Sony DSC-RX100 II Review

Small but powerful – that was already on the Sony RX100, Sony RX100 II follows the now. At the basic concept, Sony has not changed: The smart housing a comparatively generous sized 1-inch sensor, 3.6x zoom is very bright at least for initial focal length potters.

New additions include a tilting screen and a multi-function flash shoe with the Sony DSC-RX100 II. Also under the hood has done a lot: The sensor is now executed in light-sensitive BSI technology. The RX100 II also communicates via WiFi with a smartphone or other device on the network. As such, the upgraded Sony RX100 II suggests in practice as well as in the lab of digitalkamera.de, clarifies our detailed review.

Sony DSC-RX100 II – Ergonomics and Processing

A manufacturer who currently would like to successfully sell compact cameras, must have been something special. Too large is now the competition from smartphones that plug into almost any pocket or purse and always available for a photo shoot at your service.

What makes the Sony RX100 II: Under its matte black metal shell is a richly dimensioned for their circumstances 1-inch sensor takes photos and videos. It remained largely in the noble metal casing that makes the Sony RX100 II around 280 grams.

A little new feature falls on already unpacked: The Sony RX100 II now carries a small hump on the top. It is the new multi-interface accessory shoe. Quite so straightforward yet smooth as its predecessor, the RX100 II no longer.

Moreover, it is a few millimeters become thicker. Provides the reason for the display: It is struck with a double hinge where it folds down to almost 90 degrees upward and 45 degrees downward by approximately.

The advantages of this folding mechanism outweigh the associated increase in size more than on. Not only, that, with the Sony DSC-RX100 II also shots to the head or the camera close to the ground without strenuous contortions are possible – the display can always be brought about a position in which it is not the bright Sony DSC-RX100 II T-shirt reflects the photographer. This risk is only when really bright light, otherwise the display brightness adjusts the Sony RX100 II very well automatically to the lighting conditions.

In general, the display makes a good impression. It dissolves with around 1.23 million pixels on very fine. For best recording results, several aids can show such a grid, an electronic spirit level or a live histogram.

Who does not want part out photographs with the view to display, get the Sony RX100 II now an alternative? In their accessory, shoe can be put on including the excellent electronic viewfinder EV1MK – the RX100 II so grows upon request with the demands of photographers.

Sony DSC-RX100 II – Features

A glance at the mode dial reveals that the RX100 does come at a serious photographer in sight who want to shoot with the program AE or manual exposure even once. The noble compact camera has everything that makes life easier for the casual photographer.

These include two full automatics, select the appropriate scene mode appropriate to the situation. About the automatic, iAuto has been falling back on programs that improve the picture quality by multiple shots – this is even more.

It is nice that the full automatics can override if necessary – the photographer can adjust aperture, exposure, color temperature and saturation. Unfortunately, this option is missing when you deliberately pretending one of 14 scene modes. Also on board the Sony DSC-RX100 II has a Sweep Panorama feature, which records a full wide screen image while the camera is panned across the scene.

People shots facilitate Sony DSC-RX100 II with a face detection or face re-identification. If the latter is enabled, the camera focuses preferentially on familiar faces – up to eight portraits can be put in the internal memory, the method is to some awkward. Practically is that the face recognition does not work only in combination with the automatic modes, but also in PASM mode.

This also applies to the special functions by Multi-Shot: The HDR function combines three different exposures into one image with perfectly drawn highlights and shadows. The multi-frame noise reduction merges equal to six shots in such a way that noise is effectively suppressed.

It is obvious that both functions are suitable only for static subjects. Then they deliver impressive results: With the multi-frame, noise reduction is obtained at least an ISO level, the HDR function copes with high-contrast backlit situations with confidence.

Whoever receives rather Exposure and the individual images then processed by HDR software is treated quite neglected by the RX100 II: A mere 0.7 EV bracketing, the maximum spread at, which is always limited to three shots. This is the RX100 II but quite fast when shooting is required: In JPEG, it records around seven frames per second (fps) in RAW they still keep a good 4 fps.

The video feature the Sony DSC-RX100 II can hardly be desired: The camera shoots in full HD resolution with a high frame rate of 50 frames / second, is recorded in the forward-looking AVCHD format. It takes the sound to stereo.

Who makes high demands on sound quality, can connect to the multi-interface shoe the external stereo microphone ECM XYST1M. When shooting movies, the Sony DSC-RX100 II almost all the functions that it offers for photo shoots – so for example, all exposure modes.

The focus, the camera performs somewhat slowly, but without the hassle of pumps. Zoom rides are also available, where the focal length range is a drive slower when shooting movies. Who needs a photo during video recording, simply press the shutter button – the RX100 II then takes a picture in full resolution, but in 16:9 aspect ratio.

The image sensor and BIONZ image processor for processing the Sony DSC-RX100 II provide results from which are outstanding for a compact camera – no ifs, no buts! Can match the image quality of the lens? In any case, the zoom lens is perfectly located for Zeiss in terms of distortion.

The deviations from the original are close to the measurement limit. Uncritically is the vignetting. Lens vignetting with a maximum of 0.5 EV measurably, but not visible. Similarly, there are no problems with chromatic aberrations – at least not in short and medium focal length. Only for telephoto color fringing at the edges are visible scope remains as just below the critical size of two pixels.

Sony DSC-RX100 II – Conclusion

Even the RX100 we have awarded rightly called ” king of the compact cameras “, but the imperial crown belongs undisputedly the new Sony DSC-RX100 II Mag one or the other camera in its class might still be better at that discipline a bit in this or – the sum of the properties of the Sony RX100 II cannot reach the water.

Your image quality is absolutely considered to ISO 3200 is a very high and practically level DSLR, for a compact camera, it is outstanding. The new multi-interface accessory and the foldable display now debunk the major criticisms of the predecessor and have proven in practice as a very valuable asset.

Points, the Sony DSC-RX100 II also with its WiFi connectivity, including easy to handle the NFC. The photographer flatters the RX100 II not only a fancy design. They spoiled him with a very wide range of functions – the latter applies particularly to video. They should be handled relatively well despite their small and few controls, also because they can be very flexible to adapt to your own needs and preferences.

If you can live with the somewhat limited zoom range of the lens, the RX100 II is currently no alternative. The only drawback: For the Sony DSC-RX100 II must dig deep into their pockets to their price, there is already a decent system camera or DSLR. Who can do without the new features of the Sony DSC-RX100 II, currently found in the predecessor a much cheaper alternative – until further notice, the RX100 remains within the product range of Sony.

Sony RX100 II 20.2 MP Premium Compact Digital Camera w/ 1-inch Sensor, MI (Multi-Interface) Shoe and tilt LCD Screen (DSCRX100M2/B)

• 20.2 MP 1"-type Exmor R CMOS sensor. 28-100mm equivalent F/1.8-4.9 lens.
• Continuous shooting up to 10 FPS. ISO 160-12800, expandable ISO 100, 125, and 25,600.
• . 1080 60p/24p HD video with full exposure control (MPEG-4/AVCHD)3.0 inch tiltable...

$443.95

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