Canon 7D vs G16

The Canon EOS 7D and the Canon PowerShot G16 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2009 and August 2013. The 7D is a DSLR, while the G16 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (7D) and a 1/1.7-inch (G16) sensor. The 7D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the G16 provides 12 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 7D		Canon G16
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF mount lenses		28-140mm f/1.8-2.8
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		12 MP – 1/1.7" sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 80-12,800
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		2.2 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
800 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
148 x 111 x 74 mm, 860 g		109 x 76 x 40 mm, 356 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 7D and the Canon PowerShot G16? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 7D and the Canon G16 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon G16 is considerably smaller (50 percent) than the Canon 7D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 7D is splash and dust resistant, while the G16 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G16 has a lens built in, whereas the 7D is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the 7D and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 7D gets 800 shots out of its Canon LP-E6 battery, while the G16 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-10L power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
2.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon G12	112 mm	76 mm	48 mm	401 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
11.		Canon G15	107 mm	76 mm	40 mm	352 g	350	n	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
13.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon P7800	119 mm	78 mm	50 mm	399 g	350	n	Sep 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The G16 was launched at a lower price than the 7D, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 7D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon G16 a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The sensor area in the G16 is 87 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 4.65. The sensor in the 7D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the G16 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 17.9MP, the 7D offers a higher resolution than the G16 (12MP), but the 7D nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 1.87μm for the G16) due to its larger sensor. However, the G16 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 11 months) than the 7D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 7D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 7D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon G16 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 7D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot G16 are ISO 80 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the 7D is build around a CMOS sensor, while the G16 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the 7D provides substantially higher image quality than the G16, with an overall score that is 12 points higher. This advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, and 1.9 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
2.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
4.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
5.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
6.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
7.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
8.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
9.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
10.		Canon G12	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/24p	20.4	11.2	161	47
11.		Canon G15	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.9	11.5	165	46
12.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
13.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
14.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
15.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
16.		Nikon P7800	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	21.2	11.7	200	54
17.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the G16 provides a faster frame rate than the 7D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the 7D is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 7D and the G16 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 7D and Canon G16 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
4.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G12	optical	n	2.8 / 461	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.1/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G15	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.1/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon P7800	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 7D, but is missing on the G16 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Canon G16 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 7D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the G16 uses SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 7D and Canon PowerShot G16 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon G12	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon G15	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon P7800	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 7D has a microphone port, which is missing on the G16. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 7D (unlike the G16) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 7D and the G16 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 7D was replaced by the Canon 7D Mark II, while the G16 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 7D and G16 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 7D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon G16 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 7D and the Canon G16? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 7D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (17.9 vs 12MP) with a 25% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (12 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.9 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 2.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (800 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2009).

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot G16:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the 7D requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x76mm vs 148x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the 7D).
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 11 months of technical progress since the 7D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 7D emerges as the winner of the contest (12 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 7D and the Canon G16 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 7D or the G16 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
2.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon G12	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
11.		Canon G15	4/5	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
13.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon P7800	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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