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Sony RX100 V vs Canon G7X Mark II – Battle of the High End Compacts!
High end compacts are the hottest thing in underwater photography these days. They’re tiny, boast incredible specs, large sensors, sharp optics, loads of features, rapid focusing and overall astonishing quality. What else does an underwater photographer need?
Undoubtedly, the two market leaders currently producing the best compact cameras are Sony, with their legendary RX100 series and Canon, with the rival GXX series. Underwater photographers have officially adopted these tiny and very capable cameras as their favorites, and housing manufacturers are working around the clock to develop the best products to take these cameras underwater, safely and without compromising on functionality.
These days, divers worldwide are mostly discussing two specific models for underwater photography – Sony RX100 Mark V and Canon G7X Mark II.
We took these two popular cameras to the test, to help you decide which one fits your needs.
UPDATE Nov 17, 2022
This article is still very relevant because honestly Sony’s compact line and Canon’s compact line continued in a similar way.
We do have a brief and updated comparison between the Sony RX100 VII and the Canon G7X III for underwater photography.
My bottom line (This is Tal commenting) is that Sony has better video and a slightly sharper lens but that hardly justifies the significant price difference. If you are an amateur photographer, you are far better off spending the money on lighting and lenses than you are on the Sony vs the Canon.
BTW worth mentioning is that since the RX100 VII has a 24-200mm lens, its much harder to accommodate that in a housing and as such this range is limited in the Fantasea housing and requires different ports in housings like Nauticam and Isotta. Ikelite was able to accommodate this full zoom range.
UPDATE Sep 10, 2019
Several new models have been released since this article was written originally, such as the RX100 VA, VI and VII as well as the Canon G7X Mark III. The RX100 V is no longer available and has been replaced with the RX100 VA instead. We’ve updated the specification chart below accordingly to help you with your decision.
This comparison is still very relevant as the essentials of the cameras have remained similar, but technology has improved. One important change though is Sony’s lens update to a 24-200mm zoom lens, which has been quite a challenge for underwater housing manufacturers. The RX100 VA remains relevant due to the original 24-70mm lens which is easier to attach wide angle wet lenses to. Make sure you take that into consideration when choosing the best model for you.
Check out these brief comparisons between:
The Sony RX100 V
The Sony RX100 V is the latest model in the ultra-successful RX100 series, which brought compacts up to a whole new level. The new Mark V retains the excellent 4K video capabilities, as well as super slow motion at 960fps. The AF system on the RX100 V is worth noting – blazing-fast 0.05-second autofocus, 315 AF points said to be the “world’s most comprehensive phase-detection coverage of its kind”.
Read our full review on the Sony RX100 V here
The Canon G7X Mark II
Canon are slightly behind Sony, which has taken the lead on high-end compact cameras, but they manage to keep up pretty well, offering a more competitive price and better usability, with very user-friendly cameras, easier to use than their Sony rivals.
The Canon G7X Mark II is currently the market leader by Canon. This pocket-sized camera boasts fantastic image quality, delivered by a 20.1MP 1″ CMOS Sensor and a Digic 7 processor. While it lacks 4K video capabilities, compared to the RX100 V, it makes up for it with a longer lens range (x4.2 zoom), more competitive price point and easier interface.
The longer zoom range is regarded highly among macro lovers, who need the most magnification possible with an add-on diopter / macro lens.
Read our full review on the Canon G7X II here
Specification Comparison
| Canon G7X Mark II |
Sony RX100 Mark VA |
|
|---|---|---|
| MSRP (US$) | $649 (as of Sep 2019) | $898 (as of Sep 2019) |
| Sensor / MP | 1.0″ inch (0.52″ x 0.35″) – 20.2MP | 1.0″ inch (0.52″ x 0.35″) – 21MP |
| Lens | 24 – 100mm F1.8 – F2.8 (x4.2 zoom) | 24 – 70mm F1.8 – F2.8 (x2.9 zoom) |
| Max Video Quality | 1920 x 1080p: 59.94 fps, 29.97 fps, 23.98 fps | 3840 x 2160p (4K): 30 fps, 25 fps, 24 fps (proxy video 720p)
1920 x 1080p: 240 fps, 480 fps, 960 fps (Super Slow Motion) |
| ISO | 125-25600 | 80-12800 |
| Max Shutter Speed | 1/2000s | 1/32000s (Electronic Shutter) |
| Screen Resolution | 3.0″ LCD (1,040,000 pixels) | 3.0″ LCD (1,228,800 pixels) |
| Touch Screen | Yes | No |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 265 | 220 |
| Shoots RAW | Yes | Yes |
| Continuous Shooting | 8 fps in Raw format (up to 30 frames) | 24 fps in raw format (up to 71 frames) |
| Underwater White Balance | Yes | Yes (with firmware update) |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 1.97″ (5 cm) – 1.31′ (40 cm) | 1.97″ (5 cm) – 11.81″ (30 cm) |
| Dimensions | 4.2 x 2.4 x 1.7″ / 105.5 x 60.9 x 42.0 mm | 4.0 x 2.3 x 1.6″ / 101.6 x 58.1 x 41.0 mm |
Underwater Housings
Both the Sony and Canon cameras are very well supported for underwater. All the major manufacturers released excellent housings to support these high-end compacts, so there are plenty to choose from for every budget.
Fantasea
Ikelite
6116.15 Housing for RX100 III / IV / V
6146.08 Standard Housing for G7X II
6245.08 Action Housing for G7X II
Photo samples
Sony RX100 Mark V Underwater photo samples
Canon G7X Mark II Underwater photo samples
Bonus! RX100 VI Sample Photos (Sep 2019)
Taken with the Fantasea FRX100VI Housing + UWL-09F wet wide angle lens.
Usability
Both cameras allow full and easy control over all important settings, usually within a button click away. They both have two dials, to control shutter speed and aperture in manual mode, quick access to WB, ISO, Exposure Compensation, Flash and other crucial settings.
The Canon is overall more intuitive. The menu is easier to understand. It has a touch screen so playing around with it above water feels nicer.
What I like about the Sony, as a photographer who is used to DSLR’s, is that it is FAST. It focuses and fires almost as fast as a DSLR, which is incredible for a compact camera. I sometimes feel like it took the shot even before I pressed the shutter.
Specifically for underwater, there is one annoying issue which I’m not sure why Sony overlooked. When the flash is popped up, you cannot turn it off in any mode other than Auto. That basically means that if you popped it up, you’re stuck with it, making it hard to switch from flash photography to natural light. You can turn off your external strobes of course, but the flash will still go off inside the housing, wasting battery life and slowing down your rapid firing. We’re still hoping for a firmware update to fix that, but no news on that yet.
May 2017 UPDATE: Problem solved! Way to go Sony! The new firmware upgrade fixes the flash issue and adds much needed UW White Balance! More on the update here
Bottom Line
Both of these cameras are amazing. They produce high quality photos and videos and paired with the right lighting and accessories, are easily capable of award winning photos.
Even with just the camera and housing, a diver can snap some incredible photos and create stunning videos.
There is no doubt the Sony RX100 V is the better camera here, which is why the price tag is higher. It has better specs than the Canon, especially when considering video capabilities. I found the Sony to be more responsive, faster to focus and slightly better image quality. The Sony RX100 Mark V is likely the best compact camera produced to date.
That being said, the Canon G7X Mark II gives up quite a fight. The menu and controls are significantly easier to navigate and more intuitive for most, the zoom is longer (x4.2 vs x2.9) which is helpful when shooting skittish subjects, the Underwater White Balance is very helpful, if you don’t like messing around with custom WB and the battery life is longer.
If you are looking for a camera that is easier to use, more affordable, and you plan to mostly shoot photos rather than videos, I would recommend going with the Canon G7X Mark II.
If you are used to a DSLR above water and want to get the closest thing, but in a much smaller size, or if you plan to shoot mostly videos, the Sony RX100 Mark V is the camera for you.
Whichever one you choose to get, make sure you do your research on choosing wet lenses, picking the right strobe and how to set it up correctly before taking your new camera and housing underwater.
If you still need any more advice or have some more specific questions, feel free to contact me at ran@housingcamera.com.
I’m always happy to help!
Dive safe and mind your fins 😉
RM
Visit his personal portfolio at www.ranmorphoto.com.
- Native Lenses vs. Wet Lenses for Underwater Photography – December 20, 2023
- The Complete Guide to Practicing at Home for Underwater Photographers – October 4, 2023
- Best Strobe for Underwater – The Ultimate Strobe Guide (Updated!) – June 29, 2023
12 comments
Ran,
Do either the Sony or the Canon support TTL flash metering?
Hi Steve!
Yes, actually both of them support it.
The flash’s default mode is TTL and you can use a fiber optically triggered flash with TTL support such as the Inon S-2000 / Z-240 and the Sea & Sea YS-01 / YS-D2. They all work perfectly with both cameras.
Looking at g7x I vs rx100 iii – similar price. Having a hard time deciding. UW and above use. Thoughts?
Hi Matt!
The G7X Mark I is now discontinued so a bit hard to get.
Both cameras are excellent, but I tend to prefer the Sony, especially after the recent firmware upgrade in which they added UW White Balance and fixed the pop-up flash issue.
Focusing is faster on the Sony and the image quality is slightly better.
However, if you’re a Canon shooter, you may feel more comfortable with the Canon interface. Also, the Canon has more zoom (x4 vs x3), which is nice to have for macro (with a wet lens) or for general fish portraits.
Hope that helps!
Hello may i ask?
If my purpose is just for take a photo while traveling. And i’m a newbie here. Which camera are fit for me? G7x mark ii, RX100 iii, rx100 iv or rx100 v. Thankyou 🙂
Hi Chris,
All cameras are excellent. This article discusses mostly underwater applications. For land based use perhaps you should consult with major photography sites which compare the two above the water.
Hi Ran,
Now I consider between G7x mark ii vs RX100 v. I like to shoot macro or some less then 5mm. I have Subsee +10 wet lens. I do take video for Marco. What do you think? Hope that you can advise. Thank you.
Hi Will!
Both cameras would perform very well for macro with the Subsee lens. Generally the RX100 V is better for videos, so if you take a lot of videos I would suggest the Sony. It can also do super slow motion which looks really cool.
The G7XII would allow a bit more magnification due to longer zoom, but the image quality on the Sony is better.
Hope that helps!
Bonjour,
Je cherche à remplacer mon canon S100, j’ai également un fisheye UWL04. Je fait plutot des photos grand angle, parfois des photos en plan rapprochées sur certains poissons, et de la video (avec gopro5 black actuellement). Quel serai l’appareil le plus adapté à mon usage avec un grand angle? Puis-je réutiliser le UWL04? Merci!
Bonjour Julie!
La meilleure option, si vous souhaitez réutiliser votre UWL-04, est l’Olympus TG-5 avec le housing PT-058.
Une option encore meilleure est le Sony RX100 Mark V, ou le Canon G7X Mark II, mais l’UWL-04 ne fonctionnerait pas très bien avec eux. Il existe d’autres objectifs grand angle qui fonctionneraient mieux, tels que le UWL-09F et le UWL-400F.
Si vous avez besoin de plus d’informations à ce sujet, s’il vous plaît écrivez-moi à ran@housingcamera.com!
Je suis heureux d’aider.
Thanks for this review, I’ve had a hard time finding info for underwater and overall image quality. Super helpful.
Glad you found it helpful Victoria!