10.3.2018

This was an unexpected present and thus it has taken time to get round to writing this review. As it is, much of the review will be limited to handling and performance as opposed to picture quality, as I have yet to edit edit photos taken with it. However, reviewing what pictures I have taken on a TV would suggest that quality will be good.Out of the box the camera is impressively small for something with so many features. In the hand it feels solid and weighty but not overly so. Control buttons are small and set almost flush with the camera body. this makes them hard to find when you have your eye to the EVF (electronic viewfinder) again I expect with time and practice this will become less of an issue.The mode dial feels solid with a positive click and I have not inadvertently change the camera mode in transport or in use. To get the best of all the cameras features you will need a SDXC memory card U3 or equivalent. For such a small camera were space is such a premium I was surprised that it did not accept micro memory cards without an adapter.Setting up the camera to my preferences took some time, the age old issue of the sony menu system did not help as did the lack of a touch screen. That said once you get to know the menu system it does become a lot easier. Being able to map buttons to your preferences helps set the camera up the way you want it. But not all functions a can be mapped to all buttons. For example the eye detection can only be mapped to wither the centre or “C” buttons. The control ring also has a number of options. Set in auto it is semi intelligent it’s function varying with whatever mode you are in, eg in Aperture priority or manual mode it will change aperture in programme mode it will alter aperture and speed to correctly expose and so on, if you wish other option such as zoom control or others you will find them in the control ring option set. However, you can not set the camera to remember a preference in any of the three available memory modes. You should note that if you switch the mode dial guide off, than selecting which of the two auto modes (intelligent auto or superior auto) to use becomes a little harder. So if you do intend to use these auto modes often I suggest that you either leave the mode dial guide on or leave the shoot mode option in the function menu set. This that gives you access to 12 functions at the press of the Fn button. Otherwise you will find yourself having to dive into the the full menu if you wish to switch between auto modes.In use the camera is a great it gives you most of the control you would wish for or allows you to shoot in full auto. I have small to medium sized hands how someone with larger hand would far iI can not say but they might find it a little harder to use than I. As I said above at present I am finding it hard to find buttons when using the EVF. The EVF is a very good feature and particularly useful in bright light. I like that the camera switches on if you pop up the EVF, just remember to then pull it out to actually use it. Like so much of the camera you can control what happens when you take your eye away from the EVF or shut it down. This may sound like a small thing but it is very useful features in some situations. As with most EVFs you can also review photos in the EVF. Focus acquisition is quick in almost all lighting situation and the eye focus is an impressive and helpful focus mode. To get the best from the focusing ability of the camera you do need to become familiar with sony’s focusing modes and drive modes. I do miss touch focus whilst this is on the apps the screen on the camera itself is not touch sensitive and I do miss this feature it would be particularly useful in combination with the evf. Metering is accurate providing well exposed shots control through exposure compensation gives +- 3 stops enough for most purposes and there is a good selection of bracketing option should you wish to do your own HDR photos or are just unsure of the exposure you want. On the down side you can not Link metering to focus point or select where you would like spot metering to occur, not a deal breaker as you you can set a button to auto exposure lock (AEL) but it would be nice to have. On TV as I’ve already said the shots look good the 24mm to 70mm lens produce what seems to be good crisp images. For some the lens may not f have enough reach and maybe 24mm to 105mm would be better. Also others will point out that the maximum aperture of f1.8 is only available at 24mm at all other focal length it is f2 or above. Both to a small extent limiting it usefulness as a premium travel camera but that should distract from what it can produce.Finally whilst I have download some apps from play memories and played with them I am yet to use them. What I will say is download the smart control app from the playmemories store it is free and appears to offer more functionality than the one pre installed on the camera. Maybe I’ll return and update this review once I’ve edited some photos but so far this is a mightily impressive camera, that I believe anyone would be happy with. Would I have got the Mark 5 instead... of that am not sure, so far probably not. Do I already have a wish list for any new marks oh yes but I’ll save that for later.

16.3.2015

Well Engineered (but very expensive) SONY DSC-RX100M3 Digital Camera, as always for a Sony Product. I'm a beginner & previously, all my life have only every purchased 'cheaper' point & shoot' automatic cameras so I'm still trying to get my head around all the tech features & jargon for this camera which I have owned for 3 weeks now (early days).Great tilt & turn LCD Screen. (Hold it high - you look up at it, over the crowds heads etc., - or hold it low - you look down onto your lap at it!) Great Quality Pictures - but I'm not to happy at the moment about skin colour under certain artificial light conditions when the auto shoot features are engaged - it doesn't seem to cope too well with this- only a matter of time before I'm sure I crack the problem with finding the correct lighting mode in the Menu System-speaking of which this is quite complex! Whether or not it needs a TOUCH SCREEN LCD I couldn't say - may mean accessing the Menus might be easier/quicker). There is no way of turning the screen COMPLETELY off - it can be switch off to a blank screen BUT there are still various indicators on it still working which means it's up to something - maybe a firmware update to solve this one by SONY?Wish the 'how to set up various customised memories' on the camera help was explained a bit better for us 'newbies'. Disapointed that when recording video that it stops automatically after 29 minutes or so - could do with an auto start up again if it's a file limit size because I though it was taking my first movie only to discover it wasn't recorded after all after the first shoot of approx 29mins (& even that it's self can be disjointed! - You have to watch the timer on the LCD and when that dissapears you have to restart - losing valuable seconds or minutes if you miss the fact that it has stopped!). The audio recording of this camera is quite frankly rubbish! Sorry to have to say that but it's true - a big disapointment in this department, stero or not - still rubbish. Love the slow smooth zoom in and out of the camera when shooting videos - no sea-sick feeling when viewing. Great videos but you'll need a top of the rang to use the Highest Definition capture - lesser memory cards cannot cope/record! Note! This camera doesn't come with a memory card - so more expense. Obviously not very much zoom-in but presume that's in order to capture better quality pics & videos? Love the dial at the front which I have worked out how to use to allow more light in to the camera without using the flash. Used my Samsung Android Mobile, as a remote controller (not compatible, I understand, on iPhones) to connect wirelessly onto the camera - basic modes Zoom in/Out for both Pics & Video (but not together because you have to switch it on to one or the other on the camera first). Took a little while to understand how to connect using the camera Menu System - wasn't quite what the paper manual stated. Also downloaded a Firmware update (& used a USB hardwire to instal onto the camera). No problems there - just takes a while to re-write everything.So, having said all this, I would still buy this superior camera (even with it's few flaws - probably me!) especially for taking photos.

11.1.2018

I was given a DSC RX100 III for Christmas, and so far my experiences are very positive. My previous camera was a HX50 compact zoom camera, and the RX100 III is a massive leap forwards.First impressions and things I like so far:1) Pop-up electronic view finder is extremely usable and I find that it helps me with framing and composition greatly. The EVF is bright and sharp, and has good enough diopter adjustment to allow me to use it without my glasses - really excellent.. I love it for this feature alone. It really is a feat of engineering to cram a high quality pop-up EVF into such a compact chassis2) Fast lens at wide apertures and big (ish)sensor with wide ISO range make it much more usable in low-light conditions where you can't use flash3) Advanced drive modes, aperture and exposure priority modes really allow you to start to experiment with creative effects in different shooting scenarios. The creative shooting modes are a lot of fun - I had a lot of fun with the colour filter mode that allows you to have red objects in colour and the rest in B&W - great shooting letter boxes and phone boxes!3) Rear screen pivots up and is capable of rotating 180 degrees to allow selfies. I'm not generally a selfie-taker, but it allows you to frame them correctly if you need to and would also be good for vloggers in video mode4) Overall image quality is very strong for a compact camera - images appear sharp and crisp with good detail and exposure is generally very good across a range of natural and artificial lighting situations in the auto modes including artificial lighting and overcast days5) The camera makes reliable choices for focus and there seem to be very few shots where the the scene analysis has put focus where I didn't expect it to.6) Powerful built-in flash - it didn't look like much, but is surprisingly powerful and can be flipped up for bounce flash. Just as well because there isn't a hot shoe any more...7) Startup is quite quick from pressing power to ready to shoot - much better than my old HX508) A lot of flexibility and control - I bought this camera because I wanted to start to experiment with expanding my photographic techniques beyond the use of auto modes and this camera has a lot of DSLR-type configurability and flexibility. (Possibly too much for me to get to grips with quickly - there is a lot to work with!)9) Good stabilisation on video modes - very usable, without 'jelly roll' type artefactsAreas that could be better1) Closing the EVF shuts off the camera, and this can't be defeated. This should be a configurable setting2) No external mic input. This is a shame as this would be a very useful video camera for vloggers but being limited to the internal stereo mike is quite limiting3) slightly longer zoom range would be useful for candid portraits4) Fast lens is stopped down quickly as you zoom5) Needs a thumb grip on the right of the camera, especially if you have big handsOverall, I'm very pleased and impressed and look forwards to years of great photos from this camera!

11.8.2014

Great Camera that lacks little, in a format that can fit a pocket (but I would put it ina full case at this price) in reality. OLED EVF with dioptre adjustment to focus in on without glasses and a good strong image with info overlay (selectable). Great layout, 3 memories for user defined set-ups (video or still modes), great lens for low light, fast picture to picture, sound off for silent picture taking, articulating 3" LCD screen, ND filter, downloadable apps, WiFi, NFC to smart phone or computer, USB connect & charge, the list goes on and on, this is a real compact box of tricks.I was looking for a compact to give me a good alternative to my Canon DSLR and lucky for me this came out a few weeks before I started looking.

15.7.2017

Sony DSC RX100 M3 compact cameraI have recently obtained a M3 Sony RX100 camera to replace a Canon S120 camera which I had for a few years. The Sony seemed to be considerably more advanced and has been hailed by some reviewers as the almost perfect advanced compact camera. In my opinion, however, it could be developed considerably further. My main gripes about the M3 are firstly that its viewing screen is not adequate to properly view the high quality images and secondly that the relatively short zoom range of the lens can feel very limiting. No doubt the camera has a fine lens to provide ultra sharp images and that is desirable if one is prepared to do quite a lot of adjustments off-camera.

4.1.2018

I recently decided to switch systems to Sony, and have had my eye on an RX100 as a secondary or family camera for a while. After weighing up the features of each version of the RX100 I deviced on this as it offers so much without being the most expensive. I used it over Christmas, got oads of amazing photos of my 2 year old opening his presents, super slow motion of snow, and crisp winter parks.The lens is stunning, even wide open at 1.8 it's amazingly sharp, I tried an astrophotography shot one night, 10 seconds, ISO100 F1.8 and it's the sharpest starfield I've ever taken. Every other lens is hard to focus, or has coma towards the edges, this is perfect. I haven't had a clear night since to do more,

1.12.2014

I wanted a camera which I could use when visiting European cities. It had to have many of the features of a DSLR yet small enough to slip in the pocket when wandering around shops or museums It also had to be light so that it did not dominate the permitted hand luggage on the plane. Over the past few years I have downsized from a Canon DSLR to an Olympus OMD E-M5 and now to the Sony DSC RX100M3. I have the viewfinder I needed plus a 20 Mpixel sensor and all the features of the latest DSLRs. The 24-70 mm lens is adequate for most of my needs and I have been very impressed with the quality of the photographs I have taken so far.

22.11.2017

Incredible power in a tiny body - exactly what I wanted in a second camera to back up an interchangeable lens system.It gets some flak in reviews for its complex menu system, and yes it takes a good deal of time to research and set the camera up to one’s preference. But I do have a PhD and enjoy that kind of thing! The range of focussing options is particularly complex, and could do with better explanation. However once there I really like the system; everything you need to find is quickly accessible without diving into menus. And it works so well, particularly the focus system.The battery life is not good, but a price I am happy to pay for the compact size and level of performance.

14.9.2014

My wife and I travel a fair bit and always carry a camera. Most travel involves hill walking or some activity and lugging around a DSLR camera (in my case a Lumix GH2 with 14-140mm lens) gets a bit wearing after a while. I had been looking for a small camera that would give me virtually all the features and quality output of the Lumix; but with the criteria that it had to have a viewfinder/eyepiece – which most small cameras don’t have. My son, who is a Digital Camera magazine reader, suggested I look at the RX100M3.My local Sony Shop (in Aberdeen) did not have the camera in stock so it was going to have to be a blind purchase; and based on the reviews being good.

8.8.2014

The reputation of the previous versions of this camera was very high. I wanted a compact with an image quality approaching that of a DSLR that I could regularly carry around in a small case or pocket. The other essentials were an EVF and shooting in RAW. RX100 M3 has all these features and in use does not disappoint. There are many reviews on the web about this camera (all good) but the real test is how it performs.So what do I think?I have been astounded at the image quality; zooming in the quality keeps on coming and allows you to seriously crop the image without significant loss for normal size printing. Although a RAW shooter I find the Jpeg quality to be outstandingly good,

29.9.2018

I only took a few pictures all jpeg to get the feel of the camera: a few flowers, a hawk moth hovering over them, the full moon, a few people, a few landscapes and city landscapes. Everything was shot in the "auto" setting but for most of the the moon shots that I shot in manual and a couple of city landscapes that I shot in "P" . I was very happy with the resolution, the colors (but for the moon that should not have had any) and the sharpness of the pictures. I was faced with some curious reactions ( a blue moon!?!) the fact that (when not blue) the moon was yellow, I had expected a near to black and white picture like the one I get with my Nikon D500. The camera failed miserably with the moon in auto,

11.7.2015

I investigated this camera after a friend showed me his. There are many reviews around, and I think I read all of them. The reviews are all excellent. In my view, rightly so. Now I've lived with the camera several weeks, I just like it better and better. It has more functions than anyone can reasonably cope with but the beauty of this is you figure out the things you'll use and you can make those much more quickly accessible. Although the controls felt initially confusing, they very quickly become second nature and you can set things up for a shot very quickly. It also, it should be said, takes excellent photos on the 2 Auto settings so it serves as a superb point-and-shoot when you're more focused on your environment than on taking photos.The 1in sensor was a key selling point for me.

10.5.2018

I've got more out of this little gem in 4 weeks than in years with previous cameras. The quality in RAW is excellent, but not quite as good in jpeg so I just shoot in RAW. I found the menus fairly straightforward to navigate. The controls used frequently, such as the lens ring and the rotary control (on the rear) are beautifully easy to use, compared with another well-known brand where I found the rotary control tricky because I found myself pressing "right" or "left" instead of "rotate". Not so on this little camera.I've enjoyed the focussing ability with "peaking" and "magnifying the focus area" which allow great detailing and coupled with the bright lens,

9.7.2015

I had a chance to test it while on travel. Small size but many features of big DSLR camera. I used mostly Manual mode and happy with the results. Due to small size and weight it will allow you to make better quality photos on a slower shutter speed which would not be possible with big SLR. Peak level feature is great for shortsighted people like me also allows accurate focusing in bright sunny conditions and in the darker conditions as well. In museum dark rooms I was shooting with predefined scene mode when camera makes several shots and then processes it for best clearer image. Very useful.I was shooting in RAW+JPEG but I should say JPEG photos are great.In my opinion autufocus is not that

29.7.2014

I've used this for three weeks and it is almost the ideal walkaround camera. It is easily pocketable in cargo pockets, has a very high IQ, is excellent in low light, panorama mode works very well, in-camera hdr in superb and the multiframe noise cancelling feature is wonderful for dimly lit situations like museums. The evf is very useful indeed in bright sunlight when it is difficult to use the monitor and gives an astonishingly good view. Being able to change the monitor angle is very useful indeed for overhead and waist level shots.One major flaw, in my view, is the lack of feel to the front wheel. I want to use it for exposure compensation as it would be a one step process, but the imprecision,

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Mark IV - Reviews

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