Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 First-impressions Review: Digital Photography Review

Body & Design

Physically, the QX100 looks like it's all just lens, but there's a shutter and zoom toggle on the side and a sizable sensor buried within and a lithium-ion battery behind all of that. A detachable plastic mount ships with the unit, sliding on to the back with a bayonet-style twist. A pair of clamping arms unfold and one is spring-loaded, stretching to attach to the edges of a smartphone.

Opposite the card slot is a small battery life indicator and a hole for a wrist strap. On the bottom of the unit is a tripod mount, expanding the QX100's capabilities as a remote camera. This flattened portion of the round lens barrel also allows the QX100 to rest on a flat surface.

The QX100 is powered on and off by way of a small rectangular button on the top of the lens housing. Powered on, the lens extends from the housing, increasing the overall length of the unit by about half. Powered off, the lens is fully concealed within the QX100.

Ergonomics

It's a strange thing to hold what seems like only the lens of a compact camera. That said, it doesn't feel bad, just unusual. Holding it in the right hand, my thumb rests over the shutter and zoom toggle. Using it this way you can shoot 'from the hip;' half-pressing the shutter will give you an AF confirmation beep and images are stored only to the card. Coupling the QX100 to a smartphone gives you an LCD - it's getting it clamped to your phone that can be tricky.

Flipping up the clamps on the back of the QX100 is a job that's best done with two hands. The top clamp moves up and down, effectively spreading the two tabs apart so a phone can be placed between them. Releasing the top clamp will allow it to slide into place bracing the phone. This can be slightly cumbersome, especially if you're out and about when you attempt this as you're juggling two very expensive pieces of equipment. With a little practice it's easy to master, but the first few times I mounted the QX100 to the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5, it felt a little awkward and still makes me slightly nervous.

	Underneath the blue Zeiss logo is the QX100's MicroSD card slot (it will also accept Memory Stick Micro) and a microUSB port that's used to charge the battery. The RX100 II will record images to a phone and memory card simultaneously if both are available. Without connection to a phone, images will be saved to the card, and vice versa. The port cover concealing the card slot feels quite flimsy.
	The QX100 bears a function ring, a feature of the RX100 II, though it controls fewer functions in the QX100. In manual focus mode it adjusts focus (without any focus peaking or magnification help) and in all other shooting modes controls zoom.
	The QX100's clamps sit flush against the back of the unit at rest; they're pulled out at a 90 degree angle in order to mount the QX100 to a phone. The top clamp is sprung and can get higher or lower to accommodate bigger or smaller smartphones. At its widest the clamps span a little more than 3.0 inches - just barely wide enough to clamp to a Samsung Galaxy Note II.
	The QX100's battery compartment and clamping bayonet mount all add depth to an already bulky device, making it deeper than the RX100 II.
	On the bottom of the QX100 is a tripod mount, built into a flattened portion of the device's cylindrical housing.
	The QX100 is powered by a replaceable lithium-ion battery enclosed in the rear of the device. The battery is charged in-camera by way of a micro USB port and included cable/wall adapter.

The clamps are padded with grippy rubber teeth, helping to keep a better hold on your mobile device. The mount sits flush against the back of a smartphone, and the clamps keep a relatively good grip on the phone, but it still feels ever-so-slightly unsteady. This was most noticeable when just holding the phone and putting faith in the clamps to keep the lens in place. Keeping the left hand under the lens, with shutter and zoom easily reached by thumb, felt much more secure.

Most smartphones have very slim edges, and the QX100 is many times thicker and heavier. The clamping mechanism seems to be built just fine, but it's likely the strange balancing act between the mismatched devices that makes it feel a little awkward. The clamps can be skipped entirely if you'd rather not place it on your phone or you're operating the QX100 from a tablet; a mobile device will maintain a connection to the QX100 as far as the Wi-Fi connection allows, which in our testing was at least 30 feet.

GearShop

Sony DSC-QX100 Smartphone Attachable Compact Camera●

$498.00

Buy on GearShop

Sony DSC-QX100 Smartphone Attachable Lens-style Camera	$498.00
Sony DSC-QX10/B Smartphone Attachable 4.45-44.5mm Lens-Style Camera	$248.00
Sony DSC-QX100 Smartphone Attachable Lens-style Camera	$498.00
Sony DSC-RX100/B 20.2 MP Exmor CMOS Sensor Digital Camera with 3.6x Zoom	$598.00
Sony DSC-QX10/W Smartphone Attachable 4.45-44.5mm Lens-Style Camera	$248.00
Sony Lens Style Camera Cyber-shot DSC-QX100	$1,212.49
Sony DSC-WX10 Cyber-Shot 16.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Still Camera with 7x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and Full HD 1080/60i Video (Black)	$319.97
Sony Original BN1 Battery, Case, and Mini Tripod Bundle for Sony CyberShot DSC-W710, DSC-W730, DSC-WX80, DSC-TF1, DSC-TX66, DSC-TX30, DSC-T110, DSC-T99, DSC-TX5, DSC-TX7, DSC-TX9, DSC-TX10, DSC-TX100V, DSC-TX200V, DSC-TX20, DSC-W310, DSC-W320, DSC-W330, DSC-W350, DSC-W380, DSC-W510, DSC-W530, DSC-W560, DSC-W570, DSC-WX5, DSC-WX9, DSC-WX70, DSC-WX150, DSC-W610, DSC-W630, DSC-W620, DSC-W650, DSC-W690, DSC-QX10, DSC-QX100	$32.99
Sony Original Case for Sony CyberShot DSC-W710, DSC-W730, DSC-WX80, DSC-TF1, DSC-TX66, DSC-TX30, DSC-T110, DSC-T99, DSC-TX5, DSC-TX7, DSC-TX9, DSC-TX10, DSC-TX100V, DSC-TX200V, DSC-TX20, DSC-W310, DSC-W320, DSC-W330, DSC-W350, DSC-W380, DSC-W510, DSC-W530, DSC-W560, DSC-W570, DSC-WX5, DSC-WX9, DSC-WX70, DSC-WX150, DSC-W610, DSC-W630, DSC-W620, DSC-W650, DSC-W690, DSC-QX10, DSC-QX100 (LCS-CTBN)	$19.99

Show all listings (9) ...

Get more prices from Amazon

Comments

Total comments: 137

With that price and size it has to have all that have real camera! RAW and ISO above all!
With such a limited options I see QX100 as overpriced and oversized toy, in photographic sense - absolutely useless...
In balance with all the aspects, QX10 is much better option! Much more pocketable, much cheaper and offers one thing phones certainly lack: large zoom!
Card slot is ok, but zoom and sutter controll are absolute excess! It should have been stripped of all details that could be handled by camera! Software could control focus and shutter separately, and lens has zoom ring already...
Very unlike Sony to introduce half thought product... It's for very narrow audience.
Shame... :-(

Comment edited 7 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

What is this compulsion to immediately share photos of lattes and fancy dinners to a hoard of people that probably don't give a crap?

4 upvotes

I am a bit skeptical . Convergence is the holy grail : one device that can do good photo and connectivity at same time.

The buyer of the Q100 needs to carry 2 devices. ( the smartphone and the Q100 add on). If you are willing to carry 2 devices why not carry your phone and your existing pocket camera ?

The bottom line: The Q100 could be a good deal only for someone that do not have a compact camera and it is thinking to buy one.

1 upvote

Wouldn't this nicely couple with the google glasses or similar wearable accessories that we all will be carrying in a few years? Keeping quality lenses and sensors on those types of glasses may not be feasible but using this one both have the convenience of the wearable glasses and best photographic quality. Besides, leaning your head to take low angle photos looks very weird, but with this you keep your chin up!

0 upvotes

If it was actually smaller and more portable and much cheaper than the actual camera it hails from, it would have a reason for existing. It however, is none of these things. You lose more than a few manual controls when you downsize (or upsize?) to the Qx10. It becomes a large parasite on your phone that cannot work autonomously, has no flash, has very poor battery life, and has dozens of other reasons detracting from it. The appeal of smartphones and smartphone cameras is the all-in-one packaging and pocketability. If you are going for two devices, might as well make it a full fledged camera. If you want connectivity, most cameras have wifi now to sync with your phone, which is basically what the QX100 is doing anyway.

0 upvotes

This might seem unwieldy at first, but the idea is great. I’ve held back at looking at a portable camera until it can share with the “cloud”! I have loved the idea of the Sony RX100 since my dad purchased one soon after they came out. The largest portable sensor in a point-n-shoot, fast glass, good video, manual controls, etc. The two things it lacked was GPS for geotagging every photo and wireless to upload to the cloud. This solves both problems while using familiar iPhone (*cough* or other suckier smartphone) controls. That sounds great to me! (And with the new iPhone 5S processor…oh man, bet it doesn’t have any difficult handling this camera!)

0 upvotes

Buy a camera to take pics, if your phone will take snap shoots more power.It would be like using your shoe for a phone, oh me, think they already did that.
Hey Sony, in place of this real good idea, not. Why not put a lens on your point and shoot that does not end up @ F6 at the end of the zoom.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

MEMO to Sony: PLEASE make it possible to control multiple modules in the app!!!

0 upvotes

I ordered one yesterday. It would be so nice if the app would make it possible to control two of these camera modules for 3D!!!

0 upvotes

if your phone has NFC, you can use it to power the QX, launch the app and make the connection with just one touch of the devices against each other.

0 upvotes

RAW would be hard to use with the lack of RAW processing software on mobile platforms.
as it targets smartphone and tablet users that do little processing and share almost immediately, adding a RAW workflow would take too long, i guess.

though having the choice would be nice, at least, for very special pictures that you take great care to compose/frame and expose, and later edit on your computer.

0 upvotes

Love it! Perfect for gearhead$$$ who have deep wallets and make little connection between price and value. I'd rather carry an extra, full-featured little cam than a bulky, phone-dependent piece of plastic (sorry...."composite.") Of course, I'd rather just carry a cellphone - imagine... they actually have their own built-in cameras on them! They even have a little lamp, too!

0 upvotes

Oh, Sony, c'mon. This could be such a great new thing in digital photography, please add RAW and more manual control options...

0 upvotes

$500.00 for a Jpeg only device and no manual, shutter speed modes.

I'll do what Joe Montana did.

1 upvote

Considering the target market for this product, I expected Sony to not offer as much control over ISO, RAW, etc. It was made for smartphone/ tablet users looking for better image quality, not really for the enthusuast or pro crowds who alrady use DSLRs and the like.

0 upvotes

Including raw capabilities does not negatively impact image quality. Much like video, if you don't want to use it, don't. It doesn't hurt or cost to have it there.

No, this is about market segmentation.

0 upvotes

I guess it's the beginning of a long and successful story. Today maybe a toy for smartphone enthusiasts, tomorrow a tool for the pros with bigger lenses and intermountable sensor/processor units. You won't have to buy cameras anymore in order to keep pace with electronic progress.

0 upvotes

Never understood why so many reviewers say "NFC is uncommon"

All Windows Phone 8, Galaxy S3+ / Note 2+, Sony Xperias since last year, HTCs from last year (most medium range Android devices), Blackberry 10 devices.

Combined, that's like 30-40%+ of the smartphone market.

So apparently, we need, what? 70%? Before it's common?

2 upvotes

Quite simple.
Apple does not support it, hence it will be forever "uncommon" even when 99% of smartphones other than iPhones will feature it.
(For a good laugh go to Apple zealots shrine-forums and read about what they have to say about NFC)

1 upvote

Ah, just noticed ... NO RAW (RAW+JPG) - (which, I just checked & the RX100 II does have) ... too bad!

Micro-SD is a bit of a shame too, though somewhat understandable given the package size ...

Cheers.

imo

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 5 minutes after posting

1 upvote

What's wrong with microSD?

0 upvotes

...yeah, the speeds and capacities on microSD are coming up. No reason to shun them.

1 upvote

Hmm... this is pretty interesting. I mean wouldnt that be the ultimate vari-angle flip out screen? :D

1 upvote

it is aspirational idea, but , i think the device still too big to carry to use with a phone

0 upvotes

I actually tried this on my xperia z, connection took exactly 1 second via nfc. Phone launched play memories by itself and camera was ready to go, very intuitive. It is perfect I don't care what everybody says. Qx100 is definitely not a pocket device, Qx10 maybe. Hey I hear you about raw images and everything but take the dust of your Dslr brake your neck carrying and have fun with it.
Control over the lens is different story though. I am sure it will have some updates and you will get as much control as on RX100.
This definitely not for everybody. You might have to think out of the box to use it hard to come by nowadays

0 upvotes

So photographers on preview will avoid this, so what. It was made for the regular cellphone users. If the hipster won't buy then Sony will be worry. If it drops to 350-400 I am interested. No I don't want the smaller sensor.

0 upvotes

Awesomeness

0 upvotes

Very interesting idea, and I'm not so sure those will end up in the bargain bin as some people predict. To me, this looks like a great innovation that might catch on, after some things are improved a bit. The article does a great job in pointing out those issues. My main concerns are, first, the need to turn on two devices and wait until they connect with each other, second, "pocketability" and, third, the ability to shoot raw. I hope Apple and Google will work with Sony to solve the first problem. Size might be something we might have to compromise a bit, to get very good quality, and the raw issue is easily solved. Another great innovation coming from Sony, with SLTs, NEX, RX-100 and now this, Sony is really on a roll! However, I'll probably wait for the improved QX100 II to come out...

0 upvotes

Mmmm Interesting exercise, however, I tend to think it will be the subject of"

"Clearance Sale,
All stock to go
Massive price reduction!
B&H Amazon $99 + Free Shipping!

I can imagine doing a studio shoot, .. The Camera "Rings"

"Excuse me client, I just have to answer my camera, .ah, mm phone!"

"Hi Mum, sorry I can't talk now, I'm just on the other camera, em oh, I mean phone! No it's OK Mum , I'm fine! You wouldn't understand right now, I'll explain later."

I see it as possibly useful as a solution for specific projects. I can think of a few.

Barry M. Australia

4 upvotes

How old are you Barry? Seems like camera phones are a new thing to you. So you're either very old or very young.

0 upvotes

One handed photo...use a smartphone
Two handed photo use a camera
Ifyou are lucky enough to have three buy this nice sony

1 upvote

Bargain bin in six months time.
If sony and the rest want to do something useful they could make cameras that can use tablets/ phones as remote controls, monitors, to add geotagging to exif info and much more .
Come on Sony make a camera that lets us enhance our camera with smartphone tech .
I don't think we need or want a camera that sacrifices so much photographic funtionality to work with a phone ....until one or the other gets dropped

3 upvotes

It's cheaper than an RX100 II, sure, but it's also less pocket friendly and way less versatile... At least the lower end model shoots for some semblance of portability. I guess if I carried a purse on a daily basis I'd be intrigued, the price is sorta right, but I just don't see the appeal.

If I want something portable I'll slip an RX100 (or an SD110, or an LF1) in my right pocket and the phone in my left, sharing is still cake over wifi and I get far more control (not to mention battery life). If I'm gonna carry a bag or sling it over my shoulder I'll grab a NEX, M43, DSLR, etc.

4 upvotes

Curious? Check the pre-ordered numbers. Image quality in a smaller package is a no-brainer to all but the entrenched. How can you "know it all" when "it" is always changing?

OMG it's not perfect? It's the first---jeez the list of imperfect cameras is long. Fuji made pseudo RFs which could not MF (very well anyway). etc.

For sony, there is always a little chip around here. A chip on the shoulder. The original nex-5 could only manage a "silver".

So, here we go again.

2 upvotes

For my money, they could have just put a telephone in the RX100.

It will be fun to play with, though. You could walk around with the camera in one hand and your phone in the other, and never actually look where you are going, except by turning your hand.

I can just imagine people walking around using their phone as a periscope.

3 upvotes

Agree. Phone built into a camera like the RX100 would be easier to pocket, even if it added bulk over the RX100

0 upvotes

Galaxy Zoom is kinda like that but the thing is you want to occasionally hold your phone up to your ear and not look ridiculous doing so. ;)

0 upvotes

I don't want my phone to be do everything if I am going to change phones every 3-4 years. It seems a phone that is easy to control with my phone would be nice, but I don't want to pay for good optics every three years.
Furthermore, I have thought about going to a dumb phone and then carrying a samll tablet for data.

0 upvotes

I was excited when I heard the rumor but now very disappointed :( This is not what a photographer wants. It may sell due to the "Cool" status. But it is worst than carry a RX100 and a phone. There is no size advantage. And now to take a picture. I have to take the Q from the pocket, the phone from another pocket. Put them together, turn on the phone and photo app. Oh man, forget it. The squirrel would be long gone.

4 upvotes

Hopefully Sony will extend the conept to "lens only". For now, the cheap ebay lens maybe a more workable and cheaper solution than the Q.

0 upvotes

for squirrel u wud need 300mm f4 anyway

0 upvotes

I will buy this.... Since it gives you a excellent control .... excellent for street photography....

2 upvotes

no control of iso, no control of shutter speed, not so good for street photography

1 upvote

How did you work that out Mike?
I think that when you start doing Street Photography, you are going to make a few discoveries?

Go forth Columbus, your subjects await you!

1 upvote

I am sure a lot of Android and iPhone users will get this camera, the quality will be better than the latest announced Nokia phone and not only in resolution but also in terms of white balance, aperture control etc. it is far better than any other smartphone camera. Finally iPhone users & co. get their zoom as well

1 upvote

Except it won't work with an iPhone.

0 upvotes

Wrong. It DOES work with iOS (iPhones) as well. Apparently NFC isn't needed (although preferred). On iPhone it uses the Playmemories app.

0 upvotes

How does this work with a tablet? I would love to see it paired with my Nexus 7, which would work as a huge and very useful screen for a camera.

Does the app work with any Android or iOS device?

This is a great and very interesting concept, nice work Sony!

Comment edited 40 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

works fine with my Nexus 4, so there's no reason it would not work with the Nexus 7. With the 7 the challenge will be to fix it to the device as the 'clamp' is not large enough. But you can always get some velcro ;-) The app you install is the same you need to connect to 'normal' Sony camera, like the RX100II, PlayMemories Mobile.

1 upvote

Thanks a lot for your answer. This innovation really looks very tempting -- maybe future versions will have a larger clamp, although I can already imagine a few usage scenarios that would make good use of a tablet screen as it is.

Comment edited 24 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Why create something that would join the rubbish word of Photography? There is nothing to compete in there, just create a toy that will take snapshot and share it instantly if that is really needed. As for me, I would buy a phone and use it for phone calls, and buy a real camera for my photography.

1 upvote

This is a real camera, just read some reviews about the Sony DSC-RX100 II, you just get the possibility control it from your smartphone, and as non of the smartphones delivers comparable image quality it is more than a niche in the photo market!

2 upvotes

So why don't you just get the RX100? Same price, it probably fits in a pocket more easily, you get RAW photos and more control. This is a ridiculous product that will only be bought by a few really silly people.

2 upvotes

It is a ridiculous product for those who never want to share their RX100-grade photos instantly. For others, the concept is at least interesting, although, I would like to see them come in more portable forms.

1 upvote

There's already more portable ways of sharing "RX100-grade" photos instantly though... You can either buy a newer model with Wifi/NFC built in, or you can hook up your RX100 to most Android phones with a 3 inch USB OTG cable and just select the pictures you wanna share from any file manager or file selection/attachment dialog. Probably takes less time than attaching this lens to your phone, and it certainly fits inside a pocket better.

I like the concept, just not the execution... I actually think the lower end model has more potential to woo the smartphone crowd just because the smaller size, lower price, and longer zoom will all grab their attention more than the RX100 sensor; mooch to

0 upvotes

(blah, tapped post by mistake)

...much to the chagrin of the DP crowd.

1 upvote

i like this idea with 300mm f4 and phone is not attatched to lens
so i cud take pictures pointing lens on to subject and looking myself another direction where i can see action from from phone screen
it wud be nice spylens system, 300mm f4 with sensor

maybe there are alradey some remote gadget fot 5dm3 or d800 to be away from camera and see what sees camera

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I think this is a really cool idea, but I do have to agree with the reviewers conclusions. Lack of RAW support, ISO control, full hd video, among other features missing will prevent me from considering this model any further. Plus, I don't think I would want to be stuck with a camera that I can only control with my phone.

What I would love to see is an RX100 style compact, that also has the capability of pairing with your phone and can use the QX100 phone app. So basically your phone would be a remote display / controller, as well as giving you sharing abilities. That way, when you just want a normal compact you got it, but when you need those extra tricks this thing can do, you can have that too. Doesn't seem like it would be a big leap to integrate those features to an RX100 type model. Hope Sony will consider it, because I would be all over it!

2 upvotes

Want you want is allready available in the RX100M2.
You can pair it to your iPhone or tablet exactly the same way as this lenscamera works
I have used it with my iPhone and iPad, works perfectly!

1 upvote

Yes, but these lenses have one advantage. When you connect them to a NFC enabled Android phone, they connect in 1-2 seconds, and also automatically starts the PlayMemories app.

You attach the lens, and BaM, 1-2 seconds later you're set.
If only they shot RAW :-(

But for all the JPEG shooters out there (they are damn LEGION, outnumber us RAW shooters easily) this is nice. I like the innovation in this. I think all the damn nay sayers should try it first. But anyway, let's face it. If you're shooting in RAW, this ain't for you (primarily anyway).

0 upvotes

"oh my baby daughter is making her first smile!"

"Quick! Grab the smartphone!"

"Now where's the Sony lens... there it is!"

"let's attach both... wait for the connection... there!"

"ok now where's my daughter?"

"oh, phone's ringing now"

"ugh, that stupid lens is attached to the phone."

12 upvotes

my thinking exactly. We just need the lens, not the whole bloody screen-less camera. Bright idea, wrong implemtation. Nokia 1020 or Samsung Galaxy NX are the kings for now.

Not to mention potential connection issue....

"oh my baby daughter is making her first smile!"

"Quick! Grab the smartphone!"

"Now where's the Sony lens... there it is!"

"let's attach both... wait for the connection... there!"

"ok now where's my daughter?"

"Oh, there she is... honey smile"

"ugh, Connection error, please check your NFC settings.

0 upvotes

Your comment doesn't really make much sense when you consider you could have just used the camera built into the phone... OHHHH!!! OK... yep, I agree. ;)

0 upvotes

Why will not one use a GF6 or G6 with WiFi, NFC and full camera control using a mile device for more or less the same price. Still have full fledged interchangeable lens camera? What is new or innovative in this, other than removing all the ergonomic parts of a camera and just retaining the lens and sensor?

3 upvotes

From my perspective as a iPhone 4S user, the idea of having a quality zoom lens is in fact an innovation that I'm happy to be looking into. Having had several Nikons, and most recently a Sony, all of which are substantial cameras, the pocket-ability of the iPhone has increased the likelihood of capturing a rare event. It shouldn't be lost on you that there are more images captured by iPhones alone, than ALL other brands of all other cameras combined.
Is the QC10 or QC100's bulk objectionable? I don't know, but when I can purchase one, I'll let you know.
Think outside your box, man...Sony clearly isn't making them for you. They didn't intend to cause your ire.

2 upvotes

I like it...

3 upvotes

Why they don't use the "flash" on the phone as an AF assist lamp?

2 upvotes

Very good idea.
In general this solution has potential. It's just the plain stupid who don't see the market.
But then again the photography world is full of dinosaurs clinging to their 35mmFF camera's as if they are the god of photography. It makes me laugh every time again.
Like someone above also said, this is innovation and thinking outside of the box. I love that.

2 upvotes

I thought "Carl" was out of the brand name, only "Zeiss" could stay..?

1 upvote

I want a version that shoots RAW. I have the Nikon V1 10 Mpixel and was disappointed in the JPEG only format. I only shoot RAW

1 upvote

funny that people keep complain about the missing of raw.... and forget about the idea of this camera is to take picture and share it on your phone right away. Raw will take away more time than needed to do that. Besides do you think editing raw is really necessary before you upload the pic to facebook? or if a quick edit on the jpeg is good enough?

4 upvotes

Yeah we really need 20MP images to share on on our phone. Vomit has never looked so good.

3 upvotes

No reason to buy this $500 device if you are just uploading to facebook though...

7 upvotes

why just uploading to facebook? This is not a new smartphone, it is a camera which is controlled by your smartphone or ipad or notebook, the idea is really good and the sensor performs well in the DSC-RX100 II, so why complain about it?

1 upvote

The reason to save the RAW file is to be able to do more sophisticated processing in the future. If you are traveling light, such as on a business trip, you could share photos instantly but yet still have RAW files to take home.

0 upvotes

They forgot to put a mirror and a pentaprism and the OVF protruding just above the phone screen. Pfft, rubbish...!

2 upvotes

But isn't the lack of manual control and ISO merely a deficiency in the app?
So a "firmware update" to the controlling app should remedy the problem.

Or a combined firmware upgrade, if the QX's themselves right now can't accept ISO changes/manual control.

As with the MyMemories store though, Sony should really open up its ecosystem. Let some 3rd party developers come up with a cool controller for these QX'es. Sell them like it's iTunes/Play and keep part of the profit, everybody happy.

0 upvotes

In an ideal world there would be an open standard to allow communication between smartphones and cameras. Then developers could write apps you could use with any camera, and you'd have a range of apps, from simple to advanced, to choose from.

0 upvotes

It's interesting to me how all the naysayers - except the ones who want RAW - are divided over what is ACTUALLY wrong with these things.

To some they are too large, to some too expensive - but others want to add flash, EVF, zoom rings, whatnot; larger, more expensive.

The list of things that Sony *should really* have done is seemingly endless. Internal memory, connection with Sony smartphones, fixed wide angle lens, collapsible zoom, FF sensor, E-mount instead, more buttons... indicating to me that Sony (apart from leaving RAW off the QX-100) actually got it fairly right, on average.

2 upvotes

It's more-or-less a Ricoh GXR with the smartphone replacing the body unit. You lose the camera-like ergonomics, and gain ... ubiquity.

For the record I do think Sony got it fairly right. I just think that its not something a great many people are going to actually want to use "in real life".

1 upvote

Well I think Sony has got it right. (and I'm not a Sony fan)
Think of the possibilities of selling larger batteries with back for the phones. The clamps for different phones and I could go on. RAW could be added later incl other software related tidbits. This is but the first iteration so ....
Yeah, I can see it's potential.

Comment edited 7 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

My jaw just dropped......did they really used/tested this outside work?

I had an idea similar to this while thinking deeply of Sony's capability to reduce the size of electronics such as the NEX and the RX1. I thought that a future camera form factor would be similar only larger, the size of an APSC and Full Frame lens while the other end would provide an Evf/LCD. Ergonomics, almost similar to holding a Sony camcorder with a small strap.

Clearly they wanted to provide zoom capability to a smartphone but what they did here just baffles me. Sony, here's what you do:
1)Nokia Pureview 808 (Prime+high quality ultra compact Zeiss lens+One inch sensor=high quality digital zoom)
2) Get rid of the memory card - internal memory 16gb/32 gb
Now it will be thinner,lighter, cheaper, faster, and will just look way better

0 upvotes

Yeah, that's all crap. Except for raw, Sony got this right.

This sensor gives better results and almost any zoom length (20mp vs 40mp is only a 25% difference in resolution. Even at the wide end they're going to look similar).

I won't touch anything that I can't take the card out of. I can't see any reason to prefer on-board memory. If it breaks, your pics are stuck. If I want a fast download or to pop it in something with a memory slot, I can pull the card. Why get rid of that incredibly useful functionality?! No, I think Sony was smart making the memory removable.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

1 upvote

I honestly don't think a micro SD card is going to add all that much to the weight/size, plus it gives you the option of pulling out the card and using a card reader (or having more than one card).

0 upvotes

Wrong turn, Sony. If I'm willing to carry two devices, #1 will be my smartphone and #2 wlll be a small camera that I can fully control - a Canon Powershot 1xx or an almost-small Sony NEX 3 or 5. And a cylindrical clip-on makes no sense, as users will find out the first time it rolls off a table.

BUT: The NFC part is interesting. How about giving me a camera that I can control fully with NFC-enabled my smartphone, and let me compose the image on the phone's screen??

0 upvotes

" How about giving me a camera that I can control fully with NFC-enabled my smartphone, and let me compose the image on the phone's screen??"

Isn't that exactly what this device does do? Or did I miss something?

3 upvotes

GF6/G6 have NFC feature and you have full control over the camera

2 upvotes

The lack of raw support alone is a deal-breaker for me. Next....

3 upvotes

Really excited about this when I saw it a couple of weeks ago - good quality images for not much weight. great solution for backpacking - always have your phone with you anyway (ipod/gps/phone, etc). but... no RAW on a £400 camera just isnt on. Ok, you can *share* straight away, but you might also want to tweek when you get home. I certainly would, but jpeg only means may as well just tick with phone camera. I wonder if RAW could be included in a firmware update...?

0 upvotes

They need a small EVF at the back, and then no need to take smartphone out of your pocket, power it up etc.

0 upvotes

Total comments: 137

Editorial content

Product database

Community