Canon PowerShot V1: You're So Vain, This Camera IS About You

The Unavoidable Reality: Canon’s Video-First Return to Premium Compacts

When Canon releases its first high-end compact camera with a fixed zoom lens in six years, photographers take notice. 

But….

Canon designed it to be the ultimate selfie camera for content creators, with photography capabilities that feel like a bonus feature.

The “V” in V1 stands for video, not versatility. It joins Canon’s emerging V-series lineup alongside the smaller PowerShot V10 and the interchangeable lens EOS R50 V. Canon built this camera specifically to be the perfect selfie and vlogging tool, challenging Sony’s dominance in the content creator market.

Every design decision prioritizes self-recording, from the ultra-wide lens to the flip screen to the redesigned grip. Photographers hoping for a true G7 X or G5 X successor might feel disappointed by this selfie-centric focus, but content creators will find their dream camera.

Key Specifications: A New Sensor Enters the Scene

The PowerShot V1 brings several innovations worth attention:

• Sensor: New 22.3MP 1.4-inch BSI-CMOS sensor (18.5 x 12.3mm)—twice the size of 1-inch sensors and similar in area to Micro Four Thirds, but in 3:2 ratio
• Lens: Ultra-wide 16-50mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5 zoom (17-52mm in video mode)
• Image Stabilization: Optical stabilization plus digital options for video
• Video Capabilities: 4K/60p (1.4x crop), uncropped 4K/30p, full HD up to 120fps
• Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with subject detection for people and animals
• Special Features: Built-in 3-stop ND filter, internal cooling fan for extended recording
• Display: 3.0-inch fully articulating touchscreen
• Audio: Built-in directional microphone with included windscreen, microphone and headphone jacks
• Battery: LP-E17 rated for approximately 400 shots or 1 hour 10 minutes of video recording
• Dimensions: 118.3 x 68 x 52.5mm, weighing 426g (with battery)
• Price: $899.99 / £959.99 (available from April 10, 2025)

Design & Handling: Built from the Ground Up for Self-Recording

If you know Canon’s compact lineup, the V1 will feel familiar. It looks like the G7 X Mark III but with one critical difference—everything has been reimagined for self-recording. The grip has been redesigned for front-facing holds, making selfie recording stable and comfortable. The control ring around the lens spins without click-stops, letting you adjust settings silently while recording yourself.

At 426g, the V1 weighs more than the Sony ZV-1 II (294g), giving it substantial build quality and better heat management. It fits in a coat pocket, making it the perfect take-anywhere selfie camera. The tally light on the front confirms you’re recording—except during time-lapse recording, where a blinking light would ruin your sequence.

Even the button layout prioritizes self-recording. The V1 includes a proper mode dial on top with a dedicated photo/video switch behind it, but the grip design lets you access key controls while filming yourself. The front-facing record button is placed perfectly for thumb access when holding the camera toward yourself, making starting and stopping recordings intuitive without looking at the back of the camera.

The Sensor Advantage: Size Matters

The headline feature is the 1.4-type CMOS sensor. It’s twice the area of 1-inch sensors found in the Sony ZV-1 II or Canon’s G7 X Mark III. This means better low-light performance and more pleasing bokeh, though the f/2.8-4.5 aperture limits these advantages somewhat.

The sensor seems to come from Canon’s APS-C lineup, possibly related to what’s in the EOS R7, but in a custom configuration. This heritage suggests excellent dynamic range and color science.

The Ultra-Wide Advantage: The Perfect Selfie Lens

The 16-50mm equivalent zoom lens is the widest ever on a compact camera—and that’s no accident. Canon designed this lens specifically for selfie recording, ensuring you can capture yourself and plenty of background even at arm’s length. This lens solves the primary problem with smartphone selfies: you can’t fit enough in the frame.

For content creators, this means less awkward arm extensions trying to squeeze everything in frame. You can comfortably hold the camera at a natural distance and still capture yourself plus the environment around you. The lens also works beautifully for group selfies, fitting multiple people without requiring a selfie stick.

The built-in 3-stop ND filter lets you maintain proper exposure in bright conditions without stopping down, keeping a pleasing depth of field for selfie videos outdoors. Meanwhile, the optical stabilization works in tandem with digital stabilization to keep your self-recorded footage smooth, even when walking and talking.

Video Capabilities: Cooling Innovation and Creative Options

Canon built the V1 for video, and the internal cooling fan proves it. It pulls heat from the sensor and vents it out the side, preventing overheating during long shoots. It’s not clear if this fan will interfere with audio. 

This cooling system enables unlimited 4K recording, limited only by battery life and storage. Video quality looks excellent with oversampled 4K/30p for enhanced detail. The 4K/60p mode has a 1.4x crop, but with such a wide lens, this isn’t a major limitation. Canon Log 3 gives advanced users 10-bit recording with enhanced dynamic range (from ISO 800).

The V1 includes time-lapse movie recording too. The compact size, larger sensor (compared to GoPros), and USB-C power capability make it perfect for long-duration time-lapses of landscapes, construction projects, or natural phenomena without bulky equipment. Time-lapse mode doesn’t record audio—which makes sense since time-lapse compresses hours into seconds.

Power Options & Extended Recording

The V1 accepts power through its USB-C port while operating, making it excellent for extended recording or live streaming. This addresses the main limitation of compact cameras—battery life—by letting you record for hours without battery concerns.

With external power, the camera can record for up to 6 hours with standard frame rates, or around 90 minutes with high frame rates. This works great for streamers, long interviews, or event documentation.

Photographic Performance: Not an Afterthought

While video takes center stage, photography hasn’t been ignored. The 22.3MP resolution provides plenty of detail, and the Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system handles focus confidently without the hunting that plagued earlier PowerShot models.

Focusing for photos works swiftly, with the V1 pulling focus without overshooting, both at 16mm f/2.8 from close range and at 50mm f/4.5. Subject detection for people and animals enhances versatility for candid photography.

The maximum aperture of f/2.8-4.5 is slower than the G7 X Mark III (f/1.8-2.8), which reduces its advantage in low light despite the larger sensor. But the improved dynamic range helps retain detail in challenging lighting conditions.

Comparisons: How Does It Stack Up?

Vs. Sony ZV-1 II

The V1’s most direct competitor is the Sony ZV-1 II, and Canon positioned this camera to challenge Sony’s dominance. The V1 offers a wider zoom, faster burst rate, bigger sensor with more resolution, and autofocus that matches Sony’s.

The larger sensor and active cooling give the V1 an edge over the ZV-1 II. However, Sony’s f/1.8-4 lens is faster at the wide end, offering better low-light performance despite the smaller sensor.

Vs. Sony ZV-E10

Comparing the V1 to Sony’s interchangeable lens ZV-E10 presents a contrast. The V1 offers advanced video features like 4K/60p, C-Log 3, and cooling, with greater portability. But the ZV-E10 has a larger APS-C sensor and lens flexibility, which may matter more for professionals expanding into photography.

Vs. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III

The G7 X Mark III has been popular among vloggers despite not being designed specifically for that purpose. The V1 improves with a larger sensor, wider lens, and dedicated video features like the cooling fan and tally light. The most significant upgrade is the Dual Pixel AF system, eliminating the focus hunting issues that plagued the G7 X series.

Use Cases: The Self-Recording Revolution

For Content Creators (The Primary Audience)

The PowerShot V1 was designed to be the ultimate selfie camera for:

• Solo content creators filming themselves while moving (wide lens and effective stabilization)
• Social media personalities who need to look their best (Smooth Skin Movie mode)
• Travel vloggers documenting their experiences hands-free
• Product reviewers showing themselves and their products in the same frame
• Live streamers (supports USB streaming and works for video calls)
• Beauty and fashion influencers showing full outfits while still seeing facial details
• Long-form content creators needing extended self-recording times
• Group selfie situations where multiple people need to fit in frame

For Photographers (The Secondary Audience)

Despite its selfie-first design, photographers might consider the V1 if:

• They want a selfie camera that takes decent stills when needed
• They need a capable backup camera or something less conspicuous than their main kit
• They specifically need an ultra-wide lens in a compact body for architecture or landscapes
• They require a discreet, pocketable camera with good low-light performance
• They’re casual photographers upgrading from a smartphone but don’t mind paying for video features they rarely use

What’s Missing? (Quite a Lot for Photographers)

The V1 has several notable omissions, particularly for photographers:

• No pixel shift high-resolution mode: Unlike many modern cameras targeting photographers, the V1 lacks multi-shot high-resolution capabilities
• No built-in electronic viewfinder: A major disappointment for photographers who prefer eye-level composition
• No built-in flash: Standard for photographers but missing here
• Relatively slow maximum aperture: The f/2.8-4.5 aperture is slower than the Sony ZV-1 II (f/1.8-4) and G7 X Mark III (f/1.8-2.8)
• No weather sealing: Not a camera for adverse weather
• Limited stabilization in 4K/60p mode: Some stabilization options unavailable at this frame rate
• No filter thread: The lens lacks a filter thread, making it impossible to attach filters without a special adapter
• Limited zoom range for photography: The 16-50mm range prioritizes wide-angle vlogging over the 24-100mm typically preferred by photographers

The Verdict: The Ultimate Selfie Camera, But Photographers Should Look Elsewhere

For content creators, the V1 delivers everything needed in a selfie camera: an ultra-wide lens perfect for self-framing, outstanding autofocus that stays locked on your face, extended recording with active cooling, and external power for hours of continuous self-recording. The larger sensor and Canon’s color science ensure you look your best in every frame.

For photographers, however, the V1 makes its priorities clear. The missing viewfinder, slow aperture, limited zoom range, and absence of photographer-focused features confirm this isn’t the G7 X or G5 X successor many wanted. The camera takes quality still images, but almost every design choice prioritizes self-recording over traditional photography.

At $899.99 / £959.99, the V1 competes well against the Sony ZV-1 II while offering advantages for selfie recording. Serious photographers should wait for a photo-oriented G-series model or consider alternatives like the Ricoh GR III, Fujifilm X100 series, or Sony RX100 VII.

If you’re so vain, the PowerShot V1 may be all about you.  If that’s your primary need, there’s no better compact camera on the market. If you’re a photographer first who occasionally needs selfie capabilities, your money might be better spent elsewhere.