Sony’s RX-1 Cybershot Digital Camera: Full Frame, Carl Zeiss and nearly $3,000

Updated: March 9, 2013

With the global popularity of the somewhat recent technologies of the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera, there has been much aggressive competition between all of the “big name” camera manufacturers to who can create the “perfect camera.” With the recent releases of the 6D from Canon and the D600 from Nikon, it’s obvious that companies are beginning to focus more on a certain marketing audience as they push more towards these lightweight, inexpensive, full-frame cameras. Now-a-days, it seems like most of the people going out buying cameras and demanding upgrades on previous models aren’t your traditional professional photographer but an everyday consumer that just wants the best image quality and friendliest interface possible for the ordinary family gathering or their son’s weekly baseball game.

Canon’s 5D line of cameras took a whopping 3 years until we saw any upgrade to it’s line which was, in itself, a very subtle change at that. As we enter 2013, the push for mirror-less cameras is bigger than ever and just about everyone in the game now has a mirror-less camera available such as Nikons 1 series, Canons EOS M, and Sony’s NEX line. As the point and shoot era dwindles away, mirror-less is clear winner to replace it but will it be enough to even topple the all mighty DSLR movement? Well maybe this just might be it.

Sony’s RX-1 might be the DSLRs next big contender. The Sony RX-1 is a compact full-frame camera which features 24mp resolution image sensor, a fixed Carl Zeiss 35mm lens f/2.0, and full 24p HD video with audio output. The biggest selling point for this camera is the 35mm full frame sensor that is typically only found in the higher end DSLRs such as the 5D line. With the fixed Carl Zeiss lens sadly means we can not interchange the lens with another previously owned lens from one of our DSLRs. The camera is said to be an amazing low-light performer with a maximum iso of 25600. It also comes with the traditional features such as a pop up flash, ability to shoot RAW images, panorama mode, and a burst rate at 5 frames per second.

In my opinion, this is a well spec’d, great looking camera especially with that crazed 35mm sensor and awesome lowlight performance but with a price point of $2,800 on amazon and not having the ability to interchange lenses, a purchase of the RX-1 isn’t justifiable for anyone who doesn’t have deep pockets. The camera screams luxury item when you check out its $180 price tag for a lens hood or a Sony electronic viewfinder that doesn’t come with the camera to begin with for another $450 dollars. Just as the 4k TV revolution is here but isn’t quite the right time for it to become a standard, the RX-1 might be a foreshadow to a hopeful compact camera evolution.