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A7 & Loxia 35mm vs RX1/r

Tim

Active member
Some of you are aware of my penchant for HQ fixed lens compacts. Hence a RX1/r is on my shopping list. I also am considering an A7 or A7II (not the R) combined with the Loxia 35mm/f2.

This comparison has obvious similarities and I think is valid. Both have Sony Sensors, both Zeiss lenses, both 24 Mpixels, both are 35mm/f2 (which suits me).

I worked with 40mm in 35mm film on an OM4 for many years and am very familiar to the DOF characteristics of "full frame" 35mm and would like to get back to full frame from APS-C for this reason. I am not looking for out and out resolution at my intended print sizes.

My head says A7+Loxia my heart says RX1. I am seduced by the RX1 size.

So apart from size and the AF/MF difference I am interested to hear of views regarding the IQ nuances of the images comparing each of these camera lens combos?

Thank you in advance.

Compact Camera Meter
 

msadat

Member
a very good question you asked, i have both setup but never tested against each other, what i like about the rx1 is also size
 

JMaher

New member
I don't have both but I do have an A7RII and a RX1. Any A7 with the 35 2.8 would be a reasonable comparison to an RX1 but you would lose size and F2. With the Loxia you lose even more size and auto focus. Not a compromise I would be willing to make.

Jim
 

uhoh7

New member
RX1 any flavor is great 35 package, and widely liked better than the Loxia/A7x.

MF on the RX1 is not fun, so you need to like AF. :)
 

Tim

Active member
RX1 any flavor is great 35 package, and widely liked better than the Loxia/A7x.

MF on the RX1 is not fun, so you need to like AF. :)
I am very often a focus lock, recompose kind of AF user. Old hat, old skool I know but old habits die hard.
I am generally a slower considered user, so AF speed is rarely an issue for me.

I do like accurate AF and AF that gets it right first time. - This is almost more important than actual AF speed to me.

I think the jist here is to try an RX1. :)
 

philip_pj

New member
Tim, the RX1 series is an aristocrat's camera - Sony had Leica users fair in their sights. It predates the mass market a7 cameras by a year and in fact is the beta test bed for the later cameras. But it's funny - a7 users moan endlessly about AF speed, ergo etc. but RX1 users seem to understand the trade offs better.

Sony put everything into its manufacture - hand assembly, component matching, chassis fabrication of a very high order, a lot of design breakthroughs. Everyone with the slightest interest in 35mm lenses ought to have one IMO, now they go for cheap. Sony made all the compromises in favor of quality. The big elements really need a stronger motor to AF them at acceptable speeds, but Sony felt this would work against the main aim and raison d'etre of the camera. I have a second to spare for what I shoot with mine and so most likely do you. And if you point it at a pretty woman or child they don't mind either because it is so small and friendly and they can still see your face around it. It sounds glib but that is my experience. It takes fantastic close portraits and group shots.

BTW, you can easily use flexispot to move the focus box to right where you want it, but many users F-RC for convenience, unless the focal plane angle is acute it works well enough for a 35mm DOF. Any time you have to work a little to dig out the SD card or the slim line battery just recall the image quality, which never quits .. f2 to f11, macro to infinity. The lens is so good you don't notice how sharp it is, and users never get sick of the tiny 'snick' of the shutter or the fine gnurling on the dials. It makes mounting an adapter and lens on an a7 seem like a kid's meccano set. None of this is to downplay the fine Loxia 35mm and more versatile cameras it goes on, but the RX1 is 'special'.

Lens wise it has an alarmingly flat field, so you get consistent OOF and fine drawing at all distances. Strong but very good color, no CA to speak of, strong micro-contrast, great corners, draws lovely 'bokeh balls'. I'd say, without having the Loxia, it would be less 'fussy' to use across a range of photography.
 
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