New Camera - Sony RX100

Months ago, when Sony announced the 1" sensor, 20 megapixel, Sony RX100, I got quite excited about it. All reports were enthusiastic in every area - size, image quality, aesthetics and handling. But then I decided I was perfectly happy for the time being with my walk-around camera, the Olympus micro 4/3rds E-PL1. (Note that I didn't call it a pocketable camera.)

Then Photokina came around and Olympus announced the release in late October of the E-PL5, which would have the sensor innards of the much acclaimed OM-D E-M5, Olympus's flagship micro 4/3rds unit. So, of course, discontent set in and I started to look at the specifications of the E-M5 to see what the new E-PL5 would have with the idea that I would get that body at the end of October. (Well, I already had the improved lens and the electronic viewfinder to fit it.)

Dammit, the E-M5 captivated me and kept me captivated for a couple of weeks, while I figured out how to pay for it. And then, last weekend I had an epiphany. If I bought the E-M5 I would be buying into another system, which was silly, seeing as how I was already in possession of a full frame Nikon one. I remembered that the start of all of this nonsense years ago was to have a pocketable, take-everywhere camera whose images would be acceptable to Alamy. Of course, the Sony RX100 has the same sensor as the Nikon J and V cameras, and they are on the recommended camera list.

My RX100 arrived today and I love it. I have only taken a few test images so far and I can only say that the results are phenomenal. Honestly, I would put it at or near the quality of the E-PL1, despite the sensor being considerably smaller. By the way, it has a very good Zeiss lens. I note that the photo of it here, which is from Sony's website, does not have the little blue Zeiss badge in the bottom right corner which is on mine.