Canon G7 X Mark II vs G9X Mark II

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and January 2017. Both the G7X Mark II and the G9X Mark II are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon G7 X Mark II		Canon G9 X Mark II
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-100mm f/1.8-2.8		28-84mm f/2.0-4.9
20 MP – 1" sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (125 - 25,600)		ISO 125-12,800
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		8.2 shutter flaps per second
265 shots per battery charge		235 shots per battery charge
106 x 61 x 42 mm, 319 g		98 x 58 x 31 mm, 206 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II? 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 G7 X Mark II and the Canon G9 X Mark II is provided 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The G9X Mark II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the G7X 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 Canon G9 X Mark II is notably smaller (12 percent) than the Canon G7 X Mark II. Moreover, the G9X Mark II is substantially lighter (35 percent) than the G7X Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G7X Mark II nor the G9X Mark II are weather-sealed.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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 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 G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
2.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
4.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
8.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
9.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic LX10	106 mm	60 mm	42 mm	310 g	260	n	Sep 2016	699	amazon.com
11.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	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 G9X Mark II was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 24 percent) than the G7X Mark II, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an one-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the G7X Mark II and the G9X Mark II have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the G9X Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 10 months) than the G7X Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II 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 Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II are ISO 125 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
2.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
5.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
6.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
7.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
8.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
9.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
10.		Panasonic LX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	581	70
11.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
12.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
13.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
14.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G7X Mark II and the G9X Mark II are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon G7 X Mark II, the Canon G9 X Mark II, 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 G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
9.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic LX10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Canon G7 X Mark II and the Canon G9 X Mark II 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.

Both the G7X Mark II and the G9X Mark II have zoom lenses built in. The G7X Mark II has a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 optic and the G9X Mark II offers a 28-84mm f/2.0-4.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the G7X Mark II provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the G9X Mark II. The G7X Mark II offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G7X Mark II and the G9X Mark II write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of 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 G7 X Mark II and Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II 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 G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Panasonic LX10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the G7X Mark II and the G9X Mark II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The G7X Mark II was replaced by the Canon G7 X Mark III, while the G9X Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the G7X Mark II and G9X Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon G7 X Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon G9 X Mark II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon G7 X Mark II better than the Canon G9 X Mark II or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II:

• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/2.0).
• 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (265 versus 235) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2016).

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II:

• More compact: Is smaller (98x58mm vs 106x61mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 113g or 35 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (24 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (10 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G7X Mark II emerges as the winner of the contest (7 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 G7 X Mark II and the Canon G9 X Mark II 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G7X Mark II or the G9X Mark II. 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 G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
2.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
4.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
8.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
9.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic LX10	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	699	amazon.com
11.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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

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 use the search menu 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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