In this article I want to compare the brand new Canon G1 X vs Canon G12. Both are advanced point-and-shoot camera,bit as you will soon see, their is a big difference between the too. Canon PowerShot G1 X signifies a big step over "conventional" advanced point-and-shoot, mainly due to its larger sensor in a compact-size camera. However, the size of the sensor is not the only thing different between those two cameras. Let's get a deeper look at the specs and get to know the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
Mirrorless cameras certainly raised the bar when it comes to size and performance. Proving that you can get some incredible high-quality images, on par or in some cases better than a DSLR camera (ie. Sony NEX-C3 has impressed us a lot with its high ISO performance.).
In general, the bigger the sensor, the better the image quality. But image quality is not the only reason why many people have preferred buying a dslr camera over point-and-shoot. The reason for that is that with a large sensor, you have better control over depth-of-field, and you can achieve very shallow DOF, and better isolate the background from the subject, by blurring the background/foreground out of focus.
So by utilizing a large sensor with the Canon PowerShot G1X, Canon actually created a flagship compact camera that can outperform any other compact camera in Canon's lineup in terms of image quality.
For those who ask, Canon doesn't have any mirrorless camera to offer to its loyal customers. At least not yet. You might ask yourself whether you should wait for Canon to release mirrorless cameras or just grab this brand new G1 X. I personally don't have an answer for that, but it just feel that Canon doesn't have any plans to do so. At least after seeing this brand new release. Nevertheless, we are here to compare the Canon G12 versus G1 X, so let's get started.
Our main debate will be whether you should buy the "conventional" G12 point-and-shoot camera, or get the more advanced G1 X?
With a digital camera, it's all about creativeness. Allowing the photographer to capture gorgeous photographs without being limited by the camera itself.
The first thing you notice when you go over the specs and press-release, is that the Canon G1X is equipped with a brand new 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14 mm) large sensor, compared to the 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.88 mm) of the G12. There is a big difference in size as you can see. The G1 X is 14.3-megapixels compared to 10-megapixels resolution in the G12 (effective resolution).
The G1 X sensor size is not large as APS-C one, but very close to that, actually around the same size of Micro Four thirds (18 x 13.5 mm). Does it mean that by releasing the G1X, Canon put this model to compete against Micro Four Thirds cameras? - It certainly looks like it and seems very logical in a specs point-of-view.
A larger sensor also means much less noise in high-ISO. Many of you were probably frustrated when you took photos above ISO400. Although back-illuminated sensors are giving us more performance when it comes to low-light performance, but still, you just can't beat the low-noise performance of a large sensor camera (ie. DSLR, Micro Four Thirds).
Furthermore, the Canon PowerShot G1X is equipped with a 4x 28-112 mm f/2.8-5.6 optical zoom lens. It's a bright lens that also include Canon's well regarded image stabilization for combating blur by moving the lens elements to counterpart camera shake movements. This will result in a sharper image, especially when shooting with low shutter speed and in low-light. IS won't help you with stopping the subject, but it certainly will give you a 4-stop advantage for capturing beautiful images in low light (but not only).
The G1 X is also equipped with Canon's latest DIGIC 5 image processor and HS SYSTEM the both contribute to the high quality video and stills output and camera performance overall.
It also comes with a vari-angle 3.0-inch 922K-dots LCD, compatible with Canon's Speedlite flashes, has tons of manual controls and functions and can record 1080p Full HD videos and Raw too.
All in all, you should expect a large improvement in image quality, performance and functions - that's what the G1 X is all about.
The G12 was announced back in September 14, 2010. It's one of Canon's most popular advanced compact cameras. It's intended for those who need more manual control, and want a more advanced camera from what a regular compact or ultra-compact camera can offer.
It comes with a 10.0-megapixels 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD sensor. It can shoot photos as high as ISO3200, but that falls much shorter from the capabilities of the G1 X, which can shoot up to ISO12800.
The sensor of the G12 is a small sensor, much smaller than the one found on the G1X. That will eventually limit some photographers, especially when shooting in low-light/high-ISO, as well as being able to get a very shallow depth of field (problem, if you can call it a problem, with all small-sensor digital cameras).
The G12 comes with a 28-140 mm f/2.8-4.5 IS lens, so it gives you a bit more zoom range (5x compared to 4x optical zoom and 140mm vs 112mm). It also has a fully articulated display, but it's only 2.8-inch with lower 461K-dots resolution. However, both cameras also employs an EVF (electronic viewfinder).
The Canon PowerShot G12 shoot 720p/24 videos at maximum resolution, while the G1X can capture 1080p/24 movie clips and also offers a wide range of special effects for videos.
You should note that due to the large size of the sensor on the G1X, video quality should also be improved, enhancing both sharpness, dynamic range and color reproduction.
As you can see, the Canon PowerShot G1X is a much better camera, but of course it comes with a much higher price tag, actually two times more expensive than the G12. The G1 X doesn't replace any other camera, but sits above all other compacts in terms of its advanced capabilities and what it has to offer.
Just for comparison, the Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm lens will cost you approx. $600, and the Canon EOS Rebel T3i (600D) with a 18-55mm lens will cost you around $700. So for that price you can buy a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, even with one interchangeable lens.
The G1 X will give you better image quality in general, especially when shooting in low-light. The ability to get a much shallow depth-of-field is just worth upgrading to the G1 X for those who need it. If you have a digital camera and you just not satisfied with the image quality, the G1 X will give you a MUCH BETTER images when it comes to that. The size remains almost the same, but the body construction is much better (metal) on the G1 X. It's certainly a pro-compact camera, one that can give you the results and creative freedom that you need as an advanced/enthusiast photographer.
It's a camera that you can take everywhere. It's not an ultra-compact camera, but certainly compact and portable enough to put in your bag and take it everywhere. No need to carry a bag full of lenses, it is just an easy solution for the demanding photographer.
You might ask yourself: "Why should I bother getting this expensive G1 X, where I can just get a Nikon or Canon DSLR, or a Mirrorless camera with interchangeable lens instead?".
It's a very good questions indeed. Some people will prefer getting the Canon G1X due to the fact that it's all-in-one package, no need to mass around with interchangeable lenses. However, interchangeable lens cameras give you more options to explore the photography world with a large range of special lenses, including macro, telephoto and ultra-wide angle lenses.
So with the G1 X you are kind of limited to the lens specs, whatever good it is in terms of optics. For many of you, the G1 X will be more than you need, for others, MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Compact) will be a better choice.
The G12 is an awesome camera, but the G1 X certainly raised the bar and we just can't deny the large sensor advantage. For those who want one of the best compact camera yet, without the need to handle interchangeable lenses, get the G1 X and start shooting gorgeous images and show your creativity to the world.
See a G1 X vs G12 size comparison here
Opening Words
Many people who buy a compact point-and-shoot camera, mainly do this for a couple of reasons: size, price, or just because they don't have a need for something more advanced. When Mirrorless cameras introduces to the camera's market, buying a "conventional" / small sensor point-and-shoot isn't the obvious option.Mirrorless cameras certainly raised the bar when it comes to size and performance. Proving that you can get some incredible high-quality images, on par or in some cases better than a DSLR camera (ie. Sony NEX-C3 has impressed us a lot with its high ISO performance.).
In general, the bigger the sensor, the better the image quality. But image quality is not the only reason why many people have preferred buying a dslr camera over point-and-shoot. The reason for that is that with a large sensor, you have better control over depth-of-field, and you can achieve very shallow DOF, and better isolate the background from the subject, by blurring the background/foreground out of focus.
So by utilizing a large sensor with the Canon PowerShot G1X, Canon actually created a flagship compact camera that can outperform any other compact camera in Canon's lineup in terms of image quality.
For those who ask, Canon doesn't have any mirrorless camera to offer to its loyal customers. At least not yet. You might ask yourself whether you should wait for Canon to release mirrorless cameras or just grab this brand new G1 X. I personally don't have an answer for that, but it just feel that Canon doesn't have any plans to do so. At least after seeing this brand new release. Nevertheless, we are here to compare the Canon G12 versus G1 X, so let's get started.
Our main debate will be whether you should buy the "conventional" G12 point-and-shoot camera, or get the more advanced G1 X?
Canon PowerShot G1 X
The G1 X is a very interesting release from Canon. At the outside, it certainly looks very similar to the G12. After all, it belongs to the G-series, the signifies Canon's high-end advanced digital camera's lineup. |
| Canon PowerShot G1 X |
With a digital camera, it's all about creativeness. Allowing the photographer to capture gorgeous photographs without being limited by the camera itself.
The first thing you notice when you go over the specs and press-release, is that the Canon G1X is equipped with a brand new 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14 mm) large sensor, compared to the 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.88 mm) of the G12. There is a big difference in size as you can see. The G1 X is 14.3-megapixels compared to 10-megapixels resolution in the G12 (effective resolution).
The G1 X sensor size is not large as APS-C one, but very close to that, actually around the same size of Micro Four thirds (18 x 13.5 mm). Does it mean that by releasing the G1X, Canon put this model to compete against Micro Four Thirds cameras? - It certainly looks like it and seems very logical in a specs point-of-view.
A larger sensor also means much less noise in high-ISO. Many of you were probably frustrated when you took photos above ISO400. Although back-illuminated sensors are giving us more performance when it comes to low-light performance, but still, you just can't beat the low-noise performance of a large sensor camera (ie. DSLR, Micro Four Thirds).
Furthermore, the Canon PowerShot G1X is equipped with a 4x 28-112 mm f/2.8-5.6 optical zoom lens. It's a bright lens that also include Canon's well regarded image stabilization for combating blur by moving the lens elements to counterpart camera shake movements. This will result in a sharper image, especially when shooting with low shutter speed and in low-light. IS won't help you with stopping the subject, but it certainly will give you a 4-stop advantage for capturing beautiful images in low light (but not only).
The G1 X is also equipped with Canon's latest DIGIC 5 image processor and HS SYSTEM the both contribute to the high quality video and stills output and camera performance overall.
It also comes with a vari-angle 3.0-inch 922K-dots LCD, compatible with Canon's Speedlite flashes, has tons of manual controls and functions and can record 1080p Full HD videos and Raw too.
All in all, you should expect a large improvement in image quality, performance and functions - that's what the G1 X is all about.
Canon PowerShot G12
The G12 was announced back in September 14, 2010. It's one of Canon's most popular advanced compact cameras. It's intended for those who need more manual control, and want a more advanced camera from what a regular compact or ultra-compact camera can offer.
 |
| Canon PowerShot G12 |
It comes with a 10.0-megapixels 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD sensor. It can shoot photos as high as ISO3200, but that falls much shorter from the capabilities of the G1 X, which can shoot up to ISO12800.
The sensor of the G12 is a small sensor, much smaller than the one found on the G1X. That will eventually limit some photographers, especially when shooting in low-light/high-ISO, as well as being able to get a very shallow depth of field (problem, if you can call it a problem, with all small-sensor digital cameras).
The G12 comes with a 28-140 mm f/2.8-4.5 IS lens, so it gives you a bit more zoom range (5x compared to 4x optical zoom and 140mm vs 112mm). It also has a fully articulated display, but it's only 2.8-inch with lower 461K-dots resolution. However, both cameras also employs an EVF (electronic viewfinder).
The Canon PowerShot G12 shoot 720p/24 videos at maximum resolution, while the G1X can capture 1080p/24 movie clips and also offers a wide range of special effects for videos.
You should note that due to the large size of the sensor on the G1X, video quality should also be improved, enhancing both sharpness, dynamic range and color reproduction.
G1 X vs G12 - Side by Side Comparison
| Specs | Canon G1 X | Canon G12 |
| Announced | January 9, 2012 | September 14, 2010 |
| Type | Large sensor compact | Compact |
| Body construction | Metal | Plastic |
| Sensor size | 18.7 x 14 mm CMOS | 7.44 x 5.58 mm CCD |
| Sensor resolution (effective) | 14.3 MP | 10 MP |
| Image processor | DIGIC 5 | DIGIC 4 |
| ISO | 100 - 12800 | 80 - 3200 |
| Lens | 28 - 112 mm f/2.8-5.6 IS 4x optical zoom | 28 - 140 mm f/2.8-4.5 IS 5x optical zoom |
| LCD | 3-inch 920K-dots Articulated | 2.8-inch 461K-dots Articulated |
| Shutter speed | 60 - 1/4000 sec | 15 - 1/4000 sec |
| Manual controls | Yes Shutter/Aperture/Manual | Yes Shutter/Aperture/Manual |
| Built-in flash | Yes +hot-shoe | Yes +hot-shoe |
| Burst speed (fps) | 1.9 max | 1.1 max |
| Video (max resolution) | 1080p/24 | 720p/24 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 250 shots | 370 shots |
| Camera Size | 117 x 81 x 65 mm | 112 x 76 x 48 mm |
| Weight | 524 g (inc. batteries) | 401 g (inc. batteries) |
| Price (Amazon) | $799 via Amazon | $395.95 via Amazon |
As you can see, the Canon PowerShot G1X is a much better camera, but of course it comes with a much higher price tag, actually two times more expensive than the G12. The G1 X doesn't replace any other camera, but sits above all other compacts in terms of its advanced capabilities and what it has to offer.
Just for comparison, the Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm lens will cost you approx. $600, and the Canon EOS Rebel T3i (600D) with a 18-55mm lens will cost you around $700. So for that price you can buy a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, even with one interchangeable lens.
The G1 X will give you better image quality in general, especially when shooting in low-light. The ability to get a much shallow depth-of-field is just worth upgrading to the G1 X for those who need it. If you have a digital camera and you just not satisfied with the image quality, the G1 X will give you a MUCH BETTER images when it comes to that. The size remains almost the same, but the body construction is much better (metal) on the G1 X. It's certainly a pro-compact camera, one that can give you the results and creative freedom that you need as an advanced/enthusiast photographer.
It's a camera that you can take everywhere. It's not an ultra-compact camera, but certainly compact and portable enough to put in your bag and take it everywhere. No need to carry a bag full of lenses, it is just an easy solution for the demanding photographer.
Should You Buy the G1 X?
It's a very good questions indeed. Some people will prefer getting the Canon G1X due to the fact that it's all-in-one package, no need to mass around with interchangeable lenses. However, interchangeable lens cameras give you more options to explore the photography world with a large range of special lenses, including macro, telephoto and ultra-wide angle lenses.
So with the G1 X you are kind of limited to the lens specs, whatever good it is in terms of optics. For many of you, the G1 X will be more than you need, for others, MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Compact) will be a better choice.
The G12 is an awesome camera, but the G1 X certainly raised the bar and we just can't deny the large sensor advantage. For those who want one of the best compact camera yet, without the need to handle interchangeable lenses, get the G1 X and start shooting gorgeous images and show your creativity to the world.
See a G1 X vs G12 size comparison here
0 comments:
Post a Comment