There was a time when Canon's PowerShot line was the obvious choice for anyone who wanted manual control in a compact camera. However, as manufacturers have abandoned the budget end of the market, too many capable alternatives have surfaced for this to remain the case.

Responsive touchscreen; Pleasing JPEGS straight out of the camera; Sound AF system with effective focus tracking

Lack of built-in viewfinder may discourage some people; Soft results at wider focal lengths; Video capture limited to full HD

From the outside, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II prosumer compact camera looks no different from its predecessor that was launched in October 2014.But under the hood, the Mark II has the new and faster Digic 7 image processor, which shows its mettle through faster autofocusing (AF) in low-light...

With smartphones all but eliminating the existence of the low-cost point-and-shoot camera, manufacturers have pivoted to create pricey, premium pocket cameras that can compete with SLRs on image quality.

Wide aperture zoom lens; 1-inch image sensor; Tilting touch-screen display; Quick autofocus; Raw image capture support; Wi-Fi with NFC

No hot shoe or EVF; Edge softness at wide angle; Occasional autofocus misses; Doesn't support 4K video capture; Omits microphone input

With smartphones all but eliminating the existence of the low-cost point-and-shoot camera, manufacturers have pivoted to create pricey, premium pocket cameras that can compete with SLRs on image quality. The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II ($699.99) fits that mold, capturing images with a 1-inch image sensor that does a solid job in dim light, a zoom lens that's rated at f/1.8 at its widest angle, and a metal chassis. It's a strong performer, but one that exists in a very competitive segment of the market. We're going to stick with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III ($598.00 at Amazon) as our Editors' Choice pick—its zoom range isn't quite as ambitious as the G7 X's, but its lens delivers crisper results, and it includes an electronic viewfinder. DesignThe G7 X Mark II ($499.00 at Amazon) doesn't look much different than its predecessor, the G7 X ($584.00 at Amazon) . There are a couple of subtle changes to the body—the EV compensation dial now operates in the same manner as most oth...

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II is a pricey pocket camera with image quality that goes toe-to-toe with much larger models.

Wide aperture zoom lens; 1-inch image sensor; Tilting touch-screen display; Quick autofocus; Raw image capture support; Wi-Fi with NFC

No hot shoe or EVF; Edge softness at wide angle; Occasional autofocus misses; Doesn't support 4K video capture; Omits microphone input

Keeping the same 24-100mm eq. zoom lens and 20MP sensor as its predecessor, the refreshed Canon G7X II gets an updated exterior design as well as a faster DIGIC 7 image processor. What we get is a faster, more capable premium compact that still captures excellent images across a wide range of ISOs.

Very good image quality, Improved high ISO performance; Improved handling; Faster 8 fps burst mode; Burst rate no longer slows down with RAW files; Improved buffer depth

Soft corners at wide angle; No viewfinder; No 4K video; Mediocre battery life; Sluggish buffer clearing; Continuous AF struggles on fast subjects

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II is a well-designed enthusiast compact that's a pleasure to use. It offers a versatile focal range, very good image quality, a large buffer for continuous shooting and 1080/60p video capture.

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II is a well-designed enthusiast compact that's a pleasure to use. It offers a versatile focal range, very good image quality, a large buffer for continuous shooting and 1080/60p video capture. Sharpening and noise reduction in JPEGs are heavy-handed, and battery life still needs work, but aside from those issues Canon has done an impressive job with the second iteration of the G7 X.

Travelers seeking a pocketable camera that performs well in low light and offers good control over depth-of-field.;

Peak action and sports photography. Those hoping to get a full day of shooting day with a single battery.;

Canon's PowerShot G7X Mark II builds-upon its predecessor to become one of the most attractive pocket compacts for enthusiasts. It shares the same core premise as the original, delivering a comfortable step-up in quality and control over a typical point-and-shoot or phone, while still remaining...

Great image quality from 1in sensor and DIGIC 7; Flexible 24-100mm zoom range with bright aperture; Fast and confident AF system; Tilting screen with touch capabilities; Built-in Wifi with NFC and smartphone control; De-clickable lens control ring; USB charging

No built-in viewfinder; nor any means to connect one; Lens a little soft in corners at 24mm; No 4k video or slow motion movies; No in-camera panorama mode; Can't remote-trigger movie recordings over Wifi

Canon was late to the 1-inch sensor compact cameras game, following in the Sony's RX100 footsteps to deliver the original PowerShot G7 X back in 2014. In the period since then this larger-than-average sensor sector has become a battleground.

Great responsiveness; customisable lens control ring adds click-stop/smooth control; decent low-mid ISO image quality; fast 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 lens; pocketable design; touch-control tilt-angle LCD

No viewfinder or facility to add one; high ISO image quality (over ISO 1600) not all that; battery is only so-so; Sony RX100 IV is still a step ahead; where are the next-level autofocus features

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II is a serious compact for serious photographers. Just take a look at that all-black colour scheme: your six-year-old nephew won't want anything to do with it.