Canon GX7 Review: Far and Away the Best Value for Your Money

If you came here to read the tell all Canon GX7 Review you’ve come to the right place! There are a lot of great cameras on the market nowadays, and with the explosion of increasingly sophisticated technology, it can be hard to keep up with what will provide you with the best value. This review of Canon’s G7X is geared toward shedding some light on what the best option is for you in terms of videography and Steadicam use. As a traveler and wannabe documentarian, being able to shoot quality videos with my cameras is of the utmost importance. I’m perpetually annoying my girlfriend by stopping her in the middle of some park, plaza, or historic sight, wherever we happen to be, so that I can get the perfect shot or the ideal video. I’m not here to give you a lesson on annoying your girlfriend (though I believe I may be the world’s foremost expert on the subject), I’m here to talk about which camera I think will provide you with the most value economically while enabling you to capture all of life’s little moments in the way the suits your specific style of videography or photography.
The G7X can handle anything you throw at it. When we go camping, one of my favorite things to do is take exposure shots of the starry sky above or the surrounding wilderness. In this instance, the G7X provides:
• Aperture range f1.8 – f2.8
• Minimum shutter speed of 40 seconds (The maximum being 1/2000 of a second)
• Minimum ISO 125 (The maximum being 12,800)
• Compact 2.36 x 1.57 x 4.06 inches

As you can see, this bad boy has what it takes to give you long form exposure shots without breaking the bank. A buddy of mine has Canon’s G1X which is currently retailing, at the time of writing, for $550.00 on Amazon. While the G7X might not have the same aperture range as the G1X (which is from F2.8 – f5.8) it is cheaper than the G1X at $485.00 on Amazon. I spent more than that for mine, but it was newer at that point. I’ve been using it for a few years now and I think it gives exposure shots that are gorgeous. In the hands of a skilled photographer, the G7X can produce exposure shots that rival what my buddy does with his G1X. Moreover, the G7X enables you more control over the type of exposure shot you take with 11 different exposure controls to the G1X’s 8.
Exposure shots are cool, but I don’t get a chance to do them as often as I would like. We live in a big city and with work and everything else, we don’t get to go camping as much as we used to. I’m far more likely to take a video or a still of something than I am to use my G7X’s capacity for exposure shots. With that in mind, I would like to talk for a moment about the G7X’s capabilities from a videographer’s point of view. The G7X provides:
• 1080P Recording quality
• 60/30 FPS
• Up to 75 minutes of continuous shooting battery life
• A tilted, three inch, flip screen with LCD display
• 10.7 Oz (including battery)

One of the knocks on the G7X is that its battery life isn’t suited to video because it can only record for up to 75 continuous minutes. Well, okay, that might be true, but when you think about the things the average person records we rarely need it for longer than that. Your daughter’s school play? Your nephew’s piano recital? Your personal blog? These experiences rarely entail recording for more than 30-45 minutes. When was the last time you watched an entire 75 minute video blog of someone who wasn’t a friend or family? My point is that this doesn’t happen. The kind of video quality you can get from this camera supersedes any disadvantage there might be because of its supposedly inadequate battery life. Moreover, the G7X, at 10.7 Oz, is an exceptionally compact, maneuverable camera, ideal for filming in tight spaces. It has a flip screen that enables you to ensure that you’re filming in the way you intended to further saving battery life by eliminating the need for multiple retakes.

This time, let’s compare the G7X to the G9X. While it’s true that the G9X has similar capabilities when it comes to videography, it is different in a few key ways that make the G7X the superior option. First of all, the G9X does not have the versatility of a flip screen, so with the G9X you would be unable to make sure you’re filming in the way that suits your specific stylistic needs. This has the potential to be frustrating, especially if you are a vlogger or like to document your video experiences. The Canon G9X is about a $100 cheaper than the G7X, but the value difference between the two is much more pronounced than is the difference between the G7X and the G1X. In other words, the money you would save by purchasing G9X isn’t worth the drop off in quality.

I went with the G7X because I think that it’s a versatile, user friendly, technologically current piece of equipment. While the G9X is cheaper that the G7X, it is focused more on photography and does not have the G7X’s versatility. The G1X is, arguably, a somewhat better camera than the G7X but it doesn’t give you the same value for your dollar. The G7X is a top of the line piece of equipment. It has the ability to do everything that you want it to do including general photography, exposure shots, and videography. As an all-purpose camera, I think it will give you the most bang for your buck. I, for one, am immensely pleased with my decision.
____________________
Editor’s Note: Canon has released the G7X Mach 2 which has upgraded, advanced features such as longer battery life and a wider aperture range. Both the G7X and the G7X Mach 2 are excellent options for all of your photography or videography needs.