Sony RX10 M2 - first part of my review and a mini-comparison with the A7S and Canon 1D C

[Ernesto Mantaras]

Well, this looks very interesting. I wonder how good it'll be in low light, since I'm used to shooting at f1.8 with my Sigma 18-35mm, so I'd be losing around 1 stop shooting only up at 1600 ISO. Would you say 3200 compares better or worse to the GH2's 1250 ISO, @Andrew?

[Oliver Daniel]

Andrew, how is the stabilisation at the 200mm end? I usually have some kind of support for the smaller cameras - just wondered how it does with a nice steady hand with one eye on the EVF? 

I'm planning to film a bucketload of my lower budget music video stuff on a couple of these... see what happens.

 

[agolex]

Ah, you're breaking my balls, Andrew, was flirting with the 100, now I'm not so sure anymore. Wanted to use it with a Nebula and a boomstick or something like that and having a really portable camera would be nice, too. And the 180 degree tiltable display rocks for Vlogging. But heat will probably be an issue and having the possibility to create some shallow DoF with the 10 would be great. Perhaps the Nebula can handle the big one decently. Decisions.

Thanks for the review anywho!

[Nathan K Peterson]

Andrew - any thoughts on getting the rx100iv (which I assume has a similar picture as this one) vs a bmpcc. I'm ok with the 5m limit - we'll use it for music videos, none of which should have a scene that lasts more than a few minutes.

I tried the lx100 but felt like it was too contrasty no matter what I did - the bmpcc was way more fun to grade and skin looked much better to me. Wondering how the rx100iv would compare...

[dahlfors]

For the final review I'd be interested in how you find the battery life when filming in 4k and HFR modes.

[steveshoots]

 

It features an extraordinary 24-200mm Zeiss lens with constant F2.8 aperture and built in ND filter.

 

​

Hi Andrew,

I can't help but notice that you did the 35mm equivalence conversion for the focal range, but not the aperture. Have you see this video (“Crop Factor with ISO & Aperture: How Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon & Fuji Cheat You” https://youtu.be/DtDotqLx6nA) which goes into detail about converting focal length, aperture, and ISO into 35mm equivalents?

Cheers!

[Mattias Burling]

​

Hi Andrew,

I can't help but notice that you did the 35mm equivalence conversion for the focal range, but not the aperture. Have you see this video (“Crop Factor with ISO & Aperture: How Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon & Fuji Cheat You” https://youtu.be/DtDotqLx6nA) which goes into detail about converting focal length, aperture, and ISO into 35mm equivalents?

Cheers!

If that's true why don't you correct the aperture for Full Frame? Why does the sunny 16 rule work both for my medium format as well as m4/3? Why does my light meter not ask me what sensor size I have?

Because it's BS, that's why.

[aldolega]

I dunno, they don't let just anyone post videos to YouTube, ya know. It's probably legit.

[Nicolas MAILLET]

Hi 2 everyone here...

 

afraid to say i am a bit excited with this little buddy... Little sensor but looks well made for users. Good lens, with wide range and constant opening, average or maybe good low light capabilities, good codec enough to be used by everyone (from regular PP to log).

 

we just have to see now if the battery life is good enough for a normal use... And if the pack includes a charger... We can even get one on ebay for a chip price though...

 

andrew what i would personnally want to know in you next review is the abilities to conserve highlights while not putting too much noise in the shadows... Yes, the dynamic range of the sensor !!!! Specially if you can compare it to the a7s... Can you upload a grabshot of each one in S-log of the same scene, same exposure, to see how the lil rx10 handles the dynamic ?

 

if you can upload the uncompressed grabs of the two, it would be wonderful !!!!!

 

thanx for your work man !!!!!!! I'm glued to your forum !!!!

[Andrew Reid]

Would you say 3200 compares better or worse to the GH2's 1250 ISO, @Andrew?

​Better

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Andrew - any thoughts on getting the rx100iv (which I assume has a similar picture as this one) vs a bmpcc. I'm ok with the 5m limit - we'll use it for music videos, none of which should have a scene that lasts more than a few minutes.

I tried the lx100 but felt like it was too contrasty no matter what I did - the bmpcc was way more fun to grade and skin looked much better to me. Wondering how the rx100iv would compare...

​I would definitely stick with the Blackmagic Pocket. Despite its drawbacks, it's a far more capable music video camera. The RX100 IV is nice, but it's going to give you a more broadcast, consumer camera look, which is not what most artists want in their videos. Mine usually prefer a more "personal" aesthetic with some character. 

[Eric Westpheling]

Looks really promising. For those in doubt between this and the RX100, I bought one RX100 mk1 and it wasn't really well built, it took a little bump and it has suffered from them. It's prosumer at its lightest. So if you need your cameras to be even a bit tough, you seem better fit with the RX10...

​I've had my Rx100 mk1 from the first day it was available to consumers in 2012. Its been around the world in my pocket and thrown into my bag without a case. It has lost some paint on the edges but it is certainly not a fragile camera. My mother dropped hers straight onto the lens from 5' and yes that broke it, but barring that its as solid as you can get short of a gopro.

[Eric Westpheling]

The major issue with the RX10 Mk1 for me was the servo zoom speed while recording. It only had one speed- and that was SUPER SLOW. I think it took almost a minute to do the entire zoom range. I am hoping against hope that they have enabled another speed.

I also really want to test it with the Movcam A7s LANC cable and the sony RM1BP LANC focus/zoom controller. If that pairing works well it would be a very nice camera to setup with some 15mm rods into a tiny shoulder rig with a Swit BPU battery, SmallHD 502, and XLR-K1M adapter. 

[Nathan K Peterson]

​I would definitely stick with the Blackmagic Pocket. Despite its drawbacks, it's a far more capable music video camera. The RX100 IV is nice, but it's going to give you a more broadcast, consumer camera look, which is not what most artists want in their videos. Mine usually prefer a more "personal" aesthetic with some character. 

Thanks for the reply man. That makes sense. I like the bmpcc, but the simplicity of an all in one like the rx100iv is attractive. I'm always second guessing whether we have the right lens, speedbooster, etc. I've seen some vibey stuff from the a7s which is what made me think maybe the rx100iv was worth looking at. But maybe I'm just feeling tempted to buy a new toy.

[fuzzynormal]

I got GAS. Burp. 

At any rate, looks perfectly competent for any number of things, shouldn't be too hard to make it do whatcha want... But you can say that about a lot of cameras. Maybe even the one on your shelf. 

Still, these new developments have me looking Sony's way.  Good on them.  

[MattH]

If that's true why don't you correct the aperture for Full Frame? Why does the sunny 16 rule work both for my medium format as well as m4/3? Why does my light meter not ask me what sensor size I have?

Because it's BS, that's why.

​Its only bulshit for exposure.  For depth of field its bang on.  And for total light its bang on.  Though I knew about equivalence long before that faddy video which is too long to even watch to see if it's correct.

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

​

Hi Andrew,

I can't help but notice that you did the 35mm equivalence conversion for the focal range, but not the aperture. Have you see this video (“Crop Factor with ISO & Aperture: How Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, Nikon & Fuji Cheat You” https://youtu.be/DtDotqLx6nA) which goes into detail about converting focal length, aperture, and ISO into 35mm equivalents?

Cheers!

​It's f/2.8 in light, exposure. In depth of field it's about f/8 (equivalent to 35mm FF)

[TheRenaissanceMan]

Hey Andrew, how's the highlight rolloff on the RX10 II? The original clips fast, hard, and yellow. 

[Asmundma]

The camra is great, the only problem is that A7s ii will have all this and the 5 axis stabilization - then you have to buy that too.   -:)

[Mattias Burling]

​Its only bulshit for exposure.  For depth of field its bang on.  And for total light its bang on.  Though I knew about equivalence long before that faddy video which is too long to even watch to see if it's correct.

And exposure is what matters. Would be pretty messed up if manufacturers stated the equivalent aperture.  If I told an assistant "could you please stop that lens down to f22." it would be pretty dark