AT recent times there is a tendency to increase the physical size of the sensor while maintaining minimum dimensions cameras. Nobody is chasing megapixels anymore. In this area, Sony can be called a leader, as they released a camera with a full frame sensor, which belongs to the Cyber-shot line.
The RX1 camera received a sensor from the older model SLT-A99. The placement of the camera in the Cyber-shot line can be called conditional, since the device is not quite compact and does not belong to the budget camera segment in terms of cost. The RX1 is a very serious camera. Its only significant drawback is the fixed optics.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 Key Features
- Sensor: Full frame Exmor, physical size 35.8 x 23.9 mm; resolution - 24.3 MP
- Lens: focal length 35mm; Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T, aperture F2.0-22; minimum focus - 14 cm in macro mode, in normal mode - 24 cm; Digital zoom due to crop of the full matrix format. Filter diameter - 49 mm
- Stabilizer: Digital Steady Shot
- Photo resolution: 6000 x 4000
- Photo file formats: JPEG, RAW
- Aspect ratio: 3:2, 16:9, 4:3, 1:1
- Panoramic photos: wide (5536 x 2160/12416 x 1856) / standard (3872 x 2160/8192 x 1856)
- Video files: maximum resolution 1920 x 1080, 50p, 28 Mbps; AVCHD, MP4 format; stereo sound
- ISO: 100 - 25600 expandable up to 50; Multi-Frame NR noise reduction
- Display: LCD Xtra Fine, diagonal 3"", number of dots 1,288,000
- Continuous shooting: up to 5 fps; with single focus - 2.5 fps
- Shutter Range: 30-1/4000s
- Exposure compensation: +/-3.0 EV step 1/3 EV
- Built-in flash: modes: Auto, Slow sync, Rear curtain; red eye correction; hot shoe
- Memory: Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo/; SD/SDHC/SDXC
- Interfaces: USB 2.0, HDMI, microphone jack
The cost of the camera in the Sony store is 119,999 rubles.
Design and construction
Sony does not try to implement incredible design solutions. The camera turned out to be quite ordinary in shape.
The eye does not cling to the camera. It looks like a faceless black square. This, of course, can be attributed to the dignity of the camera.
The body is not very happy with its small protrusion for gripping the hand. All points of contact between the camera and the photographer's hand are rubberized, but this does not make it much more convenient to hold the camera in your hands. The dimensions of the device are 113.3 x 65.4 x 69.6 mm, and the weight is 482 grams. The camera is heavy for its size. Despite the fact that the RX1 is considered compact, it can not fit in your pocket. A strongly protruding lens is to blame for this.
Functional elements. On the front of the camera is a lens, an LED for autofocus illumination, and an autofocus mode switch. On the left are connectors: microHDMI, microUSB and a 3.5 mm microphone jack. There are no functional elements on the right. There is only an eyelet for fastening the belt, which is duplicated on the left. at the bottom there is a compartment for the battery and a memory card, as well as a thread for a tripod. At the top you can see a pop-up flash, a hot shoe, a mode switch, an exposure compensation control, a shutter button that is combined with a switch, and a programmable key. The shutter button is threaded to connect a cable release.
On the back side there is a 3" screen without a rotary mechanism, a flash activation lever, a start button for viewing footage, a control wheel, a five-way joystick with keys suitable for programming. This joystick is combined with a second control wheel. There is also a start video recording button.
The assembly of the case is excellent, but the easily scratched glass of the screen and the lack of protection are frustrating. Also not included in the delivery and cover. All this can be purchased for an additional fee. The camera comes with a bag for transporting the camera in a bag and a handkerchief for cleaning the screen and optics.
Control interface
The camera controls are well placed. Pleased with the ability to control the aperture. The control ring is located on the lens. It is very convenient to customize the 5 programmable buttons at your discretion. The menu interface has two columns (right and left) for control. Navigation through them is carried out using two selector rings. In general, the menu is similar to what can be seen in the Alpha-series cameras and on the RX100. Interestingly, the camera lacks a photography tutorial, although Sony often stocks their cameras with similar tutorials.
There is no viewfinder on the RX1. You can attach an optionally purchased electronic viewfinder to the hot shoe. This will cover the place for mounting an external flash. Cropping pictures can be done on the screen, which does not have a rotation mechanism. Several different grid types and a histogram can be displayed on the screen.
Functionality
The pride of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 camera is a full-frame sensor from the top Alpha SLT-A99 DSLR. Its physical size is 35.8 x 23.9mm. Resolution - 24.3 MP. High resolution allows you to perform almost invisible crop, which leads to the possibility of digital zoom. The camera lens does not support zoom, so digital zoom is the only way zoom.
The images are processed by the BIONZ processor. The camera turns on for about one second. Continuous shooting allows you to take 5 frames per second with continuous focusing and 2.5 frames with single focusing. There can be up to 16 Jpeg and 12 RAW photos in a series.
Autofocus works on 25 points. It is fast enough and does its job well in moderate conditions. In low light, autofocus can overshoot and think for a long time, but this behavior is quite normal for this type of autofocus system. Manual focusing is performed using a ring on the lens, but this ring is electronic, so sometimes there are lags in the speed of work.
There is no optical stabilization. There is an electronic one, but only for video.
The camera has quite standard shooting modes - these are P / A / S / M, iAuto +, panorama, video, scene modes and three custom modes. Bulb exposure mode available. It is activated when the shutter speed is set to the maximum value.
Video.
The RX1 camera can shoot Full HD video in two formats. These are AVCHD and MP4 at up to 50fps. Manual video quality settings are available. The stereo microphone has a wind noise reduction system. If necessary, you can connect an external microphone.
Shooting quality
fixed lens focal length At 35mm, the RX1 camera has an adjustable aperture ranging from 2.0 to 22. This optics gives a very pleasant bokeh and a fairly sharp picture, but with such characteristics, optical and light distortions often occur. In most cases, camera filters correct any inaccuracies, but sometimes vignetting remains noticeable.
A camera with such an excellent sensor performs well when shooting in low light conditions and at high ISO values.
The noise reduction works very well, but it does make the picture look a little blurry. It kills the details. This option can be disabled. The iAuto+ mode gives very good results. Exposure metering and white balance determine the shooting conditions almost unmistakably. You can simply turn on the automatic mode and shoot at your pleasure.
Battery
The RX1 battery has a capacity of 1240 mAh. This is enough for 250-260 shots. This is very low for a camera of this level, but most compacts show the same figure. It is very convenient that the camera can be charged directly from the mains without using an external charger.
Sony has announced a new full-frame compact camera with fixed lens Cyber-shot RX1R II. The novelty has become the embodiment of all the best RX1 and RXIR with pumping characteristics. The matrix and hybrid autofocus deserve a separate discussion. The same equipment is installed in the flagship mirrorless A7R II, and this is worth a lot.
The compact got a convenient electronic viewfinder. Previous generations of the RX1 and RX1R had clumsy and not very comfortable viewfinders. The novelty received a pop-up viewfinder module. A similar one is used in RX100 versions III and IV. Viewfinder resolution is 2.4 million pixels.
The controls for its location are similar to those of the previous generation cameras. The camera body is about the same size. Only a few visual changes distinguish the new camera from previous models.
Like last year's cameras, the new camera has a 35mm f/2 lens. Its control dials are very well designed ergonomically. They are wide and grippy. Two separate dials allow you to control focus and aperture. To change the autofocus mode, there is a special switch in the corner of the front of the camera. Max speed RX1R II continuous shooting with AF-C tracking is 5 frames per second.
Not only the pop-up viewfinder allows you to conveniently sight the scene. The swivel display is also designed for easy shooting from high and low angles. An optional rear control dial makes it easy to adjust shooting settings.
The top panel is quite standard. It has two disks. One is responsible for switching modes, and the second for exposure compensation.
It's amazing how compact the camera is. In addition to the retractable viewfinder, the small body houses a full-frame image sensor. The body dimensions of the RX1R II are 113x65x72mm. Camera weight - 507 grams.
The camera is very interesting for its form factor and stuffing, but the video capabilities are disappointing. To start and stop video recording, there is a small button that is recessed into the case, which allows you to avoid accidental pressing. In this case, the button is located under the thumb. Although the sensor is borrowed from the A7R II, the new Sony RX1R II camera cannot record video in 4K resolution. Its maximum is Full HD. By downsampling to 720p, you can record video at 120 frames per second.
The display, mounted on an inclined mechanism, has a resolution of 1.2 million pixels. Its clarity and sharpness is very high, but touch control is the norm today, but it is not here. It is completely incomprehensible why Sony decided not to implement touch controls. A company that, in addition to photographic equipment, is engaged in the production of smartphones, should not have any problems with this. The NFC sign is located on the grip handle. Lean a smartphone or tablet with this technology against it and your devices will connect.
According to Sony's new plan, support for 14-bit uncompressed RAW will be added to many cameras. This did not bypass the RX1R II. He will be able to shoot with such color depth. Now the flagship a7R II camera with a firmware update has already received such an opportunity.
Inside the RX1R II lies a lot of interesting technology. The rear lens element enters the camera very deeply.
The Sony RX1R II is equipped with an image sensor similar to the a7R II. Because of this, the focusing system for both cameras is similar. It consists of 399 phase points. Autofocus on previous models was slow. The novelty works as much as 30% faster. With all the pluses, the RX1R II does not have an image stabilization system. Software stabilization is only available for video recording.
Another innovation is the RX1R II low pass filter. It's electronic. The filter management system offers three settings: maximum filtering, medium level and off. Thanks to the settings, you can choose between the maximum reduction in moiré, but the loss of some small details, or the maximum detail, but the presence of moiré in the frame.
The technology for adjusting the intensity of the filter is electronic. By applying different voltages, you can change the degree of blurring of the image, and this is exactly what happens to reduce moiré.
SpecificationsSony Cyber-shot II RX1R
|
Price |
|
|
Camera body |
|
|
Style |
Compact camera with full frame image sensor |
|
Housing material |
magnesium alloy |
|
Image sensor |
|
|
Maximum Resolution |
|
|
Photo aspect ratio |
1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
|
Working Resolution |
|
|
full resolution |
|
|
Matrix size |
Full Frame (35.9 x 24mm) |
|
Sensor type |
|
|
GPU |
|
|
color space |
|
|
Snapshots |
|
|
ISO sensitivity |
Auto, 100-25600, expandable to 50-102400 |
|
White Presets |
|
|
Custom white balance |
Available with fine tuning |
|
Image stabilization |
Is absent |
|
Raw format |
|
|
JPEG quality levels |
Very good, good, standard |
|
File Format |
|
|
Optics and focus |
|
|
Focal length |
|
|
optical zoom |
|
|
Maximum aperture |
|
|
autofocus |
|
|
AF assist lamp |
|
|
digital zoom |
|
|
Manual focus |
|
|
Normal focus range |
|
|
Macro focus range |
|
|
Number of focus points |
25 contrast, 399 phase |
|
Display and viewfinder |
|
|
Rotate, Tilt |
|
|
Display Diagonal |
|
|
Display resolution |
|
|
Touchscreen |
|
|
Display type |
|
|
Live Mode view |
|
|
Viewfinder type |
Electronic |
|
Viewfinder coating |
|
|
Viewfinder magnification |
|
|
Viewfinder resolution |
|
|
Photo Options |
|
|
Minimum shutter speed |
|
|
Maximum shutter speed |
|
|
Exposure modes |
|
|
Scene modes |
|
|
Built-in flash |
|
|
Yes (using hot shoe) |
|
|
Flash modes |
Off, auto, fill flash, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, wireless |
|
X-sync speed |
|
|
Shutter modes |
|
|
Continuous shooting speed |
5.0 fps |
|
Timer |
Yes (2, 5, 10 seconds) |
|
Metering modes |
|
|
Exposure compensation |
± 5 (1/3 steps) |
|
White balance bracketing |
|
|
Video shooting features |
|
|
Permissions |
1920x1080 (60p, 60i, 30p, 24p), 1280x720 (120p, 30p) |
|
File Format |
MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264 |
|
Notes |
50 Mbps bit rate support using XAVC S codec |
|
Microphone |
|
|
speaker |
|
|
Data storage |
|
|
Types of memory cards |
SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo |
|
Data transfer |
|
|
USB port |
USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) |
|
HDMI port |
Yes (Micro HDMI) |
|
Microphone connector |
|
|
Headphone jack |
|
|
Wireless connection |
Built-in 802.11b/g/n with NFC |
|
Eat with a smartphone |
|
|
physical characteristics |
|
|
Protection against moisture and dust |
|
|
Source of power |
Battery |
|
Battery Description |
Li-ion. NP-BX1 |
|
Battery life |
220 photos |
|
Weight with battery |
|
|
dimensions |
113 x 65 x 72 mm |
|
Other features |
|
|
Orientation sensor |
|
|
Interval recording |
|
2 years ago
Precision assembly Metal housing Compact size with awesome quality Excellent glass (fixed aperture) with aperture wheel Full-frame matrix (those who know will understand, others won’t buy anyway), no noise Built-in flash Manual modes, scenes for the rest Twists for the basic requirements of photographers (exposure compensation, modes , two wheels, selection buttons) Full customizability, I saw this only in mirror Pentaxes Mirror quality with completely non-mirror dimensions If you try, it will fit into your pocket There are no competing models red circle with white letters, the rest will choke on saliva
2 years ago
Full frame sensor, very good
2 years ago
Compactness. Matrix. Lens. Assembly.
2 years ago
Top build quality, great lens, quiet shutter, autofocus, gives you a very beautiful picture, pastel colors.
2 years ago
I can't digest flash photography. And this camera has very high ISO and a huge "hole", which allows you to take stunningly beautiful pictures without noise at dusk. Moreover, if it is already completely dark, there is a mode when it glues a picture from a series of frames, also clean without noise. For a long time, no device has brought me so much joy. Is it a 4K monitor, for the same price, on which you can watch these pictures and enjoy.
2 years ago
Build quality, design, lens quality, miniature.
2 years ago
The smallest FF camera - Matrix according to DxO tests, does everything Canon, Leika, losing only to top Nikon models. - The lens is also one of the best - Given all of the above and that the CZ lens was specially designed for the matrix, there is no need to talk about the quality of the pictures - they are at their best. - The build quality is excellent, Japanese manual assembly, it's nice to hold in your hands. Made very "monumentally", everything is perfectly spinning, pressing, turning. - A lot of functions, which do not make sense to describe here, there are so many of them that they are not even properly described in the instructions :)
2 years ago
sensor, lens, build quality
2 years ago
Excellent quality, fast, comfortable in the hand (even if not great), comfortable button layout.
2 years ago
Quite slow autofocus (in fact, fast, compared to what you can’t compare)
Price
Annoying orange circle at the base of the lens
2 years ago
2 years ago
Battery. Lack of protection.
2 years ago
No separate charger included
Not weatherproof
Weak battery
2 years ago
In shortcomings, everyone writes the price. It is not true. The camera is worth the money and you can't make such a camera for less money.
No zoom. For a long time I doubted when buying because of this. But there is a digital zoom button. In fact, you will get the quality not of FF, but of crop. In reality, I now have the number of cropped frames no more than 3-5%.
They write the lens gives a small "barrel". There is a checkmark in the menu, it is programmatically removed.
2 years ago
Slow autofocus when shooting video. Scours the lens when catching focus (You can hear it knocking back and forth inside)
Very weak battery. (It is clear that the price for compactness.)
When shooting a video, in the cold - 10 degrees, sits down in 20 minutes.
The battery costs 1500 rubles, you can buy a second one if you really need it)
Expensive! Although if you take, for example, A - 99 with a good lens - it will be more expensive.
2 years ago
.
- Of course, this is the price. In Russia (120 thousand) it is generally absurd. If you take it only in the USA or the export version in Japan - a non-resident fotik will cost 80 thousand.
- no GPS tags
- fixed lens at 35 mm. Although the quality of the shots is so good that if it were 35-50 / 70 it would not change things much in terms of zoom, unless portraits would be happy ... but this would greatly increase the size of the lens, losing all meaning in the "FF compact ". Who needs interchangeable lenses - wait for FF NEX, but it will be even more expensive :(
- autofocus is not the fastest
- insanely expensive native accessories
- I don't like the design
2 years ago
not found
2 years ago
I have not noticed yet, if only it is worth noting a small battery. Discharges quickly when recording video.
The deluxe Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is Sony's top-of-the-line camera. At $3,300, this is simply one of the most (if not the most) expensive compact cameras you can buy right now.
Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II Reviews
But, let's ignore the price for a moment and consider it as Sony's showpiece of engineering. The camera comes with a 42-megapixel, full-frame (35mm) sensor (one of the tallest currently available), features a bright lens, a built-in, pop-up electronic viewfinder, and is the world's first camera with a variable optical low pass filter. This is a camera that takes star photos comparable to shooting with a large full-length lens (ILC). It's not a camera for the masses, but it's amazing.
Design and specifications Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II
Given that the RX1R II is compact and light camera, it feels very solid - incredibly well made, in line with Sony's A7 series. It's not the lightest pocket camera, but it does have a full frame sensor, which is usually found in much larger devices, but you can slip the Sony RX1R II into your coat pocket.
The camera has a fixed 35mm f/2.0 lens that is carried over from the RX1R II predecessors. This means that there is no optical zoom. We like to work in 28mm and 35mm so this wasn't an issue during testing (the RX1R II has an amazing lens). But we usually use simple lenses with interchangeable optics so that it is easy to change them to a zoom lens when required. This is not the case here, you need to consider this issue before buying. However, we believe that most buyers of this kind of camera are street photographers, for example - they know about this "limitation".
The lens has an adjustable aperture ring, with a nine-blade aperture design, it creates good blurry effects at low numerical settings. There are settings for macro photography close-up and more distant objects (from 0.3 m to infinity). On the front of the camera, you can select the type of focus.
From an engineering standpoint, a fixed lens has an advantage over interchangeable options: According to Sony, the lens is built into the camera and the sensor is mounted to the lens structure, with micron-level alignment accuracy, allowing the lens to maximize the sensor's maximum output. Sony engineers have done some amazing things with many of the company's new cameras, and the RX1R II is no exception.
The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II measures 4.5 x 2.6 x 2.8 inches and weighs 1.1 pounds (499 grams), the same dimensions as the RX1 and RX1R. These cameras have 24.3-megapixel full-frame chips, compared to the 42.4-megapixel sensor from the RX1R II - the same used in the Sony A7R Mark II.
One of the differences between the original RX1 and RX1R was the elimination of the optical low-pass filter (OLPF) in the RX1R (hence the "R" designation). With the RX1R II, Sony has implemented the world's first variable OLPF settings (off, standard, high). We'll look at this feature in more detail below, but it essentially allows you to enable anti-aliasing when you need it.
At the top of the body is a pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF), shoe, exposure compensation mode and dials, shutter, drive lever, and C1 (Custom 1) buttons. The pop-up EVF has a 0.39-inch 2,359K-dot OLED screen (same as the one in the RX100 III and IV), which is a real plus when you bring the camera up to your eye rather than shooting with the LCD. The downside to built-in EVFs is that Sony had to sacrifice the built-in flash (available on older RX1s), so you'll need to purchase an extra flash or accessory.
Sony supplies a really good eyepiece for the EVF. It is difficult to lock it in position with the screw attached. Once you've tightened it up, there's no way to push the EVF back into the case without fiddling with the screw again.
Complementing the EVF is a tilting 3-inch LCD monitor (with 1,228K dots) on the rear panel. We wish Sony would add touchscreen capability to the display. Next to the LCD are the camera buttons, but since this is not a large camera, you should not expect tricks - there are only basic control settings.
On the right side is NFC and video recording buttons. For yourself, you can set the "Custom 1" button - the video recording button. On the left is an EVF raise button and a bay for HDMI, a mic input, and a few A/V connections.
The bottom has a tripod mount, as well as a battery and an SD card slot. The battery is only rated for 200 shots using the EVF and 220 for the LCD. It's not much, so a spare battery should be on the accessories list, along with a high-speed, high-capacity memory card and the flash mentioned earlier.
What's Included
Included are the camera, lens cap, very attractive leather neck strap, battery, charger, USB cable, and eyepiece cup. You can also get a cleaning cloth, a 92-page instruction manual, a Wi-Fi manual and a free download software, to process photos, develop RAW files, and connect the camera to a smartphone or tablet, respectively.
Sony Cyber-shot Warranty
Sony warrants Cyber-shot RX1R II labor and parts for one year.
Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II performance and usage
The RX1R II has the same processor/sensor as the A7R II, so we were confident in the footage from the RX1R II (7952 x 5,304 pixels) before we started filming. Of course, the results of the RX1R II met our expectations. DxOMark tested the sensor and found it to be very close to the A7R II (98 for the A7R II, 97 for the RX1R II), comparable to the much bulkier Nikon D800E full-frame digital reflex camera. In order to get a top rated camera, you have to spend $8500 on the Pentax 645Z with its amazing 101 points.
The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II features a completely redesigned autofocus system. The RX1R II features Fast Hybrid AF combining 399 phase detection AF points and 25 contrast detection points; older models only had 25 point contrast definitions. Again, this is similar to the A7R II's autofocus system. We haven't had any issues with the RX1R II; she quickly caught focus in a wide variety of lighting conditions.
The RX1R II feels very comfortable in our hands. It has the typical Sony control layout, which is pretty intuitive, but that doesn't mean there's no learning curve for new users. The main dial mode has all the main shooting modes, plus three memory recall options, for in-depth settings of your choice (saturation, dynamic range optimization, and so on).
Variable, optical low-pass filter allows you to turn on anti-aliasing first if necessary.
Now back to the OLPF setup mentioned above. The RX1R II gives you a choice of standard, high and off modes. For the most part, Sony's menu system is fairly light and straightforward, but lesser-used features are hard to come by. Just like with the control layout, there is a learning function to make the most of everything this camera has to offer.
The RX1R Mark II has a native ISO range of 100 - 25600, but can go as low as 50 or as high as 102400 by exiting auto setup. This is a big difference from the maximum 25600 in the original. Our view limit is 32000, but even 102400 could be used for small sizes. The results were similar to the A7R II, but the mirrorless camera has built-in five-axis image stabilization, which makes a difference when the hand is holding it. The A7R II helps produce sharper images in low light conditions, even though the RX1R II is lighter and easier to handle.
In video, the Sony RX1R II tops out at Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 60p. However, Sony has upgraded the AVCHD codec to XAVC-S. Videos come out very good with high color accuracy and detail, but 4K would be a good addition here. While the RX1R II doesn't have optical IS, electronic IS is available for video - it's not five-axis, but it's something.
In terms of wireless capabilities, the camera has built-in Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity, and works with PlayMemories and the Sony Mobile app (IOS or Android). Pairing the camera with the Samsung Galaxy S5 is very prosaic, and the same applies to iOS devices. Sony is one of the few companies that is actually trying to do something in the app space; they send updates and tips, as well as application platforms such as Sky HDR that can be uploaded to the camera.
Outcome
The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is an amazing camera with a 42.4MP full frame sensor, variable OLPF, built-in EVF, compact size, and f/2.0 35mm focal length. However, it costs $3,300 and is as complex as the amount of money it costs (although the camera is much cheaper than the Leica Q). The main buyers of this type of camera are street photographers, but not as an ordinary consumer. As with the original RX1, this camera deserves our recommendation with its marvelous technology and it's definitely worth the investment.
But, if we were to spend our money and go for full frame cameras, we would go for the A7R II. Although it is larger and more expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of additional lenses, its overall performance and capabilities are vastly superior to the Sony RX1R II, not to mention flexibility. If you can do without a full frame, there are many compact cameras with cropped sensors that cost half as much; there are also new compacts with 1-inch gauges that are more practical and affordable for everyone else. But for those lucky few who can own a Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II, I have to add, the camera won't disappoint.
What? 120 thousand rubles for a “digital compact”?! Sony devices sometimes differ in a not very humane price tag, but in this case, the manufacturer, one might say, has surpassed itself. Indeed, for example, for the "carcass" of a full-frame reflex camera Sony SLT-A99 they ask for 11 thousand rubles less. Of course, such a high cost is not obtained from nowhere. RX1 is the first serial digital compact camera Sony equipped with a full frame sensor. In addition, high-quality Carl Zeiss optics with a fixed focal length and an aperture of ƒ / 2.0-22.0 are used.
Compacts equipped with an APS-C sensor and a fixed focal length lens have been on the market for quite some time. These are representatives of the lines of not very common Ricoh, Leica and Sigma. These cameras cannot boast of an impressive set of additional features and some of them can't even record video. The RX1 is a completely different field, because in addition to fast optics and a huge sensor, there are a lot of functions inherent in advanced compacts, including Full HD video recording at 60 frames / s and progressive scan. And if the Canon PowerShot G1 X somehow competes with the younger model RX100, equipped with an inch sensor, then the camera that got to the test has virtually no competitors. In general, a potential buyer with a tight wallet in this case does not have a choice problem, but only the question arises - to buy or not. Let's try to figure out what a compact with such an immodest price can provide.
⇡ Appearance and usability
Externally, the camera resembles a "mirrorless". This similarity is emphasized by a massive lens surrounded by three control rings. The last ring is responsible for focusing, the second one is for choosing the focus mode (macro or normal mode), and the third one allows you to quickly set the aperture value in increments of a third of the step. The filter diameter is 49 mm (exactly the same as most E-mount lenses), and this is not the most popular size - in domestic retail, the number of offers is on average half as much as for filters with a diameter of 59 to 77 mm. The manufacturer itself offers only polarizing, protective and one neutral gray. The protective filter for such an expensive camera with a fixed lens is an extremely important must-have option. Moreover, this filter must be reliable, because in case of damage to the external lens, repair will not be a cheap pleasure - often the entire optical unit is changed in service centers.
The case is assembled from several metal panels, but when you turn it in your hands, it seems that it is monolithic - there is a kind of feeling of a cobblestone in your hand. It is impossible to press the panel or bend the case at least a little, and even with extremely great efforts you will not squeeze even a little crack or creak out of it. Sometimes there was even a feeling that this is not a simple, but a protected compact that can be dropped. But you should not do this, because protection is not declared.
On the front side there is only a lens, an autofocus backlight and a round three-position focus mode switch.
The back side is not particularly loaded, although from such an expensive camera you subconsciously expect a scattering of keys for all occasions. Above the screen is a pop-up flash lock slider, as well as a view mode key. To the right is the control dial, the exposure lock and function menu keys, which in combination serve to zoom in on pictures, as well as the video record button. In the center of the right edge is a round four-position rotary navigation key with an enter button in the center. And in the lower corner there are keys for entering the main menu and deleting.
On top is a pop-up flash, a hot shoe and a pair of microphones, as well as two dials: for selecting shooting modes and for introducing exposure compensation. A programmable key was immediately attached (by default, it is responsible for setting the sensitivity level) and a shutter button, supplemented by a power lever, with cable release connector. Surprisingly, there is no IR receiver for controlling with a wireless remote control. The release cable connector in modern conditions seems to be a throwback, although many users will appreciate it.
Below is a standard set of functional elements: a tripod connector, a speaker and a plastic door that hides the slots for the battery and memory cards. In such an expensive camera, devoid of wireless communication, inserting a memory card under one cover with a battery seems at least a strange step. After all, for example, when shooting from a tripod, in order to upload footage to a PC, you have to twist tripod head or connect a laptop to the camera using a USB cable, which is not always convenient.
On the left, under a plastic door, there are microphone connectors, as well as USB and HDMI cables. The right side surface is empty.
Loading...