Dynax Digital Forums

Conclusion - Pros

Excellent image quality in both JPEG and Raw
Full frame in a compact, well-built body
Dedicated aperture and exposure compensation controls
Exceptional build-quality - solid feeling without being too heavy
Superb high ISO output in both JPEG and Raw images
Essentially silent operation
Wide dynamic range Raw files
Pleasing metering and white balance results
Good level of customization to tune camera to your needs
Auto ISO and exposure comp. available in manual mode
1080p60 video with mic input
Clever Auto modes and processing features if you want them
USB charging is convenient


Conclusion - Cons

Autofocus speed not fast enough for moving subjects
Autofocus struggles in low light
Significant vignetting (as with similar lenses), corrections 'baked into' Raw files
Multiple button presses required to move AF point
No built-in viewfinder (and accessory options rather expensive)
No focus guides for video shooters
Disappointing video quality even when in focus
Focus peaking in un-magnified live view would have been a major benefit
Rear shoulder dial makes it less engaging to shoot in shutter-priority mode
Can't shoot X.Fine JPEG and Raw
No option to re-process Raw in camera
Lack of included charger makes it harder to keep a spare battery charged
The standard Sony Alpha function screen seems simplistic and inappropriate for this camera
Laggy to engage magnified image review
Awkward separation of movie and stills in playback
Overall conclusion

We said the RX1 was a brave step for Sony - a truly top-end product from a brand still establishing its photographic reputation at that level. And it's a gamble that pays-off to a great degree. The RX1 is much more than a brand-enhancing flagship that few people will ever get to use - it's also truly effective as a camera.

The market it's aiming for is supremely niche - the market for fixed-lens, full frame cameras is not likely to be a big one - but we believe many of the would-be buyers who make it up will be well served by this camera. Which isn't to say it's perfect, nor to underplay how narrow its capabilities are. But, it's a camera designed to be the quintessential tool for a certain kind of photographer, and there are very few things that detract from that ambition.

The main drawbacks stem from the camera's autofocus performance. While not at all bad, it's not fast enough for 'decisive moment' street shooting. Many of these photographers will be able to use the camera's manual focus, though there's no way of previewing the image and confirming focus at the same time. The autofocus performance in low light also gets in the way of capitalizing on the camera's excellent low-light performance.

In practice, the Sony RX1 is a pleasure to use - the aperture ring and exposure compensation dial give a sense of connection to the photographic experience that is missing in many modern cameras and is essential in a camera costing this much. The five customizable buttons give direct access to most of the other settings you might want to change, making it a pretty quick camera to use and adding to the sense of involvement. It's also as close to silent as any full-frame camera is likely to get - its lens-shutter giving off the slightest of swishes as it operates.