Canon G16 or Fuji X30 - Which should I choose?

IanAshworth

IanAshworth

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Hi everyone,

I sold my DSLR stuff a couple of months back and now want to get something quite compact to take out with me.

I used to have a Canon S110 but my GF seems to have claimed that as her own now so buying something new and a little bit bigger.

I have looked at quite a few and seem to be left choosing between the Canon G16 and Fuji X30. Can anyone with experience tell me what the main differences are between the two. I've read a couple of threads where people have recommended one or the other but I can't really find what the main difference is.

I like the Canon because the S110 was good quality

I like the Fuji because the images seem to have a certain feel/warmth to them (from looking in the X30 group on flickr.

Thanks
 
The G16 is a very nice camera. Sturdily built and the built in lens cover is very convenient. However, if you don't like taking photos with a phone camera you won't like the G16. It has a fixed screen so you have to hold the camera out in front of you. The screen is not very good in sunny weather. The viewfinder is basically useless and only good for 'emergency' use if unable to view the screen properly in the sun. It has no information to show at all.

The X30 on the other hand is superb IMO. It has a tiltable screen and more importantly a superb EVF which shows all the info you are likely to need. It feels good in the hand and to me it's much more satisfying to use. I use the Fuji lens hood/filter arrangement which adds to the size of the camera and I feel it isn't as convenient as the G16 in that respect.

The best thing to do is pop along to your local Currys and handle both. If the G16 had an articulating screen like my old G12 it would be more of a contender but I still thinkl the X30 would be better.

This shows the differences (but I haven't checked that they are accurate):

http://versus.com/en/canon-powershot-g16-vs-fujifilm-x30

AL

EDIT: I see you have used the S110 so you may well be happy with a fixed screen :muted: :schtum:
 
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different price range but the new Canon G5x is out any day and looks very good,1 inch sensor and nice viewfinder tiltable screen etc.
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
different price range but the new Canon G5x is out any day and looks very good,1 inch sensor and nice viewfinder tiltable screen etc.
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Looks to be £600 which is more than I want to spend really.

Al1944 said:
The G16 is a very nice camera. Sturdily built and the built in lens cover is very convenient. However, if you don't like taking photos with a phone camera you won't like the G16. It has a fixed screen so you have to hold the camera out in front of you. The screen is not very good in sunny weather. The viewfinder is basically useless and only good for 'emergency' use if unable to view the screen properly in the sun. It has no information to show at all.

The X30 on the other hand is superb IMO. It has a tiltable screen and more importantly a superb EVF which shows all the info you are likely to need. It feels good in the hand and to me it's much more satisfying to use. I use the Fuji lens hood/filter arrangement which adds to the size of the camera and I feel it isn't as convenient as the G16 in that respect.

The best thing to do is pop along to your local Currys and handle both. If the G16 had an articulating screen like my old G12 it would be more of a contender but I still thinkl the X30 would be better.

This shows the differences (but I haven't checked that they are accurate):

http://versus.com/en/canon-powershot-g16-vs-fujifilm-x30

AL

EDIT: I see you have used the S110 so you may well be happy with a fixed screen :muted: :schtum:
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I didn't mind the S110 but would prefer a viewfinder and something a bit chunkier to get hold of.

I went to my local Currys last night but they didn't have either in stock. I'm favouring the X30 so I ordered one from Amazon to have a look at, should arrive today. The things I am wary of is the max shutter speed is only 1/1000 when fully open and shooting at relatively low ISO shows a lot of noise. If both these are Ok then I'll probably keep it and not try the G16.
 
I settled for the Fuji X30 it handles exactly like a real camera and the viewfinder is truly excellent. But has a tilting screen for those difficult shots.
I have never heard complaints about the picture quality either.
It is true a 1 inch sensor could be enlarged more.. but what size prints do you need.?

.....and it is all for well sub £300 now.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
I settled for the Fuji X30 it handles exactly like a real camera and the viewfinder is truly excellent. But has a tilting screen for those difficult shots.
I have never heard complaints about the picture quality either.
It is true a 1 inch sensor could be enlarged more.. but what size prints do you need.?

.....and it is all for well sub £300 now.
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Have you found the 1/1000 shutter speed to be limiting at all Terry?
 
The price of the Fuji on the refurb store with the paypal12 discount code bring it close to £250 which is a bargain. I considered the X30 and played it with it last weekend. It has a very solid build and the controls are fantastic. I am just hankering after the RX100 range for better video and an even smaller form factor.
 
IanAshworth said:
Have you found the 1/1000 shutter speed to be limiting at all Terry?
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Not at all, It is only limited to 1/1000 in certain circumstances. which I would have to look up...?
in practice I have never found myself stuck at 1/1000

(most of my film cameras were limited to 1/500 or 1/1000 for all my working life. so I would not find a problem anyway.)

the 1/1000 limit on larger apertures is because a mechanical shutter can not cover those larger distances/diameters any quicker, this was always a limiting factor on bladed shutters, all of which were inaccurate for most of the aperture scale. A purely electronic sensor based shutter has different limiting factors, especially strange distortions of the image.

SO I LOOKED IT UP...the 1/1000 is only a limit on some night time "modes" where it would be inappropriate to go higher any way .. like firework mode, and long exposures at night using a tripod...yes they really do have modes for such things...
 
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this thread made me want a G16 and found one on @mpb.com so I part ex a lens I wasn't needing and it arrived today so I did get all excited, until I found they had forgot to put in a charger, and the battery was flashing one bar and turned off 2 mins later saying 'charge battery' :( :( MPB were straight on the case though but no charger til Saturday...
 
G16 is a great camera and one of the few which you can mount an adaptor for a polariser or filters, it takes great images and is easy to use. The downside of this camera is the fixed screen and useless viewfinder which the barrel of the lens gets in the way. Also another odd thing about it and this is true of other canon compacts is the minimum 2 second shutter speed which drove me crazy when quickly trying to set up a shot.
 
strumstrum said:
this thread made me want a G16 and found one on @mpb.com so I part ex a lens I wasn't needing and it arrived today so I did get all excited, until I found they had forgot to put in a charger, and the battery was flashing one bar and turned off 2 mins later saying 'charge battery' :( :( MPB were straight on the case though but no charger til Saturday...
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you got one then lol I've had my mind on one since day one:),John lewis had a Fuji X30 for £170 this afternoon .unwanted purchase,also a Ricoh GR expert I think was £270 or £240
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
you got one then lol I've had my mind on one since day one:),John lewis had a Fuji X30 for £170 this afternoon .unwanted purchase,also a Ricoh GR expert I think was £270 or £240
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Wowsers X30 for £170 has to be a bargain price..

Yeah I had a lens I didn't need and they had a G16 come in at a decent price I thought chuff it might as well go for it..
 
Al1944 said:
MPB seem to be going downhill lately.

AL
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strumstrum said:
Not to me they haven't, I do lots of buying/trading from them and always great service I cannot praise the service enough.
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To be honest I've dealt with them on many occasions without problems. It's the new website which seems to be causing some concern. Having said that 'forgetting' to include the charger with the camera wouldn't be great service in my book.

AL
 
Al1944 said:
To be honest I've dealt with them on many occasions without problems. It's the new website which seems to be causing some concern. Having said that 'forgetting' to include the charger with the camera wouldn't be great service in my book.

AL
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They sent me the wrong lens last week. Does seem as if the new website, which may effect stock control, is causing some hicups.
 
Has anyone got any experience of printing larger size landscapes with the x30, above/at/below A3?
 
LumixNoob said:
Has anyone got any experience of printing larger size landscapes with the x30, above/at/below A3?
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Yup, got several A3+ prints from assorted baby Xs. As expected, they're not as good as similar shots from a D750 at that print size but at normal viewing distances, they're pretty damn good!
 
LumixNoob said:
Has anyone got any experience of printing larger size landscapes with the x30, above/at/below A3?
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I've done a couple at A3 from my X10 (same sensor as the X10??) and am very happy with them. Obviously not as good as those off my D700 but more than acceptable at low ISO's.
 
Enjoy!!!
 
I had a G9 but sold it for a Fuji X100 - had that for 3 years but really missed the portability of the G9. You can just plop it in a small case OK on your belt and never know you're carrying a camera. I recently sold the X100 and bought a G16 - and love it. I've never had an issue with the viewfinder and it sure is better than lugging around my old DSLR.
 
Rosedalelad said:
I had a G9 but sold it for a Fuji X100 - had that for 3 years but really missed the portability of the G9. You can just plop it in a small case OK on your belt and never know you're carrying a camera. I recently sold the X100 and bought a G16 - and love it. I've never had an issue with the viewfinder and it sure is better than lugging around my old DSLR.
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But the Canon G16 has a tiny1/1.7 Sensor. not sure what the IQ will be like.
 
jonbeeza said:
But the Canon G16 has a tiny1/1.7 Sensor. not sure what the IQ will be like.
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Well, I suppose it depends on what you're going to do with the photos - a little while ago that size of sensor was considered OK but now there are so many APS'C' and micro 4/3 'compacts' around now that the 1/1.7 sensor is considered small. However, most of these 'compacts' (excl Sony RX series) are too big for me to carry around comfortably.
 
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