The Sony RX100 VII is the company's latest pocketable 1" sensor compact. It uses the same 24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 lens as its predecessor but features a more capable, easier-to-use autofocus system.
This comes in addition to the already impressive capabilities we saw in the Mark VI, including very fast continuous shooting and high-quality 4K video capture. And, for the first time in the series, the Mark VII has a mic socket for improved audio recording.
The Mark VII can shoot at up to 20 frames per second with no viewfinder blackout: specs that are a match for the company's flagship a9 sports camera. And it's this capability, along with the enhanced AF, that prompts Sony to talk about 'the power of an a9 in your pocket.' To be clear, though, it does not share its hardware with that model.
Key Specifications
20MP 1"-type stacked-CMOS sensor with phase detection and built-in DRAM
24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 zoom
20 fps continuous shooting with full autofocus and auto-exposure, and no blackout
Seven frame, 90 fps 'single burst' mode
Retractable 2.36M-dot EVF with 0.59x equiv. magnification
3" touchscreen LCD (flips up 180° or down by 90°)
Oversampled UHD 4K video (up to 5 min clips in standard temperature mode)
Combined lens and digital 'Active' stabilization mode in video
High speed video at up to 1000 fps
Intervalometer
Wi-Fi with Bluetooth and NFC
The RX100 VII will be available in August 2019 at a recommended price of $1200. It'll sell for around €1300 in Europe and £1200 in the UK, with both figures including tax. These are around the same prices as its predecessor was launched at, so we expect to see the Mark VI get re-positioned, to make room.
What's new and how it compares
The RX100 VII looks like its predecessor but borrows know-how (though not hardware) from the pro-sports a9 model.
Well there will be lots of reviews to come of this same camera with each hike of the internal processing speed matched equally by the hike in the price.
Seems like a great camera. One I would be extremely interested in were it $400-500 cheaper.
It's obviously on a different technological level for complex AF situations, but the fact that the G5X II is nearly 2/3 the price, and the ZS100 is nearly 1/3 the price means that you are really deep into the land of diminishing returns to get those advantages.
You cannot zoom in or out while you are using continuous auto focus and shooting (this can be done on some other cameras). For example, you start shooting wide and while you track the subject you also zoom in. Not possible here.
The stabilization in the child soccer video is jarring - lots of sudden framing shifts, makes the footage almost unwatchable IMO. If that's the result of the camera's new 'active' stabilization mode then it needs some work.
I deserve at least part of the blame for this, but also running alongside a running child would be tough for any stabilization system. The Pixel 3 would probably fare better, but at the cost of a huge crop.
Still, pans while walking by their very nature are nearly impossible to deal with without a gimbal, in my experience.
1) Unless you have a Panasonic CM1, then no, your phone does not have a similar sized sensor. Not even close.
2) It is too big for your pocket. It always has been. If you want something for your pocket, get a Canon G9X II. Or a Ricoh GR III.
3) People who need 20 fps need 20 fps.
4) This 1" sensor has the same base ISO dynamic range as that 5D Mk III. Ouch. For a camera mainly to be used for daylight shooting, that matters a lot.
Come on guys, let's not stoop to that level of pettiness already.
I'm not a Sony shooter, but you can't deny that Sony is delivering a tremendous amount of technical innovation at a fast pace. Their cameras and their systems all have other flaws, but that's the case everywhere.
Pick the advantages that matter most to you and compromises that bother you the least, and don't worry about what rating the other guys get.
@oztuert "If it is called Sony, here at DPReview gold award is a done deal."
looks like my 5-year old daughter shows more signs of maturity than you. Considering that you're probably one of those wealthy occidental male adult DPR readers, that says a lot about how much you have learnt during your life.
This, like the M6 and VA models, is another benchmark compact. People who don't own one really have no idea of how well it works in so many situations. It replaced one of my small DSLRs, Ricoh GRII and Fuji X100f. I consider it BETTER Than all of those 99% of the time. No, it can't replace my D850 and big lenses, but it's a terrific travel/street/hiking and almost everything camera.
I had the opposite experience. I went to a country that can be less than friendly to journalists, so I had to go incognito and leave my a7Rii and lenses behind. I ended up bringing a Fujifilm X100S and a Sony RX100V because they look fairly benign but are still capable. While on assignment, I found the Fujifilm to be better the vast majority of the time, despite the fixed focal length. The fast lens and big sensor really made a difference when it came to the overall attractiveness of the images and the controls and handling were much faster. That being said, the RX100V+ series cameras really do shoot surprisingly nice video. If Sony made a version of the RX100VII with a fast, 24-70mm equivalent zoom then I would be very tempted to use it as a B-roll or backup camera. (Note: This is just my stupid opinion. I understand that my needs aren't your needs and the RX100 series cameras may be the better choice for you).
Your opinion is not stupid. Some find the longer focal length/reach very important. Others need the larger sensor and low light ability. I was at Joshua Tree park yesterday and found the RX100 VI extra reach pivotal for some shots. But for the wide angle stuff I preferred what my D850 and 20mm 1.8G gave me. If I could only carry one? Well, it was 109 degrees, so I probably would leave the D850 behind!
Have and really like the 6. I don't see enough here to want to upgrade to the 7. However, for my shooting, overall speed and responsiveness is important so if the 7 is faster that is a good thing. I recently shot with my A7r3 instead of my A9 which I usually use. The A7r3 was just enough slower that I slightly missed quite a few critical moments. So speed can be important although one can often adapt to using a slower camera with practice. Even incremental improvements of the 7 are welcomed.
The benchmark compact, redefined :) Every Mk is a small step up the ladder. Yet, still (pretty good) Zeiss optics. A big leap would be to have a constant-focal GM lense. Why not ? Also, no USB-C ? It's much more reliable than mini-usb. A thougher composite body ? It still feels a bit fragile outside of a protective skin. Still, I have the Mk III and it still is a good secondary camera, but I don't feel an emergency for a change.
What is the estimate cost of the M7's zoom lens? I suspect it must be expensive to make a good quality lens and hence the price of the M7 is 200-400 dollars more than others in its class.
From another perspective, what other zoom lenses (for ILC) that have similar quality as that of the M7 and how much do they cost separately ?
Even with that shiny Zeiss logo, I don't think RX100VII's lens can compete with any full-frame or Aps-c lens, its equivalent aperture will be F7.8-F12.5. So if you're after excellent image quality, it will make you disappointed. Sony/Fuji's 18-135 3.5-5.6, which is more than one stop faster, cost 500 USD in China.
true, crop factor is not in its advantage with regard to aperture. Next rev. rx100 will probably have to incorporate computational methods to enhance its DR and IQ like smartphones to gain further edge against competition.
What is really upsetting about this RX100VII release in terms of video features is the Canon-like handicapping and pricing, caused by Sony's complacence of progress and lack of competition in the market. For $1200 prosumers can get an A6400 + 18-135 kit that is at least a stop faster and more versatile. For $800 prosumers looking for pocketable option can get a brand new 2-year-old RX100V with a faster lens and internal ND, which matter more for serious vlogging and 95% of hybrid shooting, especially in low light. For $400 casual vloggers can get DJI Osmo Pocket that can shoot 4K60p with a built-in gimbal. For $100 anyone can just afford a DJI Mobile that can be used with any smartphone they already have. If Sony starts to slow down, smartphone will take over compact 1" no doubt.
I have doubt about 1" disappearing due to phones. I don't know anything about video so i won't speak on behalf of video. But for stills, the sensor IQ difference, and lens versatility of 1" just obliterates phones. Once computational processing finds its way into dedicated cameras, that gap will widen further.
But it's true that with all the advances in phone cameras that for many typical people phones already generally are good enough for their pix. But those people aren't "photographers". Every genre of dedicated camera, except perhaps low-end PNS, will find a photographer interested in it.
Clearly the RX100M7 with all of its bells and whistles isn't going to lure those away who are essentially happy with their phone pix and don't really seek more. Particularly not for $1,200. Clearly the RX100M7 is for advanced+ photographers seeking/needing quite a bit of camera "power" in a relatively very small package.
RX100VII could've been a more complete package provided what the previous generations have already achieved: Internal ND, faster lens, 4K60, ultra wide angle zoom. With improved processing power, it could also incorporate a few computational features like smart HDR, night mode, super EIS, pixel shift, etc. Large 1" like RX10 will still sell (although RX10II was another bummer).
@4s: Oh, for sure I'd like to see more stuff in ALL cameras! And I'm 1,000% with you on a wider lens! I'm all for starting the range at 20mm equiv. And there's no such thing as a fast enough lens in compacts, lol. Unfortunately, going that wide creates size and weight challenges, and so does wider appetite. Always tradeoffs. Somehow the Canon SX60HS pulled off a 21mm-1,365mm equiv. range in a relatively small lens. Not the greatest IQ though.
True, it would be nice to see some computational features in the RX cameras. Particularly since there's no RAW-processing in-camera with Sony. How in the world Sony has gotten away with no in-camera RAW-processing this long is beyond me...
Any chance that the reviewer(s) could put on a pair of polarized sunglasses and see if the rear LCD of the RX100VII blacks out when viewed in landscape mode? I have owned numerous Sony cameras, and they all worked fine with polarized sunglasses in landscape mode, until I bought the RX100VI, which blacks out when viewed in landscape mode. Very frustrating if you use polarized sunglasses, and very frustrating if you hand the camera to someone to take your picture, and they have polarized sunglasses, and, seeing nothing on the rear LCD, think that the camera is off.
Great observation. While I live with this inconvenience I very nearly returned the camera because of it. Such an unnecessary oversight. Would it cause me to upgrade to the VII. Probably not.
Am I the only one who isn't that impressed here? Sure its got the fancy tracking system, but I don't think the system in my mark 5 is bad at all. I have no problem following my unpredictable 3 year old around. Plus, the prices of these cameras have been going up and up. $1200 is a steep price for a 1" camera.
I have an m3. These are okay for close up stills or maybe holiday photos in good light if you REALLY just need a small camera. Otherwise honestly a cheap d3300 with kit lens or entry zoom lens will get better shots all day long and have better through frame acuity.
"Except, of course, that the RX100 series lost its built-in ND filter with the move to the new, longer lens (with the Mark VI) and, unlike the RX10s, doesn't have a filter thread, forcing you into risky ad-hoc attachment methods if you want to shoot video at sensible shutter speeds in daylight hours."
Well, why not call the "RX10 II Mark II" the RX10M2.19 (indicating the modernized 2019 version). Likewise, the RX10M5 could be revamped to RX10M5.19.
But what Sony really oughtta do to put an end to all the confusing "Mark" naming is just be descriptive instead. If only they started it all out as:
RX10-24200.13, then RX10-24200.15, then RX10-24600.16, then RX10-24600.17, then RX10-24200.20(???)
RX100-2470.14, then RX100-2470.16, then RX100-2470.18, etc... then RX100-2470.20(???)
Sure the names are a bit longer but oh so much clearer! You guys got the pull with Sony. Tell 'em to start renaming. No way in hell they'd say no to The Richard Butler! ;)
I have owned a RX1003 and an RX1005. I had no problem, when upgrading, selling these cameras at a decent price. They are popular as used equipment and hold their value well enough to make an upgrade viable for me. This might explain why Sony can keep all the previous models on the market. Pro tip for reselling: put a plastic protective sheet on the LED screen as soon as you get the camera to prevent scratches. This makes the resale questions easier to answer.
I have the RX100 V and it was great - until it turned into a brick. Put it in a drawer one day, took it out the next and nothing - dead to the world. New battery, etc. SONY support gave me a hard boot procedure, no help. Last resort is send it in with $365 and they will see what they can do. Not exactly confidence-building, is it? Has DP Review had any similar meltdown experience with any of the RX100's?
$365 is a lot less expensive than $1,200 for a new RX100 vii, and the latter is certainly not 3.3x better than the former. If Sony gives you any sort of warranty for the repair work, it might be worth it.
Actually, it might be cheaper for Sony simply to send you a "refurbished" unit, which may have been returned for innocuous reasons. A refurbished unit with warranty might be fine for you too.
I have a shelf of assorted electronic gear that ceased to work, occasionally for no particular reason. Usually, however, the culprit was intrusion of water, whether from rain, snow, a splash, a spilt beverage, or sweat. A small infiltration through the shutter button, lens, or battery chamber can be enough. Any liquid with salt is the worst of all. I suspect a douse of sea water will ruin many cameras dubbed as "weather sealed." It certainly ruins "rugged" cameras if any sand or grit becomes lodged in the seals and leads to a leak.
Yeah, I've never been much of a fan of those Point Of Sale Extended Warranties (Geek Squad, Assurion, SquareTrade, etc.) but for Compacts and waterproof cameras, I think it's a wise investment. Especially since they're almost all really slippery and often are used in cramped bustling situations (concerts). Drops happen, and telescoping lenses generally don't like that!
I've had the RX100 III for a number of years now and it still fills the role of the perfect 'companion' camera to my bulkier SLR alternative (Canon 5D Mk3 & Mk4) replacing a Canon S90 before it. Sometimes hauling a large camera and lens around just isn't possible.
For its size and cost (at the time) it still impresses me. It even survived a waist level drop (with the lens extended) in a cold Ottawa when I was fumbling due to my thick gloves. I wouldn't hesitate buying another RX as a second camera should mine give up the ghost.
Well, it's a small form factor and it has a big (for the form factor) sensor. Slightly smaller is the Canon SX720, SX730, SX740 with 24-960mm equiv. lens. Impressive! But sensor size of 1/2.3", and JPEG only.
When I was debating purchasing this camera, I wondered if I would miss the higher zoom of my DLSR or my older point and shoot. I scanned back through some older photos I liked and found that probably 75% of them were wide angle, 20% were moderate zoom, and maybe 5% were super zoom. And the better sensor on this camera allows for a good bit cropping when needed. I've been quite satisfied.
Compared to what? Phones are WAY noisier, APS-C is a little better, FF is noticeably better. The predecessors had very usable IQ, and this new sensor looks to be even better. Check the Sample Gallery. For me, it starts getting sloppy at ISO 3,200 viewed at 100%. Still PLENTY good enough to make relatively large prints and overkill for web stuff. Impressive lens too. My only gripe is that I'd like it to be smaller, and well, $1,200...
Doesn't Night Mode just make the display orange so as to not illuminate the surrounding area and upset people nearby, or just to be otherwise less intrusive? Or is it a really high ISO setting?
Because i had an S10+ and the only thing that impressed me about it was the ultrawide camera's AOV. The standard camera is so-so, and and "tele" camera is garbage. I got rid of my S10+ and got a Note9 instead. It's got the same standard and tele cameras as the S10 and the Samsung cameras cannot even begin to touch my RX10M3 (RX10, not RX100) which has a several-year-old 1" sensor.
If your phone (any phone on the planet) is producing superior results to your 1", you may want to confirm all your 1" settings cuz something's definitely wrong.
Oh, or are you talking about the computational photographic aspect of the image processing? Cuz processing is a different matter.
@Aegon Targaryen You've probably missed out on the May (or was it June) firmware update which greatly improved the Night Mode of the S10 series, now it's almost Pixel grade, yes it's computational, and because it takes longer to capture so many frames it's a separate mode. ----------- Also you could've installed a Gcam port which with the maximum stack settings would bring up the DNG image quality two notches, almost certainly surpassing RX10 (I shot the RX10IV for a week and used +-2EV bracketing in many instances to make bring its DR up after I got used to shooting Gcam DNG), but you could do that with your current Note 9 too.
@S Yu: Oh wow, now I'm bummed. I last updated on 12 July but my Security Patch Level says June 1, 2019. I tried to update just now and I'm apparently up to date but i don't have Night Mode available in my camera. I checked my camera's Settings to make sure i didn't have Night Mode in hiding. Nope, not there.
The only Night Mode i have on my Note9 is that i can set a certain time of night to make my screen turn yellow, and then a morning time tip return to full-color.
I'm in America with a factory-unlocked Note9 currently on Verizon. Where are you, and what network?
@Aegon Targaryen No I meant on the S10+, there's no Night Mode update for anything older than S10 AFAIK, your only option left for a significant boost in image quality since switching to the Note 9 is now a Gcam port.
You can choose to use it only for night sight mode if you prefer the Samsung camera interface and image output for other uses.
That is, you can have both camera apps and choose which to use for whichever situation you're in.
I have a Moto G7 and use the GCam app for all my stills (and wow, night sight is pretty impressive), but use the Moto camera app for video as it has better stabilization and frame rates, HDR with 1080p, and 4k option.
Since that comment I believe there's already been a trickling down of night mode to older models. Even though no Gcam version with night sight even supports my phone, I still stick to Gcam most of the time. The only reasons for me to use the default camera would be time and low light, when I need the shot immediately and don't have the option of holding the phone, or when ISO reaches 800 on auto, in that case the default generally produces somewhat better photos, and without a further lengthened wait time for Gcam to make a stack in low light.
it is for those who have no trouble paying $1000 for an iPhone :p If you are willing to fork out a grand for a phone, forking out 1.2k for a compact camera would not be difficult.
the trouble with these RX100 series is that the build quality is extremely fragile. It looks robust but I had 3 different cameras and with all 3 nothing else but difficulties : camera makes noise, the flash wouldn't stay in, software trouble, lens cap didn't work well, when asking both raw and jpeg files sometimes you only have the raw files, sometimes only the jpegs etc etc (and yes I had 3 cameras because the image quality was outstanding for what it was needed...and no I'm not a careless user as all my other equipment never broke)
i'm thinking of getting the VII and also am concerned about its built and to take care of that by getting a 4yrs square trade pro warranty for 129 (B&H) would bring it to 1329 without tax, for a p&s it's kinda ridiculously expensive.
On the other hand I've had from release date a Mk III (that still sits in a car) a MkIV a MkV and a VI that is in another car. MkIII screen I marked with Deet but none have missed a beat and they have had hard lives, been on every continent, dessert, jungle and snow. I wish there was a ND filter on the MkVII but far more that they also did one with the MKV lens (With ND) but touch screen AF and Mic input. One persons experience either way is not indicative. I could have been lucky and others unlucky.
Nice. I’ve had the I and III and now on the VI. How come Sony didn’t switch to USB C, though? Nikon have on my Z7 which is great as I use my laptop charger for that, now.
How much photos it could take before it die ? At the same price someone could buy a full frame dslr like d610 or 6d and a lense . A combination that could give better quality and will live for half million photos , at least.
The RX100 series is not intended to be someone's only camera. They are intended, particularly the latest models, to be one of several, if not many, cameras used by that photographer.
@Magnar W If we all should comment on all camera gear that is NOT for us, the dpr forums would be spammed so that they were unuseable within hours. LOL
I've had my RX100 MkI for 4 years. It's taken many thousands of photos and video clips and all kinds of abuse, and it's still working well. I'm sure these will be just fine.
"At the same price someone could buy a full frame dslr like d610 or 6d and a lense."
And what's the likelihood that many people would want to carry a full frame DSLR like D610 and 6D everywhere? The reality is that you are more likely to take more pictures with a camera that you are more willing to carry.
@cosinaphile - is anyone buying a phone *just* to use as a camera? Lol. Smartphones are an integral part of people's lives these days, independent of photo taking.
People ARE choosing to use a cellphone camera exclusively , with its non existent aperture,... tiny sub cheap compact sized sensor,... "equivalency factor for 1.8 lenses of f11 appx... lack of creative control ,... pencil eraser sized plastic "lenses"..and slab held in the air ergonomics. and STILL considering themselves"serious "about photography ....I consider this silly and delusional .
Yet it drives the death of the camera, but to address your point directly?
Camera prowess & improvements is the most advertised feature of cellphones today.... thats a fact , no one is saying their cellphones offer a better talk or internet experience or better sounding music .... all people care about is the camera and its pretty much all the makers brag about, advertise about
Cameras probably are the most important feature to people choosing a new phone , so yes while people have cellphones as a life companion ... they are also buying ones specifically based on the cameras.
I have a Nikon DSLR, a Sony RX100 VI and an iPhone XS. There is a time and place for each camera. When I go out with the intention of taking photos I take the Nikon. Great economics, fast to zoom and adjust. But if I'm wandering around Manhattan or Paris where my main focus is enjoying the city I want something small. The RX fits in my pocket and in auto mode takes fast and accurate photos. and in a pinch, the phone is impressive as well.
Everybody’s different, but this camera’s not for me. It doesn’t do shallow DOF for portraits, it can’t do sports or wildlife very well. If you want a light street or travel camera then it’s a great option if you’ve got plenty of money and want an upgrade on your phone camera for more control and low light.
If we all should comment on all camera gear that is NOT for us, the dpr forums would be spammed so that they were unuseable within hours ... and who cares about what is not for you?
I think we could quote selected sections from any active posters on these forums, use what we selected out of context, and then "prove" whatever we want, lol!
If you want shallow DOF for portraits with this camera, place your subject a good distance from the background, extend the zoom, stand back, and take the photo.
It won't do shallow depth of field only if you believe the ignorant and ill-intentioned who persist in perpetuating that lie. F/stop is one way, it's the lazy way, but it's not the only way. Depth of field is easily controlled by your focal length and the distance between your camera, your subject, and the background. I would classify myself as an average or slightly below average amateur photographer and I can produce blurred backgrounds at f/8 and f/11. You're probably better at photography than I am so you should be able to do it easily—use any focal length over 35mm and and move your elements around till you get the effect you want. Photographers are in command of every aspect of their photos, they do not let imaginary shortcomings in their equipment stand in the way.
@Smiler: I appreciate your self-deprecation. Very refreshing on a forum full of poser windbags who actually do shoot at the level you describe yourself to be at.
I respectfully disagree though; i like your photos. 👍
totally agree , cat photos finally done right , some lovely portraits as expressive and sound as any of humans
ive got a shot of some dogs in a rainy car window pining for their master , but nothing beats the penetrating gaze of our aloof , but friendly feline friends
@SmilerGrogan there’s no arrogance in wanting a camera with a fast lens and it’s not really lazy either. It gives you more light and allows for shallow DOF under most situations should you want it. Cameras are tools and the faster the lens, the more versatile the tool. It’s all about trade offs. Those who are happy to use a flash or search around for distant backgrounds for the occasional shallow DOF shot have the advantage of being able to find a camera that is usually smaller and lighter . . but in this case not necessarily cheaper.
If only there were a camera a little smaller than the RX100 that had a 60mm x 45mm 120MP sensor and 14mm-2,500mm (actual, not equiv.) f1.0 (actual, not equiv.) rectilinear lens. For $199. I mean, since we're talking Fantasyland...
Come on, dude... You know this thing fits in a jacket pocket, right? THAT is its main feature. In that context it is truly very powerful and capable.
But if pocketability isn't very important to you, then this price point may seem ridiculous. Even if you covet pocketability, this price could still seem ridiculous as it's way up there for cameras around this size.
But the bottom line is that for a camera this small to create the kind of images it can is borderline amazing. I don't believe the RX100 series was ever intended to be someone's only camera. Rather, they're a supplemental special-use additional camera as a tool in the advanced photographer's quiver.
@Aegon Targaryen I see no advantage of fitting in a jacket pocket though. My excellent phone camera fits in my pocket and takes great photos for many occasions. Like most enthusiasts, when I want to create art I carry a lightweight Interchangeable mirrorless camera with a very fast lens, or a zoom lens depending on the circumstances or a dslr. Spending £1200 on a camera that doesn’t replace my phone or my ILC seems a waste of money. I’m sure some others might feel the same?
The only "real" advantage I see to this camera over a smart phone with a decent camera is the ability to optically zoom. Apple took out a patent a couple years back for adding just that to their iPhones:
@Makingtrax: Well, that's where the primary value would be: in the intermediate size between a phone (which is always on you anyway so counts as no space or weight), and committing to carrying gear, and conspicuously at that, or bringing a Compact which is nearly effortless to carry and is quite discreet. Plus having actual camera controls and viewfinder vs. no buttons or dials, and just a screen as with a phone.
There's no right or wrong answer to that, but having "pocket power" can often lead to getting photos where ILCs aren't allowed (concerts) or too burdensome or intrusive (crowded events/festivals). Such situations are where phones tend to get the shots. But there's no denying that cameras like the RX100 blow phones out on IQ, particularly on the tele end. It's not just the convenience of smaller lighter gear, sometimes it's necessary.
For really bright or daylight concerts where tele may be more important than noise, consider something like a Canon SX740 (24-960mm equiv.).
@cbphoto123: The article you linked to is 52 months old, and still nothing of the sort from anyone. Periscoping zoom lenses (like in waterproof cameras) often come up in phone camera discussions, but haven't been implemented in any phone I'm aware of. At least not successfully, or it would have already revolutionized phone photography.
Apple's cube sensor idea is interesting and could conceivably revolutionize digital photography. But i honestly expect that to prove too complex to successfully implement for a good while. Fascinating though...
connectivity,most highend cellphones lack sd & an audio plug, rx100 Vll has both it isnt just zoom. Its working apertures no cellphone has for creative and exposure control , its optical glass its a working diaphragm not a few plastic disks literally the size of a lentil in a housing sensor module the size a pencil eraser
a camera body to hold like a tool not a slab in the air ... an evf to compose like a real photographer not gaggles of selfie takers with arms length "composing " gathered at a colorful toxic lake
a sensor 1\8 the size of full frame with respectable higher s\n not a sensor 1\80 the size of ff with crap specs and iso
an evf vs a slab in the air ergonomics
a zoom ,while a nice feature , barely describes the superiority of a real 1 inch sensor evf equipped compact enthusient camera over a port challenged sd lacking cellphone rocking a few tiny 20 to 30 dollar sensor\"lens" modules
and if they succeed in killing compacts completely as you cellphone addicts dream of , well then in a few short years you can burn a wickerman with the Amazonian who murdered the ability to shop in a brick and mortar retail shop... celebrate the death of retail , and invite the facecrooks who killed the ability to interact socially with a modicum of normalcy , hey invite instaglam to celibrate the toxic lake selfie killing normal photography
Actually this camera can record 4K for over an hour until the battery is emptied. This has been confirmed by multiple photographers who have had access to one. You just have to change one setting in the menu and the 5 minute limit is gone.
watched the whole link. It's an edited video of 13.5 minutes. Not saying it's not possible....but where does he say that he "shot 4k for over an hour with no overheating"..?
Others have also had the same experience. I watched several videos when the camera was announced and don’t recall who exactly, but more than one. Jared was one of them.
Now if only this lens was removable (without changing form factor AT ALL), and there was also available an 18-90mm equiv. f1.8-2.8 that could be attached. Maybe even a super-thin 28mm equiv. f1.7 pancake (more like crepe)!... Wanna talk about rocking the Enthusiast Compact market!
I hope the fast lens RX100 line isn't dead. The zoomers are happy but others would prefer a faster lens. If, IF the lens on the new G5X II is any good I would buy that instead.
not sure what a camera obsessive is , people who only consider dedicated cameras to be serious picture taking tools ?
cellphones are not .... until they provide the creative , aperture , noise abatement [at all light levels] and control that a good enthusiast camera provides, they are not , as good as cellphones have become at giving an attractive, AUTOMATIC , easy,prêt-à-porter image file , they are not serious cameras for serious shooters , they are great all purpose image video media internet machines that most social media users demand of camera connectivity
it isnt camera obsessive, its a person who decides to have actual tools at hand for their craft, no carpenter uses a swiss army knives to craft wood, and no doctor uses a kmart sewing kit to stitch up patients ,serious fishermen dont use a coleco bass-o-matic pocket rod and reel with a flashlight in the handle, and no serious shooter only has a cellphone only for photography, though many imagine it.
cont: Every shooter need a camera . even a good compact like this sony series is. its really a shame sony is blatantly overcharging for this camera 1200 usd . the basic R&D to fit lens and guts in this shell has been achieved 5 or 6 models ago , this camera should be about 1\2 to 2\3 the price ... for its sensor size , the size and speed of 1 inch sensor lens optics etc etc and especially for its build quality.
The auto switching af modes do look awesome i admit.
On reflection i think cellphone obsessives is a better characterization of the thought , after all, every camera buyer owner almost certainly has a cellphone and uses its camera. Its the cellphone camera believers whose obsessive uses of cellphones only, and not actual dedicated camera that has caused the sceneario in the first place, dedicated cameras having shamefully poor internet connectivity 25 years after the rise of the interwebs does not help matters.
@cosina I'm going to take a look at it because it might be small enough to wear like jewelry. Keep it around my neck for traveling. Specific for me is it might be good enough to shoot from a moving motorbike, which would be super handy, as pulling over isn't always an option
@Cosina: Lol, where did all that come from? I mean, I agree and all, but what spurred you?
It's a given that anyone arguing that the only camera needed for superb photography is the one in a phone or that a camera like the RX100M7 is no better than a phone, doesn't know photography at all. If you're responding to such a person(s), why waste the time?
from the review in progress , [which is shaping up nicely ] :
"....if Sony has got all the elements to work together as well as they should be able to). But we'll have to wait to see whether people who aren't camera obsessives end up getting that message, or if they just stick with their smartphones....." hey are in fact cellphone obsessives imo rejecting cameras , embracing cellphone modular cameras only
shooters who love and buy cameras [ a shrinking subset of shooters] usually have a cellphone and will shoot pic with it as necessary
because the are NOT obsessive to a singular type of camera as those who choose cellphones only are .... i thought the choice of words lacked correctly identifying who was obsessing
..... yeah i get a little excited sometimes .......lol after my little rant , im not so sure im right after all about who the obsessive ones are .... i need a nice drink
@cosina: Lol, no worries. I'm certainly not upset at anything you said. I totally agree that "camera obsessives" (COs) could use some defining.
Maybe COs are ILC-dedicated or FF-or-larger-sensor-dedicated photographers who don't bother with any lesser gear, and merely use phones for "slag" shots with no intent of trying to create superb photos unless they're using higher-end gear. I could see how such a gear-dedicated person would simply dismiss anything with a smaller sensor and/or retractable lens regardless of how powerful a tool it could actually be. That kinda pride, to me, is truly antithetical to photography. Some unbelievable photos have been taken with 35mm film (obviously), and from an IQ standpoint 1" sensors utterly destroy 35mm film except for DOF.
Frankly, if someone meets my definition of CO, what they say will have to be taken with a grain of salt. DPR is FULL of such stat sheet geeks that couldn't take a good photo with all the Phase One gear in the world...
It seems like a good upgrade from VI, but for my usage V/VA would work far, far better(much better low light performance in wide angle end). I wonder if Sony will release the upgraded version of VA with the same new stacked sensor any time soon?
Nothing changes on here when it comes to gear heads brand sniping, it is a continuous war of the infantile, there is so much good in what is available to the photographer today all should be pleased but some would have in a difficult climate companies to go under so their choice becomes the de facto No1. This I just picked up from AP giving the 2018 market report for digital cameras, it does not make good reading......
The report from Nikkei Japans biggest news organisation.
"Compared with 2017 the total sales volume for digital cameras plunged by 22%, but some makers will have modest celebrations following the report, Canon increased its market share to 40.5% up 3.9% from 2017, and Fujifilms share is now 5.15%, Olympus share inched up to 2.8%. That's the good news. However Nikons share fell to 19.1% and Sony was down to 17.7%."
Pentax and Panasonic not even mentioned, bad all round for most camera manufacturers.
No just the RX1RIII, me too. The Zeiss body is unnecessarily big with a lens of mediocre speed and too small a screen (fixed, not to mention) to do edits on which cannibalized precious space for buttons. When...if Sony releases the RX1RIII, it should be with a simple, compact yet fast lens coupled with the curved FF sensor they've been working on for the better half of the decade. I believe a curved 1/2.3" already debuted in a selfie compact many years ago.
Yes, but I can wait. My is still working quite well and the pictures are exceptional. Everytime I think about a new camera I find no good argument to buy it. ;-)
The RX1 is one camera which would absolutely benefit from an upgrade. The results are awesome ... we just need more help to get the picture first time ... it needs to be faster.
@ chadley_chad Hey would you still buy one today? (RX1) I could get one real cheap and I’m wondering if it’s a good idea? How bad is the AF? Or Manual Focus is the way to go?
Lol about the ZX1! If Zeiss was smart, they'd make up an excuse about some supplier going out of business so a critical part necessary for the ZX1 can't be made, and therefore they are scrapping plans to make any. Before the embarrassment of no sales tarnishes their superb lenses...
He’s right. Not just Sony but also Canon is guilty of this as well. I mean you wouldn’t expect it to equal something like a Nikon D3500 with its 1500 shots per charge but a super-capable camera like this is deserving of a longer-lasting battery. Especially if you’re paying $1200 or more for it.
I can go out with my RX100 for the day and easily shoot 800 pictures before I have to worry about battery power. I then simply pull out a £5 battery, replace and carry on. What’s so hard about this; and/or warrants a bigger camera to house a bigger battery!
Battery life is OK but not great, and when you shoot video, battery life goes through the floor.
But the RX100 has a great feature that helps with this: USB charging. Keep a small, light USB power bank in your bag (or jacket pocket) and when you're not shooting, plug the camera into the power bank and top it off.
If you will be shooting a lot all day, get a second battery with the charging case. The case is genius, because not only does it protect the spare battery, it can also charge it through USB. So if your RX100 battery runs down, swap in with the spare in the case, and while you are shooting with the spare, the first battery can be recharging from the USB power bank.
I bought the original rx100 in 2012 for 450Eur. I still use it today and i am rarely disappointed with the results i get after postprocessing in Lighroom (jpgs suck). It was probably the best Investment in camera gear i ever did (and i love my a7). I took it to so many places where i wouldve never carried any larger cameras. So even at double the price it would've totally been worth it.
The reverse for me , I hated the lens on my Mk1 , poor edges at the wide end even stopped down and soft full stop at the long end ., the Mk3 lens is superb end to end edge to edge even at F2.8 throughout and in Raw was good enough for me to ditch Micro 4/3 (though I`d added a RX10 Mk3 by then)
I think the inconsistencies in camera equipment are enormous. I have a cheap Sony 55-210mm lens which delivers stupidly sharp images substantially better looking than my £1200 Zeiss lens. I also recently purchased an OMD 5 MKII with the pro 14-70mm lens and the results were so bad, I returned the whole camera. Same thing for an RX1 I had in the past and here with my RX100. My MKI I actually purchased back from a friend as the images were so good compared to the MKIII ... which I bought incidentally for the tilt screen but I have to be honest, it feels flimsy and the added bulk, although small, is still enough for me to leave behind and take the MKI instead. I always worry the MKIII’s screen will catch on my pocket and break.
Yup. The RX100VI was released one year ago July 2018. And that’s because Sony would rather make you spend another $1200 dollars than give free firmware updates on last years and the year before model. 🤦🏼♂️
It's a very compelling package; but having a wider aperture on the wide end would make it even more versatile. Perhaps Sony could consider making two versions, one with a 24-70 eqv lens but with a f1.8 aperture on the wide end instead.
To be honest, if you’re zooming to 200mm, I guess you’re more likely to be doing so in the day; hence why Sony didn’t worry too much about the higher aperture ; if you're shooting in low light at 200mm, you’re probably going to be more of a pro or semi-pro and as such, be using a mirror less alternative. Just my take on it.
Hmmm, I wasn't suggesting a 200mm f1.8 lens since that would probably be way too large for the camera. I simply would prefer to sacrifice the long-end to gain f1.8 on the wide end (like previous gens), so that the camera wouldn't be useless in low light. I can see how this version of the RX100 could be all the camera one needs during day time, but soon when it gets dark, you'll need to have something with a large aperture with you to continue shooting.
Angrymagpie ... exactly ... I guess Sony feel the same; this is a great daytime travel camera but for night you need something different. I guess this is why I own three RX100’s and an RX1R ... Sony got me good lol!
Olympus Stylus 1 – smaller sensor, but reaches 300mm f2.8. A bit larger but a lot more ergonomic with good control mechanisms. Was about half this price or less on launch. "Comparable" is of course dependent on your own personal requirements.
@Gal Root How do you know that? Have you dismantled the P30P and used a better lens on the tiny sensor? The telephoto module of the P30P is a 1/5" with tiny photosites, the smaller the photosites the more the crosstalk and noise. Diffraction isn't helping but then the aperture of the lens is limited by the body width so it's going nowhere on a phone.
@S Yu, I agree with you, smartphone zoom certainly has become better in a last few years but it's still nowhere close to the level of what premium compact zoom cameras like RX100 VII can achieve. A tiny sensor can only do so much in terms of resolving details and capturing dynamic range, and even if the lens used by Huawei was extremely sharp, the image quality won't be great at higher ISO level.
A small correction by the way, P30 Pro uses 1/3.5" 8MP sensor with 1.22µm pixels for its telephoto module and not 1/5" one.
S Yu, "A tiny sensor can only do so much in terms of resolving details and capturing dynamic range" Although somewhat true for the detail part, dynamic range is pretty great on phones today due to the stacking that happens in each shot. I believe each photo my phone takes consists of around 7-10 frames, hence the great dynamic range. My FZ1000 could not compete with my phone when it came to dynamic range. It's not the hardware, it's the software that the cameras lack. I believe it will change in the next 2 years or so once Sony (hopefully others too) will start to copy Pixel-like algorithm. BTW, the sensor on the Huawei is 1/1.7", although still small, I wouldn't call it tiny. Also, in daylight , you can take 40MP shots on the P30 Pro. Would be interested to compare it to the RX (RAW vs RAW, forget jpegs).
What are you talking about? The zoom range of the RX100VII borders superzoom and we were all talking about the telephoto, you don't call it a 28mm equiv. prime the "alternative" to the RX100VII. And I'm not aware of the P30P using any stacking for the tiny telephoto, the only secondary camera with full time stacking should be Apple's with SmartHDR.
@S Yu, GSMArena says that the pixel size of the telephoto sensor is now 1.22µm which is an upgrade over 1µm of Mate 20 Pro's, and if I calculate the sensor size based on this claim it will be ever so smaller than a 1/3.4" sensor that is used on iPhone XS and Galaxy S10. It looks like GSMArena just copied and pasted the camera specs from Mate 20 Pro's specification page into P30 Pro's page and changed where necessary, but forgot to do so for the telephoto lens specs hence leaving it as 1/4". https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p30_pro-review-1910p6.php
@Gal Root, you can completely forget about RAW capturing on P30 Pro because it's absolutely horrible. Not only it has tiny pixels which record abysmal dynamic range, the camera also needs to interpolate color information to extract the value of green from yellow pixels and use array conversion to construct a full resolution image, all of which add up to produce tons of noises that are simply not present on RX100's RAW image. RYYB bayer filter also means colors are rendered inaccurately without complex color adjustment(Huawei uses it for the JPEG processing and it seems to be working mostly well), and then even if you ignore all those problems you still need to correct lens distortion and vignette which is pain in the neck without an official lens profile from them.
@LoSPt1 Very interesting...I missed that detail, I wonder where they even got that number, I looked around but wasn't able to find the sensor size or pixel pitch anywhere else.
@S Yu Maybe they got it from Huawei official? Their review on P30 Pro came out immediately after it had been announced in the stage, and this indicates that GSMArena already had the device and the list of specs from Huawei long before the announcement.
Thanks for the premilinary review. I registered with DPreview because of this p&s camera's beautiful exquisite photos from the sample gallery, I had the same impression when browsing these photos as with those from the A7III sample gallery. Looking forward to seeing more photos added to the RX100VII gallery and full review.
The Lumix ZS200 is the same camera as the C-Lux and costs $798 at Amazon. The ZS100 is only $498 on Amazon.
It's a tough call though. A big feature of the RX100M7 is supposedly incredible AF that's likely substantially better than the Lumixes', and if you need that, is it worth the money? That'll vary for everyone...
Even when compared to the $800 Lumix ZS200, I will still pay $400 additional for the Sony RX100 VII, because the latter is the only compact camera capable of Sony a9 auto-focus capability (important even in a family setting, with kids and pets running around). And add the fact that it has a MIC input port and the availability of both optical (OIS) and electronic (EIS) image stabilization; I deem it to be the best all-around camera that can fit in a pocket.
@PP There is no denying the RX100M7's capabilities. I mean, frankly, it's a little hard to believe a camera so capable can fit in a purse or roomy pocket! I could see more than a handful of people justifiably considering it an absolute bargain! On the other hand, 12 bills ain't lunch money. Based on what you're saying though, I'd be surprised if you don't find it money well-spent.
Me, I don't shoot video so the MIC input doesn't matter. Lol, 4K is something I'd probably use twice before upgrading to the next model a few years later. :D And I need my pocket camera to be smaller. So the RX100M7 is bittersweet for me. I'd REALLY like somebody to put all this tech in a camera no larger at all than a Canon S120. And I'm totally fine if that means using the exact same size (1/1.6") sensor currently in the S120.
Come on, Sony... RX1000!!! Come on, Canon... S130!!! DO IT! ;)
Well, the Sony RX0 II is considerably smaller than the RX100 series (also smaller than the Canon S120) and still features a 1-inch sensor and a flippy rear screen.
@PP: Lol, the RX0 is interesting in its own right, but cannot compete at all from an ergonomic standpoint, nor can it zoom. Plus, it's pretty thick and can't fit in a pocket nearly as comfortably as an S120 does.
@PP: Oh... oh yes it can... Don't forget the virtue of optical zoom and a truly exceptional lens. And ergonomics! Do you *like* shooting with your phone? Do you find it as efficient as a camera with dedicated buttons and dials?
Of course not. Microscopic IQ aside (which i bet the S120 would still win), the S120 is going to produce better photos because it's actually quite a good camera. Rather than a skinny slippery rectangle with a big screen and tons and tons of lag and limitations.
Also, don't forget that the S120 has a 12MP 1/1.6" sensor, not 1/2.3". A very good sensor at that! Its RAWs are very workable and it's a very powerful tool.
I’m happy that Sony finally figured out how to put a mic jack on a camera they’ve been touting as a, “great vlogging camera”. Now I wonder if they fixed the problem with noisy photos at iso 800 and up?
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