RX100 is proving more and more to be an excellent always with you type carry camera and I'm just constantly amazed at the type of output coming from a camera that I hardly know is even in my pocket.
Went to the State Fair the other evening and as it was a social outing rather than a photographic trip I wasn't going to even bring a camera. I've done the whole big camera/tripod routine before, and got some nice images along with all the expected headaches of dealing with the crowds, gawkers and such. Frankly even if I still had my smaller NEX or m4/3 kit I would of left it at home as I just wasn't looking to play photographer and carry a bag or wear a camera around my neck.
Since the RX100 is a true pocket camera though I figured why not slip it into my pocket (hey, have to justify that $650 price tag and actually use the thing righ?) and took it along. Hardly knew it was even with me which is exactly what a good pocket sized P&S is supposed to do and I've owned plenty over the years. RX100 isn't the biggest (LX5) or the smallest (Canon 300HS) but its without question a pocket camera anyway you slice it. Not a coat pocket camera, not a super baggy cargo shots with a pancake lens camera, but a fit into jeans or even dress slacks pocket camera.
No EVF or tilting LCD but a very good quality one that you can see in any light. Easy to access controls and logical menu's. Very fast and snappy AF as well. All and all a very enjoyable camera to shoot with and one that doesn't frustrate you feeling your always waiting for the camera to focus, or write to the buffer etc.
Its really not until you get home and view the images on your monitor though do you really realize quite how special this camera is. The files simply do not look like the output from something you were carrying in your pocket the whole time. They have the overall look and tonality off a much larger (up until now) camera like a NEX or m4/3 system, or even an APS-C DSLR with a kit lens. Its basically like getting a free lunch of having the look and generally performance of a larger CSC that slides right into your pocket.
These are just a couple of random snaps my g/f asked me to take of some baby animals that were just born the very day and are hardly "art" or serious photography. More along the lines of me simply pulling the camera out, snapping a pic and saying "okay, got it" I'd probably otherwise of been using my iPhone for the task, but darn if I wasn't really impressed with the potential of what I was seeing looking on them on my 30" monitor back home.
Fine detail and overall way of rendering that you just don't see in a pocket P&S
Thanks for posting the review, flypen, well written.
And those shots show impressive detail, millsart. Exact situation where this cam shines.
When I had the S100 and before RX100 was announced, I was ready to pull the trigger on a NEX5n as 'bridge' camera between S100 and D700, something with better AF and files. With the RX100, the gap is close enough that I don't feel the need for one anymore.
Also, darn if the watercolor and illustration modes aren't rather addictive and fun. I've got CS6 and also an Alien Skin plugin that can certainly do these same tricks and more, with far more control and with a bit of work better results but there is just something fun about standing in a line and playing with these filters to see how it turns out.
Additionally, you can apply these illustration and watercolor filters after you've taken a shot and save the processed file as a copy so you do not in fact have to lock yourself into having only the filtered shot.
Thanks guys, hopefully the first of many reviews for that site.
I would have liked to added more technical details, discuss the art filters, the manual controls, and the memory functions but alas, it would be a reach if the audience for the site knew what an aperture was.
Doesn't appear watercolor or illustration mode work for video. Some of the other picture effects modes such as selective color (where its all b/w save for color of choice) posterization etc work with video but I don't think the camera has the processing power no apply all the effects to video.
The watercolor algorithm in particular I'm really impressed with as it seems to render darn near anything I've tried shooting with it in a pretty darn convincing watercolor style, and more to the point, in a way that actually looks aesthetically pleasing.
Jeff Kott wrote:
I've got a little different take on this and I agree with Fly.
Now that I've had the RX 100 for a couple of weeks, I'm going to sell my NEX 5N and my two primary cameras will be the RX100 and NEX 7. The RX 100 is way smaller than the NEX 5N and the results are better than the 5N with the kit lens.
I'm not sure a casual shooter will reap the benefits of the RX100 over say a Canon S100 or the like. It's in the hands of an experienced enthusiast or pro that this camera will shine. The raw files really sing with good post processing skills, whereas the jpegs are just ok. Another example is that not that many causal shooters would understand that in low light you're better off shooting the lens at the widest focal length to reap the benefits of the 1.8 aperture that is only available wide in order to keep the ISO down and get cleaner files. ...Show more →
Majority of the shots that my wife takes with our S95 are at widest focal length anyway. And most of her shots are indoors in low light. So I think it will benefit her shots anyway. Though I do understand your point that experienced shooters can get much more out of it than casual shooters.
curious80 wrote:
Majority of the shots that my wife takes with our S95 are at widest focal length anyway. And most of her shots are indoors in low light. So I think it will benefit her shots anyway. Though I do understand your point that experienced shooters can get much more out of it than casual shooters.
The other issue, of course, is cost. At $650, I think the camera is well worth it to someone who knows how to extract the extra IQ from it and appreciates the results. On the other hand, I would hesitate to recommend that a casual "P mode jpeg shooter" spend this kind of money for what for them will be a point and shoot.
Jeff Kott wrote:
The other issue, of course, is cost. At $650, I think the camera is well worth it to someone who knows how to extract the extra IQ from it and appreciates the results. On the other hand, I would hesitate to recommend that a casual "P mode jpeg shooter" spend this kind of money for what for them will be a point and shoot.
That I agree with, which is the main reason I haven't bought it yet But on the other hand my wife is the one who takes most pictures of our 4 year old daughter these days, and we have another baby on its way So if it can improve the quality of her indoor shots then it is money well spent. She doesn't use the popup flash and rightly so, but that means that many low light shots come out blurred or noisy. RX100 should help with that. Plus if RX100 is that good then it can do double duty as my "carry-everywhere" camera. I have switched to NEX for MF lenses so my m43 setup will be reduced to GX1+20mm. If RX100 turns out to be good enough, I might just get rid of the GX1+ 20mm as well and use RX100 instead
So right now I am just hoping that RX100 goes down in price a bit on the used market soon so I can pick one up
I think that even a casual shooter can actually appreciate the RX100's speed of AF and general operation, not to mention its amazing White Magic LCD
My g/f has been saying how its a night and day difference in how fast it focuses and how she can so easily see the screen during the day compared to here little Panasonic Lumix P&S. She's always asking me to get the RX100 out of my pocket even when she's got her camera with her and hardly is an advanced user.
It is a premium price, no doubt about that, but I've yet to own a P&S that I can view the LCD on during the midday sun other than the RX100 which works perfectly. That alone is probably worth $100 to me over any other comparable camera model.
millsart wrote:
It is a premium price, no doubt about that, but I've yet to own a P&S that I can view the LCD on during the midday sun other than the RX100 which works perfectly. That alone is probably worth $100 to me over any other comparable camera model.
Agreed.
It can be seen from many angles too, so shooting low down is allowed without having to tip the cam to see it, or for that matter, get a tilting screen camera.
But on the other hand my wife is the one who takes most pictures of our 4 year old daughter these days, and we have another baby on its way