Sony recently announced the RX100 VI, the newest addition to its compact camera line. With six iterations of the RX100 series now in circulation, how does this new model stand out from the rest? Chris and Jordan take the camera for a spin and tell us what they think about the new, longer lens, the updated viewfinder and more. They even manage to fit in some well earned hammock time in the process.
I’ve owned a few of this camera series and my biggest complaint? Poor ergonomics. Nothing has changed there. I don’t put cameras in my pocket so I’m amongst those who would prefer an enhanced body with improved handling.
In the beginning of the video, Cris says "it is a family camera...". Well by such price tag, many families will break apart. My wife would divorce me, in the best second she found the bill :)
Joke apart; I love her. Won't touch to that thing ever. :D
Can we please get the stripped down version that doesn't do video at all is satisfied with 3fps (but doesn't compromise on AF) for max. half the price?
Surely, as soon as Apple and Samsung decide to make a dedicated touchscreen PHONE rather than a SmartPhone with a camera and various other computing functions that many people may not use.
Just looked up the temperatures for two places?: one in the city of Calgary and the other in a town just north of it. The maximum temperatures over the period 1-26 june, in which I guess this episode was shot were mostly between 18 and 27 C, never went above 27,4 C in the village and never above 29 C in the city. And those were the absolute highest for a short amount of time.
So it overheats in temperatures that are really nowhere near hot. Given he is not in any city and near a river we can the temperatures being lower than that. This cam just runs way too hot under very normal condtions.
Chris'actually says 24 C. Even in The Netherlands where I live that is a standard day in July and August.....
I would prefer if Sony had compromised in order to use a faster lens. Perhaps a 24-140mm with an f2.0-3.5 instead of f2.8-4.5. Meanwhile I'll stick with my Canon G7X ll for my pocket camera.
When I saw a red boat floating on a lake I thought we were in for a long slow "float-by" scene... as in Red Green cottage country. Chris has the beard and Jordan is the techno nerd.
By not differentiating the video and detail reviews, you’re doing it wrong. By having a quick YouTube review while we wait for the written review... you’re doing it wrong.
I used to work at DXO (in Marketing, not a scientist), I know a written review may takes ages. IQ tests, etc. And you want to go fast because Youtubers have made an art of having a video review of products right away.
You should really speed up the quality written reviews find a way, how is it possible that smaller sites come up with IQ tests and what not (Ken Rockwell, like him or not that man is a content deployment machine).
You should present both the video and written review together, that’s the ideal thing to do. No point in presenting the video first and then confusing users (they won’t all read everything, sad reality) with a later written review.
It’s like going to a restaurant and having first the desert, and days after the big plate comes in. It just doesn’t make sense. *just my two euro cents*
BTW DPR, you know it's ISO 500, not 500 ISO, right? Right? It's a pet peeve of mine. ISO isn't a unit. Please don't do this, it's enough that phone reviewers keep making the mistake.
Why is everyone so crazy about the Mark um, marking recently?
I guess Canon started it, Olympus jumped on the bandwagon but both are at least semi-reasonable in the sense that the newer Mark cameras still feel like the older versions.
But Sony... Come on. This is getting stupid. Why not just call this thing RX200 or RX50? Or SX100? How is this in any way (I'd argue it is in shape or form but not way) an upgrade from RX100 V and how is that related to the original RX100? The fact they're still selling all the previous variants... Uh yea.
What are Mark VII, VIII... Mark LIX or whatever gonna look like? Are they gonna keep selling the Mark I still at that point and how the hell are we supposed to remember which is which?
1" is a bit of a neither here nor there sensor in that it is not big enough to really give any scope for shallow depth of field but large enough to make lenses either large or if small enough getting them sharp mind bogglingly expensive and all for a bit less noise and more dynamic range but still way short of an ILC. I wonder if the 1" sensor has been as much of a disaster really for the compact arena as the smartphone and probably a 2/3" sensor developed to the same level would mean current compact kit being still compact and affordable and accessible to many more people.
For $1200 it needs mic jack, ND filter, filter threads on the lens, and a hot shoe (useful for a radio trigger if not a flash unit). Guess what - the Nikon P7800 from 2013 has all those features. Ah progress.
Otto. That depends on whether you are potential buyer of M6 or not. If yes then you might as well want to read the write up.
I think it was actually great review and have no need to read written one anymore. Knowing some facts about M5 and previous versions I feel like I know what M6 is about now which is great lens with versatile focal length but average closeup, not so well stabilized video, state of art AF, super fast continuous burst rate crippled by small buffer and slow clearing times and capable sensor.
Just a suggestion, but if at the end of the video reviews a statement like: "There will be an upcoming full review soon", would keep comments like these from being posted.
Since it's the same sensor as the V I wonder if any of the software features might make it into a V formware update. Seems unlikely as Sony tend not to do that, but a couple of things would be handy. An option to use the new colour science and HLG video would be very nice... Oh and here's a great comparison of all 6 cameras in the range: https://photographylife.com/sony-rx100-series-comparison
I shoot both, but if I want to send something right then I send the JPEG to the phone not the Raw. BTW the free Capture One raw processing software does quite a nice job of making pleasing images at its default settings BTW (I usually use LR/Photolab but I actually bought a copy of C1 for the ease of processing RX100V images).
Default settings on C1 looks crap because it adds plenty luminance noise reduction. Turn that off and I would agree with you. That said, if one is say using Lightroom you can achieved whatever look you want and simply make it an import preset, or make that your new development default.
Personally (on the RX10 IV) if I want to share immediately, I'll export a couple RAWs to my phone, give 'em a quick fiddle in Lightroom Mobile, and then export JPEGs from there. I imagine the same would work for the RX100 V.
Revenant - The RX100VI, RX100V and RX10IV all have the exact same sensor stack, the BSI sensor, the PDAF pixels and the stacked chip are all identical.
@Dr_Jon Yes, they have. But I was replying to EthanP99, who asked "How is it the same sensor when the 6 has pdaf?" Even if he was wrong about the predecessor lacking PDAF, I thought that I should point out that the sensor can indeed be the same, even if the predecessor had lacked PDAF. Sorry for the confusion! :-)
The Panasonic equivalent don't seem to do it. But they have a serious crop (24 mm becoming 30 mm and 360 mm becoming 450 mm). How about the Sony? I really don't know but I think I prefer the crop. But yes it seems to be difficult to get 4K video without cropping working properly on such cams.
Irrirating to be only able to watch a video with sound (so I didn't), while I'd much prefer to just read. Quickly in this case, as befits a small sensor camera.
Actually if you want a 4k camera in a really light space it's pretty good, there isn't a better small sensor. Chunks of TV is shot on GoPros... by Pros...
My comment concerning Pros was about syncing external audio in post and not RX100 related, other than saying that is a common technique and could easily be used with a RX100, and so the missing (as it's impossible to fit) mic port isn't critical if you want really good sound.
As usual if you want the best spec you have to pay it, phase autofocus, HLG, Slog... Is a little bit overpriced but no other 1” small camera have all of it.
Thanks for the great and entertaining review. I look forward to watching these while drinking my Sunday morning cup of coffee.
The overheating would greatly concern me as well. It was not all that hot and the camera overheated quickly while shooting 4K. Imagine being on vacation and having your camera overheat because of a little 4K video, essentially turning it into a brick for further activity?
If people were to change their style of video recording towards the much better and discriminating, then the overheating thing would be much less of an issue, or no issue at all.
Yes overheating seems to be a big problem. I'm not sure why Sony keeps releasing these cameras with overheating problems. A6300 has similar issue (which Sony "fixed" it by increasing the threshold).
This fashion for mark designation is really strange and bound to lead to confusion as this is such a different camera type for the extra zoom against the fast lens user. Presumably Sony will make the old ones for ever so the old concept will continue but will people ever be able in the future to get the short fast lens with the latest sensor and processing abilities? It very much makes these cameras look like a very expensive sensor/processor test bed without a clear policy on the specific type of camera which just happens to be the style of the moment.
Nice review as always guys, thanks for this. ...this segment is tempting for travel/family, but at this price point, could start thinking APS-C mirrorless, eh?
I use a Fuji X-T2 w/ 18-135mm for travel with the family. It starts feeling heavily quite quickly. That is a big factor given that I often have to burden my wife with the camera when my daughter wants me to do something with her like go on a ride or swim.
I love video reviews. Especially when they are offered alongside to a well written review that will follow soon, as they already stated.
Unlike many so-called youtube reviewers, Dpreview actually uses the cameras and reports about their specific findings opposed to repeating the specs sheets and making bare assumptions. So happy to see an already good website becoming even better.
I don't mind video reviews if they are down to the point within 5-10 minutes not like: Dustin Abbott videos with 4-5 parts, 20 minutes each zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz types :)
@le_alain, thanks for posting that; this site has seen a lot of changes since Phil Askey founded it; and for sure the emphasis has changed. I do feel a particular connection to the site as Phil helped so many photographers to switch to digital.
My gut feeling is that shallow and slapdash video reviews will be the core business over in Seattle. We move on, because what doesn't kill us makes us stronger....
Am I right? The "Sony RX100 VI Review" is only available as a Video and not in a printed Format? That would be a pity for users like me.
Why that? 1) Because English is only my third language. With speakers who speak as fast and who do not pronounce sufficiently clearly for a foreign-language audience, there are many details that I do not understand sufficiently well.
2) Also my 74 year old memory is become weaker. Therefore, I can not remember well enough all the details of what the speaker explained. It would be great to be able find all these excellent explanations in a searchable written Format.
After having said that: for me too the excellent and lively presentation was enjoyable....But I nevertheless enormously miss a written version of all these excellent explanations.
Please do not Forget, that Amazon is not only making business in the English language part of the world.
Thank You…..And by the way: thank you also for the excellence of the dpreview websiter Robert
No, you're not right, jumping to conclusions is usually unwise. It's been stated many times by the staff, video content is not a replacement for the written reviews, it's not even created by the same people!
This is the DPR TV review, not the standard review (which is coming later) :) As others have said, the video reviews do not replace the full, written reviews.
Also, I'm impressed that English is your third language!
In my opinion, maybe. It's small and unobtrusive enough for you to bring everywhere with you and take photos as often as you can. And it has more than enough advanced functions once you become much more familiar with the technical aspects of photography. Having said that, there are so many alternatives which are most likely to be better
Everything is a little small and fiddly and the menu system is a real pain. It is surmountable but Sony don't even do advanced manuals any more so you probably need to buy an e-book. Once you sort a few things out it's good, but there is a little work along the way. You can take good images with it.
For a total beginner, I think it's way more expensive than necessary. A lot of what you're paying for are high-end features that a beginner won't know hownto take advantage of. I also think that if you're a beginner who wants to actively learn about photography as a craft rather than someone who just wants to upgrade from a phone but who is planning to mostly leave it in automatic, a camera like this isn't ideal because the small size necessarily means hiding a lot of the controls behind menus. Especially when you're just learning to control your own camera settings, you want a camera that puts those controls at your fingertips so that it's easy to experiment.
I'd recommend either an entry-level interchangeable-lens camera with two or three different types of lens, or else a bridge cam if you aren't interested in dealing with multiple lenses, maybe something like the Panasonic FZ1000, which is excellent for its price. Or if pocketability is a must, then perhaps the Panasonic ZS100 or ZS200, which are cheaper than the RX100 VI, have most of the same capability, and also offer a bit more in the way of physical controls.
They still sell (allegedly) the 5 older ones as well, although good luck finding a mk 1 brand new. If they reduced the VI price they would have to either reduce all those too or discontinue some. I suspect they'd at least like to sell all the stock that's out there before doing that.
The Mk1 is still listed as available new on online retail stores. I think it is the best value for money which is why I have one ;)
I am glad that they now produce one that has all the new features and a more versatile zoom range. I never liked the 24-70 range and do not care for f2.8 on the long end. The big sensor can cope with f4.x quite well.
i traded in my 1 for a V as the EVF makes it much more a creative camera when it's Sunny rather than one you probably need to shoot in Auto mode. Also miles better video. I miss the longer reach though.
"the only problem with this camera is "Price". of sony sells it at 700-800 may be there isnt much argue. however due to high-end sensor tech and pro level glass, it set itself apart from being cheap small P+S cameras."
You just explained to yourself some of the reasons why it costs as much as it does.
Neither of you are correct. There is nothing natural about the JPG skin tones seen in the sample images, and arguing against every detail of the skin showing is arguing against a competent sensor and lens.
Shoot RAW. JPGs suck, as they do in every other camera.
The only benefit of the Sony would be: - sharper lens - faster lens - better video with full sensor readout - larger viewfinder - better viewfinder (Oled vs field sequential) - tiltable screen - smaller body - less weight - faster autofocus - more focus points - better focus tracking - better video focusing - better slow motion video - better resistance to roling shutter - wifi + bluetooth - ability to install apps
But appart from that - what does the Sony realy offer over three different used cameras in your cargo trousers?
24-200mm vs 24-360 lens. They are different cameras. Different ergonomy (Panasonic is better due to size and button locations). By the way Lumix is only 9mm wider and 8mm taller. They are both tiny cameras. And ZS200 is about half price of Sony. There is a huge price gap. It is all about what you want, not which is better (thanks to enormous price gap).
Sony with shorter zoom and often rapidly closing aperture and at twice the price can make a superior camera than the opposition. You just have to wonder how do they do it.
Comparing ZS200 with RX100 VI is like comparing Nikon D610 with D750. Same sensors, both are capable but one is more expensive so it is bound to be better.
"By the way Lumix is only 9mm wider and 8mm taller. They are both tiny cameras."
No, the Sony is tiny. The Panasonic is small. The Sony can fit in even snug jeans pockets. The Panasonic would be an uncomfortable struggle in a standard loose jeans pockets. The main reason I own my RX100V.
Franz. The lx100 has a faster lens and larger sensor... I'm so happy you have the time to list a bunch of stuff that is negligible and inaccurate....my lx10 lenses is sharper than the rx 100 m5... I've tested them .. have you... the m6 is so over priced.. I'm not a Sony hater I've owned over 5 in the past 3 yrs. I'm simply saying you can get way better value with Panisonic...
Things Sony should’ve upgraded for this camera & price in my opinion.
1. New sensor 2. Bigger battery 3. Upgraded camera shell quality 4. Fixed overheating issues or stuck strictly to 1080p 5. Upgraded touchscreen to Panasonic level 6. Created a larger & alternative grip 7. Microjack port for external mic 8. Tweaked processor so don’t have to wait after taking 24fps 9. Added swivel touchscreen 10. Added high res mode 11. Priced no more than $1100
Filming for two minutes straight is quite a lot - what do you use scenes like that for? And don't forget, in 4k this is already around 1,5GByte of Data. You have to transfer and process that later on.
No, this is an honest question. When filming you usually shoot scenes that are a couple of seconds long. And if someone really wants to shoot a complete ceremony from beginning to end I wonder if he really needs to shoot this in 4k - chances are nobody will watch this anyway.
@breschdlingsgsaelz customers will certainly film their childs at the end scolar year, for the cute classroom show. And even if they are short, scenes are usually longer than 5minutes...
I don't care about video on any of my 'photocameras', because I know the work at computer that is needed to produce a decent family movie, even more for anything to be showed outside of small family audience. But 2-5min of video and then shutdown is a huge culprit for this pricepoint. Period.
After buying two ZS100 and returning them, I was seriously considering RX100VI. But over heating and shutting off after 5min of recording, is a major issue. Just imagine: 5 min into recording kids graduation or their music performance, the camera shuts off and then you have to wait, wait and wait for it to cool down, before you can take a picture or start recording again!!
That's actually easy to solve. Just put it on a rack (e.g., simple video light holder) and attach an external charger. (You need to enable USB charging in the camera settings.) The camera will not overheat and you will not empty the battery so fast, depending on the capacity of the charger. I shot a family wedding this way without any issues. And voila, my little hack!
I think it will still overheat with an external power supply, the battery isn't getting hot. Oh and I have an external power bank to run my RX100V from if I want longer run times.
It is unlikely that overheating is only due to fast battery discharge. Most likely, it is mainly due the fact that RX100VI captures video for the entire sensor (20M) and converts in real-time to 4K video (8M). This is computationally intensive. ZS100/200 captures 4K video from 4K area of the sensor (thus cropping). Even ZS100 warmed up when I used it for a long video capture, but never shut down due overheating.
as always a fun watch .... i too am dumbfounded all six models are in the lineup as current ... and i think its very expensive i so wish fuji would update its x 30 with its non fiddly evf to a 1 inch sensor it was 600 usd .... id pay another 300 usd for an x40 at 900 usd
Great review. It is an expensive camera and this review is helping to make my mind up. I like the fact that this series has a touchscreen at last, but it seems limited unfortunately. The overheating issue is also a concern.
Yeah if I was in the market for a compact hybrid camera with a much better touchscreen functionality, I'd probably go with the GX85 kit and save a lot of money. Something like a GX85 with its excellent foldable kit lens and an affordable prime like the 25/1.7 would be a much better value. But of course, RX100 has its advantages
Size has always been the big advantage of the RX100 series. You get a lot in a small package. I have an RX100, RX100 IV and GX85. The GX85 is a lot larger. I admit the VI is not what I was looking for but at least the zoom crowd is a little happier.
What you rather see, a video of someone’s personal opinion, or a full review with technical data and scientific results? If I wanted someone’s subjective opinion, I would go to YouTube, or some Internet blogger.
Don’t worry, there will still be a detailed written review - it just takes time to do all that lab testing. On the other hand, Chris and Jordan were able to turn the video review around pretty quickly, and we thought a lot of people would like to see their impressions of this new camera. Sorry if we disappointed by getting it out too quickly. :(
Dale Yes, shame on you. LOL It surprised me with their praise for the lens quality, considering it is such a compact camera, and assuming they were comparing it to all lenses in general. It will be interesting to see whether your lab tests confirm Chris and Jordan's impressions from using it.
This is their latest sensor. Nothing else but the RX10 IV and RX100 V use it. No other 1" sensors out there that use OSPDAF at the moment, or are stacked. Overheating will always be around unless they Canon-gimp 4K, or you buy an RX10 with a body bigger than a deck of cards...
I doubt there is actually space in this camera for more heat sinking (I bet it's pretty freakin' packed in there) and this is the best 1" sensor that Sony makes at this time. As mentioned, the RX10 IV will give you similar-quality 4k for as long as you like, but it's a considerably larger camera with a considerably bigger heatsink. Oversampled 4k encoding is just very processor-intensive, no way around it, and that means heat. You're not going to get *everything* in a camera this tiny, but it's amazing what it *can* do for how small it is.
a proper heat sink that outputted to the camera body or a Peltier coooler on the sensor back would remedy this ...at 1200 usd i expect this issue addressed ,especially considering sonys reputation for overheating .
also things like not having a mic jack are simply a nonsense crime on a camera capable of such superb 4 k output on a world-class small point and shoot lens ,,,,such a rarity these days as canon and panny lenses in this catagory are simply very avg to "meh"
and fuji sadly and i would add rather cowardly never joined the i inch club and left their customers high and dry
I took them apart on multiple occasions. It is jammed inside! Same shxxxx with A6500 Add 1/4" No one will see it. Make it usable! Goid 4k but no external mic!? Separate recorder and then syncing???
Peltier plates? They just move heat from one side of the plate to the other, generating extra heat in the process too. What are you going to do with that heat now? The whole camera is packed tight with delicate electronics, not just the CPU. They also consume way more electricity than a camera battery can provide.
Heatsinks that penetrate the case? Where would you put the cooling fins? Also, cooling fins on a camera? In actuality I assume that the camera's metal body is thermally coupled to the heatsink, turning the entire camera chassis into a (sub-optimal) secondary heatsink. So to the extent that it's realistic, the RX100 VI (and plenty of other cameras too I'd assume) already does this.
You are talking nonsense. What would really help here is a more energy efficient CPU, but Sony has probably already put in the most efficient processor they can get their hands on that will get the job done—after all, one thing they haven't done on this camera is cheap out on anything. It shows in the price, but also in the quality and capability. More efficient processors both decrease heat and increase battery life, both things that any camera maker would obviously want to maximize.
moving heat from one side of a "plate" to another is how all cooling functions
peltier coolers literally freeze one side and dumps heat to the other where many technologies passive or active can move heat away
this could be a high surface area copper plate on sides bottom or back or entire body and if sony abandoned their obsession with tinyness with this series many problems could be overcome with overheating .... sonys widespread camera problem
peltiers are excellent and ive uses several in custom computer builds for pentium 3 and 4 series cpu s
dismissing them is stupid
there use is common in solid state cooling devices for food and beverage
Peltier is no good as (i) makes the camera bigger and (ii) you need to move the heat out of the camera and unless you change the thermal resistance from inside the camera to the surroundings it will get just as hot. You can minimise how hot some bits get compared to others but unless you remove the heat from the camera (add metal fins, a fan blowing out, etc.) you're not really getting anywhere and need to wait for lower-power components to be developed (at which point the spec will increase and the heat stay similar, but that's sales/marketing vs engineering). You can't use higher-temp components as the user has to be able to hold it.
Just preordered it! Finaly a sharp lens with a good zoom range in front of a capable sensor coupled with a fast PDAF autofocus and a good viewfinder, altogether made pocketable! Have been waiting for this for ages. Cudos to Sony.
sometime it isnt class envy its caring about value for money ... and this isnt worth the priceof a fuji x100f or ... speaking personally what i paid for my pen f or xpro 2 ....
"sometime it isnt class envy its caring about value for money ... and this isnt worth the priceof a fuji x100f or ... speaking personally what i paid for my pen f or xpro 2 ...."
Neither of which are anywhere near as compact so why would you even begin to compare it to the little Sony?
As for Apple's products, such as my iMac, Apple TV, and iPad mini 4 I’m typing into right now, they have been worth every cent over any cheaper alternatives, and that’s an understatement. I also have two sets of $89 Bose Companion II that I use as AirPlay speakers and they have been giving me wonder sound for years. Expensive doesn’t always mean better but better usually means more expensive.
snarky huh ? lets leave room for a little intellectual honesty here
why appy products arre the price they are or the psychological counsumer buying reasons for their success
id say the same thing about canon
both canon and apple are by their leadership positions self fulfilling prophecy
... we live in a slightly mentally ill consumer society ,,, if you want to characterize what i observe as snarky .. go for it .... but if you rread a bit
you will see tha bose , apple , some cars , some watches ... have the consumer nonsense i alluded to .... it not snarky if its true
",, if you want to characterize what i observe as snarky .. go for it .... but if you rread a bit"
One would hope that what anyone reads isn’t as badly written as your posts. You really should make friends with grammar and punctuation.
"you will see tha bose , apple , some cars , some watches ... have the consumer nonsense i alluded to .... it not snarky if its true"
Of course it can be. Snarky has to do with delivery, not with whether something is true or not. Your post was fairly judged as being snarky. Snarkiness is also a very good sign of a lack of objectivity, with brings into question the veracity of what any claims to be "true."
phil when you can write half as well as I do let me know... no amount of attacks on my spelling or sloppiness will negate that
how is that for snarky?.....lol
objectivity? toward what .... do you even proofread what your keyboard blurts out ???
that is rhetorical, its clear your criticisms are of a personal nature .... and therefore dismissable in the extreme.
my point stands about bose and apple and other consumer categories you refuse to wrap your head around, perhaps your a fanboy of something i alluded to and are incensed, but my disdain for all the sick and dysfunctional habits of our consumer society, you would rather attack me over, rather than face, with honesty, what i claim, are evidence enough for me that your comments dismissable, and driven by shallow object-oriented concerns
do you know what a cult of personality is?.......... cults of ownership exist too...
Sony 1" RX100 series all suffer extreme barrel distortion on the wide angle end, whether the 8.8mm on previous iterations, or new 9.9mm on RX100 VI (RX100M6) very noticeable in bare unadulterated RAW ARW-to-DNGs (impartial DNGs aren't pre-corrected nor pre-cropped), with strong lens circle vignetting clipping all four corners (off-center)
sony's lens correction profiles applied to RAW or jpegs in-camera chops off a whole lot of it away after distortion is stretched, massaged, and heavily cropped
upside, is Sony RX100 1" series has "live exposure preview" (=normal for cybershots)
comparatively, Panasonic's 1" offerings, ZS/TS 100/200 , with Leica lenses, also have some barrel distortion less extreme than Sony RX100 VI, one can see circular lens vignetting clipping all 4 corners in "bare raw", too, but looks far more rectilinear even when uncorrected unfortunately Pany's still use "framing-LV-only" (lacking "live exposure preview" of its bigger newer m43 ICL dcam siblings)
There’s no noticeable vignetting with the 24-70 lens (III, IV, V), including the wide end, when uncorrected for lens distortion RAWs are developed. There is though very heavy vignetting on the wide end with the VI.
Corrected wide end images with the 24-70 will off course loose some way off center detail, but what were you expecting? The same goes for the VI, and most other wide lenses, although th VI looks noticeably worse from the samples I’ve seen.
I use uncorrected wide angle RAWs with my V every now and then where I don’t mind the distortion but want to maximize corner to corner sharpness.
@PhilDunn actually, no: all three 24-70 RX100 (III, IV, V) show pure black lens circle clearly clipping corners, as well as RX100 VI (i anticipated improvement in VI, but it FOLLOWS III/IV/V exactly = no improvement)
if you use Sony ARWs with LR direct, they will ALREADY be heavily cropped even when "uncorrected"
i've tested both, direct imports, as well as "bare naked (unbaked) raw ARW" converted to DNG before importing into LR, the fov aov is quite a bit wider showing a LOT more 'scenery' details totally cropped out by 'direct' import (pre-narrowed) into LR
the bare-nake raw DNG* is BEST way to detect who's got so-so fishy lenses vs more rectilinear lenses *impartial RAW2DNG converters (not Adobe ACR)
Sony has NONE, all are "fishy" eyed (none rectilinear) not even in their 1" RX10 series
(except RX1: not too wide 35mm for FF, which is a prime, and has less distortion; but it does suffer internal reflections)
Panasonic suffers LESS distortion but still show clear corner clipping
Odd, not the samples I've played with, inlcuding my own. Unless the cameras I've sampled, and my own, are somehow unique, I haven’t gotten any noticeable vignetting with the 24-70 lens, even at the wide end.
One of the reasons I occasionally use the free version of C1 for Sony is because I can unofficially cancel out the forced lens correction that I get with my normally used editor, LR. If I were getting any noticeable vignetting I wouldn't bother. The end result is the same as Rawtherappee. For what you are saying to be true is that somehow both of those apps are still cropping the image despite no lens correction being applied.
Did you use Adobe's DNG converter to convert the ARWs?
@PhilDunn: basically, you have NO access to "impartial" (unbiased) raw-to-dng converters
you rely solely on Adobe's (desktop only) DNG converter, unavailable usually to android mobile users, till very recently, like now. Adobe's DNG Converter (like ACR) will heavily crop Sony ARWs to "specs", and OMIT "full raw"
as android mobile users, we now have access to free Adobe LR (with ACR built-in) and does the same kind of "heavy raw crop" as desktop users see. the pseudo-DNG we see is just ARW, with a .dng extension, following Sony ARW "spec"
as android mobile users, we've ALWAYS had access to "impartial" (unbiased) RAW2DNG android app, which converts ESPECIALLY SONY ARWs without "sony spec restrictions" of heavy cropping thus, more "scenery" is visible all the way to edge of whole sensor; and can SEE lens edges on all 4 corners clipped this allows a wider fov aov, and degree of true barrel distortion (un-massaged) of lenses
this allows users to gauge who offers better lenses unbiased
i'm not talking about any "forced" lens corrections in RAW
but more specifically, forced heavy cropping of RAW without any lens correction applied, used, or available = pre-cropped RAW (cropped sensor)
vs
unforced, uncropped, bare full RAW (whole sensor uncropped)
the latter allows the user to decide how best to custom "correct-n-crop" a much wider fov aov from lens+sensor combination if distortion is quite high
i prefer the latter (do my own decision on "crop or correction")
the former "pre-crop before correction" RAW is NOT as good as one might be led to believe: the correction is needed, but also telltale of how bad Zony lenses are on the wide end
suffice it to say, LEICA (panasonic) has better small wide angle lenses than ZEISS (sony) for 1" series digicams
canon 1" series wide-angle lens is in between: better than sony (zeiss) worse than panasonic (leica)
I’ll stick to my RX100V. Low light and night shooting is quite good with it with the faster lens up to ISO 3200. You lose that if the camera is forced to go to ISO 6400 with the slower lens.
Keep the EVF, go back to the fast 24-70, lose the zillion AF points and tracking, lose video and all associated features, lose the high frame rate, lose the touch screen, roll back the sensor a couple of versions, use a lower spec processor, sell for £250. At that point I might consider risking taking this on a trip. Not gonna happen I know but that's the only way Sony is getting any money out of me for one of these.
Yes the III would do for me, though as you say even that's out of my budget for this kind of camera at the moment. Maybe a couple more years... I just find it frustrating that these companies keep hiking the prices and justifying it with all the tech features when really all you need to take good photos in 90% of cases is a good lens, half-decent sensor, accurate single-point AF and decent means of composing. I guess not everyone feels the same!
Seems to me the nearly perfect camera for travelers that value image quality that a smartphone can not (yet) deliver but has the discretion/size/weight advantage of a pocket camera. It's on my list, but the removal of apps gives me pause.
The launch of the RX100 VI, with its 24-200mm equiv. zoom, sees Sony enter the large sensor travel zoom market. This puts it squarely into competition with the much less expensive Panasonic TZ / ZS100 and 200. How do the three compare?
Sony recently announced the RX100 VI, the newest addition to its compact camera line. How does this new model stand out from the rest? Chris and Jordan take the camera for a spin and tell us what they think – and even manage to fit in some well earned hammock time in the process.
DPReview's Technical Editor Richard Butler was in New York for the launch of the new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI. Find out his first impressions of Sony's powerful new pocket zoom.
The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is a 1"-type compact camera with a 20.1-megapixel Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor and a 24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 zoom lens. We've been shooting with one since its launch and have prepared a brief overview video.
When the Fujifilm X-T2 arrived, it was more than just a modest upgrade to the already impressive X-T1. While the new X-T3 hasn't changed the overall design of the camera, this model is way more than an upgrade; rather, it's a quantum leap.
The Movie Maker is a compact, motorized slider designed for phones, action cams and small mirrorless cameras. We think it's a fun little kit and a good value proposition for the cost, provided you can work around a few of its weak points.
Nikon's Z7 is the first camera to use the all-new Z-mount, the company's first new full-frame mount since 1959. We've put together our first impressions based on quality shooting time with a pre-production camera - check out what we've found.
We got some hands-on time with a pre-production LX100 II to get a better feel for the improvements Panasonic's brought to the table. Here's a rundown of what's new – and what we think.
The instant camera market is heating up, and with four formats and 15+ cameras to choose from, we felt it was high time to examine them all and pick our favorite.
Whether you're hitting the beach in the Northern Hemisphere or the ski slopes in the Southern, a rugged compact camera makes a great companion. In this buying guide we've taken a look at seven current models and chosen our favorites.
What's the best camera for a parent? The best cameras for shooting kids and family must have fast autofocus, good low-light image quality and great video. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for parents, and recommended the best.
What's the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.
What’s the best camera costing over $2000? The best high-end camera costing more than $2000 should have plenty of resolution, exceptional build quality, good 4K video capture and top-notch autofocus for advanced and professional users. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing over $2000 and recommended the best.
GoPro has announced its HERO7 camera lineup. The updated action cameras feature new HyperSmooth and TimeWarp modes, as well as improved video and photo specs.
The Sony 24mm F1.4 is the latest lens to join the company's premium G Master lineup. We've been shooting with one for a couple of days - here's what you need to know.
Camera bag manufacturer Lowepro has introduced mark II backpacks for its ProTactic AW range with models that are said to feature an improved handling experience as well as a collection of accessories that can be attached to the outside.
Canon has announced its latest superzoom camera, the PowerShot SX70 HS. Compared to the SX60 that came before it, the SX70 has the same lens but offers a higher resolution EVF, 4K video capture and support for Canon's new CR3 Raw format.
Sony has taken the wraps off of its new 24mm F1.4 GM full-frame lens, which the company claims is the lightest in its class. Despite its fast aperture, the 24mm F1.4 is remarkably light, weighing just 445 grams (15.7 ounces). The lens will set you back $1400 when it ships next month.
In this episode of DPReview TV we take a look at Sony's brand new 24mm F1.4 GM lens, a desirable focal length for many photographers. How does it perform? Chris and Jordan give us their first impressions.
We've had a little time to shoot with Sony's new wide/fast prime, both close to home and on the water in San Francisco. Check out our initial sample images.
Fujifilm released a firmware upgrade for its X-T3 mirrorless camera that addresses issues with distortion compensation and the mechanical lock on SD cards.
British photographic engineer MTF Services is claiming the world’s first third-party lens adapters for the new Nikon Z system with a collection of four units designed to allow cinema lenses to be mounted on the mirrorless full frame bodies.
The X-T3 is our first opportunity to analyze what's likely to be Fujifilm's next generation image sensor. Take a look at how it performs next to the competition in our studio test scene.
Nikon will cease offering Brazil-based customer service and technical support, though the company stresses that it will still offer technical assistance and warranty repairs for valid warranties.
Two years ago, CatLABS of JP announced a plan to save Packfilm from the dead. Now, it's announced it's giving up its efforts to better focus its resources elsewhere.
The GoPro Fusion is designed to make it easy to capture 360-degree video and stills. We took it out recently on a typically hot Seattle summer day to see what it can do.
Canon and Nikon finally entered the full-frame mirrorless market this summer with the brand-new RF and Z mounts. Now that we've had some time with the cameras, we wanted to revisit our earlier predictions and take stock.
Blackmagic Design has announced the public beta of its new Blackmagic RAW video codec. The company says the new format combines the benefits of shooting Raw video with the ease of use and smaller file sizes usually associated with non-Raw video files.
The Atomos Ninja V external video recorder and monitor will be ready to ship at the end of this month. The 5.2in Ninja V is designed to provide a smaller option, while still offering many of the features of the larger 7-inch models.
Having shot with the camera, spoken to Canon and read the tea leaves, here's what DPR Technical Editor Richard Butler thinks the EOS R tells us about Canon and the RF's mount's future.
After last week's teaser, lighting manufacturer Profoto has announced its 'small big' new product. The B10 is designed to be used as studio flash head but in a very small body, and has a powerful continuous light source for videographers as well.
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