Sony Hoping to gain insight as to which decisions to go to

Rhino123

Veteran
Location
Singapore
Name
Tiew Chong Yi
I owned both a DSLR and a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (OMD EM5). I normally use my OMD when I am travelling and wanted to bring something light. However, as I am always being posted overseas on working assignment, I find the OMD kind of clumsy and attracted lots of attention. I am hoping to get a smaller compact camera with good IQ and can fit into my pocket easily. When I go around taking shots on streets, I wouldn't attract too much attention to myself. Plus this camera needed to be able to take close up shots (thus the Canon G1X is out) for my work purposes (of course I am not looking at 1:1 macro shots).

I came to know the RX100 is a nifty little jewel that can almost fulfil most of my needs, however, the price is kind of high. Then came the Samsung NX mini which is kind of interesting and at a very low price.

So here is the thing... I am now torn between the RX100 and the NX mini... both having 1" sensor and both sporting around 20MP of resolution... I am wondering if any of you guys could give me some advises.

Of course NX mini is a interchangeable lens camera and in future more lenses will be available, but frankly speaking, I am not looking at too wide a range (I can fill those out with my DSLR and OMD if needs be and in working trips, the range I normally needed would not be more than 100mm).

Hope to hear from you guys soon.
 
I can only speak to the RX100.
I used several of the Panasonic LX series and the Canon Powershot S series before the RX100, and in my experience the Sony is hard to beat.
The settings can quickly be changed using the front ring and function button. Truly fits in the pocket!
If you are looking to do a lot of close up work then an interchangable lens camera might be better. But the RX100 does well.
I think I may have posted this image before, but here is the RX100 doing closeup of a small wildflower.

12751088854_761ff7f761_c.jpg
Springing up by donlaw200, on Flickr
 
In my humble opinion it is better to stay with one system, if possible. Maintaining two systems is not only more expensive, one may get distracted by different handlings, too. I would either buy a compact like the Sony RX100 or a small µ4/3 camera in addition to the E-M5. The E-PL5 is a very small camera and offers the same image quality as the E-M5. You may eventually consider the Panasonic GM1 because of its size. The GM1 is a gem, so small and still such a great camera!
 
I'm with Pictor on this. I usually have 3 systems on the go but now have 2. I have recently made the decision to go to just one system and a compact. I have Panasonic M4/3 and Fuji. The Fuji has better IQ (Just) but is bigger and more cumbersome to use. I just love the M4/3 cameras and lenses because they are so compact yet produce great images. I still get a kick out of using my old Panasonic GF1. So my fuji stuff will be up for sale soon to support a few new lenses.
 
Hmm... food for thoughts. M4/3 had certainly come a long way... I remember my first m4/3 was the EPL1 and after that, I fell in love with the M4/3.

Hmmm... so now I have another option... The GM1. The good thing is that I can use all my m4/3 lenses with it too. Pretty nifty... other than the lack of image stabilizer... oh well... I will go down to my nearest local shops and have a feel of each camera.

Thanks a million for your advises.
 
To be honest I'm really struggling with the m4/3 system as it seems to have been stagnant since the day I bought my G1.
I still have that camera ,the wonderful GF1 ,G3 and now testing "copy number two" of the Olympus E-M10 plus a variety of lenses.

Perhaps my mistake was to buy an RX100.
I think owning the amazing Sony RX100 proved to me beyond all doubt that m4/3 sensors were far from the state of the art and it's that camera and later versions that I heartily recommend as being m4/3 beaters.

My hope was that the new Sony Sensor in the M10 would be a quantum leap over my existing gear but it's not.
It's nice kit but for me there isn't a system size less than APS-C that is worth having.

The RX100 is a slippery little beast but truthfully I was editing images the other day and mistook some of the frames as from my X100S..it's that good.
 
I think it's definitely inaccurate to say that Micro 4/3 is stagnant since those early cameras. If you're not seeing that the current sensors such as the one in the E-M10 are not a quantum leap over the earlier ones in the GF1 and even the G3, I don't really know what you're looking at. Dynamic range is nearly 2 full EV better, high ISO performance is almost 1 full EV better. The RX100 is certainly a very good small fixed-lens camera, but it's limited by it's lens. The reality is, there is a continuum, and the older Micro 4/3 gear was sensor limited. The RX100 is better. but current Micro 4/3 gear is closer in quality to the Fuji APS-C stuff than it is to the RX100, which is in turn better than the older Micro 4/3 sensors (at least the GF1, maybe not the G3).

But the reality is, all of these current sensors are pretty darn good. If you really are not at the limits of the Sony RX100's lens, then stick with it, you don't need an interchangeable lens system.
 
Coming from EPL1, I would say that my EM5 (which happen to share the same or similar sensor to the EM10) are indeed very good. In actual fact I have lots of fun with my EPL1 (the only issue was the slower AF and the shutter lag that can be pretty annoying).

I do recognize the Sony RX100 as a very capable little camera and would have love to own one... it will help alot in my travelling overseas on working trips. I know the Panasonic came out with something that is almost as small (GM1) however, the problem is, with my 12-50mm (that came from my EM5), I am not able to easily put the camera into my pocket. I have been hearing that RX100 could do it.

Anyway, if I do get the RX100, I am guessing that I would be bringing it on work trips (which can either go into my pocket or my laptop bag) and if I was to go on vacation, I would definitely bring the RX100 + EM5 + 12-50mm lens and 40-150mm lens and a flash. And I think all those could easily fit in a small carrier bag or my small little backpack.
 
Hmm... anyone got any accessories for your RX100? I was reading some the accessories offered... And was like :eek:

Because I will be shooting alot under the sun, I think a viewfinder is good. But... that viewfinder cost almost as much as the RX100 itself in Singapore.... which is a bummer... or do you guys actually think I needed the viewfinder. I know that external flash is out of the question. In Singapore that can easily go up to 5xx... or more, so I will not be using it. And if the viewfinder cost this much, I might forgo getting one. So I really don't think I need the hotshoe after all...

I have been reading up on RX100 and RX100ii, and still abit confuse. Can anyone shed lights onto the main difference between the two (in terms of IQ) other than the hotshoe and swivel LCD.
 
Hi Tiew,
Let me start by saying that I think a viewfinder is a very important part of the camera for me. But (again...for me), the RX100 feels so good shooting without a viewfinder that I never felt like I missed one. This is a pretty personal experience kind of thing.....everyone feels different about it. As much as I love using viewfinders, I am starting to think that with tiny cameras like this, they are not needed......and they actually just make the camera bigger.

And I haven't explored the 2 camera exhaustively, but after reading the initial preview of the Mark II, I constantly tell people to buy the original (unless they NEED the swivel screen).
 
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