Sony DSC-RX100 - little big man

[haven]

Sony just introduced a new pocket camera, the DSC-RX100. Unexpectedly, the RX100 has a CMOS sensor that's twice the size of most point and shoot cameras. It's the 20 megapixel sensor also used in the Nikon One, but in a much smaller body. Here's a preview, which compares sensor sizes of several modern digital cameras:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/06/06/Sony-DSC-RX100-preview-with-sample-images

Here's a video by DPReview.com that introduces the camera, and shows its size relative to other enthusiast point and shoot models



As in most pocket cameras, the RX-100's biggest compromise is in the lens. It has a zoom equivalent to 28-100mm in a DSLR. Aperture starts out at f/1.8 wide open, but narrows considerably to f/4.9 at full zoom. That makes the zoom less usable in low light conditions. It's a tradeoff brought on by the desire to keep the camera as narrow as possible. This aperture rating is a little better than the lenses on the Canon S100, Canon G-1X, Fujifilm X10, and Olympus E-PM1.

The RX100 has a minimalist design, with few protruding knobs or buttons. That makes it easier to slip into and out of a pocket.

Suggested list price for the RX100 is a whopping $650, about $200 more than the Canon S100.

 

[haven]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sony_rx100.shtml

landscape photographer Michael Reichmann says the RX100 is "the most appealing pocket-size digital camera yet."

The RX100 ships to dealers next week. We should see more reviews after that.

 

[haven]

Reviews are starting to appear.

The Verge
"nothing short of the best all-around compact camera I've ever seen"
"the photos it takes are stunning to the point where all other compact camera makers will need to take a long, hard look in the mirror."
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/27/3187725/sony-rx100-review

 

[ssssnake529]

Looks like the new king of pocket cameras. I'd love to have a little bit faster lens throughout the focal range. Perfect lens would be 1.8-2.2 24-80

 

[haven]

With a year to think about things since the RX100 was introduced, Sony has developed the RX100 M2 ("mark 2"). The new model adds several significant upgrades. They include:

-- tiltable LCD panel. The panel tilts down (for overhead shots) or up (so you can hold the camera at waist level)
-- more sensitive sensor. Sony says 40% more sensitive in low light conditions. Still an astounding 20 megapixels.
-- improved focus speed in low light conditions
-- Multi-Interface hot shoe. Add intelligent flash, electronic viewfinder, larger LCD panel
-- WiFi equipped. View photos immediately and control shutter release via an Android or iPhone app
-- NFC equipped. Near Field Communications is like Bluetooth, a short range wireless protocol. Probably will work with Sony phones and tablets.
-- lens zoom presets. Five settings for zoom, so you can replicate settings between shots. I think continuous zoom still works.
-- 24p video capture. For film-like results.

This new hotness will cost $750, $100 more than last year's RX100. The original RX100 will continue to be sold.

DP Review has a preview of the RX100M2, with sample exposures, here http://www.dpreview.com/previews/sony-cybershot-dsc-rx100-m2

 

[haven]

Now that the RX100 Mark 2 has arrived on store shelves, discounts for the original RX100 are starting to appear. B&H Photo Video and Amazon are offering $50 off the RX100 through the end of August, for example.

 

[haven]

Sony engineers thought, "Wouldn't it be great to have the lens and sensor of the RX100 in a cell phone?" But that would make the phone too thick and bulky. So they did the next best thing. They packaged the lens, sensor, processor, memory card and battery of the RX100 in a package that attaches magnetically to the outside of your phone.

[Update: This photo shows the QX10, rather than the QX100. Thanks, Trevor!]

Note from the photo that the lens kit does not use the cell phone's built-in camera at all. The lens kit communicates with your cell phone or tablet using WiFi or NFC so you can frame and review your exposures.

The sleek cell phone in the photo above also is a new Sony product, codenamed "Honami."

This information comes from the Sony Alpha Rumors web site. They think Sony will announce the new product, called the DSC-QX100, on September 4. (Should we call this product a camera if it doesn't have a viewfinder or viewscreen?)

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-hot-first-images-of-the-new-dsc-qx10-and-dsc-qx100-lens-cameras/

Here's a leaked page from the manual
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-qx10-and-qx100-manual-leaks/

 

[Lost Canadian]

Very cool, but I'll put money on it that it's not the same lens or sensor. All the leaked images are of a sony G lens that goes F3.3-5.9, and starts wider, at 4.45mm-44.5mm. The much wider starting point for the lens would seem to indicate that they are compensating for a smaller sensor inside. The RX100 Zeiss lens goes F1.8-4.9 and starts at 10.4mm to 37.1mm. I could be wrong though.

 

[haven]

Trevor, you're right. The photo shows the QX-10 model, which does not use a Zeiss designed lens. The QX100 is longer than the QX10, and has a knurled ring at the end of the lens assembly for manual focusing. I'll update the post above.

Here's a screen grab from the Sony Alpha Rumors web site that shows both QX lenses. The taller lens is the QX100

The QX10 lens and sensor is rumored to come from Sony's WX150 camera. It's got a 10x zoom and a smaller sensor.

One other note: It appears that the QX series use Sony's Memory Stick Micro Mark 2 (M2) memory cards, not the common microSD cards. M2 cards cost about 4 times more than microSD. For example, a 16 GB M2 card costs $65, while a 16 GB micro SD costs $15. Curse you, Sony!!! Sigh...

 

[haven]

The Sony Alpha Rumors site has posted more inside info about the QX devices. They will be labeled "Smart Shot," a mashup of Smartphone and Cybershot.

Both QX models will include some form of lens stabilization. Both will shoot HD video at 1080/30p, and save it in MP4 format. The photographer will be able to control zoom, focus, exposure, and white balance from the smart phone app. Video and photos can be stored on a memory stick in the lens body, or transmitted to the phone via NFC or WiFi.

(Since WiFi is an option, it seems to me that the phone controlling the lens kit could be quite some distance away. You could mount the lens kit on a monopod or in a waterproof housing, or control the lens kit from the next room, for example.)

The QX10 is the smaller of the two. Its 10X lens is f/3.3-5.9. MSRP will be $250.

The QX100 has the 3.6X, f/1.8-4.9 lens and large 20 megapixel sensor from the DSC-RX100 Mk2. MSRP will be $450.

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-new-qx-smart-shot-pictures-has-in-body-is/

 

[haven]

The QX series is official. Here's a promotional video from Sony.
Note the use of the lens kit unattached from the phone running the control app.

 

[haven]

DP Review has posted their impression of the DSC-RX100 Mark 2. In conclusion:

"When you compare image quality from like-sized cameras, it's practically peerless. However, comparing image quality from like-priced cameras, it starts to look a little more average. An Olympus E-PM2 now costs $500 and offers a significantly larger sensor. Sony's own Alpha NEX-6 offers an APS-C sized sensor for the same $750 price. As good as the RX100 II's image quality is, it falls short of the high ISO and dynamic range performance of Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensor cameras at its price point. The obvious trade-off though, is a much bigger camera - neither of those options is pocketable."

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-rx100-m2

 

[haven]

The original RX100 is available for $400 through this eBay ad. Elsewhere, the cheapest I've seen this camera is $469.
The ad says the camera is new and unused.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX100-Digital-Camera-Black/231037323449?

 

[grogie]

I've got an executive director at work that I support (I'm in marketing). She gets into a lot of meetings with important people. She had been carrying around a horrible small Canon that had lousy skin tones. So I put it in my budget this year to buy her a better camera (which started Oct 1st.), which was first a Canon Rebel SL1 (small size DSLR). Anyway, it was too big for her (and I'll admit that I needed another DSLR anyway in my department). She actually hit a state politician with it, and he laughed and said, "So _____, what you are happy to see me?"

So with still having enough funds in my budget for camera equipment, I went back to our local camera store and the clerk recommended the original RX100, and wow! Pictures are great! I'm really impressed, and she likes the small size to carry along with nothing else. I did give her a small camera bag for it and a spare battery and charger. It's really awesome quality for it's small size.

 

[kojackJKU]

DP Review has posted their impression of the DSC-RX100 Mark 2. In conclusion:

"When you compare image quality from like-sized cameras, it's practically peerless. However, comparing image quality from like-priced cameras, it starts to look a little more average. An Olympus E-PM2 now costs $500 and offers a significantly larger sensor. Sony's own Alpha NEX-6 offers an APS-C sized sensor for the same $750 price. As good as the RX100 II's image quality is, it falls short of the high ISO and dynamic range performance of Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensor cameras at its price point. The obvious trade-off though, is a much bigger camera - neither of those options is pocketable."

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-dsc-rx100-m2

Yes but if the exact same camera had a canon or Nikon logo on it dpreview would give it 99%. That has to be the most brand biased review site on the net regardless of content. I laugh at their "conclusions". You go through their test images and clearly the images from brand x is better but, the famous line, "as you can clearly see the images from the canon are better" comes up in every test. I use their site to look at the photo tests and make my own conclusions.

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