Archive 2018 · G1X Mk 3 Field Report

Jeff Nolten
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p.1 #1 · G1X Mk 3 Field Report

I've been using G series PowerShots since, well, the G3 was my first digital camera. I've liked the G series because they've generally been rugged, with sharp lenses, raw output, and sufficient manual control, oh, and available 40m underwater housings. When Canon released the original G1X six years ago it included a near APS-C sensor which extended its ISO use considerably. The horizontal pixel count was close to that of the original 5D and the G1X' images compared well to 24-105 on the 5D. Slight edge to the 5D.

Canon recently released the Mark III version of the G1X and I purchased one as soon as the early reviews made me reasonably certain that the lens was as sharp as the original. Lens quality was my main worry since the G1X3 has the same 24 MP sensor as the 80D, SL2, latest Ms. My initial testing demonstrated that the 15-45 mm lens was very sharp equalling or besting my 15-85, and original G1X where they overlapped and equalling the 24-104 on my 5D3 at the wide end. My 16-35 f4 has better edges at 24 mm FF. 15 mm edges on the G can show some CA which is not correctible in Lightroom. The lens is f2.8 at 15 mm and f4 at 22 mm. So I judged the camera a keeper.

The camera is not cheap. I paid $1300 USD, close to $2K with the underwater housing. Its since come down to $1100. Still a little more than the M5 with kit lens. Same sensor and built in EVF. Everyone seemed to expect it would be priced the same as a G7X. I picked it over the M because its smaller, lighter, has a fixed lens that is better than the M kit lens, and I'd use my SL2 or 80D if I want to use a 55-250 or 100-400 lens. Oh and underwater housing. It also has a better build which I'll get to.

Compared to the original G1X, the 3 is smaller and lighter. 14 oz vs 18 oz. The height and width are similar but the lens does not protrude as much. The underwater housing is closer to G10 size than G1X size. The lens directly takes a 37 mm filter instead of a 58 mm filter on an adapter. With its dual pixel AF it is much faster and can capture 7 frames per second with AF. Its also much faster at general operation. The original was just slow. It did one thing well, capture excellent images.

I've recently returned from a trip to Kenya and Tanzania where I used my new G1X3 as supplement to my DSLRs. I was using an 80D with 100-400 II and the G. My wife was using a 5D4 with 24-105 and my granddaughter was using her SL1 with 55-250. I anticipated some possible lens/body changes but this was never necessary. A good thing since it was very dusty in the Serengeti. This was an Overseas Adventure Travel tour with 5 of us in the land cruiser plus driver. The 100-400 is perfect for this type of group tour.

I'm not going to post reduced images in this post but here is a Drop Box link which contains a selection of full resolution G1X images and a few comparable 5D4 images . There were fewer of these than I expected. These have all been worked up in Lightroom Classic CC. We spent a couple days in Amsterdam on the way and it had much clearer air than east Africa. Africa was hazy so consider this when evaluating the images. There are also a few San Diego ComicCon images from this last weekend.

So after several months of use now I can say I luv this little camera. Its the 1D of point and shoots. The build and ergonomics are wonderful. Its weather sealed, it survived being dropped on a linoleum floor, its fast in operation and feels good in my hand. It was convenient to have hanging around my neck while using the 100-400 in the van. The AF, exposure metering and resulting image quality are generally excellent. This is the first camera I've had with an EVF and I'm using it a lot. I prefer using a viewfinder and like having the live level and histogram in the viewfinder.

The buttons are very configurable. In Av mode the front dial controls aperture as usual, the dial around the lens does fine control of the zoom and the rear dial steps the zoom in 24, 28, 35, 50, and 72 mm equivalencies. On my DSLRs the rear dial controls exposure compensation but recent Gs have a compensation dial on top. The video button and front dial control ISO. The rear dial toggles to position the AF point. If the rear LCD is open its touch enabled. If its open and you're using the EVF then the lower left or right 1/4 can use touch to position the AF point. Takes some practice.

The G1X3 has a new feature for Canon P&Ss, a sweeping panorama. I have SCN mode set to this and use it a fair amount. Choose the sweep direction then hold the shutter. The camera fires continuously at 7 FPS and builds a panorama for you. A progress bar shows how much you have left. Also takes some practice but works really well. It produces a nice jpg. The pano in Amsterdam was shot this way, notice its stopped the boat's motion. The pano in Ngorongoro was built in Lightroom. Other new features are that it can charge its battery using the provided USB cable and it can pick up GPS from your cell phone using blue tooth without taking a lot of power (the SL2 does this). Video offers two levels of in body stabilization as well as lens IS. I get nice smooth panoramas. No 4K however.

Compared to the 5D4 + 24-105 the results from the two cameras were very similar in real life use. The 5D has the advantage of a full frame sensor and the 24-105 has more range and f4. It still has the edge as one should expect, it has noticeably more light to work with. At ComicCon I noticed the sensor noise at 600 and 800 ISO compared to previous years with a 5D# + 24-105. The G1X3 is 24-70 equivalent while the original G1X was 28-100. I find I really do miss the 70-100 range. Also, the EVF while nice is just not the same as looking through the lens. Its always bright which is good or bad but it is displaying a jpeg rendering which means the colors are artificial. I've set my colors to landscape which works well most of the time but there is still a color cast. In use, a DSLR is ready to go much faster than a point and shoot. With its smaller battery and continuous live view, either LCD or EVF you don't want to leave it on all the time. To wake from sleep it has to deploy its lens which takes time when you're in a hurry.

Its probably not fair to compare the G1X3 with the 5D4, but it wasn't shamed. Its as good as any of my APS-C cameras from 15 to 45 mm. It fixes all the issues I found with my original G1X and I liked that camera. Hope you find this informative.

Jul 23, 2018 at 04:56 PM

matthewm
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p.1 #2 · G1X Mk 3 Field Report

Fantastic write-up on this little camera. My sentiments match yours in regards to the G-Series cameras. In 2011 when my wife and I got married, we took a vacation out west. She noticed sometime during our trip that her 5D + 24-70 was shooting soft (sent to Canon when we came back and the sensor was "out of spec"). I gave her my 5D and shot the rest of the trip on a couple of small film point-and-shoots and my Canon G10. I don't regret it at all except for some evening images where the G10's 14mp sensor got noisy (something that plagued the G10 despite it being a phenomenal camera in almost every other way and it remains my very favorite G-Series to this day).

The G1X series has impressed me for the most part, but something about the images I've seen from these cameras feels very "digital" to me and I can't quite put my finger on it. I don't know if it's Canon's algorithms on the new sensors to reduce noise or correct colors or compensate for the smaller sensor or what, but these G1X cameras don't seem to have the same natural feel as some of the older G-Series and DSLRs.

To be fair, I almost always shoot on Neutral or Portrait for a more muted color profile, which I like. And I reduce contrast and color tone a bit. A lot of the G1X images I've seen are very vibrant so maybe it's just a color thing.

Great read though! Thanks for sharing.

Jul 24, 2018 at 02:20 PM

Jeff Nolten
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p.1 #3 · G1X Mk 3 Field Report

Thank you! If you've seen my images, I like a Kodachrome-esc landscape, fairly vibrant. I shoot raw so I can tailor the images to my taste. In-camera jpegs might be a different matter but the jpeg panos seem to match what I end up with. I shot the G1X3 along side my 80D on this trip and as I'm working up the images I can't say I see much difference in the colors or character of the images. I'd expect this since they have the same sensor.

Jul 24, 2018 at 02:45 PM

karlfoto
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p.1 #4 · G1X Mk 3 Field Report

Hi Jeff

Thanx for this extensive write up, and the link to the images. The standing group of maasai with the G and 5div were a good comp. To be honest at 400% pp, there was a bit more detail in the face texture of the 5d4, but the G compares well. I presently have a 5dii (waiting for a good reason to upgrade) and the G.

I needed a small camera for 'multiple day carry everything' hiking trips into the Drakensberg mountains here in South Africa. This little camera fits the bill perfectly when i dont want to carry the 5dii and 17tse lens.

The corners are a little soft, however i have somewhat solved that by mf right into the left bottom corner and centre and then focusing stacking the results. I have set this up on the C1option. It is a bit time consuming, and not as easy as using the 17tse and manually focusing, even at 10x. One can also shoot it at about 23mm and then merge the results, and that also works well to have better corners. I shoot a lot of landscape, so this slow approach suits this sort of work.

Just a few questions for you and those who wish to contribute.

Do you use the screw on hood, canon or JJC? - (I am thinking JJC option with the 49mm UV filter screwed into the front threaded section)

UV filter, polariser?

If you use the hood, please could you measure the depth with the camera switched off and with the hood on, (be useful to work out which camera pouch to get)

I want to get an L bracket for the camera for easier tripod work, have you used one on the G? I am looking at the 3 legged thing option.

What camera pouch are you using?

If non canon batteries, which brand?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Jul 25, 2018 at 02:48 AM

Jeff Nolten
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p.1 #5 · G1X Mk 3 Field Report

Hi Karl (did I get that right?), I don't use the hood, don't use them generally as they make traveling with the lenses much bulkier. If I see glare, I use my hat or hand.

I use an Op/Tech Digital D Compact pouch. Same pouch I used for my original G1X. I prefer to carry the camera like my DSLRs on a strap over one shoulder and under the opposite arm. I had a D Offset pouch from my G10 days with its long filter adapter that I cut up and resewed to be a belt pouch. Thought I'd use this when using two cameras but it hasen't worked out that way yet.

I use two filters, a 37mm Hoya HD circular polarizer and a Hoya HD Protector. Both multi coated. I use a protector because I often clean dust off the front of the lens and a filter reduces paranoia. The Protector lets through more light than a UV. With the dust in the Serengeti, cleaning was frequent. One more reason I still prefer a glass viewfinder, the digital displays adjust to light level so the effect of the polarizer is not as apparent. The EVF is better than the rear LCD for this though.

I have one spare Canon battery. I don't know if 3rd party batteries work; they do with the SL2 and don't with the M. Battery life seemed good for the battery size. Nothing like the life of an LPE6 in my 5D4 or 80D but not bad. Would last a day of fairly active my use but then I'm not as intense as a wedding photog.

Tripod brackets leads to an interesting discussion. I have 3 good Gitzo tripods that I've accumulated over the years. The one I use most is their smallest (level 0) that weights 2 lbs (.9 kg) with RRS BH20. Fits in my smallest travel luggage. I use the 1/4-20 stud to mount the camera. I actually have plates (not L brackets) for my 5D3 and original G1X purchased when I purchased the RRS pano clamp assembly. I may get a plate for the G1X3 since, like the G1X, the stud mount is offset from the lens, why?, and the plate corrects this. But true confessions, while I also have the RRS foot for my 100-400 II. I rarely use any of this - mostly in my back yard when I'm comparing lenses or cameras.

I do use a tripod when using my 24 TSE II but this too is infrequent. And macro, so OK.

Now that I have Photoshop CC with focus stacking, I want to try that and it will require a tripod.

This leads back to your original observation that the 5D4 did a little better with color gradations and texture and that the lens at 24 is a little soft in the corners. This is not inconsistent with my observations. We visited a primary school with the students all gathered out front, the 5D image is noticeably better overall than the G. In my testing I found the G1X3's corners were equivalent to my 24-105 at a 24mm FOV. But the 16-35 f4 was better at 24 mm. For their widest FOV I'm careful to stop the 24-105 down to f8 or 11 and stop the G down although it requires less, maybe f5.6 to sharpen corners. But I'm not overly obsessive about perfection, I want images that look good on my 5K computer display. IMHO either student image meets my expectations for a good image.

If I can wax philosophical in my own, fairly inactive, thread, the G1X3 is not a camera for everyone. I've used my Gs for backpacking, as a supplement for my DSLR when I have a non-normal range lens attached, and when I don't want to carry a DSLR. I see it as an optional accessory in my DSLR kit. For example, I'm a little paranoid about taking my 5D to ComicCon because it is somewhat vulnerable in the intense crowds - to bashing, not theft. The G disappeared safely under my arm yet could do most of what the 5D4 + 24-105 could. I give up the option of the 70-200 though. The G1X3 has virtually disappeared from DPR's Canon Powershot forum because its expensive and Powershot fans probably don't need or appreciate an APS-C sensor over a 1" sensor. I think it fits better here in the FM forum where folks are looking for quality equipment in their diverse kits. Still a niche camera, I'm glad Canon has the product range to include a camera like the G1X and develop it into its third generation. This is the G I've been waiting for. I hope the images I've posted will let people see if it meets their needs.

Maybe Canon will come out with a FF G1X3 like camera. The design work Canon put into the 3's tiny lens is amazing. If they could do that with a lens to cover a FF image circle, a sub 2 lb 24-70 FF...

EDIT: The dropbox link in my first post of this thread is no longer valid. Not much interest here and I need the dropbox space. PM me if questions.

Jul 25, 2018 at 12:27 PM


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