Diary of a Sony RX100 user

[Hamish Gill]

Right then ... this is cool!!

Flash

result - average


rx100 without bouce by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr

bounce flash

result - superb!


Rx100 bounce by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr

That, is without doubt one of the best things I have discovered about any camera ever!
A shame it doesnt clip back somehow... Still its not hard to hold with your finger!

 

[Pete Askew]

Nice one Hamish, thanks. I'd seen that feature mentioned in one of the reviews on Amazon. It looks like it works well too.

 

[Hamish Gill]

For such a tiny flash it's amazing I think ...

 

[Pete Askew]

The RX100 turned up about half and hour ago and is charging as I type!

This could be useful!

2* NP-BX1 NPBX1 battery + DC134 charger SONY Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 20.2 MP Camera | eBay

 

[Hamish Gill]

Yeh, Im not so hot on the in camera charging myself ... like the idea of having an external charger but am loathed to buy one
what sort of camera of this calibre doesnt come with a charger? madness!

 

[Pete Askew]

I agree and the mini-USB port is one of the more flimsy ones I've seen! Sony do a USB powered charger (Sony BCTRX Charger for NPBX1) but it does not appear to be available in the UK at the moment. Is is available in Germany for between 66 and 120 Euros (a bargain!) and $80 in the US.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Yeah, at that money they are basically giving them away

The USB port isnt even a standard mini USB, it's some proprietry shite ... That really grinds my gears that does ...
But as has been discussed elsewhere accessories = profit

Only a minor quibble though, certainly not a deal breaker with all those cheap chargers on ebay

 

[Paul Lange]

Do you not get a USB lead with it so you can charge it with your computer? If so there are loads of gizmos that have a powered USB socket you can plug it into.

 

[Hamish Gill]

new strap for it! http://www.realphotographersforum.c...t-strap-superb-quality-service.html#post59921

 

[Pete Askew]

Do you not get a USB lead with it so you can charge it with your computer? If so there are loads of gizmos that have a powered USB socket you can plug it into.

Yes there are but the connection between the lead and the camera is fairly fragile. An external charger and spare battery would be much better.

 

[Hamish Gill]

USB on the left, Sony on the right

 

[Paul Lange]

To me that looks like a standard Micro USB plug which are very common. I have the same on my Blackberry plus I have seen it on other smaller devices including Sony cameras. On the left is a standard Mini USB plug, also very common.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Is it? Oh well, in that case I take it all back!!
Ive not had any devices with connections other than mini USB and the annoying iPhone connector for ages!

 

[Paul Lange]

According to my car multi charger some Nokias and Motorolas use this connection also. To me it seems a useful idea as you could charge the camera in the car with a phone charger or even with one of the battery packs. I do see Pete's point about it being a flimsly connection though.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Ok, here are the advantages and disadvantages as I would have outlined them in the shop
in camera charging means:
Pros
less to carry - can be charged off a computer or car or whatever without having to carry the charger everywhere

Cons
Camera can't be used when charging
You can't charge a second battery when out with the camera

I like to have two batteries with my cameras. One in the camera one in the charger. That way you can never get caught short

In camera charging is nice, but it's a bonus along side an external charger for me not a replacement for one!

The only way arround it is to get into the mobile phone mindset with the camera, ie remember to put it on charge every night and get in to the habit of doing it

 

[Hamish Gill]

I thought providing max apertures at major focal lengths might prove useful so ...

28mm - 1.8
35mm - 2.8
50mm - 3.2
70mm - 4.0
100mm 4.7

This info is available by setting the lens ring control to zoom, setting the camera to its max aperture and zooming

- - - Updated - - -

I think it is important to mention that compared to a standard "kit" lens on an slr this is pretty good
kit lenses usually start at 28mm - 3.5 and by 85ish are 5.6!

 

[Hamish Gill]

I'm rocking the Sony rx100 at the mo... The picture quality is fairly close but for the deeper DOF and the autofocus makes the x100 look like it was made by Romans!
Ill miss the x100 for the vf and the shooting style it promotes, but I have the Epson rd1s for that!
if I disn't have the Epson the Fuji would be staying ... But iI do, so it's going!

 

[Jim Kuo]

Hamish, how is the shutter lag of rx100 comparing to X100 in full manual mode (everything including focus and ISO)?

 

[Hamish Gill]

As I said else where the focus is very fast
But moreover, the focus lock fail rate is much lower ... i found much of the time with the fuji was wasted trying to refocus the af
I dont think i have had a single situation where the focus has missed

I suspect some of this might be due to a deeper dof at x focal length equiv/aperture
One way or another It seems and is faster in every respect than the fuji

the fuji in my books is better for contemplative photography, the rx100 is much better for quick reaction stuff!

- - - Updated - - -

Dropped the contrast on the "standard" jpeg to -3 today ... photos are a much nicer starting point for post process

here are two shots converted to b&w
http://www.realphotographersforum.com/people-portraits/7188-more-photos-connie-rx100.html

Its given me much more scope for adjustment in pp this has... def recommended until raw is supported by adobe!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Left my debit card in the same pocket as the rx100 today ... It scuffed the screen
annoyingly this happened the day my acmaxx screen and lens protector turned up

So far not overly impressed with either to be honest ...
the lens protecter makes for big green flare when shooting into light and the screen protector is just a bit naff
Still, they are at least doing some protecting ..
I think the screen one will stay ... Not nearly as sure about the lens one at all!
Ill post some photos taken with it later