Canon G7 X Mark II vs Panasonic GX8

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and July 2015. The G7X Mark II is a fixed lens compact, while the GX8 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an one-inch (G7X Mark II) and a Four Thirds (GX8) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20.2 MP.

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		Panasonic GX8
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-100mm f/1.8-2.8		Micro Four Thirds lenses
20 MP, 1" Sensor		20.2 MP, Four Thirds Sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (125 - 25,600)		ISO 200-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots		3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens-based stabilization		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
265 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
106 x 61 x 42 mm, 319 g		133 x 78 x 63 mm, 487 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8? 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 G7 X Mark II and the Panasonic GX8 are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The GX8 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 Panasonic GX8 is considerably larger (60 percent) than the Canon G7 X Mark II. It is noteworthy in this context that the GX8 is splash and dust-proof, while the G7X Mark II does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G7X Mark II has a lens built in, whereas the GX8 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 GX8 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the G7X Mark II gets 265 shots out of its NB-13L battery, while the GX8 can take 330 images on a single charge of its DMW-BLC12 power pack. The power pack in the G7X Mark II can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
	Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699
	Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199
	Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749
	Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499
	Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399
	Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	299
	Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379
	Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799
	Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679
	Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	279
	Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349
	Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699
	Olympus E-M1 II	134 mm	91 mm	67 mm	574 g	440	Y	Sep 2016	1,999
	Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199
	Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	1,099
	Panasonic GX7	123 mm	71 mm	55 mm	402 g	350	n	Aug 2013	999
	Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	1,399
Notes: 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 G7X Mark II was launched at a lower price than the GX8, despite having a lens built in. 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. 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon G7 X Mark II features an one-inch sensor and the Panasonic GX8 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the GX8 is 94 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 2.0. The sensor in the G7X Mark II has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the GX8 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 20.2MP, the GX8 offers a higher resolution than the G7X Mark II (20MP), but the GX8 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 2.41μm for the G7X Mark II) due to its larger sensor. However, the G7X Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the GX8, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

	Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
	Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
	Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
	Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
	Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	..	..	..	..
	Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
	Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	..	..	..	..
	Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
	Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
	Olympus E-M1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.7	12.8	1312	80
	Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
	Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
	Panasonic GX7	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.6	12.2	718	70
	Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85

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 GX8 provides a better video resolution than the G7X Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the GX8 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the G7X Mark II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon G7 X Mark II and Panasonic GX8 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

	Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
	Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0	Y	Y
	Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
	Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30	Y	Y
	Canon M100	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1	Y	n
	Canon SX730	none	n	3.0	922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9	Y	Y
	Canon SX420	none	n	3.0	230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5	Y	Y
	Canon SX720	none	n	3.0	922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9	Y	Y
	Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0	1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9	Y	Y
	Canon M3	optional	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2	Y	n
	Canon SX410	none	n	3.0	230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5	Y	Y
	Canon SX710	none	n	3.0	922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0	Y	Y
	Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5	Y	Y
	Olympus E-M1 II	2360	n	3.0	1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0	n	Y
	Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0	1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
	Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0	1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
	Panasonic GX7	2760	n	3.0	1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0	Y	Y
	Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0	922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0	Y	Y

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The G7X Mark II has one, while the GX8 does not. While the built-in flash of the G7X Mark II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 GX8 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 Canon G7 X Mark II and the Panasonic GX8 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 G7X Mark II and the GX8 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
	Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
	Canon M100	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Canon SX730	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
	Canon SX420	-	mono	mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Canon SX720	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Canon G5 X	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Canon M3	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Canon SX410	-	stereo	mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
	Canon SX710	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Canon G7 X	-	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Olympus E-M1 II	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
	Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
	Panasonic GX7	Y	stereo	mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
	Sony A6500	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the GX8 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The G7X Mark II does not feature such a mic input.

Both the G7X Mark II and the GX8 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The GX8 was replaced by the Panasonic GX9, while the G7X Mark II was followed by the Canon G7 X Mark III. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon G7 X Mark II better than the Panasonic GX8 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:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the GX8 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (106x61mm vs 133x78mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the GX8).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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 modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 7 months after the GX8).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• 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.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 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 (330 versus 265) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in July 2015).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GX8 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 7 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Panasonic GX8 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the G7X Mark II and the GX8 in practical situations. 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model	camera   labs	dp review	ephoto   zine	imaging resource	photography   blog	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
	Canon G7 X Mark II	+ +	81/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699
	Panasonic GX8	+	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199
	Canon G7 X Mark III	+ +	81/100	4/5	..	..	Jul 2019	749
	Canon M100	+	..	4/5	..	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499
	Canon SX730	+	..	4/5	..	4/5	Apr 2017	399
	Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	299
	Canon SX720	+	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379
	Canon G5 X	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799
	Canon M3	o	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679
	Canon SX410	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	279
	Canon SX710	+	..	4/5	..	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349
	Canon G7 X	+ +	77/100	4.5/5	3.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699
	Olympus E-M1 II	+ +	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	1,999
	Olympus PEN-F	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199
	Olympus E-M5 II	+ +	81/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	1,099
	Panasonic GX7	+	79/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2013	999
	Sony A6500	+ +	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	1,399
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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Specifications: Canon G7 X Mark II vs Panasonic GX8

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.

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