Fotostrasse got a Canon G3X in the end of December and we use the camera quite a few times before we started sketching ideas for this review. The camera went to see Laibach with us, we took it to the Nordbahnhof Park in Berlin and we took a lot of pictures of Alexanderplatz with the camera. We learned quite a few things with it and below you can read our thoughts and experience with this great camera.
Before I continue with this review I have to say that this is my first ever camera review. Also, I’m not a professional photographer and this is one of the reasons I asked to review this camera. Since the Canon G3X is not a professional camera, why shouldn’t Fotostrasse use somebody like me that can be considered a photography enthusiast? This is what happens and think about this while you read the review below.
Canon G3X: First Impressions
When I removed this camera from the box, the first thing I thought was how cool it looked. The control layout on top looks like one of those old-school analog cameras, the rugged design is easy to hold and comfortable, and the lenses look like it could capture pictures from kilometers away. When it came to classifying this camera, I had my doubts. This is not a professional camera, but this is not a simple point-and-shoot that my mother would carry inside her purse.
For me, Canon G3X feels more like a bridge camera. You bought the kind of camera when you exhausted the features from your point and shoot, but you still don’t feel ready to spend your money and time buying a DSLR camera. When I started playing around with the camera, I quickly realized that the Canon G3X feels well built, and the weather-resistant body fits nicely into my hand.
Compared to other cameras, this one feels slightly smaller than the competition, and I even carried it around in a coat pocket without any problem. Again, the controls and user interface are great and easy to use and understand, even if you have never used a Canon camera before.
Something else I really liked was the articulated LCD rear touchscreen. It makes taking selfies a little easier, and you don’t need to get into awkward angles to focus and see what you are taking pictures of. I really liked it, and I used it a lot when I went through Alexanderplatz taking photos of the area and testing the camera.
What makes the Canon G3X great?
When it comes to marketing, there is something called Unique Selling Point, which can be explained as the element or function that makes a product different and unique. When it comes to the Canon G3X, the unique selling point is a mixture of a lens with a 25x focal range and a 24-600mm zoom in a fixed body that is small enough to fit in a coat pocket.
All of this with excellent image quality, first-grade sensors, exceptional body quality, and user-friendly user interface. What else can you need?
Don’t forget the zoom
Since I didn’t know anything about the Canon G3X before I got one to test it, I wasn’t aware of the zoom. And this was quite a surprise for me. I still remember pressing buttons and trying out some things when it happened. Automatically and without any problems, the camera focused on a small part of a building in front of me and, almost without any problems, there I was taking pictures of elements I didn’t even see before.
The zoom range from the Canon G3X is great and it was even better on the clear winter day we had in Berlin. I’m pretty sure there must be more photographers out there that would love to use this as a convenient set to get 600mm of reach with good image quality to back it up as you can see on the pictures below.
Let’s talk about Image Quality
From what I read, the Canon G3X has the same image capturing sensors used in the Canon G7X and Sony RX100-III and this is great. The main difference between those cameras is that the Canon G3X has longer focal lengths and I was curious to see how pictures could look.
When it comes to files, you can shoot in Raw or in JPG. Something that is going to be great for those that want to learn how to use Lightroom or other image processing software Below you can see some of the pictures I took around Alexanderplatz, here in Berlin.
Canon G3X Summary
If you are an advanced camera user that wants something more than a point and shoot but is not 100% sure that a DSLR is right for you, you should try the Canon G3X. Image quality is great, there is plenty of zoom for you to try and you can carry it around without much hassle.
If you are looking for a camera that can do a lot of things and that is small and can produce a lot of great pictures, maybe, the Canon G3X is for you.
Pros
- Great image quality
- Good Optical Performance
- Lots of external controls
- Confortable Grip
- Good image stabilization
Cons
- I never managed to find a way of using the smartphone connection
- Average Battery Life
- Burst Mode limited to 6fps
- Lenses feel kind of slow
You can buy the Canon PowerShot G3 X on Amazon.de
and on Canon.com.
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