Sony RX100

[mrsz06]

I appreciate all the great feedback from everyone as well as the sample photos. My hubby isn't very happy about spending the money on the RX100 and doens't get what the big deal is. I will admit the small zoom in the camera is a little disappointing. I have also been looking at a Sony HX30. I know this has a 20x zoom so that is nice and another memeber on here has posted some pretty good pictures with his HX30 he took. I was all set on getting the S100 but I read a lot of recent reviews from June and July of people reporting "lens errors" on their cameras making them useless so that steered me away from it.

As you can guess I am looking for a point and shoot because I don't want to have to carry around a dslr and have to worry about changing lenses and what not. My main reason for falling in love with the RX100 is because of the shutter speed and the huge lenses size as well as taking good photos in the dark.

 

[havoc315]

If a huge optical zoom is important to you, and you don't want to be troubled with cropping in post processing, then I wouldn't recommend the rx100. There are very capable cameras with huge optical zoom, but you will sacrifice low light capabilities.

 

[mrsz06]

A huge zoom isn't important to me. I don't often find myself needing a huge zoom. The only place this would be useful would be at Disney or on vacation or something. Also what kind of memory card should I get for the RX100?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

When you say what kind of memory card, there are several factors which go into purchasing them. First there is the brand, which to me is the least important of the factors. Next is what type of format will you be using to take your images. The Sony has three formats which will vary the amount of images your card can hold, JPEG-more pictures, RAW-less pictures, Raw + JPEG-less and less pictures. Next is the speed of the card. With video the minimum you can usually use is a Class 6. Personally I use Class 10 for my DSLR that has video and a minimum Class 6 for my non-video DSLR's. The camera has a large 20+mp sensor which use quite a bit of memory. I would recommend at least a 16 gb card. Again this depends on which format you choose. I do not like to use large memory cards just in case of a card failure. I won't lose as much data. Saying all this, it comes down to budget. I have used Sandisk, Kingston, Panasonic and Transcend cards. I have had several Sandisk cards break (I never lost data, just a physical break). I have a 6 year old Panasonic SDHC which is still working great. I have had trouble with my Kingstons using an external card reader (no problem when using an internal card reader). Recently, I purchased two Class 10 16 gb Transcend's and have been pleased with them.

It really is up to you to decide on which format you are going to use and to what thought you are going to subscribe to on the size of the cards.

I don't know how many images you take between battery charges, but the Sony is rated at approximately 330 images per charge. If you take video that could be reduced (the same with your memory cards). When I'm at WDW or on one of my motorsports shoots, I usually take more images than that. I would recommend a second battery. I know you didn't ask that question, but I thought I would throw that in anyway. It sounds and reads like a very nice camera. I would also recommend enhancing you photography knowledge to fully use the capabilities of this camera (knowledge is the least expensive thing we do in photography ). Good luck and as I always say "shoot more, shoot more often!"

 

[mrsz06]

Thanks for the info this really helped me a lot. I was more or less wanting to know which class and how many gbs I should get. I will probably stick with jpeg for now, so a 16gb will be more than enough. I don't see myself taking more than 330 pics in one day. So I will be able to charge the battery over night so I don't see a reason to get another battery. I am with you on enhancing my photography knowledge!

 

[Renysmom]

My hubby has agreed to buy me the Sony RX100 as an anniversary present!!! However, before I shell out all the money I was wondering if y'all could reassure me that this camera lives up to all the hype I have been reading. Does this camera preform well on auto? Do all the modes on the camera really work as well as they advertise? I'm ready to learn more about taking better pictures and being able to capture better pictures in low light and of moving objects. I'm always bummed out when I take pictures of parades at Disney because they always turn out blurry and crappy. Then again it could have a lot to do with the cameras I have had.

Tom's review on his blog turned my attention to this camera. I then went and researched and researched (Not paid reviews, real reviews) and I bought it last week. In the past 60 days I had bought and returned the Oly OMD5 and the new Nikon P510. Neither proved to be what I was really looking for which was to replace the need to carry my dSLR and lens with me everywhere I go (which I did 90% of the time) and to take hi-res, quality shots. This camera is the solution for me. I absolutely love it. Easy to use, packed full of features, small and powerful. While you may not get the zoom of a dSLR you are definitely getting the output of a dSLR in my opinion.

 

[mrsz06]

Thanks Renysmom. I think I'm gonna make the plunge today and buy it! Thanks again to everyone who helped!!!

 

[havoc315]

I am considering getting a second battery. You need to remember that the 330 shots is not a hard & fast rule. Certain types of pictures will drain the battery more. If you end up reviewing pictures while standing in a line, you will drain the battery more.

And also, you may end up taking a shocking number of pictures. I remember using real film in my dSLR, and with the cost of film, the annoyance of changing film.. Maybe I would go through 1-2 roles per day -- about 48 pictures per day.
Yesterday, my kids were on a carousel for about 4 minutes. Because it was moving, I wanted to be sure to capture some good pics. So I set the camera to sports mode, and switched the drive to continuous shooting --- 10 shots per second. So every time I just clicked the shutter, it was taken 4-5 pictures in quick succession. In the 4 minute ride, I took about 50 pictures. I then deleted 40 of them.
To me, part of the method of getting good pictures is simply to take a lot of pictures. Take enough, and you'll get a few good ones just out of luck.
In an active day at Disney, I easily take 200+ pictures. And with the ease of pulling out this camera, I could see myself doing a lot more than that.

 

[Renysmom]

I am considering getting a second battery. You need to remember that the 330 shots is not a hard & fast rule. Certain types of pictures will drain the battery more. If you end up reviewing pictures while standing in a line, you will drain the battery more.

I would never go anywhere on vacation without at least 2 batteries. I already bought the 2nd and am wondering about a third before my 7 day cruise in October LOL.

 

[Renysmom]

Thanks Renysmom. I think I'm gonna make the plunge today and buy it! Thanks again to everyone who helped!!!

Enjoy it. BTW if you order it directly from Sony and use coupon code RX100ESP you will get a free 2 year extended warranty for all damage issues.
Details here.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=42178375


Some are saying they have called and applied the code when bought somewhere else others say it hasn't worked. I know I got it directly from SONY.

Come back and let us know what you think.

 

[OKW Lover]

I would never go anywhere on vacation without at least 2 batteries. I already bought the 2nd and am wondering about a third before my 7 day cruise in October LOL.

I have it on good authority that there are outlets to recharge your batteries on the Disney ships.

 

[Renysmom]

Thanks Renysmom. I think I'm gonna make the plunge today and buy it! Thanks again to everyone who helped!!!

I have it on good authority that there are outlets to recharge your batteries on the Disney ships.

Correct Jeff but not on excursions

 

[mrsz06]

I know this might be a stupid question but are Flash memory cards ok to get? I'm getting so confused. I'm seeing Flash memory cards and just memory cards. Is there a difference?

 

[Renysmom]

I know this might be a stupid question but are Flash memory cards ok to get? I'm getting so confused. I'm seeing Flash memory cards and just memory cards. Is there a difference?

It's not a stupid question, they call them so many things. You want to buy a "SD" High Speed card. Just run to Best Buy or even Target and ask in the camera department. They cost anywhere from $15-$25 depending on where you buy them and the memory on them.

 

[Renysmom]

Here is a Sports Mode vs. Sharpness test I did myself tonight when I got home from work.

http://www.mytimepassages.com/blogs/2012/08/sony-rx100-sports-mode-vs-sharpness-test/

I love this camera LOL

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Hey Kelly, sorry for the diversion but if you don't mind me asking, what did you use to build that site? It looks WONDERFUL!

 

[Renysmom]

Hey Kelly, sorry for the diversion but if you don't mind me asking, what did you use to build that site? It looks WONDERFUL!

Thank you. It is built on a template from ProPhotoBlogs and then I have been working to fine tune it myself. It's not there yet but close I think.

 

[hakepb]

It's not a stupid question, they call them so many things. You want to buy a "SD" High Speed card. Just run to Best Buy or even Target and ask in the camera department. They cost anywhere from $15-$25 depending on where you buy them and the memory on them.

Usually that price in a store only gets you 16GB. Waiting for an online deal can get you 32GB, so why not?

I would go for a class 10 card (class 4 and 6 are slower specs). Another deal site , fatwallet, is showing that buy.com has a 32GB SDHC class 10 SanDisk Ultra for 23.99. Now a full DSLr may want a faster card, but that should be a good RX card.

 

[Renysmom]

Usually that price in a store only gets you 16GB. Waiting for an online deal can get you 32GB, so why not?

I never buy larger than 8 gig cards. I would rather carry two, three, four cards in my pocket than take the chance of one 32 G card that can be lost or it crashed and with it all my photos. Not worth the chance, especially children and/or vacation photos.

 

[hakepb]

I never buy larger than 8 gig cards. I would rather carry two, three, four cards in my pocket than take the chance of one 32 G card that can be lost or it crashed and with it all my photos. Not worth the chance, especially children and/or vacation photos.

It's a valid point. I do carry an 8 GB and 2 batteries as a spares.

I copy to my laptop every day, so I'm not limited to 1 copy of an entire vacation of memories.
I think it is now too easy to fill up 8 GB with HD video and pictures. I would prefer 16 GB cards if I were using your method without a backup drive.

I do remember how cool it was when I went from a 1 GB card to 4 GB cards on my old 7 megapixel camera (back in the days when those cards were in the $50-$100 range)