Photographyblog reviews the RX1 and earns a “Highly Recommended” award.

RX1 with Gariz case (Click here to see them on eBay).
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Photographyblog (Click here) posted the full Sony RX1 review: “Sony have truly blurred the lines between compact and DSLR in terms of the RX1′s features, performance and image quality. The RX1 is the first truly pocketable camera to offer a full-frame DSLR experience, something that money can actually now buy…”
What I like a lot about the RX1 is the leaf shutter. I know it’s a minor feature for most of you. But I like the silent shutter and it’s something required for the kind of work I do. I will miss that feature on the NEX FF which will not have this
RX1 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama, J&R, eBay.
RX1 Gariz accessories:
1) They made a new half leather case in Black and Brown (Click here to see them on eBay).
2) The new lens cap (Click here to see them on eBay).
3) The new entry is the anti loose button(!) (Click here to see them on eBay). Don’t know if that will be really useful for you RX1 owners. Someone has it and call it how it works? Thanks!
4) And this is the really first time I see that. A special Leather skin hood! (Click here to see them on eBay).





Bite Me
4 months ago |Highly recommended point ‘n shoot?
FUHGGEDABOUDIT!
bart
4 months ago |a ferrari is also highly recomeded but how many ppl are going to end up with one? lol
Knekker
4 months ago |Definitely not you
bart
4 months ago |you too buddy boy.
steveen
4 months ago |Why wouldn’t the FF nex have a leaf shutter?
Steve Jones
4 months ago |Putting a leaf shutter into an interchangeable camera is non-trivial. Either every lens has to have its own, or a rather large, bulky one had to be inserted between the lens mount and the sensor plane. Do the latter, and you can say goodbye to the short register distance that allows NEX to mount rangefinder lenses. You can also get unwanted issues with bokeh interference placing a leaf shutter between the lens and sensor plane. If you go with the per-lens leaf shutter option, you’ll lose the ability to use legacy lenses unless a focal plane shutter is provided as well.
There is a reason that the vast majority of interchangeable still cameras use focal plain shutters.
Freddo
4 months ago |There is another and better way to create a silent camera – global shutter. We don’t know yet where the recent Sony patent of a foveon-esque sensor is taking us. Maybe they are able to design it in a way that opens up the possibility of a global shutter. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and maybe we will se new NEX cameras with this sensor tech in a few years time.
xxxx
4 months ago |The Sony F5 have a CMOS global shutter. It will finally comes down to consumer level camera. It’s about time.
MarcoSartoriPhoto
4 months ago |The only reason why I didn’t buy a RX1 is the absence of an integrated EVF. Is there any rumor about a new version? I’m not interested in a “FF” nex body with interchangeble lenses: I prefer a fix lens beast like this.
joe
4 months ago |The RX1 rocks my world, I don’t care what people say. Leaf shutter + Bokeh + Incredible Lens MTF stats + Amazing high ISO performance + all in a tiny package. Nuff said.
MarcoSartoriPhoto
4 months ago |Are you using one of the available viewfinders or not?
RVN
4 months ago |you can use EVF or OVF in hot shoe RX1, these two is the best viewfinder mirrorless in the market now
ruffy
4 months ago |It’s not overpriced at all, you get what you paid for!!!
doug
4 months ago |Anything is overpriced if I can’t afford it! LOL
A. Non
4 months ago |Please stop saying that Gariz makes a lens cap for the RX1, because they don’t. They make a lens cap STICKER for the RX1.
joe
4 months ago |Sony’s next WOW camera is a foveon sensor to compete with DP Merril. Expect it in 2013 within 6 months.
CTPhotographX.com
4 months ago |What flash system and smart radio slave do they “highly recommend” for this camera with non standard shoe? What smart strobes do they recommend for this non standard shoe? What bracket do they recommend for the clumsy XLR adapter?
Best thing about this camera is the cable release socket… which of course Sony included just for show in house joke… otherwise Sony would have their own special cable release.
Kudos for the leaf shutter and Alpha menu system. The NEX Full Frame will be a train wreck unless similarly equipped.
I REFUSE TO PURCHASE ANY FULL FRAME CAMERA THAT REQUIRES RIDICULOUS ADAPTERS FOR ALPHA LENSES and/or FLASH.
GOT THAT SONY? ADAPTERS SUCK! STOP IT NOW BEFORE IT BECOMES EMBARRASSING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAND. ADAPTERS SUCK!
Get back to the essence of pure photographic instrument. Stop with the self indulgent tech masturbation. It only makes you feel good about yourself. But it does nothing for your lovers.
John Maverick
4 months ago |Are there any adapters on the new A99? Are there any adapters for the new A-mount camerers that Admin reports are coming?.
Is it at all conceivable that SONY can introduce products that can happyily stand side-by-side and yet do not superceded or invalidate on other? The RX1 does not replace the NEX line. The NEX does not replace the RX100. The RX100 does not replace the cheap Cybershots. FF A-mount does not invalidate crop A-mount. Why would an ILS NEX be any different or pose a threat to existing A-mount?
We know that Zeiss have been contacted to create three new lenses for the rumored NEX fullframe. It should be obvious that few would want to use big heavy A-mount lenses on a smaller body. I am quite sure SONY marketing are capable of understanding that few want such mismatched ergonomics.
Adapters were produced from A-mount to NEX, simply to ease the introduction of a new mount to the market at a time when there were only two E-mount lenses. They work as a marketing multipler, but of course they aren’t relevant to the wider market if the system succeeds in attracting followers.
Imho, A-mount users are starting to become immersed their own nonsense.
Stan
4 months ago |A99 requires an adapter to use legacy flashes with minolta shoe. The only flash that is natively compatible is F60M. F58AM, F43AM and F20AM require an adapter.
John Maverick
4 months ago |So they’re standardizing flash. The key point is that this is happening across the range is not unique to A-mount. My NEX 5n just got it’s $350 viewfinder orphaned not to mention its flash. Yet I can entertain there are valid reasons behind the move.
LensIsAll
4 months ago |No. They are creating new proprietary flash shoe. There’s no such thing as standard flash shoe – Nikon, Canon, Pentax, everyone have their own proprietary standards for flashes. Sony also had, one from Minolta ages which wasn’t compatibility with a coldshoe accessories. So they released new proprietary flash shoe that works fine with coldshoe gear. But it’s still proprietary.
You just need to go a little bit deeper into the topic than reading Wikipedia.
John Maverick
4 months ago |Obviously given the example I chose, it is implied that I meant they’re standarizing their flash mount across the range. Of course it’s proprietary, but there’s no indication that the comms protocols actually change, which would mean it’s easy for third party to just adapt the hardware.
CTPhotographX.com
4 months ago |Please… if Nikon DSLR’s suffered from N1 production, the outcry would be enormous. If Canon claimed no more FF DLSR advancement until FF EOS-M was developed, togs would be marching in the streets. If anything stood above the main line, those systems would be doomed.
Yes, there is room for other lines. But not at the expense of the premier line. Unless of course the premier line is changing. There are no question marks with CaNikon. Current Sony is a huge question mark. Reminds me of Minolta pursuing Vectis X’s 100. Nothing good came of that.
John Maverick
4 months ago |> If Canon claimed no more FF DLSR advancement until FF EOS-M was developed
So point me to the SONY announcement stating there will be no fullframe camera until a fullframe NEX is developed.
Why does Admin report that new A-mount cameras and lenses are forthcoming and why have they just released the A99? SONY has only ever produced one premium model for the market, the A900 in 2007 and the A850 in 2009. Nothing has changed with the A99.
And why yell in all-caps about A-mount adapters in a thread about the RX1?
LensIsAll
4 months ago |“And why yell in all-caps about A-mount adapters in a thread about the RX1?” – Mostly because NEX trolls. After a time I can’t be surprised to see people getting angry. NEX trolls are worse then Nikon trolls in here. Which is quite an achievement.
John Maverick
4 months ago |Fully 2/3 of comments in NEX topics are complaints from A-mount users. Are they trolls?!! You should try reading this forum while taking the blinkers off. Most E-mount users are actually supportive of A-mount.
CTPhotographX.com
4 months ago |John, in the post before this one, from Feb 7th, about the new NEX-3n, admin states:
“No SLT-FF cameras are coming this year as Sony decided to focus their efforts on the NEX-FF development.”
This has been repeatedly stated for the past few months. Not an official announcement from Sony. But that’s not the type of thing that gets an official announcement.
I’m angry about it. a99 was reported to be 36mp until about a week before launch. There are still some old preview sites that list it as coming with 36mp. Other reports stated Sony was set to release an even more Pro SLT with built in VG, to compete with DX and 1D series. All the waiting for a huge let down. And even worse noting the flash shoe change. Even worse discovering a99 is crippled with a few features that didn’t turn out as revolutionary as advertised… (14bit in only one mode, small AF area, battery life, flash delay, lens compatibility, limited video modes).
Now the NEX FF will be even further from Alpha, requiring different battery, menu… and the promise of adapters. We wait another year for the possibility Sony will release a camera that was expected last year.
By the time new SLT FF is released, it may or may not have 36mp. Same for NEX FF. But one thing is guaranteed. Whatever sensor Sony puts into next year Alpha, they’ll reserve the very best newest one for the new Nikon of the day. At least that’s what I expect if the past is any trustworthy indicator. The only way to change that path, is to complain about it now, while we still can.
I restate. The best thing Sony could do to gain industry respect, great press, and trickle down marketing benefit to lesser cameras from loyalist high praise, is to simply release a 36mp version of a900 (style) camera. EVF/OVF I don’t care. But they don’t want simple. They want to show off with the fancy dance.
John Maverick
4 months ago |I really don’t believe that their strategy of only releasing one premium fullframe camera would be any different with or without the ‘fullframe NEX’. The combined weight of resources to develop all of SONY’s other imaging products – RX100, RX1, cell-phone tech etc is likely more prohibitive. SONY’s history of support of A850, A900 is shows a consistent pattern of one fullframe DSLR/SLT.
As for the complaints about the A99, I have to agree. I already discussed flash with you previously and I recognize there are arguments both ways. But giving the 36mp sensor to Nikon, and not having OVF erodes a lot of respect. Perhaps they were over ambitious and decided to ally with market leader Nikon to try to knock out Canon to reduce it to a two player game after which they start using the best tech in their own products.
In one respect what A-mount users is similar to E-mount. Just stick the biggest best sensor in the product and let the market sought it out. Third party will support it and so will end-users.
CTPhotographX.com
4 months ago |Even if Sony could recommend a flash system for the RX1… how do they suggest using it with the optional EVF that robs the Multi Funk Shoe? Ill conceived tech showmanship at the expense of what would actually do them the most good.
Sony would get better press, more respect, and stronger following simply by releasing a 36mp a900. But they’re so busy trying to learn new dance moves without feeling the music.
CTPhotographX.com
4 months ago |Uses Alpha menu. Has Alpha control dial atop. All fine and good. Great actually. But why not add a little grip and use Alpha battery too? Wouldn’t need any extra size beyond the lens extension.
joe
4 months ago |Whine whine whine. That’s what all the comments sound like. Meanwhile, the RX1 is kicking ass and taking names.
bart
4 months ago |delusional. no one bought that rx1 shat, thats y the price went down.
joe
4 months ago |You’ve never bought one so you don’t know how good it is. Ignorance != bliss in this case
.
Rx1 rocks. There’s NO comparison with Nex7, and beats 5D MK III in many ways.
bart
4 months ago |tsk tsk tsk. Delusional and delusional. You’re not a shooter, just a collector. Hope you win an award for the sharpest photos in the world, kid.
Knekker
4 months ago |delusional? Keep telling your self that bart, who knows maybe some day you will actually believe your own words.
A R G U M E N T A T I O N… I would recommend you try use it in your posts some day.
joe
4 months ago |Lol I knew you’d resort to trolling sooner or later. Children be jealous.
Try taking low light noise free pics with your Nex* at 35mm with any lens. Come back here when you’ve seen the foolishness with which you speak, which is only as a third party troller and observer with no direct knowledge or experience. Just because you can’t afford it doesn’t mean it isn’t kick ass hardware.
bart
4 months ago |Delusional…still. no surprise.
joe
4 months ago |Wake up and look in the mirror. You can’t argue with fact no matter how you feel like spinning it.
bart
4 months ago |so emtional? its like these camera are your children. lol
Funny
4 months ago |CTphotographX, why do you always want every camera to be designed to suit what you want? You even want a grip on a RX1 for aphla battery? What r u smoking all day?
Thd shoe adaptor is good for you (means they still try to support old customer) and obviously changing the shoe design is a bad move to you because you can’t use your 100yrs old flash even more. They kept the old hotshoe long enough for Minolta user and I would agree with you if they change the hotshoe design every year; however they are not.
They newest flash offer by Somy is the F60M and from now on, all new accessory will be designed for use with the new hotshoe, compatiblility will no longer be an issue in a ling run. Please move forward as the world is changing.
No wonder Sony offer no FF slt in 2013. Because they dun make money.
Consumer like you bought a $100 flash (say, F20AM) and expect to use it for 100 yrs, in the mean time, you are crying everyday on the web for support.
Dun get me wrong, when I bought something, it’d like it to last as longer as it can too. But if a new model comes out and my accessory becomes not compatible, it will be ok as long as it works with my old camera. I will not whine all day on the Internet.
CTPhotographX.com
4 months ago |Hi Funny. Do you like the idea of supporting three different battery designs, and the chargers necessary to use them, for RX, NEX, and Alpha? Notice the a57 Sony returned to the larger battery, like all other Alphas. Praised by DPReview for full compatibility with the others, and longer life.
You realize the RX1 wouldn’t lose anything in size by having a grip large enough to support the same battery. It would double the shot rate, and along with the control dial, menu system, make the camera perfectly compatible with the current SLT’s. One battery would fit all your cameras. Tell me how that doesn’t make logical sense for the user?
Have you seen the $250 RX1 thumb grip which requires converting the smart new hot shoe to a dumb cold shoe? It doesn’t even have an intelligent pass through. How much for that hunk of dumb metal? Sony doesn’t design for your benefit my friend. They design for their own benefit.
Do you realize the myriad of complaints about the new hot shoe? The provided adapter doesn’t have the locking pins, and causes adapted flashes to become loose. It’s not deep enough to accommodate all standard ISO radio slaves. There is a half second delay when shooting with Sony wireless system. It negates the availability for dozens of 3rd party flashes and smart radio slaves currently available for the 25 year iISO Alpha standard.
It fulfills the promise of no adapters, by making us use adapters. See anything wrong with that? The implementation of it’s design is a complete train wreck, as noted by Paul Genge on the video cameras with XLR, and Gary Friedman study of wireless flash delay.
The new shoe doesn’t solve problems. It creates more problems than we ever had. It’s function could have been handled with an improved iISO, rather than an abandonment of it.
Everything I’ve stated is absolute truth fact. Do you consider truth fact to be equal to whining? Fact is, Sony doesn’t design for the betterment of their customer. They only design for the betterment of themselves… which will be their ultimate demise.
Have you ever noticed in past reviews, when CaNikon speak of a new innovation, they’ll begin the story with “Feedback from our customers lead us to this feature”. Sony doesn’t do that. They could care less about customer feedback. Otherwise we’d have tethering support on a77. Wouldn’t you like Sony to have your benefit in mind with thoughtful designs that make photography easier, rather than harder?
Do you want your camera line to evolve, or devolve?
Funny
4 months ago |I dun owe an RX1 so I can’t speak for it. But looking at the the size of the battery of my A99 and NEX6, no, I dun want them to put an Amount battery on my NEX. I dun really need high capacity battery for my causal cam (NEX) I do have the vertical grip and batteries for my workhorse A99. You have to consider the size, cost, and weight of the battery. Sony do that for a reason and I think they are fair to customer. Think about this: isn’t it easier for them to reuse the Amount battery on all their cams so that they can save some time and money on design. Dun you think they will save a lot more money by mass manufacturing the battery for Amount, Emount, RX, and all other cams instead of manufacturing different battery for different mount?
Agree with you on the adaptor is bad, but that can be fixed by redesigning an adaptor with locking pin. This is the year they try to standardize the hot shoe and give more support to customer in the future. Isn’t it nice to see the a mount e mount and RX can share accessory?
Offering an adaptor to customer using legacy product shows their biggest support.
No, you dun need an adaptor for future accessory purchase, why dun you buy a F60M?
Also, why are you angry about the 36mp rumor? No one ever promise you anything, not Sony nor SAR. It’s just rumors!! Exeryone knows putting a 36mp on a slt will cause serious high ISO problem. It proves itself on the D800. And that’s why Sony stick with the best 24mp.
joe
4 months ago |Definitely could have used a passthrough thumb grip. I’m hoping someone still comes up with one.
Another nice feature would be a locking mechanism for the EVF.
bart
4 months ago |you two and the only rx1 shooters need to get yourselves a freaking room. never seen so much hissy fitting over a camera like you two are.
Knekker
4 months ago |Just because you cannot afford the camera, doesn’t mean you have to put so much effort into dissing and trolling forums that concerns the RX1.
Jalousy is a bad thing bart
joe
4 months ago |Get lost you broke ass troll.
bart
4 months ago |Ok, I’ll get lost and leave you two lovebirds to hissy fit over whos rx1 is better. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
Knekker2
4 months ago |No one cares what you have to say bart. No one is comparing RX1s, they are simply discussing a piece of machinery rationally and logically. You on the other hand are making stuff up at every turn because you have no leg to stand on and zero experience. Try sticking with your training pants somewhere else and leave real discussions with actual content to the grown ups.
bart
4 months ago |LOL. another Sony Fantard. you were a dslr fantard and now you are a sony Fantard…how surprising.
joe
4 months ago |Wow you can almost put a complete nonsensical sentence together. Congratulations fart troll, you graduated fourth grade with honors? Pick up your shattered ego and your training pants, and take it to another forum that cares what worthless blabbering idiots have to say. You add zero value here.
bart
4 months ago |Your Sony fanboysim has zero value too. LOLOLOLOLOL
joe
4 months ago |No one is laughing with you, just at you fart troll. Scram.
bart
4 months ago |hhahaahhahhhhhahaaaa!!!! Fanboy! im laughing! LOL
i like rumors...
4 months ago |I have this fabulous RX1 since one week… When you have in your hands, you increase your imagination…