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Sony RX1

V

Vivek

Guest
We have gotten rid of the Sony TVs and replaced it with Samsung because they are so much better, even though I use Sony cams.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Some interesting reviews here:

Amazon.com: Sony DSC-RX1/B Cybershot Full-frame Digital Camera: SONY: Camera & Photo


Steve Huff writes there:

I review cameras, you may know me you may not. Part one of my review was already posted on my site and I have to say that if I could give this 7 stars I would. The RX1 is a tiny beast of a camera and I have never seen results like this from any full frame sensor 35mm camera under $10k. This give better than Leica M9 and Zeiss 35 results for a fraction of the cost. Amazing quality even at f/2 and JPEG mode. Some will hate on this and never hold it or use it just due to the price but IMO it is well worth the cost if you want a camera that can fit in your coat pocket and provide some of the most amazing results with an ease that no other camera can give you. The RX1 is the real deal, and my pick for best camera of 2012. Enough said. I just write 6000 words on it so I am keeping this short and posting my REAL 5 star review due to the 1 star review below from someone who never touched the camera. My order is in.
 

barjohn

New member
I have my order in and I hope it is shipping very soon as one poster claims his order from Amazon is on it way for Monday delivery. I have no idea if it will meet my overblown expectations or be a let down but I am naturally hoping for the former. If it fails, given that SOny has a reputation for not publishing new firmware I will probably return it and maybe repurchase it after Sony fixes whatever issues arise. While $2,800 is not in Leica territory, it is still a lot of money and the camera has to meet a higher level of performance to justify the price. From a purely IQ viewpoint at ISO under 800 I haven't seen any camera that beats the Sigma DPxMs except for the D800E and that is just too big for me to bother with. The IQ is nothing short of stunning and I think it puts the M9 and MM to shame (except in high ISO). Unfortunately in terms of useability type of performance the camera isn't there yet. AF needs work as does the writing of images to the memory card. If the RX1 comes close to that IQ it will be a winner in my mind.
 

barjohn

New member
One other note. I hate the DPR comparator and find it mostly worthless for all the reasons so aptly illustrated here. The shots and comparator on Imaging Resource's web site are much better but not perfect either. The flat target ones are the best for comparison because you know where the plane of focus is supposed to be.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I have my order in and I hope it is shipping very soon as one poster claims his order from Amazon is on it way for Monday delivery. I have no idea if it will meet my overblown expectations or be a let down but I am naturally hoping for the former. If it fails, given that SOny has a reputation for not publishing new firmware I will probably return it and maybe repurchase it after Sony fixes whatever issues arise. While $2,800 is not in Leica territory, it is still a lot of money and the camera has to meet a higher level of performance to justify the price. From a purely IQ viewpoint at ISO under 800 I haven't seen any camera that beats the Sigma DPxMs except for the D800E and that is just too big for me to bother with. The IQ is nothing short of stunning and I think it puts the M9 and MM to shame (except in high ISO). Unfortunately in terms of useability type of performance the camera isn't there yet. AF needs work as does the writing of images to the memory card. If the RX1 comes close to that IQ it will be a winner in my mind.
If I have the same option of 30 day no questions asked return privilege, I also would have no hesitations to get one just to check if a 7* rating is worth its claim.

BTW, the rumor has it that after the first batch, everything will be manufactured in China which is indicative of a price drop (or a bigger profit margin for Sony).
 

Shashin

Well-known member
I have my order in and I hope it is shipping very soon as one poster claims his order from Amazon is on it way for Monday delivery. I have no idea if it will meet my overblown expectations or be a let down but I am naturally hoping for the former. If it fails, given that SOny has a reputation for not publishing new firmware I will probably return it and maybe repurchase it after Sony fixes whatever issues arise. While $2,800 is not in Leica territory, it is still a lot of money and the camera has to meet a higher level of performance to justify the price. From a purely IQ viewpoint at ISO under 800 I haven't seen any camera that beats the Sigma DPxMs except for the D800E and that is just too big for me to bother with. The IQ is nothing short of stunning and I think it puts the M9 and MM to shame (except in high ISO). Unfortunately in terms of useability type of performance the camera isn't there yet. AF needs work as does the writing of images to the memory card. If the RX1 comes close to that IQ it will be a winner in my mind.
It focuses faster than my manual focus cameras and certainly faster than a rangefinder. I am really unsure how fast fast focus is. I suspect it will focus as fast as my Konica Hexar AF and I never had a problem with that.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
BTW, the rumor has it that after the first batch, everything will be manufactured in China which is indicative of a price drop (or a bigger profit margin for Sony).
Do you have a link to a source?

I really wonder how moving a production line that is in use is a cost cutting measure.
 

Shashin

Well-known member

I admire innovative Sony for going this route, Shashin, they are so close to the camera concept of tomorrow we all dream about (or at least many of us), I believe.
A few basic features still missing in my personal humble opinion, but they (Sony) are getting so close that I would put my money on Sony getting there first.
In my opinion the RX1 is one of the two most interesting cameras (and surprises) released in 2012, I bought the other one (a classic DSLR of 'yesterday' so to say) but that's not relevant here.

If people are disappointed and react in negative ways I can only think of two reasons in general: the lack of a system mount, and maybe the price level.
In other words if they react with vitriol it's probably because they want the full featured autofocus mirrorless FF system camera so much (and hope for it at a somewhat affordable price) :)
I apologize if at any point I have sounded negative, not my intention, but you are right that for me this version is not quite there yet but I'm very much looking forward to the next RXx model.
Progress goes on. Go, Sony, go.
I am really talking in generalities and not about anything you have posted. I am just surprised how a consumer product can cause such emotions. People seem offended that Sony did this.

Obviously, I really like this concept and am looking forward to the camera. I am excited about the camera, but it is just a camera. There is no magic pixie dust that is going to make it be any better than any other nice camera out there. I am going to have to learn to use, just like I have to learn to use every camera I have every bought--I have not come across the perfect camera yet.

Perhaps I think about cameras differently. I usually look for something that adds to, rather than duplicates, what I have. This is certainly a second camera for me. But I think having a really portable camera that can take high-quality images that can come close or match my larger system is very appealing. I have another compact, but the output is really different and so I really never include the work from it with my other system. It is a pity because it does give me a different opportunities and results I wouldn't have gotten with my larger system. For me, the camera changes the way I work and I look for that with other cameras.

I certainly can understand disappointment, but that is not Sony's fault. I just don't get the lashing out.
 

Jay Emm

Member
I have just browsed through the seven pages of posts that have been directed to this camera (no doubt mainly written by men, as most women are too creative to get bogged down in this stuff :)

While I learnt a lot from some very helpful posts (thanks), I was surprised at some of the negative comments along the way.

Only one thing matters, show me your photos. When people look at my work they don't comment on the bokeh, the nice sound the leaf shutter must make, the merits of the AF in lower light, or the ISO capabilities (etc). They just look at the photos and like them or not. That's why Instagram works, thanks to the Internet and mass media, people are very visually literate these days and they know in a heartbeat when they see an image they like. So even an iPhone can take pictures that make people experience an emotion.

IMO, there's nothing wrong with this discussion (can be fun), but at the end of the day it matters not a jot. Zero. Nada. Zip. All that matters is you and your creative vision. We have ample amazing tools to choose from. This camera included. Or not. Now go out and take some photos!
 

jonoslack

Active member
HI Shashin
I quite agree with you - I think this is a splendid and innovative move by Sony. The only difference between us is whether we want it or not.

I think Steen's dPreview comparisons are excellent - we've long since laughed about that sample shot and the point of focus (it's meant to be on the cross I think, but it varies so much).

I also think that Sony in general are doing a fantastic job - the SLT cameras, and especially the A99, are a real step forward, NEX has already made inroads into µ43, and the RX100 (which I do have) is a lovely little camera - great image quality, responsive and easy to use.
 

jonoslack

Active member
IMO, there's nothing wrong with this discussion (can be fun), but at the end of the day it matters not a jot. Zero. Nada. Zip. All that matters is you and your creative vision. We have ample amazing tools to choose from. This camera included.
If an image is interesting . . . nobody cares if it's technically good . . . and if it isn't interesting . . . nobody cares at all.

And of course you're right . . but, but, these discussions do have a place, and if it wasn't for people anguishing about digital vs film 10 years ago (in much more pointless and vitriolic arguments), then maybe instagram wouldn't exist.

I have it quite clear in my head - there is photography, and then there is Gear Talk. They aren't mutually exclusive, and I'm sure that everybody around here is out taking photos at every possible opportunity.
 

philber

Member
OK, people. To my great surpise, when I walked in to my favorite camera shop today, what did I find? He had received one of the first 10 to hit the sheves of French retail barely 30 mn before. He let me play with it only long enough for me to get 5 lousy shots, and I wrote it up Dear Susan, | Blog franglais about la photo
I am hoping to do more tomorrow, including a comparison with my NEX 7 with Leica Elmar 24mm.
 

yatlee

Member
Actually, after just couple days using A99, I sold my M9. Not that I will stop using Leica, but the sensor, picture quality is such big step up from the M9.

I agree, at the end of the, what matter most is the output.
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
You wrote: Why 5D II? Because it was the first DSLR that could do video.

Not really, that was the Nikon D90 but the 5D2 was the first real usable video DSLR.
 

jsparks

Member


My silly mistake was that I imagined they had put similar 35mm focal length optics on the three system cameras as well for the comparison.
But of course you are right that these test target shots are made totally independent of, and isolated from, each other (and for system cameras probably usually with ~ 50mm normal lenses or something like that).
Actually, DPReview lists what lens and settings are used for each photograph. If you hover over the little star shaped button at the lower right of each photo, it will show the details. Most of the Nikon, Canon and Sony FF shots were made with an 85mm, other than the Rx1 of course. They were also generally done at f/11 which probably isn't ideal for comparing sharpness.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Interesting debate on an interesting thread. Here's another viewpoint. Just fuel for more debate. (Oddly enough this review surprised me with their IQ rating of 18 out of 20--the same rating they gave the Lumix LX7. So you might have to take this review with a grain of NaCl.)

Sony Cyber-shot RX1 review | Compact camera reviews | tests and specs | What Digital Camera
What I found interesting is that the RX1, Cyber Shot, uses the Alpha menus. Now, if this is a resent change, then there may be an internal shift where all the still camera departments are working more closely. Now, when the Konica Minolta camera division was moving to Sony there was a merging of menu/product terms for the new Sony lines--the Alpha and Nex lines have a very strong Minolta feel. I don't know if the Cyber Shot group was part of this--the RX1 will be my first Sony camera of any kind. Certainly, the RX1 menus are inherited from Minolta.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
with all respect to preview - the comparison images are a joke IMO.
Who is interested how plastic looks in artificial light at 1m?
What would 1 image say about a camera or lens?
The RX1 is not for me for certain reasons but I can see that for someone who is compfortable with 35mm for, wants to shoot a lot in low light or likes shallow DOF the RX1 is very appealing.
 
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