!#5: Canon PowerShot G1 X [Hands-on][CES 2012][HD]

!±8± Canon PowerShot G1 X [Hands-on][CES 2012][HD]

This week, Canon reinforced its commitment to not producing a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera by launching the PowerShot G1 X. The company's latest G-series camera is by far the most powerful, and most expensive model, ringing up at 9.99 -- approaching (and in some cases exceeding) DSLR territory. Its pricing and spec list imply that the G1 X could be a DSLR competitor, but is it? No, not by a long shot. Instead, the company's most powerful compact cam is designed to be a companion to cameras in Canon's DSLR line, acting as a second, third or fourth shooter to professional photographers. The G1 X includes a 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14mm) 14.3 megapixel sensor -- which puts it in almost the same class as APS-C models, but with a fixed 4x, 28-112mm optical zoom lens and a compact camera form factor, it's a completely different beast. So is the G1 X able to justify its nearly 0 price tag? Join us past the break to find out. The G1 X is quite bulky for a compact fixed-lens digital camera, which is likely to be no surprise to those familiar with G-series cameras. Its size is necessary to accommodate the large sensor and zoom lens to match, but if you're looking for a camera that will let you be much more discrete than when using a full-size DSLR, this might not be the best choice -- instead, you might want to check out Canon's S100 or older S95. Still, it is in fact quite a bit smaller and lighter, and while you won't want to use it to shoot a sporting event or a wedding ...