for them. The G1 X did not have this feature, called Multi Aspect Shooting.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II is equipped with a 5x wide-angle zoom lens

Compared to the G1 X, the new model also has a much wider focal range of 24-120mm 35mm equivalent . The low-photo zoom is much better for taking shots of interesting buildings in narrow city streets or majestic architectural monuments, mountain ranges, canyons, etc.p.

Even the 24mm focal length is barely long enough to capture these imposing buildings. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/500 s, 24 mm

Only the focal length of 24 mm allowed to frame the whole front of this retro car. And the pivoting screen – to shoot it in the right angle. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/160 s, 24 mm

In the other extreme position, the lens gets closer to the TV and zooms in on distant objects more than before.

An example of good detail when shooting long zoom with the aperture open. Sighting was done horizontally on the screen. ISO 100, F3.9, 1/320 s, 120 mm

A sample of cityscape photography at the minimum zoom. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/400 s, 24 mm

A sample of cityscape photography at maximum zoom. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/400 s, 120 mm

But in addition to the wider FFR range, the new zoom lens has also been improved in terms of light transmission F2.0-3.9 versus F2.8-5.8 of its predecessor . So it’s easier for the photographer to get a shallow depth of field in creative shots such as portraits , and easier for the camera to focus in difficult lighting conditions. Another advantage of the new zoom is the significantly reduced minimum focusing distance: now it is only 5 cm in any shooting mode.

Daytime close-up photography with high sensitivity. The volume of the pretzels is nicely reproduced. The effect of digital noise on picture quality is minimal. ISO 2500, F3.5, 1/125 s, 46 mm

One of the many functions you can assign to the discrete control ring on the lens is the “stepped zoom”: each flick of the ring causes a step change in the lens’ FFR, all of which are classics: 24, 28, 35, 50, 85, 100, 120 mm.

Photographers with experience, especially when using fix lenses, will appreciate this feature because they can clearly see the difference in the quality of the images produced with a fixed focal length lens.

Don’t forget to mention that the lens is equipped with a handy curtain protector, which solved the problem of the perpetually interfering or losing the “standard” cover. By the way, the list of optional accessories for the camera lens includes a protective hood and ring filter adapter.

LCD features

Canon makes many of its advanced cameras including the F222 more easy to focus in difficult lighting conditions. ch. and the G1 X had a movable LCD screen that tilts to the left and, thanks to its hinge design, can take almost any desired position. In recent years, however, cameras from different manufacturers have increasingly used a flip-up screen that can only swivel up and down.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. The tiltable LCD screen is tilted 45 degrees upwards

This is the screen of the G1 X Mark II. It goes down 45 degrees, which is enough to take pictures over the heads of people in front of you or behind a high obstacle such as a fence or a high window sill. The screen is capable of tilting back as much as 180 degrees on its upper side. So in positions that are close to horizontal, it can handle all sorts of non-standard subjects such as macro shots of low-lying objects or covert shots with a top-down perspective. When you further rotate the screen to the vertical position, it will look forward. As you can easily guess, it makes it easy to take selfies and group portraits.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. LCD in selfies position

The LCD screen in our ward is not only movable, but also touch-sensitive. While shooting, it allows you to select the desired focus area position with a single touch and even take a photo. In playback mode, we can scroll through the captured photos and movies, and zoom the picture. In short, you can act in the familiar manner of smartphones.

Of course, LCD screen is convenient because it lets you compose a scene in a big picture, and service information is almost not distracting, because it is on the periphery of the future frame. But for the visually impaired, looking through the screen might not be comfortable. In addition the screen is the main battery eater. So it was good to know that the designers added the ability to install an electronic viewfinder EVF to the new model of the Canon G1 X family.

External electronic viewfinder

This additional, but very useful accessory, in addition to reducing the power consumption of the camera, provides many photographers with the most familiar manner of shooting. Besides, it is probably the only guarantor of comfortable taking pictures in a bright sun – everybody knows that in this situation the LCD screen not only consumes more energy, but also strongly glares, and sometimes it almost “goes blind.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II with EVF-DC1 mounted

The external EVF-DC1 from Sappo attaches to the hot shoe. A separate “comb” of contacts is added to the front of the terminal to connect it to the camera, and a latch with button is provided to securely fasten the viewfinder in the “shoe. The main features of this EVF are state-of-the-art: 2.36 million pixels XGA resolution , flexible horizontal to vertical and diopter adjustable, equipped with an IR sensor for automatic image switching between EVF and LCD monitor. To summarize what was said about the EVF in one sentence, it is capable of greatly increasing the shooting comfort, especially for an avid DSLR photographer and, from my point of view, can completely replace an optical viewfinder.

To be fair, we should mention one disadvantage of the EVF. Since it occupies the hot shoe, you can’t use it on the camera at the same time with compatible external flashes or a wireless Speedlite transmitter.

Features and creative possibilities

As mentioned above, for experienced photographers, the Canon G1X Mark II offers easy access to all the settings familiar from DSLRs. But it will be no less friendly to owners who are not too familiar with photography, but nevertheless like to do creative work. They offer a wide range of scene modes, artistic effects and color filters that cover all the typical travel and home photo enthusiast needs. Many of these “creative tricks” have already become a de facto standard, so let’s mention just the most interesting.

For those who have not yet mastered the principles of the lens aperture, ready-made filters “Blurred Background” and “Soft Focus” will help to create beautiful portraits. And fans of taking selfies and take pictures with friends and family will not only help flip screen, but also proprietary program “Smart Shutter”, which performs shooting on a predetermined basis the appearance of a smile in the frame, the emergence of a new face, the detection of blinking .

Thanks to the effective noise reduction and proprietary programs – “Star Sky” and “Star Trace” – the camera will help create impressive pictures of the night sky, including, luminous trails of stars. There’s also an app for taking portraits against a starry sky background, and a frame-by-frame video for creating a clip of the rotating sky.

If you’re a creative beginner and haven’t quite figured out how to make your standard shots look even more creative, Creative Shot mode can help you save a single frame in multiple ways after applying various effects.

Communications

The modern camera is no longer imaginable without wireless connectivity. The G1 X Mark II has them, of course. Wi-Fi module has provided such functions as remote control of the shooting process, sending footage to an external environment other Canon cameras, mobile devices and computers, to printing devices and Internet resources , as well as obtaining GPS coordinates from a mobile device for binding images to the place of shooting. The camera can communicate with external devices, either directly, by acting as an access point, or via an external access point.

How to connect your Canon Power Shot G1 X Mark II with mobile devices

In order for our camera to work in tandem with mobile devices, it is necessary to install the CameraWindow application. The NFC module built into the camera makes this procedure as easy as possible. It’s enough to bring the NFC-sensor of your smartphone to the corresponding mark on the body of the camera, the app store will open on your mobile device and you will be offered to install the mentioned application. It will allow you to download photos to your phone, as well as remotely control the shooting process.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II. NFC location

Canon has an Image Gateway online service that includes cloud storage. After registering your new camera in this service, you get additional handy features, such as automatic synchronization of photos that have not yet been saved both in the online service and on your computer . To simplify this process, there is even a special button on the camera body that can be assigned to automatically activate the Canon Image Gateway service.

Practical shooting

It has already been said that you get used to the G1 X Mark II pretty quickly. So its owner has all the chances to concentrate directly on the creative side of photography. And the images themselves are the most eloquent testimony to its results.

Normally, advanced photographers disparage cameras with a contrast focusing system. Yes, for now, even with ever more efficient processors, it doesn’t have the agility that reportage and sports photographers need and can achieve with the phase focus method. But since the G1 X Mark II is supposed to be used mainly for leisure or occasional pro needs, where the nature of the shooting is not so intense and rapid, the contrast AF system is quite enough. Proof of that is in the smallest number of out-of-focus pictures in our test set-up.

A portrait of a sentinel taken at snapshot. The autofocus did not let you down. Of course, the stopped-down aperture also played a role in the sharpness of details. ISO 125, F5.6, 1/200 s, 77 mm

The scene is usually only focused in the wrong place when the autofocus uses all the AF sensors in some scene program. No such failures were detected, for example, in the aperture priority mode, where the photographer selects the AF area by himself. This confirms that the autofocus on this camera is quite accurate and fast.

Example of an action shot. The phase of movement is caught accurately, the autofocus works perfectly. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/500 s, 98mm

Creative types will appreciate that the Canon G1 X Mark II zoom lens can be described as “artistic” and “malleable. The test shots show a nice bokeh, even at a noticeably smaller aperture F8.0 .

Take close-up pictures against a backlight to show how the image changes at different aperture settings.

F3.9, F4.5, F5.6, F8.0 120 mm, ISO 100 1/400 s, 1/320 s, 1/200 s, 1/100 s.

Particularly smooth artistic quality results from backlit photography with the diaphragm fully open or just slightly closed. Boundaries of well-lit subjects that are out of focus don’t become double, but vanish into sparkling halos. And that’s where I want to add the “airy” quality to the picture.

Example of an “aerial” picture in long zoom with an open aperture and backlight. ISO 100, F3.9, 1/640 s, 120 mm

A soft portrait taken at an open aperture in daylight, diffused by a tent. ISO 640, F3.9, 1/320 s, 120 mm

In general, the lens confidently holds the oncoming light: the contrast is noticeably reduced only if you let the bright light rush into the frame without interference.

Shooting with a metered amount of ambient light in the lens. Maintains high scene contrast. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/500 s, 26 mm

Shooting in overhead light with the diaphragm open. Body detail in the shadows is rendered well enough. ISO 100, F3.9, 1/2000 s, 93 mm

While the lens draws softly at the edges in backlight situations with the aperture open, it is quite sharp in back and side light situations even with the aperture open. Typical of cameras with large sensors, the Canon G1 X Mark II shows a very shallow and noticeable sweet spot when the diaphragm is open, with decent bokeh.

This picture shows the depth of field at open aperture at maximum zoom position. ISO 100, F3.9, 1/400 s, 120 mm

In general, the images produced by the G1 X Mark II are typical Canon cameras: colors are richly saturated both by day and night. The auto white balance function handles color reproduction well in most situations, including mixed and some artificial light e.g., halogen .

Still life taken indoors under mixed artificial light, with auto white balance adjustment. Focusing through glass. ISO 800, F5.6, 1/50 s , 50 mm

Wide-angle indoor shot in mixed lighting. ISO 3200, F5.6, 1/60 s, 26 mm

Smooth tonal gradients are also possible with the 1.5-inch sensor.

Capturing interesting vintage car details in long focus. Colors, textures and halftones of painted and polished metal are faithfully reproduced. ISO 100, F5.0, 1/320 s, 120 mm

Canon G1 X Mark II is in no way inferior to a “cropped-size mirror” of the same resolution in terms of image detail, although the increased edge-to-edge sharpness on fine detail with the factory preset sometimes looks aggressive. You can compensate for this “diligence of the internal intelligence” of the camera in the JPG format by adjusting the sharpness of the “My Colors” function manually, and for the “raw” format – in the sharpening settings of RAW-converters.

Landscape photography in light cloudy conditions. Excellent detail on all subjects. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/250 s, -0.33 EV, 35 mm

We emphasize that the zoom lens has never been caught smudging or vignetting on the edges of the pictures saved as JPGs. Chromatic aberration, sometimes found in RAW images, is almost completely absent in JPG versions.

In this wide-angle landscape shot on a cloudy day, you can see how the lens sharpens the entire frame. ISO 125, F5.6, 1/60 s, 24 mm.

The camera automation tends to over lighten the image a bit, but this can be easily fixed with a small negative exposure compensation -0.3 or -0.7 EV .

Example of a daytime shot on an overcast day with slight negative exposure compensation for better visibility of clouds. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/640 sec, -0.33 EV, 100mm

An example of a daytime wide angle shot on a sunny day, with positive exposure compensation for shadows. There is some loss in the highlights. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/320 s, 0.67 EV, 24 mm

A good reserve of information for scenes with very high contrast is provided by RAW recording 14 bit . From this “raw” material it is possible to recover a lot of detail in the highlights, as well as if they have not been worked out from the shadows.

Capturing a high-contrast daytime landscape in JPG format without dynamic range auto-correction. The shadows look good, but the highlights do not fit perfectly into the dynamic range. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/250 s, 0.33 EV, 61 mm

Bright midtones restored after RAW processing in Adobe Camera RAW converter. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/250 s, 0.33 EV, 61 mm

If you are a photographer who does not know how to process RAW files and takes JPG photos you may want to enable Auto Dynamic Range Correction and Auto Dark Correction for very high contrast scenes or when you have a lot of sky with light clouds in the frame .

Shooting in JPG with auto dynamic range correction turned off. The light tones of the clouds were not fully resolved. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/500 s, 32 mm. An example of a JPG shot with auto dynamic range correction turned on. The light tones of the clouds are fully resolved. ISO 200, F5.6, 1/1000 sec, 32mm. But the camera sometimes does a good job of rendering the tones of high-contrast scenes, even if you forget to turn on the auto dynamic range correction.

The dynamic range of the camera was able to “digest” this high-contrast scene. ISO 100, F5.6, 1/640 s, 24 mm

The dynamic range of night scenes due to bright light, such as parts of buildings, is often as great as on a sunny day. The artificial lighting adds color rendering problems. So shooting in “raw” format and then converting will be preferable.

Example of a night scene in which a RAW file was post-edited in Adobe Camera RAW converter for restoration of highlights and color correction. ISO 3200, F5.6, 1/15 s, 40 mm

When it comes to night photography, it makes sense to check two other things: the effectiveness of the optical stabilization system and the level of digital noise.

For the first part, I chose a TF of about 58 mm equivalent and took a series of shots, one after the other, and doubled the shutter speed after each shot. Since the camera has a declared 3.5 steps efficiency, the starting point was a 1/15 second shutter speed which is 2 steps slower than the one ordinarily required for the safe shutter speed. The last one was a series with a shutter speed of 1 sec. A study of the pictures showed that 1/15th of a second 2-stop and 1/8th of a second 3-stop shutter speeds can be used without worrying about sharpness. At shutter speeds of 1/4 or even 1/2 second, with a sufficiently steady hand, there is a good chance of getting 50-60% of the shots sharp, and when the shutter speed is a full second, it is possible to get sharpness of not more than a third of the frame.

Night scene shots showing Intelligent IS working with hand held shutter speeds of 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s.

I must add that the manufacturer called the built-in stabilization system intelligent Intelligent IS , and for a reason – not only does it compensate for camera shake when shooting stills, but it also knows how to smooth out camera shake when shooting video while walking t.n. dynamic stabilization . The only annoyance was that you can’t get to the IS settings, they are only available in the main menu.

An effective stabilization system allows for slow shutter speeds when taking pictures of night scenes, so you can avoid over ISO speeds in most cases. For example, a combination of shutter speed 1/8 s, aperture F4.0 and 800 ISO sensitivity will give very good results.

Example of a night scene that achieves a balance between shutter speed and ISO speed. Performed RAW post-processing in the Adobe Camera RAW converter. ISO 800, F2.0, 1/8 s, 24 mm

But if you want to shoot something fast and in motion, for example – slow shutter speeds can’t satisfy us because of motion blur – you can use ISO speeds up to 6400 for greater detail. When it’s important to keep uniformity and smoothness, sensitivity should be limited to 3200-4000 ISO.

ISO 640, F5.6, 1/60 s, -2.0 EV, 24 mm

ISO 1250, F5.6, 1/60 s, -1.33 EV, 24 mm

Architectural photography indoors at different sensitivities.

Example of a night scene with the aperture open at maximum zoom. ISO 3200, F3.9, 1/25 s, -0.33 EV, 120 mm

When you want to capture the finest detail, even in daylight, a value of 3,200 ISO is a good value.

Day shots with high sensitivity. No effect of digital noise on picture quality can be seen. ISO 2000, F5.6, 1/200 s, -0.33 EV, 62 mm

For static, slow-motion night scenes, the G1 X Mark II offers a very interesting alternative in the form of a special handheld tripod-less night scene program. When you use it, the camera takes a series of shots at high sensitivity to make sure you get rid of camera shake, and then averages the information and combines it into one frame. With this treatment, the noise level in flat areas such as the sky, water, etc.p., is reduced by about 2 or 3 steps: for example, as if we used 800 or even 400 ISO instead of 3200.

Example of “handheld night scene mode” shooting. ISO 3200, F3.5, 1/10th of a second, 52mm

Example of shooting with the “handheld night scene” program. ISO 1600, F3.5, 1/100 s, -1 EV, 61 mm

Admittedly, the finest detail is not at an advantage with this averaging operation. Although for pictures in which it is important to show a beautiful night panorama, playing with lights, this point is of secondary importance.

Samples of daytime shooting, taken with different ISO settings: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800.

Samples of night-time shooting with tripod, taken at different ISO settings: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800.

Videotaping

While the Canon G1 X Mark II doesn’t boast the super-modern 4K capabilities in movie mode, it does offer the highest video quality possible – Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels, 30 fps . This is enough for most users who shoot video only occasionally. Saves videos in MP4 container and uses cost-effective H codec for packaging.264.

Night scenes are the most critical for video quality. In terms of results of city night shooting I want to note the accurate color rendering auto white balance works fine , good auto focus without “nervous” continuous adjustments , absence at least visually of digital noise. The only thing I have a problem with is aliasing on slanted contrasting subjects e.g., electrical wires . But this phenomenon is almost inevitable in a camera that shoots video.

Conclusions

Photos taken with the G1 X Mark II let us say with confidence that this camera is a good “DSLR” companion for work, and fully replace it, in terms of quality, when shooting vacation.

The same goes for the quickness of adjustments: Though the photographer doesn’t have everything he needs right at his fingertips in terms of individual buttons, after a short acquaintance with camera ergonomics he will learn to get to all the necessary settings in two or three seconds.

Of course, at least some of the features of a professional camera have to be sacrificed for compactness. For example, the viewfinder is an optional accessory on the G1 X Mark II. But that leaves it up to the owner to decide how much he needs it. Especially in light of the aforementioned “competition” with external flashes.

Advantages of camera Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II, from the point of view of the author, considerably outweigh some “lacks” from a position of the professional photographer , and this gives reason to assert that now it is one of the best options for those who chooses a universal camera for rest and travel.