What is the pixel pitch of the Canon G3 X?

The Canon PowerShot G3 X provides 20 megapixels from an one-inch sensor. This pixel density gives rise to a size of the individual pixel of 2.41µm.

The pixel size or pixel pitch can be calculated by dividing the sensor area by the pixel count and then taking the square root. In particular, the sensor in the Canon G3 X measures 13.2mm in width and 8.8mm in height, so that the total imaging area of the sensor amounts to 116 mm². Moreover, the G3X has 5 472 horizontal pixels and 3 648 vertical pixels, for a total of 20 megapixels. Then, the size (height or width) of each individual pixel can be calculated as the square root of the ratio of the sensor area (116 mm²) to the MP count (19 961 856).

Larger pixels provide advantages with respect to gathering light, particularly in low-light situations. Large pixels notably have a better signal to noise ratio, meaning that they can better differentiate between incoming photons and the noisy signals that the internal processes of the camera create. As a result, big pixels are particularly helpful to the photographer when shooting with high ISO settings.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Canon G3 X to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
2.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
3.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
4.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
5.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
6.		Panasonic FZ2500	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
7.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
8.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
9.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
10.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
11.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69

Further information on the sensor in the Canon G3 X and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.

In the United States, the G3X was initially launched in June 2015 at a price of $999.

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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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