RX1 - Samples and Reviews

Here's a thread to collect links to image samples and reviews of the RX1. During the week of October 8 Sony is running a media event to provide reviewers with early access to the RX1 and other new Sony cameras and Handy-cam.

DP Review beat everyone to the finish line with the first published reviews AFAIK!

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/10/08/Sony-Cyber-shot-dsc-rx1-real-world-sample-images

Steve Huff wasn't too far behind with his first look:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/10/08/hot-off-the-press-exclusive-sony-rx1-samples-by-me/

Thanks for that. I like what I see so far and the camera has not had its final firmware.Obviously all the reviewers will test the unit at this time and give their feedback before any final firmware.I will definately keep my pre order, I think this will be the perfect take everywhere camera for me.The cost is no big deal for this old guy, the add ons seem a little pricey, but what the hec, you only live once and I am well on the other side, so if I don't spring for the goods now, I may not get another chance.  WC

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It's What You Learn After You Know It All That Counts !

Very exciting, now if we could just get delivery before December and have it include EVF for the same price!

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John
Visit my web gallery at:
www.barjohn.com/My Photographs/index.html
Comments and critiques welcome.

These samples don't jump off the screen for me or show exceptional sharpness.  I think they are fine, but my expectations for a 2,700 (over 3 with an OVF or EVF) camera are through the roof, and both groups of samples so far have me getting less excited not more.

Others' reactions?  Something I am missing?

-TBri

You're missing an illustration of what you're talking about.

Give it time.The camera just became hands on today, so photographer reviewers have only had the camera for a few hours. Also the camera hasn't had its final firmware before release , they are just getting the wrinkles out before doing so.For first shots they look pretty good, lets see what happens the rest of the week and listen to what the pros think about this little beauty.   WC

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It's What You Learn After You Know It All That Counts !

Imaging-resource.com has posted some images from Day 1:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/10/08/sony-rx1-gallery-shots-posted

Their full size image links are all fubar right now. If you replace the numeric host address (http://216.18.212.226) at the start of the URL with http://imaging-resource.com you'll gain access to them.

I love the detail and skin tone of the camera but if you look closely to the shadow area you can see lots of wired unevenness (splotch) which is really a surprise to me as those shots were shot at ISO 100. As a FF camera with such a high end lens should produce very smooth graduation in the shadow area.

Being not that old (maybe?) thinking along the same lines. But with an EVF would be rather costly. And let's see how good it is against the new small "Pro"-Fuji. Worst fear, it's so good I have to buy it...

WCguy wrote:

Everyone was anxious to see what this camera can do, but DPR only had it for a short while before shooting a few samples.

It's always the same story. Nitpicking sample images from beta cameras.

Give it a while. Wait until photographers learn how to get the best out of the camera, then decide. The samples are just eye-candy. Something for us to consider, but not representative of what the finished product will deliver.

I agree with some of what has been said here, the sample images do not jump out at me. At least not yet.

Rich

Shameless website plug: http://www.iceninephotography.com

Absolutely agree Rich, it's way too early to pass judgement on this camera. This won't be the first camera that starts out garnering tepid reaction to early samples; hopefully for Sony it won't be the first one to get beyond that early reaction and go on to shine. Come to think of it, early NEX-7 samples were the subject of much criticism and controversy but that camera is doing quite well thank you very much.

For my part I won't completely make up my mind until I get access to some raw files and ACR can work with them.

Meant to add this into the thread, Imaging-Resource.com has fixed the links (thanks Dave!) and the early feedback from Dave Etchell on usability is, well, *bubbliy*:

On usability, I'm just carried away with the RX1 - It's just unbelievably compact for a full-frame camera; I think some of the NEX line are actually bigger than it. Even more than the size, though, I'm *really* appreciating the way you can reprogram pretty much any button on the camera. It just makes shooting so easy and natural.

With the fixed focal length lens, I noticed I was wanting to switch aspect ratios more often - no problem, I just assigned the left-arrow function to aspect ratio change. Likewise for other functions I was using frequently in the particular shooting environment I was in. Not having to drop back into the menus for frequently-needed settings is just a huge improvement in usability.

Didn't explicitly check the White Magic screen, but I did find the LCD pretty visible in daylight.

I'm glad to see this sort of reaction to *using* the camera. Nice output is only one small part of the equation, at least for some of us. Everyone's mileage will vary!

I know they're under pressure to keep a string of PR releases coming out so as to encourage awareness of the camera but...

The general expert opinion so far has been that, at this price and with a fixed lens, it had better be good. And there's no reason why it shouldn't be: Sony make great sensors and Zeiss make great lenses. But these shots look flat, unsharp, and in no way exciting or even interesting. Wiht the exception of the Bruno poster/graffiti shot, there are none where you can judge edge and corner sharpness of the lens and the best you can say of that image is that edges and corners are no worse than the centre, which is very 'meh'.

Whilst I am quite sure the shipping product will do better, especially from RAW, these do nothing to inspire. I have one on order to review for my blog so for that reason only I am keeping the order in - but if I had pre-ordered on a whim and saw these, I might think twice....

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Gallery & Blog : http://www.timashley.com

we will have the answers ......... like it alway's have been.

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*All my Post Processing is done with Capture NX2*
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marti58/

I agree.  My overall sense is one of being somewhat underwhelmed.  OK, so there's nothing *wrong* with the images, but they aren't *great* are they.

I really don't think my RX100 would have done an inferior job on any of them.  Also, I don't know if it's me, but the colours seem just a little flat to me.  Hardly to put my finger on, but they seem I dunno, lacking in contrast or something.  There's no "pop".  That might be a good thing if it means the sensor has a wide EV range and is capture lots of tonal shades, because you can tart the image up in PP.  Dunno.

You can obviously do whatever you'd like and I am sure people behind you would appreciate you dropping out . . . but my read of the early samples is that this isn't the final firmware and Sony is not done tweaking things. I suspect they are watching reaction to these samples very closely to help make their final adjustments. But maybe this is solely a P.R. thing and they already know what they're going to address for the final shipping model (which may address your concerns or not). I am not pre-ordering because I want to wait and see regular user's reviews. I am very encouraged that most buttons on the camera can be reprogrammed.

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60 of my favorite shots from 2012

I don't know what anyone can even get from the samples.  I have a 30" calibrated monitor and they are just typical downsampled JPGs. Without final version downloadable RAWs, who can say if it outperforms a cheap P&S. I did this with the Sigma DP2M and as very pleasantly surprised by it's output. Of course, I had to download and use their RAW converter but that is a price you pay for that model. If the RX1 matched or outperformed the DP2M and as expected, is a far more functional camera. It may well be worth the price. I am looking for a carry around camera that I can use when my work travels cross a scene that just says take me. The RX1 just might be it but what can you really tell about a camera from these poor samples.

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DaveJC

sean lancaster wrote:

I am also another who get underwhelmed.

I try hard to view the sample images with a wishful eye but still failk to see anything particular in them. And I am not sure if I should buy that Sony is checking reaction to the sample images. No need to have an exceptional eye to have an idea on how those images look, can't they see themselves? Images are not bad but nothing particular about them. And I am not sure how far they could better the images with software without sacrificing other aspects of the image.

However I am optimistic on the other hand wishing for that the photographer who took those shots might be a regular guy who is not into photography. This would perfectly justify those samples since it is possible to get worse shots with M9 or D800 etc. if used by a person who has no idea. The second clue for I think that way is that the first samples were all excellent, they were totally in a different league.

Well, we will find out soon anyway.

The DPReview pics are a little disappointing, only showing ISO100 and pretty flat.  There's even visible CA in DSC00043 for example.  Anyway, it's only "beta" and I'm sure the final product will be better.