Sony RX1R II Review

Sony RX1R II Introduction Video

Sony RX1R II Overview

Many people think that they have to choose between camera size and performance. If they want a device that they can easily slip into their pocket, they’ll have to deal with mediocre image quality. If they want to take clear, sharp photos and videos, on the other hand, they’ll have to put up with a large, clunky camera.

Fortunately, this is no longer a case with the Sony RX1R II. It’s a compact camera that can fit in your coat pocket, but it’s packed with the latest technology that allows it to produce excellent image quality. It’s a great choice for travelers as well as anyone else who wants to take excellent pictures and videos while on the go.

Design & Features

The Sony RX1R II measures 113 x 65 x 72 mm and weighs 507 grams, making it the right size and weight for on-the-go photo shoots and video recording. It has a magnesium alloy body that makes it highly durable, but it’s not weather-sealed so you can’t safely use it in extreme weather and harsh conditions. The camera has a pop-up 2.36M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a 3-inch 1.23M-dot tilting LCD screen.

It comes with a 42 MP BSI CMOS sensor, which is paired with a BIONZ X image processor and an ISO range of 50-102400 to provide excellent image quality. It has a fixed ZEISS Sonnar T* 35mm F2 lens with 4x digital zoom, along with a hybrid autofocus system and a 399 autofocus points. This means that you can rely on the camera’s autofocus to be fast and accurate in most conditions.

The Sony RX1R II can take RAW images as well as JPEG pictures in standard, fine, and extra fine quality levels. It can also take burst images at five frames per second, which is great if you have a fast-moving subject and don’t want to miss that important moment. In terms of videos, the camera can capture videos with 1920 x 1080 resolution (at 60p, 60i, 30p, and 24p) as well as 1280 x 720 resolution (at 120p and 30p). You can take videos in MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, and H.264 formats.

Pros and Cons

No camera is perfect, so you can expect the Sony RX1R II to have strengths as well as weaknesses. You need to consider these pros and cons carefully to decide if the camera is right for you. We’ve listed some of them below:

PROS

• Travel-friendly size — The Sony RX1R II isn’t small enough to slip into your tight jeans’ pocket, but it can fit the larger pockets found in many jackets and coats. This makes it a lot more portable than bigger DSLRs.
• Great image quality — The camera takes excellent RAW and JPEG pictures and outperforms many of its competitors. It preserves lots of details and takes clear and sharp images, and it produces well-saturated colors that are similar to those taken by high-end DSLRs.

• Silent operation — The Sony RX1R II has one of the lowest noise levels in its class and operates in near-complete silence. This makes it a great choice if you’re doing wildlife photography or taking pictures in an area that needs absolute silence.

• Less expensive than other options — With a suggested retail price of $3,299, the Sony RX1R II isn’t exactly cheap. But, compared to other makes and models in the same category, it’s less expensive and gives you more bang for your buck.

• Excellent low light performance — The camera’s ISO range allows it to take clear, high-quality pictures and videos even in low light. This is handy especially when you plan to do your shoot at night or in dim areas with poor lighting.

CONS

• Screen has no touch functionality — At its price range, you’d expect the Sony RX1R II to have a touch-capable LCD screen. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Several camera experts have commented that a touchscreen would have paired perfectly with the camera’s autofocus system.

• No ergonomic grip — The Sony RX1R II does have a rubberized grip coating. But, if you’re used to the genuine ergonomic grip found in many other models, you’ll find that the camera doesn’t feel so secure when you hold it with just one hand.

• No 4K capability — If you’re hoping to have a camera that shoots 4K videos, the Sony RX1R II isn’t for you since it can only record videos in HD and Full HD.

Final Thoughts

The Sony RX1R II is a great compact camera all in all. If you can get past its imperfections, you’ll find that it’s an excellent companion when you go on trips or for day-to-day photo taking.

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