The upcoming Full Frame RX1 will use the same 24 Megapixel sensor of the A99 and be priced at $2799. Like the A99 it has 14 bit RAW and ISO range from 100 up to 25.600. Shoots 5 fps and It makes video in AVCHD 2.0. The body is made of magnesium but it is not weather sealed. It has the same A99 3 inch screen but without the smart three way tilting system. I have been told there will be many accessories including optical and electronic viewfinders!
Price comparison: A Nikon D800 (Click here) with 35mm f/2.0 Nikon lens would cost you a total of $3350. A Canon 5DmarkII with 35mm f/2.0 lens almost $3800. To be honest the Nikon and Canon 35mm lenses do have a pretty non impressive quality. The RX1 has a Zeiss! Of course we are comparing apple with oranges but honestly…there is no other camera like the RX1 right now! The camera is too expensive to be considered as a Fuji X100 competitor. But you know, between the RX100 and the RX1 there is enough space for an RX10 😉
Now that we know the price and the specs let’s do the poll again:
[poll id=”118″]
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329 Responses
$2800 bucks, Wow!
I WOULD BUY IT IF IT HAD SOME ZOOM LENS (NOT INTERCHANGEABLE) – LET’S SAY 24-85 OR 24-120MM F/2-F/2.8
THIS WAY YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER LENSES AND THE SMALLER SIZE OF THE CAMERA WILL MAKE MORE SENSE.
WITH JUST A FIXED 35MM (ALTHOUGH I LIKE 35MM ON FULL FRAME) I WILL PASS.
I KNOW MAKING SUCH LENS IS A CHALLENGE, BUT ISN’T IT ALL ABOUT THE LENS WHEN TALKING OF FITTING FULL FRAME SENSOR IN SMALL BODY??
…shhh! Stop screaming!
A constant 24-85mm 2.8 would be huge. There’s no point making small cameras for lenses like that.
” 24-85 OR 24-120MM F/2-F/2.8″… Well, we are talking about a full-frame camera I think.
I would have liked 35-105mm F2.8 or 35-85mm F2.0 along with EVA then it would had been worth $3500
I’ll just leave this here…
http://i.imgur.com/aHaTt.jpg
THAT’S WHAT I SAID – IT WILL BE CHALLENGING TO MAKE A SMALL LENS LIKE THAT. I BELIEVE EVERYONE CAN FIT THE SENSOR IN A SMALL BODY – HOW YOU’LL BUNDLE IT WITH A GOOD LENS IS ANOTHER QUESTION.
AND IT EVEN DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A CONSTANT F – FOR 24-120MM F STOP OF 2 TO 4 WILL BE FINE.
are you serious?? this is a Full frame camera, do you know what the sise of such lens would be?? just look at the sise of a canon 24-105/4, its huge, imagine what a 2.8 would be like!!!
Way out of my budget
How come the APS-C Nex7 + 1.8/24 combo is popular at a combined price of $2,300 — and then a FF camera with a similar (but much smaller) lens is considered ‘insane’ at probably $2,600 streetprice?
Well first the NEX-7 + Zeiss street price is about a bill cheaper (without promotions such as those currently ongoing). Second, rather notably, the NEX-7 includes the $400 EVF built-in, which makes your comparison something more like 2200 to 3000, assuming this RX1’s EVF doesn’t cost even more (and I expect it will have to–or have you yet to experience the remarkably flimsy housing of the external EVF for the NEX-5N?). Third, the lens not being interchangeable is not only a limitation to the system…it means no bringing of one’s previous kit to the fray. Whatever options you have with the RX1, most of your previous investments, especially for street-photographers, will be wasted. People forget that it’s not only the system-in-a-vacuum that is to be considered, but the photographer’s gear in total. Pretty much all studio equipment would still be viable–you won’t have to toss your strobe light setup–but then this isn’t a studio camera.
Now, if you don’t mind spending a grand more (or 150% the cost) to get a bigger sensor but lose lens interchangeability…well go right ahead. But I’d suggest that is distinctly not a good choice. This camera is a fantastic sign of what Sony is willing to put out there, what direction they are headed in, but on its own it is still a huge let-down. I may even buy one, but I won’t pretend it’s the camera I wanted. It’s merely a feasible substitute because *right now no one is making that Pro-FF camera we all want*. Not even Sony, who just missed yet another chance.
I will repeat for the third time – that’s exactly what I’m saying – the size of such lens will be huge, that’s why I don’t find a big deal to create a small FF body, without be able to provide a good solution for it’s lenses.
Pack it with a good lens (if you can design it) and then we’ll talk…
Besides that kudos for Sony about their last cameras. They really try to push the industry limits!
I’d rather spend that on 2 Zeiss lenses and throw it on my A900.
Amen!
YOU’RE RIGHT, BUT THE 1.8 LENS ON NEX-7 CAN BE EXCHANGED IF YOU NEED ANOTHER FOCAL LENGTH – WITH RX1 YOU’RE STUCK WITH JUST ONE LENGTH FOREVER.
Sooner or later there will be a FF NEX system. The RX1 is just bridging the gap between now and the FF NEX release.
i totally agree.
Yes.
I agree. It’s a sign of what’s to come, a dramatic shot across the bows of all other camera manufacturers!
No.
Very interesting, although I feel like feedback will be similar to feedback for the Fuji X100: Why isn’t the lens interchangeable?
And look what happened with that camera. A cult classic and sales success. I still recall everyone screaming “Nooooo!, it needs to be interchangeable or have a zoom!” phhhhblt!
The X100 success is proof positive that there is a huge market out there that want a high quality fixed focal length camera. Sony just set the bar on a new level with this camera, although I’m not convinced they cut themselves short by not including a built-in EVF.
at this price, it certainly won’t be “popular”. I still think most people, even pros, are not ready to shell out almost 3 grand for a fixed lens camera. It is a nice niche product though, and if Sony’s strategy is anything like Fuji’s, then we’ll be looking at an interchangeable lens version pretty soon.
Wooooooooooooow
Out of my budget though :-/
Too rich for me
I hope the screen will be tiltable like the NEX camera then.
I also kind of hope it is fake (v V good PS job) especially when my hopes were up for an FF NEX.
This camera could make me sell my SEL 24/1.8, now when I think about it. The RX-1 with a tiltable screen will be the ULTIMATE street cam of all times. Also a FF NEX with such quality lens on would never become as compact as the RX-1 (look how deep the sensor plane is compared to the NEX-6).
$2800 camera with only one available focal length? Who is this for?
Me. I will buy this camera if the lens is good and there is an EVF..
Me too
It’s seems a nice addition but certainly not a GAME CHANGER!
Who will buy RX1 when you can buy a99 for the almost same price?? I won’t, a few might.
Sony better come up with NEX full-frame soon …
It’s probably a game changer because it is the first of its kind.
Reviews will quickly show that the camera will have better low-noise performance than the A99. No matter how good the A99 is, the RX1 will be better because same sensor but no mirror. If I were Sony, I’d have released the RX1 a couple of month after the A99.
This will be same as nex-u and a77
Is it certain this guy does not change lenses?
Looks lovely. I hope next NEX copies this design. This is so sleek
I
If this guy can change lenses… Oh boy, I’ll have to kiss goodbye to my left kidney.
They have not released any one of them yet so you might not be wrong.
i will buy one for fun
I think this will be a great camera for classic street photographers… but not for me.
focal length seems a bit too wide for full-frame. 50 would be minimum for street photography I think, but people want to do indoor group shots etc, so I guess that is why they went with 35.
mhm.. RX1 vs D800 (~same price) D800 is better..
RX1 vs D600 – same sensor and D600 is only ~ 1500…
~1300 would be a good price for RX1
Why are you comparing compact cameras with dslr? It’s like comparing a tablet with a workstation laptop.
but dslrs are better^^
and i try to compare price/performance
DSLRs are better for some things. But when I am out hiking or shooting street photography for hours, the best camera is one that I don’t get tired of holding. That’s been my NEX-5N with the Zeiss 24 attached, but the RX1 is an improvement on size and potentially image quality. The DSLR isn’t even something I’d consider for my needs just because of size.
Let’s do the math — The Nex7 is 1,200 and the 1.8/24mm Zeiss is ca. $1,100, a total of $2,300 streetprice now one year after release.
The RX1 is probably $2,600 streetprice.
Not that big a premium to pay to make the jump from APS-C to FF…
DSLRs are boring, big and so 20th century…
LOL! i must be old school..
try backpacking for 5 days and see if you want to carry 10 pounds of gear with you -_-
Dude, that’s the body-only price. The lens on this compact camera might be a very fancy thing.
You might be right but thats only if it didnt come with a cz
lens CIAO
I don’t think we know that the D600 sensor will be the same as this or the A99, though it may well be a Sony 24 mpx sensor.
Kinda silly for this price! No? The 99 body only should be less than this!
This is a camera that’s making no sense at all… The niche market for Leica cameras is occupied by Leica! They should a professional photographer spend that much money for a camera that limited? And those amateurs looking for “image” and “glamour” will be staying with their much overpaid Leicas
Let’s say streetprice will be $2,600 for the RX.
Compare that to a Leica M9 (body alone: $7,000) plus a Summicron 2.0/35mm ($3,200).
So the RX is not excactly Leica price level … it’s really more like Nex price level, since a Nex7 with a Zeiss 1.8/24mm will actually set you back $2,400.
+$400? for a EVF/OVF option and still have a fixed lens fixed focal length the the other 2 don’t have.
Only difference being that RX will most likely beat crap out of leica in terms of an image quality? Especially on higher ISOs (which are kinda important if you shoot street photo as more then often you stop down the lens)
Wow! A dream come true. I’ll just have to wait till the price comes down to €2k as I just can’t afford it 🙁
Would rather spend my money on the full frame a99. Or if I did have a need for a great compact camera that I could fit in my pocket I would probably save myself $2100 and buy the RX100. This is assuming that the RX1 could fit in my pocket.
I think $1600 to $1800 would be a more logical price for this camera.
Whole-heartedly agree. Hope that Sony realizes this and don’t just abandon the idea of the whole concept.
Or, even $2.100 sounds way better than $2799 IMHO.
Not for me I guess!
RX1 is a smart move considering building 35mm lenses for NEX will be very difficult. Sonnar 2/35 should have pretty good result on the sensor considering it carries one of the most well known name from Zeiss. Also because Distagon 2/35, also from Zeiss, is $1200, $2800 seems to be cheap including a modern full frame body and a high end prime lens. I wouldn’t buy it because I don’t really shoot wide angle that often.
By the way, A Fuji XE1 with the future 23mm 1.4 would not be able to create as shallow a DOF as 35/2 lens on FF. I also assume that Macro performance on the RX1 is amazing, just like the SEL 24/1.8
Then I guess the RX1 will have in-body optical stabilization (IBIS), so the low light performance will probably also trounce the Fuji.
You are right, it won’t. But the difference in DoF between them is so small that it’ll almost be a tie.
True.
Another thing, if Fuji is able to make the 23/1.4 lens compact then I assume it would impact the macro capabilities (focus dist. etc) and overall image quality. A super quality 23/1.4 lens with good macro capabilities for a camera with a flange distance of only 17.9mm would not be very compact (even when not using internal focussing), but we will see.
23f/1.4 on APS is equivalent to a 35f/2 on FF in term of DoF !
f/1.4 on 1.5x = f/2.1 FF in terms of DoF.
I don’t think so, for example I think that f2 DOF on APC-C is equivalent to f2.8 on FF, not f3.
That would be exactly true on a (non-existent) 1.4x crop camera. But f/2 on 1.5x APS-C = f/3 on FF, or f/2 on Canon 1.6x APS-C = f/3.2 on FF. But of course this is really splitting hairs; no one’s going to notice any difference between f/2.8 and f/3.
Davey is correct.
35mm Full Frame at f/2 is equiv to f/1.3 on a 1.5 crop sensor. So the Sony would have a hair better (more shallow) DOF than the Fuji at f/1.4
Likely indiscernible though…
I hope Sony doesn’t muck up the menu system and firmware again (they will) but it isn’t a deal breaker. Why does the focus distance scale on that lens stop at 0.3m?
Very disappointing. At that price the camera wont find a lot of buyers. Why SONY did not bring this camera with in interchangeable (NEX !) mount is beyond me.
I´d rather get a Nikon D700 and a set of prime lenses for the price of the fucking RX1. Sure, the RX is smaller but thats about it.
Give me the 24 MP FF sensor on a NEX system with quality NATIVE E mount FF lenses and then Sony can win me over. And stop forcing on the world the unpleasant AVCHD codec. Offer at a minimum the same bit rate and resolution in MP4 format like Canon and Nikon.
AVCHD 2.0 is way better than that compressed MP4 Canon offers.
Digital fullframe just doesn’t make much sense with a fixed lens because the cost of the sensor is so great that it is truly a waste to not be interchangeable.
fuji already have 23mm F1.4 in their lens road map which is equivelent to this zies 35mm F2.0 in terms of depth of field and focal length. but fuji will still be faster in terms of light gathering. and i am sure it is not going to cost more than $700 for that lens. put it on XE-1 which is cost $1000 it will be much better camera in every way. there will be nothing in this sony that you wouldn’t get in that combination i mentioned.
plus you will get latest sony Electronic VF. and proper dial controls.
i really really wanted this camera to be NEX interchangable but unfortunatley it wasn’t. and for $3000 it is way too much. for a moment i thought it is great but after a while i thought about what i wrote above (fuji combination). i said that is too expensive and i am sure many will be in my position.
but there are still people get caught up in hype of ”FULL Frame” name and don’t realize that you could get much better camera for alot less
when its in the bargain bin @ walmart, i’ll buy it.
Interesting camera. INSANE pricing.
This is the long desired beacon projects proving that SONY is able to produce ultimate gear. IMHO they do not expect to sale a large number of these cameras – it shall remain something you can look up to and then decide to take a smaller number. Good for those who can afford it or those who need it and can earn money with it, but it shines also at the “little man” cameras. It is very clever placed together with the NEX 6 – it will be the best promotion for it.
This looks great!!! I love how Sony is pushing it, the only way to invent
instead of s@cking up next boring crop DSLR like Canon and Nikon are doing.
Trust me, 3 more years it will be all Sony/Oly/Fuji and Canon/Nikon will be
some kind of boring history like Palm and Nokia….
Guarantee you almost all of the people who voted saying they will buy it are Sony fanboys who will not. They just have an overarching desire to defend Sony at all times. This is a cool camera but the pricing is completely idiotic.
It’s really not. If it has the same IQ as the D800 or 5diii, but you can pull it out at a restaurant table without feeling silly, then it has a ton of value. Also, if you read, many comments are saying they will hold out for an ILC version which is hardly fan-boyish.
It will be pretty cool when these are priced below 1k in a few years. Very innovative Sony!
THIS CAMERA IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY!! so stop whining!
it’s a premium item, its a very compat camera, with a fullframe sensor and a Zeiss 35/2!! it’s one of a kind, and Sony will release a bunch of acessories to this, EVF’s, OVF’s, and etc… the hot-shoe is there for some reason!
i think this is a great camera, it’s expensive? yes, but you get what you pay… if you know any other compact camera with a fullframe sensor you can buy it instead of this one…
this camera it’s an instant classic! a it shows good signs from Sony, a FF Nex is just a matter of time 🙂
The 99 serves my needs better. I will be getting that camera instead. 3 more days.
Same here…no wonder why Sony’s marketing sucks!!
A fixed lens is smart, you won’t be able to see if it’s really a FF sensor inside or a “defocus” simulation !.. 🙂 !
It’s an interesting camera, even if it’s too expensive for what it brings… I’m not a Sony “fanboy” but at least they are not only following what others do, like Canon… 😉
another advantage is no sensor dust-blobs/worrying about cleaning sensor.
Some months back I wrote about Sony maintaining focus on the core products. Though I’m a fan of the RX100, the RX series detracts from their main products.
They must focus on A99 as an alternative to the D800 and 5D3. Not an easy task. That means pro level support. Sony needs to stop being like Samsung with a million different models and no support. There is no sense to compete with Leica brand.
Option 4: Hell no!
It this the one that was described by the sources as a ‘game changer’?
I thought that would turn out to be a stupid thing to say.
Better change the question to something like “Would you consider buying it?” 😉
I think the price is fair considering there’s a Zeiss lens on this. Considering how great the RX100’s optics are, I’m going to assume that this one will perform wonderful.
If I had $3000 to spare, I still wouldn’t buy it though. Only because I’d rather have a FF NEX.
Andrea tell your friends at Sony to slow down with those drugs.
wow.. that price.. won’t even think about it.
oh wow, i am very glad that sony is trying create the highest of the high end point and shoot market. in a couple of years i think there should be more of these around at a much more affordable price point.
if i had $2800 to spare, i am willing to become a first adopter, but i don’t, so i’m going to sit and wait :)…
thx sony for opening this market!
I see you are more or less thinking what I am.
The RX1 is indeed the X100 of FF. Fixed lens, priced high, but a classic in no time.
If this had a NEX mount and a built-in viewfinder, I’d sell all of my DSLR gear. It’s one beautiful looking camera. This should be the design direction for future NEX camera.
Please backside photo!!!
Sony might be making the same mistake that Fuji did. The X100 sold like wildfire so Fuji went way up market with the overpriced X-Pro 1. Judging by resale prices (around $1100-1300), the market has judged what the camera was really worth. The X-E1 is a measure to correct that mistake.
The RX100 was also a big hit and Sony seems to be making the same play. Full frame does have an allure that is unique and the small size is intriguing. Without a built in EVF, this camera is clearly in the $2000-2400 area. I think the higher price is to push people to the a99 which is a mistake since people who value small cameras won’t go bulky dslr. I’ll keep my X-E1 pre- order intact. For my small camera needs, Sony already got my money with my RX100. Sony could have had my X-E1 money with a better price on the RX1. Maybe it’s not too late and all the negative reaction on pricing will get them to lower it a bit.
I really hope you’re listening Sony. Please release that RX1 in the $2000-2400 range at launch. I promise to cancel my Fuji X-E1 pre-orders and give you all my money!
The X100, until NEX 7, 5n and X Pro 1, was well worth its price because there was no other camera like it.
Now that there are… well.
I think the Price of this cam should be $2800 but with an EVF or OVF included.
I would like to add the following:
1) Admin’s comparisons vs other DSLR’s isnt totally wrong (one body one lens) if all people needed was 1 lens. However, if you wanted a second lens, then you would need to buy the RX2, 3 or 4 with 21mm, 50mm and 85mm. The issue there is that when one buys another lens, they often dont buy a second body to go with it.
2) DSLR AF will be better than this even if its as accurate as NEX AF (or even not as fast) Maybe it will have that new PDAF tech inside the sensor and this is a motor lens that will help it achieve the accuracy and the speed.
3) This camera is expensive, albeit for the ‘package’ offered, it isnt. Nikon’s 35mm f2 is no match for a ZF or ZE lens of the same focal length and same aperture f2. So, lets think about it this way:
a) This is a D600 (apparently to be announced at 1.5k) with better video and a Zeiss 35mm Distagon attached to it: $~1,500 + ~$1,100 = ~$2,600. Nikon offers better value because of the interchangeable lens.
b) The same but the apparently also coming budget FF Canon version plus the same lens: ~$2,800 (because Canon has the tendency to be ever so slightly more expensive than Nikon) and yet still Canon would be better value because you can change the lens.
c) On any of the above, there is one thing missing…the build (expected to be cheaper than the D800 and 5D3 siblings for costs saving and for justifying the difference in value between their lines)
d) Add to that the fact that this cam has no EVF or OVF included and the other more budget friendly FF cams makes more sense….however
F) This would be the more compact by far. This would also become a true classic camera not only like the X100 which paved the way for the X Pro 1 and the EX 1 that is breathing new life into Fuji but also like our dear NEX 7 (the enthusiast/expert NEX) and the RX100 (the premium compact that although costing more than its immediate competitors and with a larger sensor, people found it to be more attractive thanks to its image quality and style)
I think this cam won’t fly off the shelves, but it will sell well enough that Sony will either do a Sigma (ala DP1 and DP2 siblings) or launch the FF NEX with a lens collection.
I used to own a Nikon DSLR . . . and I found myself leaving it at home and using a Lumix TZ5 and later an LX5 because the DSLR was too big for every day use.
This RX1 provides the portability that the D800 and 5D Mark III don’t. Sure, they offer many benefits, but size tends to determine whether I’ll use a camera or not (using an NEX-5N now), so this RX1 is very appealing to me. I am not sure I can justify the price without selling off many of my NEX lenses (I have a bunch of legacy glass as well). Hmmm.
On this, I find no argument against. Compact is king when speaking of daily use for a cam. I use my NEX 7 daily and have shot more than 20k photos with it. Together with the 5n, they both clock in more than 30k.
Lol $2799. yeah right.
Wondering how much FF NEX will cost if RX1 costs people $2799..
VG-900 is FF, and costs around 3300 USD, afaik?
id say nearly the same price for the small NEX body?
A lot less. They charge you $1000 or more just for the APS-C NEX Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 alone, and with the RX1 you are actually getting a FF Zeiss 35mm f/2. Made to match, no less.
I voted ‘no’ only because there was no ‘Oh hell no!’ Heck, the A99 isn’t yet a reality but the D800 is, and I can’t imagine spending $3k (with viewfinder) for a Sony digicam that may or may not be around a year from now.
Honestly, its decisions like this that causes me to be somewhat nervous with Sony’s so-called A900 replacement. Seems like their just throwing anything against the wall to see what sticks’ and what doesn’t.
I will put it this way.. How much does cost a Carl Zeiss FF 35mm f/2 alone? How much does cost a 24MP FF body alone? And all that in a smaller package? This is a unique camera right now not in the budget of many… But remember how many people complained about the RX100 price? And even with that price, many people are buying that camera because if it works great, if it performs great, it will sell well.
I totally agree with you. Although 2800 may seem much for a compact camera but a Zeiss lens plus a full frame sensor with phase detection pixels are not cheap.
I hope “without the smart three way tilting system” doesn’t mean not tiltable at all (like in the RX100). Or rather, I hope it does because then I won’t have to think about how I could afford it. 😉
An external EVF sucks, too. Otherwise, this camera is really tempting …
It’s like the donkey chasing the carrot on the stick: Why did sony not choose the nex-body for this FF fixed lens? Now we have no finder and no grip….
This camera will bring FF and a Zeiss 35 f/2 at the size of a MFT/enthuthiast compact, and people complain about it been fixed lens/too expensive?
I see it as a perfect option to the RX100, both focused on compactness (ideal for travel/street photography), but one giving you a reasonably sized sensor with a very nice zoom and the other a enourmeous sensor with a terrific prime. This evaluating them as concepts, clearly different costumers given the price of each.
now… a rx10 with aps c sensor please…. i’d prefer a fixed 35 equivalent lens
I guess the real surprise is still to be revealed…
Just compare the lens mount ring of A99 and RX1… seems to be exactly the same.. So who is actually saying this is a fixed mount lens? Only because there is no release button?
What about the S-C-DMF-MF switch.. I guess it could perfectly double function as a lens relase button..
Sit down and take a deep breath.. this thing is an interchangeable lens camera!!!
Agh! So close Sony! But not quite. If it had interchangeable lenses and an EVF in the place of the flash I would be the first to pre-order it! But this is not quite what I’m looking for, so I’ll definitely pass on this.. But I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the future!
I agree………., and clearly Sony makes the best electronic components and sensors and can make the best camera bodies when it care to, but can they make lenses for anything?
All of these new cameras just temporally hide the sad fact that Sony has wonderful camera bodies and can put a nice lens on it at the product announcement but no second act!
We see this with the big alpha and the NEX already and now something new
Man, do I ever agree with you. Fortunately, I’m in no hurry to dive into buying a replacement or second body UNLESS something is just so markedly cool that I can’t live without it. Yeah, that could happen! In the interim I’ll just salivate and see what new camera Sony produces next month, and the month after that, and so on.
+1
Fixed lens would be ok and would have given the chance to integrate a ovf with a layer for focus confirmation and all the other infos
Again, because of the RX100, I was expecting the price to be steep. As a niche camera, it’s not worth the cost for me. Interchangeable lenses, maybe.
This is essentially a digital version of a Contax T3.
The point is to be compact and FF.
If you want a zoom, if you want a flip screen then there are plenty of other choices.
In 1999 the Contax T3 was around $1,000.
For its size, it’s one of the best film cameras ever made.
The RX1 looks to be about as small as a FF digital camera can be using current technology.
The Sony RX1 is going to be everything the Fuji X100 was supposed to be and wasn’t. Image quality is going to destroy every other compact out there. Where are the preorder links!?
I expect image quality to basically destroy every other camera expect medium format and maybe the D800, if you don’t consider low-light but just resolution.
For $3000… It should have a hybrid viewfinder…. included at least the EVF.
When I first saw the picture, I assumed it would use interchangeable lenses. I was so excited that I voted that I would buy one even at the high price. Then I read on, and NOOOOOOOOOOO! A fixed lens!! Sony, such a beautiful concept, like an electronic Leica M9, but I want an all-around camera, especially at that price.
This looks pretty awesome, but I’ll pass. Cost > value for me. I want NEX Pro 🙁
Nex Pro
Make.Dream lol… just kidding 😛
Fake.
I do like this camera. Sadly, I will not be buying it. I switched from the fuji x100 because I felt too limited with the fixed focal length lens. If it was interchangeable, I would be all in.
TIMMOH!
I hope people didn’t sell their NEX-7 for this.
That’s what I thought !!. How about the people who sold their NEX-7 for the pro camera !!. Feel sorry for you guys !!. Anyhow, I’d rather pay for A99 and have the freedom of changing lens rather than be stuck with one !.
The “SR5” reputation has been degrading to a supposedly SR3
So many SR5 rumors that didn’t come true
Andrea: any dimension infor. So that we can know how pocketable is this little FF.
probably not pocketable at all….. the lens is huge…
see this
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1147292/4#lastmessage
Sorry but I prefer Sigma DP1M or DP2m. They are much cheaper priced at $1000 and the low iso is absolutely fantastic, beating even D800E.
A compact camera not aimed at the average consumer. Interesting. Who else besides Steve Huff will get one? :p
When a full-frame mirrorless camera the size, shape and weight of this cool new camera can approximate a FF DSLR/SLT in image quality AND has a complete selection of Zeiss fast prime, and Zoom lenses (five at a minimum) I will buy it!
Three thousand dollars for a body, and 2k each plus for a lens. A-Mount, E-Mount I don’t care M mount is fine…………Just make it and I’ll buy it!
I don’t even need lenses…just an E Mount…I have great FF lenses already.
I keep waiting to see te E-mount to take off, but Sony seems slow to support it.
High quality lenses are just too big.
NO WAY! Adamantly opposed (and so does the voting thus far seem to indicate many others thinking the same way.) So this is the new revolutionary top secret camera? Ha. 3 negatives for me:
(1) Fixed lens. No interchangeability of lenses.
(2) Price. It is ridiculous (with an underscore)!
(3) NO built-in EVF.
For that amount of money (sucking the consumer) One would be better off getting a full frame in the A99. And, no built-in EVF?? No thanks. Having no EVF is a big handicap when shooting video, or just general photography in outdoor bright light conditions.
I currently have my NEX-7 on auction in anticipation of something better possibly to be brought on from Sony. but now, with this info leak, I will reconsider cancelling my auction and keep my NEX-7. I might get a NEX-6 to have a 2nd body camera alongside the NEX-7 to avoid lens swapping.
I totally agree! To me, it sounds more like a research project! What can we functionally achieve in terms of quality etc.?!
On the other hand, maybe Sony is “testing”the market. Who would have thought the NEX system and the mirrorless camera’s would be this popular?
Fix lens??!! $2799??!! EPIC FAIL!!! This is an approach to target a very small pool. In my country, if CSC user wont to put $2799 to get a digital camera, as analyze on those pro photographer, thought no one will buy one as well. This luxury toy is really for richies user 😀 Real Photographer will be pleasant if this body is interchangeable lens system which will make use of their lenses/gears.
Hmm… so where is the hybrid mount FF?
I totally agree, what is the market they are aiming this camera at………….The people with to much money, market.
The market of people with lots of money is quite big these days. Look at the sales of big cars.
Unfortunately it doesn’t include me.
Why is everyone knocking the fixed lens? This is Sony’s RX lineup and they’ll probably all have fixed lenses. There’s most likely a Full Frame NEX coming in the future.
Not gonna happen.
and why is that?
Fixed lens is no problem. Fixes focal length is a problem. You have no choice but to be more creative with a 35mm fixed length. That can be a good thing, but it is in my opinion not a “one size fits all” camera. There are a lot of circumstances where a 35mm is just not the right length. For instance when doing portraits.
It’s not a problem with the Fuji X100 (23mm/f2.0 on APS-C sensor). There are tons of good portraits taken with that camera – just not the 85mm “headshot” type portraits.
The X100 is an awesome travel camera, or when out for casual shooting with family. RX1 looks to be the same, but a full frame version. Hopefully with better autofocus and even better image quality.
I don’t think the fixed 35mm length is a problem at all. 35mm is probably the most versatile focal length, and 24mp is enough to crop your image and give a bit more flexibility.
My only problem is the price.
I love the design of this camera and its everything I wanted to see in a NEX design, hopefully they will copy this for the next line of NEXs.
Overall though, I think Sony have missed another opportunity here, its a f’kin expensive compact, and with the whole world singing the praises of mirrorless interchangeable cameras it makes you wonder where they expect this to fit into the scale of things. As a street camera, its ok but a lot of street shooters want to go wider (myself included), as a general walk around its perfect, but in that situation theres a lot of much cheaper alternatives (many from sony themselves) and do those types of people want FF?
Atleast one good thing will definetly come from this, no one will complain about the price of the RX100 anymore 🙂
I’m suspicious of the price. I suspect it will be much lower. If it’s too much more than an X100, it won’t sell well. If it’s under $1500, people will buy it.
Complain all you want about form factors, old technology and value but as long as people are still buying M6 rangefinders for $1200 just to take on vacation and have some fun with, cameras like this will have a place in the market.
Either way it’s a good sign that a FF E-Mount NEX body could be coming. Sony has been very good at keeping their secrets lately and have proven that they’re interested in competing in all markets.
$1500 yes
$2799 no thanks
Even a Zeiss Biogon f2.0 sets you back ~$1,100. $1,500 seems like “body only” price.
Not be able to use this CZ on other cameras can deduct its value.
It does indeed!
@Quan
An optimized fixed lens dedicated to a top-tier sensor will add back the value in terms of picture quality, you will see this.
The amazing this is this sets up a situation where each line, RX, NEX and SLT potentially has an APS-C size sensor option and a FF option.
At that point you are truly selecting based on body features and lens combinations. And that’s never been the case before. You’ll make your choices based on camera features, form factor and lens availability, not necessarily sensor constraints.
Regardless of how big the various markets are, they are covering a lot of bases and potentially increasing their chances of completely owning a given customer, particularly those who have need for multiple bodies.
Good times.
Great analysis 🙂
Good point Hoon. Maybe the RX10 will have an APS-C sensor? If that came with a bright, wide lens (24mm-70mm equiv, f2-f4 to keep it a manageable size?) that would rock.
I agree with you and Hoon, however I wonder if the RX10 will have something closer to the soon-to-be-announced pancake zoom? Perhaps with a 2.8 at the wide end because being a built-in lens there’s a bit more room and opportunity to optimize it.
I think the RX1 looks like a real bargain, considering the full frame Leica M9 is more than twice the price. I love the simplicity of having a fixed 35mm Zeiss lens, which is a perfect focal length for street photography and photojournalist work.
The Yashica T4 and T5 35mm film cameras are still popular, and standard issue amongst photography students because of their fixed Zeiss 35mm lens, and in the past, were used as backup cameras.
I’m excited to finally be able to loose some bulk, and use a digital point-and-shoot as a back-up to my bulky SLR cameras without loosing a single pixel of resolution, color-depth or dynamic range. The RX1 even has a hot shoe so I can trigger my studio strobes with it!
Truthfully, I’ll have to buy the A99 first, but the RX1 is definitely next on my list.
loseloose.com
Put a M42 or Leica M or even Contax G mount on it, and I’m in.
Contax T3 is still a lot smaller than this!
probably after six months, the price will drop to 2000
The price will come down. Look where the price of the Nikon D7000 and Pentax K5 are compared to when they were launched 2 years ago – and they are still among the best cameras in their class.
When the price of this drops to around $1700 it won’t look bad – even if it is a year or two old by then.
Price too high for me and it should absolutely be weather sealed for that much money. It will be interesting to see how well it sells.
Why does everyone want weather sealing? Is this spec of camera for fast sports action where a pro needs to be on the touch-line for 90 minutes whatever the weather? Nope. It’s not that type of camera. Neither is the Leica M9, or the X100, so they’re not sealed either.
Nor does it have a f2.8 300mm attached to it. It’s a compact. Stick it in your pocket between shots.
Why would anyone buy the RX1 when the RX100 costs a fraction of the cost AND is still a full frame?
Wow… You really have no clue what full frame means, do you?
RX100 is not full frame. Please go and read more. And not Ken Rockwell, that stuff rots your brain.
We want weather sealing because it should be a “go anywhere” camera. Right now it is a “go anywhere there isn’t any water or dust” camera.
I would have no problem with that price except with a fixed lens it can’t be my main camera (personally). That 35mm could be my go to for most of what I do but I need to be able to use my other lenses at times even if they aren’t up to the caliber of that Zeiss. If I could afford this AND a D800, A99, or even an NEX-7 then absolutely!
Very interesting product hope it sells well enough for Sony to make an interchangeable lens version.
Kudos to Sony for trying something as insane as this. While I would like Sony to put a zoom in there, like 24-70 o 24-50, I think they want to minimize cannibalization of their interchangeable system like NEX & SLT.
The interchangeable system is always the lucrative one with an ever evolving lens system that the consumers would want to change every 5 years. Still, at that crazy price, the market for this camera may be more limited than you think. A full frame sensor is expensive as hell. Canon & Nikon probably lose money selling 5D and D800. They make money through the obscenely priced premium lenses.
what is crazy about this camera? There is a long history of fixed lens 35mm range finders at the high end. Konica Hexar? not hexar rf
I wonder if they could sell a good quality wid angle converter and maybe a 1.4 and 2x converter. Then you would have the option of say a 24/2, 35/2, 50/2, and 70/2 (since they would be front mounted, they would not affect the aperture, well the f-value at least). Sure there would be some image degradation, but I assume this original combo will be phenomenal so a small iq hit wouldn’t be so bad. Especially with the 49mm filter size, shouldn’t be too hard to make. (I’m curious how the nex 16 converters would do)
Agreed, I’d be happy with this camera and some good quality converters. The IQ at higher ISOs with the excellent Sony sensors would compensate somewhat for the loss of light coming through the converters.
I agree with the lack of weather-sealing being a real issue:
1) One of the fundamental advantages to fixed lens cameras is the relative protection from sensor debris. No weather sealing squanders that.
2) The most natural application for this type of camera, or certainly the most common–indeed the application upon which such cameras built their reputation and following–is street photography. Walkabout cameras will inevitably face inclement weather. Only sports and wildlife cameras have greater need for weather-sealing (well, outside of specialty use cameras such as military, marine, exterior surveillance cameras, etc.). If this was a studio camera, a landscape camera, an event camera or a just a distinctly non-Pro point-and-shoot–I’d still always prefer weather sealing, but it wouldn’t be as important. Here I think it borders on essential. Especially, as said, for the price. This isn’t a collector’s jewel camera–this is a workhorse meant to last. Then they gave it an achilles heel.
3) It’s so much easier to achieve full weather sealing with a smaller body, with a body utilizing less buttons, or with a block-shape versus a complex one like the A99…and this possesses all three. Why did they hold back?
100% agree.
I dont really give a damn if it’s not weather-shielded ,
but the lack of integrated EVF for me is indeed a deal breaker!
a little sad, only because i had so many m-mount lenses waiting for a sony fullframe mirrorless!
maybe sony is withholding the fullframe nex, because they actually want to release fullframe lenses along with it? imagine the backlash from all the newbs that will complain of no nex ff lenses… when m-mount lenses are far superior.
For all the arguments that have been thrown out…you should see the fredmmiranda post on the cam that essentially (with the hot shoe for base to compare the size of NEX vs this) compares the size of the cam and it is not much smaller than the X100 (Fuji) albeit with a FF sensor which will compete with a 5D3 and D800.
Essentially, the price is right compared to a 5D3 and a Zeiss 35mm with it. Damn, it is even right compared to a 5D2 with a ZE 35mm which I also had.
So, compact, small, fast lens (lets hope its good too) and full frame? you really complaining about this?
That being said, this is only valid for those who like the 35mm FOV. For everyone else, you better wait for the ILC version or an RX2 with a 50mm or whatever you like.
Also goes without saying…this camera shows how difficult it is to make an ILC with a small lens that should perform flawlessly. Like the X100, see the size of that 23mm compared to the 18mm f2 for the X Pro 1. Maybe the Sensor in this RX1 has been tweaked to give us sharp edges and corners even wide open? Now THAT alone would make this work the price because the lens alone would cost half of the final cost.
With a fixed lens they can design the microlenses precisely to match the lens.
With a variable curved sensor they could match the curve to each lens.
Patents are already out there.
THAT would be a game changer.
😉
I don’t think anyone has yet come up with an economically feasible way to manufacture curved sensors – let alone ones with a variable curve.
This camera will not sell well- it will not come close to approaching the sales of the X100 or the X100 replacent. Most people will look at the price and laugh. I suspect this is Sony’s attempt to get the well to do amateurs who buy Leicas. Will it succeed? I doubt it. At this price they don’t have to sell a ton.
The X100 sold pretty well.
Wait the Konica Hexar was a camera for rich amateurs? Damn all my friends that won Pulitzers with those fixed lens range finders.
Sigh. The photographer will always matter more than their equipment. For that very reason, that argument gets you nowhere *when discussing what equipment is best*. That is to say, that insofar as equipment *does* matter, this camera is a poor choice. If you really have any pulitzer-winning friend[s!] then you should know it wasn’t their camera that made them great. But even for them, though a camera is only as a tool to accentuate and maximize what they already have, an augmentation of their ability, they would be best served by buying the best camera. If you disagree, then why even have the discussion? Go buy the cheapest you can find. If you agree that to some minor degree gear matters–then stop derailing to this false dichotomy of all or nothing: That somehow for a camera to not be a good deal it must mean great work from said camera is impossible.
I’ve read so many of your posts. All disappointing in their lack of imagination or insight.
umm I Went to the school at RIT. Most Pulitzer alumni of any other school in the world. So…. The point BEING that the HEXAR was the right tool for the job because it did the job for the person that picked it to use for how they work.
There were all these same “who will buy a camera with a fixed lens” arguments when Fuji launched the X100 – and many people said that was “too expensive” as well. Despite initial teething problems some people now love that camera (and many others who still don’t) and it seems to sell well enough.
Mind you this doesn’t have a built in viewfinder and costs a lot more – but it does have a full frame sensor and maybe better auto-focus and other things.
Sure this camera won’t suit many people – but it doesn’t really have to.
I like the idea of a compact full frame, and wouldn’t say a fixed lens is necessarily a deal breaker. But the lens protrudes too much, is not as flexible as say a 50/1.4 would be, and the lack of built-in viewfinder is a pain. Add in the price and I can’t say I find the package interesting to me.
As a first step it’s fair enough, though, as long as any successor models are given a bit more thought as to their usage models.
again Konica Hexar one of the most popular pro PJ and documentary cameras of the early mid 90’s had a fixed lens.
Most high-end fixed lens film cameras had 35mm (or wider) lenses. With 24mp you can always crop to get 50mm – but not the other way round.
No. (70%, 1,684 Votes)
Yes! (15%, 362 Votes)
Don’t know. (15%, 343 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,389
The vote says it all.
Then again if anything like 15% of photo enthusiasts that can afford it bought this camera it would be a MASSIVE success.
so if the rx1 is 2700 how much will the a99 be with same sensor?
Both are $2799. I know, reading isn’t easy.
seems suspect and your reading comprehension is pretty bad if you read that to say BOTH are $2799. Also you seem to be a dick.
Sigh. Both ARE $2799, or can’t you navigate from one post to another?
And people like you, cluttering up this or any forum to ask the most basic questions *already repeatedly answered*…if you won’t bother to *read* why should we read *and* respond to help you out? Sense of entitlement, much? You must be very special.
Sigh Other rumors LIKE A FLASH being SR5 where wrong or can’t you read the other post as they change to thus think that if this is $2799 that the a99 price might be wrong. You also might want to look up what entitled means before using the word completely wrong.
I wonder what possibly you might have said that would better define *sense of entitlement* than that which you just did say.
Apparently, you can be utterly wrong, and insult to the point of cursing, but if [finally] called-out on it you will retreat to red herring displays of *trophies on your wall*.
Sit on your laurels all you want–nothing you’ve said including your claims–makes up for your rather lacking rational, communicative and social skills bound with an attitude so haughty as to actually *call others out* from the mist of your own English confusions.
Just admit that you were wrong. You didn’t explicitly–heck you didn’t even vaguely imply–anything about expecting a change from *even the most recent posts* of a figure that *has yet to waiver*. That’s an obvious weaseling.
Entitlement: belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges.
I am sadly not multilingual, but to say that your grasp of English is unimpressive compared to my own would be an understatement. I’ve seen you make regular misuse of terms. Clearly you, unlike myself, are no writer.
God. You fail so regularly here.
Brandon get back to me when you work is in Moma and you have an Emmy 2 VES awards. AND WORK FOR A DIVISION OF SONY.
Randy, get back to us when you graduate from school.
Is there the possibility for lens attachments? For example, wide angle converters or 2x zoom attachments? How would this affect the quality of the image?
Sony needs another brand name like ‘Contax’ to justify such high price!
Just like Lexus/Toyota!
I think they think stamping ZEISS on the lens does that for them. They do have a different name for their high end cinema cameras. They are called Cinealta.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CineAlta they are even moving away from this though as the cinealta website is gone and now just http://pro.sony.com then you get to this http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-camerascineproduction/ which finally still uses Cinealta.
RX1 is not interesting at all for my own taste. If I need FF, I would go to D600 or perhaps A99. But I need hi-quality compact camera,I would select X-E1+35/1.4 or NEX7 with f1.4 lense.
Sony, please give me that lens in e-mount…. I´m inlove
No Randy s., entitled sound about right
See that post was using a sense of entitlement. See how its different then the others?
I love how clicking on the appropriate line nonetheless regularly shuffles the responses. Good luck to anyway trying to navigate the clutter above.
mmmmm a taste of things to come. 35mm f2 roughly $1,000? so a E mount ff body at $2,000?
wow everyone is so critical of this, i thought it would be a huge hit? hopefully it has a RGBW screen that swivels, and it will be incredible. the announcement seems to point to otherwise, but that would make the camera much more attractive.
When SONY release an interchangeable version of the ZEISS 35/2 LENS (not the RX body), either A/E-mount, people will know how much the RX1 really costs you; the 2799 is not an insane price if you could judge it objectively. Not to mention its actual performance, which currently no other comparable competitor can match it.
It is not the question of being not interchangeable, but a fact that if a fixed lens suit your shooting style or not; you may forego some “flexibility”, but you gain back certainly something in return: optimized performance, size, dust-resistance, etc. If you prefer to bring several lenses with you, then probably the RX line is not your best choice.
I would guess it would be a little less then this zeiss lens. http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666254717
I might consider buying this for 2000$ For 2800$ it doesn’t make sense.
Sure it doesn’t make sense for you and most other people – but strangely there are quite a lot of people who pay $6,500 for an M9 and leave a $3,200 f.2 Summicron (or even a $5,000 35mm f/1.4 Summilux) on it all the time. And many others who would love to if they could afford it.
As far as picture taking goes, this would likely give equal or better results at less than a third of the price. So I suspect there is a smallish but sufficient market for this camera.
Things that had better be true about this camera:
1. Even smaller than it looks. That is, after all, what you’re paying that crazy premium for over, say a 5D2 and a Canon 35/2.
2. The lens is AMAZING. We’re talking immaculate quality and, most importantly of all, NO FIELD CURVATURE. Loads of wide-ish mirrorless lenses suffer from this (the Sigma 19, Samsung 16 and 20, the lens on the X100, the Sony 16, the Sony 24, the lens on the RX100) and I’d be extra concerned about it happening with a FF sensor.
3. More manual controls than we can currently make out.
While this is interesting, I’m not sure it’s right for me – at least for now. However, should the performance of the lens wide open prove to be exceptional, then that may change my tune. I’m just going to sit back and see what happens. Even if this camera isn’t for me, I do think it will spur innovation from others. In that respect I am glad to see it come out. Until then, I will just take the money I’ve been saving and buy a Nikkor 35mm 1.4G.
Honest question: Why do digital Full Frame sensors cost so significantly more than APS-C?
Go to Thom Hogan’s blog http://www.bythom.com, find his entry for August 27 on “Sensor Economics”
Thank you, I appreciate that. Truth is I still don’t quite understand WHY a Full Frame sensor cost is that significantly higher, but well ok, I understand THAT it is 🙂
APS-C $50
FF $400
I am expecting a much more, high-end handsome looking camera for 2800$ ..
This thing would be BEAST if it was an interchangable lens system!!
This is a Great camera , it’s proof that Sony could do something good and promising, But the Price tag…fix range…and the size (due to the bulge cause by lens…), I will think about of the RX100 but not RX1…… It will be more flexible… or I will bought a NEX-6 with couple of lens…. it will be much better for me 😀
i would consider at $400, but no point and shoot with a fixed lens is worth more.
I would even consider it for US$1200 street price. 🙂
It’s a clever marketing ploy: establish price point is what this is about. We can thank Leica for this ( as Leica’s Dr. Andreas Kaufmann stated a several months back ‘sensors are a commodity’ , in other words the R&D costs have been recouped and thus the price has decreased, and is stable), what this means is that the manufacturers are maximising their profits. A way to do this is by pricing a product by as much as the market will bear. So if there is any market for the (FF) RX1 at $2700.00, then it gives Sony to position an ILC version of same sensor size or larger above that price point. It will be lower than Leica’s product (new CMOS) and Hasselblad’s . Thus in this context after a period the RX1 will look good value.
absolutely overpriced for a non-interchangeable lens camera, even it has a full-frame sensor.
Not impressed.
FF camera without EVF?
No thanks….
For anyone interested, I will modify this camera to an M mount for $1350. Will do same to Canon 5dmk2.
This looks a luxury camera. Full frame with zeiss lens. Peoples with budget would buy it instead of Lica M. All latest features in video, better sensor, Premium lens and that smaller dimension with RX100 looks justifies its price. When you compare the price with lica, RX1 is a super bargain ..
Are you mocking Leica brand that you called it Lica?
Leica has Optical View Finder and Interchangeable lens system, and yes I know it’s still pretty darn expensive. Too bad RX1 doesn’t have any built-in view finder.
But you surely can’t compare Leica M with this. Two different camera systems whatsoever.
But you can compare the Leica X2 to this.
weathersealing kills it
If this is a 3-step zoom (24mm-50mm-85mm) I’ll buy in a heartbeat. Hope there’ll be a Rx10.
epic fail with the pricing.
I will definitely be getting one. Here a 35mm 1.4 G costs about the same, yes it’s a stop faster, but you lose some of that with the SLT anyway, but I would prefer to have this packaging so that I can enjoy the same quality as an a99 without having to bring the a99. Also be a great second cam when using the a99. No this will probably never be my only camera, but it looks like it will replace my X100. Though being a niche camera and not ‘for everyone’ I will wait until someone else buys it and is prepared to drop a grand when the interchangeable version hits.
no matter the price or who will buy it, i think its important that Sony seems to feel this camera is working for quite demanding customers..means mostly they must be having a successfull AF which works mirrorless and with FF lenses that have much shallower DOF than compact cameras, therefor the AF has to be much better to work precise and conveniently fast. (other than what Canon showed so far) the AF will be the most important part of this camera i´d say.. to all who complain about tis being totally overpriced, dont buy it then. i would say its worth what they are asking for a, but its not for everyone or me, thats for sure.
The future Nikon D600 = 1900 USD
Lens 50/1.8 (for future D600) = 500 USD
1900 + 500 = 2400 USD
What do you think?
The difference is size. You can probably keep it in a jacket pocket most of the time and few will mind if you photograph them with a camera like this, but they tend to freeze up when a stranger points a largish Nikon DSLR.
I hope the price of this comes down to under $2K pretty soon – but it should be capable of producing photos at least the quality of a D3X – which cost around $8K body only when it was launched a few years ago + 35mm lens in a jacket pocket camera.
Although I agree the price is not for the lighthearted, I’m pretty sure there are thousands of hi end “boutique cam” users (Leica, Sigma fans, people who don’t blink when purchasing their 10.000$ or more equipment) that are fucking jealous that Sony is releasing a product like this. This product truly is unique. People will think you have a slightly large cybershot, when in fact you have a cam with tech specs (and lens specs) that rival much more expensive DSLR’s and bulky. And it’s 5 times less expensive than the M9. It’s basically a photography lovers ideal rig, no nonsense fixed lens cam. Journalists will buy this baby in droves. For interchangeable lens and more pro video features you have NEX and ALPHA lines. Stop whining people, this RX cam is freaking awesome. CanikonLeicaPanasonicFujiOlympus probably never expected it. Kudos to you Sony, for being innovative.
Journalists need zooms, as i understand. and they usually don’t really care about the high quality lenses, etc. for as long as the picture is “okay” to be printed somewhere. i know a journalist who uses a compact zoom camera and sells to magazines, agencies..
as i understand there are 3 main uses for this camera: 1. a present for a rich man’s wife. 2. a camera for rich tourists who care just enough to push a button. 3. some people who just want to be “different”.
i don’t know about japan, europe or usa but in russia it won’t get a lot of sales, in my opinion.
Sigma cameras are not in this price bracket. The DP1M and DP2M, both compact fixed-lens cameras, cost about £800 in the UK (including 20% tax).
Certainly they are missing several features of the Sony RX1 (in particular, they are useless for video), but the image quality in good light is about the same.
and i don’t see how this thing can make anybody forget nex6 or even nex5.. or anyone who uses interchangeable lenses..
Give me interchangeable lenses, and I will think about it…. Why would they do a release on the same day as Apple? Lame….
Who the frack gives a damn about Apple? This is about Photokina. You think all the camera manufacturers should cower before the Apple fanboi worshippers and defer all camera announcements in a camera convention because some fruity phone manufacturer is launching their latest phone?
$2700 for a fixed lens camera? Imagine how much a FF NEX would cost!…..
deduct the zeiss lens price and you will get the figure :).
i would love it with an optical viewfinder, but not at the cost of the only hotshoe port. maybe they can have a port duplicator to use both ovf and external flash?
Camera + viewfinder= costs €????? ..It’s not gonna be cheep.
Man I love the concept but the price is way too high.
On a happier note the combo Nex7/Zeiss now seems like a bargain!
Why 35? For the one lens camera it seems too wide…
+1
+2
On the contrary, 35mm is too narrow, with a 24mm you could crop.
Not attractive yet for a professional, but slowly getting there. I’m guessing a more serious camera will come along in the near future. Sony, if you position yourself on the pro market, give us what we really need: serious weather-sealing, 35mm 1.4, optical view-finder. The AF should be ultra fast and precise too. For now, I’m still sticking to my D800 and exited about the little brother coming out soon D600. This stuff works well, not gadgets for posh ladies to show off.
I have a Sony Nex 5n and Nex 7. I enjoy the portability and picture quality (though the UI of the 5N is abismal). To compare a fixed lens with a Canon or Nikon (my wife and I have both) based on quality and price and lens quality is ludicrous. Sony is way over pricing this camera for what it will likely deliver. Canon and Nikon have hundreds of excellent lenses… Sony has a mere handful. Looks like most agree… this is a clear miss by Sony. Too bad, a reasonably priced, full frame Nex 9 would have been a killer – get me interchangeable lenses, a wide assortment, and a reasonable price.
Nex(t)
24MP FF sensor $400
Body $650
Zeiss 35 F2 $1750?????????????????????????
@Andrea
Has the RX1 an Hybrid AF like the NEX-6 or 5R?
its the same sensor as A99 so it should have.
This Zeiss lens = $1000, so a FF NEX9 around $1799?
But I guess it would cost $1999 (like the Sony A850 FF camera did)
Hmmm… weather sealing and a EVF would have made this camera
very tempting. Now I am not so sure. The NEX6 is maybe more tempting
if Sony also release new E-mount lenses as rumored.
I have read so much nonsense in the comments it’s incredible.
The RX100 full frame??
Canon & Nikon probably lose money selling 5D and D800?? A FF sensor costs way less than 400$ to the producer, this I know for sure.
Besides this, I won’t buy it. Make it with an integrated EVF and E-Mount, $1500-2000 body only and it’s mine.
The price for this camera isn’t that far off, considering the price of the Zeiss 35/2 in Leica M Mount.
Um. Why? The Zeiss 35/2 for M-mount is ~$1100. Deduct that from $2800 and you’ve got a body worth what you would pay. It sounds like this is exactly the right price per your math. PLUS this is not the same 35/2 for M-mount it is a Sonnar with AF. Whole different formula.
If then new generation of fuji x100 has got the xpro1 sensor and slightly enhanced lens, what kind of a photographer might prefer this sony? Sorry, sony is not leica, which excludes rich self-image liking people. What else does it offer? Smaller Dof? How many people will it be sitnificant for? High iso? Irrelevant. And x100 has got a viewfinder, which makes the price difference bigger.
Nice try, sony, make it 2000 usd and you might be succesfull. Maybe.
Ps: for landscape and generally kinda tripod work… Sigma dp1 again a better buy…
Two add-on I would like to see in the future for this RX1:
1) TOP-QUALITY wide/tele conversion lenses.
2) Optional grip.
Just wanted to point out that Canon 5D Mark II is 2000$ on BH, and canon 35/2 worth 300$.
Not 3800$ as article states.
Yes if you don’t want the latest generation of a camera/sensor
you can get a FF body very cheap.
The Canon lens for $300 is for sure good, but it’s not a Zeiss 🙂
But I believe this RX1 would sell alot more if the price was $1999
But the camera is maybe ment for people who don’t care so much
about the price. Or the people who knows that this is really all they
need. And for people who want the worlds smallest FF digital camera.
I guess it will sell ok. Even when/if Canon and Nikon release cheap
FF cameras as the rumors says.
It is not Zeiss, it’s Kosina with Zeiss label. Nothing special, around same as Nikon/Canon, sometimes a bit better, sometimes a bit worse.
Sensor is same level as Mark II or future Nikon D600, you won’t spot a difference even on crop
This joke of Sony is amazing. One may assume that it will have more serious consequences.
Why is everyone getting so hung up on the price? Other than a rumoured price, at best it’s the RRP. Who pays RRP for stuff like this? And the price will naturally drop a few hundred quid anyway within a few months.
Just wait to it’s reviewed. The IQ will, in all likelihood, set new standards for this spec of camera. This camera will be a great success for Sony.
On a more general point, it’s great to see Sony’s imaging division being so innovative and prepared to take risks.
Also you could wait 1 year or something and find used RX1 for under
$2000 I guess. But for sure they will sell fast 🙂
I hope Sony could include an OVF with the RX1 for that rumored $2799 price.
At least as an “first month, pre-order offer”.
No. Too expensive.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/7969257486_860a96de35.jpg
m ?
Are you 100% sure the lens is fixed? It shows the same orange ring the A99 has.
There is no lens release button.
Couldn’t it be on the bottom?
No.
Why not? 🙂
couldn’t it be push to release? 🙂
Sony has successfully found a solution for not releasing new lenses for NEX lineup! Boom! We have a full frame RX model instead of a E/A mount. I was really eager about this one but with a fixed fixed lens 🙁 No more
I still hope that 2799 is the price for the a99 and you got a wrong info… (finger crossed)
SAMURAI CONSPIRACY
I am confident that there is some agreement between top bosses of Japanese corporations not to compete with each other directly. If Sony wanted to kill (or, say, to bring troubles) to Canon/Nikon they would do it easily for example by releasing an RX1 analogue with interchangeable lenses. Maybe it even was a part of the condition for buying Sony sensors by Nikon.
Why not a 50? :'(
This camera is likely a test to see the response. They will probably use the tech to create a NEX variant in the future. Like Fuji did.
A 35 is just the right lens for such a camera, I think. And that also means it comes with a built-in 50/2; just crop down to 16MP.
So, basically another of Sony’s $2800 rediculus price tag, now for one fixed focal length 35mm f/2 lens.
No, thank you. Sony is just getting hungrier every season for insanely more profit.
Hope Steve Huff and others get some share of Sony’s profit for trying to hype up this crap.
the nex system is the most competitively priced aps-c milc system. and even cheaper than nikon 1. only m43 has cheaper bodies. even m43 lenses are similarly priced.
I think it will be a FF mirrorless with changeable lenses. It seems you’re missing something in your speculation.
I think that the lens shown in the photo is NOT a fixed lens.
Mirrorless FF with changeable lenses would be a game-changer.
Did you see the link above Doo_Doo posted?
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/7969257486_860a96de35.jpg
Love to be proved wrong but that looks like someone took the front image of the camera and removed the lens then added the sensor ans internals in Photoshop and then took the top image of the camera and removed the body and added a mount to the lens.
Anyway that’s an M-mount 😉
the nex cameras are pretty reasonably priced. in fact, they are the most competitively priced aps-c milc cameras.
Who wants to spend 2800 USD for a “test drive”? IMHO to make such a statement as comparing a D800 or 5DMIII with a lab experiment and without real facts (pictures and handling) is not fortunate. As this post is written, nearly 70% says NO to the purchasing poll. I am not sure if Sony learned from what happened to Fuji. The X100 (1000 USD) Fuji experiment was successful but at $1700 the Fuji PRO X 1 was not so, you can find them almost new for $1300 on several places. That´s why now Fuji is proposing as alternative X-E1 (100 0 USD) at the price the people rightly places the product.
In short, the answer to Sony is “NO” we don’t want a 2800 USD Leica alternative.
On the 2800 – 3500 USD range I prefer the bulkiness of a D800 or a 5D and with the D600 and 6D on the horizon, on a lower range of prices, with lots of good F mount and Eos mount around. By the way, can the admin mention what’s wrong with Zeiss 28mm, 35mm and 50mm and many more zeiss, voigtander, nikon and canon lenses for F and Eos mounts?
1000 people also said Yes. That’s $2.8M in sales. Would likely help pay for some of the R&D.
Is it just me or did Steve Huff changed the wording in his blog post to not refer to the ‘new’ product? (RX1)
I thought he mentioned about the new product he’s interested in and is not leaked yet – but now I don’t see any wordings like that from his post.
Did he just happily cut it out?
Glad most people wouldn’t buy it.
At this price I would have seriously considered buying a FF NEX with interchangeable lenses, provide there was an adapter available for A lenses. That’s true even if a 35mm was the only native lens available at introduction.
Now I’m stuck. I would really like to switch to NEX, but I want a 24MP with WiFi. Maybe next year …
It would like to see it against the Sigma DP2 Merrill. I suspect the Sigma would still blow it away (IQ)…
All a lens release does is move a couple of pins, why does it have to be right next to the lens?
If this were to be priced at $2000 it would be a real game changer. I would buy it, definitely!
But will it blend?
How awesome that Sony is pushing the envelope with this direction. I think there’s room in the market for fixed lens high quality cameras, just like there is for replaceable lens ones. Curious if they removed the AA filter in this design, similar to what Fuji did. The engineering advantage of designing a fixed lens in front of a great sensor cannot be overlooked.
I would miss the view finder, but then, I’m so used to the a900. Heck, I hardly ever use the LCD on my x100, that hybrid viewfinder is a thing of beauty. But maybe I’m just old school 😉
I haven’t held the RX100. But that 35mm seems like a honking big lens on a small body. In terms of depth, it seems more similar to the A-mount 35G/1.4 than, say, the M-mount Summicron 35/f2. In my mind, the main advantage of the Fuji x100 is how compact it is relative to the IQ quality. A big lens would negate that a bit.
fixed lens = no resale value
+1 🙂
andrea, RX1 have image stabilization or not?
No built in VF, no deal. Do a Fuji: combo optical/electronic. Best of both worlds. For me, this kind of Leica-ish camera is useless without a built in VF. Street photography with the camera at arms’ length? Pffffft.
I would love it if Sony had ONE photographer on their camera design staff. Just ONE. Then, instead of making ‘devices’ they could make cameras.
My 2 centavos.
I think street photography is easier with the LCD. You just don’t get noticed at all.
Different story when you’re clearly pointing the camera at someone.
As a “retro-ish” body with RF styling, it has some promise. FF sensor by Sony (who makes top-tier sensors), no-compromises (we hope!) lens by Zeiss, mag-alloy body… no, those specs might WELL command a $2000 to $3000 price…
Without decent weather-sealing, however, it is (in my view) overpriced; or more-correctly, under-spec’ed. I cannot understand why they would not build this one as a top-tier machine, with all that’s implied at the top tier.
However: that’s NOT an interchangeable-lens body – there’s no right-hand grip, just a flat panel; even the NEX has a grip (however inadequate you may find it). Imagine handling something like a 24-70 by that body… by the end of an assignment/contract, your hands will be SOOO cramped…
Nex-7 is 1200 bucks + 999 for the 23mm Zeiss glass, reaching a 2200 dollars for an APS-C mirrorless.
That said this RX1 is far from being cheap, but come on! It has no competitors and can be considered as a pro tech toy.
So who’s asking for price?
by the way. am I seeing a manual aperture control on the lens?
like!
Maybe this time next year Sony will release the RX10
APS-C 16-24 MP with fixed Zeiss 24-135 MM 2.8-4.8 = a true R1 replacement.
$1500 and I’m in but knowing Sony they will make it $2K+
Can someone tell me what DMF stands for?
I get that being next to MF, The last two mean manual focus but the D in DMF ?
what kind of manual focus is it ?
DMF is ‘direct manual focus’ which already exists for some Sony lenses and is also implemented in some bodies.
Basically; after the camera has auto-focussed, you can still then turn the focus dial manually to maybe fine tune the focus
At $2799 and no EVF, no weather sealed? Sony is really trying to milk it.
Full frame or not, I do not see this $2799 Sony keeping its value in the 2nd hand market. If I am splurging for the (cheaper) X2, at least I know the Red Dot will help me when it comes time to unload it.
Would never buy a camera without a real viewfinder no matter how good the LCD screen is. And don’t try to sell me a stick-on one either.
This is a stupid move for Sony to make and shows just how out of touch they are with this market. I had hoped that Sony would eventually grow smarter about this business and this is an example of them looking the other way. This makes me think that they are in the camera business solely to sell sensors with this being a marketing ploy.
It’s all a marketing ploy. Every company. Companies exist to make money for their shareholders. People make some damn fine images and movies on Sony cameras though.
No interchangeable lenses with a high price tag = no go. If the lenses are interchangeable would highly consider…
Question: any news about lens adapters for WA and short tele? Even though purists and snobs would cry foul, for someone that would like to use this camera in trips and trails that would be wornderful.
I’ll be saving my money for a D600 thankyou. Unless the image showing the M-mount is legit, this seems like a huge waste of sensor.
Oh dear. What a missed opportunity- interchangeable lens, I would have sold my M6 and 5Dmkii and been happy. With a fixed lens this is an overpriced toy.
Sony, listen- do this camera with interchangeable, high quality, fast lenses and decent manual video performance and they will walk, probably run, off the shelves. Simples.