Want pictures that are better than smartphone snaps on a device that’s still small and easy to use? Here’s why the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and PowerShot G9 X Mark II will let you have your cake and eat it too.

EXERCISE YOUR EYE POWER

Well, optical zoom power anyway. Both the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and PowerShot G9 X Mark II boast optical zooms (4.2x and 3x, respectively) that will bring your subject closer to you visually, offering clearer and sharper details than a digital zoom.

Why? With digital zoom, the camera simply enlarges the area you want to focus on, and cuts away the surrounding area. This is similar to cropping a photo in image editing software: You'd get a "closer" view of the subject but the picture won't be as sharp since you're effectively stretching each pixel to fill a similar space.

An optical zoom adjusts the lens to bring distant subjects closer to the camera. There's no stretching of pixels, so you still capture great detail.

To further put your subject in the spotlight, the PowerShot G7 X Mark IIalso has a large-aperture f/1.8-f/2.8 lens that helps blur the image background.

SIZE DOES MATTER

This is especially true when it comes to imaging sensors. The size of your camera sensor helps determine how sharp and vivid your images will turn out. The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and PowerShot G9 X Mark II are both equipped with a 20-megapixel 1-inch-type sensor that packs every vivid detail your eye can see into life-like images.

CONQUER YOUR FEAR OF THE DARK

Or at least, low-light conditions. When the sun goes down and your smartphone-toting friends start complaining about the poor quality of their images, you’ll be the go-to guy for party snaps. 

Why? Both cameras are equipped with Canon’s powerful DIGIC 7 image processor. Its enhanced image stabilisation system minimises the effects of camera and body shake significantly and reduces image noise, making it easy to capture images in low light.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

Your smartphone may be a convenient camera but you’ll also be using it for lots of other things, like using location services to find the nearest eateries – which is not so good for battery life. A dedicated compact camera, on the other hand, offers plenty of battery life so you can shoot to your heart’s content.

STAY CONNECTED

What’s the point of shooting if you can’t share it with the world, we hear you ask? The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II and PowerShot G9 X Mark II have NFC and Wi-Fi capabilities – and the PowerShot G9 X Mark II even has Bluetooth connectivity – to beam your images to compatible devices. Like!

WINNING WEFIES

The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II features a 180˚ flip-up LCD screen that also flips 45˚ down, so you can shoot from just about any perspective you choose.

Both cameras have intelligent shooting modes that can help make your photos look so good you’ll amaze even yourself.

Visit shop.canon.com.sg for details.

Produced by the TODAY Special Projects Team.