Shortly after the start of the new year, Canon announced a new camera in its “Powershot” series, the Powershot G1X. While the “Powershot” label might bring to mind something more like a consumer point and shoot camera, the G1 X provides considerably more capabilities than that might suggest. (G1 X at site sponsor B&H.)

There is a lot to note about this camera, but one of the most interesting and important features is its use of a larger sensor than used in previous Powershot designs. The earlier cameras (including the current “high end” of the series, the G12 and the closely related S100) use very small sensors. This allows those cameras to be very small and light, especially because smaller lenses can be used. They can produce quite good image quality at low ISOs, but the IQ breaks down relatively quickly if you have to shoot at a higher ISO in low light.

The G1 X sensor is considerably larger. Its 14+ megapixel sensor is only a bit smaller than that found in the Canon APS-C cropped sensor DSLR bodies (like the t3i and the 7D, etc) and it is a bit larger than the sensors in the compact four-thirds cameras. It is a lot larger than the sensor in the previous Powershot cameras. Since many photographers who have been otherwise attracted to the smaller cameras (like the S100 and the G12 ) have been slightly put off by the compromises inherent in the very small sensors, this is a big deal. The G1 X provides a relatively small and compact camera that can provide image quality that is very competitive what that produced by cropped sensor DSLRs.

Some of the advantages of this larger sensor include:

• Better performance in low light at higher ISO settings
• More control over depth of field at larger apertures
• Potential for higher resolution prints at larger sizes
• Better control over diffraction blur at smaller apertures
• Better control of sensor noise at all ISO values

The camera is a so-called “mirrorless” design. Rather than using a DSLR pentaprism system to let you look “through the lens,” it has a traditional viewfinder plus the more modern display on the rear LCD display. Because the lens is built in rather than removable, a physically smaller lens system can be used. (The lens provides a focal length range equivalent to 28mm-112mm on a full frame camera, which should be plenty for many purposes. Its maximum aperture is f/2.8.) All of this allows the camera to be considerably smaller and lighter than even the small entry-level DSLR cameras. It is debatable whether it is truly “pocketable” or not (how big are your pockets?) but it certainly is small and light.

For the photographer shooting still images, there are plenty of other advantages, too. It has the ability to shoot in burst mode at 6 frames per second (fps), which is faster than some popular DSLRs and plenty fast for the majority of shooters who might use this camera. It will work with Canon’s line of professional Speedlite electronic flash units. Image stabilization compensates for camera shake at low shutter speeds, extending the camera’s usefulness in low light. The camera can produce .jpg or raw image files. The latter is very important to serious  photographers, since the raw file format contains all of the image data captured by the sensor and allows the photographer more flexible and creative post-processing options. It also provides a full set of powerful video features.

There are several groups of photographers who are likely to find this to be a very compelling camera:

• Many people who purchase a cropped sensor DSLR so that they can produce great quality photographs of family events, vacations, and similar subjects will probably find that this camera produces equally good images but that it is smaller, lighter, and more convenient. To be blunt, I think that most people buying an entry-level DSLR would be better served by this camera.
• So-called serious photographers who often go out to shoot burdened by multiple lenses and even camera bodies are often on the lookout for a camera that can provide the image quality and functionality they need in a smaller package for those occasions when they don’t want to carry their larger equipment. For such people – and I think of myself as being in this category – the GX 1 could do a fine job and with very few significant compromises.
• Photographers working “fast and light” with subjects such as street photography are going to like this camera in many ways. While it is not a traditional, basic rangefinder camera (like a few other alternative digital cameras), its small size and great feature set should make it quite good for this kind of shooting. Some street photographers might even find that modern capabilities such as higher ISO and image stabilization and (horrors!) a zoom lens could be useful

The list price is $799, and you can pre-order the G1X though site-sponsor B&H Photo.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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