Where's the fun with the RX10?

[rayyan]

tbhy55..much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[jonoslack]

He wants a RX10 or a Lumix FZ1000.

Which one to recommend to him?

Best.

Well, having played with both I feel that the much better response times, longer zoom and better EVF of the Panasonic more than outweigh the nicer build quality, weather sealing and fixed f2.8 of the Sony. Image quality is a wash.

 

[rayyan]

Well, having played with both I feel that the much better response times, longer zoom and better EVF of the Panasonic more than outweigh the nicer build quality, weather sealing and fixed f2.8 of the Sony. Image quality is a wash.

Thanks Jono.

That's what he shall be recommended.

Best.

 

[pjphoto59]

Now that you've had a few months to get used to the RX10, what's your opinion now?

I made the strategic error of actually handling one yesterday, and I have to say that I was impressed with what I saw.

I have had the RX10 for about six months now. I have used it quite a lot and have become accustomed to it. It is a very convenient way to carry a camera with a 24-200 EFL f2.8 lens. It sits well in the hand and controls are well placed. Only two “niggles”:

(1) The zoom is slow to operate. I tried using the step zoom function (which used to work very well indeed on my Ricoh GX100) but sadly the Sony set up is poor compared with the Ricoh. On the Ricoh I used to carry the camera set with step zoom at 50mm EFL. The FL could then be moved quickly up or down. If you switched the camera off it stayed at the zoom setting you last used. The Sony does not do this, but reverts to 24mm EFL if you switch off. So I do not use step zoom and mainly use the toggle around the shutter release for zoom control.

(2) The switch for the “click” setting on the aperture ring is easy to accidently move from on to off and then the aperture is easily moved.

The IQ is generally good, but I find the lens a bit soft in the corners. I am a long time Olympus 4/3 user, so I am used to the 4 x 3 frame aspect ratio. Setting the RX10 to 4:3 format gives a 26-217mm EFL and cuts out the soft corners.

In comparison to the RX10 I have an Oly OM-D E-M5. I good light the RX10 can match it, but I am not happy with the RX10 much above ISO 800 while the E-M5 can go to ISO 3200. I have 40-150 (80-300 EFL)and 75-300 (150-600 EFL) lenses for the E-M5 so that is the preferred solution if I need something longer than 200. The Sony zoom ring turns the opposite direction to the Oly, which I find hard to remember.

I like the weather sealing on the RX10. I have it on the E-M5 too, but only with the kit zoom lens.

I mainly do stock photography, and the great majority of my stock collection (8000 images) could have been made if I only had the RX10. It is well made and versatile.

 

[tbhv55]

I have had the RX10 for about six months now. I have used it quite a lot and have become accustomed to it. It is a very convenient way to carry a camera with a 24-200 EFL f2.8 lens. It sits well in the hand and controls are well placed. Only two “niggles”:

(1) The zoom is slow to operate. I tried using the step zoom function (which used to work very well indeed on my Ricoh GX100) but sadly the Sony set up is poor compared with the Ricoh. On the Ricoh I used to carry the camera set with step zoom at 50mm EFL. The FL could then be moved quickly up or down. If you switched the camera off it stayed at the zoom setting you last used. The Sony does not do this, but reverts to 24mm EFL if you switch off. So I do not use step zoom and mainly use the toggle around the shutter release for zoom control.

(2) The switch for the “click” setting on the aperture ring is easy to accidently move from on to off and then the aperture is easily moved.

The IQ is generally good, but I find the lens a bit soft in the corners. I am a long time Olympus 4/3 user, so I am used to the 4 x 3 frame aspect ratio. Setting the RX10 to 4:3 format gives a 26-217mm EFL and cuts out the soft corners.

In comparison to the RX10 I have an Oly OM-D E-M5. I good light the RX10 can match it, but I am not happy with the RX10 much above ISO 800 while the E-M5 can go to ISO 3200. I have 40-150 (80-300 EFL)and 75-300 (150-600 EFL) lenses for the E-M5 so that is the preferred solution if I need something longer than 200. The Sony zoom ring turns the opposite direction to the Oly, which I find hard to remember.

I like the weather sealing on the RX10. I have it on the E-M5 too, but only with the kit zoom lens.

I mainly do stock photography, and the great majority of my stock collection (8000 images) could have been made if I only had the RX10. It is well made and versatile.

Thanks for your reply - much appreciated. Too late, however, to stop me getting an RX10...!

I've now owned it for a week-and-a-half, and I've been impressed with it, so far. I think that it will fit the rôle that I envisaged for it.

Regarding your two 'niggles'...

1) I agree about the slow zoom, but as I don't do fast-action photography, it matters little to me. Incidentally, if you set the camera to your favourite settings - including the desired focal length - and store them in one of the Memory settings, when the camera is switched on (with the dial set to the appropriate memory number), the camera 'remembers' all the settings, and the lens will revert to the selected focal length.:thumbup:

2) I have inadvertently changed the aperture click setting only once, so far... it remains to be seen whether this becomes much of a problem for me.

I find the image quality quite good in most circumstances, and of course, I fully accept that it's not going to match my FF DSLR kit. However, the intention was to have something a little more versatile than the RX100, and more convenient than the DSLR kit. Somewhere, I saw the RX10 described as the 'Swiss army knife' of cameras, and I'd tend to agree - I think that it fulfills this concept rather well.

 

[pjphoto59]

Thanks for your reply - much appreciated. Too late, however, to stop me getting an RX10...!

I've now owned it for a week-and-a-half, and I've been impressed with it, so far. I think that it will fit the rôle that I envisaged for it.

Regarding your two 'niggles'...

1) I agree about the slow zoom, but as I don't do fast-action photography, it matters little to me. Incidentally, if you set the camera to your favourite settings - including the desired focal length - and store them in one of the Memory settings, when the camera is switched on (with the dial set to the appropriate memory number), the camera 'remembers' all the settings, and the lens will revert to the selected focal length.:thumbup:

2) I have inadvertently changed the aperture click setting only once, so far... it remains to be seen whether this becomes much of a problem for me.

I find the image quality quite good in most circumstances, and of course, I fully accept that it's not going to match my FF DSLR kit. However, the intention was to have something a little more versatile than the RX100, and more convenient than the DSLR kit. Somewhere, I saw the RX10 described as the 'Swiss army knife' of cameras, and I'd tend to agree - I think that it fulfills this concept rather well.

Welcome to the elite band of RX10 camera owners! I certainly had no intention of putting anyone off buying one.

Thanks for the tip about putting favorite settings on a memory setting. I will try it. Maybe MEM 1 at 50mm and MEM 2 at 100, then it will be like choosing to start with 24mm, 50mm or 100mm.

I have just been tinkering with Flickr, thinking I might open an account there. Could not find any groups etc. for the RX10 (unless anyone here knows better).

I just spent the afternoon at an Agricultural show using the RX10, maybe missed a few shots through having the zoom in the wrong place but I would have missed more with the E-M5 through having to change lenses.

 

[tbhv55]

I certainly had no intention of putting anyone off buying one.

In reality, there wasn't much danger of that, anyway! The deal was effectively done, from the moment that I handled one.

maybe missed a few shots through having the zoom in the wrong place but I would have missed more with the E-M5 through having to change lenses.

Yes, that's precisely how I see it.

I generally prefer prime lenses, and the stepped zoom setting allows me to pretend that I'm using seven separate primes, but without all the accompanying fuss and bother .

There's something about the RX10 lens that really rather appeals to me. Of course, it might be just the fact that it's a Zeiss...

 

[pjphoto59]

In reality, there wasn't much danger of that, anyway! The deal was effectively done, from the moment that I handled one.



Yes, that's precisely how I see it.

I generally prefer prime lenses, and the stepped zoom setting allows me to pretend that I'm using seven separate primes, but without all the accompanying fuss and bother .

There's something about the RX10 lens that really rather appeals to me. Of course, it might be just the fact that it's a Zeiss...

I had high hopes for the stepped zoom, which had worked so well for me on the Ricoh GX100, but I had to give up in the end simply because the zoom direction is the "wrong" way for me.

I use the toggle in front of the shutter button for zooming - at least that works the same way as the RX100. If I have time, I can fine tune the zoom position using the ring, but usually I just go a bit wider than needed and tune by cropping. I routinely crop all the 20MP images down to 16MP anyway.

I have now preset M1 to 50mm EFL and M2 to 100mm EFL. I need to work with it to see if it is worthwhile in practice.

 

[tbhv55]

I had to give up in the end simply because the zoom direction is the "wrong" way for me.

Yes, I can see how this would be annoying, if you're accustomed to zooming in the reverse direction.

Fuji implemented a setting on the x100, to permit the focus ring direction to be reversed. Whether something similar could be implemented for zoom (and focus) on the RX10, I don't know. Even if it's technically possible, it is, perhaps, unlikely... my understanding is that Sony firmware updates are quite rare.

I have now preset M1 to 50mm EFL and M2 to 100mm EFL. I need to work with it to see if it is worthwhile in practice.

Hopefully, this will go some way to alleviate one of your 'niggles'...!


I took the RX10 out for some shooting today (nothing special - just a walkabout), and I have to say that I'm becoming increasingly impressed with it. I'm already starting to feel quite comfortable using it, which is a good sign.

 

[pjphoto59]

Yes, I can see how this would be annoying, if you're accustomed to zooming in the reverse direction.

Fuji implemented a setting on the x100, to permit the focus ring direction to be reversed. Whether something similar could be implemented for zoom (and focus) on the RX10, I don't know. Even if it's technically possible, it is, perhaps, unlikely... my understanding is that Sony firmware updates are quite rare.



Hopefully, this will go some way to alleviate one of your 'niggles'...!


I took the RX10 out for some shooting today (nothing special - just a walkabout), and I have to say that I'm becoming increasingly impressed with it. I'm already starting to feel quite comfortable using it, which is a good sign.

On my Olympus cameras you can reverse the direction of the focus (which is electrically powered), but sadly not the zoom ring, which is reassuringly mechanical, at least on all the lenses that I have.

Glad the RX10 is working well for you. What do you think of the IQ from the lens?

 

[tbhv55]

the zoom ring, which is reassuringly mechanical

Indeed... I would prefer a mechanical zoom - ideally with detents at the same steps that the powered zoom has. Perhaps on the Mk2?

What do you think of the IQ from the lens?

As yet, it's too early to assess over a wide range of situations, but so far, I'm very impressed. As I commented before, I'm quite happy to accept that it's not going to match my FF camera plus primes. However, I'm very pleased with how well it performs for a do-it-all camera.:thumbup:

 

[douglaspboyd]

Unlimited flash sync and silent shutter

I'm surprised that no one is mentioning the two most important features of the RX10: sync at all shutter speeds, and silent shutter.

I used to keep around a Nikon D70s for when I knew I was going to be taking pictures of people outdoors in sunlight with fill flash. The D70 series is the last DSLR to have electronic shutter and sync at all speeds. But 6mp seems a bit limiting these days since I often print in larger sizes. The alternative has been the Hasselblad H series and Phase One cameras with leaf shutters. But now the RX10 neatly fills this requirement with its electronic shutter. I can shoot portraits at 200mm f2.8 (using the built-in ND filter) in bright sunlight with flash fill. And now I can have 20 mp without the need for Hasselblad/PhaseOne.

The other advantage is the silent shutter which is helpful more than I expected. I can shoot comfortably in Las Vegas theaters (Circus Solei allows non-flash photography), and street photography is more discrete.

The only weakness of this camera is at high ISO where A7s, or Pentax 645z is much better. Flash sync is usually not important for high ISO situations.

==Doug

 

[tbhv55]

Re: Unlimited flash sync and silent shutter

I'm surprised that no one is mentioning the two most important features of the RX10: sync at all shutter speeds, and silent shutter.

I used to keep around a Nikon D70s for when I knew I was going to be taking pictures of people outdoors in sunlight with fill flash. The D70 series is the last DSLR to have electronic shutter and sync at all speeds. But 6mp seems a bit limiting these days since I often print in larger sizes. The alternative has been the Hasselblad H series and Phase One cameras with leaf shutters. But now the RX10 neatly fills this requirement with its electronic shutter. I can shoot portraits at 200mm f2.8 (using the built-in ND filter) in bright sunlight with flash fill. And now I can have 20 mp without the need for Hasselblad/PhaseOne.

The other advantage is the silent shutter which is helpful more than I expected. I can shoot comfortably in Las Vegas theaters (Circus Solei allows non-flash photography), and street photography is more discrete.

The only weakness of this camera is at high ISO where A7s, or Pentax 645z is much better. Flash sync is usually not important for high ISO situations.

==Doug

I agree - these features make the RX10 pretty special. In fact, I'd say that the RX10 is pretty special. I've had mine for nearly a month, and I'm becoming seriously impressed with it...

I'm actually quite surprised that it seems to have a relatively low profile in the marketplace.

 

[douglaspboyd]

Re: Unlimited flash sync and silent shutter

I agree - these features make the RX10 pretty special. In fact, I'd say that the RX10 is pretty special. I've had mine for nearly a month, and I'm becoming seriously impressed with it...

I'm actually quite surprised that it seems to have a relatively low profile in the marketplace.

I think it is not noticed because people like me initially thought it was just another point-and-shoot superzoom camera. And it was buried between the announcements of the A7 cameras and the RX100 series.

==Doug