Sony Considering RX1 - a few questions

oliveview

Regular
Hi:

I'm considering the RX1 / RX1R as a travel and general family photography tool.
I'll likely have a smattering of questions, but one which jumped right to the front: the shutter speed.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the max is 1/4000 - however that drops down to 1/2000 with the maximum aperture set. Right? Plus, there is no built-in ND filter?
I regularly use the far more puny Canon S95 for travel, and under moderate to strong daylight, it easily overexposes when used wide open. With the massively larger sensor, I would assume that the RX1 might experience some serious over-exposure issues if someone wished to use f2.0 in broad daylight.

Can any of you who own this camera possibly comment on this? I've read so many of the on-line reviews, yet not a single one has brought this up.

Thank you!
 
Yes, all true. There is a base native ISO of 100 and pushed low ISO valued down to 50. But no built in ND filter, so if you want to do a lot of wide open shooting in bright sunlight, you'd probably want to get an ND filter for it...

-Ray
 
I use a polarizing filter and that was enough to shoot out wide open in sunny days... It has the same affect as nd filter:
Polarizing filter (photography) - Wikipedia
Polarizing filters reduce the light passed through to the film or sensor by about one to three stops (2-8x) depending on how much of the light is polarized at the filter angle selected. Auto-exposure cameras will adjust for this by widening the aperture, lengthening the shutter, and/or increasing the ISO speed of the camera. Polarizing filters can be used deliberately to reduce available light and allow use of wider apertures to shorten depth of field for certain focus effects
 
Thanks, both of you. Out of curiosity (and I realize there is no one level of bright sunlight) any recollection what you need to stop down to under bright light, in order to keep exposure under control? Without a filter, that is. With the full-frame sensor, is 1/4000 even fast enough at whatever the max aperture is for that? I forget what I read, does the max shutter only work down to f5.6?
 
f/1.4 requires 1/8000sec at iso 100. So f/2 requires 1/4000, f2.8 requires 1/2000 at iso 100 so if you shoot f/2.8 it should be good. Normally f/2 1/2000 should be enough w/ iso 50 but I don't know if that is native to RX1vs pushed iso...
 
How about battery strategy? I know that it's rather embarrassing, that Sony neglected the charger in such a premium product. What are most people doing there? Are two batteries and an external charger enough for travel? Or are three batteries almost necessary? I'm more familiar with traveling with my DSLR, so battery life was never really a daily concern. Does Sony even have a standalone charger for the RX1 battery? Or is that simply left to the third party market?
 
I pretty much always carry at least three batteries. I rarely need more than two, but I have on occasion, and if you shoot more heavily, you might. I just bought a third party charger and batteries - I wasn't going to reward Sony for not including a charger by buying one from them.

-Ray
 
I use a polarizing filter and that was enough to shoot out wide open in sunny days... It has the same affect as nd filter:
Polarizing filter (photography) - Wikipedia

I really should consider a polarising filter rather than an ND filter which I've been using. With the polarising filter you get the added benefit of .. polarisis.

Would I be correct in assuming that with variable ND filters which consist of the two types of polarisers, that I don't need an additional dedicated polariser?
 
Sony did include a charger with the RX1, but it charges the battery in camera. They did not also include an external charger and many consumers feel they should have. The in-camera charger is actually very convenient as it allows you to charge the battery any time you have access to a powered USB connection. I purchased spare batteries and a Digipower external charger that includes a USB connection. So, I can simultaneously charge an external battery and the in-camera battery. (Sony also makes an external charger.) The RX1's battery life, in my experience, is not nearly as bad as some make it out to be. I have a total of four batteries, but I rarely need more than one for a day's worth of shooting, and have never used more than two.

With regard to wide apertures in bright light, I have not found a great need for a polarizing or neutral density filter, although I regularly use a polarizing filter for other reasons. I usually shoot my RX1 at +2/3 exposure compensation, which probably explains why I don't often bump up against the maximum shutter speed.
 
Sony did include a charger with the RX1, but it charges the battery in camera. They did not also include an external charger and many consumers feel they should have. The in-camera charger is actually very convenient as it allows you to charge the battery any time you have access to a powered USB connection. I purchased spare batteries and a Digipower external charger that includes a USB connection. So, I can simultaneously charge an external battery and the in-camera battery. (Sony also makes an external charger.) The RX1's battery life, in my experience, is not nearly as bad as some make it out to be. I have a total of four batteries, but I rarely need more than one for a day's worth of shooting, and have never used more than two.

With regard to wide apertures in bright light, I have not found a great need for a polarizing or neutral density filter, although I regularly use a polarizing filter for other reasons. I usually shoot my RX1 at +2/3 exposure compensation, which probably explains why I don't often bump up against the maximum shutter speed.

Thanks for the input. If I were to buy an RX1 (or A7 as I'm considering that, too) I would likely get a second or third batteries, and a third-party charger. Regarding the exposure compensation on the Sony. Any idea what that modulates? Does that affect aperture, shutter speed, or ISO?
 
Thanks for the input. If I were to buy an RX1 (or A7 as I'm considering that, too) I would likely get a second or third batteries, and a third-party charger. Regarding the exposure compensation on the Sony. Any idea what that modulates? Does that affect aperture, shutter speed, or ISO?

I was going to ask whether you were also thinking about the A7. The total size of the A7 and FE 35/2.8 has me thinking that I may sell my Fuji X100, as the A7 setup is nearly as small for travel purposes.
 
Oliveview

Just a thought but I use the Lee 75 filter system with my RX1 (and all my serious compacts) which of course gives me all sorts of filter possibility, including NDs and the incredibly 'Big Stopper'. I must admit I have not used it to allow wide open photography in bright sunlight, more to control balance between sky and foreground. The system ain't cheap (but then neither is the RX1/R) but it is class and there are lots of creative opportunities. Example below using a 0.9 Graduated ND Filter, Polariser and 10-stop big stopper (I think 30 seconds exposure from memory).

9756336772_3aa8967087_b_d.jpg


BTW, unless someone can persuade me otherwise, the RX1 is an excellent landscape camera.

LouisB
 
Regarding the exposure compensation on the Sony. Any idea what that modulates? Does that affect aperture, shutter speed, or ISO?

As with any camera, it would depend on the mode you're shooting in... In aperture priority, it adjusts shutter speed. In shutter priority, it adjusts aperture. In manual mode it adjusts ISO if ISO is set to auto. In program mode I'm not sure - maybe it alternates between shutter and aperture for each third of a stop???

-Ray
 
As with any camera, it would depend on the mode you're shooting in... In aperture priority, it adjusts shutter speed. In shutter priority, it adjusts aperture. In manual mode it adjusts ISO if ISO is set to auto. In program mode I'm not sure - maybe it alternates between shutter and aperture for each third of a stop???

-Ray

Makes sense. Thanks.
 
I use a 2 or 3 stop 49mm ND filter for shooting wide open in bright sunlight. Otherwise I just stop down a stop or two.

For batteries: I bought the external charger (actually, asked for it for Christmas) and have 2 spare batteries so I carry a couple spares during the day. Usually one battery gets through a day, two if I'm shooting a lot. I don't think I've ever had to use all 3 in one day unless I started out with a mostly dead battery.

I heartily recommend the Hoocap for the RX1. No worries about leaving the expensive metal lens cap behind, always has a hood available, and protects the lens at the same time. It's even a bayonet mount and closes over the ND filter while mounted on the lens without a problem.

One last recommendation, depending on your personal preference: the iShoot grip & L plate adds a lot more comfortable grip and balance to the camera if you don't mind the extra bulk. I use the grip for that and also to allow me to mount my Capture plate on the bottom without obscuring access to the battery/SD card door.
 
Great photos, Ray. Just amazing, the level of fine detail being resolved.
Thanks for the further gear advice, jloden. I'll look into such if I decide to join the club. Which, I think I may.
 
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