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Canon G3 X vs Sony A9

The Canon PowerShot G3 X and the Sony Alpha A9 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2015 and April 2017. The G3X is a fixed lens compact, while the A9 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an one-inch (G3X) and a full frame (A9) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon G3 X
versus
Sony A9
Canon G3 X   Sony A9
Fixed lens compact camera Mirrorless system camera
24-600mm f/2.8-5.6 Sony E mount lenses
20 MP – 1" sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (125 - 25,600) ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Viewfinder optional Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1620k dots 3.0" LCD – 1440k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
5.9 shutter flaps per second 20 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
300 shots per battery charge650 shots per battery charge
123 x 77 x 105 mm, 733 g 127 x 96 x 63 mm, 673 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G3 X and the Sony Alpha A9? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon G3 X and the Sony A9 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon G3 X vs Sony A9
Compare G3X versus A9 top
Comparison G3X or A9 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 is notably larger (29 percent) than the Canon G3 X. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G3X has a lens built in, whereas the A9 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 A9 and their specifications in the Sony FE Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the G3X gets 300 shots out of its NB-10L battery, while the A9 can take 650 images on a single charge of its NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A9 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon G3 X 123 mm 77 mm 105 mm 733 g 300 Y Jun 2015 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 80D 139 mm 105 mm 79 mm 730 g 960 Y Feb 2016 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Canon G9 X 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 209 g 220 n Oct 2015 529ebay.com
5.
 
Canon G7 X 103 mm 60 mm 40 mm 304 g 210 n Sep 2014 699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 70D 139 mm 104 mm 79 mm 755 g 920 Y Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic FZ2500 138 mm 102 mm 135 mm 915 g 350 n Sep 2016 1,199 amazon.com
8.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 137 mm 99 mm 131 mm 831 g 360 n Jun 2014 899ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7R V 131 mm 97 mm 82 mm 723 g 530 Y Oct 2022 3,899 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony RX10 III 133 mm 94 mm 127 mm 1051 g 420 Y Mar 2016 1,499ebay.com
14.
 
Sony RX100 V 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 299 g 220 n Oct 2016 999ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX10 II 129 mm 88 mm 102 mm 813 g 400 Y Jun 2015 1,299ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX10 129 mm 88 mm 102 mm 813 g 420 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 G3X was launched at a lower price than the A9, 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon G3 X features an one-inch sensor and the Sony A9 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 is 630 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Canon G3 X and Sony A9 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A9 offers a higher resolution than the G3X (20MP), but the A9 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 2.41μm for the G3X) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A9 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 10 months) than the G3X, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A9 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A9 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon G3 X are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A9 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon PowerShot G3 X has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 125-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the G3X is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A9 uses a Stacked 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.

G3X versus A9 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A9 offers substantially better image quality than the G3X (overall score 29 points higher). The advantage is based on 3.5 bits higher color depth, 1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.8 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image 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 36481080/60p21.412.352163
2.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
3.
 
Canon 80D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.2113579
4.
 
Canon G9 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.512.349563
5.
 
Canon G7 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p23.012.755671
6.
 
Canon 70D APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p22.511.692668
7.
 
Panasonic FZ2500 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p23.012.653870
8.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.111.751764
9.
 
Sony A7R V Full Frame 60.2 9504 63368k/24p26.514.83187100
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
11.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
12.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
13.
 
Sony RX10 III 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p23.112.647270
14.
 
Sony RX100 V 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.458670
15.
 
Sony RX10 II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p23.012.653170
16.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
17.
 
Sony RX10 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.912.647469
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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 A9 provides a better video resolution than the G3X. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 has an electronic viewfinder (3686k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the G3X relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the G3X can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC1. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon G3 X and Sony A9 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 G3 Xoptional n3.2 / 1620 tilting Y 1/2000s 5.9/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
3.
 
Canon 80Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon G9 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 6.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Canon G7 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/2000s 6.5/s Y Y
6.
 
Canon 70Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
7.
 
Panasonic FZ25002360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Panasonic FZ10002359 n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 12.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Sony A7R V9440 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
12.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony RX10 III2359 Y3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 14.0/s Y Y
14.
 
Sony RX100 V2359 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 24.0/s Y Y
15.
 
Sony RX10 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/3200s 14.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony RX101440 Y3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The G3X has one, while the A9 does not. While the built-in flash of the G3X is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The G3X has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the A9 does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A9 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The G3X writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A9 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the G3X only has one slot. The A9 supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the G3X can use UHS-I cards.

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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 G3 X and Sony Alpha A9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon G3 XYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
2.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
3.
 
Canon 80DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon G9 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon G7 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon 70DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
7.
 
Panasonic FZ2500Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y--
8.
 
Panasonic FZ1000Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
9.
 
Sony A7R VYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
11.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
12.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
13.
 
Sony RX10 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony RX100 V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony RX10 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
17.
 
Sony RX10Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
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Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 (unlike the G3X) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the G3X and the A9 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A9 was replaced by the Sony A9 II, while the G3X does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the G3X and A9 can be found, respectively, in the Canon G3 X Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon G3 X better than the Sony A9 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot G3 X:

  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1440k dots).
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the A9 requires a separate lens.
  • More compact: Is smaller (123x77mm vs 127x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2015).

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Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (29 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (3.5 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.8 stops ISO advantage).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 5.9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (650 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 10 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 8 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

G3X 08:19 A9

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon G3 X and the Sony A9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G3X or the A9. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon G3 X3.5/5+....4.5/54/5 Jun 2015 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 80D4/5+ +4.5/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Canon G9 X3.5/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2015 529ebay.com
5.
 
Canon G7 X4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 70D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic FZ2500..+..82/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2016 1,199 amazon.com
8.
 
Panasonic FZ10004/5+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2014 899ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7R V5/5+ +4.5/592/100.... Oct 2022 3,899 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 4,499 amazon.com
12.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony RX10 III5/5+..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2016 1,499ebay.com
14.
 
Sony RX100 V4.5/5+ +..83/1004/54.5/5 Oct 2016 999ebay.com
15.
 
Sony RX10 II5/5+ +..82/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2015 1,299ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX105/5+..80/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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. 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. 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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    Specifications: Canon G3 X vs Sony A9

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon G3 X Sony A9
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens 24-600mm f/2.8-5.6 Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date June 2015 April 2017
    Launch Price USD 999 USD 4,499
    Sensor Specs Canon G3 X Sony A9
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS Stacked BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format 1" Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 13.2 x 8.8 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 116.16 mm2 847.28 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 15.9 mm 42.8 mm
    Crop Factor 2.7x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5472 x 3648 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 2.41 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 17.18 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 125 - 12,800 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 125 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 204,800 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 6 BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 63 92
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.4 24.9
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.3 13.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 521 3517
    Screen Specs Canon G3 X Sony A9
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3686k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1620k dots 1440k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon G3 X Sony A9
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/2000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 5.9 shutter flaps/s 20 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/32000s
    Image StabilizationLens-based stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I Single UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Canon G3 X Sony A9
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Canon G3 X Sony A9
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type NB-10L NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)300 shots per charge650 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 123 x 77 x 105 mm
    (4.8 x 3.0 x 4.1 in)
    127 x 96 x 63 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in)
    Camera Weight 733 g (25.9 oz) 673 g (23.7 oz)
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    Check G3X offers at
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    Check A9 offers at
    ebay.com

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