Canon G1 X Mark III vs RP

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and the Canon EOS RP are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2017 and February 2019. The G1X Mark III is a fixed lens compact, while the RP is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (G1X Mark III) and a full frame (RP) sensor. The G1X Mark III has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the RP provides 26 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 III		Canon RP
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-72mm f/2.8-5.6		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
200 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
115 x 78 x 51 mm, 399 g		133 x 85 x 70 mm, 485 g

Check G1X Mark III offers at
ebay.com
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amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and the Canon EOS RP? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon G1 X Mark III and the Canon RP is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 width, height and depth measures 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 RP is notably larger (26 percent) than the Canon G1 X Mark III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the G1X Mark III is splash and dust resistant, while the RP does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G1X Mark III has a lens built in, whereas the RP is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the G1X Mark III gets 200 shots out of its Canon NB-13L battery, while the RP can take 250 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. The power pack in the RP can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
3.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	1,499	amazon.com
4.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
5.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
7.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
8.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
16.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	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. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon G1 X Mark III features an APS-C sensor and the Canon RP a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the RP is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the RP uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the G1X Mark III (DIGIC 7), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 26MP, the RP offers a higher resolution than the G1X Mark III (24MP), but the RP nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 3.72μm for the G1X Mark III) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the RP is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the G1X Mark III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS RP are ISO 100 to ISO 40000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
2.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
3.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
4.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
5.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
6.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
7.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
8.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
9.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
10.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
11.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
12.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
13.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
14.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
15.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
16.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RP provides a better video resolution than the G1X Mark III. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the G1X Mark III is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G1X Mark III and the RP are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2360k dots. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon G1 X Mark III, the Canon RP, and comparable cameras.

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 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
7.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
14.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The G1X Mark III has one, while the RP does not. While the built-in flash of the G1X Mark III is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Canon G1 X Mark III and the Canon RP both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G1X Mark III and the RP write their files to SDXC cards. The RP supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the G1X Mark III can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 III and Canon EOS RP 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 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RP has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The G1X Mark III does not feature such a mic input.

The RP is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the G1X Mark III has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the G1X Mark III from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the G1X Mark III and RP can be found, respectively, in the Canon G1 X Mark III Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon RP Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon G1 X Mark III or the Canon RP – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III:

• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the RP requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (115x78mm vs 133x85mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the RP).
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2017).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS RP:

• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 7).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (250 versus 200) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 3 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RP is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 9 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 III and the Canon RP place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G1X Mark III or the RP. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
3.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	1,499	amazon.com
4.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
5.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
7.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
8.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
16.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check G1X Mark III offers at
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Check RP price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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