Sony RX100 II
Author
Discussion

Janesy B

Original Poster:

2,625 posts

215 months

Monday 4th November 2013
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Looking to replace my old Canon SX200 IS with one of these, main thing drawing me to this is the large sensor for the size of camera, relatively cheap (£15) batteries and good low light performance. Any owners here? Would be interesting to see real life samples.

Happy to listen to alternatives. Pocketability is key, no lenses that stick right out which rules out the 4/3 offerings but I still want the ability to shoot in full manual and RAW. Zoom isn't important, low light performance is. Has to be well built too, I want it to last a good few years like my old Canon did.

strummerville

1,022 posts

156 months

Monday 4th November 2013
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I am very happy with mine (RX100 mk1). I'm posting on my phone so struggling to put a picture on, but scroll down a few pics and you should come to a night shot I took a few ago in French coastal resort: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=...

Janesy B

Original Poster:

2,625 posts

215 months

Monday 4th November 2013
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Very good for ISO 1600. How did the AF perform in that sort of light?

strummerville

1,022 posts

156 months

Monday 4th November 2013
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The autofocus is far better than my Olympus SLR. That shot was taken with the camera taken out in my pocket as a semi afterthought going out for dinner.

Very impressed by it - that are expensive but worth it.

Colin RedGriff

2,541 posts

286 months

Monday 4th November 2013
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I bought the mk1 about year ago and have been very pleased with it. I bought it to compliment my DSLR and I have it with me most days. The build quality and low light performance is very good.


GetCarter

31,228 posts

308 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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It has some annoying traits. Takes a while to retract the lens when you switch off. Menu buttons are a bit fiddly, and for some reason it stores vid in a different place to stills, but the detail in the image is excellent (as you say, due to the sensor size - images end up 5472 px wide). Low light is good too.



100% crop (not sharpened)



ETA I have the Mk 1 so there may be a few tweaks.

Janesy B

Original Poster:

2,625 posts

215 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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To be honest I don't mind if it stores video separately, found the menu system okay, with the RX100 II at least you could map the FN dial to cycle through all the settings I would generally use not sure if that's the same for the MK1. Buttons do feel fiddly compared to a DSLR but I do have quite small hands so I'm okay. Might go back to Jessops and see how long it takes to retract the lens, but that isn't a massive sticking point. I can't see anything close when it comes to IQ/sensor size, so it looks like an easy winner.

baz7175

3,551 posts

240 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about my Mk I, other than the fact that I wish it had RAW functionality when shooting the Pano's, but I can see how that would take some work to achieve.

If I didn't already have the Mk I, I'd be purchasing the Mk II...awesome piece of kit that fits in your pocket!

strummerville

1,022 posts

156 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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This is another quick shot from my recent trip to France - the low light detail is excellent for a simple, hand held shot:


Janesy B

Original Poster:

2,625 posts

215 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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Are those jpegs off the camera or RAW files that you've processed?

GetCarter

31,228 posts

308 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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Janesy B said:
Are those jpegs off the camera or RAW files that you've processed?
Not sure if you're talking to me, but the 100% crop is straight off a JPG from the camera

strummerville

1,022 posts

156 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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Janesy B said:
Are those jpegs off the camera or RAW files that you've processed?
jpegs off the camera on my pics.

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 5th November 2013
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baz7175 said:
I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about my Mk I
Same here.

Incredible pocket camera, and the only thing that has recently made me question if I actually need a DSLR any more.

These are just recent handheld snaps taken walking about, a couple are through glass as well which usually messes things up a little.
I honestly think my D7000 with 17-55 2.8 lens on would have been worse for a lot of these. The low light capability of the RX100 is the bomb.

The sharpness of the images is really something else, although it seems the resizing of images when posted to PH kills the sharpness a bit.

If I didn't need the 'system' capability of my DSLR (wireless flash units, remote control, tethered shooting etc) then I would probably be selling it.. but only to fund a Sony RX1 wink

Sony RX100 and RX1... mmmmm!



























(the shots at night of the river were several seconds exposure and not handheld obviously!)


Edited by NinjaPower on Tuesday 5th November 17:40

sgrimshaw

7,585 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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I'm a fan of the Sony range, partly I guess brand loyalty carried over from the Minolta days.

I've been toying with the idea of complementing my DSLR kit with a NEX6 maybe even 7, but the images I'm seeing from Getcarter, Ninjapower and others from the RX100 are making a compelling arguement for going with one of these.

Thanks for posting everyone.

I just wish I had your talent smile

Janesy B

Original Poster:

2,625 posts

215 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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I'm also having this to sit beside a DSLR, might as well get something that fits in your pocket rather than another camera with a lens that pokes out and all the additional bulk.

Panamoz seem to be the cheapest so I'll go with them I think.

gingerpaul

2,929 posts

272 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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I do have a few gripes about the RX100 (MK1).

Why do I have to wait for it to finish writing to the memory card before I can turn it off and therefore retract the lens and put it in my pocket? Surely I should be able to press the power button, retract the lens and put it away whilst it is still finishing writing? This is what my old Canon S100 would do.

I'm also not a fan of the Sony menu system. I think Canon's is much better thought out, although that might be because I've been with Canon since I started shooting. It just feels like a clunkier effort to me.

I still love it though. If I lost mine I'd go straight out and get another.

sgrimshaw

7,585 posts

279 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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Janesy B said:
Panamoz seem to be the cheapest so I'll go with them I think.
Their price seems too cheap.

Is it a grey import?

WEX have it at £609.

Janesy B

Original Poster:

2,625 posts

215 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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Yeah it'll be a grey import but sent from the UK, they offer a 1 year warranty.

GetCarter

31,228 posts

308 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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gingerpaul said:
I do have a few gripes about the RX100 (MK1).

Why do I have to wait for it to finish writing to the memory card before I can turn it off and therefore retract the lens and put it in my pocket? Surely I should be able to press the power button, retract the lens and put it away whilst it is still finishing writing? This is what my old Canon S100 would do.

I'm also not a fan of the Sony menu system. I think Canon's is much better thought out, although that might be because I've been with Canon since I started shooting. It just feels like a clunkier effort to me.

I still love it though. If I lost mine I'd go straight out and get another.
I'd agree with all that.

strummerville

1,022 posts

156 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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Have all the Mk1s sold out? I bought mine as the newer model was released and paid £399 for it with a free Sony case. I don't think the improvements on the Mk2 warrant the extra expense - I'm not a great tilt screen fan and the hotshoe isn't that necessary for me as I have a DSLR if I want to hang a big flash gun off the camera.

Personal opinion - depends how tight your budget is.