Canon targets Sony's popular RX100 with PowerShot G7 X point-and-shoot
When you're looking to buy a camera, the physical size of the sensor -- not the megapixel rating -- is what you want to keep an eye out for. The larger the better, of course, and while we may never see pocketable full-frame cameras with powerful zoom lenses, some manufacturers are getting close. Sony was the first such camera maker to debut a camera with a 1-inch sensor, the RX100, and now Canon's trying to reclaim some of that high-end point-and-shoot market share with a model of its own. The PowerShot G7 X is Canon's first 1-inch sensor camera, and while it costs a pretty penny ($700), you do get what you pay for.
In this case, that means a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor paired with a very respectable 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8, 4.2x optical zoom lens, besting Sony's own 2.9x optic. And while there's no pop-up electronic viewfinder (that's still unique to Sony's latest RX), you do get a very sharp 3-inch touchscreen that flips up 180 degrees for self-portraits. Canon's latest processor, the DIGIC 6, is on board, as is WiFi with NFC support. You also get 1080/60p video shooting, a 6.5 fps continuous shooting mode and a top sensitivity of ISO 12,800. The camera has more control options than your run-of-the-mill compact -- there's a dedicated mode dial and an exposure-compensation dial behind, and even though there's a touchscreen on board, Canon opted to include a variety of dedicated buttons on the back. You can pick up your own G7 X next month for $700.
