Confessions of a Former Smartphone Photographer

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Let’s be real: your phone’s camera is fine. It’s great for capturing latte art, your dog’s latest “I ate the couch” face, and that suspiciously artistic shadow your houseplant casts at 3 p.m. But deep down, you know it’s lying to you. Those “stunning” sunset pics? Blown-out skies. That “viral” dinner photo? Grainier than the bread basket. And don’t get me started on low-light mode, which turns every dimly lit room into a horror movie set.  

Enter the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II. (Cue angelic choir. Or, you know, the sound of me dropping my phone in a puddle of regret.)  

I’m not here to sell you a camera. I’m here to confess that I, too, was once a smartphone snob. “Who needs a real camera?” I’d say, while squinting at my screen, trying to zoom in on a bird that looked like a pixelated blob. Then I borrowed my friend’s G7 X Mark II during a trip to the mountains. Five minutes later, I was taking photos of a squirrel like I was shooting for National Geographic. (The squirrel was unimpressed. My Instagram followers were not.)  

Here’s the thing about this little black rectangle of magic: it fits in your jacket pocket, but it doesn’t act like it. That 1-inch sensor? It’s the reason your photos stop looking like they were taken through a Vaseline-coated lens. The aperture goes wide enough (f/1.8-2.8, for the nerds) to make your brunch look like a Renaissance painting—without needing 17 filters. And the Wi-Fi? Bless. No more awkwardly emailing yourself photos like it’s 2007. Just poof—your pics are on your phone, ready to humble your entire camera roll.

Scenario 1: You’re at a concert.  

Your phone’s camera: A blurry mess of neon smudges that vaguely resembles a human.  

The G7 X Mark II: Crisp shots where you can actually see the singer’s eyeliner. (And yes, you can quietly geotag and share them mid-show, because Wi-Fi + NFC = smugness.)

Scenario 2: Your friend’s wedding.  

Your phone: “Why do I look like a ghost?” “Why is the cake glowing?”  

The G7 X Mark II: You accidentally take a portrait so good, the bride asks you to email it to her. (You’re now the unofficial wedding photographer. Charge extra.)

Scenario 3: Your cat’s 3 a.m. zoomies.  

Your phone: A dark, shaky video that looks like The Blair Witch Project: Feline Edition.  

The G7 X Mark II: Slow-motion footage so clear, you finally see the method to her madness. (Turns out, she’s chasing a dust mote. Art is subjective.)

But the real MVP? The flip-up LCD screen. Yeah, I’m talking to you, fellow selfie strugglers. No more holding your phone at arm’s length like a middle-schooler at their first dance. Just flip the screen, nail the angle, and suddenly—you look like a person who knows what they’re doing. (Even if you’re just taking a photo of your new haircut for your mom’s approval.)  

Is it perfect? Of course not. The battery life hates you after a few hours of filming your kid’s soccer game. And no, it’s not a DSLR—but that’s the point. It’s the Goldilocks camera: not too big, not too basic, just right for people who want to take actually good photos without lugging around a backpack of lenses.

Look, I’m not saying you need this camera. But if you’ve ever cursed your phone for turning your niece’s birthday party into a grainy fever dream, or wished you could capture the way the light hits your coffee cup without it looking like a brown puddle… maybe it’s time to cheat on your smartphone.

(Don’t worry. Your phone will forgive you. Probably.)

The black finish? Sleek. The weight? Just heavy enough to feel professional, not like a brick. And the best part? No one will ask, “Is that a camera?” They’ll just ask, “How’d you take that photo?”

tag us if you try it. Or don’t. We’re not your dad.