RX100 II 20.2 MP Premium Compact Digital Camera w/ 1-inch Sensor, MI (Multi-Interface) Shoe and tilt LCD Screen (DSCRX100M2/B)

I'm going to try to keep this review fairly short because I'm certainly no professional photographer or someone who knows a ton about the inner workings of cameras - what I am is a "normal guy" who wanted to take better pictures than I can get with my phone (I have an iPhone 6s Plus). I film shows for a comedy group and snap pictures. I also used it on a short vacation recently and for stuff around the house/whatever. Just like a non-enthusiast would - and I can say this was a fantastic purchase. I'll list a few things I love about it: 1) It's really easy to use - it has smart settings that work great and you'll never have to worry about the detail settings if you don't want, it takes great pictures this way. 2) It goes from light to dark and back fantastically - in the show I film, actors are walking on/off stage from the darkness and I am really happy that it picks up on them pretty well even in the shadows. 3) There's a button on the back of the camera - click that and no matter what setting the camera is on it will simply start recording video and sound with intelligent settings - really handy since I can go from photos to video that easy. 4) You can take pictures while video is recording - just click the shutter button as normal. 5) The screen on the back can come out and tilt quite a bit, very handy for a lot of situations where you aren't in a perfect situation to film. Now a couple things I think folks should know - 1) The Microphone on this camera is good for filming normal situations - but for group settings where there's a lot of noise coming from different directions (like my filming of actors on stage and an audience talking/clapping/etc) the microphone seems to get a little confused and can jump around to what it's focusing on. It can also sound tinny in this situation - but I never heard that in normal testing of the camera. That said - there's a solution but unfortunately it costs a little over $100 - the Sony ECMXYST1M Stereo Microphone will plug into the top of this camera and is great for these group/varied sound situations. It completely fixed all the issues I stated above. 2) It doesn't come with a memory card so you have to buy one separately. 3) The screen on the back doesn't show stuff in dim light nearly as well as the final product (your video/pictures) does. At first I was disappointed having only seen it from the screen during the filming, but once I got it home and viewed the videos on my computer they looked stunning. I can't speak highly enough for how well this camera handles dim light and light changing situations. I really like this camera, so glad I bought it. Note....got it for 2/3 the price because I bought it from Amazon's warehouse and the box was dinged a little bit - the camera and everything was in absolute new/perfect condition and the box was never opened. Just a mark on it and I saved $196 off the price it shows currently. $200 for a dinged box? Heck yea....what a deal. Happy shooting!

The Sony DSCRX100M2 has hit a home run with me for traveling light while not giving up any picture quality. I am a long time fan and user of Sony NEX/alpha mirror-less cameras, that I will refer to as "NEX" from here on to avoid confusion. Over the years I have owned NEX-3, NEX-5n, NEX-7 and a6000 bodies and a wide range of Sony E-Lenses. But, as wonderful as the NEX camera bodies have been, as compact and easy to carry as they are, you still have to mount normal sized lenses to them. That hasn't really been a problem. But I have longed for an NEX type camera that I could tote in a pocket or bag like a point and shoot. So the Sony DSCRX100M2 and its 20.9 MP 1" Exmor R CMOS sensor was both on my must have list and also something that I was eager to test relative to my past and present NEX/alpha APS-C camera bodies. To start with, the Sony DSCRX100M2 really is like mini-NEX camera, slightly smaller than the original NEX-3 while being quite a bit smaller than the a6000 type camera bodies. The finish, heft and feel are all inspire confidence. I was delighted to find that the user interface was, with a few small changes, basically the same as found on my a6000 body. There are a few small detail changes in the interface, like omitting the AEL lock button and moving that function to the center button, which sadly keeps that button from being used to select ISO. The function display is slightly different. But otherwise the interface should feel instantly familiar to anyone who has used an NEX camera. I quickly set the camera up to my usual settings. One small annoyance is that although the Sony DSCRX100M2 supports bracketed exposures it has reverted to the range that was used in the NEX-3. You can only bracket exposures by a max of 0.7 EV with the Sony DSCRX100M2. not by the full 3EV available in the later NEX and alpha cameras. Sony had introduced a firmware update for the NEX-5n and NEX-7 that implemented the 3EV range for bracketing. I hope they will do the same for the Sony DSCRX100M2. The tilt screen has the same layout as on my prior NEX bodies and is, along with the great performance of these cameras, one of the big reasons I love working with NEX type cameras. I was most interested in the Sony DSCRX100M2's 28-100mm equivalent F/1.8-4.9 lens. I photographed a favorite test scene with full sun and shadow at each ISO and then imported the RAW files into Lightroom. There I applied the noise and sharpening presets that I had created for importing images from my a6000. Then I went through each image and adjusted the parameters to get the best out of each image to create a new set of import noise/sharpening presets for the Sony DSCRX100M2. Although sharpness was not up to the level of my Sony SEL1670Z Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 it was nevertheless just as good as the kit lenses supplied on the APS-C NEX/alpha cameras. There was some distortion and slight smearing at the edges and corners at the 28mm equivalent that decreased rapidly by 35mm equivalent and after. Sharpness overall from center to edges was very consistent with no negative attention grabbing fall off. Detail resolution was excellent overall. Noise from the 20.9 MP 1" Exmor R CMOS sensor was very low, one big reason to buy a camera with a larger sensor. ISO 100-400 were as one would expect the best ISO ranges for low noise that required minimal correction. But ISO 800 also produced excellent images after careful correction. ISO 1600 was still very good with correction and ISO 3200 was still able to produce usable images with the right noise and sharpening applied. After 3200 you are pretty much in the image salvage business. The images at ISO 6400 are still head and shoulders above the quality you would get with P&S cameras that use much smaller and much noisier sensors. But detail really starts to suffer there and you also reach the limits of noise reduction that can be applied and redeemed by sharpening and detail adjustments. All in all I was very impressed both by the 28-100mm equivalent F/1.8-4.9 lens, the 20.9 MP 1" Exmor R CMOS sensor, the camera's NEX/alpha style interface and the general fit, finish and feel of the whole camera. The flash is strong and also has EV adjustments and several modes. For shooters able to take advantage of and work in post production with RAW output this is just a great camera. It is really necessary, when working with RAW, to use Lightroom or Photoshop, for example, to make use of Adobe's camera lens geometry adjustment profiles that automatically correct for the sort of distortion that is part of any collapsible P&S type lens, no matter how fine the lens may be otherwise. One other note: I bought the Sony DSCRX100M2 instead of one of the later Sony DSCRX100 models because I wanted the 28-100 lens. Although the 24-70mm equivalent lens on later models is, from what I have seen, superior in some subtle ways to the 28-100 lens I wanted that extra bit of tele extension. After testing the camera and shooting with it I am not disappointed. It's a great lens and a minor miracle considering it's small size and collapsible design that retracts into the camera body. I am a happy user of the Sony DSCRX100M2. RECOMMENDED.

Like many of my generation, my photography interests started with smart phones. Unlike many of my peers I was never interested in ruining my photos with instagram(it probably helped that instagram wasn't available for Windows Phone at the time). I started with the Lumia 920 which was the first smart phone to introduce optical image stabilization; I enjoyed taking superior low light pictures with it and read up about the technology behind OIS. These pictures while excellent compared to other smart phones still resulted in a lot of blur and/or noise especially with moving objects in low light(a limitation of OIS). In good light the 920 was merely ok. I then moved up to the Lumia 1020 which builds upon the 920 by adding a xenon flash, a 41 mega pixel 2/3" sensor with OIS, and full manual controls in the camera app. The 1020 was a definite leap over the 920, but it still wasn't enough; the slow shot to shot times, the lack of optical zoom, and the inferior optics were enough to convince me to buy a real camera. I researched DSLRs but was dismayed by their bulk. I couldn't see myself lugging around a DSLR and appropriate lenses to the places I really wanted to shoot, concerts and parties. I did some research and stumbled upon the RX100. I read reviews and looked at camera sensors and the RX100 seemed to have a leg up on other compact cameras. I saw the M II and read about the additional features such as NFC and WiFi which really appealed to me(even though there isn't a Sony PlayMemories app for Windows Phone). After reading countless reviews I finally made up my mind to graduate to a RX100 MII. I am impressed by the quality, flexibility, and size of the RX100 MII. I have taken some amazing shots with the RX100 MII; shots that wouldn't be possible or at best lower quality on my Lumia 1020 and I am glad I have moved up. I still use my 1020 as my "carry everywhere" camera, but I make sure to have my RX100M II ready for the shots that matter most to me. I wouldn't put it past me to one day "upgrade" to a DSLR, but I use the term "upgrade" loosely as I know a DSLR will never replace the portability of the RX100M II. This is an investment in good, pocketable photography that I see myself using for the foreseeable future.

I own both the RX100 M2 and the Sony a6000, and let me tell you, if you are considering the larger camera, go with this instead. The lens selection on the a6000 is small and most of the lenses are extremely expensive. With the RX100 M2, you never have to worry about that. So I became frustrated with my a6000 earlier this year- battery life is not what it ought to be, and as I said, the lens selection leaves much to be desired, even though the image quality is very good. I started researching compact point-and-shoots to make it easier to have something other than my iPhone to take pictures with, and I came across the RX100 line. Sony sells all four iterations of the RX100 side-by-side, and they all have reasons for and against them. As far as I can tell, the entire line is uniformly excellent, with some obvious compromises given the form factor. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, but after much research, I decided upon the RX100, Mark 2. The reasons are as follows: 1. Better sensor than M1 (and the same sensor as M3) 2. Wi-fi support 3. External hot-shoe 4. Longer zoom range than M3 or M4 5. Great price point 6. (Supposedly) Better battery life than the other three iterations One of the best things about this camera is that image quality is as good as the a6000; despite what many people believe, megapixels aren't everything. The RX100 M2 has a 20mp sensor, compared to the a6000's 24mp, and the images look just about the same. One area where the a6000 is definitely better (with the right lens) is low-light photography. But obviously, a compact point-and-shoot is not designed for that (though this one is more capable than most). The downside with the M2 (like the original RX100) is the lack of a viewfinder; if that's something you need, go with the M3, because the optional viewfinder for this model will set you back more than if you just buy the next model up. I do find myself missing a viewfinder sometimes, but it's not a deal breaker, especially as I had read that some reviewers did not care for the pop-up viewfinder on the later models. This is a compact point-and-shoot, so be aware that it's probably smaller than you think it is. If you have large hands, invest in Sony's optional leather case (which has quite a snazzy retro look, btw). Also, the image quality is very, very good, *but* it is in no way comparable to a mid-range or pro DSLR, despite the hype. Sometimes the buzz around Sony's cameras is like that surrounding the iPhone cameras; take it with a grain of salt. This camera will never, ever replace a DSLR, but what it will do is become your high-quality "walking around"/travel camera. The ability to shoot RAW is frosting on the cake, but even if you only shoot JPEG, the 1" sensor really shines. I'll be getting rid of my a6000 soon in favor of something from Nikon, but this little camera is staying right where it is- in my jacket pocket.

My wife loves taking pictures so I decided to get her a really good camera for Christmas. Now I'm not one of those people who knows a lot about cameras so I can't speak to the technical specifications or anything like that. BUT I am one of those people who obsessively reads reviews and does tons of research before pulling the trigger so hopefully this review will help someone like that. Although if you are like me, you'll need more than one review to sway you. Anyway, here goes. To begin my camera-hunting process, I outlined several criteria that the camera had to meet. I listed them below and explained why this particular camera ticked all of the boxes for me. 1.) Image quality has to be better than a smartphone. Otherwise, why get an additional camera? If the image quality were similar or even only slightly better than her iPhone, she'd end up using the iPhone. I guarantee it. So far this camera has delivered. The image quality is incredible. Super sharp, professional looking pictures. Wife loves it. 2.) Camera has to be small. Small enough to fit in a purse. She's not going to be one of those people who wears a giant DSLR around her neck. When we travel we walk around a lot, so a compact camera was key. This camera is a little thicker than a bar of soap. Perfect for throwing in a clutch, which is a purse you put inside another purse (or something). Wife loves it. 3.) Easy to use. I know my wife won't use it if it's overly complicated or frustrating. She's not a technophobe but she does get very frustrated when things aren't simple. So far this camera has been super simple to use. I mean it's a point and shoot. The auto-focus setting is easy and she's just starting to figure out all the other bells and whistles. All without ever cracking the manual. Wife loves it. 4.) WiFi. She likes to share pics on Instagram and Facebook so this was crucial. I originally ordered the RX100 but then returned it for this one. If WiFi isn't that important to you, stick with that one. We played around with it a little and the image quality is very similar. If it is important, go with this one. Side note: I thought you had to connect both the camera and the phone to your home WiFi to transfer pics but I was mistaken. There is WiFi IN THE CAMERA. So you connect your phone (or laptop or tablet) to the WiFi in the camera. This means you can transfer pics ANYWHERE. This may have been obvious to you but it was a pleasant surprise for me. Sharing is super easy and fast. Again, I wanted a camera that made sharing easy. A lot of the WiFi enabled cameras I looked at got poor reviews in that area. Not this one. Wife has been sharing like a champ. Needless to say, wife loves it. So if you're looking for a camera that fits any or all of these criteria, go ahead and pull the trigger on this one. Or be like me and read a thousand more reviews first.

If you're an SLR or other large camera user looking for a compact camera, you may find this review helpful. My primary camera is a Canon 60D. I also used a Panasonic GX1 extensively as my carry-around camera, but I lost it a few months ago, and I decided to purchase this camera before heading on a long trip with my kids as I didn't feel like carrying the 60D. Overall, this is a good little camera. If you value zoom capability and don't shoot extensively in low light you'll like this camera. If you prefer to shoot with a wide open prime lens or are very demanding when it comes to camera speed, this may not be the camera for you. Observations: 1.) Image quality is very important to me. There are obviously quite a few factors that go into image quality, but it seems to me that sensor size is critical. Therefore, in my camera search, I only considered large sensor compacts. If you look at the dpreview of this camera, you'll see that the image quality is stellar. I looked at the closeup shots on dpreview and compared this camera to the 60D and the GX1 all the way up to very high ISO settings. This camera compares very well. It is not as good as the 60D but the difference is quite minor. When comparing this camera to the GX1, the difference in image quality is really minor. 2.) I prefer to shoot my interchangeable lens cameras with a prime lens, usually around 40 to 50 mm full frame equivalent. (For example, I have a 20 mm on my GX1 and a 35mm on my 60D.) This camera turns on at quite a wide angle - 28 mm full frame equivalent. This is significantly wider than I prefer to shoot at most of the time. At this zoom, you're at F1.8. However, if you zoom in to 43mm, you're already at F3.3. Having a large aperature is very important to me and was one of the appeals of this camera. However, F3.5 is really not all that great, and that's the aperature I'm getting where I like to shoot. In practice, I turn the camera off and on a lot and don't do a lot of zooming, so I'm basically getting used to shooting at a very wide angle most of the time. For me, the time to turn on the camera (or wake it up) and zoom the lens is just too long. The camera does not remember the previous zoom setting when you turn it on. 3.) In general, the camera is fast but not as fast as an SLR or my GX1. If you're used to a camera with a fixed lens (as opposed to one that telescopes in and out), you'll find it annoying waiting for this lens to go in and out of the camera. It's very handy how compact the camera is when the lens is retracted, but the camera is quite bulky with the lens out, and since there's no lens cap, I'm always worried about getting it dirty. When I first started using the camera, I found the image preview quite annoying. You can set the length of time the preview stays up, but the minimum time is 2 seconds. I found the camera felt faster when I disabled the image preview altogether. 4.) I love the video. Of the cameras I've used video on - Panasonic GF1 and GX1, the Canon Rebel T3i (I think), and the Canon 60d, this one seems by far the best in terms of useability. You can turn on video with a single press of a button. (Why oh why does the 60D not have this obvious feature?) The autofocusing is excellent, seamless, and quiet. The video may be my favorite feature of this camera so far. 5.) Dpreview really bashed this camera for the control wheel and general useability. Controllability is really important to me. I returned my Canon Rebel after a few weeks because it was driving me crazy after the Canon 20D. I love my Canon 60D by comparison. I chose a GX1 over the later GF models because I wanted to be able to quickly change the various settings without diving into menus. For me, after a little setup, this camera meets my needs. The wheel around the lens takes a little getting used, but overall, I like it a lot. I primarily shoot aperture priority these days, and I set the lens wheel for exposure compensation. I also have found the wheel on the back really easy to use. I was concerned setting ISO would be cumbersome, but using the Fn key, it's actually pretty trivial, as easy I think as changing it on my 60D. I think a dedicated ISO button would have made sense, but you can use the Fn key as a dedicated ISO key, and that works just as well. 6.) I debated between the RX100 and the RX100 ii. I chose this because of the claimed 40% improvement in image quality in low light. However, I have since read in dpreview that this may be a bit overstated, and in retrospect, I think perhaps I should have gone for the cheaper camera. Overall, this camera is meeting my needs for this trip. If I could, I'd replace the zoom lens with an F1.8 fixed 50mm equivalent lens which would better meet my needs for photographing my kids the low light we have all too often in the Pacific Northwest. I don't see any other cameras screaming at me for this price that do better, so I'm on the fence whether to keep it or sell it. It's a good little camera without much if any competition at the same size and price.

...and it is an awesome camera. I actually had the original RX100, which either got stolen or recycled. Either way, I had to get a new one and the MII just came out. Me, my wife, and my preschooler are the main users of this camera. Preschooler you say? Yes, he likes to take pictures and for some reason I let him use this $750 (back then) camera despite it flying in the face of reason. This camera goes all over house, outside, purse, pitched around the car, dropped on the floor. It's tough. It's shows it's battlemarks on on the view screen and body, but the lens is pristine and the camera works flawlessly. So 5 stars for toughness. Picture quality is superb mainly because SONY makes pretty good cameras and has experience writing the processing firmware coupled with an outsized sensor for the camera size. The sensor really is much bigger than other P&S and it allows much better indoor shots. With the compact and easy portability, it's often the first camera we pick up when take impromptu shots indoors or go on trips. If I know that I'm going somewhere for serious pictures, then I go for the 4/3 cameras that otherwise mostly sit around. Colors are good, sharpness is great. There is a little bit of the big-nose effect that is hard to avoid with small cameras like this. Compared to the original version of this camera, it's really not that much better overall. If you can get a screaming good price on the MI, then I suggest going for that instead. Right now, the price difference as sold by Amazon is about $150. The newest MIII is around $200 more than this middle one.

I bought this camera with really big expectations over the image quality and i wasn't dissapointed, this camera really takes good pictures in any condition day/night. Its really useful to be able to tilt up the flash and bounce it against the ceiling to achieve difuse flash light. Also it records good video at 1080p and had no problem editing it. The problems appear with the build quality. I always keep the camera in the case and i have never let it fall, but after 3 months of casual use the camera shows on every picture a black spot on the top right side. The bigger the F value the more clear spot its visible after F5.3 its becomes more visible. I read only on how to fix this online and there are several cases reported of a faulty error called dust/oil spots, so mine was on of them so its annoying to remove the spot on every picture I take and on a camera this size its kind of impossible to repair. Another big inconvinient its the battery indicator its pointless to have one if only show two states full/empty, being empty the shortest state signal you can get on screen and it costs me a 64Gb card cause i was filming video, the Rx100 damage the FAT structure of my SD and made it completly useless, and lost some money on the process.