Canon G5X Field Test: A viewfinder and more new features make the G5X a solid compact camera
posted Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at 5:55 PM EDT
When Canon released the PowerShot G7X in October of 2014, many users found the camera to offer solid performance, but lamented the absence of an electronic viewfinder. Canon's new G5X addresses this shortcoming and adds new features as well, while building on an imaging platform similar to the G7X.
In my experience with the G5X, I found its 2.36-million dot OLED electronic viewfinder and fully-articulating 3" rear touchscreen display to be enjoyable to use. By adding a viewfinder, the camera is much more versatile. In addition, Canon has also added a small front grip that makes it more comfortable to hold and use. These additions add a bit of size and weight to the camera compared to the smaller G7X, but it remains a compact camera.
The built-in 24-100mm equivalent lens offers solid performance across the focal length range, although it is not without its faults. The lens is a bit soft at the corners, particularly when shooting it wide open, and it suffers from fringing and flare issues in difficult conditions. With that said, it does provide a very useful focal length range in a compact form that will work well for many users.
Using the same 1"-type 20.2-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor found in the G7X, the G5X is able to capture good-quality JPEG and RAW images. I was able to capture nice images in a wide variety of situations and was able to make necessary adjustments when processing files, including a decent amount of flexibility with the shadows and highlights of RAW files.
In my field test, I discuss the camera's overall handling, sensor and lens quality, and much more. Head on over to my Canon PowerShot G5X Field Test to learn more about the camera and how it performed during my experience with it along the rugged coast and in the wilderness of Maine.
