2 years ago

Precision assembly Metal body Compact size with awesome quality Excellent glass (fixed aperture) with aperture wheel Full-frame sensor (those in the know will understand, others won’t buy it anyway), no noise Built-in flash Manual modes, scenes for others Rotators for the basic requirements of photographers (exposure compensation, modes , two wheels, selection buttons) Fully customizable, I’ve only seen this in mirrored Pentaxes Mirror quality with completely non-mirror sizes If you try, it will fit into your pocket There are no competing models Zeiss badges on glass and Sony badges on the device will allow only your friends whose devices have it to sleep peacefully red circle with white letters, the rest will choke on saliva

2 years ago

Full frame sensor, very good

2 years ago

Compactness. Matrix. Lens. Assembly.

2 years ago

Highest quality build, great lens, quiet shutter, autofocus, gives very beautiful picture, pastel colors.

2 years ago

I can't handle flash photos. And this camera has very high working ISOs and a huge “hole”, which allows you to take stunningly beautiful pictures in the twilight without noise. Moreover, if it’s really dark, there is a mode where it stitches together a picture from a series of frames, also clean and without noise. It's been a long time since a single device has brought me so much joy. Perhaps a 4K monitor, for the same price, on which you can watch these pictures and enjoy.

2 years ago

Build quality, design, lens quality, miniature size.

2 years ago

The smallest FF camera - Matrix, according to DxO tests, does everything Canon, Leika, losing only to top Nikon models. - The lens is also one of the best - Considering all of the above and the fact that the CZ lens was specially designed for the matrix, there is no need to talk about the quality of the images - they are at their best. - The build quality is excellent, Japanese hand-assembled, pleasant to hold in your hands. It was made very “monumentally”, everything spins, presses, and turns perfectly. - There are many functions that it makes no sense to describe here, there are so many of them that they are not even properly described in the instructions :)

2 years ago

sensor, lens, build quality

2 years ago

Excellent quality, fast, comfortable in the hand (even if it’s not big), comfortable button placement.

2 years ago

Quite slow autofocus (in fact, fast, compared to something that can’t be compared with)
Price
Annoying orange circle at the base of the lens

2 years ago

2 years ago

Battery. Lack of protection.

2 years ago

No separate charger included
Not weatherproof
Weak battery

2 years ago

Everyone lists the price as a disadvantage. It is not true. The camera costs this money and you can’t make such a camera for less money.
No zoom. I doubted the purchase for a long time precisely because of this. But there is a digital zoom button. In essence, you will get the quality not of FF, but of crop. In reality, my current number of cropped frames is no more than 3-5%.
They write that the lens gives a small “barrel”. There is a checkmark in the menu, it can be removed programmatically.

2 years ago

Slow autofocus when shooting video. The lens wanders when catching focus (You can hear it knocking back and forth inside)
Very weak battery. (It is clear that the price is for compactness.)
When shooting a video, in cold weather - 10 degrees, it sits in 20 minutes.
The battery costs 1,500 rubles, you can buy a second one if you really need it)
Expensive! Although if you take, for example, A-99 with a good lens, it will be more expensive.

2 years ago

.
- Of course, this is the price. In Russia (120 thousand) it is generally absurd. If you buy it only in the USA or the export version in Japan, the camera will cost a non-resident 80 thousand.
- no GPS tags
- fixed 35mm lens. Although the quality of the images is so good that if it were 35-50/70 it would not change much in terms of zoom, except that portrait photographers would be happy... but this would greatly increase the size of the lens, losing the whole point of an "FF compact" ". Who needs interchangeable lenses - wait for the FF NEX, but it will be even more expensive :(
- autofocus is not the fastest
- insanely expensive original accessories
- I personally don’t like the design

2 years ago

not detected

2 years ago

I haven’t noticed it yet, unless it’s worth noting the small battery. Discharges quickly when recording video.

At the bottom, as usual, there is a compartment for the battery and memory card. The tripod mount thread is placed to the right, but not far enough. Depending on the tripod design, access to the memory card compartment may be blocked. At the bottom there is also a system speaker hidden under the grille.

The lens has a separate ring for switching to macro mode. By default, it focuses from a distance of 30 cm to infinity, but in macro mode focusing is possible from a distance of 20–35 cm to the object.

Screen and interface

The three-inch screen has a resolution of 1,228,800 pixels and is made using proprietary WhiteMagic technology. Its essence lies in the presence of four color points per pixel - red, blue, green and white. This display features increased brightness and reduced power consumption. This is a matrix with excellent color rendition, as well as wide viewing angles. Shooting in sunny weather is possible without problems. With a direct hit of rays, however, it will be difficult to assess the correctness of the exposure, but the histogram, which is displayed on the screen by pressing the Disp button, can help with this.

Of course, from a professional point of view, this is not an equivalent replacement for a viewfinder. Alternatively, you can use an external electronic or optical viewfinder, but it would be better to take the Fujifilm experience and implement a built-in viewfinder. The screen does not have a touch layer, and setting the focus point is quite difficult, because there are no dedicated mechanical elements for this. In addition, the display matrix has plastic protection, although it would be good practice to install durable glass here. This is even surprising considering the high cost of the camera.

The Sony RX1 menu was inherited from cameras with interchangeable lenses of the Alpha series. It was also implemented for the Sony RX100. It is extremely simply organized and does not require much getting used to, although there are some mistakes. For example, it is not possible to switch shooting modes (RAW or JPEG) through the quick menu. Both primary and secondary shooting parameters are displayed along the edges of the display. At the same time, they look unobtrusive and hardly distract from framing.

Another funny thing is that in the settings you can change the quality of the picture on the display. This does not affect anything in terms of shooting or picture quality. Apparently, the camera disables font smoothing and image preprocessing before displaying it on the screen. The decrease in screen quality does not even affect battery life in any noticeable way. So let's chalk this up to the mystery of the Japanese soul.

Functionality

Here, of course, it’s worth talking about the matrix right away. This is a real full frame with a resolution of 24.3 megapixels. The same matrix (or at least technologically very close) is used in the professional camera with a translucent mirror SLT-A99. There is information that the matrix was specially modified for use in the RX1, and the noise characteristics at high ISO values ​​look better than those of the SLT-A99. But Sony itself does not comment on this.

The sensor's sensitivity is adjustable from ISO 100-25600, and if desired, the lower limit can be moved up to ISO 50. This can be especially useful when shooting with the aperture wide open in bright sunlight. For unknown reasons, the minimum shutter speed at F2.0 is 1/2000 s. In some cases, a neutral density filter can come to the rescue, but you will have to buy it separately.

The sensor itself deserves the highest ratings in all respects - sensitivity, noise, dynamic range. Such a large matrix allows for at least 2x digital zoom without significant loss of quality. In an emergency, it is not a sin to use it. There are only two frame formats available in the menu - 16:9 and 3:2. Well, when shooting in RAW, only the 3:2 ratio is available.

New full frame mirrorless compact camera from Sony with a fixed lens essentially opened a new niche in the digital camera market. This unique device primarily attracts with its dimensions and the use of a high-quality optical system. True, there are some nuances - based on the results of using the camera, I am absolutely sure that not a single professional photographer was involved in the development of this camera.

The camera is unstable in automatic mode, and manual mode is too confusing and illogical. But since all problems can be solved using software, there is a chance that all the shortcomings will be corrected in the new firmware.

The camera has a full-frame 35 mm sensor with a resolution of 24 megapixels (6000x4000 pixels) and a fixed Carl Zeiss Sonnar 2/35 lens. Stylish metal body with control elements stylized as classic cameras (for example, a shutter button with a hole for a remote cable). The camera weighs about 450 grams, and its dimensions allow it to be carried in a jacket pocket. The camera has a built-in flash, the purpose of which remains a mystery to me (it would be better to have a built-in optical viewfinder) and a shoe for additional accessories (optical and electronic video finders, flashes, etc. - the list of additional accessories is huge).

The camera works with Memory Stick Duo or Secure Digital memory cards. The camera comes with a charger with a Micro USB output, a neck lanyard and a cloth pouch.

There is no point in discussing the legendary Sonnar with the classic focal length of 35 mm. This lens delivers amazing sharpness from all corners of the frame at all apertures.

Below is a selection of diverse photos from the RX1. All shooting in RAW, conversion to RPP. The camera has some peculiarities in color rendering, in particular there is a lot of blue, but this can be corrected and will most likely be taken into account in the new version of RPP. All images contain EXIF, if anyone is interested in the shooting parameters.

A special feature of the camera is the absence of a mirror. As you know, a mirror is needed not only so that the photographer can see the scene in real time in the video finder, but also to ensure the operation of phase focusing sensors (the mirror in SLR cameras is translucent, part of the light is directed into the viewfinder, the other part - into focus sensors). If you remove the mirror from the camera, then the phase focusing sensors must be placed directly on the matrix, or use the contrast focusing method.

What is the difference? Phase focusing is somewhat similar to classic wedge viewfinders on photographic equipment of the last century. Technically, this focusing algorithm depends only on the speed of the mechanics of the lens itself. With phase focusing, at any given time the camera processor knows by what amount and in what direction to shift the lenses in the lens for precise focusing.

Contrast focusing is based on image analysis from the camera sensor. By moving the lens focus, the camera monitors the maximum contrast between two adjacent pixels and stops the focus drive by moving one step back. At contrast focusing The camera moves the lens focus each time in search of the desired position, because Initially, the camera processor does not know where and in which direction to shift the lenses in the lens.

As a result, the performance of this method is limited both by the speed of the processor and by the mechanics of the lens, which require twice as many actions each time focusing as in the case of the phase focusing method.

So, the mirrorless RX1 can compete with a budget DSLR camera and a lens without an ultrasonic drive in terms of focusing speed.

In video shooting mode, by the way, the camera automatically controls focus very smoothly and imperceptibly, and most importantly, effectively. In addition, the camera has a tracking focus mode that tracks a given subject in the frame.

A few words about video shooting. The camera can shoot true 1080p in AVCHD format with digital image stabilization (the focal length in this mode is about 44 mm) and stereo sound. It is also possible to connect an external microphone with power supply via the connector.

As for camera control, everything is ambiguous here. It's immediately obvious that the photographers were not asked what they needed from the camera. The menu is full of all sorts of styles, exposure bracketing, HDR, face detection and other useless options. Amateurs can do without it, but professionals simply don’t need it.

In automatic mode (and even in P mode), the camera stubbornly clings to two parameters: aperture 4, shutter speed 1/80. She will agree to open the hole or reduce the shutter speed only when the ISO value reaches the maximum set. However, the minimum shutter speed cannot be shorter than 1/2000, and this may not be enough when shooting on a bright sunny day with an open aperture.

With manual mode, these problems are solved; you can manually set the aperture (with the ring on the lens), shutter speed (with the wheel on the back of the camera at the top) and ISO (range from 50 to 25600, there is also the ability to set the working range for automatic sensitivity setting).

But here the following problem arises - the camera does not allow you to manually adjust these values ​​when the shutter button is pressed halfway!

You need to release the button, change the parameters and focus again. I really hope that this is a software glitch.

The next misunderstanding is the screen. The first mystery that owners encounter is the LCD Quality option in the menu with the High and Standard parameters. When you switch it, it seems that nothing changes, but this is not the case.

In High mode, the screen display speed is 60 frames per second, which allows you to display a very smooth image when the camera moves. The same mode is characterized by increased power consumption (it is stated that about 300 frames can be taken on one battery). Why couldn’t it be done so that by default the picture is updated at a frequency of 30 frames per second. and when the shutter button is pressed halfway, it increases to 60?

Moreover, the screen CANNOT be turned off! There is a Display off mode, but it simply displays a black picture and at the bottom there is a line with data about shutter speed, aperture and ISO. You can turn off the screen completely only by installing the digital viewfinder and pressing a separate button on it. Moreover, as soon as you stop looking into the digital viewfinder (there is a photocell there that records what you are looking at), the main screen will turn on again!

The optical viewfinder is completely useless due to the fact that the main screen cannot be turned off. Namely, turning off the screen will significantly reduce power consumption (by the way, the camera’s screen is covered with plastic glass, but the matrix itself is distinguished by the presence of pixels in four colors: red, green, blue and white, which ensures the highest brightness in the sun).

The display of information on the screen is also done ridiculously. There are two extremes - absolutely all the icons that are possible at the same time, or only shutter speed and aperture.

I don't need the first mode, because... HDR settings, exposure brackets and face recognition are not relevant to me. And in the second mode, there is no charge level indicator, and as a result, you will suddenly find yourself in a situation where the battery is discharged without warning. There is also a digital level that allows you to level the horizon and camera tilt - a good thing, but essentially useless.

In general, from a software point of view, the camera is very “raw”. For example, if immediately after taking a frame you press the button to view the footage, a warning will be displayed on the screen that the camera is busy and recording a file. Okay, no question, I’m ready to wait half a second, but no, after the warning is displayed, the camera does not switch to viewing mode, you have to press the button again. And in the camera you cannot separately turn off the sound of the shutter simulation; only all sounds are turned off at once. But, for example, I need the sound of focus confirmation, especially when shooting from the waist without looking at the screen.

My main shooting mode is P. If necessary, I adjust the exposure pair after focusing manually using the wheel next to the shutter button (we're talking about Canon DSLRs). This is the main shooting mode; I don’t need anything else from the camera. The RX1 does not allow you to do this; it constantly rests on aperture 4 and shutter speed 1/80, so at best you have to work in aperture priority mode.

In the end, all the camera’s shortcomings come down to software, which I hope will be fixed in the new firmware. And the appearance of the RX1 on the market is a revolution among mirrorless cameras. The technical content of the camera, with well-developed software, can seriously compete with professional SLR cameras.

However, the main advantage of the RX1 is its size. It weighs at least 4 times lighter than a professional SLR camera with a fast lens. Even despite all the disadvantages listed above, Lately I've never taken the 5D Mark 2 out of my backpack.

The luxurious Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is a top-end camera from Sony. At $3,300, it's easily one of the most (if not the most) expensive compact cameras you can buy right now.

Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II - Reviews

But, let's ignore the price for a moment and consider it a showpiece of Sony engineering. The camera comes with a 42-megapixel, full-frame (35mm) sensor (one of the tallest currently available), features a bright lens, a built-in, pop-up electronic viewfinder, and is the world's first camera with a variable optical low-pass filter. This is a camera that produces stellar photographs comparable to large lens photography (ILC). This is not a camera for the masses, but it is amazing.

Design and characteristics of Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II

Given that the RX1R II is a compact and lightweight camera, it feels very solid - incredibly well made, in line with Sony's A7 series. It's not the lightest pocket camera, but it does have a full-frame sensor that's usually found in much larger devices, but you can slip the Sony RX1R II into your coat pocket.

The camera has a fixed 35mm F/2.0 lens, which is carried over from its predecessors RX1R II. This means there is no optical zoom. We like to work with 28mm and 35mm focal lengths, so this wasn't an issue during testing (the RX1R II has a stunning lens). But we usually use simple lenses with detachable optics, so that it is easy to change them to a zoom lens when required. This is not the case here, you need to consider this issue before purchasing. However, we believe that most buyers of this type of camera - street photographers, for example - are aware of this "limitation".

The lens has an adjustable aperture ring, with a nine blade aperture design, it creates good blurry effects at low numerical parameters. There are settings for close-up macro photography and more distant objects (from 0.3 m to infinity). On the front of the camera you can select the focus type.

From an engineering perspective, a fixed lens has an advantage over replacement options: According to Sony, the lens is built into the camera and the sensor is mounted onto the lens structure, with alignment precision down to the micron level, allowing the lens to maximize the maximum output from the sensor. Engineers Sony have accomplished some amazing things with many of the company's new cameras, and the RX1R II is no exception.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II measures 4.5 x 2.6 x 2.8 inches and weighs 1.1 pounds (499 grams), similar dimensions to the RX1 and RX1R. These cameras have 24.3-megapixel full-frame chips, compared to the 42.4-megapixel sensor from the RX1R II - the same one used in the Sony A7R Mark II.

One of the differences between the original RX1 and RX1R was the elimination of the optical low-pass filter (OLPF) in the RX1R (hence the “R” designation). With the RX1R II, Sony implemented the world's first variable OLPF settings (off, standard, high). We'll look at this feature in more detail below, but it essentially allows you to turn on anti-aliasing whenever you need it.

The top of the body houses the pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF), hotshoe, exposure compensation mode and dials, shutter, drive lever, and C1 (Custom 1) buttons. The pop-up EVF has a 0.39-inch OLED screen rated at 2,359K dots (the same as the one in the RX100 III and IV), and that's a real plus when you hold the camera up to your eye rather than shooting with an LCD. The downside to built-in EVFs is that Sony had to sacrifice the built-in flash (available on older RX1s), so you'll need to purchase an additional flash or accessory.

Sony makes a really good eyepiece for the EVF. It is difficult to lock into position with the screw attached. Once you've tightened it up, there's no way to push the EVF back into the body without fiddling with the screw again.

Complementing the EVF is a tilting 3-inch LCD monitor (1,228K dots) on the rear panel. We wish Sony would add touchscreen capabilities to the display. Next to the LCD are the camera buttons, but since this is not a large camera, you shouldn’t expect any tricks - there are only basic control settings.

On the right side there is NFC and video recording buttons. For yourself, you can set the “Custom 1” button - a video recording button. On the left is the EVF raise button and a bay for HDMI, a microphone input, and several A/V connections.

There is a tripod mount on the bottom, as well as a battery and SD card compartment. The battery is only rated for 200 shots using the EVF and 220 for the LCD. This is not much, so a spare battery should be on the list of accessories, along with a high-speed and high-capacity memory card and the previously mentioned flash.

What's included

In the kit you will find a camera, a lens cap, a very attractive leather neck strap, a battery, a charger, a USB cable, and an eyepiece cup. You can also get a cleaning cloth, a 92-page instruction manual, and a Wi-Fi manual available for free download. software, for processing photos, developing RAW files, and connecting the camera to a smartphone or tablet, respectively.

Sony Cyber-shot Warranty

Sony warrants the Cyber-shot RX1R II labor and parts for one year.

Performance and use of Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II

The RX1R II has the same processor/sensor as the A7R II, so we were confident in the footage from the RX1R II (7,952 x 5,304 pixels) before we started filming. Of course, the results of the RX1R II met our expectations. DxOMark tested the sensor and found it to be very close to the A7R II (98 for A7R II, 97 for RX1R II), comparable to the much bulkier Nikon D800E full-frame DSLR. To get the best rated camera, you'll have to spend $8,500 on the Pentax 645Z with its amazing 101 points.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II has a completely redesigned autofocus system. The RX1R II features Fast Hybrid AF combining 399 phase detection AF points and 25 contrast detection points; older models only had 25 point contrast definitions. Again, this is similar to the A7R II's autofocus system. We didn't have any problems with the RX1R II; she quickly caught focus in a wide variety of lighting conditions.

The RX1R II feels very comfortable in our hands. It has the typical Sony control layout, which is quite intuitive, but that doesn't mean there isn't a learning curve for new users. The main dial mode has all the basic shooting modes, plus three memory recall settings for in-depth settings of your choice (saturation, dynamic range optimization, and so on).

A variable, optical low-pass filter allows you to turn on anti-aliasing first if necessary.

Now let's go back to the OLPF setting mentioned above. The RX1R II gives you a choice of standard, high and off modes. For the most part, Sony's menu system is fairly easy to understand, but lesser-used features are hard to find. Just like with the control layout, there is a learning function to make the most of everything this camera offers.

The RX1R Mark II has a native ISO range of 100 – 25600, but can go down to 50 or go up to 102400 if you just exit Auto. This is a big difference from the maximum 25600 in the original. Our review limit is 32000, but even 102400 could be used for smaller sizes. The results were similar to the A7R II, but the mirrorless camera has built-in 5-axis image stabilization, which makes a difference when hand-held. The A7R II helps produce clearer images in low-light conditions, even though the RX1R II is lighter and easier to handle.

In video, the Sony RX1R II tops out at Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 60p resolution. However, Sony has updated the AVCHD codec to XAVC-S. The videos come out very good high accuracy color reproduction and detail, but 4K would be a nice addition here. While the RX1R II doesn't have optical IS, electronic IS is available for video - it's not five-axis, but it's something.

In terms of wireless capabilities, the camera has built-in Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity and works with PlayMemories and the Sony Mobile app (IOS or Android). Pairing the camera with the Samsung Galaxy S5 is very prosaic, the same applies to iOS devices. Sony is one of the few companies that are actually trying to do something in the app space; they send updates and advice, as well as platforms for applications such as Sky HDR, which can be downloaded to the camera.

Bottom line

The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is an amazing camera with a 42.4 MP full frame sensor, variable OLPF, built-in EVF, compact size, and F/2.0 35mm focal length. However, it costs $3,300 and is as complex as the heap of money it costs (though the camera is much cheaper than the Leica Q). The main buyers of this type of camera are street photographers, but not like the average consumer. Just like the original RX1, this camera deserves our recommendation, with its marvelous technology, it's definitely worth the investment.

But if we were spending our money and choosing full frame cameras, we'd go with the A7R II. Although it is larger and more expensive, especially when you consider the cost of additional lenses, its overall performance and capabilities are vastly superior to the Sony RX1R II, not to mention its flexibility. If you can get by without a full frame, there are many compact cameras with cropped sensors that cost half the price; There are also new compacts with 1-inch sensors that are more practical and achievable for everyone else. But for those lucky few who can own a Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II, I would like to add that the camera will not disappoint you.

Today we will talk about the smallest full-frame camera, the coolest, most expensive point-and-shoot camera, the device that you want to get your hands on. So, meet: surprise recent years− Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1.

Yes, Sony loves to experiment. Yes, Sony can still surprise. Yes, Sony doesn't know how to waste time on trifles. I can’t find any other words after last fall Sony unexpectedly announced the most compact one with a fixed high-aperture “classic” lens and a sky-high price of 2800 USD. For what, you ask? Firstly, to demonstrate your technical potential and capabilities. For example, it’s like a mass-market car manufacturer suddenly releasing a sophisticated supercar. Secondly, Sony is trying to invade the segment compact cameras premium class, aimed at wealthy amateur photographers and professional photographers. And here she will have to compete with very strong players. Similar models (although not with full matrix) is available from Leica, Ricoh, and, more recently, from . But the compact body of the Sony RX1 hides more than one trump card...

"Wow! Class! That's her?! Is this RX1? Can I take a look?” This was roughly the reaction of each of my fellow photographers when they saw the little black camera from Sony. Yes, I myself have long dreamed of getting this camera, because from the moment of its announcement I was tormented by one question: is it really that good to be worth that kind of money? Let's figure it out.

What will please you outside?

The design of the RX1 is not as aesthetically refined as the Leica X2, and not as close to the canons of rangefinders as the X100(S). Compactness and practicality come first. No retro style - only minimalism.

The Sony RX1's body, lens and main controls are made entirely of metal. In your hands the camera feels like a monolithic block. Dimensions (113 x 65 x 70 mm) are only slightly larger than the dimensions of the RX100, but the camera weighs as much as half a kilo. It is precisely because of its compactness that the vast majority of people perceive the Sony RX1 as a point-and-shoot camera, and on the street you will not attract too much attention (which has been repeatedly verified by the author of these lines).

The front panel houses the lens, the autofocus illuminator lamp and the autofocus mode switch. The switch is quite stiff and very uncomfortable. In addition, there is one more complaint about him, which will be discussed below. The lens looks disproportionately large and covers most of the front panel. But if we take into account its characteristics, it will turn out to be extremely small in comparison with similar “glasses” from other manufacturers.

On top are: built-in flash; stereo microphone; ISO 518 hot shoe combined with Multi Interface Shoe connector; ; shutter release button combined with on/off lever and thread for cable release; exposure compensation dial and one programmable button. Traditionally, the flash is hidden in the body and there is a separate mechanical button on the rear panel to remove it. The disadvantage lies in the fact that the “puff” cannot be directed vertically for shooting with reflected light (but there is such a possibility). Turning the shooting mode and exposure compensation dials requires considerable effort. This can also be considered a disadvantage, but, on the other hand, you will know that the shooting settings will not be lost if you accidentally touch the camera with your hand or clothing. The shutter button, on the contrary, has a soft and smooth movement. You can feel the half-release very well when the camera focuses, and the “pressure” when the shutter is released.

Most of the rear panel is occupied by a 3-inch Xtra Fine TFT LCD display with a resolution of 1,229,000 dots. It is not rotary. This property was sacrificed for compactness. Excellent viewing angles, although a little, save the situation. In the menu, you can adjust the brightness level of the LCD backlight manually, or select a preset for sunny weather or automatic brightness adjustment, which works very correctly. Although the display is not touch-sensitive, it constantly collects fingerprints - this is due to the fact that to operate the camera comfortably, you need to use both hands and, given the size of the device, you will sooner or later touch the screen.

Sony-RX1 display quickly collects fingerprints

In addition to the flash activation button, the rear panel contains another control dial (works to scroll through photos when viewing, as well as to change the shutter speed in the corresponding modes), a playback button, a / zoom button (AEL), quick access to shooting parameters, calling up a menu and deleting photographs. There is also a small but quite convenient navigation pad, consisting of a scroll wheel combined with a four-way key and a central selection confirmation button (it looks suspiciously similar to that of the NEX series cameras). It is possible to change the assignment of the AEL button, as well as assign up to three shooting functions to the navigation pad (by pressing right, left and down, respectively). It seems like a small thing, but it really increases efficiency and you don’t have to dig through the menu once again. By the way, a little about the latter: by pressing the “Fn” button, you can access the main shooting parameters and change them in two or three clicks. This solution, called Quick Navi, migrated to the RX1 from a line of cameras with a translucent mirror. But from the NEXs (except for the Navipad), the Sony RX1 received a “red” button hidden in a rubber pad, which allows you to start instant video recording regardless of the camera’s operating mode.

All functional connectors of the camera are located on the left side under the sliding cover: Micro USB, Micro HDMI and microphone input. The camera is charged and powered via Micro USB. There is no separate socket for the power adapter. This is for the best, because the “gluttony” of the Sony RX1 can be easily compared with the appetites of modern smartphones. In the morning I took it off the charger and took some pictures. I came to work and connected it to my laptop so that in the evening I could again take a couple of dozen shots on the way home.

The camera has a speaker located on the bottom edge near the tripod socket. There is also a compartment for the battery and memory card slot. Following a tradition that no one understands, Sony has combined support for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards (at least class 4) and Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo (Micro) in one slot. The compartment has a special lock for the battery (if only everyone would do this!), and the battery will no longer fall out when the photographer changes the memory card.

If we talk about appearance and the design of the Sony RX1 in just a few words, we get the following: the main idea of ​​the camera is compactness. This very compactness contains both the advantages and disadvantages of the camera. Of course, everything is very subjective, but due to its small size, using the camera is not always convenient, especially with one hand. The rubber pads on the right side of the camera, stylized to look like leather, don't do much in terms of comfort. They just prevent the camera from slipping out of your hands. Also, for the sake of compactness, the viewfinder was also eliminated. For example, the NEX 7, despite the slight difference in size, can boast electronic viewfinders, while the Sony RX1 does not. And in vain... This would be an excellent competitive help. Especially for professional photographers. When the camera came to me for testing, for the first few days my hands automatically raised the camera to my eyes. And, just pressing my nose into the display, I sadly realized that there was no viewfinder...

I would also like to add that, in general, the Sony RX1 does not have such pronounced charisma as, for example, Leica or. One even gets the impression that the engineers did not create the RX1 from scratch, but took ready-made modules from other models and glued them together with high quality: the body, flash, battery are from the RX100, controls are from NEXs, menus and some features are from SLTs , lens – Zeiss. But there is no denying the fact that the Sony RX1 is cute and attractive in its own way. And also memorable: once a person sees this camera once, he will not confuse it with any other.

What's under the hood?

Don't let the compact body fool you. Inside it we managed to place the main components from: Exmor® CMOS 35 mm sensor with an effective resolution of 23.4 megapixels and an updated BIONZ processor. They work in conjunction with a fixed lens Carl Zeiss 35 mm Sonnar T* F2.0 (if anyone still doesn’t know how to decipher this designation, read about). Unexpectedly for me, the combination of such “adult” components in such a “childish” package gave truly unexpected results. But first things first.

Image quality

As I already said, the RX1 matrix and processor were first used in, which, in turn, gave a very good and low-noise picture. But the Sony compact demonstrates a completely different result. Moreover, in better side! And all thanks to the fact that the matrix in the RX1 receives more data than in the SLT-A99 (in Sony cameras with a translucent mirror, only 70% of the light flux reaches the sensor). Therefore, at the end we have stunning photographs. The detail of the images is approximately on the same level as the Nikon D800 (and this is probably the benchmark for all DSLRs). The dynamic range is so wide that during processing you can easily “stretch” as many as three stops in both highlights and shadows without much damage to the quality of the picture!!! In this indicator, only a few “DSLRs” available on the market can compete with the RX1. DD in RAW can also be expanded using the D-Range Optimizer (DRO) function, and for JPEG the Intelligent Auto HDR function is available, where you can independently select the exposure bracket. There are also no problems with the “branded” color rendering. Here Sony has not betrayed itself.

An example of bokeh from the Carl Zeiss 35 mm Sonnar T* F2.0 lens. 1/80 sec f/2.0 ISO 4000

An example of bokeh from the Carl Zeiss 35 mm Sonnar T* F2.0 lens. 1/80 sec f/2.0 ISO 8000

The sharpness of the Sony RX1 lens in the central part of the frame at 100% zoom. RAW 1/80 sec f/2.0 ISO 200

Like any other lens, the Carl Zeiss 35 mm Sonnar T* F2.0 has its share of optical distortions: distortion, etc. They are minimal, but they are there. If you shoot in JPEG, you can safely enable functions that quite successfully eliminate these same distortions. When shooting in RAW, you will have to do everything manually in a graphics editor. Fortunately, they appear irregularly and not throughout the entire frame.

Autofocus

With autofocus, unfortunately, things are not as good as with the quality of the optics. Firstly, it makes unpleasant and loud noise. Secondly, the speed of the 25-point contrast autofocus system is very relative. Compared to other compacts and point-and-shoot cameras, it simply flies; relative to modern mirrorless cameras (the same ones or Fujifilm X100S, for example), it is quite slow. And when insufficient lighting- he just stops and starts moving back and forth until he focuses. That said, the focusing system must be praised for its accuracy. Since the camera has focused, the sharpness will be exactly in the place where it was aimed. It turns out that dynamic scenes are contraindicated for the Sony RX1. But shooting street, for example, is very possible. During the week of testing, I didn’t encounter many situations (about a dozen) when the camera refused to aim and take a picture.

And here is a promotional image of the Sony RX1, where there is an autofocus tracking mode on the switch.

As a result, given the cost and positioning of the camera, Sony could equip the RX1 matrix with phase sensors, thereby eliminating all questions around autofocus. I also can’t help but think that Sony cruelly deceived all future RX1 owners and deliberately cut down (oh, those joker marketers). This is evidenced by promotional images of the camera, which were distributed immediately after the announcement, where it is clearly visible that the focus mode selector located on the front panel had four points: MF (Manual Focus), DMF (autofocus with manual adjustment), C (Continuous), S (Single). The same modes are listed in the instructions, but in reality the selector only has MF, DMF AND AF items. And in the quick menu, which is called up by the Fn button and allows you to quickly configure the basic shooting parameters, there is a gap proudly gaping at the place where modes were selected... And yet, I was lucky enough to accidentally find something like a “tracking focus”. To do this, select the “Focus area” item and the “Central point” sub-item in the quick menu. Then, to turn on the AF tracking mode, press the navigation pad button: a square will appear in the center of the frame, which you need to point at the subject and press the navigation pad button again. Thus, the camera begins to track the subject in the frame and when you press the shutter button, it quickly focuses. Yes, perhaps something will be changed in subsequent firmware, but at the moment it is difficult and inconvenient to use the function. Or am I still paranoid?

Operation speed

In terms of speed, the Sony RX1 is quite typical Sony (pardon the pun). Navigating the menu and viewing footage is very fast. The burst shooting speed is also high - about 5 fps, but the camera starts to slow down after 8-9 pictures in format or RAW. And this is not surprising, because the average size of one RAW file is 24 MB, and a high-quality JPEG is about 15 MB. As with the Sony SLT-A99, the RX1 takes about two seconds to power up and be ready to shoot. The same applies to the speed of exit from sleep mode. Therefore, the camera is not conducive to spontaneous shooting.

Cinematic abilities

Sony RX1 can shoot Full HD video in AVCHD or MP4 formats at up to 60 fps in progressive or interlaced scan. There is a built-in stereo microphone with wind noise suppression, and through the Multi Interface Shoe you can connect any other video accessories. Available manual settings shooting. Video mode has autofocus (including tracking) and electronic image stabilization. True, autofocus is not of much use when shooting video. It works smoothly, but, unfortunately, extremely slowly. In general, the video quality is very, very decent.

The Sony RX1 received many software features from both the Sony SLT-A99 and the Sony RX100. The camera has an intelligent teleconverter that allows you to enlarge the image by 1.4 and 2 times, while reducing the resolution of the images to 10 and 4.6 megapixels, respectively.

I've already mentioned that the Sony RX1 produces HDR images with ease. The camera takes three pictures and combines them into one photo. In the settings, you can specify automatic selection of the exposure bracket or set it manually within the range from 1 to 6 steps in 1-step increments. Everything is simple, but reliable. (If someone doesn’t know what HDR is, look at the corresponding issue of the “” section and).

For those who like to photograph landscapes, an electronic level is provided. If, when shooting a landscape, a person appears in the frame, the camera itself can focus on his face, and when he smiles, the RX1 will take a picture. You can also register the faces of your friends and relatives in the camera's memory, so that in the future it will know who to photograph first.

Fans of creativity and photographic experiments will also be pleased with the camera: Sony RX1 can provide a choice of thirteen image effects and two dozen customizable styles. For example, I got hooked on B/W and sepia...

Peculiarities

For me, the first unpleasant feature was the excessive gluttony of the camera. The manufacturer claims that the NP-BX1's standard battery capacity is sufficient for 220 shots, but in my usage scenario the RX1 only lasted for a day. During this time I managed to take 100-120 pictures. Probably, the engineers of Sony's photographic division undergo a mandatory internship in the smartphone department, and for them it is quite logical that the device only works for a day. By the way, if you had the “brilliant” idea that this problem during long studio shoots can be solved by purchasing an additional battery, then there is a small catch. You won't be able to charge one battery, insert another into the camera and continue shooting - the battery is charged inside the RX1 itself... Therefore, if you know that you have to take 500-700 photos, then take the appropriate number of batteries with you and do not rely on recharging in process.

The second “bright touch” is addiction. And this is where those who like to shoot during the day at maximum open apertures will have to break down. At f/2.0-3.5, the minimum shutter speed can be only 1/2000, at f/4.0-5.0 - 1/3200, and the shortest 1/4000 is possible at f/5.6 or less... But the ability to synchronize the built-in flash over the entire shutter speed range I was very, very pleased. This became a reality thanks to the special design of the shutter. The shutter itself, by the way, works so quietly that on the street you can safely listen to people point-blank and they will not pay any attention to you.

Another unpleasant feature I would highlight is the wildly expensive accessories. Since the kit contains nothing else except the camera, battery, charger, strap, lens cap and instructions, the manufacturer nicely offers to get accessories specially designed for the Sony RX1. And if the camera costs a lot of money, then all sorts of chips for it should be prohibitively expensive: lens hood LHP-1 - 200 USD; grip handle TGA-1 − 290 cu; electronic viewfinder EV1MK − 480 cu; optical viewfinder V1K − 645 USD It's sad... They should have at least included a lens hood in the kit...

Metal hood LHP-1

Handle TGA-1

Electronic Viewfinder FDA-EV1MK

Optical viewfinder FDA-V1K

Gallery of pictures

Since we have repeatedly touched on the topic over the past few weeks, you will find more than one shot of this genre in the gallery. Many of them were taken while shooting blindly, when the camera was simply hanging on the stomach: as photographers say, “from the belly” (move the cursor over the upper right corner of the picture to expand the image to full screen).

1/200 sec f/5.6 ISO 100 1/640 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 5000 1/200 sec f/8 ISO 100 1/1600 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/2000 sec f /2 ISO 100 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 500 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 2500 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 1600 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 2500 1/2000 sec f/2 ISO 100 1 /80 sec f/2 ISO 250 1/1600 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/1600 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/1600 sec f/4.5 ISO 100 1/3200 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/2000 sec f/ 2 ISO 100 1/500 sec f/6.3 ISO 100 1/200 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/160 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/125 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/320 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/ 80 sec f/2 ISO 250 1/500 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 6400 1/1000 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/2000 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/1250 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/320 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/1600 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/800 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/640 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/1250 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/1250 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/2000 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/160 sec f/8 ISO 100 1/160 sec f/9 ISO 100 1/320 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/320 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 1600 1/320 sec f/8 ISO 100 1/250 sec f/8 ISO 100 1/2000 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/80 sec f/2 ISO 1000 1/640 sec f/2 ISO 100 1/500 sec f/4 ISO 100 1/320 sec f/8 ISO 100 1/60 sec f/2 ISO 25 600 1/640 sec f/5.6 ISO 100 1/80 sec f/5.6 ISO 3200 1/640 sec f/5.6 ISO 100 1/1000 sec f/5.6 ISO 100 1/200 sec f/4 ISO 100

What I liked:

• still full frame
• high image quality in RAW and JPEG
• excellent picture quality at high ISO values ​​(both RAW and JPEG)
• Widest dynamic range of RAW files
• optical and mechanical qualities of the lens
• good performance of exposure metering and white balance systems
• controls
• Wide range of camera settings to suit your needs
• many correct automatic and semi-automatic modes (Auto-ISO, BRO)
• modes for shooting panoramas and HDR images
• a set of very interesting creative effects and styles
• 1080p 60 fps video recording
• small size
• quality of workmanship and materials
• charging via micro-USB

About the disadvantages:

• small size
• no viewfinder
• autofocus
• takes a long time to turn on and wake up from sleep mode
• small buffer
• limiting the minimum shutter speed at maximum aperture
• inconvenient separation of photos and video materials when viewing
• After pressing the zoom button while viewing, the camera sometimes freezes
• no stabilizer
• high price
• expensive accessories
• poor supply package
• You cannot shoot simultaneously in RAW+X.Fine JPEG
• confusing instructions, after reading which raises more questions than answers

Alternative

The Sony RX1 has no direct competitors, since the Japanese company itself has created a market niche for full-frame compacts, but...

Leica M-E. The “entry-level” digital rangefinder camera Leica M-E costs twice as much as the Sony RX1, and with a Leica 35 mm f/2.0 ASPH lens. SUMMICRON-M - the price becomes three times higher. M-E has no autofocus, no extreme sensitivity, no variety of creative styles and sophisticated automatic modes, but there is a viewfinder and interchangeable optics(many say the best in the world). But to be honest, the Sony RX1 in technical terms will not leave even a wet spot behind the Leica M-E.

Leica X2, like RX1, competes for the wallets of buyers in the premium compact niche, but has a number of disadvantages compared to Sony: worse body materials, sensitivity, dynamic range, display, etc. But Leica X2 boasts better autofocus and less by 500-600 USD. at a price.

Fujifilm FinePix X100(S). A camera that shook up the market and won people's love in a short time. Its price is rather high, but it is still two and a half times less than the cost of Sony. Fujifilm has a beautiful retro design, a hybrid viewfinder, a small lens, and better autofocus. In terms of light sensitivity, the APS-C sensor of the X100(S) is inferior to the RX1, especially at high ISO values. Fuji X100 has also earned the fair hatred of its fans for its slowness when working with RAW or burst shooting. In the updated X100S model, this is already all right.

Summary

It's quite difficult to draw any conclusions when it comes to the Sony RX1. This most compact camera with a full-format sensor has many disadvantages (especially the price of 3000 USD). But they all pale in comparison to the picture quality provided by the RX1.

The Sony RX1 is not designed for work, it is a camera for the soul. Moreover, the happy owner of this marvelous compact may be disappointed at first. And all because the camera requires a reverent attitude towards itself. You need to give up old habits and learn to understand the Sony RX1, learn to feel the 35mm focal length. Then the enormous potential contained in such a small package will be revealed.

For me personally, the RX1 was the first camera with which I didn’t think about the technical side of shooting. Set aperture priority, automatic settings and go shoot. Just think about the frame. Especially on the street. After all, the small body makes the Sony RX1 look like a point-and-shoot camera and will not attract too much attention. Probably, if Henri Cartier-Bresson were alive, the RX1 would have become his second favorite camera.

One last thing: I'm very sorry to part with the Sony RX1...