New Camera

[Peter Dexter]

Specifically Sony RX 100VA. I've been wanting a pocket camera to carry with me when I'm out photographing birds with the Canon 7d ll w/400 5.6 as inevitably a small orchid or interesting insect will appear that aren't feasibly photographed with the big rig. For years I had a wonderfully pocketable Lumix LF 1 but it gave up the ghost a while back.I chose the "VA"iteration because it's the most recent RX100 to come with the 1.8 lens. Subsequent versions come with a 2.8. The good and the bad: it is indeed pocketable at only four inches wide but it is surprisingly heavy so a sturdy pocket is in order. The lens is very sharp so that combined with it's 20.1 mp makes it easy to crop down for small subjects. The ISO performance is also impressive. I tried a few shots at ISO 12000 and they were actually usable at least at full size. Neat Image made them better. I wouldn't want to use it but it's there if you have to. On to the negatives: as mentioned it is surprisingly heavy so something of a clunker in your shirt pocket. At first I was flummoxed by the ISO setting being buried deep in the menu so not at all handy but then I found I could make it a quickly accessed FN function. The outstanding negative is the awkward viewfinder. Engaging it is a two step process, first you have to pop it up with a little switch, not so bad but then you have to pull a section backward with thumb and forefinger in order to view the scene. So far I've been careful but I can see it would be easy to forget to push that piece in before pressing the viewfinder back down into the camera body possibly causing damage depending on force applied. Problem solved on later lV and llV versions with 2.8 lens. Another irritant was trying to establish a wifi connection between the camera and my Mac computer. There are incompatibility issues which I still haven't resolved so transferring images to computer requires wired connection. All in all though I'm glad I made the purchase.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Congrats!

For sure, after a month or so, your musculoskeletal-nervous memory will make the needed movements to the eyepiece second nature.

Did you think of the Ricoh GR3 as an alternative option, but that is f2.8 but has usable ISO up to 3200!

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

I have used the RX100 III for 5 years, it is more or less my "always here camera". It is basically the same as the RX100 V you have minus 4K video and with a slightly slower AF. The viewfinder never caused me any trouble, but I am generally careful with cameras.

As you noted, it is quite competent in macro mode. A friend of mine takes pictures of insects with it and ask me for advice about a better camera. I told her that she already had the best camera on the market for that particular use.

A few notes about the camera:

• the little flash can easily be held back for indirect light
• it is a surprisingly competent camcorder (at least in HD mode, 4K is limited to a few minutes on the versions which have it)
• the ring around the lens can be programmed to several functions. It is worth trying the one you like best.
• batteries are small and cheap, so it is easy to keep one around
• batteries can be charged in camera with a simple micro-USB cable.
• the viewfinder can be adjusted to your eyesight, but the adjustment lever is relatively easy to move. Think about adjusting again if you don't see perfectly well.
• I rarely use the wifi functions and simply pop the SD card in a reader to transfer pictures. It is much faster that way, especially if you use a USB-3 reader.
• one thing which is sometimes useful with wifi is that you can remote control the camera from a smartphone, with image in the smartphone. That is useful to photograph animals (e.g. birds feeding). Range is limited, though.

 

[Peter Dexter]

Asher I've read your discussion of the GR lll in the past I have to have a camera with a viewfinder. Too often in bright sun to be able to use a screen.

Jerome thank you for your comments on the camera. I agree there doesn't seem to be anything better out there. I looked pretty hard.

 

[Peter Dexter]

Well now having had the camera for a little while I've found it is not a replacement for my a6000 (24mp) w/24 1.8 Sony Zeiss lens when it comes to sharpness in close up (macro) shots. There's just no substitute for good glass I guess. I was hoping to lighten my load when orchid hunting. Looks like it will be great for most everything else though. I am almost repentant now as the highly touted 26 mp Fujifilm x100v will go on sale at the end of March or so.

 

[Jerome Marot]

Have you used the lens at its longer focal length for macro? I have not checked recently, but it should be sharper in wide angle.

 

[Peter Dexter]

Thanks Jerome, yes I have.