Canon G7 X Mark II versus Sony RX100 III

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and May 2014. Both the G7X Mark II and the RX100 III are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20 megapixel. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon G7 X Mark II vs Sony RX100 III

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon G7 X Mark II and the Sony RX100 III 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. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the G7X Mark II – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX100 III is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Canon G7 X Mark II. Moreover, the RX100 III is markedly lighter (9 percent) than the G7X Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G7X Mark II nor the RX100 III are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the G7X Mark II gets 265 shots out of its NB-13L battery, while the RX100 III can take 320 images on a single charge of its NP-BX1 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, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon G7 X Mark II»	4.2 in	2.4 in	1.7 in	11.3 oz	265	n	Feb 2016	699			Canon G7 X Mark II
	Sony RX100 III«	4.0 in	2.3 in	1.6 in	10.2 oz	320	n	May 2014	799	-		Sony RX100 III
	Canon SX730« »	4.3 in	2.5 in	1.6 in	10.6 oz	250	n	Apr 2017	399	-		Canon SX730
	Canon G5 X« »	4.4 in	3.0 in	1.7 in	12.5 oz	210	n	Oct 2015	799			Canon G5 X
	Canon G9 X« »	3.9 in	2.3 in	1.2 in	7.4 oz	220	n	Oct 2015	529	-		Canon G9 X
	Canon M3« »	4.4 in	2.7 in	1.7 in	12.9 oz	250	n	Feb 2015	679	-		Canon M3
	Canon G7 X« »	4.1 in	2.4 in	1.6 in	10.7 oz	210	n	Sep 2014	699	-		Canon G7 X
	Panasonic LX10« »	4.2 in	2.4 in	1.7 in	10.9 oz	260	n	Sep 2016	699			Panasonic LX10
	Sony RX100 V« »	4.0 in	2.3 in	1.6 in	10.5 oz	220	n	Oct 2016	999			Sony RX100 V
	Sony RX100 IV« »	4.0 in	2.3 in	1.6 in	10.5 oz	280	n	Jun 2015	999	-		Sony RX100 IV
	Sony RX100 II« »	4.0 in	2.3 in	1.5 in	9.9 oz	350	n	Jun 2013	749	-		Sony RX100 II
	Sony RX100« »	4.0 in	2.3 in	1.4 in	8.5 oz	330	n	Jun 2012	649	-		Sony RX100
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Any camera purchase 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 somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the RX100 III, 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: Canon G7 X Mark II vs Sony RX100 III

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.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20 megapixel. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the G7X Mark II and the RX100 III have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the G7X Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the RX100 III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

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.

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: Canon G7 X Mark II vs Sony RX100 III

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the RX100 III has an electronic viewfinder (1440k 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon G7 X Mark II, the Sony RX100 III, and comparable cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The G7X Mark II has a touchscreen, while the RX100 III has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Both the G7X Mark II and the RX100 III have zoom lenses build in. The G7X Mark II has a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 optic and the RX100 III offers a 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon and Sony provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Sony has less tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The G7X Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX100 III uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

The G7X Mark II is a current model that online retailers, such as amazon, will have in stock. In contrast, the RX100 III has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the RX100 III was succeeded by the Sony RX100 IV.

Review summary: Canon G7 X Mark II vs Sony RX100 III

So how do things add up? Is the Canon G7 X Mark II better than the Sony RX100 III 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:

• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 9 months after the RX100 III).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image framing and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (320 versus 265) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2014).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX100 III comes out slightly ahead of the G7X Mark II (5 : 4 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.

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 handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G7X Mark II or the RX100 III. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). You can find the full text of the reviews by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon G7 X Mark II»	HiRec	81/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699			Canon G7 X Mark II
	Sony RX100 III«	HiRec	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	-		Sony RX100 III
	Canon SX730« »	Rec	-	4/5	-	4/5	Apr 2017	399	-		Canon SX730
	Canon G5 X« »	HiRec	78/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799			Canon G5 X
	Canon G9 X« »	HiRec	-	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	-		Canon G9 X
	Canon M3« »	rev	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	-		Canon M3
	Canon G7 X« »	HiRec	77/100	4.5/5	3.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	-		Canon G7 X
	Panasonic LX10« »	HiRec	81/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	699			Panasonic LX10
	Sony RX100 V« »	HiRec	83/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999			Sony RX100 V
	Sony RX100 IV« »	HiRec	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	-		Sony RX100 IV
	Sony RX100 II« »	HiRec	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	-		Sony RX100 II
	Sony RX100« »	HiRec	78/100	4/5	5/5	5/5	Jun 2012	649	-		Sony RX100

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.

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. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool. If the camera you are interested in is not available, kindly get in touch, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.

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