A compact camera with a full frame sensor is what the RX1R Mark 2, which arrives in Singapore on December 11, promises for a hefty asking price of S$4,999.
Whoever says that compact cameras are going the way of dinosaurs has to say that to Sony, which has a knack of producing top-notch compacts with superlative features.
The latest RX1R Mark 2, an update over the RX1R from two years ago, has not only a large sensor for improved pictures but also a higher megapixel count. It’s now bumped up to 42.2 megapixels.
The compact body is mated to the same Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f2 fixed lens as the original so you would expect no fall in image quality.
Size wise, the RX1R Mark 2’s heft has increased by a mere 25 grams and it is 2.4mm thicker, which is pretty minute. Upgraders wouldn’t feel a huge difference.
What’s interesting though is the ability to vary the amount of anti moire effect the user can apply to the images. Due to the structure of the sensor, colour bending can be observed especially when viewing subjects with patterns.
What camera manufacturers do is to add another layer of filter to cancel such artifacts from appearing but the downside of this is the loss of details when viewing the image up close.
The RX1R Mark 2 is able to turn the filter off when taking images such as landscapes. It can be switched on when necessary. If you are unsure, just bracket or take multiple versions of the same shot with and without the filter with just one click.
One of my key complaints about modern compact cameras is the lack of a viewfinder. Sony’s other notable 1-inch sensor compact camera, the RX100 Mark 3, has its own viewfinder, useful when the rear screen gets washed out in the mid day sun.
The RX1R Mark 2 will be sporting the same viewfinder mechanism for an easier and much more stable way to frame a shot. The rear screen now can also tilt for those high and low angle shots.
However, instead of a fixed viewfinder found on cameras such as the Fujifilm X-E2, Sony has instead opted for a more complicated and potentially more fragile viewfinder mechanism. So, beware of how you handle the RX1R Mark 2. Unfortunately, there’s also no pop-up flash since the viewfinder has taken its place.
What is handy is the camera’s focusing features. On the RX1R Mark 2, a new Fast Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) that features a combination of 399 phase-detection and 25 contrast AF points allows you to focus faster.
The new RX1R is out on December 11, just in time for the Christmas. You’ve have to start saving up though, since the full frame sensor onboard doesn’t come cheap. Sony is asking for S$4,999 for the camera.
Do look out for our in-depth review once we have a unit to try out.
