Sony RX1R II vs. Sony RX1...... Round one....FIGHT!

[Cindy Flood]

Did you pick up the unused used RX1RII from Pro Photo Supply? If so, a great bunch of guys there, pretty much each with 20+ years of real photographic experience and not your normal Best Buy retail folks. I always try to buy my gear there as they are a real photo store, not a box shifter or low end dealer. Their used gear folks are especially knowledgeable and passionate and I'm always falling for their enthusiasm and buying film gear that's been gently loved but liberated. :thumbs::facesmack:

Yes, I went back through the posts and found your post about the used one. They took my RX1-R and finder in trade. I couldn't go to their store, since I'm in Arizona, so we made other arrangements to complete the deal. I'm very satisfied. I'm glad I didn't go into the store, if they have film gear, because I find it hard to resist, and I already have too much film gear.

 

[cam]

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

 

[Vivek]

Cam, I am sure Cindy and Lucille will give their insights based on their experiences with both the cams.

fwiw, I have been using it on AF only (that too with auto ISO most of the times) for street snaps. It is faster than i can manually focus a leica lens and unlike some CDAF units, the RX1R ii focuses on the subject and not behind them. So, the AF is not only fast but also accurate.

Low light capability is on par with that of the A7s.

The best camera i have ever used so far.

 

[cam]

Cam, I am sure Cindy and Lucille will give their insights based on their experiences with both the cams.

fwiw, I have been using it on AF only (that too with auto ISO most of the times) for street snaps. It is faster than i can manually focus a leica lens and unlike some CDAF units, the RX1R ii focuses on the subject and not behind them. So, the AF is not only fast but also accurate.

Low light capability is on par with that of the A7s.

The best camera i have ever used so far.

Ooooooh -- did you feel me perk up when you compared the low light capability to the A7S?

(And thank you for mention about it focusing correctly... Which AF mode do you use btw?)

You are an evil enabler, especially with all your fantastic street shots... Thank you!

 

[Lucille]

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

 

[Cindy Flood]

Cam, I am sure Cindy and Lucille will give their insights based on their experiences with both the cams.

fwiw, I have been using it on AF only (that too with auto ISO most of the times) for street snaps. It is faster than i can manually focus a leica lens and unlike some CDAF units, the RX1R ii focuses on the subject and not behind them. So, the AF is not only fast but also accurate.

Low light capability is on par with that of the A7s.

The best camera i have ever used so far.

I really liked the RX1-R and if the new camera doesn't fit in a photographer's budget, the RX1-R won't disappoint them. The new cam does have more dynamic range, as Lucille's original comparison shots showed.

I love Leica gear, but 28mm does not fit my style as well as 35mm does. I am also disenchanted with Leica service after my trials with M8 and M9.

The menu system is something that I am used to because all of my digital cameras are Sony. I do agree that some items could be organized in a more photographer friendly way, but honestly, I don't go into the menu system very often except to format my card (once I have the initial setup).

I leave my camera always set to manual focus. I have AF on the AEL button on the back and focus assist on C1. When I turn the focus ring, I have automatic focus assist. It is easier for me to manual focus all the time, but I do have AF if I want to get to the focus point quickly for an action shot.

The best part of owning the RX1-R II for me is that I always have it with me. I have a little A+A zippered soft pouch (from my M8 days) and the camera just fits in there and then into my purse. It is basically the same size as RX1-R, but I don't miss the fiddly external EVF. The pop-up EVF is great.

Make sure that you get a hood and Metro case, and I like a little softie on my shutter button.

 

[Vivek]

(And thank you for mention about it focusing correctly... Which AF mode do you use btw?)

The camera or me (highly unlikely) certainly peaks interest in my subjects.

Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr


Backlit and all, the AF was spot on the subject and not on any shiny bicycle in the background. There was no hunting.

I use continuous focus, wide field, in AF. Blazingly fast. It has to be experienced to understand it.

 

[bipbip]

I do agree that some items could be organized in a more photographer friendly way, but honestly, I don't go into the menu system very often except to format my card (once I have the initial setup).

Interesting sidetrack from the original thread title. I'm all for having a 'My Menu' tab added to the incongruous Sony mish-mash if by this time they've given up redesigning it, if one could call it 'design'. Although I also have an a6000 I still find myself scrolling all too often even if I do more or less know where each item I require resides. Said items must be five or six and being able to place them together would be most helpful.

Now to buttons: I find the focus mode knob rather tight and in any case have assigned C1 to manual focus; i.e. AF/MF Ctrl Toggle. That way, as I always have continuous focus on to take advantage of the excellent tracking, I can instantly pinpoint the subject of interest, press C1 thereby cancelling any further unrequired 'assistance' and recompose. Doing it the traditional way would mean twisting the hard focus mode knob, all the way down to manual focus but then possibly missing the next one that would incur twisting it again back up and missing the CF spot and going onto the S.

I have nothing on the dial, as it's easily pressed, except the down position assigned to Deactivate Monitor - this to save battery use as I have the 'sleep mode' set to the maximum of 30 minutes given that its wake up is still too sluggish. The centre button is for Eye AF when using the Single Focus mode.
C2 is for creative style for the few instances when I want to see the scene in colour as the majority of my subjects are in BW.

The Function Menu I have limited just to one row which is; from left to right:
Drive Mode (almost all the time on single shot, but there in case I want to set the timer) / Focus Area, set to Flexible Spot L which is the recommended setting for the excellent tracking system in this camera / ISO AUTO, although I use the AEL button for this, it's just in case I temporarily change its function to something else if required / Centre Lock-on AF / Quality, again almost always on RAW but a quick change available if needed / Smile/Face Detect. This Function Menu could be the ideal placement for a proper full 'My Menu' area.

Although I come from a traditional SLR/OVF user base I hardly ever use the pop-up EVF except for landscape subjects. This little gem is for me the best street camera available and I use it mainly à la Rollei; flipping the screen out and looking down on it, as discreetly as possible sometimes even shooting from the hip guessing the composition and given the enormous files adjusting inclinations etc. in post.