Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II Review - Review 2022

Sony's original RX1 ($859.99 at Amazon) was a groundbreaking camera when it was appear in late 2022. We'd seen fixed-lens digital cameras with large APS-C epitome sensors before, merely none with a full-frame sensor. That's notwithstanding rare—the new RX1R Ii ($three,299.99) is only the fourth model to sport one, if you count the RX1 and RX1R ($2,799.99) as unlike models. The RX1R II offers some compelling reasons to upgrade—the same loftier-resolution prototype sensor found in the Alpha 7R Two ($1,798.00 at Amazon) and an integrated electronic viewfinder primary among them. But information technology's non a photographic camera that stands alone in the market; our Editor'south Pick honour stays with the larger, more than expensive Leica Q (Typ 116) ($3,949.99 at Amazon) and its wider, faster lens.

Pattern
The RX1R II's ($three,298.00 at Amazon) fixed lens pattern puts information technology into the compact camera course, but at two.vi by 4.5 past 2.8 inches and 1.i pounds information technology'southward not a pocket-friendly option like the graceful Ricoh GR II ($427.58 at Amazon) (2.v past iv.6 by ane.4 inches, 8.nine ounces). Its torso is metal, and is finished in what feels similar high gloss black paint. It tin can fit into a larger coat pocket, but don't expect to slide the Sony into your pants or jeans as y'all can with the Ricoh. Of form, the GR 2 doesn't include a full-frame sensor—it uses the more mutual APS-C size that you lot find inside consumer SLRs—but information technology does manage to incorporate an in-trunk flash, which is missing from the RX1R Two.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

Neither the GR Ii nor the RX1R II features weather condition-sealing. I used it in a light snow without consequence, but wouldn't recommend using it in whatsoever heavier atmospheric precipitation. If you want a meaty camera with a larger epitome sensor that can exist used without worry in inclement atmospheric condition, your all-time choice is the Leica X-U ($two,950)—it's the aforementioned camera as the X (Typ 113) ($two,295.00 at Adorama) , just in a body designed to shoot underwater.

The stock-still lens is a Zeiss Sonnar 35mm f/2 that supports 49mm front filters. In that location's a physical discontinuity ring that supports tertiary-stop adjustment down to f/22 when the camera is set to Aperture Priority or Manual fashion. There'southward also a focus range selector ring surrounding the lens—you'll desire to leave it in its 0.3 meter (eleven.viii inches) to infinity setting for nearly situations, but you can twist the ring to set the lens to a 0.two to 0.35-meter (7.9 to thirteen.8 inches) for close-focus piece of work.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

The lens does accept a manual focus ring, merely it's not a mechanical one. Instead, the RX1R 2 uses a focus-by-wire system, which just activates the focus motor to adjust the lens as you turn the ring. There's not much lag in the system, just the lack of tactile feedback is a scrap disconcerting. The speed at which focus changes varies based on how fast you turn the ring, not how far you turn it, which takes getting used to. The Leica Q likewise uses a focus-by-wire organization, but it'south implemented in a manner that feels much more like a mechanical focus system.

There'due south merely one control on the front of the photographic camera body, a apartment control dial that adjusts the focus fashion between Single or Continuous autofocus, Direct Manual Focus (which allows yous utilise the transmission focus band at whatever time, without forgoing autofocus) and Manual focus. The punch is tight, and so you're non going to plow it past accident. In fact, it's a bit as well tight. I establish information technology difficult to adjust, peculiarly when the camera was at my middle. Putting my fingernail into one of the small notches at the edge of the dial is required to turn it, and the strength needed to go it moving would frequently result in my moving its position past ii clicks when I only intended to move it one. How big a deal this is to you depends entirely on how often you come across yourself changing the focus manner—I left the camera in Unmarried way for the most role.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

The pinnacle plate houses the pop-up EVF (more on that after), a multi-function hot shoe, the Mode dial, the power switch, the shutter release, the programmable C1 push, and an EV bounty dial that supports three stops of adjustment in either direction at third-stop increments. The shutter release features a threaded design, and so you tin use a traditional mechanical release cable, or a soft shutter release push button.

The mechanical release for the EVF sits at the rear, to the left of the hinged LCD. Above the LCD, toward the correct side, are the Play button and a control bike. The other controls run along the right side of the LCD. In that location are dedicated buttons for Autoexposure Lock, deleting images, Fn, menu, and video—the delete button can exist reprogrammed for use when in shooting mode, and is labeled C2 for that purpose. Finally, there'south a flat control dial with a center push you can set up for various functions when turning or pressing 3 of its four cardinal directions. The upward direction is permanently mapped to Display, which toggles information shown on the rear LCD or in the EVF during shooting and playback.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

The rear, three-inch LCD is mounted on a swivel, and tin can tilt up and downward, but not face up all the way forward for selfies. It'southward not bear upon-sensitive like the display on the Leica Q, but the Q'southward screen doesn't tilt. The LCD has a 1,228k-dot resolution and is bright, with white dots to better visibility in sunlight. Just like the identical displays on premium Sony mirrorless cameras like the Alpha 7R II, I plant that the cover glass is susceptible to scratching. Even beingness mindful of the weakness—I previously scratched the screen on an Blastoff 7 via inadvertent contact with my belt buckle—the RX1R Ii picked up a deep scratch during testing simply from meeting the metal lens hood of the Pentax SMC FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited ($896.95 at Amazon) lens, which was in the same compartment of my bag. If you're serious about buying an RX1R 2, practice yourself a favor and spend a few bucks on a Schott drinking glass screen protector.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

The original RX1 didn't include an in-camera EVF. Sony fixes that with the RX1R II, putting a pop-up viewfinder into the body, similar in design to the 1 found in the pocket compact RX100 3 ($598.00 at Amazon) . The RX1R 2's EVF is larger to the eye—it features 0.74x magnification, and it doesn't crave you to pull back its eyepiece prior to use. The panel is OLED with a ii.4-1000000-dot resolution. It's crisp and clear—although it doesn't pack every bit many pixels as the three.vii-1000000-dot EVF used past the Leica Q, I don't retrieve you'd exist able to tell the difference unless you were doing a dorsum-and-forth comparison between the two. If I have whatsoever complaints almost the RX1R 2 EVF, it's that I need to accept intendance not to press information technology likewise close to my spectacles, as doing then can cause the eyecup to button in slightly and blur details. Only that's the trade-off for a pop-up EVF that doesn't make you lot push button in or pull out the eyepiece manually when lowering or raising it.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Remote Control

Wi-Fi is expected in almost every photographic camera now, so in that location'south no surprise that information technology'south congenital into this premium model. You can re-create images and MP4 videos over to your phone using the free Sony PlayMemories Mobile app, available for iOS and Android devices. Remote command is also an option. The embedded Smart Remote app is pretty express in functionality, just letting you dial in EV compensation and burn the shutter. Y'all can download a more robust version directly to the camera that adds additional control options, including the ability to tap on role of the frame to fix focus.

I've always questioned Sony'south determination not to pre-install the full-fledged remote control app. It's really an inroad to get you to create the Sony business relationship needed to download the update. You lot'll also gain access to a number of other apps that expand the camera'due south functionality via this account, and while some are free—similar Direct Upload, which lets you ship photos direct to social networks from the camera—many are priced between $iv.99 and $ix.99. The premium apps allow you to more hands photograph star trails, create stop motion videos, capture HDR photos, grade video equally you record information technology, and perform other specialized tasks. But if you're spending a few k dollars on a camera, information technology seems stingy to squeeze you for a few more bucks to fully unlock its powers.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

Too stingy is Sony'southward decision to non include a battery charger with the RX1R II. Instead you lot'll demand to plug the camera straight into the wall (via an included micro USB cable and Air conditioning adapter) to charge the battery. When you consider the size and resolution of the image sensor, it'southward a bit surprising that the bombardment is and then small. CIPA rates the RX1R II for about 200 shots using the EVF and 220 using the rear LCD, and Sony states that you tin expect to leave information technology on for almost 100 minutes earlier depleting the battery. That'southward not maxim that yous won't be able to squeeze more images out of the camera—I got more than 400 in a rundown test—but that was shooting continuously in burst mode until the camera turned off, non a typical use case at all.

In existent earth use, I establish myself charging more often. And if I owned an RX1R Two, I'd bear at least two spare batteries with me. That's where not including an external charger is a shame. If you buy the camera, factor in the toll of a spare battery (or 2) and a wall charger. At this price point, the camera should actually transport with a spare battery and an external charger, though.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

In improver to the micro USB port, there'southward a 3.5mm mic jack and a micro HDMI port, all protected past a hinged door on the left side of the body. If you prefer a more pro-form mic, you lot can add an XLR adapter via the hot shoe, only that's a bulky add-on for this camera—that's also the case for near external flashes, which will also connect via the shoe. The memory card slot (Retention Stick Duo media is supported, in improver to the standard SD, SDHC, and SDXC formats that near people actually utilize) is in the battery compartment on the bottom plate, side by side to the standard quarter-inch tripod thread.

Functioning and Image Quality Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Benchmark Tests
The RX1R Two requires near one.half dozen seconds to turn on, focus, and capture an image. That's a footling wearisome compared with some SLRs, but in line for this course of camera—the full-frame Leica Q does the same in ane.four seconds, and the APS-C Fujifilm X100T ($889.95 at Amazon) matches the Sony. The flare-up charge per unit is 5fps in Speed Priority mode; that step can exist kept for ten uncompressed Raw or Raw+JPG shots, 24 Xtra Fine JPGs, 32 Fine JPGs, or 22 compressed Raw or Raw+JPG exposures.

I tested the autofocus system with phase detection enabled. By default, Sony has information technology turned off, simply I recommend diving into the menu and turning it on. Focus locks consistently in nearly 0.i-second. It's a bit slower than the Leica Q, which averaged 0.02-second on the same focus test. There are several different ways to select a focus area settings: Wide, Heart, Flexible Spot, Expanded Flexible Spot, and Tracking (bachelor but when in Continuous focus fashion). I programmed the C1 button to select the focus fashion, but left information technology prepare to Wide virtually of the time. The RX1R 2 did a expert chore identifying the proper point of focus in scenes, but it was like shooting fish in a barrel enough to switch to the flexible spot and move the focus point around using the rear directional pad when I wanted more control. Sony's Eye AF, which recognizes and focuses on a subject'southward eye, is also available—I set the C2 button to perform that function.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

I used Imatest to evaluate the operation of the fixed 35mm lens. At f/2 it delivers an excellent 2,844 lines per picture height, amend than the 2,200 lines nosotros wait for when shooting with high-resolution image sensors. That score is center-weighted, and the Zeiss lens is extremely crisp (3,320 lines) in the center third of the frame, while the middle 3rd (ii,714 lines) and outer third (2,219 lines) lag somewhat behind, just still testify an adequate corporeality of detail.

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The lens maintains potent operation when stopped down, simply doesn't savour improvement in image quality until f/5.6, where the center-weighted score shows a modest jump to ii,955 lines. At f/8 it shows 3,100 lines, and it peaks at three,142 lines at f/11 with edges that arroyo 2,600 lines. The heart-weighted score drops a bit at f/16 due to diffraction (2,754 lines), but it'southward not a major issue until you stop down tot he minimum f/22 setting (ii,153 lines).

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

The lens shows about ii.5 percent barrel distortion, plenty to give straight lines an outward curved advent in photos. Thankfully, it's easily dealt with using software correction in Lightroom ($9.99/Month at Adobe) or the Raw converter of your option. Uniformity is very even throughout the frame; at f/two at that place'south only a 0.8EV drib in illumination at the corners of the frame when compared with the center, which is barely noticeable in field atmospheric condition.

Imatest also checks photos for racket, which tin add unwanted grain and detract from image allegiance. When shooting JPG images, the RX1R 2 keeps noise nether 1.5 percent through ISO 12800. When combined with the f/2 lens, that gives you plenty of flexibility to shoot in dim lite. I took a close look at images from our ISO test scene to meet if I could ascertain simply how much in-camera noise reduction was hurting high ISO JPGs. At that place's no sign of loss of fidelity when shooting through ISO 3200. And at ISO 6400 and 12800 the driblet in quality is slight to the point where I only noticed smudging in the finest lines of our test scene.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

Very fine detail starts to show some muddiness at ISO 25600, and information technology's worse at ISO 51200. Y'all can push the RX1R II all the mode to ISO 102400, but I'd avoid doing then when shooting JPGs. Yous tin guess for yourself—pixel-level crops from our ISO test scene are included with the slideshow that accompanies this review.

As yous'd expect from a camera aimed at pros and enthusiasts, Raw shooting is also supported. And if you don't listen a little grain in your photos, you can eke out more prototype item at very high ISOs when shooting in Raw. There'due south plenty of detail and surprisingly little noise through ISO 12800. At ISO 25600 some graininess creeps in, only it'due south not distracting or detrimental. Images are a bit rougher at ISO 51200, but however quite useable. At the maximum ISO 102400 setting the noise does overwhelm the image, but more detail shines through than when shooting in JPG.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : OLPF Comparison

The RX1R II'southward 42-megapixel image sensor is based on the same technology that's institute in the A7R II mirrorless photographic camera, just there is one change. The Alpha 7R II completely omits an optical low-laissez passer filter (OLPF) in order to capture as much detail as a Bayer sensor can. But doing then does introduce the possibility of capturing images with color moiré effects when shooting fabrics or other materials with fine repeating patterns. The RX1R II has an OLPF, but its blueprint is one that allows the photographic camera to turn it off or lessen its outcome if desired. The prototype higher up shows crops from our studio test scene—the leftmost portion of the frame has the OLPF disabled, the eye portion has it set to its medium setting, and the rightmost has it fix to its full effect. All were taken from a tripod with the cocky-timer enabled and a ane/125-second shutter speed, but you can run into that the two shots with the OLPF enabled evidence a varying amount of blur, which is used to counteract moiré artifacts.

Video resolution is another difference between the Alpha 7R II and the RX1R II. While y'all tin record excellent 4K footage with the A7R II, the RX1R 2 is limited to 1080p resolution. Rut dissipation certainly plays a function in Sony's decision to omit 4K, equally does ability consumption. Only the 1080p footage, which bachelor at 24, 30, 60, or 120fps at a 50Mbps bit rate using XAVC South compression, is excellent. There's no evidence of rolling shutter when shooting at 60p, and y'all can switch to 120fps if y'all want to play back footage in slow motion.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

You can also shoot in MP4, which can exist wirelessly transmitted to your phone, at 720p60 (6Mbps), 1080p30 (16Mbps), or 1080p60 (28Mbps). If you prefer AVCHD, information technology'southward available at 1080p24 (17 or 24Mbps), 1080p60 (28Mbps), or 1080i60 (17 or 24Mbps).

Sound quality from the internal microphone is fine for casual apply. I was able to record video in an in-dwelling setting, and voices came through loud and articulate. But groundwork noise will exist an issue in noisier environments. Thankfully, y'all can add together an external microphone. The RX1R II lacks optical image stabilization, which does give handheld footage a shaky look. That'south something that the Leica Q, which too tops out at 1080p, avoids with its stabilized 28mm lens.

Conclusions
It's easy to telephone call the RX1R II one of the best full-frame compacts on the market—it doesn't have a lot of contest. Just ane shouldn't understate just how far cameras take come when you encounter how much power Sony has put into such a small camera. It may non skid into the side pocket of your pants, but even with a lens that protrudes from the body it has no problems with any of the coats that I wear.

The 42-megapixel full-frame image sensor wowed us when we reviewed the Alpha 7R II, and here information technology's married to an fantabulous prime lens—the simply real knock is that information technology shows some butt distortion. If you're a fan of the 35mm focal length, the Zeiss Sonnar glass won't get out y'all wanting.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II : Sample Image

But despite delivering superb performance, I'm not naming the RX1R 2 as Editors' Selection. And it'due south not based on price—$3,300 is a lot to spend on a camera, for sure, simply when talking about a niche, premium model, cost becomes less of an outcome. Our favorite stock-still-lens full-frame compact, the Leica Q, is even more expensive at $iv,250. While the Q doesn't take specs that sound quite as impressive on newspaper—its epitome sensor is "only" 24 megapixels, later all—information technology has a lens that captures more than calorie-free and covers a wider 28mm field of view. The Q is a little larger, only it feels better in the manus, offers a more than pleasant manual focus feel, and while its viewfinder is excellent in its own correct even without the cool factor of popping up out of the body. And actually, if yous're willing to spend the money on a total-frame compact and are waffling in your selection between the Q and the RX1R Ii, your decision really should be based on the focal length—if you dearest shooting wide with a 28mm, the Q is the way to go, simply if the slightly tighter angle of view provided by a 35mm is your passion, the Sony will be a better fit.

For those with sticker shock, but have managed to read this far, fear not. In that location are many cameras of this type with smaller APS-C image sensors that are much more than affordable. Our favorites from this class include the Ricoh GR II for 28mm fans and the Fujifilm X100T for those who beloved 35mm.