Mini scooper

Canon shrinks the key features of its big DSLRS into a compact you could smuggle into Prince Harry’s stag do

A salty dog You’ll soon forgive most of this camera’s weaknesses when you see the pictures it takes. That Dslr-sized sensor produces cracking detail and superb colour rendition, and exposures are well balanced in most conditions. Amy Davies

Whiter shades of pale HIGH-ISO performance is solid, without excessive noise, and automatic white balance copes well with different conditions. And video? Canon still doesn’t do 4K as standard so it tops out at Full HD, which is a slight pity. £1149 / stuff.tv/canong1xmkiii ■ It’s hard to get excited about a compact camera in the age of dual-lens smartphones and CSCS. But Canon’s G1X Mark III is that rare thing: a genuinely innovative – and yes, even exciting – compact. Why? Because it basically stuffs Canon’s DSLR tech (including an APS-C sensor) into a pocketable form factor, then tops it with the cherry of 3x optical zoom.

■ The all-metal design gives this camera a feeling of high quality. Despite the large sensor and zoom lens it’ll neatly slot into most jacket pockets – and there’s a fully articulating screen and electronic viewfinder, plus enough dials and buttons to give speedy access to most settings.

■ This is a pro-friendly compact so you get a wide range of shooting modes, from fully auto to manual with plenty in between. You can shoot in RAW as well as jpg.

■ The viewfinder is a little small, and that lens’s maximum aperture of f/2.8 very quickly drops, but a bigger problem is battery life. A huge sensor, EVF and always-on screen all add up, and Canon only claims 200 shots on a charge.

■ Like Canon’s bigger cameras, the G1X MKIII is equipped with Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus. It’s sharp and snappy in most conditions, but still not as quick as your DSLR: even tracking a nippy dachshund can be hit and miss.

Tech specs

Sensor 24.2MP APS-C ISO range 100-25,600 Displays 3in tilting LCD touchscreen, electronic viewfinder Video 1920x1080 @ 60p Burst rate Up to 9fps AF points 49 Dimensions 115x78x51.4mm, 399g

The G1X MKIII is pretty remarkable – it’s virtually a DSLR in your pocket. You do pay a pretty penny for this miniaturisation, and there have been some compromises – it isn’t a camera that will let you abandon your DSLR completely – but this would make...