Sony When are you an RX10 buyer?

demiro

Serious Compacts For Life
I scoffed at this camera when it was announced, but am growing more fond of it with every review and comment I read. I may be able to talk myself into the idea of it replacing my m4/3s kit. Price is a hindrance though.

But never mind me. I assume other folks are at least a bit intrigued by the RX10. I'm wondering at what price would you see yourself as a buyer? Looks like our reference price is $1300.
 
I cast my vote for a price crash. I got rid of m43 for APS-C for file quality. I am intrigued by it and would use it as a back-up so I'd only be interested when they are blowing them out. It looks to be an amazing camera, and I loved the RX100 when I had it, but the IQ was just short of what I want. It's amazing for the size of the camera, but it doesn't compare to the big boys.
 
It would be a good motorcycle travel camera and run-and-gun video camera (nice lens, ND filter, audio monitoring, AF, etc...). But I've already got too many cameras...
 
Having shot with it a lot over the past few days, I personally wouldn't buy one to replace my m43 gear. It's a very very impressive camera in a lot of ways. In good light for most of the scenic walk-around photography I do, it probably matches m43 in any ways that matter to me. But when it comes to shooting people, particularly candids, waist up and head and shoulder shots, particularly in lower light, it doesn't hold up to my m43 gear. I'm not sure if its slightly lesser AF, lesser face detection, and/or just lesser low light capability, but I got a lot of really good m43 people shots over the last couple of days with tons of family around. The RX10 came up well short for that type of shooting. And with it's fast lens at focal lengths that are really good for that type of shooting, that's something I expected it to do really well. And it's not terrible by a long shot, but m43 is freaking great for that sort of shooting and the RX10 isn't nearly as good.

My first impressions were amazing - after pretty intensive use, those first impressions hold up in a lot of ways, but not all, and not in this very very important area for my uses...

-Ray
 
I like the RX100 for the size. But if I'm going to go that big, I'd want a bigger sensor. I've also never been a bridge camera shooter, so maybe I never had that "all in one" approach mentally anyway.
 
Price crash. There's a definite chance I would get one at the right price because of the sensor size. The problem is always that I wonder if's it really more convenient than the EM5 with a couple of zooms. For me, I think of super zooms as "Disney cameras". Very few other places will challenge your choice of focal lengths quite as much. I can be even more specific having just gotten back. I always think of how good would this camera be in the Animal Kingdom park, where I would definitely use everything from wide to long tele. Even though the Stylus 1 is a much smaller sensor, it's zoom range is more useful at the long end. I can see the Stylus appealing to both vacation shooters and enthusiasts more then the RX10 with it's superior IQ. Of course, that doesn't mean I wouldn't buy one anyway. :) I could easily see the RX10 being the perfect camera for certain trips. Sorry to ramble on, but I'm always tempted by super zooms. I almost pulled the trigger on a Fuji XS1 for $379, but at a little over 2 lbs it's hardly a compact.
 
Having shot with it a lot over the past few days, I personally wouldn't buy one to replace my m43 gear. It's a very very impressive camera in a lot of ways. In good light for most of the scenic walk-around photography I do, it probably matches m43 in any ways that matter to me. But when it comes to shooting people, particularly candids, waist up and head and shoulder shots, particularly in lower light, it doesn't hold up to my m43 gear. I'm not sure if its slightly lesser AF, lesser face detection, and/or just lesser low light capability, but I got a lot of really good m43 people shots over the last couple of days with tons of family around. The RX10 came up well short for that type of shooting. And with it's fast lens at focal lengths that are really good for that type of shooting, that's something I expected it to do really well. And it's not terrible by a long shot, but m43 is freaking great for that sort of shooting and the RX10 isn't nearly as good.

My first impressions were amazing - after pretty intensive use, those first impressions hold up in a lot of ways, but not all, and not in this very very important area for my uses...

-Ray

That's interesting Ray. I had the same expectation for people-shooting (or hope, anyway). Seems like 90 - 120/2.8 would get the job done. Were you comparing it to the 75/1.8, or did you at least make it a more fair fight?
 
That's interesting Ray. I had the same expectation for people-shooting (or hope, anyway). Seems like 90 - 120/2.8 would get the job done. Were you comparing it to the 75/1.8, or did you at least make it a more fair fight?

Well, the 75 is part of the equation regardless of whether it's fair or not... But I also used the Pany 35-100 and 12-35, which seem about as comparable as possible at the same 24-200 f2.8 and I found the same thing. It seems to be something about how the RX10 exposes, but it seems to need a good deal more light in a given situation. I'll be shooting m43 indoors with a decent amount of daytime light streaming in through the windows and it'll expose at reasonable shutter speeds in the f2.8 neighborhood and the ISO will stay at about 500-1600, which the current m43 sensors handle easily. The RX10 in the same light is going at least 3200, often 6400, and it's not using faster shutter speeds. So there may be some ISO inflation - I'm not sure. But SOMETHING is going on. Also the face detection isn't that good so I'm getting more shots with soft focus. And when it DOES shoot at ISO 3200 and up, the quality just isn't there in comparison. But then you add the 75mm lens into the equation, and the fight is even less fair, for sure. That lens is just amazing... I'll have more in the next couple of days...

Edit - no it's not exposure or ISO inflation. I just did a handful of very controlled comparisons and the GX7 and RX10 at the same effective focal lengths are choosing basically the same ISOs and same shutter speeds at a constant f2.8. So that's not it. But something is going on. Part of it is just that the RX10 doesn't handle 3200 or 6400 nearly as well as the GX7 or EM1. And part of it may be the lesser AF and face detection, which aren't bad, but aren't up to m43 standards by a long shot. The bottom line is I was getting tons of keepers with the m43 gear and very few for this type of shooting with the RX10.

-Ray
 
I'd be interesting in the event of a price crash... I'm talking 50%.

It's not really a "superzoom" in modern context, since it's only an 8.3x zoom. I think I'd need at least 300mm on the long end, but 24mm is pretty wonderful on the wide side.
 
I'd be interesting in the event of a price crash... I'm talking 50%.

It's not really a "superzoom" in modern context, since it's only an 8.3x zoom. I think I'd need at least 300mm on the long end, but 24mm is pretty wonderful on the wide side.

It seems like it needs to be either smaller or cheaper or pack a longer zoom. Or maybe some of each.
 
I can imagine you cruising along on a Harley-Davidson classic... with about 10 cameras on straps hanging off your neck and shoulders.

If you're on a Harley, you can take a large format camera and have Matthew Brady ride along to use it.

LOL. So true–if I'm on a Harley then I should be shooting film! I certainly shouldn't be using bungie cords and duct tape to mount a GH1 onto the bike!

6745222975_819f4db92c_z.jpg

The definition of "cobbled together" by john m flores, on Flickr

but the shot was worth it:

5875644144_2987cc5a2a_z.jpg

100 degrees in the shade by john m flores, on Flickr

Seriously, my litmus test is...can I go on an assignment with just this camera? I look at my Panny LX7 and I think, "Yes, probably, but I'd have to work a little harder to get the shots that I wanted. I look at the Nikon V1 and think, "Yes." I look at the RX10 and think, "Yes."
 
Well, the 75 is part of the equation regardless of whether it's fair or not... But I also used the Pany 35-100 and 12-35, which seem about as comparable as possible at the same 24-200 f2.8 and I found the same thing. It seems to be something about how the RX10 exposes, but it seems to need a good deal more light in a given situation. I'll be shooting m43 indoors with a decent amount of daytime light streaming in through the windows and it'll expose at reasonable shutter speeds in the f2.8 neighborhood and the ISO will stay at about 500-1600, which the current m43 sensors handle easily. The RX10 in the same light is going at least 3200, often 6400, and it's not using faster shutter speeds. So there may be some ISO inflation - I'm not sure. But SOMETHING is going on. Also the face detection isn't that good so I'm getting more shots with soft focus. And when it DOES shoot at ISO 3200 and up, the quality just isn't there in comparison. But then you add the 75mm lens into the equation, and the fight is even less fair, for sure. That lens is just amazing... I'll have more in the next couple of days...

Edit - no it's not exposure or ISO inflation. I just did a handful of very controlled comparisons and the GX7 and RX10 at the same effective focal lengths are choosing basically the same ISOs and same shutter speeds at a constant f2.8. So that's not it. But something is going on. Part of it is just that the RX10 doesn't handle 3200 or 6400 nearly as well as the GX7 or EM1. And part of it may be the lesser AF and face detection, which aren't bad, but aren't up to m43 standards by a long shot. The bottom line is I was getting tons of keepers with the m43 gear and very few for this type of shooting with the RX10.

-Ray

completely agree with you here Ray!! a small m43 with two f2.8 lenses is also my choice .. however you can keep rx10 for ease of use in travel photogrpahy and rx1 for low light shooting!!
i like your camera gear collection .. very sensible!!
and i gonna check your flickr stream soon .. thanks for sharing your ideas and experiences here!
 
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