Compact Camera News

Canon just unveiled two new small yet powerful compact cameras: the PowerShot G7 X III and PowerShot G5 X Mark II cameras. The Canon PowerShot G7X III is the successor to the G7 X II from 2016, which has been immensely popular with vloggers and YouTubers for creating do-it-yourself videos. Canon ups the ante in that direction with the PowerShot G7 X III, which includes a new YouTube live-streaming function available via wireless connection.

In a word: Wow!

The Canon PowerShot G5X Mark II, on the other hand, looks like a slimmed down version of its predecessor, the G5X from 2015. The new G5X II, which resembles the G7 X III, adds a pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF), touch and drag autofocus, and a 5x (24-120mm equivalent, f/1.8-2.8) optical zoom lens and is geared more towards "advanced amateur users who want the high-end feel and functionality of a DSLR in a compact camera," a Canon USA spokesperson told Shutterbug.

The Canon G7 X III also offers the ability to shoot vertical video (though not to live stream it), a 4.2x (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8) zoom lens and a microphone jack. It's the G7 X III's new YouTube streaming feature that should please the vlogging world though.

"The camera display allows you to see how many people are watching you live on YouTube; but you can't see the comments," the Canon spokesperson told us. "You can, however, pull up your phone and respond to comments."

The Canon G5 X Mark II, meanwhile, adds a new panoramic shot feature, which can shoot wide-screen panoramas in either horizontal or vertical formats.

The Canon PowerShot G7 X III and the PowerShot G5 X Mark II will sell for $749.99 and $899.99, respectively, and are slated to be available in August 2019. Here are the key specs that both models share:

• DIGIC 8 Imaging Processor

• 20.1-megapixel, 1.0-inch stacked CMOS sensor to achieve high image quality, high functionality and fast speeds

• Raw image shooting

• 4K up to 30p, Full HD up to 60p, FHD up to 120p, HDR, high frame rate movie with no crop

• 4K Time lapse recording

• High-speed continuous shooting at a maximum of 20 FPS

• 120p shooting for slow motion video

• Highest ISO speed in the PowerShot category with a maximum of 12,800

• HDR movie shooting

• Star mode improvements

• Focus bracketing

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

• USB-C charge power supply