Sony DSC RX100 Hands-on Preview
Preview based on a production DSC-RX100
Despite the availability of comparatively small, large-sensor mirrorless cameras (at increasingly low prices), the enthusiasts' compact boom has continued. Most of the big names in the industry now offer models to appeal to people comfortable with a a DSLR but wanting something easier to carry around. The RX100, Sony's first venture into this market since 2004 (with the DSC-V3) is something altogether more serious.
Key Features:
- 1" Exmor CMOS sensor
- 20.9 million effective pixels
- 28-100mm (equiv), f/1.8-4.9 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens with 'Advanced Aspherical' element
- Steady-Shot image stabilization
- Contrast-detection AF with 25 points, including tracking and flexible spot options
- ISO 125-6400 (ISO 80 and 100 expansion, up to 25,600 using multi-frame noise-reduction)
- Face Recognition and Face Registration (up to 8 faces)
- Rear control dial and customizable front 'Control Ring'
- 10fps continuous shooting in 'Speed Priority' mode
- 3in, 1228.8K-dot 'WhiteMagic' LCD screen
- 13 Picture Effects with 27 variations
- Memory Recall feature can store up to three groups of custom settings
- 1080 60p video (AVCHD) with MP4 option
- Built-in stereo microphone
- 330-shot battery life (CIPA)
A small camera with a big sensor
A 1" sensor is twice as large as the sensor in the Fujifilm X10 and two-and-a-third times larger than most of the rest of the class. The only comparable camera to offer a sensor larger is the Canon G1 X, which offers impressive image quality but with the payoff being bulkier styling and the larger dimensions demanded by its near-DSLR-sized sensor. Sony says the 'R' in the camera's name is intended to evoke its original high-grade fixed-lens camera, the DSC-R1, though the only similarities between the two are the ability to capture Raw image data and the ambition of their designs.
In general you can divide the enthusiasts' compact sector by body style, with the Canon S100 exemplifying the conventional compact style and the G12 representing the more bulky, dial-encrusted choices with tunnel-style optical viewfinder. Sony has chosen to go down the compact route and opted for a lens that slows considerably as you zoom in, rather than the bright zooms offered by the Olympus XZ-1, Panasonic LX5 and Fujifilm X10. This is the same balance Canon has chosen with its popular S100, but of course that doesn't have a sensor anywhere near as large as the RX100's.
Despite the large sensor, the RX100 is still pocketable. It's not the smallest compact camera on the market, but it'll fit in breast pocket of a jacket, making it a genuine carry-around second camera for DSLR owners. In principle, at least, the RX100 shouldn't present the same image-quality compromise that switching across to one of the existing compact cameras would.
The specification is pretty impressive - a 20MP 1" sensor, a 1.2 million dot 3.0" LCD (VGA resolution but using Sony's WhiteMagic technology to offer greater brightness or improved battery life), 1080i60 video capture with the ability to shoot a 17MP stills without interrupting movie recording. There's a Zeiss-branded 28-100mm equivalent F1.8-4.9 lens featuring Zeiss T* coatings to minimize internal reflection. The camera can even boast a respectable 330 shots from a charge, according to CIPA tests.
Shooting for the enthusiasts
The RX100's user interface makes very clear that Sony has concentrated on making a camera that enthusiasts will be happy with. The difference between this and the Nikon 1 models (and the Sony NEX cameras when they were first launched), with their beginner-focused interfaces, couldn't be more stark. The RX100 doesn't go overboard with manual controls but the now commonplace lens-encircling control dial is key to its usability. It also has a customizable function menu - allowing you to specify which settings you want quick access to, and in which order. This is similar to the customization options added to NEX cameras but is also reminiscent of the Ricoh control interface (still probably our favorite on high-end compact).
And these differences from the entry-level mirrorless cameras are telling. Clearly Sony believes there is a photographically-savvy audience out there that wants a second camera with good image quality but without having to battle against a simplistic user interface or invest in what is probably a second lens system. It's pretty clear it also hopes that some buyers wanting to move up from conventional compacts will prefer something small and will recognise themselves as part of a majority who wouldn't buy other lenses even if they bought an interchangeable lens camera. The RX100's $650 price tag may well work against this, though.
Isn't that a bit expensive?
To put this price in perspective, you have to really understand the sensor size and what it means for the camera's capabilities.
 |
| The sensor in the RX100 is the same 1" format that Nikon uses in its 1-System. It is considerably smaller than those used in most interchangeable lens cameras but it significantly larger than those used in most enthusiast compacts. |
|---|
To do this, the table below shows it against its peers, showing the area of the sensor, the size of the camera and the effective aperture of the camera. This last figure gives an idea of how much control over depth-of-field the camera will offer, by relating the aperture ranges back to the 135 film standard.
| Price (MSRP) | Sensor area, mm2 (dimensions) |
Focal length range | Focal length range (equiv.) | Aperture range | Aperture range (equiv.)* | Dimensions, mm(bounding box**) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony DSC-RX100 | $649 | 116 (13.2x8.8) |
10-37mm | 28-100mm | F1.8-4.9 | F4.9-13.4 | 101x58x36 (210cm3) |
| Canon G1 X | $799 | 262 (18.7x14) |
15-60mm | 28-112mm | F2.8-5.8 | F5.2-10.7 | 117x78x65 (593cm3) |
| Olympus XZ-1 | $499 | 41*** (7.4x5.5) |
6.0-24mm | 28-112mm | F1.8-2.5 | F8.5-11.8 | 111x65x42 (303cm3) |
| Fuji X10 | $599 | 58 (8.8x6.6) |
7.1-28mm | 28-112mm | F2.0-2.8 | F7.9-11 | 117x70x57 (467cm3) |
| Canon S100 | $429 | 42 (7.4x5.6) |
5.2-26mm | 24-120mm | F2.0-5.9 | F9.3-27.4 | 99x60x27 (160cm3) |
| Nikon1 J1 | $649 | 116 (13.2x8.8) |
10-30mm | 27-82mm | F3.5-5.6 | F9.5-15.3 | 106x61x72 (464cm3) |
| Olympus E-PM1 | $499 | 225 (17.3x13) |
14-42mm | 28-84mm | F3.5-5.6 | F7-11.2 | 110x68x84 (628cm3) |
| Nikon D3200 | $699 | 358 (23x15.4) |
18- 55mm | 27-83mm | F3.5-5.6 | F5.4-8.7 | 125x96x149 (1788cm3) |
* Effective aperture, in 135 film terms - this gives an idea of the depth of field control offered by the lenses when the sensor size is taken into account.
** The sum of each camera's longest dimensions (the volume of the smallest box that could contain the camera, with the lens retracted)
***
Figure takes into account that the XZ-1 uses a crop from a 1/1.63" sensor.
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).
|
Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
 |
This article is Copyright 2012 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.
Comments