Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II Preview
April, 2014 Carl Garrard
Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II
It's been quite a while since my last post, but, the lab is back in action and I'll be posting again much more often. Thank you for your emails and support for my blog! Today I'll be discussing Canon's recently announced G1X Mark II. Ever a fan of the G series PowerShot cameras, I was eager to get the new G1X Mark II in my hands. This camera is basically a completely new redesign, and probably would be better named as the G2X, but alas, it isn't. The G1X Mark II has a faster lens, better magnification for macro work, smaller body and a forgone optical viewfinder in favor of a plug in and optional EVF. While any new camera design that goes through a radical re-design will draw criticisms, I tend to think that the G1X Mark II has refined itself over it's predecessor as a whole.
Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II
While it lacks some of the more industrious and enthusiast external controls it's predecessor had, the G1X Mark II isn't that far off from previous iterations. It's now a smaller and more simplified camera than the one that came before it- which includes trade offs and upgrades alike. This happens on any new camera for the most part, but I'd rather see a dedicated ISO and EV dial stay on the G series camera's. Especially this model. I don't think having those dials on the exterior would really add much bulk or price to this model and enthusiasts would certainly appreciate having them.
Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II
That said, the G1X Mark II does however have an improved lens and lens controls. A zoom and focus ring are now located on the front of the camera, and yet, the unit size is smaller than the previous camera. The lens sports a faster aperture (f2-3.9) and much better maximum magnification, along with a wider angle (24mm vs 28mm) of view and longer telephoto (120mm), pretty much the perfect all around focal length. Two criticisms that weighed heavily against its predecessor its slow aperture and horrid macro capability, are now gone.
The layout of the top of the G1X Mark II is pretty vanilla and familiar. It doesn't really excite me but hey, I'm sure Canon will put some added buttons and dials on the next generation so they can say its a new model. I mean, who are they really trying to fool here? As is it's a pretty normal looking enthusiast model that will draw a few yawns but get the job done just fine regardless.
On the back of the camera we see more of a vanilla layout (yawn). Pretty standard faire here but again, functional and should get the job done. It does have one customizable button below the dedicated video button. Again, the next model will likely have another customizable button or two and more controls on the rear. Mark III my words on that. When did designs get so predictable?
Lastly we get to showcase the popup flash and 3" tilt screen LCD screen which is also touch sensitive so control of the camera can be had here as well. Not a fan of touch screen LCD's personally Canon's implementation is pretty good however and makes using it a bit more interesting than competition. Since I'm an enthusiast I prefer using dedicated controls but alas I'll give a nod to Canon here and say I actually enjoy using this LCD. Also on the back you can see the port for the plug in EVF which will set you back about 300 bucks if you like an eye level experience that most enthusiasts prefer. I would have preferred to forgo the popup flash for a built in EVF unit personally. But what the hell do I know about camera design.
My full review of the G1X Mark II will come in the near future. For more details you can see the press release (cough propagan....never mind) below.
More soon on my blog, stay interested!
-Carl Garrard
MELVILLE, N.Y., February 11, 2014 – Building upon the success of the PowerShot G1 X digital camera, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today unveiled its new flagship PowerShot G1 X Mark II, a digital camera designed to meet the evolving needs of today's professional and advanced amateur photographers.
Boasting a sensor that is 4.5x larger than a 1/1.7" sensor found in professional level point-and-shoot cameras, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera can produce high-quality images with a wide dynamic range. It features a new type of 1.5-inch, 12.8 megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor, made by Canon, allowing for optimum performance with an ISO range of 100-12800. This sensor, combined with the DIGIC 6 Image Processor, comprises the Canon HS SYSTEM resulting in faster autofocusing speeds over the PowerShot G1 X camera, allowing photographers to capture detailed, vivid images even in low-light conditions.
Featuring a newly-developed f/2.0 - f/3.9, 5x optical zoom lens (equivalent 24-120mm zoom range) with Dual Control Rings, this new camera provides customized zooming and focus-functionality similar to a DSLR camera. With this wide of an aperture, photographers have the ability to isolate their subjects by separating them from a background that is blurred. This gives more control and creative possibilities when using a PowerShot camera. The Dual Control Rings include a Step Ring to adjust various customizable settings and a Continuous Ring to make focusing adjustments during manual focus, as well as additional customizable settings for manual shooting. The new lens also features a nine-blade aperture to provide beautiful, blurred backgrounds even at full-zoom range.
"The new high-end PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera delivers incredible, professional-level shooting capabilities in a compact camera body making it the ideal second camera for DSLR shooters," said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. "In addition, with the introduction of advanced wireless capabilities such as NFC and enhanced low-light shooting and autofocusing, the G1 X Mark II is a well-rounded professional-level camera that allows photographers to get creative."
The new PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera uses 31 Auto Focus (AF) points, compared to the PowerShot G1 X camera that uses nine AF points, resulting in improved autofocus capabilities allowing the user to easily compose the image and focus on a specific subject in the frame. Utilizing the bright, capacitive touch, three-inch tilt LCD on the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera helps provide flexibility in shooting by tilting 180 degrees up and 45 degrees down.
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera is also compatible with Canon's new optional electronic viewfinder that mounts to the hot shoe. A new optional grip* will also be available for the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera. These accessories are ideal for photographers looking for the feel of a DSLR camera with the portability of a point-and-shoot camera.
Unique to Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera features Advanced Star Mode with four options to capture images of starry night skies with impeccable quality. The "Star Portrait" and "Star Nightscape" modes help capture the radiance of stars while still allowing you to capture the subject. The "Star Trails" mode captures video trails of stars to turn trails into a luminous still image, while the "Star Time Lapse Movie" mode will shoot images of star movement and then combine the images to make a film that shows the movement of the stars, creating a truly stunning video.
April, 2014 Carl Garrard
Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II
Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II
While it lacks some of the more industrious and enthusiast external controls it's predecessor had, the G1X Mark II isn't that far off from previous iterations. It's now a smaller and more simplified camera than the one that came before it- which includes trade offs and upgrades alike. This happens on any new camera for the most part, but I'd rather see a dedicated ISO and EV dial stay on the G series camera's. Especially this model. I don't think having those dials on the exterior would really add much bulk or price to this model and enthusiasts would certainly appreciate having them.
Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II
That said, the G1X Mark II does however have an improved lens and lens controls. A zoom and focus ring are now located on the front of the camera, and yet, the unit size is smaller than the previous camera. The lens sports a faster aperture (f2-3.9) and much better maximum magnification, along with a wider angle (24mm vs 28mm) of view and longer telephoto (120mm), pretty much the perfect all around focal length. Two criticisms that weighed heavily against its predecessor its slow aperture and horrid macro capability, are now gone.
The layout of the top of the G1X Mark II is pretty vanilla and familiar. It doesn't really excite me but hey, I'm sure Canon will put some added buttons and dials on the next generation so they can say its a new model. I mean, who are they really trying to fool here? As is it's a pretty normal looking enthusiast model that will draw a few yawns but get the job done just fine regardless.
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| Today's Low Price - Canon PowerShot G1X Mark II |
Lastly we get to showcase the popup flash and 3" tilt screen LCD screen which is also touch sensitive so control of the camera can be had here as well. Not a fan of touch screen LCD's personally Canon's implementation is pretty good however and makes using it a bit more interesting than competition. Since I'm an enthusiast I prefer using dedicated controls but alas I'll give a nod to Canon here and say I actually enjoy using this LCD. Also on the back you can see the port for the plug in EVF which will set you back about 300 bucks if you like an eye level experience that most enthusiasts prefer. I would have preferred to forgo the popup flash for a built in EVF unit personally. But what the hell do I know about camera design.
My full review of the G1X Mark II will come in the near future. For more details you can see the press release (cough propagan....never mind) below.
More soon on my blog, stay interested!
-Carl Garrard
Official Press Release
Canon U.S.A. Introduces the PowerShot G1 X Mark II Digital Camera Featuring Enhanced Optics, Wireless Connectivity and Creative Shooting Options for Professionals and Photo Enthusiasts
Canon's Latest G-series Digital Camera Features a New Type of 1.5-Inch CMOS Sensor, 5x Zoom Lens, Wi-Fi® and NFC™ Capabilities, Full HD and A Three-Inch Touch Tilt LCD ScreenMELVILLE, N.Y., February 11, 2014 – Building upon the success of the PowerShot G1 X digital camera, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today unveiled its new flagship PowerShot G1 X Mark II, a digital camera designed to meet the evolving needs of today's professional and advanced amateur photographers.
Boasting a sensor that is 4.5x larger than a 1/1.7" sensor found in professional level point-and-shoot cameras, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera can produce high-quality images with a wide dynamic range. It features a new type of 1.5-inch, 12.8 megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor, made by Canon, allowing for optimum performance with an ISO range of 100-12800. This sensor, combined with the DIGIC 6 Image Processor, comprises the Canon HS SYSTEM resulting in faster autofocusing speeds over the PowerShot G1 X camera, allowing photographers to capture detailed, vivid images even in low-light conditions.
Featuring a newly-developed f/2.0 - f/3.9, 5x optical zoom lens (equivalent 24-120mm zoom range) with Dual Control Rings, this new camera provides customized zooming and focus-functionality similar to a DSLR camera. With this wide of an aperture, photographers have the ability to isolate their subjects by separating them from a background that is blurred. This gives more control and creative possibilities when using a PowerShot camera. The Dual Control Rings include a Step Ring to adjust various customizable settings and a Continuous Ring to make focusing adjustments during manual focus, as well as additional customizable settings for manual shooting. The new lens also features a nine-blade aperture to provide beautiful, blurred backgrounds even at full-zoom range.
"The new high-end PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera delivers incredible, professional-level shooting capabilities in a compact camera body making it the ideal second camera for DSLR shooters," said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. "In addition, with the introduction of advanced wireless capabilities such as NFC and enhanced low-light shooting and autofocusing, the G1 X Mark II is a well-rounded professional-level camera that allows photographers to get creative."
Improved Operation and Performance
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera is equipped with a new type of
Canon-made, 1.5-inch CMOS sensor to help achieve optimal performance
from low to high ISO speeds. It has a default aspect ratio of 3:2 which
is the same ratio the advanced user has come to expect when shooting
with a DSLR camera. If the photographer wants to switch to a 4:3 ratio,
it can be done without impacting the field of view.The new PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera uses 31 Auto Focus (AF) points, compared to the PowerShot G1 X camera that uses nine AF points, resulting in improved autofocus capabilities allowing the user to easily compose the image and focus on a specific subject in the frame. Utilizing the bright, capacitive touch, three-inch tilt LCD on the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera helps provide flexibility in shooting by tilting 180 degrees up and 45 degrees down.
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera is also compatible with Canon's new optional electronic viewfinder that mounts to the hot shoe. A new optional grip* will also be available for the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera. These accessories are ideal for photographers looking for the feel of a DSLR camera with the portability of a point-and-shoot camera.
Seamless Connectivity
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera is equipped with built-in Wi-Fi® technology, so users can share still images and videos online quickly and easily using compatible mobile devices.1
Using the Mobile Device Connect button, users can connect to a
smartphone, a tablet or a Wi-Fi enabled computer. Connection to the
computer is easily done using Canon iMAGE GATEWAY 2 through the cloud. For even easier connectivity, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera introduces Near Field Communication (NFC™)** - a first for Canon's G-series cameras - so transferring photos to a compatible Android™
device can be simple and intuitive. This digital camera's new remote
shooting feature also allows the user to sync the G1 X Mark II with a
smartphone or tablet and utilize the shutter, optical zoom and
self-timer features from that device.
Extensive Shooting Modes
Ideal for portrait photography, the camera's Background Defocus mode
softens the background behind a subject to help users create
professional-looking portraits. In addition, simply pressing the
camera's dedicated movie button allows photographers to capture 1080p
Full HD video with ease. And, as commonly found in most DSLR cameras,
the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera has a full range of shooting and
recording modes, including 14-bit RAW + JPEG, for outstanding creative
control.Unique to Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras, the PowerShot G1 X Mark II camera features Advanced Star Mode with four options to capture images of starry night skies with impeccable quality. The "Star Portrait" and "Star Nightscape" modes help capture the radiance of stars while still allowing you to capture the subject. The "Star Trails" mode captures video trails of stars to turn trails into a luminous still image, while the "Star Time Lapse Movie" mode will shoot images of star movement and then combine the images to make a film that shows the movement of the stars, creating a truly stunning video.
Availability
The PowerShot G1 X Mark II digital camera will be available starting in April for a retail price of $799.99.
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