Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III is a baby EOS M5

Canon has introduced PowerShot G1 X Mark III, the latest addition to their premium G-series of compact cameras. For the first time, Canon’s compact camera features a 24.3 MP APS-C CMOS sensor. Another novelty is the Dual Pixel auto-focus technology, which was also never featured in a compact Canon camera before.

PowerShot G1 X Mark III has a 24-72mm equivalent lens with optical image stabilization and f/2.8-5.6 aperture. Judging from the specs, this is basically a “baby M5,” only with a fixed lens.

According to Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., the new PowerShot G1 X Mark III puts their latest innovations in an advanced, compact camera. The technology we generally see in Canon’s DSLRs is now placed in the G-series for the first time. The 24.3 MP APS-C sensor is paired with ISO range of 100-25,600, which should allow you better image quality even in low-light conditions.

We’re familiar with the Dual Pixel AF system. But just like the APS-C sensor, this is the first time Dual Pixel AF is placed in a Canon compact camera. There’s also Touch and Drag AF, which lets you use the rear screen as a touchpad while looking through the viewfinder. This way you can focus on the subject with a tap of your finger.

PowerShot G1 X Mark III shoots up to 7 fps (up to 9.0 fps with One-Shot AF). As for the video, it shoots 1080/60p and timelapse. The camera body is water- and dust-proof, and has a built-in Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth connectivity.

Take a look at the full specs:

Image Capture Device

Type

24.2 Megapixel*, APS-C CMOS (sensor aspect ratio 3:2)
* Image processing may cause a decrease in the number of pixels.

Total Pixels

Approx. 25.8 megapixels

Effective Pixels

Approx. 24.2 megapixels

Lens

Focal Length

15.0 (W) – 45.0 (T) mm (35mm film equivalent: 24-72mm)

Optical Zoom

3x

Digital Zoom

4x

Focusing Range

Normal/Auto: 3.9 in. (10cm) – infinity (W), 11.8 in. (30cm) – infinity (T)
Macro/Underwater Macro: 3.9 in. – 1.6 ft. (10-50 cm) (W)

Autofocus System

TTL Autofocus, Manual Focus

Viewfinders

Optical Viewfinder

Built-in electronic color viewfinder with 0.39-type screen size and approx. 2.36 million dots

LCD Monitor

3.0 TFT color liquid crystal type Vari-angle with electrostatic capacitance touchscreen panel

LCD Pixels

Approx. 1.04 million dots

LCD Coverage

Approx. 100%

Aperture and Shutter

Maximum Aperture

f/2.8 (W), f/5.6 (T)

Shutter Speed

1-1/2000 sec. (in Auto mode)
30–1/2000 sec. (in all shooting modes)
BULB (in M mode only)
1/8 minimum in Manual Movie Mode

Exposure Control

Sensitivity

ISO 100-3200 (in Auto mode)
Max. ISO Speed in P mode is ISO 25600

Light Metering Method

Evaluative, Center Weighted Average, Spot

Exposure Control Method

Manual Exposure, Program Shift, AE Lock, AE Bracketing

Exposure Compensation

±3 stops in 1/3-stop increments

White Balance

White Balance Control

Auto, Day Light, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, Underwater WB, Color Temperature

Flash

Built-in Flash

Manual Pop-up Flash (Auto, On, Slow Synchro, Off)

Flash Range

1.6 ft. (50cm) – 29.5 ft. (9.0m) (W), 1.6 ft. (50cm) – 14.8 ft. (4.5m) (T)

Flash Exposure Compensation

±2 stops in 1/3 increments

Shooting Specifications

Picture Style

Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Def. 1-3

Self Timer

Off, 2 sec., 10 sec., Custom

Wireless Control

Wi-Fi® / NFC / Bluetooth®

JPEG Compression Mode

Still Image: Exif. 2.3 (JPEG), RAW (Canon original: 14-bit, CR2)
Video: MP4 (Image: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264; Audio: MPEG-4 AAC-LC (Stereo))

Image Storage

Storage Media

SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-I Memory Cards

File Format

Design rule for Camera File system (DCF) compliant; DPOF (Version 1.1) compatible

Image Recording Format

Fine/Normal

JPEG Compression Mode

Still Image: Exif. 2.3 (JPEG), RAW (Canon original: 14-bit, CR2)
Video: MP4 (Image: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264; Audio: MPEG-4 AAC-LC (Stereo))

Number of Recording Pixels

Approx. Number of Shots per a Canon Metric 16GB SD Card

Interface

Audio Out

Stereo

Wired

Hi-Speed USB (Micro USB), HDMI (Type D)

Wireless

Wi-Fi®*
Specifications: IEEE 802. 11b/g/n
Frequency: 2.4 GHz
Channels: 1-11
Security: WEP, WPA-PSK (AES/TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES/TKIP)
NFC**
Bluetooth®***
Version: Ver. 4.0

* Compatible with iOS® versions 9.3/10.3, Android™ smartphone and tablet versions 4.4/5.0/5.1/6.0/7.0/7.1. Data charges may apply with the download of the free Canon Camera Connect app. This app helps enable you to upload images to social media services. Please note that image files may contain personally identifiable information that may implicate privacy laws. Canon disclaims and has no responsibility for your use of such images. Canon does not obtain, collect or use such images or any information included in such images through this app.
** Compatible with Android™ smartphone and tablet versions 4.4/5.0/5.1/6.0/7.0/7.1.
*** Compatible with select smartphone and tablet devices (Android™ version 5.0 or later and the following iOS® devices: iPhone 4s or later, iPad 3rd gen. or later, iPod Touch 5th gen. or later) equipped with Bluetooth® version 4.0 or later and the Camera Connect App Ver. 2.1.30. This application is not guaranteed to operate on all listed devices, even if minimum requirements are met.

Other

Direct connection to Canon SELPHY, PIXMA Photo Printers & PictBridge compatible printers

Power Supply

Power Source

Battery Pack NB-13L, Battery Charger CB-2LH

Shooting Capacity

Approx. 200 shots with Screen On (CIPA compliant)
Approx. 250 shots with ECO Mode

Playback Time

Approx. 4 hrs.

Physical Specifications

Operating Temperature

32-104°F/0-40°C

Operating Humidity

10-90%

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Approx. 4.5 x 3.1 x 2.0 in. / 115.0 x 77.9 x 51.4mm

Weight

Approx. 14.1 oz. / 399g (including battery and memory card)
Approx. 13.2 oz. / 375g (camera body only)

 

As for the pricing and availability, the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III is coming in November 2017, but it’s already available for preorders. The price is $1,299. Personally, I’d rather buy a DSLR for this money. But if you need a high-end compact camera, you will probably consider this one. There are a few sample photos here, so you can see for yourself how this camera performs. Still, I am waiting to see more sample images and hands-on reviews to see if it’s really worth the money.