We still have to wait to see the first Full Frame interchangeable mirrorless system that is not an expensive Leica M. But meantime we can watch closely at the Sony RX1 camera that comes with that superb fixed Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 lens. Sony just posted the first Full Size image samples on Flickr (Click here). And it delivers an impressive performance. Sharpness is great through the full frame. ISO performance is also great (just look at that 6.400 ISO image here on top). Imagine of that camera would have an interchangeable mount. I bet even some Canon and Nikon user would switch over to Sony. Can’t wait to see that FF NEX-9 coming next year…
You can check the price and preorder options of the camera at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Wex UK ,Wex Germany, Sonystore US, Sonystore DE–UK–FR–IT–ES–NL–SE–FI–CH, Wex UK, Wex Germany and more links at Alphacameradeals.
34 Responses
There are much cheaper and far better cameras for bokeh shots! 😉
> Imagine of that camera would have an interchangeable mount.
But then IQ would drop, since one can’t optimize it as perfectly as one specific sensor/lens combination. And after the IQ loss, it becomes just another 135 FF camera…
Actually, the more interesting question is whether Sony has managed to tackle the power consumption problem of the FF sensors. If not, the battery life of the RX1 would be rather dismal. And to improve battery life (lest not forget that large lenses (unlike the 2.0/35mm) also consume lots of power to move the FF glass) one would have to incorporate larger battery, meaning larger camera body. And we are back at square one.
Don’t think making an ILC version would make the camera much bigger. I am not sure ILC nessecarily means lower IQ compared to fixed lens. It is a more complex and expensive design though.
A built-in VF is a prerequiste – for me at least. I see this camera as a concept in the same way as the X100 was for Fuji.
Compared to a Leica, that has built-in OVF. The M has EVF option. Plus Leica has all their lenses. A RX1 with nessecary accessories is not that much cheaper than Leica ME – and with just that fixed lens……
You forgot to add the price of a 35mm summicron.
Even if the RX1 costs nothing, the lens (apart) is a paperweight on another camera and so is the sensor on its own. There is no contest between a P&S cam and a system camera.
Edge sharpness doesn’t look great to me, though it isn’t terrible either (I suspect it will be at large apertures though). Why does everybody equate IQ with sensor performance and ignore (arguably more important) optical performance?
It’s mediocre in fact. Just look at that: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonyelectronics/8028159648/sizes/o/in/set-72157631631658271/
It’s f5.6. Looks like a noticeable field curvature or edge smearing caused by sensor. It’s either CZ or Sony fault (or both) but I don’t care, this thing should not cost $2800, it isn’t top notch performer.
I noticed this as well Denis. I expected quite bit better but personally I wouldn’t be concerned with this type of performance flaw as it would be negligible in the type of photography I would use this camera for. But still surprising to see.
Noticed that too and I am a bit concerned because it’s obviously in the sweet spot of the aperture, where the camera should have peak performance. It isn’t worrying me as a street/reportage camera but intended use of such would probably be most of the time wide open. Therefore it should perform even worse on the extremes.
I’ll wait for dpreview and imaging-resource….
I was trying to be positive in my comments, but that is what I meant – if it looks mediocre at F5.6, I can only imagine it will be terrible at large apertures. But it seems nobody cares about optical performance these days – just as long as it’s full frame and it shoots at ISO 1,000,000, it’s all good.
Aaah, edge sharpness, the main concern of real photographers. Get out and shoot son.
@NerdBuster: seems like you are the *real* one …
Take your advice and get out and shoot, instead of posting in forums. Son.
bokeh of this lens is very good.
Impressive. I’d like to see ISO 800 F2 samples as well.
somebody explaine me pls the advantage of FF when you look more than 99% of the picture on a display & do not make big crops???
-> still think that the m4/3 is the best size .
I think that in some of the sample pictures bokeh is a bit busy and the out of focus transition not that great. I i didn’t know better I would never had known this comes from 2800$ cam.
I am looking forward tom a comparison with x100. Dont think there will be much difference despite FF vs APC-s.
Regards
Dan
Alexander: are you really that stupid.
Aaaah the m43 crew has arrived and trying to justify the wrong m43 purchase they have made. Wake up please: FF or bigger is the future especially when the cameras are getting smaller just like the one from Sony.
Don’t know if this is legit but anyone brave enough to plunk down $2775 might be able to get one right now – apparently an unwanted preview copy at http://www.ecrater.com/p/16066752/sony-dsc-rx1-b-cybershot-full?gps=1
This is a scam
On a side note, why, oh why do camera manufacturers use such dire photographers to provide first demo images. The damage to their image and sales must be immense, and insane given the number of excellent photographers who’d give their eye teeth to get hands on with this camera… me for example, he says modestly…
This Cybershot excels in its bokeh rendition prowess of static subjects. That is what the images demonstrate. Kudos to the photographer! 😉
It does demonstrate the bokeh nicely, but that’s but all the pics of the twine balls don’t actually have a key area, like the front of the central ball, critically in focus. The pic of the drinking glasses is reasonably sharp on the subject, although with some noise reduction/jpeg artefacting visible, but the balls are a wasted opportunity to show the ability of the lens resolve detail properly.
At least I hope it’s the photographer not focusing properly on a tripod with live view. If that’s the best the lens can do this camera is suddenly much less exciting.
Sony themselves have said that if this was an interchangeable lens system they couldn’t have made it as small and the IQ wouldn’t be as optimal
Look at the match sigma did with the dp2m and look at how many lenses struggle on the sd1m with the same sensor.
One huge adavtabge of this camera many are missing is that it provides you with amazing image quality and will be an amazingly quiet shutter (its a lead shutter – should sound as quiet as a compact lx5 class camera almost).
That is a big advantage to the street photographer in candid situations.