The next cameras in the PowerShot G family represent a new step for Canon. A microphone input on the G7 X Mark III and a pop-up viewfinder on the G5 X Mark II indicate their intended audience.

The specifications of the new pair of PowerShot G cameras, G5 X Mark II and G7 X Mark III, already available online, leaked by Nokishita, have excited the audiences always searching for the “next big thing”.  According to the info available, both cameras share a series of characteristics, one of them being 4K, finally available on the G family, apparently thanks to the use of the DIGIC 8 image processor.

Here are the shared characteristics, according to rumors, of the PowerShot G5 X Mark II and PowerShot  G7 X Mark III cameras:

• New 20.1MP 0-Type stacked sensor
• DIGIC 8
• 4K movie
• 120 fps Full HD movie
• 20 fps in continuous mode and 30 fps RAW Burst mode

Both cameras use the CR3 RAW format first used in the EOS M50, which according to what is known by now saves memory card and disk space without noticeable impact on image quality.  When it comes to the sensor used, both use a 20.1MP 1.0-Type stacked sensor that comes, probably, from Sony as has been the general rule for Canon’s compact cameras. This means that Dual Pixel AF is not part of the specifications for these cameras, one feature that will be missed by those who are used to have it. It’s at times like this that one feels how much the Rolling Stones words “you can not always get what you want” reflect the real world.

PowerShot G5 X Mark II gets a pop-up viewfinder

The info now available does not explain much about 4K video implementation, so it is everyone’s guess if the Digic 8 processor introduces some changes in the way both cameras capture 4K. Is it a cropped 4K or will it be able to use the full range of the lens? That would be interesting, as the the PowerShot G5 X Mark II features a new 5x f/1.8-2.8 lens while the PowerShot G7 X Mark III boasts a 4.2x f/1.8 – 2.8 zoom lens, according to rumors. Coverage is similar to what you would get with a 24-100 mm in a 35mm camera, what makes these “new lenses” similar to what previous models of the G7 X and G5 X offered.

Despite sharing some key characteristics, the cameras seem designed with different audiences in mind. The PowerShot G5 X Mark II features a pop-up EVF on the left side of the body, something that photographers will appreciate. This and the fast aperture 5x zoom lens make the PowerShot G5 X Mark II a good camera for traveling and shooting anywhere, even when light levels are now. Some will ask for the hot shoe, where a flash could be mounted, but Canon seems to have left that out, because of the new design, which still features a pop-up flash on the top.

A microphone input on the PowerShot G7 X Mark III

The PowerShot G7 X Mark III seems to be a camera with which Canon wants to attract more vloggers, with the addition of a microphone input… although there is no apparent way to attach the microphone to the camera. Still, the option, finally, to shoot 4K video – still missing the complete specifications, though –  and the microphone input may be two good reasons for some people to upgrade to this model… if the specs announced are correct.

While only the official announcement by Canon, in a few days, will reveal how these two new models will be received by photographers and vloggers, the fact that Canon has invested, as rumors suggest, in upgrading a family of cameras, the compact, that many believe are dying, tells a completely different story. In a world where bigger cameras, even the recently launched mirrorless EOS R system from Canon, point to bigger sensors, full frame and beyond, and more pixels, these compacts, offering features that serve the needs of a large slice of the market, may continue to have their place and mission.

A week from now we will have all the information needed to confirm if these compacts are an attractive solution, especially when it comes to 4K video. One final question remains: will Canon finally make everything right, or will the company continue to limit some features from its models, to protect other lines of products?