Bumping this thread as Cindy and Lucille (any others?) have now had a few weeks to play with the new model.
When asking in the other forum about the Leica Q vs the RX1R II, there was more enthusiasm for the Sony so I want to know if the new model really is all that!
Better AF? Check!
Better Sensor? Check!
Smaller form? Check!
But is the MF any better? Or does it still feel fiddly? How about the horrid menu system? Does it make more sense now or is there still endless diving? How about the low light capability?
TIA
1st off, and I guess this is a matter of opinion, the menu system isn't horrid, it never has been. I have shot Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, Panosonic, Samsung and have always been taken back by people claiming the Sony menu system is terrible, though I have simply dismissed those comments most times as once you set up a camera (atleast for me) you hardly go menu digging and this is coming from someone whom had their begginings in film, and some of those bodys didn't have a menu system, set the camera up, you can customize many a button, and don't worry about menu systems. Why would one endlessly dive into the menu's?
MF has never been fiddly. I manual focus all the time with my original Rx1 and now the RX1R II. I love doing night shots and manual focus is the easiest I have found on any system I have ever used, the focus peaking for whatever reason is very accurate on the Rx1 cameras, combined with focus magnification and you will always get focus even in the lowest of light. Try that with a Canon.
The RX1R is incredible in lowlight, I have as much confidence in it as I ever had in my A7S. I though am one of the few people it seems that also was for some strange reason able to get the original RX1 to focus in lowlight. This is mainly what I have used these bodies for, as one of my areas of expertise is lowlight concert photography that in some circles I am extremely well known for.
Its funny, I always read that the original RX1 was slow, and I never thought so, but then Jason Lanier borrowed my RX1 for his Ethiopia trip so I was without its services for a few months, I used my A7R II and A7S mostly. Then when I got the RX1 back and started using it I then did realize it is a slower in operation camera then the a7 bodies. I guess when I always use something, I adjust to it and make use of its strengths which is THE WONDERFUL IQ found in this little Gem of a camera.
I think the new RX1R is one of the best, if not THE BEST lowlight camera for concert photography if one can get up close near the stage where I find 35mm to be a perfect focal length. At my last few outings the RX1R never missed focus, not once. I love being at these shows with my 'little point and shoot' next to the BIG DSLR guys......
and getting this type of output:
RX1, 35mm f/2, ISO1600, 1/160sec