[rwp-review id=”0″]
Ever since the first RX model hit the market, I have developed a solid interest in the camera, with appraise pouring in from everyone due to its versatility, size, and amazing image quality. Now that the fourth model is out, I have had the chance to try it for myself finally – and boy was I impressed.
Pandora’s Box
The packaging the RX100 IV comes in is misleading; the camera hardly takes any space in the box, with the bulk filled with the accessories (battery, charger, cables, straps) and an encyclopaedia of user guides. Once you do find the camera, however, you’d be very puzzled – how can this tiny little thing achieve all the specs listed? And quite a specs list:
- 20.1 MP, 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor
- UHD 4K Video
- Zeiss f/1.8-2.8 Lens
- 24-70mm
- 960fps slo-mo
- Wi-Fi
- ISO 12800
- 16 fps burst
- Shutter speed of 1/32’000
Those are some serious numbers for a “point and shoot” camera, but it really isn’t a point and shoot; it looks like one and, to a degree, is as easy to use.
It’s a Clumsy Box
The RX100 IV is a magician inside a little camera, but the ergonomics really need some serious improvement. I don’t have a problem with how tiny the camera is; in fact, it just about fits in the pocket (the lens doesn’t retract, though, so you’ll walk around with an awkward bulge). The problem is that control ring around the lens is the only thing that is textured and provides a grip – the rest of the camera is a smooth, slippery mess.
The other problem is in the buttons. The record, function, menu, and C buttons are featureless and sunk into the body. If you have a big thumb or big hands in general, you will find it difficult to navigate when you’re using the pop-up electronic viewfinder. Speaking of which, I found that the viewfinder is unnecessary; a camera this size with a lens that hardly extends an inch can be adequately used with the screen, which can be flipped and manoeuvred for tricky conditions. As an example, while shooting some fireworks from the ground, I propped the camera on some gravel and extended the back screen to see what I was shooting. As much as I love viewfinders, it doesn’t feel necessary on the RX.
Superior Photos
I admit I didn’t expect much from the camera, and for a while I couldn’t even see the photos; I was shooting in RAW which was not supported yet. After a few days, though, Adobe’s DNG converter was updated and I managed to plug in the photos into Lightroom. I admit I was impressed. Here is a before and after photo (the rest of the images in this review are post-processed):
The DNG files gave me plenty of room to work with, which was a pleasant surprise from this tiny camera. After seeing the results, I dropped my DSLR and spent the bulk of the holiday using the RX. Its versatility, size, and image quality were just perfect for your every day photos as well as for some wow moments.
After dark and during my friend’s wedding, the RX proved very capable of handling low-light situations. At ISO 2000 and even ISO 4000, noise levels were very acceptable, with very, very fine “grain” that in my opinion adds a little character to the photos, but can be easily treated in post-processing. The great advantage here is that the aperture opens up to f/1.8 at the wide end of the lens and closes to only f/2.8 at the long end, giving it a significant edge over kit lenses shipped with DSLRs (which typically range between f/3.5-5.6) and even more expensive prime lenses at f/2.8 – not that this is a competitor to DSLRs, mind you.
Complimenting the lens is a 1-inch sensor, which is quite large for a camera this size. Sony has re-engineered the sensor to read, analyse, and generate massive amounts of data at incredible speeds, which also gives it the capability to shoot 4K videos and slow motion videos at 960fps. The autofocus has been very fast and accurate with me in most cases. In some very tricky low-light situations, a simple nudge of the camera corrected the focus.
Super Slow Motion
When you fire up the slow-motion function (setting the dial to HFR, or “high frame rate”), it’s very likely that the camera will tell you your SD card is not supported. In order to use slow motion video, you’ll have to invest some cash in an SDXC card instead of your typical SDHC. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to test the slow motion video on the camera.
In any case, you cannot shoot 4K in slow motion; the resolution degrades as you go higher with the fps settings. At 240fps, you can record at a resolution of 1824×1026; at 480fps you can record at 1676×566, and finally at 960fps the resolution scales down to 1136×384. You can also shoot at Full HD at 60fps.
Cumbersome Menus
One of the frustrating factors of RX is the very cumbersome menu system. You have six tabs with many, many options under each, making it very difficult to find what you are looking for. Switching between tabs and menu items took a long while to get used to, and, depending on what mode you’re in, options will be disabled but still visible, creating unnecessary clutter. My suggestion is to go into the menus and change the settings all in one go, so that you need not visit them as much. An important setting to change (as you should on any camera that supports it) is the Auto-ISO.
Worth the Purchase?
All of this technology comes with a price, though. The RX100 IV costs AED 3’600, which is more than what you’d pay for an entry-level DSLR or other cameras within the RX class such as the Lumix LX100. The hefty price is definitely worth it if you’re an avid video user; the 4K shooting and the super-slow motion are certainly marvels from a tiny camera such as this (just make sure you get the proper SD cards). Note, however, that the camera doesn’t have audio connectivity so you can only use the internal audio recording capabilities. So it’s a great start for the avid videographer, but the pros will find this worrisome.
As far as still photos are concerned, I was genuinely impressed with the quality of the photos and with how much you can do with the RAW file (or the generated DNG that is). I’d definitely recommend it as an all-around travel camera and for low-light photography; however, for the budding photographer or the average globe-trotting Joe, this is a heavy investment – particularly if you’re not going to use video – even though you’d get great images out of it. Otherwise, it makes an excellent secondary camera that you can use alongside your DSLR as well as for some videos.
What I felt, though, is that if you’re only into either photography or videogrpahy, then the price tag is difficult to justify. If you’re looking to explore both sides, however, then the RX100 IV gives you a very good balance between the two modes, offering you enough to explore without getting overwhelmed, in a small and pocketable package.
