Sony has just announced their upgrade to the 2012 world’s 1st full frame compact fixed lens digital camera – the Sony RX I and the new camera is the Sony RX 1R II and packs some very important improvements, albeit with the same excellent Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens, but the RRP of $US3300 may be just a touch too high for most people!

Firstly, these cameras are fairly unique in packing such a high quality lens and full frame sensor into a small package much the same size as a Micro Four Thirds Olympus OM-D of equivalent field of view.

Leaf shutter:

Not only that but the shutter is a leaf shutter in the lens which gives 2 very important advantages over shutters at the sensor:

• it is more quiet
• it allows flash sync at full flash output at shutter speeds up to 1/2000th sec  (ie. no need for power sapping high speed sync modes such as HSS or Super FP)

Fast flash sync:

A fast flash sync is extremely useful in 2 particular circumstances:

• allowing wide apertures to be used in bright outdoor situations at a distance – eg. wedding groups
• allowing one to over-power the sun if the strobe is powerful enough and it’s full output flash has a very brief duration such as 1/800th sec or shorter – unfortunately many flashes require 1/300th- 1/500th sec duration for maximum flash output which does limit the benefit of fast flash sync somewhat.

Improvements over the Sony RX 1:

• 42mp sensor and image processor as for the Sony a7RII E-mount mirrorless interchangeable lens camera
• a much needed improved AF system now with 399-point hybrid AF system and C-AF capability
• built-in flash replaced with a superb popup built-in EVF – 2,359,296 dot OLED TRU-finder EVF with 0.74x magnification, a 19mm eyepoint and a -4.0 to +3.0 diopter adjustment
• rear LCD now tilts but still no touch control
• new variable optical low-pass filter to allow user to decide upon maximum detail or minimal moire artefacts
• 5fps burst with AF between each frame
• shutter now to 1/4000th sec
• can now define a minimum shutter speed for the Auto ISO sensitivity option
• 50Mbps XAVC S movie mode at 1080 full HD at 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60fps
• WiFi, NFC, smartphone remote control

What does it miss out on?

There are a few features missing which really should be available on a camera at this price point such as:

• weathersealing – this is a pity as I could imagine bushwalkers would love this camera if it was weathersealed
• image stabiliser – this is a real pity as hand held, the camera shake is likely to waste all those 42mp of data and mean that low light street shooters would not get the maximum out of it
• shutter speed to 1/8000th sec – another problem means one may need a ND filter to use f/2 in bright sunlight, although an option is to drop ISO to 50 and give up some dynamic range
• 4K video which is now becoming the video to have
• touch control of rear LCD screen – given this is such a small camera, touch control would be handy indeed

Why not just use an Olympus OM-D E-M5 II with 20mm Panasonic pancake lens?

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 II kit gives the following advantages at 1/3rd of the price and is only a touch larger and heavier:

• camera is weathersealed (although this pancake lens is not)
• can use almost any lens ever made
• the world’s best image stabiliser which is just magic in video mode as well
• touch control of rear screen which not only tilts but swivels
• mechanical shutter speed to 1/8000th sec
• 40mp HiRes mode without moire for static subjects with camera on tripod
• 77mbps HD video with incredible image stabiliser
• PC sync port
• don’t need to pop up the EVF
• some great in-built features such as Live Composite mode, etc

BUT the Sony does give a few benefits which may make it worth it for some people:

• the shallower depth of field and lower high ISO noise of the full frame sensor
• 42mp detail – although one really needs a tripod, fast shutter speed or flash to realize this detail
• fast flash sync – but you need a short duration flash unit to make the most of it
• 399 AF points instead of 81 points may provide some benefits

Or for a similar price, the Sony a7R II camera:

The Sony a7R II is only a little more expensive and substantially bigger and heavier, and lacks the leaf shutter, but gives you the following benefits:

• camera is weathersealed
• can use almost any lens ever made
• a very good image stabiliser
• mechanical shutter speed to 1/8000th sec
• 4K video

Note that at present there is no dedicated AF lens for the E-mount which equates with this lens, the nearest are the Sony Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 ($US799) and the new Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 (~$US2000). There is a manual focus Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 lens at $US1250.

Thus the Sony RX 1R II gives you similar image quality in a much smaller package and the benefits of fast flash sync and 35mm f/2 and if these are more important than the other features then it maybe a camera to buy but for most, the Olympus OM-D or Sony a7R II would be better options.