Sony DSC RX100 - new model

[Tafflad]

I logged on tonight expecting to order a Sony DSC RX100 .... initially put off as housing were almost twice price of camera, now that there are much more price friendly housing available. (less than 50% of camera price)

I was surprised to see that Sony have released a new version of the camera
DSC RX100 II
Tilting LCD, Hot shoe and new menus - may not be of much use to divers, but the backlit sensor is quoted as giving a full stop gain, and also a 40% increase in Low Light sensitivity, and greatly increased focus speed in Low Light .... now that is of interest.

Already rated very highly as the market leader in compact with it's 1" sensor ...

Was enough to make me hold off for a couple of weeks for prices to settle.

Initial review at the ever useful DP review site
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II Hands-on Preview: Digital Photography Review

 

[Interceptor121]

The camera is priced £650 in UK against £469 and Sony is keeping the original version on the market until December. Prices on the rx100 have reduced only 5% and don't expect them to crash
Maybe there will be a smaller reduction that could go towards a nauticam or aquapazza housing that are the best two for the rx100
Am looking forward to testing the menus to see if they are as awkward as the first version!

 

[Tafflad]

The camera is priced £650 in UK against £469 ...

Maybe that is rrp, but you can get current model for £365, so would expect to find much better price.
maybe not for a month or so.
I will get one of the Polycarbonate housings, now plenty of . identical ones under different 'names' .....40m is more than enough for me.

 

[Interceptor121]

£365 are parallel import as long as you are happy not to have warranty not a problem
The housing needs more budget than the camera usually, the camera is only 10-20% of your set up if you skimp on the housing and get a bulky object and no accessories you are better off buying a less expensive set up with accessories
Underwater photography is expensive there is no point buying a Sony RX100 with a shoe plastic box and no lenses or strobe

 

[Tafflad]

£365 are parallel import as long as you are happy not to have warranty not a problem
The housing needs more budget than the camera usually, the camera is only 10-20% of your set up ...[/QUOTE

Agree these are so called grey import prices ... don't mind, procamera for example offer their own full warranty - and very highly respected by divers in UK, in a global market I don't get too hung up on imports.
On your comments on housing ... for me that that is simply not true. I have had 5 UW cameras and the housing has always been less than cost of camera. usually between 30 - 50% price of camera.
I'll admit these are Polycarbonate items (but then so are Ikelite) .... and also as an aside mention are the GoPro Hero cases, and these are being used by BBC film crews !

I no longer want to be encumbered by strobes, I went route of strobes, wet lenses etc., and for me I found it spoilt the enjoyment of the dive. I dive for fun, and take pics of things I see, rather than dive just to take pics.
I know they opposite is true for others.

I'll admit I would like a Nauticam, Recsea, Patima but these are twice the price of camera .... too much for me, they may well be worth it for others, Meiki or similar OEM brand are only around £110
Never had any problem with the Polycarbonate housings I have had previously.

 

[Larry C]

Check the specs and find one MAJOR improvement for underwater. Macro minimum focus 5cm

 

[Interceptor121]

It was already 5cm in fact the lens is exactly the same as the previous version
As other large sensor camera once in water the Sony has trouble focusing at short distance so also this one will need diopters to work at less than 3"
Other than the flip screen and hot shoe the most substantial difference is the back illuminated sensor that improves noise performance
Minimum ISO for jpegs is now 160 which is the default for video
For stills there will be some improvement if you shoot raw but not an amazing amount until you reach really high ISO
I wonder who will be the first to make an housing for it

 

[Tafflad]

The existing housings will probably work OK ...
I have no way of testing (waiting for full DRPreview) .. but their initial comment is promising :
"claimed 40% improvement in low-light sensitivity, which should allow the RX100 II to focus faster in low light than its predecessor, as well, of course, as resulting in cleaner high-ISO images."

 

[Interceptor121]

I think you are making confusion here
The RX100 has two problems slow focus at short range (even with a focus light) and large capture area
So to do macro you need both a focus light (all cameras pretty much need one) and a strong diopter (as thing look tiny so you need to zoom)
If instead you are talking about low light ambient shots you would see a benefit
But those shot really require a wide angle lens in water
Having used the RX100 myself I would not recommend it without any accessories. The camera takes incredible images but is hard to use and needs plenty of extras
The new version improves many things but does not change the essence of it. It is an advanced camera that needs a full set of accessories to deliver. Once you have that set up you are as good as a micro 4/3 but you need a good budget

 

[Tafflad]

....Once you have that set up you are as good as a micro 4/3 but you need a good budget

I am after a compact, and had been considering the Olympus XZ-2, and many (incl here) advised the Sony RX100 outclassed all other compacts.
it's sensor setting a new benchmark.