Canon G1 X Mark II vs Fujifilm X20

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II and the Fujifilm X20 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2014 and January 2013. Both the G1X Mark II and the X20 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on an 1.5-inch (G1X Mark II) and a 2/3 (X20) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 13 megapixels, whereas the Fujifilm 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 G1 X Mark II		Fujifilm X20
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-120mm f/2.0-3.9		28-112mm f/2.0-2.8
13 MP – 1.5" sensor		12 MP – Two Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12,800		ISO 100-12,800
Viewfinder optional		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		2.8" LCD – 460k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5.2 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
240 shots per battery charge		270 shots per battery charge
116 x 74 x 66 mm, 553 g		117 x 70 x 57 mm, 353 g

Check G1X Mark II offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II and the Fujifilm X20? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon G1 X Mark II and the Fujifilm X20. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X20 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the G1X Mark II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X20 is somewhat smaller (5 percent) than the Canon G1 X Mark II. Moreover, the X20 is substantially lighter (36 percent) than the G1X Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G1X Mark II nor the X20 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the G1X Mark II gets 240 shots out of its Canon NB-12L battery, while the X20 can take 270 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-50 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
7.		Canon S120	100 mm	59 mm	29 mm	217 g	230	n	Aug 2013	449	ebay.com
8.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
9.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm XQ1	100 mm	59 mm	33 mm	206 g	240	n	Oct 2013	499	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X10	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	350 g	270	n	Sep 2011	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX100	115 mm	66 mm	55 mm	393 g	300	n	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The X20 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the G1X Mark II, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 G1 X Mark II features an 1.5-inch sensor and the Fujifilm X20 a 2/3 sensor. The sensor area in the X20 is 78 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.85 and 3.9. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

With 13MP, the G1X Mark II offers a slightly higher resolution than the X20 (12MP), but the G1X Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.49μm versus 2.20μm for the X20) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the G1X Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 1 month) than the X20, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X20 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The X20 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. The Fujifilm X20 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Like most digital cameras, the G1X Mark II uses a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. In contrast, the X20 employs a more randomized X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

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"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
2.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
5.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
6.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
7.		Canon S120	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.3	11.9	246	56
8.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
9.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
10.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
11.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
12.		Fujifilm XQ1	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.3	11.0	-390	47
13.		Fujifilm X10	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.5	11.3	245	50
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
15.		Panasonic LX100	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.3	12.5	553	67
16.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the X20 provides a faster frame rate than the G1X Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X20 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the G1X Mark II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the G1X Mark II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC1. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon G1 X Mark II and Fujifilm X20 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 G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
2.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon S120	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	Y	1/2000s	12.1/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
10.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Fujifilm XQ1	none	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Fujifilm X10	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic LX100	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		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 differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The G1X Mark II has a touchscreen, while the X20 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon G1 X Mark II 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.

Both the G1X Mark II and the X20 have zoom lenses built in. The G1X Mark II has a 24-120mm f/2.0-3.9 optic and the X20 offers a 28-112mm f/2.0-2.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Fujifilm. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G1X Mark II and the X20 write their files to SDXC cards. The G1X Mark II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the X20 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 PowerShot G1 X Mark II and Fujifilm X20 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 G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon S120	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Fujifilm XQ1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Fujifilm X10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic LX100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the G1X Mark II offers wifi support, while the X20 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the G1X Mark II and the X20 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The X20 was replaced by the Fujifilm X30, while the G1X Mark II was followed by the Canon G1 X Mark III. Further information on the features and operation of the G1X Mark II and X20 can be found, respectively, in the Canon G1 X Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X20 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon G1 X Mark II better than the Fujifilm X20 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 1 month after the X20).

Arguments in favor of the Fujifilm X20:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 5.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 200g or 36 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (270 versus 240) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2013).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G1X Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 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 G1 X Mark II and the Fujifilm X20 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera listing 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 G1X Mark II or the X20 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
7.		Canon S120	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	449	ebay.com
8.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
9.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm XQ1	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	499	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X10	..	..	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2011	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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