Sony Can man (or woman) live on a point and shoot alone?

Armanius

Bring Jack back!
Location
Houston, Texas
Name
Jack
Okay, so the Sony RX100 M2 is not just "any" PS ...

I've been wondering if I can justify paying $750 for one to replace my wife's Canon S90. When prices get that high for a PS, I invariably start thinking about ILC with larger sensors, but then, it would defeat the purpose of having a small PS. But if I think of the RX100 M2 as a ILC replacement, I might be able to justify it.

I do not believe my wife and I have ever left the house for a trip, or any photographic excursion without a larger sensor camera. We did take one trip without an ILC, but we had the X10 and the X100. (The X10 has since found a new home with my dad.)

If I can convince myself that the RX100 M2 can serve as THE only camera in a trip, then I guess I could justify its cost. But after having been bitten by the photography bug four years ago, going out with nothing but a PS just feels ... weird ... counterintuitive.

Thoughts?
 
I bit the bullet and got an RX100 MKI and it's all I use. I never miss lugging the gear. For sure I sometimes miss the viewfinder and the speed of the zoom but I have realised I am not a photographer but a picture taker. There is a difference ;)

P
 
It works for many many many people Armando. And many many more can live on just a cell phone camera alone.

I could if I had to, but I hope I never have to - I just enjoy cameras too much. And I'd feel like I left too many good shots on the vacation instead of bringing them home with me (whether that would be true or not, I'd feel that way).

Whether you could or not is a question that only you can answer. I suspect maybe your wife could, but both of you??? I have my doubts, but maybe you've got another side we haven't seen around here....

-Ray
 
I suspect 90% of the time you would be happy, maybe even 95%, but it's the other 5% you need to think about. Wide angle for an interior or a landscape? Something that needs a little bit of reach but it's a bit dark? Then you are going to be rubbing up against the limits of the camera. I suppose it comes down to whether, or for how long, you can live with having to pass on certain shots.
 
Okay, so the Sony RX100 M2 is not just "any" PS ...

I've been wondering if I can justify paying $750 for one to replace my wife's Canon S90. When prices get that high for a PS, I invariably start thinking about ILC with larger sensors, but then, it would defeat the purpose of having a small PS. But if I think of the RX100 M2 as a ILC replacement, I might be able to justify it.

I do not believe my wife and I have ever left the house for a trip, or any photographic excursion without a larger sensor camera. We did take one trip without an ILC, but we had the X10 and the X100. (The X10 has since found a new home with my dad.)

If I can convince myself that the RX100 M2 can serve as THE only camera in a trip, then I guess I could justify its cost. But after having been bitten by the photography bug four years ago, going out with nothing but a PS just feels ... weird ... counterintuitive.

Thoughts?

Ultimately, of course, the decision is yours. However, FWIW I too had (still have) an s90, and - great P&S though the s90 was in its day - the RX100 is in another league. I also have an x100, and the RX100 output is impressively close. There are times when I leave home with "only" the RX100, and wonder if I've got adequate gear. Invariably, the RX100 steps up to the plate, and I subsequently find myself wondering what I was concerned about.

Ok, I wouldn't recommend it for shooting distant wildlife subjects, or sports, but at least for most of MY type of photography, it does an amazing job. It certainly carries out its role in the photographic process far better than I do mine! ;):)
 
You can get a RX100 for $450-550 used/refurbished, so it might be easier to justify. It is a very good upgrade for S90, both IQ and af speed as I upgraded from S95. It is not stable to hold as eg Nex-6, but it fits to my pockets so I carry it everyday. I added a grip also. I usually use with 10MP jpg with raw. OS helps also. I used it more then my omd for street photos last summer in Turkey eg smaller camera factor & easier to carry. On the wide side the lens correction distorts the corners and also min 1/30sec speed shutter is fixed so you have to shoot S for higher speed for low light as you get movement blur from people. Here are direct RX100 jpgs mixed with a few OMD images:
Istanbul Streets Photo Gallery by Serhan at pbase.com

Also a good comparison of RX100 with GR:
Ricoh GR vs Sony RX100 - FM Forums
 
I don't think there's any question that one certainly can get by on a single point-and-shoot camera... especially if it's a quality piece like the RX100. How many of us got by with a single film SLR and a single 50mm prime back when dinosaurs roamed the earth?

The question is... do you want to? How did that trip work out with the X100 and X10, Armando? Were you satisfied with the images from the X10? If so, then I think the RX100 should work well. If not for you, then for your wife.

Brand new RX100 Mark I's are going for $598 until August 17:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/869238-REG/Sony_DSC_RX100_Digital_Camera.html

At the Sony Outlet Store near my home, refurbished RX100 Mark I's go for $524 or $529. I forget which. Think hard: Do you really need the hotshoe and wif-fi that the Mark II offers?
 
I did two vacations with just the mk I. I actually enjoyed traveling light and NO thought process on which lenses to bring, etc. I was pretty pleased with the results as memories. If I didn't have the mk I, I might have the mk II.
 
When I first got my RX100 it was all I used for a couple weeks. It was great not worrying about what lenses to bring. I actually lead to me selling off my m43 collection of gear. Which ended up with me having a pile of money and then lead me to buying an X100s. And now the RX100 sits. It's a very complete camera in it's own right and I could easily live with just it.......if I didn't freaking love cameras so much.
 
Armando, I think your good wife will be very happy with the RX100II - and prove a handy caddy for when you might need a camera on hand ;)

I used my RX100Mk1 for a bit, and thought it might suffice, but quickly grew tired with it's UI.

But for you personally, my friend, you will need more. As good as the RX100 is, I don't think it can meet the expectations and tastes you have come to develop and demand of your kit over the years.
...like telling a seasoned carpenter that he'll do with a simple hammer and saw and nothing more.
 
I think you should get your wife the 1st version of the RX100, not the M2: the latter is too expensive yet, Sony's going a bit too far in milking the consumers.

Both of you should still be very happy when using the RX100, anyways. Keep the money you saved by buying the first version on your bank account, or invite your wife to a nice restaurant - and take pics of this lovely date with your newly acquired camera :)
 
Thanks for the thoughts everyone. The M2 is appealing because of the wifi remote shutter trigger. We often take selfies in our trips, and being able to do it via the iPhone sure would be nice.

On our one trip where we had "only" the X10 and X100, I found myself using the X10 probably 80-90% of the time. I pulled out the X100 in low light situations (getting better low light sensor but getting a frustrating AF) and whenever I wanted to get some subject separation.
 
Over and above the normal advantages one might consider a larger sensor or interchangeable lenses to have over a small bodied, fixed-lens zoom camera ("P&S"), for me it is the handling and operation of larger bodied cameras that also sets them far apart.
 
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