Canon G7X Mark II in 2025: Is It Still Worth It? Honest Review & Insights
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After doing loads of research, I bought the Canon G7X Mark II in 2022 for both filming & photos, and not its competitor the Sony ZV-1 or the updated model the Canon G7X Mark iii. In this review you will find the initial reasons why I bought it, and my thoughts on it in 2023 (and 2024! I’m adding some updates! :D Hi new readers!). As well as, what I wish I knew what I know now.
But before I even get into anything, let me just preface this by saying I'm not a professional photographer, but I do know more than the average person. I have owned many cameras to date, the four pictured at the bottom of this post are the ones I currently own. Read about my Go-To Camera Gear for Vlogging, Blogging & Getting Paid to Be Myself, by clicking here.
Just a heads-up: None of my blog posts are not sponsored! Every post is honest and straight from the heart, sharing information and value that I believe could genuinely benefit you. This post does include affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you!). Want to know more about the brands I’m affiliated with? Click here to learn more! 😊Side by side comparison chart
If you just want a quick cheat sheet I made, here it is:
There are certain things I want to mention,
before you make your decision based on the chart.
2024 Update: The Canon G7X Mark II is now priced respectively at $750 across multiple marketplaces & their respective websites, but on Amazon it goes well over a grand just for a renewed version! That is INSANE! While the Sony ZV-1 is on sale (as of September 17th, 2024) for $650 across multiple platforms. If it’s not on sale, it’s at original price of $750. You also need to take into consideration the bang that you are going to get for your buck. Aka, what is more worth your money?
The Sony ZV-1 looked & felt like a plastic piece of shit.
The first thing I did before I started researching each camera was head over to a Best Buy that had all three cameras, the Canon G7X Mark ii, Mark iii, & the Sony ZV-1 on display on the floor. I mainly compared the two on how they looked and felt based on my preferences in a camera. Like I said in the introduction, I’m not a professional, but I do know more than the average person because I have owned quite a bit of cameras in the past. So I was coming into this with a bias already.
For the price tag, the Sony ZV-1 legit looked and felt like a toy. I did not like where the buttons were. I did not like the fact the settings were inside the camera. The Mark II, on the other hand, there’s a dial on top of the camera, and all the fun settings are outside the camera. I had to really play with the Sony ZV-1 too much to get what I wanted. The menus would constantly disappear, there might be a fix for that, but I was just playing around with what they had in store and I fucking hated it (please excuse my language but I use curse words to emphasize drastic emotions from time to time in this post). It irked my every being.
I did love the look & the feel of the Canon G7X Mark ii initially, and still do, but there’s some stuff about it now, that irks me. But I’ll get into that later, I promise.
A better built-in mic
The ZV-1 does allow for an external mic, but that’s because the built-in mic on the Canon G7X Mark II sounds better. At least to me, everyone has different ears and things sound different to different people. What I like, someone else won't, and well it's my money so I rather put it towards something I like.
Also, attaching an external mic to the camera was not something I saw myself doing mostly because what if I want to be further away? That helps me with absolutely nothing!
The colors look better day and night with the Canon G7X Mark II.
When doing my research, I discovered, with the Sony ZV-1 you will be color grading almost constantly. I didn’t want to have to color grade constantly. I wanted the photos & video colors to look good already. If I’m buying something for a hefty price, I expect the color payout to be there!
I do color grading already, sometimes, but it’s a lot of work when it’s clip by clip by clip by clip or a gajillion photos. It gets annoying because it's not always the same lighting everywhere so one Lightroom preset does not work on all, and you constantly have to play with settings.
Since I also bought the camera to take photos on, and not just video, this was really important to me! I needed photos to already look good.
I have Lightroom, but I don’t always want to use Lightroom. And with the Canon G7X Mark II, it definitely performs really well with color in AUTO, and I don’t have to edit if I don’t want to. If I want to tweak things later, I can, but I enjoy barely having to do so because the color payout is so good! Low light with this camera is pretty great also from what I've seen. And that's a biggie for me.
Unfortunately, due to the fact people have been stealing my photos & reposting them without credit, I had to reupload all my photos with my website name & lines to deter this. Thank you for understanding!Better stabilization
I do take videos from time to time, even though I have never edited them yet. I’m working on it!
2024 Update: I have plenty of videos from my trips from the last 2 years to upload onto my YouTube channel. They will be up in the coming weeks. I am consistently posting on a biweekly schedule. This will give you a better look into how I film and how things look with this camera even in 2024.
Be sure to check the description of each video because some are filmed with my GoPro! Each description lists, in detail, music, filmed on, etc. at the bottom.
But in general, it was important to me to have this stabilization feature. When comparing the two cameras, the Canon G7X Mark II & Sony ZV-1, from various videos on other YouTube channels, every pro said the stabilization on the Canon G7X Mark II was better. I can’t say for sure because I don’t own the other one, but I definitely have shot some good clips!
The screen flips upwards instead of sideways.
I really LOVE how the camera screen flips upwards instead of sideways. It only became an issue when I was filming top-down videos, think Plan With Me’s or any type of craft videos. If you’re trying to do those, I wouldn’t recommend the Canon G7X Mark II. Its competitor, the Sony ZV-1, is better for those types of videos. Or another type of camera, I’ve seen people get a GoPro and a GoPro head strap and film craft videos with the GoPro strapped to their head. It works! And it looks cool!
The sideways flip out is better for top-down videos, but since I honestly HATED doing top down videos, it’s become a non-issue for me.
I thought I wanted to do those types of videos, only to realize it’s a chore, and I don’t need to go there. I’m not trying to be the Amanda Rach Lee of Lavendaire or Passion Planner, ya know?
Other things to note on,
Run Time
The Canon G7X Mark II does have a run time limit. Basically you can only film for about 29 minutes, but that doesn’t bug me as I don’t film that long or ever plan to. And when I did with top-down videos, I took breaks.
Shorter clips are easier to work with and transfer from camera to computer, but also, sifting through an hour long video is just not ideal. How many scenes do you need to cut from that? Instead, make a script, be more intentional of what you’re filming.
Shorter clips are much easier to work with on an iPhone or iPad when you want to edit for TikTok, IG Reels, or YouTube shorts. They take a lot less room, and help you get to the point quicker—which is the purpose of short form content.
Auto Focus
I saw a lot of people who said one thing or another about the auto focus, and it does struggle at times, but I don’t really have too much of an issue with it. I can get it to focus on me pretty easily. Even if I’m filming myself at a distance.
I have different issues with it than what other people made note of. Those issues, that they said, were non-issues to me.
What do I use this camera for, and do I still use it in 2025?
I still love it. It’s my baby. I still use it quite a bit, but I do and have had issues with it.
I’ve been going back and forth between uploading on YouTube for months now. But trying to get professional videos isn’t just a camera, it’s knowing how to edit, how to tell a story, and so much more. It takes time! Lots of it! And if you’re reading this post, you’re probably interested in becoming a content creator of some sort. Because this IS a popular creator camera.
I’m updating this post, it’s June 30th, 2025. I’m still heavily using this camera. It is a great camera! That being said, if I were to get a new camera or had to get a new camera, I’m going to be honest it wouldn’t be this one.
The battery life sucks, the internal mic is also not great. The quality is okay at best. The focus is great, I never have an issue. That being said, I heavily use my GoPro Hero 10 as my main vlogging camera as well as everything else I use my GoPro for. I do bring the Canon G7X Mark II out with me to film additional clips, just so I have and am able to utilize more than one battery life. But my GoPro Hero 10 battery is better than my Canon and it was cheaper. The mic is better! It’s a lot lighter too, so easy to put it into my bag and take around with me. There’s just also so many other options for cameras these days!
With me owning it, would I sell it though? No. I know it’s worth DOUBLE than what I paid for it, but I don’t regret buying it. I would be sad if I sold it.
The one thing you’ll learn about owning any piece of technology is, it’s not made perfectly. They’re not all made equally. You can watch and read thousands of reviews, but your opinion and bias is what’s going to change everything. What YOU want, what YOU seek, etc. It’s personal.
I think it is a great camera to start with and have in addition to something else, but I am definitely buying the DJI wireless mics next to help with the mic issue. And while I don’t see myself buying a new camera for awhile, that could change!
My protection plan ended in 2024, so I get a little bit more anxious with it vs my GoPro. I highly wish I bought it for a 5 year protection plan instead of 2. Hindsight is 20/20 though, and I’ll tell you why I believe a protection plan is NEEDED.
STORYTIME
I had some random dude walk by and knock my camera over while I was taking a photo of myself. No apology, nothing, didn’t even offer to compensate me. I was just shell shocked and stunned. My camera would not close, it would not turn off, it was glitching terribly because it fell from a high height. I screamed, I cried, that’s so much money. HOW THE FUCK DOES ANYONE DO THAT?! What’s not yours keep your hands off of it. I’m not a YouTuber. I’m a blogger, and I like to take photos for my scrapbook! GOD FORBID people have nice things or want to take good photos.
Thankfully, because I had a Geek Squad Protection Plan, they sent off my camera, the mechanics fixed it, and I picked it up at my local Best Buy about 3 days after I dropped it off. Mind you, this happened less than one month of purchasing it.
Beyond video, I use it to document memories I want to keep forever.
That’s why I created this Snapshots of My Year printable. It pairs perfectly with moments you actually want to hold onto.
💖 Psst... I also run a small art shop! If you love cute, useful things like stickers, journals, or creative tools—check out what’s new in my store.
Don’t purchase too close before or after Mercury Retrograde.
I know some people don’t believe in planets affecting us here on Earth, specifically with how much hype Mercury Retrograde has, but let me just say this: I didn’t either. I was the rolling my eyes type. I was like, “Okay? And, we still have to live. We can’t just hide from life.” And yet, the amount of issues I’ve had with my camera & my Google Pixel is insane! Not so much as the camera’s fault. These are not common glitches. Like for example, someone breaking it right after I bought it, was not in my plan at all. So maybe everything goes back to that one time? I don’t know, but I had tech professionals fix it and give it a clean bill of health. And yet whenever mercury retrograde is back around it does weird mumbo jumbo. Like the one time the camera lens didn’t want to close. I eventually managed to get it to close, but it was just weird! It was working fine 2 seconds ago.
I bought the Canon G7X Mark II & the Google Pixel at different times in 2022, but during the so-called “shadow period” of Mercury Retrograde. I didn’t think anything of it! And yet, I’ve never had such annoying and bad luck with tech before prior to this. So now I am pretty aware of Mercury Retrograde & the timing of things. If it’s meant to be it’ll be. But somethings are just too weird to be a coincidence sometimes.
Just wait out the time. I definitely won’t be rushing off to purchase big tech items during mercury retrograde or its shadow period anymore.
Shooting in auto has never steered me wrong.
I use auto pretty much all the time. It’s the fastest thing to use, and it works great! I’ve taken some amazing photos and videos with it. All the photos & videos I include in this blog post, aside from the one as the main blog image, are all taken with the Canon G7X Mark II.
Video of the sunset at a beach using AUTO on the Canon G7X Mark II.
That being said, I really wish anything taken from a far distance was clearer. Anything up close has awesome focus, but if you’re far or your subject is further away, it’ll be blurry. It has a decent zoom feature, but I don’t want to zoom in. Sometimes photos and videos look best when they’re taken further away, but then when you go to edit them they look off. It just sucks.
Moreover, you do have the option to shoot in manual. I tried. For sure I did! The reason why I don’t use my DSLR like that was because I wanted a simple point and shoot camera. Shooting in manual takes a lot of time and tinkering, it’s a lot of learning and know-how and it requires patience as well. I’m patient to an extent. It is too much messing around. It’s great, the options are there, and I have a lot of bells and whistles, but the Canon G7X Mark II is a great point & shoot camera! Shooting in auto has never steered me wrong.
You can’t use a remote, and the app is subpar.
The remote shutter release with the phone app, Camera Connect, for the Canon cameras is janky at best. There's no other word I can use to describe it besides that and subpar.
I really wish the app for the camera was more well-built. It feels shoddily put together. I’m sure Canon has the money to afford app developers that could achieve this, so it sucks, truly. I didn’t think it was going to be an issue for me. But even in 2024, it is. I was okay with the camera not being able to use a remote shutter because I thought I could use the app, but the app is incredibly slow. It is pretty much unusable!
And since you can’t use a remote with the camera, and the app is shitty, I hate to say it, but it is. You only have two other options in getting a picture of yourself or your family/friends with the overall scene:
A timer
Filming yourself and then using an app to export frames as photos.
With the timer, the max amount of photos you can take with it is 10. So you’ll be walking back and forth a lot! It’s not my go to method because I like to be quick about things. I can’t trust a lot of people in public when I’m traveling solo.
With the second option, setting up the camera up as a video, and then using a program like Adobe Premiere Pro or the mobile version of Google Photos to export certain frames as photos. Both take time! So a remote would be best, or a working app for that matter.
Example of an image exported from a video taken on the Canon G7X Mark II.
Quick Tip!
If you’re going to do the second one, I highly suggest pausing for 2-3 seconds before each pose. If you move around too quickly, a lot of your photos (exported frames) will end up being blurry or unfocused.
Sometimes I get great shots from it, other times I do get blurry photos.
It depends on three factors:
auto focus,
how far your subject (or you are),
how fast you’re moving from one pose to another.
Usually I like to have a full body shot, so I tend to stand further away, where I get some blurry photos. But I don't always!
The look & feel of it…
I don’t like where the record button is positioned at.
Sometimes it feels weird to hold because it’s so small. It’s still heavier than a phone so carrying it around all the time in my bag is an extra weight on my shoulders. I’m kind of petite so it gets kind of annoying. And since it’s fragile, it kind of makes me want to use it less. I wonder if there’s any cameras out there that are more durable but weigh less though? I’m not talking about action cameras. But maybe I just need something lighter? That’s an issue for a few years from now.
Battery life sucks.
The Canon batteries DO NOT last long, which is another annoying thing. I bought off-branded ones that did last longer, but they started messing with my camera, almost breaking it, so I stopped using them. I bought a Canon OEM battery for the camera, but just one so far because they’re so expensive. I definitely also need more than 1 charger, and after my off brand battery issue, I am going to have to spend on an OEM Canon charger. I really would prefer a charger that would charge two at once that is made by Canon but it doesn’t exist. But I definitely need to buy 1 more Canon battery because 2 batteries are not enough for a day trip away.
Side note, I don’t know ANY modern day camera with great specs where the battery actually lasts long. Most last an average of 2-3 hours of filming time. So that’s something to keep in mind. While the battery life sucks on the Canon, it sucks on just about every camera you get! The only camera battery that lasts long is a handheld phone.
Accessories & other things I bought for it
(1) 256gb memory card
for now.
I honestly haven’t even gotten through all of it yet because I use my GoPro quite a bit more when it comes to filming. I use this camera the most for taking photos!
When I use it with friends, take pointless photos & videos, or stuff I do as a favor to other people, I delete those off my memory cards clearing up space again.
But anything personal, I keep for life. I also back things up to my PC, external hard drive, and Google Drive. I definitely will be getting more in the future when I’m close to running out.
Manfrotto PIXI EVO 2
I already have the Manfrotto Mini. It works well with the Canon G7x Mark ii but for short periods of time because the camera is slightly too heavy to use on the mini all the time and it starts losing its function. The PIXI Evo 2 is heavier duty and can withstand the weight. The adjusting part of the tripod broke faster because of how it couldn’t withstand the camera. But the PIXI is much more heavy duty than the Mini. The only sad part is, the PIXI is bulkier and not as easy transportable as the Mini in my mini backpacks. I’ll be looking into other tripods in the future. I’m in no rush.
Glass screen protector
for your flip out screen. It's a touch screen, and it keeps your screen safe from any accidental drops, falls, or damages. Definitely one of thee best purchases I made for this camera! Touch screen is not easy to fix!
Neewer Base Mount Bracket
So, with the way the camera is built, if you put the camera onto a tripod without a base mount being attached to it, you will not be able to access the battery and memory card portion of the camera easily because it gets blocked. The base mount essentially moves the screwing port over so you have easy access in and out. It really comes in handy! I never take it off for that matter, as seen in all photos I have here.
(2) Backup batteries
As mentioned above, the Canon batteries do not last long. I did originally get off branded batteries, and that was the worst choice ever. It’s just a waste of money, and if you want your camera to last don’t do this.
But the Canon batteries are expensive. I only got 1 so far, I definitely need to get 1 more. I won’t go too crazy in getting more accessories for it because I don’t know how much longer it’ll last me. When my protection plan is up in June of 2024, I’m nervous as to what may happen. I love it, and I don’t want to stop using it, but I don’t know how much a camera tech repair job would cost later down the line. It might just be easier to buy a new camera and a much longer protection plan. It’s a shame they don’t make cameras or tech to last anymore. I’m going to try to make it last as long as possible though!
A pouch
Inexpensive and it stores my camera, my extra memory card, and my extra battery. It is small but it fits everything without taking up too much space. It has some padding for the camera also. It’s been really great!
Mini Windbreaker Muff
I mentioned above there’s a YouTube video on a mini DIY you can do to help minimize wind sounds if you’re going to use it outside. What’s annoying about it is, they don’t stick down for long. But when you do put it down initially, it does stay. Now does it help? I’m honestly not 100% sure. I don’t film outside much with this camera as I already own a GoPro & will be buying the Insta 360 x3 pretty soon. So this is not a mandatory accessory for me at least.
Click any of the images to shop everything I use quickly!
All in all,
It IS still a great camera in 2024 (and 2025), and when I bought in 2022 as well. It was released a few years ago already, and there’s obvious reasons why it’s a go to vlogging camera. But I do have issues with it. When it comes time to upgrade to a new camera, whether when my protection plan ends or when it breaks for good, (hopefully never, tech gods please bless me the patience and good luck with gadgets from here on out) I’ll look into a camera that solves most of my issues that I have with this one.
Other than that, I don’t see myself buying a new camera for a very long time! Hi update from January 30th, 2025: I was looking into the DJI Osmo Pocket, but after doing my research, it’s better to just get a GoPro & stick it on a Manfrotto tripod. It is also cheaper in the long run! I love my Canon because I take amazing photos with it and can easily transfer it to my phone with a click of a button!
If you have any questions or comments, let me know in the comment section down below and I’ll get back to you at my earliest convenience!
Till next time!
~Diana
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