Canon G3 X
£799/$999 SLR kit can be cumbersome, so try Canon’s latest superzoom compact, with incredible reach
The lens on this new superzoom compact delivers an amazing 24-600mm!
Build & handling
The G3 X feels solid and wellengineered, and has good weather and dust-proofing. The lens operates smoothly and has a large focus ring that doubles up as a multi-function ring. A tiny pop-up flash is also included. Controls are easy to access, and the zoom lever works efficiently, although the top dials are a little stiff. Canon SLR users will be familiar with many of the menu options, and the touch-sensitive screen aids navigation.
The tilting screen facilitates high- and low-level shooting, although it’s hard to see in direct sunlight unless set to maximum brightness. The lack of an electronic viewfinder is a real shame, though.
Performance
The 24-600mm lens performs well. Image edges are slightly soft at its widest and longest settings but, sharpness is good across the frame through most of its range. Distortion is low, even at 24mm, and chromatic aberrations are also well controlled.
Files are very clean from ISO 125 to 400, even in the shadows, with a reasonable amount of detail up to ISO 1,600. At ISO 3,200 upwards, JPEGs start to become a little soft, while the raw files still have a pretty impressive amount of detail at ISO 3,200, although at the cost of considerable noise. Dynamic range is excellent, with files displaying good latitude.
Canon’s new PowerShot G3 X is a bridge camera with a massive zoom range, equivalent to
24-600mm. It shares the same 1-inch 20.2 megapixel sensor as the G7 X, with a sensitivity range of ISO 125-12,800, and the same Digic 6 processor as Canon’s top SLRs. JPEG and raw formats are available, in a variety of image ratios. The 24-600mm equivalent zoom lens offers effective five-axis image stabilisation, plus an excellent f/2.8 aperture at its widest setting and a reasonable f/5.6 at its longest setting.
Files are clean from ISO 125 to 400, even in the shadows, with a reasonable amount of detail up to ISO 1,600