Canon PowerShot V1

New compact aiming to topple Sony's vlogging range

- James Artaius

The Canon PowerShot V1 is a camera that the market is probably going to adore, albeit one that isn't quite what it expected.

The rumours would have us believe that the Canon PowerShot V1 was going to be a traditional compact camera, along the lines of the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. In fact, it's actually more of a compact vlogging camera, similar to the Sony ZV-1 II.

While the market expected Canon to launch a compact that would replace the G7 X, instead, the company has launched one that complements it and threatens the stranglehold that the ZV series previously enjoyed on cameras for vlogging.

With the Canon EOS R50 V taking on Sony's ZV-E10 II as its interchangeable lens option, the brand is doubling down on the creator segment. So how does the Canon PowerShot V1 fare in this brave new world?

The Canon PowerShot V1 was initially launched in Asia in late February, before it was rolled out worldwide a month later. The camera immediately sold out on launch in Japan, but worldwide shipments have been steady since they started in early April. The PowerShot V1 is priced at £960 ($900) which, notably, is slightly more than that of the interchangeable-lens EOS R50 V.

Performance

I have tested the Canon PowerShot V1 on three separate occasions before its initial Asian launch at CP+ 2025 in Japan, then at Canon's headquarters ahead of its Western release, before finally, receiving a production sample that I could take home with me.