Sony RX100 Vs RX 100 III vs Canon G7x vs Canon G9x

Struggling a little with my decision making process here.

The background is that I downsized from my dslr a few years ago to a Canon SX50 because I got tired of hauling out bags and changing lenses all the time so I would leave my dslr at home and have nothing on my but my smart phone camera. The downsizing really rekindled my love of photography and I have had great fun with the Canon SX50 for nature walks on the beautiful Island where I live and am pleased witht the pictures that this superzoom lets me take.

But I have been feeling the need for a second camera. The SX50 isn't great in low light and is still a little large for long trips. I wanted something more pocketable that would still great pictures and would work well for street photography when I travel.

I had read many great reviews about the Sony RX100 so I started to save some money each month towards buying one. I had tried a few in the store and had settled on the Sony RX100 III because it was the least expensive of the line that still lets me take selfies or see myself while video blogging.

I came across mention of the Canon G7X which had the same sensor and a screen that would also move for taking selfies but sells for $200 less Canadian. This gave me hope I might be able to make my purchase sooner.

Then I saw mention of the G9X online which was even less expensive. I loved the interface shown on the video - it seemed cleaner than the other two, But the GX7 had a fixed screen. This started me to wonder if I really needed a moving screen.

I already have a moving screen on my SX50, so I could use that while blogging at home and I usually don't blog while travelling. The SX50 screen movement is usually used for taking macro pictures of small objects on the ground like slugs, insects, flowers and fungus and I love it for that purpose. So perhaps I really should stick with a moving screen.

Today I came across a refurbished Sony RX100 with full warranty that I could get for $200 off the usual price. This made me think that if I could let go of needing the articulating screen, I could make my purchase now.

Here are the price options where I live:

1. Refurbished Sony RX100 - $350 CAD
2. Sony RX100- $550
3. Canon G9X - $600
4. Canon G7X - $650 - articulating screen
5. Sony RX100 III - $850 - articulating screen

So I could buy the refurb Sony RX100 for $500 less than the RX100 III. Part of me is thinking that I the RX100 likely won't lose much value so I should pick it up anyway and just sell it if I feel I really have to have the articulating screen.

Any other thoughts? Factors I am missing?

This is probably too late for you now, but here it is anyway just for posterity...

My advice is to RUN away from any Sony camera, and particularly the RX100. The image quality is good but the ergonomics and usability are horrible. It is difficult to tell the power and shutter button apart by feel. The shutter button does not have a clean half-press stop, you will find yourself going over too often. Recalling images for review is sloooooooowwwwwwww. The menus are horribly unintuitive. I owned a RX100 for a year and dumped it today on eBay at a 50% loss, after I managed to get a good price on a G7x on my local Craigslist. Boy, what a difference. The camera feels right in your hand. Small touches like the thumb rest make all the difference. The buttons are where you expect them to be. The menus make sense. The power and shutter button are easily distinguished just by feel, and the shutter button has a pleasant and reassuring click at half-stop. I have heard several other people describe the ergonomics of Sony cameras as very poor, and the menus as atrocious. I can only speak for the RX100 Mk1 - but based on that I am unlikely to own another Sony camera for a long while... if ever.

P.S. I managed to get my G7x LNIB on Craigslist for $350, a shockingly low price. Canon does sell refurbs right now for $445.

The JB Wood grip for the RX100 series cameras does a lot to improve the ergonomics of holding the camera.
The actual grip that was shipped to me is much darker than the images you can find online and matches well with the black RX100 V body.

Unfortunately, the small size, which allows the camera to be pocketable goes hand in hand with small button sizes and inferior ergonomics. That's the trade-off with making it easy to always have a good camera with you at all times.

Regarding Sony's menu system, yes it's not the most well organized. Luckily, if you figure out how to program custom buttons, you don't need to go through the menu system very often.

Alexander White has some good books for Sony cameras like the RX10 and RX100 series that go into detail regarding how to set it up for easier shooting. After that, I think it would be just a matter of using your camera often to develop some finger memory as to where the most important buttons are located.