Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

If you have been following camera announcements every year, you would notice that a high end compact camera was missing from the wide range of digital cameras from Sony. The manufacturer fills this gap in its range with the new Cyber-shot RX100. With this compact, Sony competes directly with the likes of Canon PowerShot S100, Panasonic Lumix LX5, Olympus XZ-1, Nikon P310, and other high-end cameras with fixed lens.

An Extraordinary Image Sensor

The Sony RX100 stands out from its competitors with its image sensor. Sony used a one-inch CMOS Exmor-R, which is quite large for this type of digital camera. It does not use backlit technology (BSI) but according to Sony, such technology does not provide a significant gain for a sensor of this size. As if that wasn't enough, the RX100 also has a very high resolution at 20 million pixels. For image processing, the RX100 uses a BIONZ processor directly derived from those used in hybrid ranges (NEX) and SLR (Alpha) used by Sony.

Compact and sleek design

Another advantage of this high end Sony camera is the lens. It extends up to 3.6x optical zoom (28-100 mm equiv. 35mm) with f/1.8-4.9 aperture - a very promising figure in wide angle, but disappoints in telephoto. Having managed to cram such powerful specs in a device of this size, one cannot help but be impressed upon handling the camera. With its 10.16 x 5.81 x 3.59 mm dimension, the Sony RX100 is very compact without significantly compromising the grip. It has a small slip thumb rest on the back so photographers with large hands will still feel comfortable handling it.

Control Ring for Easier Handling

A high end compact by definition, the RX100 has all the shooting modes such as automatic, semi-automatic and manual that many would expect, as well as P, S, M, A, and Scene modes. To make it appealing to professional photographers, Sony gives the RX100 their familiar control ring. As with the S90, S95 and S100 from Canon, an adjustment ring is positioned at the lens barrel. Its function depends on the selected mode, and is customizable (for speed, aperture, etc.). But ergonomics does not stop there. A function key (Fn) also provides access to frequently used functions. The RX100 can also store up to three configurations of global settings, and move quickly from one to another.

Specifications

All the specifications of the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 will most likely meet the demands of professional photographers. The 3 inch Xtra Fine LCD with a resolution of 1,229,000 dots makes use of White Magic technology. It adds a classic white dot to the conventional three primary colors Red, Green, and Blue. The sensitivity ranges from from 80 to 25,600 ISO, with the use of specific technologies to achieve the 12,800 and 25,600 ISO. SteadyShot Stabilization is also included to minimize blur. Users can also choose to shoot in JPEG or RAW format. The announced continuous burst speed is 10 frames per second with shutter priority, and 2.5 fps with continuous autofocus. For video, it's Full HD AVCHD (1920 x 1080 pixels, 60p) with the option to take still images while recording.

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

Panasonic Lumix

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?
Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

Panasonic Lumix

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

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Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

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Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?
Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

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Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

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Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

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Sony RX100 Review - Is This High-End Camera Worth the Hefty Price Tag?