Canon G7 X Mark II vs Nikon 1 J4

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Nikon 1 J4 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and April 2014. The G7X Mark II is a fixed lens compact, while the J4 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an one-inch sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 18.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon G7 X Mark II		Nikon 1 J4
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24-100mm f/1.8-2.8		Nikon 1 mount lenses
20 MP – 1" sensor		18.2 MP – 1" sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (125 - 25,600)		ISO 160-12,800
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen		no rear screen
8 shutter flaps per second		60 shutter flaps per second
265 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
106 x 61 x 42 mm, 319 g		100 x 60 x 29 mm, 232 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and the Nikon 1 J4? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon G7 X Mark II and the Nikon 1 J4 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The J4 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, orange, white), while the G7X Mark II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon 1 J4 is notably smaller (7 percent) than the Canon G7 X Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G7X Mark II nor the J4 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G7X Mark II has a lens built in, whereas the J4 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

The power pack in the G7X Mark II can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
2.		Nikon 1 J4	100 mm	60 mm	29 mm	232 g	300	n	Apr 2014	EUR 589	ebay.com
3.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	EUR 789	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
7.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	EUR 279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	EUR 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	EUR 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	EUR 299	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	EUR 329	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
15.		Nikon 1 J5	98 mm	60 mm	32 mm	231 g	250	n	Apr 2015	EUR 449	ebay.com
16.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	EUR 549	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an one-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the G7X Mark II offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 18.2 MP of the J4. This megapixels advantage translates into a 5 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the G7X Mark II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 2.52μm for the J4). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the G7X Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 10 months) than the J4, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the J4 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon G7 X Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the G7X Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon 1 J4 are 26.2 x 17.4 inches or 66.4 x 44.3 cm for good quality, 20.9 x 14 inches or 53.2 x 35.4 cm for very good quality, and 17.4 x 11.6 inches or 44.3 x 29.5 cm for excellent quality prints.

The J4 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 125-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon 1 J4 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the G7X Mark II is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the J4 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
2.		Nikon 1 J4	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	426	53
3.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
7.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
8.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
9.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
10.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
11.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
12.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
13.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
14.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
15.		Nikon 1 J5	1-inch	20.7	5568	3712	4K/15p	21.1	12.0	479	65
16.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
17.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G7X Mark II and the J4 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon G7 X Mark II and Nikon 1 J4 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon 1 J4	none	n	3.0 / 1037	Fixed	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon 1 J5	none	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the J4 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon G7 X Mark II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The G7X Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the J4 uses micro SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and Nikon 1 J4 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Nikon 1 J4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Nikon 1 J5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the G7X Mark II and the J4 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The J4 was replaced by the Nikon 1 J5, while the G7X Mark II was followed by the Canon G7 X Mark III. Further information on the features and operation of the G7X Mark II and J4 can be found, respectively, in the Canon G7 X Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon 1 J4 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon G7 X Mark II and the Nikon 1 J4? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 18.2MP) with a 5% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the J4 requires a separate lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 10 months after the J4).

Advantages of the Nikon 1 J4:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (60 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (300 versus 265) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2014).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G7X Mark II comes out slightly ahead of the J4 (9 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon G7 X Mark II and the Nikon 1 J4 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G7X Mark II or the J4. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
2.		Nikon 1 J4	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Apr 2014	EUR 589	ebay.com
3.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 789	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
7.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	EUR 279	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	EUR 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	EUR 299	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 329	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
15.		Nikon 1 J5	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	EUR 449	ebay.com
16.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	EUR 549	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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