636 Canon Powershot G5 X
So, the question is: Is there a good camera that fits in between a serious DSLR (like my Canon EOS1 Ds) and the iPhone? It seems the question has been answered in the affirmative by our resident dpexpert tester Terry Lane. A sensibly large sensor ... a great lens at 24-100mm f/2.8 ... a proper viewfinder ... that's a good start; then it is well designed and built (it looks like a real camera), at a great price ... wow!
Canon PowerShot G5 X ... take it away, Terry ... Compact for grown-ups
(at Georges for $779 ... sorry, not anymore)
THE LOW-DOWN: The G5 X is one of a pair of new compacts from Canon (the G9 X was reviewed last week) that have the same 20 megapixel 1” sensors and processors in different body forms. The smaller G5 X has a 24—100mm (equivalent) f1.8—2.8 stabilised lens. The touch-sensitive 75mm LCD swivels and is of good resolution and contrast. The high resolution electronic viewfinder is excellent. The integration of the menu system and touch controls is well done and navigation is easy. Construction aesthetics and quality are outstanding and the camera feels rugged and luxurious. The supplied Digital Photo Professional 4 RAW converter is excellent. WiFi and NFC are built in for smartphone control.
LIKE: The RAW image quality is excellent, surprisingly acceptable up to ISO2500. The Digital Photo Professional 4 RAW converter automatically applies discreet noise reduction which doesn’t blur fine detail. The sensor/processor does a good job of keeping detail in shadows and highlights in contrasty situations. Video quality at 1080p is very good.
DISLIKE: Actually there is nothing to dislike. In its category and at the price this little camera is close to perfection.
VERDICT: The G5 X is a beautiful piece of industrial design, looking like a shrunken DSLR and feeling like a real camera. As smartphones kill off the bottom end of the compact camera market, the traditional camera companies are fighting back with specifications and prices that a couple of years ago would have been unthinkable. By combining a large (for a compact) sensor with a modest zoom range, Canon has crafted a winner. The competition is from mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras in this price range, but if you don’t want to change lenses, then the Canon is a worthy contender.
Ok, folks ... today I put my money where my mouth is, no ... where my blog is: Thank's, for great service, Ricky ... at Georges on George Street, here in Sydney ... and thanks for your advice, Terry, it was irresistible:
I really don't buy cameras all that often ... my Canon EOS1 Ds is six years old and I have been looking for quite a while now. I will upgrade my iPhone in due time, but I've given up hope of getting a camera with a phone built in - blog 575 - so there. Welcome, little fella ... we'll have lots'a fun, promise.
People are asking, how small is the camera ... well, it fits into the palm of my hand.
And, people are asking ...
... what's with the funny tripod? It's not a tripod, it's a Gorillapod.
Gorillapod on Australia Day ...
