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Canon G9 X

 
Canon PowerShot G9 X front
 
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 125 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-84mm (F2.0-4.9) lens
  • 209g - 98 x 58 x 31mm
  • Introduced October 2015
  • Successor is Canon G9 X II
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
92
Imaging
52
Features
63
Overall
56

Canon G9 X overview

Canon G9 X is Canon's Large Sensor Compact camera initially launched on October of 2015. It features a 20 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1" size sensor with a peak resolution of 5472 x 3648.

Canon brought out the more recent Canon G9 X II (Read Full Comparison) in order to upgrade this camera.

The G9 X is placed #45 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras & all round #359 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can test our Advanced camera finder to see camera results based on your custom factors.

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The following is a diagram of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

Canon G9 X family

The Canon G9 X is part of a family of digital cameras. You can read the complete list below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Canon-PowerShot-G7-X-Mark-III front thumbnailCanon G7 X MIII
G9 X vs G7 X MIII
24-100mm
F1.8-2.8
20MP1"2019
Canon-PowerShot-G5-X-Mark-II front thumbnailCanon G5 X MII
G9 X vs G5 X MII
24-120mm
F1.8-2.8
20MP1"2019
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Canon-PowerShot-G9-X-Mark-II front thumbnailCanon G9 X II
G9 X vs G9 X II
28-84mm
F2-4.9
20MP1"2017
Canon-PowerShot-G7-X-Mark-II front thumbnailCanon G7 X MII
G9 X vs G7 X MII
24-100mm
F1.8-2.8
20MP1"2016
Canon-PowerShot-G9-X front thumbnailCanon G9 X28-84mm
F2.0-4.9
20MP1"2015
Canon-PowerShot-G5-X front thumbnailCanon G5 X
G9 X vs G5 X
24-100mm
F1.8-2.8
20MP1"2015
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Canon-PowerShot-G7-X front thumbnailCanon G7 X
G9 X vs G7 X
24-100mm
F1.8-2.8
20MP1"2014

Canon G9 X Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of advantages and disadvantages of the Canon G9 X based on aspects that are oftentimes seen as important in a camera.

comes with face detect focus
comes with tracking focus
decently wide (28mm)
decent sensor size (1")
exports RAW formats
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
good zoom range (28-84mm 3.0 x zoom)
has built in flash
has focus via touch
has HDMI support
has image stabilization (Optical)
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competitors (209 grams)
manual focus
NFC support
nice clear screen (1,040 k dot)
resolution is good (20 megapixels)
screen is touchscreen
screen size is good (3 inches)
can't use external flash
continuous shooting slow (6.0 frames/s)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
does not have phase detect auto focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
max zoom aperture not good (f4.9)
no headphone jack
no microphone jack
screen is fixed
terrible battery power (220 shots)
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Canon G9 X Sensor features

The Canon G9 X is powered by the DIGIC 6 processor. The sensor measurement in the Canon G9 X is 13.2mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 116 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 5472 x 3648 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera features Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is superior than digital stabilization as the latter can produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 20 megapixels and includes a native ISO range of 125 - 12800. RAW photos are saved so the user has more room to maneuver in post.

The image below shows the G9 X's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The G9 X sensor has a crop factor of 2.7 and is showcased in green.

Canon PowerShot G9 X sensor size Leica struggles with L-Mount camera sales, tougher than Q or M

To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon G9 X dimensions

Canon G9 X weighs around 0.46 lbs (209g or 7.37 oz) & the overall size of the camera is 98mm x 58mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2"). The weight of general Large Sensor Compact camera is 396g so the Canon G9 X is lighter than other rivals.

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The following is a photo of the Canon G9 X next to a softdrink to help you get a sense of its size.

Canon PowerShot G9 X dimensions scale

The top view here will provide the button design on the G9 X.

Canon PowerShot G9 X topview buttons dials

Canon G9 X Lens features

The G9 X offers a fixed lens with a focal range of 28-84mm making it a 3.0 x zoom which won't be huge nevertheless it will be invaluable in certain scenarios.

At it's widest 28mm, the lens features an aperture of f2.0 making it incredibly good for low light occasions and capturing good bokeh. It would also make it easier to choose a much lower ISO for getting crisper photographs. For the long end, 84mm comes with f4.9 which is very slow and you might have to utilize slow shutter speeds.

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Canon G9 X Connectivity

The G9 X has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that incorporate NFC and / or Bluetooth support can easily be used wirelessly by smartphones. You can transfer photos and sometimes change settings with no need to connect straight with the camera.

Many apps also enable a Liveview and press the shutter whenever you aren't near the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it could be attached to an external screen. A good number of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery with the USB socket.

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Canon G9 X Video features

The highest video resolution in the Canon G9 X is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p resolution is an excellent balance between quality and file size but FULL HD isn't going to leave you with any room to downsample. The body doesn't include a microphone and / or headphone jack so you get zero control over the sound. It is perhaps best to look at another camera in case you require better sound for your video clips.

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Canon G9 X Weather Sealing

Canon G9 X doesn't have weather sealing so wet conditions can easily damage the camera.

Canon G9 X Display and Viewfinder

The Canon G9 X features a 3" fixed display screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots.

Additionally the display screen is touch friendly so you can switch focus point and adjust settings with your fingertips.

Canon PowerShot G9 X screen and viewfinder Nikon Coolpix camera search on Google skyrockets by 8,500%

The View Finder details for Canon G9 X are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are very useful during bright outdoor situations which will make the camera display washed out and very difficult to see.

Canon G9 X Shutter features

Canon G9 X continuous shooting speed is 6.0 frames/s. The max shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.

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Canon G9 X Flash and Hot shoe features

Canon G9 X features just in-built flash with no external flash ability.

Canon G9 X Autofocus features

Canon G9 X features only Contrast Based Autofocus & doesn't have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot faster and accurate than Contrast Based focusing. The camera features Face detect which is handy for people photography.

Canon G9 X has tap to focus. You can easily use your fingers in order to shift focus. It also comes with Tracking Autofocus for moving objects. Canon G9 X has the ability to use manual focusing when required during low light or you want to have more precise focusing control.

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Canon G9 X Battery life

The battery power (NB-13L) for the Canon G9 X is made to last for 220 shots according to the CIPA specifications which is less than it's competitors. The typical Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U has got the highest (450) battery life within this category of cameras.

Below is a collection of Large Sensor Compact cameras which have the best battery life:

Canon G9 X for specific forms of photography

The following chart shows a analysis of the Canon G9 X for specific forms of photography. To see more, check out the specific section below.

Canon G9 X Portrait photography advice

The Canon G9 X gets a points tally of 64 which is nice, and means the camera is a very decent choice to use for portrait photography. Photographing portraits favors greatly towards sensor size, RAW support and option to use external lighting.

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you can focus manually
decent megapixels (20 megapixels)
nice sensor size (1")
provides face detect autofocus
supports RAW formats
cannot use external flash

Canon G9 X Street photography details

Coming in at a wonderful points tally of 80, the Canon G9 X is a terrific option to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of picture quality and portability.

Leica struggles with L-Mount camera sales, tougher than Q or M
has image stabilization (Optical)
sensor size is good (1")
supports RAW formats
boasts focus via touch
lighter than average (209 grams)
fixed screen

Sports photography with Canon G9 X

A decent sports photography points tally of 54 means the Canon G9 X is reasonably suitable for photographing sports. A camera needs great tracking plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count good (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
features tracking focus
slow continuous shooting (6.0 fps)
terrible battery pack (220 CIPA)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus

Canon G9 X Travel photography advice

Size is very critical when getting a camera for travel. In general, the Canon G9 X gets a superb 77 as a travelling camera which is a brilliant fit for your journeys.

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lighter than competition (209g)
supports focus via touch
good resolution (20 megapixels)
flash built-in
fairly wide (28mm)
great max aperture (f2.0)
not so great battery life (220 shots)
does not have a selfie friendly display

Canon G9 X Landscape photography factors

If you are looking to buy a camera for landscape photography, the most critical aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Canon G9 X at it's nice rating of 70 for a landscape camera is a respectable option within the current market.

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has manual focus
relatively wide (28mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
screen size is good (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (20MP)
sensor size is nice (1")
supports RAW formats
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
bad battery pack (220 per charge)

Canon G9 X Vlogging info

A vlogging camera preferably should offer a moving screen, microphone input and if possible IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Canon G9 X is just not very good for vlogging as it gets a horrible rating of 39.

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really wide (28mm)
fast maximum aperture (f2.0)
screen is touchscreen
image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detect autofocus
good video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than others (209g)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
lack of mic socket

Canon G9 X Alternatives

If you need alternatives to the G9 X, below is a collection of the highest scored cameras which fall in to the family of Large Sensor Compact.

The line chart here shows you an overview of the G9 X vs it's top ranked competitors mentioned previously.

These are some more cameras you might check out as alternatives. To review a complete comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Canon
Model type
Canon PowerShot G9 X
Type
Large Sensor Compact
Introduced
2015-10-12
Body design
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor Chip
DIGIC 6
Sensor size
1"
Sensor measurements
13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor surface area
116.2mm²
Sensor resolution
20 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
5472 x 3648
RAW images
Highest native ISO
12800
Lowest native ISO
125
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
28-84mm (3.0x)
Largest aperture
f/2.0-4.9
Macro focusing distance
5cm
Crop factor
2.7
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display sizing
3 inches
Display resolution
1,040k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
63
DXO Color Depth rating
21.5
DXO Dynamic range rating
12.3
DXO Low light rating
495
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30 secs
Highest shutter speed
1/2000 secs
Continuous shooting speed
6.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
6.00 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash options
Auto, on, slow synchro, off
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
209g (0.46 pounds)
Physical dimensions
98 x 58 x 31mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2")
Other
Battery life
220 shots
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
NB-13L
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
One
Pricing at launch
$399