A robust but full camera often incomprehensible paradoxes!

I bought this product from Amazon. de (Germany) in flash provides for 499 Euro. As I already had the Sony RX100 III, the Lumix GM5 and LX100, I thought "so give another chance to Canon," the price was indeed very attractive.

A few weeks ago I m 'was separated from my EOS-M with its APS-C sensor, sold fortunately no loss because I' m was filled with her in an impasse. The case itself was very robust, the powerful sensor, the AF acceptable, but frankly very exotic handling and there are only 2 Goals his mount,

The all-new G7X presented at Photokina 2014 represented an opportunity in flash offers not to miss, favorable press, curiosity, built a 24-100mm lens brightness, a relatively large sensor commme the RX10 and 100, the latest Digic processor 6 ... In short a compact appetizing with which Canon and Sony wanted to compete Lumix and appropriate after a long silence und good share of the pie in this sector.

The G7X is well in hand, heavy and robust, it inspires confidence. No doubt: It is of top quality. I would even higher than the RX100.
But just like the RX100 and GM5, you can not use it with one hand. the front is too smooth and all orders are concentrated on a very small space on the right. So you have to hold the camera with the left and operate controls at your fingertips with the right hand. The buttons are so close that it be visually control the finger plays and be very careful. I have made many mistakes not only on the back but with the upper superimposed wheels that are too thin.

In manual operation, every photographer wants to have 3 paramêtres at your fingertips: The diaphragm, speed and ISO sensitivity. It seems that Canon builders have done everything to discourage:
Diaphragm and speed are both on the crown of the goal.
You must first activate it with the "Ring"
select the desired function
confirm
set the parameter value
and exit to the photo.c'est to say fit, check image focus and shoot.
If the pre-vision is not entirely satisfactory, then puts that!
Frankly, any cheap camera is much more convenient.
I renounce the comments.

Now for ISO, it's worse: I searched several times in all menus: It does not exist. ISO is not available in manual mode only in the other modes.
I can still tell a lot, but I do not want to bore you. In short, not a camera for G7X.n'est savvy or knowledgeable photographers, pou mas beginners who use automatic and who remain there.

Those who want to advance a day will do well to buy something else, otherwise they will soon disgusted the picture ..

That said, there are still some important details that it is necessary to évpquer:
- The battery holds in practice (photo, video, flash, visualization) about 1 hour 30 (more if you are efficient), a replacement battery currently costs 85 Euro, there is no alternative.
- Bottom focal, zoom does not produce beautiful images, blacks are gray, lack of details etc.
- The flash is a gadget, fortunately, we do not need it because the camera is highly sensitive.
- The AF is very capricious and deserves a special chapter.

Autofocus is like the rest of this camera, that is to say contradictory.
Once it fits perfectly a charcoal stove dand a dark room, a few seconds later, he fails to frame a clear enough dresser in the same room.
Outside, it works fast and very reliable way, unless there is a mesh or twigs in the field of view. While there, he s' insists on the fence. Unfortunately for focusing manually, this essential function is not available with the other via the "set function" but it does make an expedition into the bowels of the menus that can last a very long time and have a lot of luck.

And maintemant we come to the strengths of the G7X and they are quite numerous:

- First of all as I said at first, a truly exceptional build quality!
- An absolutely stunning display at any point of view.
- An image quality in low light with breathtaking, even for people like me who have had two dozen cameras over the latest years.
- Not only a very clear objective but has little geometric distortion at wide angle and virtually no chromatic errors contrast zone. Furthermore the optical mastering close-ups to 15 cm from the lens.
- Stabilization which is the same level as what is currently done better, as for example the Olympus OMD-EM1.

I made photos in unlit dark rooms 1/10 and 1/15 sec absolutely accurate, even at the edges, with brilliant colors and perfect exposure. On this level there, one can say that the G7X really the road!

Close-up, again reached the G7X much higher average performance. It can be sen to serve photografier jewelry, insects, plants etc. with comparable results to boxes and objectives of multiple cost of G7X.

As we must finish, in conclusion, the G7X is not easy to assess, since it has absolutely brilliant strengths but also weaknesses difficult to explain from a large experienced specialist as Canon.
I do not understand how to make a product that technically and finish is at the top of the basket and in its practical design and its software is confused and in the bottom of the barrel.

For 499 Euro, I still get the impression of a beautiful robust and useful tool for certain uses.
The handling does not please me at all, but I think I can 'm used to it and focus on the semi-automatic modes.

What is unacceptable is the low battery and especially its price. I'll wait a few months and decide later if I keep this camera. But Canon made a big mistake by setting a prohibitive price for its replacement batteries. Thereby G7X becomes virtually unusable for tourists of modest means who find in the Sony RX100 Mark II or Lumix GM5 very attractive alternatives.

Finally I conclude my assessment 3.8 stars based on criteria that seem important to me personally.