Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Pro Reviews

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 is, without doubt, one of the most exciting compact releases in many years. That it comes at a time when other manufacturers - Canon, Fujifilm and Panasonic among them - are also releasing exciting compact models makes it all the more remarkable. Its unique proposition can be summed up in four words - large sensor, small body. That magical combination is what enthusiast photographers have been wishing for for a long time. It's a wish that, in the past models like the PowerShot S100, Lumix LX5 and Olympus XZ-1 almost, but not quite fulfilled. Those models have been superceded by new ones, the S110, LX7 and XZ-2iHS respectively, and there are others, but none matches the size/performance ratio of the RX100. It's easy with a camera like the RX100 to dwell on what's missing - people will complain it lacks a hotshoe, or an accessory port for a viewfinder, or that its screen isn't articulated, but that misses the point. Which is that the RX100 really does deliver the magical combination of large sensor performance in a truly compact and pocketable design - and for that I highly recommend it.

Sony have not only blurred the lines between compact and compact system in terms of the RX100's features, performance and image quality, but somewhat inevitably perhaps also in terms of its price. $650/£550 is more than many mirrorless cameras and even some DSLRs too, but on the other hand this is no humble compact. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is the first truly pocketable camera to offer a DSLR experience, and in that regard it could almost be seen as something of a bargain - it's certainly deserving of our highest Essential! accolade.

The RX100 is probably the most capable compact camera on the market today, combining the image quality benefits of a mid-sized sensor with the proportions of a conventional compact. Extensive, though not flawless, manual controls make the RX100 a great second camera for DSLR shooters.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100's compact, elegant design, generally excellent photo quality, bright, fast lens, and speedy performance make a great package if you don't mind spending a little more money.

Let's say you're thinking of buying a DSLR or mirrorless camera, slapping a 50mm lens on it, and shooting whatever you come across during the weekend Buy the RX100 instead. It's smaller, and for your purposes, will yield photos that are just as beautiful with less tinkering. Or, let's say you're a serious photographer who doesn't want the burden of always carrying around a DSLR. The RX100 is right for you as well. No, you absolutely won't get all the same shots you can pull off with your bigger camera. But you will get some of them (especially in good light). And you won't have five extra pounds strapped on at all times. Plus, this is way better than your smartphone camera (even the good ones). Sure $650 is expensive, but considering all the money you blow on photo gear already, you likely won't consider this a huge extravagance.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 is one of very few compact cameras with a large sensor, and it's been a long time since Sony themselves put a large sensor in a compact camera with the previous model, the Sony Cyber-shot R1, dating back to 2005. Since then a re-surgence of "serious compact" cameras has happened, with most manufacturers having at least one offering, apart from Sony. Sony has re-joined the market with a unique take on the serious compact with a large 1 inch sensor, but without the large body size associated with it. The Canon Powershot G1 X features a 1.5 inch sensor but also features a much larger body and lens for example. Image quality on the RX100 is excellent, with excellent all-round performance, images have good detail, low noise and excellent exposure. The camera has a wide range of features to improve results with a number of dynamic range enhancing modes as well as a built in multi-shot HDR mode. The rotating front dial doesn't click, so it can feel like guess work as to where the setting will end up when turning it, and the on-screen display of the setting often feels disconnected. The price is also another factor to consider, as it is higher than most other serious compacts, as well as a number of mirrorless cameras, the majority with larger sensors (excluding the Nikon 1 series). Battery life is quite short, and a front grip would be nice, but if you put image quality and compact size above price then the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 is an excellent choice.

Sony's RX100 is nothing short of the best all-around compact camera I've ever seen. Where mirrorless cameras made waves by downsizing DSLR-quality photos into a package you could throw into your coat, the RX100 does the same for your jeans. It's really no exaggeration to say that it produces images roughly on par with an average DSLR and kit lens combination, making this a revolutionary camera that means you'll always be in a situation where you can take genuinely high quality pictures. All this comes at a cost, of course, and at $649.99 you'll be paying around as much as an entry-level DSLR or mirrorless camera kit. For that reason I wouldn't recommend the RX100 as anyone's only camera unless portability is the number one concern — you'll get more flexibility and ultimately quality from something like a NEX-F3 at around the same price. If you've already got an interchangeable lens camera and simply want something more portable, however, the RX100 is impossible to beat right now. One thing's for sure — Canon is going to have to pull off something special this year if its S-series is going to stay in the game.

For serious DSLR owners, a high-quality pocket-sized compact is often high on their wish list. We've seen some strong contenders in recent years, but nothing that offers quite the complete package that the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 provides. Its an almost perfect blend of size, performance and image quality, and is a camera that will allow you to leave your DSLR behind without fear of serious compromise. If you're looking for a premium, creative compact camera, then the Cyber-shot RX100 fits the bill perfectly.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 packs a relatively huge 1-inch image sensor into a point-and-shoot body, delivering close-to-SLR-quality images from a camera you can fit in your back pocket. It's expensive, but worth it.

Shaking up the premium pocket camera market, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 made quite an impact here at Imaging-Resource.com. Not only did it make a lot of big claims, the Sony RX100 actually lived up to most of them, packing an astonishing amount of imaging power into a small package. It couldn't possibly escape us that they were aiming squarely at Canon's successful S-series of pocket cameras in their design, but it also seemed like a wise move. Since what we all want from a pocket camera is better image quality, Sony took the right tack by picking a sensor that's large enough to make a difference in image quality, yet small enough to still fit into a pocketable body.

There’s a whole lot of good to say about the RX100. Bags of customisation, a silky smooth lens focus/custom ring, great performance, that high quality, wide-aperture lens and decent image quality - even at that high resolution - make the camera stand out. The rear WRGB LCD screen is superior to a standard compact, but it won’t eliminate light reflection issues and the lack of a viewfinder or any possible accessory may put off some high-end snappers. Oh, and then there’s the price. £550 sounds like a lot - and it is - but it’s shrewdly positioned about £150 below the Canon G1 X’s £700 price point. Is it worth it? Absolutely. The RX100 will be exactly what many demanding photographers have been waiting for: a truly pocketable high-end, large-sensor compact. It’s not quite perfect, and some may query its price point against the NEX-series, but otherwise it’s a roaringly good first attempt. Tasty stuff.

It will cost you a pretty penny, but the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100's feature set is unsurpassed in the compact camera space.

For those looking for a back-up camera for when the DSLR is too bulky or inconvenient, Sony has produced a truly great camera that should also appeal to anybody wanting to trade up from a mobile phone or budget compact camera.