I have just been told by one source that the QX100 lenscamera featuring the same RX100MII sensor and lens will be priced at around $450. That is $300 less than the price of the RX100MII camera ($748 here at Amazon).
And there is also a Tawian site (ePrice) sharing the price in NT currency:
QX100 = NT$14,900 = 370 EUR
QX10 = NT$6,900 = 170 EUR
At $450 this lens may be a good solution if you want the RX100MII quality for less!
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70 Responses
But you need the phone too, so the price is a lot closer to the RX100/2.
Yes but almost everyone has a phone. Especially one with Wifi which will allow you to use the camera module
I thought the camera attachment only worked with a specific application available only to Sony and only through NFC.
It should work on any modern smartphones with or without NFC. The actual data transfer is still through Wifi, NFC is only there to make the Wifi pairing quick and seamless.
Awesome! Thanks for the info. So I guess, yes, anyone can have RX100/2 quality photos now. Does it shoot RAW too?
NFC is just used to establish the wifi connection without having to go trough the settings. NFC isn’t used for data transfer. The Sony app is not specific to any phone, works for Android and iOS.
And the phone could be necessary “only” for composition as the lens has microSD and shutter button built in…
On iPhone: If you are outside with no WiFi! Do you need to have INTERNET SHARING on then on iOS?
It will be really slow AND the battery drain on the iPhone will be terrible?
Is this really something that will ever work???
^ are you planning on taking photos 24/7 with your iphone and this? you take it out when you need/want to take photos
^ The phone and the camera connect directly through the wifi, no router required so works anywhere and without a mobile data connection. That is, unless Sony is utterly crazy.
@TU: it is a local wifi connection between your phone and the camera module. You don’t have to be connected to the internet.
I doubt this is marketed at people who don’t already own smartphones…
I’m guessing it will work independently to the phone. Doesn’t this have its own sd card slot? If it has its own shutter control as well, then in principle you could use this standalone, despite not being able to see the image that you are trying to capture.
Epic fail! This thing in it self, imho.
No ISO mount. No sale.
And no vertical grip. ..
I like the idea, and the technology, and the price is good…. BUT… I predict this will be a very niche product.
Anyone who appreciates the difference between a built-in phone camera and a high-end compact camera will almost certainly have invested in separate equipment already, whether that be a compact, DSLR, or ILC.
Most people consider their smart phone cameras ‘good enough’, certainly when faced with a few $100s and significant bulk to step-up to the next level of quality.
The niche market for this is people who appreciate quality *and* want instant processing, sharing, uploading from their smart phones. But, I still think NFC and WiFi built in to separate cameras, as is appearing more in the likes of the NEX5T, is a better solution.
i can see this being quite attractive for people who want to zoom in closer when taking photos on the smartphones, sometimes i wish my phone had zoom (and not that digital zoom business)
Have you used INTERNET SHARING on iOS?
Start phone, Settings, ISharing, On and wait…
Start camera and wait…
The nice bird is somewhere els. And the battery drain even in standby mode. INTERNET SHARING is always on until you stop it.
You buy it – I wont
Ever heard of an ad-hoc WiFi connection? 😀
“Anyone who appreciates the difference between a built-in phone camera and a high-end compact camera will almost certainly have invested in separate equipment already, whether that be a compact, DSLR, or ILC.”
Actually, most people, even people who don’t know much about cameras or technology in general, are well aware of the limitations of cameraphones like bad quality, especially in low-light (they aren’t blind after all, they recognize bad pictures) and lack of optical zoom but they choose to shoot with their phones because it’s much more convenient and they don’t want to carry two bulky devices (smartphones are already starting to become massive) and because don’t want spend money on a standalone camera when their phone take pictures good enough to be shared on facebook.
This new concept solve the problem of price, conveniency (connecting it to the smartphone mean better sharing/editing capabilities + a larger and much better quality viewfinder) and size. Now it all depends of the actual implementation and especially marketing.
$450 and the extra bulk will be enough to turn many buyers off who consider their phone camera ‘good enough’.
Fewer people have experienced a good, dedicated camera with zoom. There’s a whole generation used to just phone-primes 😉
And I don’t just mean ‘youngsters’; For many camera phone users their iPhone camera gives them better IQ than the entry-level compact they bought 5 years ago.
So, again, they’ll think their swanky new smartphone is enough, and they wont go out and spend $450 on an add-on… Not when that’s $450 which could go to their iPhone 6 next year (which will have an even better camera than their current phone).
Well, 450 and extra bulk is much better than 700 and even more bulk, not to mention that this is as convenient as a smartphone, unlike the RX100. And that is only for the top of the line QX100, the QX10 is even cheaper and smaller and brings a long zoom range and better IQ.
Second, you can see better low light photos becoming a major selling point for phones, not only phones targetted at people who are only interested in IQ (Pureview 808, Lumia 1020) but also phones made for the mainstream, like the HTC One and Lg G2 which have image stabilisation and large aperture lenses, and if rumours are to be believed (I’m sure you’d believe them since you’re reading this website) Sony Honami/Z1 (large sensor/aparture) and Samsung Note 3 (it’s gonna depends whether Samsung manage to secure enough parts required for OIS for a phone that is supposed to sell at least as much as the Note2 ). As you can see, all the major manufacturers, save for Apple, are focused on improving low-light capabilities, which shows how much the consumer is asking for it.
And some comparaison show that iPhone is still not on par with a 5 year old camera (equivalent sensitivity but the camera lens show more details) not to mention the limited focal length.
Except a phone and the RX100 would be actually less bulky. I am also not sure how a phone is more “convenient”.
It’d be interesting for the flexibility it gives, though.
When I say convenient, I’m talking about better sharing/editing software and larger/sharper/better quality screens. This why many people prefer shooting on their phones and Samsung and Nikon released Android cameras. And, this may look like a detail, but the fact that it’s pictures are automatically in your phone and you can view them whenever you are is an advantage for many people.
Second, it’s clear from the picture above that the QX100 is smaller than the RX100.
QX100 : 62,5 × 62,5 × 55,5 mm , RX100 : 101.6 x 58.1 x 38.3 mm, it is about 25% smaller. Besides, even if dimensions were the same, I would definitely buy this accessory considering how cheap it is (if implemented well of course, too much lag for example can be a deal breaker).
I see what you mean and can only agree. About the convenience, I mean.
As to the portability issue, unfortunately, volume doesn’t tell us everything. There is also the issue of shape and I think a phone and the RX100 would be more comfortable to store in a pocket. It certainly won’t feel like it is 25% smaller.
But these are small issues. I am still hesitating between this and an RX100. The QX would be an immense fun for remote shooting with Live view. I guess the final decision will come when I see how well they managed with the control app.
I agree. It’s pretty cool tech, but I just don’t see a wide market for it. I think most people who want a better camera than their smartphone provides will just use a nice point-n-shoot (or MILC) camera. Most of the new ones these days have wireless transfer to smartphones anyway, so you can still instantly process and share if that’s desired.
I think I can see a quite big market : killing GoPro !
It has a much better sensor, much better zoom lens, much better built-in stabilization, it’s cheaper and it’s barely bigger than a GoPro (qx10 might be smaller) …
No chance of it killing GoPro, not the same class of camera.
Drop this and you’ll realise why nobody in the market for a GoPro will even consider this.
Yes, I started thinking what could you do with the a camera that size with wifi remote control. If it was waterproof or had a good case, it certainly could fulfill some GoPro duties, but will never be quite as small or robust: I’d trade that for the IQ any day though…. But it looks like its been built to connect to cameras only. I don’t see any other ways you can mount it on other things… It doesn’t have a tripod mount, does it?
I expect the biggest use of it will be for clandestine use. Whether sneaking into a concert for better concert photos, or setting near a bed for those creating their own John Holmes film. I could see it working well for those two things… but otherwise I don’t see it as offering that much of value unless you are just totally hooked on using a phone for photos.
I hope somebody can make it work with the EV1S viewfinder and I’ll be rapt.
I see my geek factor rise by a tenfold if I take this with me!
They should have made an E-mount camera accessory instead. The good thing with this solution is that even though your phone changes, you can still use this cameralens, the downside being that changing the lens means paying for a new sensor as well (and me who thought paying for the IS with each lens was annoying).
The biggest questions however will be a.) Are customer willing to pay so much for a camera accessory, b.) how much more compact this solution will be compared to real camera and c.) how good the software will be.
an e-mount version would probably be quite a bit bigger + would need more in terms of battery size too, if this product proves to be VERY successful there just may be, but since its sort of a niche product, i don’t see sony rushing to make an e-mount version very soon, only time will tell how this sells
I would certainly not buy it nor recommend to anyone… BUT if it develops in wiedespreading Smartphones WITHOUT Camera, than it’s very very good welcomed! (And by Smartphones I don’t mean the crappy ones)
Yea, crappy like Iphones..
I guess this will give us the ability to separate the lens and the smartphone giving us infinite angle possibilities. Our photo eye just got a lot more “spy movie” 🙂 now we can view through corners 😛
sony should had opted for a prime.
at least me, when using a phone to take photos i miss 2 things
1. image quality
2. range or zoom
maybe 3, a good flash.
since i dont see a flash, and the other lense had the zoom/range…
i wished sony had go for a prime with the 1 inch sensor making it smaller…
but i guees, they are entering a new market, so not waste money in R&D for a new lense its smart.
Correct, I wish a prime was used too, I almost never use zoom. Could have been smaller and the same outstanding quality.
I predict failure for this product. The whole point of a phone camera is it’s always with you and it fits in your pocket. Having this stuck on there looks ridiculous, makes the whole contraption non-pocketable, and is mostly useless in situations where you don’t have the cell phone. Niche at best, but I don’t see this catching on.
So whats the problem? Remove this addon (it;s very easy), put it somewhere in the pouch and forget it, till you need to take hotos. Then mount it back (takes several seconds) and vualla.Do not see problem with this product be non-pocketable.
Have you got any idea of the kind of gadget freaks phonelovers are? Not only will they buy this gadget, they will buy the successor (-s) next year too! 😉
Another problem could be the start-up time. It takes few seconds to raise the phone and take a picture. It is a bit slower with a compact camera but still quite good. How quick those QX lenses are?
Admin: Do you think there will be any Alpha “A-Mount” announcements this year?
The previous RX100 model gives you a Carl Zeiss f1.8 lens in comparison. Something to consider.
They are all 1.8
No OVF. No thanks.
idiot
lol…
Ha!
As a further development, an E-mount adapter with built-in APS-C sensor would be interesting.
You do imagine the size of that?
Yes, you could build a system camera around it.
I like the idea. You can have different angle without much effort with this lens…. 🙂
This is seriously cool!
If they make an E-mount version id buy it in a second!
Success is certainly not garantied but I’m happy that SONY TRIES THINGS. They seem to be better that the other guys at TRYING THINGS. TRYING THINGS leads to three possible outcomes: failures, successes, or pulling the industry in new directions. I don’t know which one in this case and I don’t care too much – I’m totally NEX-FF focused.
KEEP TRYING SON!
Do you think they will have a clip to hang it to my glasses (google anyone)?
“Trying things” is fine, but it is the domain of R&D.
Deciding to produce and sell a product is something else entirely.
This is a joke, nothing more than a novelty or gift item–and at that, it exists at a price point where there are lots of other very attractive possibilities, unlike this little b@stard part of a camera.
Phones are no problem to carry, even if you are carrying a camera. Now it will be like having an ilc–the thing that people HATE about them is having to carry a separate lens. People who don’t like them don’t want to carry separate lenses. This is like the worst of all worlds.
How on earth is it an advantage to carry a phone in your pocket, and a lens in your other pocket or purse or bag, and then have to take out both devices, put them together, and use them as a camera? It’s much easier to have a phone in one pocket and a camera w/lens in another pocket, and just use 1 complete device. In fact, both devices could then be used at the same time, if desired. Who wants to take out a phone and a lens, when you could just take out a camera and leave the phone in your pocket (for good shots), or just take the phone out of your pocket for crappy shots or communication?
Fail. Novelty item, at best. Really poor commercial decision, IMO.
““Trying things” is fine, but it is the domain of R&D.”
Not necessarily. Sony is exactly trying something here and if you believe it is a failure, it still falls under Alain’s point.
Your world like a ball !!
Think for different can change the world.
NEX 5t has NFC and WiFi
It will be interesting if it can control the QX lens
I’m still so disappointed in the execution of this. Sony cant seem to understand the need for compactness in their E-mount nor this. The 1″ sensor should have been a 28mm f1.8 prime. What am I saying? That should have been the Honami to really beat/compete with the Nokia 1020. Bigger sensor, fewer MP, outstanding low light for compact size.
A 1″ sensor in a phone? LOL, you know Sony actually want to make beautiful products that are attractive for buyers, not monstrosities like the Nokia products.
The Nokia are monstrosities in what way? The Nokia 808 had a 1/1.2″ which is awfully close to a 1″, but then 41mp is just too much. They don’t even have a big hump like a Samsung Zoom, but I’d even take that if that’s what it took to make it. I’m about to just go ahead and make the switch to the 1020 and its camera grip or wait for the 1028 (might use the 1/1.2″ sensor again?). Symbian was a deal killing monstrosity, and Windows still makes me hesitate. It just frustrates me that Sony has what it takes to make the best camera phone possible but bungles it up IMO.
Based on how the RX100 II functions it makes sense it’s significantly cheaper. The RX100 II has similar wireless sharing functionality:
“Wireless sharing to smartphones and tablets.
Touch your Android™ smartphone or tablet to the camera to create a connection. No setup is required beyond downloading the free PlayMemories Mobile app to your device. Made possible by NFC™ technology, once connected, you can remotely control the camera’s shutter release from your mobile device and instantly receive the captured image via Wi-Fi®.”
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666577592
I’d hope the QX100 comes with an expansion of the existing tech so I could use it with non-Android devices. Either way I’m buying one.
Based on the prior rumor, (i.e. it will work on iOS devices), this is making sense for me; specifically useful in certain travel situations where photography isn’t part of the itinerary.
If, in fact, it “works on all smartphones”, then I completely change my position on this, from a ‘no’ vote to a ‘yes’ vote. Or, as the politicians would say “I’ve refined my position”.
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Beyond the travel, I’d love to see how we can couple this with current cameras, so that we can take simultaneous shots from two or more cameras – I can imagine aftermarket devices that work like your wireless slave flash controllers, except it would be a ‘wireless slave lens controller’. It would require instant response, at least as instant as the slave flash controllers. However, with instant response, this has a lot of potential for different arenas, including certain professional situations, news crews, event photography, certain sports photography. You might have a few cameras set up on a posts/poles pre-focused on the event, while you wander around for other creative angles. But it has to have a controller that allows instant response, (unlike the current wait time of current WiFi remote device interaction).
Gosh…. what a cheap way to get multiple camera angles.
Moreover, if someone builds a good controller solution, this may be a *relatively* inexpensive way to set up a “Bullet-Time” rig. By ‘relatively’, I mean instead of spending many tens of thousands of dollars to set up a rig, it’ll cost you just a few tens of thousands of dollars.
Gosh, more I think about this, and IFF there is a good wireless slave lens solution, I’d be pretty excited about it.
hmmm… Now I really have … um … ur … “refined my position” on this, at least on its potential with a good wireless slave lens controller. Are there any manufacturers in the room that want to start making wireless slave lens controllers? It shouldn’t be too hard, you’re triggering a shutter, instead of triggering a flash. There might be a market for you…
B.
As someone that mainly uses my iPhone for pictures, because they’re pretty much for my eyes only, I would buy something like this, but for only around $100-200 max. But the only thing about his is that you use your cellphones phone/4g service and don’t have to worry about(if you wanted to buy a camera with a separate service) paying for another monthly fee.
If these have their own power source I’d be tempted to buy it, seeing as my iphone dies or would die twice or more a day if I didn’t get a chance to charge it every now and then, and that is without taking any pictures, only work use.
Hi Shelly – both of your wishes are true. It has it’s own power source (Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BN) and the connection is wifi only and relies on paring with your phone to get images to the internet. No separate contract/connection required.
The QX100 is the fancier model – the QX 10 might come in around that $200 price range, though it’s more likely to be around $250. The QX10 has the same 1/2,3 inch 18 megapixel CMOS sensor and f/3,3-5.9 lens as the Sony WX150 if you want more information.
It will probably work in very similar fashion to the tethering between a smartphone and the RX100 MkII, via the Sony Play Memories app. My experience with this set up tells me that it opens up big big possibilities in photography. No longer are you limited to holding the lens in front of the LCD. It can be anywhere else, within a distance of around 2 meters from the phone it is connected to. I tried this set up with my smartphone and the RX100 MkII last night. It was liberating. Group photo (with me inside it too) shooting composition was never this easy! And the resulting photo was on my phone’s screen in a matter of a split second. I see that one or two person in the photo blinked their eyes or their head was blocked by someone else, I can instantly reshoot the photo, no need to go to the camera and press the self timer again. I am so looking forward to this QX100.
Great to see Sony got Mackenzie Crook to do the promotional photos…