DSC-RX100
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IRL: Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 and the full-frame RX1
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Not too long ago, full-frame digital cameras were cumbersome, heavy and very expensive. They're still a long ways from making a home in the bargain bin, but Sony's new RX1 definitely has size in check. In order to reduce the model's footprint, the Japanese camera maker added a fixed 35mm lens to this point-and-shoot-esque digicam, modeled after the company's gorgeous and versatile RX100. Both of these flagship Cyber-shots offer tremendous bang for your buck, but they'll thin out your wallet faster than they'll capture 10 consecutive 20-plus-megapixel frames. Still, as you'll read after the break, our resident camera reviewer Zach Honig is very much in love.
Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100, courtesy of IceMonkey!
The giveaways just keep coming and there's nothing you can do to stop it. But why would you want to? For this edition of your regularly scheduled contest, IceMonkey is handing out a Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100, complete with a 20.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor (valued at roughly $650). IceMonkey is a colorful site that offers discounted electronics and other home goods on a first-come / first-serve basis, and every order gets shipped free. If it sounds like your cup o' tea, head over to check them out -- but don't forget to leave a comment below first.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 boosts image quality with 1-inch sensor, f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens (hands-on video)
With little room to grow (or shrink) on the housing front, we've begun to see manufacturers take a different approach with point-and-shoot cameras, boosting the size of image sensors to present a clear advantage over smartphone cams, which continue to cannibalize their dedicated counterparts. Sony, for its part, has just announced what's by far the most compelling Cyber-shot to date -- the DSC-RX100. To the amateur's eye, this all-aluminum pocketable camera looks like any old high-end point-and-shoot, with a familiar compact design and a small, permanently attached optical zoom lens. Hiding behind that f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 3.6x zoom optic, however, is this model's true gem: a 1-inch (13.2x8.8mm) 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, offering four times the area of the 1/1.7-inch imagers found in most comparably sized devices. A larger sensor means sharper details, improved low-light performance and that creamy shallow depth-of-field that's synonymous with large ILCs. Having an f/1.8 lens on-board also doesn't hurt -- the optic offers a maximum aperture range of f/1.8-4.9, but can still manage captures just beyond f/2.8 at the 50mm position, giving it significant versatility. There's also a 3-inch 1,229k-dot LCD with a new technology called WhiteMagic, which adds white pixels to boost outdoor visibility while still delivering VGA resolution. A pair of control dials -- one surrounding the lens and the second on the rear -- enable direct access to frequent settings. There's a full manual mode on-board, giving you complete control over both stills and 1080/60p video, along with RAW capture, a seven-blade circular aperture and a BIONZ imaging processor, with support for ISO 80-25,600. The RX100 is packaged with a new battery, which is capable of 330 shots on a single charge, and packs a MS/SDXC slot, HDMI port and a USB port with charging capability. There's also a 10 frames-per-second continuous mode, 13 Picture Effect options and features that were previously only available on Sony's interchangeable lens models, like Sweep Panorama. The RX100 is designed as an all-in-one unit, so there's no microphone input or hot shoe to be found, but given the camera's incredibly small size, we really don't mind. What's slightly less encouraging, however, is the price tag -- the RX100 will run you $650 when it hits stores in July, while accessories like a jacket case ($85), battery pack ($50) and screen protector ($12) place it further out of reach. Take a closer look in the hands-on video just past the break.%Gallery-156584%
