Canon PowerShot G7 X Series

Manufacturer: Canon Type: camera (compact, 1-inch sensor) Years active: 2014–present Key models: G7 X (2014), G7 X Mark II (2016), G7 X Mark III (2019)

Overview

The Canon PowerShot G7 X was Canon’s first compact camera with a 1-inch sensor, announced at Photokina in September 2014 at a retail price of $699.99 ([1]). It represented Canon’s direct answer to the Sony RX100 series, which had dominated the large-sensor compact market since 2012. Nauticam described the G7 X as “a serious competitor to the hugely popular Sony Cyber-shot RX100 series cameras with a large 1” image sensor in a truly pocketable form factor” ([2]).

The series became one of the most popular compact camera platforms for underwater photography through 2016–2022, praised for its Canon color science, manual flash control, ease of use, and excellent macro capabilities with accessory lenses. Three generations were produced over five years, each maintaining the same core formula: a 1-inch 20 MP sensor with a fast f/1.8–2.8 zoom lens in a pocketable body.

Models

Canon PowerShot G7 X (October 2014)

The original G7 X featured a 1-inch 20.2 MP BSI-CMOS sensor with Canon’s DIGIC 6 processor, paired with a 24–100mm equivalent f/1.8–2.8 zoom lens with 9-blade iris diaphragm. Key specifications included:

Retail price: $699.99 ([4]).

DPReview noted the G7 X was “just as small as the Sony RX100 but offers much more in terms of direct control” ([5]). The 24–100mm zoom range was wider at the telephoto end than competing compacts, and the f/1.8 wide-open aperture was among the brightest available. For underwater use, Nauticam highlighted that the G7 X could “capture significantly smaller subjects than Sony’s RX100 series” when used with accessory macro lenses ([6]).

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II (May 2016)

The Mark II was an evolutionary update, becoming the first Canon camera with the DIGIC 7 processor. Key improvements over the original:

The lens, sensor resolution (20.1 MP), and price ($699.99) remained essentially unchanged ([7]). The dramatic improvement in RAW burst shooting speed (from under 1 fps to 8 fps) addressed one of the original’s most significant weaknesses for underwater action photography.

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III (August 2019)

After a three-year wait, the Mark III brought significant upgrades targeting video creators:

Retail price: $749.99 ([8]).

The physical design changed sufficiently that existing housings for the G7 X and Mark II were incompatible. Ikelite confirmed that “changes in the physical design of the camera prevent the new camera from being used in or adapted to housings for older Canon G7 X series cameras” ([9]).

Housing Ecosystem

The G7 X series attracted housings from all major underwater housing manufacturers, with options spanning budget polycarbonate to premium aluminum.

Nauticam

NA-G7X (January 2015) — Nauticam’s first compact housing to feature the new N50 interchangeable port system. Machined from aluminum, rated to 100m, with dual fiber optic bulkheads, integrated vacuum check and leak detection, and Nauticam’s two-stage shutter release. The N50 system offered three port options: a standard port with M67 thread for macro, a short port for wide-angle wet lenses, and a 3.5-inch acrylic dome port. Nauticam recommended the Inon UWL-H100 wide-angle wet lens as an ideal pairing, providing “a diagonal FOV in excess of one hundred degrees” ([10]). Dimensions: 146mm x 100mm x 111mm, weight 0.83 kg. Price: $1,100 ([11]).

NA-G7XMKII (August 2016) — Updated for the Mark II with the same N50 port system, adding stainless steel stiffening handle brackets and shutter release extension as standard equipment. Compatible with Nauticam’s WWL-1 wet wide lens (130-degree diagonal field of view at 28mm) and CMC-1/CMC-2 macro converters. The CMC-1 could capture an image area just 23mm wide on the G7 X Mark II. Price: $1,100 ([12]).

Ikelite

Housing for Canon G7 X (October 2014) — Clear acrylic construction with gear-driven front control ring and rear dial, 67mm accessory lens threads, dual fiber optic ports, and optional AF35 optical TTL strobe compatibility. Price: $550 ([13]).

Housing for Canon G7 X Mark III (September 2019) — New ABS-PC construction (not backward-compatible), with extendable shutter release lever, glass lens port with M67 thread, dual fiber optic ports, and vacuum valve port. Rated to 200 ft (60m). Price: $549 ([14]).

Action Housing for Canon G7 X Mark III (July 2020) — A budget-oriented option designed for water sports and travel, with 200 ft (60m) depth rating, glass lens port with 67mm threads, and dual fiber optic ports. Significantly smaller and lighter than the standard housing. Price: $299 ([15]).

Fantasea

FG7X (April 2015) — Injection-molded polycarbonate housing depth tested to 80m and certified to 60m (200 ft) with double O-ring seal, removable fiber optic port plate, 67mm threaded port, moisture detector and alarm, hand strap, and port cover included. Compatible with Fantasea’s BigEye wide-angle conversion lens. Dimensions: 16 x 11 x 12.5 cm, weight 0.725 kg without camera, 1.025 kg with camera ([16]). Price: $499.95 ([17]).

FG7X II (August 2016) — Updated polycarbonate housing for the Mark II, rated to 60m (200 ft) with the same feature set: double O-ring protection, moisture detector and alarm, 67mm thread port ring for wet lenses ([18]).

Recsea

CWC-G7XII (August 2016) — CNC-machined aluminum housing for the G7 X Mark II, rated to 100m (328 ft), with interchangeable lens ports and M67 thread on the standard port. Featured a half-press shutter trigger, front control ring dial, rear exposure compensation dial, and Recsea’s Secure-Latch locking system. Optional RAV-S1 vacuum system available. Two-year warranty ([19]).

Isotta

Housing for Canon G7X Mark III (November 2019) — Anodized aluminum in Isotta’s signature red color, weighing 770g, rated to 100m. Featured laser-engraved control icons, double O-rings on all buttons and dials, fully removable rear door for easy camera access, red LED moisture alarm, and single-handed open/close mechanism. Price: EUR 950 including VAT ([20]).

Comparison to Sony RX100

The G7 X vs. RX100 debate was one of the most persistent discussions in the Wetpixel community throughout the mid-2010s. Key differences relevant to underwater use:

Canon G7 X advantages:

Sony RX100 advantages:

Wetpixel editor Adam Hanlon noted in his Fantasea FG7X review — tested extensively during the Wetpixel Whale Shark expedition at Isla Mujeres — that he “was disappointed by the G7X’s performance” relative to similar cameras from Sony and Panasonic. He found that while Canon rated battery life at 210 shots, “the reality is that this is probably between 100 and 150 in the field” and the battery “frequently did not last a full snorkelling session.” He also cited slow RAW continuous shooting and image quality that was “acceptable, but not as exciting as you might believe” ([24]). However, reviewer Alex Tattersall praised the camera’s ease of use and image results, concluding that “for ease of interface and overall enjoyment of use, the G7X wins hands-down for me” even if the RX100 II offered more versatility ([25]).

Long-time user David Haas (dhaas), who owned both a Canon G7 X II and Sony RX100 VII, ultimately preferred the Canon for underwater use due to its flash control and color balancing capabilities, selling the Sony ([26]).

Community Reception

The G7 X series found its strongest following among underwater photographers who prioritized simplicity, macro photography, and Canon’s color science over raw specification numbers.

Alex Tattersall tested the original G7 X in Lembeh with a Nauticam housing and CMC, producing impressive super-macro images at settings like f/11, 1/320s, ISO 200 with dual Inon Z-240 strobes. He found the CMC “can be effectively used from about half way through the zoom range until maximum zoom with no apparent degradation to the IQ” ([27]).

A challenge unique to the G7 X was that its lens was physically shorter at its widest focal length (24mm) than at telephoto, creating a significant air gap when using wide-angle wet lenses with standard ports. This led Nauticam to develop their multi-port N50 system specifically for this camera ([28]).

Forum user ChrisRoss noted the G7 X series among the top 1-inch sensor compact options alongside the Sony RX100 and Panasonic LX10. TimG highlighted photographer Maria Munn as an example of someone achieving “tremendous results” with the Canon G series ([29]).

Nauticam’s CMC-1 announcement specifically highlighted the G7 X’s macro potential: “Results with the new Canon G7X are even more stunning, providing 3.0X magnification at approximately 2.4X the working distance” compared to the camera’s native close-focus capability — better performance than the competing RX100 III achieved with the same lens ([30]). Alex Tattersall praised the CMC as showing “very impressive sharpness throughout the usable range on both the G7X and RX100 Mk III” ([31]).

The Mark II (2016) resolved the most critical complaint about the original — its slow RAW burst rate — while maintaining all the strengths that made the G7 X popular. The Mark III (2019) added 4K video, bringing it to parity with the RX100 series in this regard, though by then the compact camera market was shrinking as mirrorless systems became more accessible.

Long-time user David Haas (dhaas), who shot with the G7 X II in a Fantasea housing with Inon S2000 strobes from 2016 onward, noted in 2023 that despite the camera’s age, “there are also plenty of clean used Canon G7X II and G7X III out there” and the system remained fully viable for underwater photography. He praised the Fantasea Air Lens for allowing easy switching “from 24mm corrected wide angle focal length underwater to the Canon G7X II 24-100mm f1.8-2.8 lens for fish and darn good close up / macro built in” ([32]). ChrisRoss confirmed in the same discussion that the 1-inch sensor compacts like the G7X “produces cleaner images and allows better manual control” than the smaller-sensor Olympus TG series ([33]).

Timeline

References

Sources

  1. Wetpixel article, Sep 15, 2014: Canon Unveils The G7 X Large Sensor Compact ↩
  2. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  3. Wetpixel article, Aug 27, 2015: Review Fantasea Fg7x Housing ↩
  4. Wetpixel article, Sep 15, 2014: Canon Unveils The G7 X Large Sensor Compact ↩
  5. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  6. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  7. Wetpixel article, Feb 18, 2016: Introducing The Canon G7 X Mark Ii ↩
  8. Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2019: Canon Announces New G Series Compact Cameras ↩
  9. Wetpixel article, Sep 3, 2019: Ikelite To Ship New Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Iii ↩
  10. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  11. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  12. Wetpixel article, Aug 11, 2016: Nauticam Ships Housing For Canon G7x Mark Ii ↩
  13. Wetpixel article, Oct 27, 2014: Ikelite Announces Housing For Canon G7 ↩
  14. Wetpixel article, Sep 3, 2019: Ikelite To Ship New Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Iii ↩
  15. Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2020: Ikelite Ships Action Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Iii ↩
  16. Wetpixel article, Aug 27, 2015: Review Fantasea Fg7x Housing ↩
  17. Wetpixel article, Apr 30, 2015: Fantasea Releases Details Of Housing For Canon G7 X ↩
  18. Wetpixel article, Jul 27, 2016: Fantasea Unveils Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Ii ↩
  19. Wetpixel article, Jul 27, 2016: Recsea Announces Housing Fro Canon G7 X Mark Ii ↩
  20. Wetpixel article, Nov 20, 2019: Isotta Announces Housing For Canon G7x Mark Iii ↩
  21. Forum thread: Cannon G7x Vs Sony Rx100 ↩
  22. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  23. Wetpixel article, Aug 11, 2016: Nauticam Ships Housing For Canon G7x Mark Ii ↩
  24. Wetpixel article, Aug 27, 2015: Review Fantasea Fg7x Housing ↩
  25. Wetpixel article, Apr 12, 2015: Review Canon Powershot G7 X By Alex Tattersall ↩
  26. Forum thread: Cannon G7x Vs Sony Rx100 ↩
  27. Wetpixel article, Apr 12, 2015: Review Canon Powershot G7 X By Alex Tattersall ↩
  28. Wetpixel article, Apr 12, 2015: Review Canon Powershot G7 X By Alex Tattersall ↩
  29. Forum thread: Recommendations For Compact Camera And Housing ↩
  30. Wetpixel article, Feb 3, 2015: Nauticam Announces Compact Macro Converter 1 ↩
  31. Wetpixel article, Feb 3, 2015: Nauticam Announces Compact Macro Converter 1 ↩
  32. Forum thread: Recommendations For Compact Camera And Housing ↩
  33. Forum thread: Recommendations For Compact Camera And Housing ↩
  34. Wetpixel article, Sep 15, 2014: Canon Unveils The G7 X Large Sensor Compact ↩
  35. Wetpixel article, Oct 27, 2014: Ikelite Announces Housing For Canon G7 ↩
  36. Wetpixel article, Jan 8, 2015: Nauticam Ships Na G7x Housing ↩
  37. Wetpixel article, Apr 12, 2015: Review Canon Powershot G7 X By Alex Tattersall ↩
  38. Wetpixel article, Apr 30, 2015: Fantasea Releases Details Of Housing For Canon G7 X ↩
  39. Wetpixel article, Aug 27, 2015: Review Fantasea Fg7x Housing ↩
  40. Wetpixel article, Feb 18, 2016: Introducing The Canon G7 X Mark Ii ↩
  41. Wetpixel article, Jul 27, 2016: Fantasea Unveils Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Ii ↩
  42. Wetpixel article, Jul 27, 2016: Recsea Announces Housing Fro Canon G7 X Mark Ii ↩
  43. Wetpixel article, Aug 11, 2016: Nauticam Ships Housing For Canon G7x Mark Ii ↩
  44. Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2019: Canon Announces New G Series Compact Cameras ↩
  45. Wetpixel article, Sep 3, 2019: Ikelite To Ship New Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Iii ↩
  46. Wetpixel article, Nov 20, 2019: Isotta Announces Housing For Canon G7x Mark Iii ↩
  47. Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2020: Ikelite Ships Action Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Iii ↩
  48. Canon unveils the G7 X large sensor compact (article) ↩
  49. Ikelite announces housing for Canon G7 (article) ↩
  50. Nauticam ships NA-G7X housing (article) ↩
  51. Review: Canon Powershot G7 X by Alex Tattersall (article) ↩
  52. Fantasea releases details of housing for Canon G7 X (article) ↩
  53. Review: Fantasea FG7X housing (article) ↩
  54. Introducing the Canon G7 X Mark II (article) ↩
  55. Fantasea unveils housing for Canon G7 X Mark II (article) ↩
  56. Recsea announces housing for Canon G7 X Mark II (article) ↩
  57. Nauticam ships housing for Canon G7X Mark II (article) ↩
  58. Canon announces new G Series compact cameras (article) ↩
  59. Ikelite to ship new housing for Canon G7 X Mark III (article) ↩
  60. Isotta announces housing for Canon G7X Mark III (article) ↩
  61. Ikelite ships Action Housing for Canon G7 X Mark III (article) ↩
  62. Nauticam announces Compact Macro Converter 1 (article) ↩
  63. Forum: Canon G7X vs Sony RX100 (forum) ↩
  64. Forum: Recommendations for compact camera and housing (forum) ↩
  65. Forum: Compact vs mirrorless (forum) ↩