What Is It? – The best little secret in digital photography, Sony’s RX100 is a favorite among inveterate travelers, weekend shutterbugs, and even professionals. It’s the compact camera people grab on their way out the door when they don’t want to haul along a big, fat DSLR.
The new “V” edition of the Sony RX100 has many of the same features of the previous model, including the same basic chassis, 20.1-megapixel resolution, CMOS image processor, OLED viewfinder – plus a pop-up electronic viewfinder. It has an F1.8 – 2.8 large aperture lens and can shoot 4K video. What’s new is a very much improved auto-focusing system that’s so much faster, owners of the previous IV model are going to want to upgrade.
Is it 50+ Friendly? – The biggest improvement made to the RX100 V is the use of phase detection auto-focus, what the company calls its Fast Hybrid auto-focus system. That means in fast action situations – sporting events or even a dance at a wedding – the camera can lock focus and track a subject much more accurately. Sony says the new RX100 V delivers the fastest auto-focus acquisition (0.05 seconds) and the highest number of auto-focus points (315) within a single frame of any compact camera.
In a brief hands-on demonstration, the RX100 V seemed to live up to the billing. And anyone who’s every been frustrated waiting for the AF, only to miss that crucial shot, will appreciate this camera’s speed. Moreover, to ensure that you get just the right moment, the camera can shoot 24 frames per second in continuous shooting mode using auto-focus and auto-exposure, for up to 150 shots. That is killer “I’m-shooting-Novak’s-tennis-serve-from-the-photo-pit” speed. And it’s certainly enough to catch your grandkid’s home run hit in mid-swing. (There’s also a silent shooting setting so you don’t disturb anyone during a hushed recital.)
Frustration Factor? – With the older RX100 there were some complaints about short battery life. In my usual peripatetic anecdotal testing I found earlier models would last all day before a recharge; but if you get carried away using that fancy continuous shooting mode and a lot of flash, it will probably only last a couple of hours.
Furthermore, if you are used to swapping out lenses and taking your time to set up just the right shot, the compact Sony RX100 V isn’t going to be enough for you. However, I’ve found the RX100 V to be the right mix of convenience and quality. It also allows for a lot of adjustments, such as shooting with a wide aperture but fast shutter in bright light conditions. Lastly, the pop-up viewfinder can be a real godsend when there’s a lot of glare.
Is It Worth It? – This little camera is $1,000, but it is so convenient, the picture quality is excellent, and it can even shoot super slow-mo or 4K video. The best part, however, is the rapid focus and ability to capture shots that other cameras will miss. The Sony RX 100 V will be available at the end of October, but you can pre-order now at Amazon or B&H Photo.
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