Canon G1 X III vs. Sony Cybershot RX100 V
(Digital Photography Review)

Canon G1 X Mark III vs Sony RX100 V The year is 2017. Smartphones have rendered the $200 compact obsolete, and they`re creeping up on $500 interchangeable lens cameras. Things look bleak. But lo! Camera manufacturers have stumbled upon a niche market that can soften the blow they`ve been dealt by mobile devices: the ultra-pricey premium compact. Sony is five generations deep in the category. Canon offers a variety of large sensor compacts, but none have looked quite as promising as the G1 X Mark III. If you`re set on investing in a seriously capable compact, no doubt these two cameras will be on your list. Here`s how they square up. Sensor In the Canon G1 X III you get a very familiar 24MP APS-C sensor with Canon`s modern Dual Pixel design. The RX100 V offers a much smaller 1` chip with 20MP and an evolved stacked CMOS design, with impressive tricks like slow motion video and 24 fps bursts. They`re both very capable sensors, but there`s just no avoiding that the G1 X III`s chip is much bigger. This means it can tolerate more light, which will provide a little more flexibility in brighter light and high contrast scenes. But beware: even though larger sensors typically perform better in low light and blurry background applications, that won`t necessarily be the case in this comparison... because of the... Lens The G1 X III and RX100 V are both built around a useful 24-70mm equivalent zoom. The Sony offers an F1.8-2.8 aperture to the Canon`s F2.8-5.6, and you might be tempted to think that the RX100 V offers more flexibility for separating subjects from backgrounds. Or collects more light in low light. Or you might be tempted to think that the Canon is better in both these departments because of its larger sensor. Resist the temptation. Repeat after me: equivalence is our friend. Because of their size difference, the RX100 V`s lens is equivalent to a F4.9-7.6 on full-frame; the Canon is equivalent to F4.5-9. So it` ...