Sony DSC-RX10 Mark II

      Photo Review 8.8
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      In summary

      Like its predecessor, the RX10 Mark II packs a lot into a relatively compact camera body and is worthy of consideration by anyone who wants a premium, long zoom camera with a larger than average (12.8 x 9.6 mm) sensor and 4K movie recording capabilities.

      Add in features like raw file capture, an f/2.8 maximum aperture across the zoom range, plenty of user-adjustable controls and superior build quality and it’s a model to be reckoned with.

      But, at an RRP of AU$1899 it’s the most expensive model in its class. Rivals like Panasonic’s DMC-FZ1000 and Canon’s PowerShot G3 X have RRPs closer to the AU$1000 level and, although they may lack some of the RX10 II’s features, they offer some differences photographers may prefer. (See full review for comparison table of all three cameras.)

       

      Full review

      Announced in June 2015, Sony’s Cyber-shot RX10 II introduces many of the same new technologies as the RX100 IV (which we reviewed in November 2015 but in a larger, SLR-like body with a long zoom lens. Its 13.2 x 8.8 mm  stacked CMOS sensor with DRAM chip uses the same technology as the RX100 IV’s and has almost the same resolution. It’s coupled with a BIONZ X image processor that enables the RX10 II to offer the same 4K movie recording capabilities, along with high-frame-rate (HFR) movie recording at up to 1000fps for 40x super-slow-motion recordings.
       

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       Angled view of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 II. (Source: Sony.)
       

      Like the RX100 IV, the RX10 II comes with an Anti-Distortion Shutter that can record at up to 1/32000 second and fast, contrast-based autofocusing based upon a Direct Drive SSM (Super Sonicwave Motor) drive system. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 8.8-73.3mm zoom lens is the same as in the original RX10 and covers focal lengths equivalent to 24-200mm in 35mm format.

      Sony released a firmware update (V. 1.20) for the RX10 II in October 2015, We updated the supplied camera’s firmware before embarking on this review.

      Who’s It For?
      Long-zoom cameras, particularly those with larger sensors than regular digicams, are the only sector of the fixed-lens camera market whose sales remain steady in the on-going context of declining camera sales. Providing an alternative to an interchangeable-lens camera these ‘bridge’ cameras combine enthusiast-friendly features like raw file capture and plenty of manual controls with single-package versatility.

      Like its predecessor, the RX10 II is designed for photo enthusiasts who don’t want to change lenses but require a serious-looking camera that can take the place of an interchangeable-lens DSLR. Its 24-200mm (equivalent) zoom lens covers an ideal zoom range for travellers, for whom having a  maximum aperture of f/2.8 at all focal lengths will be particularly valuable.

      For shooting stills and movies, the RX10 II is one of the most versatile fixed-lens consumer cameras currently available. But that comes at a cost; it’s currently the most expensive camera of its type on the market.

      What’s New?
       The new stacked CMOS sensor with DRAM chip is an important step-up in the Mark II camera. We covered this sensor in detail in our review of the  Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV. This sensor has enabled the  RX10 II to support 4K video recording as well as high-frame-rate (HFR) capture of still pictures.

      Continuous shooting speeds have increased to a maximum of 14 frames/second  (fps) in Speed Priority Continuous mode and 5 fps in the normal continuous mode, compared with 10 fps and 2.5 fps in the RX10. The integrated DRAM chip has more than doubled the buffer memory for continuous shooting to 44 Extra Fine JPEG frames or 29 raw frames.

      The RX10 II supports the same video recording functions and Picture Profiles as the RX100 Mark IV and Picture Profiles. They are outlined in our review of that camera. The BIONZ X processor is also the same in both cameras.

      The resolution of the EVF has been boosted from 1,440,000 dots in the original RX10 to 2,359,296 dots in the Mark II model. The result is a clearer, crisper view of scenes with better detail resolution.

      Autofocusing is also enhanced with a new algorithm that aims to improve the performance of the   Direct Drive SSM (Super Sonicwave Motor) drive system inherited from the original RX10. It’s the same system as used in the RX100 IV but not quite as fast, since the RX10 II has more glass to move in its substantially longer zoom lens. And, even at short focal lengths, the lens in the RX10 II transmits less light for the system to work with.

      The new camera also gains an electronic shutter, enabling it to support speeds of up to 1/32000 second, compared with 1/3200 second on the RX10. Users can choose between the Auto setting in the menu, which switches between mechanical and electronic shutters automatically, depending on conditions, and either the mechanical or electronic shutters alone.

      The price of the new camera has increased by AU$400 over the previous model. But for that you get the ability to record 4K video at 24p or 30p with full sensor read-out. Movie clips can be up to 29 minutes long with 4K recording, while in Full HD 1080p mode, Sony’s Dual Rec function will record 16.8-megapixel stills simultaneously with movie recordings. Note: An SDXC memory card with a Class 10 or higher speed rating is required for XAVC S recording and UHS Speed Class 3 is required for recording at 100Mbps and you need Sony’s PlayMemories Home software to ‘unpack’ the XAVC S video clips and convert them into MP4 format for viewing on a TV set.

      The HFR (High Frame Rate) mode lets you shoot slow-motion movies at 250, 500 or 100 fps in PAL format (240, 480 or 960  fps for NTSC), although you’ll require the same card specifications as you need for recording XAVC S movie clips. The menu allows you to choose a Priority setting, either Quality Priority, which records only two seconds of video at the highest quality or Shoot Time Priority, which records for up to four seconds. You can set the Start Trigger to begin recording when you press the movie button or End Trigger to start recording.

      In the Quality Priority mode, the highest quality (1824 x 1026 pixels is recorded with the 25p/50M record setting and the 250 fps frame rate. If you opt for the 1000 fps frame rate, the quality is reduced to 1136 x 384 pixels. Whichever setting you choose, the camera will up-sample the clips to the standard 1080p Full HD resolution for playing back on a TV set or integrating with normal video footage.

      Setting up HFR recording is complex; after selecting the mode on the mode dial, you must ready the camera for recording by pressing the button in the centre of the arrow pad. When the ‘Standby’ message is displayed on the screen, the camera is ready to record. Pressing the movie button initiates recording.

      HFR movies can be played back on the camera’s screen but you need PlayMemories Home to view the HFR (high frame rate) burst recordings on a computer and convert them into MP4 format (which can take several minutes). And the resulting quality isn’t up to the standard of normal FHD clips and the effects of the up-sampling are noticeable.  

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      Five frames from an HFR sequence recorded with a mid-range Quality Priority setting.

      Recording in HFR mode tends to use up battery power, particularly with the End Trigger setting (which buffers the recording before saving it). However, this setting makes it easier to capture the optimal starting point for successful recordings.

      What’s Not?
      The RX10 II’s body is almost identical to its predecessor’s, with a magnesium alloy chassis plus dust- and moisture-resistant sealing. It has the same SLR-like styling and the same Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 8.8-73.3mm zoom lens and 1,228,800-dot 3-inch Xtra-Fine TFT colour monitor.

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       Back and top views of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 II. (Source: Sony.)

      The control layout hasn’t changed, although a couple of new modes ““ MR (Memory recall) and HFR (High Frame Rate) ““ replace the two user memory settings on the RX10’s mode dial. The LCD data panel and exposure compensation dial on the top panel are unchanged, as are the multi interface shoe and pop-up flash.

      Autofocusing modes remain unchanged since the RX10, with single and continuous modes and a choice of three selectable sizes for the spot AF frame. Face detection and Eye AF are also available, along with direct manual focusing.

      Manual focus assist magnifies the image by approximately 8.6x or 17.1x to allow focus checking. Peaking highlights can be displayed to show which areas in the image are sharpest.   Users can choose from white, yellow or red peaking colours.

      The built-in three-stop ND (neutral density) filter is also at hand, as are the digital level gauge and Sony’s usual range of in-camera effects. Users can select appropriate DRO (Dynamic Range Optimiser) modes for reducing the risk of blown highlights and blocked shadows in contrasty lighting or resort to the Auto HDR mode.

       The new camera’s Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities are identical to those in the α7 cameras and covered in our  review of the α7R.  Sony is steadily expanding its PlayMemories camera apps and had 35 listed on its website when this review was carried out, 15 of them free of charge and the remainder priced at $4.99 or $9.99.  

      Playback modes are similar to other Sony cameras, with a maximum 14x playback zoom available.  As usual, neither a comprehensive user manual nor bundled software was supplied with the review camera. Instead there’s a very basic printed guide, which is supplied in four booklets covering five languages.

      You have to go online for the complete user manual, which isn’t particularly well designed or comprehensive.   In line with Sony’s current practice, users can download the recommended editor/raw coversion software, Capture One Express for Sony at the same time. The RX10 II is also supported by Adobe Camera Raw.

      Performance
      Most of the problems we identified in the original RX10 camera we reviewed in October 2013 appear to have been addressed in the Mark II model, with the new stacked sensor design making a critical contribution to the improvements. Autofocusing speed and accuracy have been dramatically improved, particularly for shooting stills in bright lighting, although it took slightly longer in dim lighting and with low contrast subjects.

      When recording movie clips, the camera defaults to continuous AF mode, which is noticeably slower than for shooting stills.   Although you can switch to manual focusing, the long zoom range makes it difficult to focus accurately on fast-moving subjects, despite the aids the camera provides.

      The focus ring has to be rotated a full turn as you zoom when moving between close subjects and infinity. This makes pulling focus from extreme telephoto to moderate wide-angle less successful than it should be.

      Autofocusing was also slower when recording movies and we noticed some hunting for focus, even in relatively bright conditions. When recording movies of moving subjects the lens would sometimes focus on the background before slipping back onto the subject as it came closer.

      Few other cameras in the fixed-lens advanced digicam category have such impressive video capabilities as the RX10 11 and, aside from a few autofocusing issues, we found the video performance of the review camera to be impressive. In particular, the highest settings in the 4K XAVC S captured enough detail and colour information to deliver still frames that were printable at up to A3 size.

      We weren’t able to test the camera with external microphone or headphones but these facilities, along with excellent audio monitoring functions, make the RX10 a good choice for serious video shooters. It also handles more comfortably in movie mode than many DSLRs we’ve used.

      Imatest showed the review camera to be capable of meeting expectations for the 20-megapixel sensor with JPEG files and comfortably exceeding expectations with raw files (which we converted into 16-bit TIFF format with the bundled Capture One for Sony software). This software also delivered excellent colour accuracy in the converted TIFFs, although the camera’s processor also produced above average colour accuracy in JPEGs.

      Resolution remained relatively high across most of the camera’s ISO range, as shown in the graph of our Imatest results below. However, noise could be seen in shots taken at ISO settings above 4000, although they remained relatively sharp.
       

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       Noise granularity and loss of sharpness and contrast were visible at ISO 6400 in long exposures at night. Exposures of 2.5 seconds at ISO 12800 at night were noticeably softened and grainy looking. However, there was no loss of colour accuracy and saturation.
       The built-in pop-up flash tended to under-expose subjects at the lowest ISO settings at focal lengths close to the maximum optical zoom extension. However, by ISO 400, the correct exposure balance had been achieved and the camera was able to remain close to it for the rest of the ISO range. From ISO 6400 on, a loss of contrast and sharpness became apparent, although flash shots taken at ISO 12800 would be considered usable after unsharp masking and slight contrast boosting ““ provided output sizes were modest.

      High ISO settings tended to reduce colour saturation, although they combined effectively with the Auto DRO (dynamic range optimisation) setting to capture a wider-than-average dynamic range in high-contrast situations. The

      The optical performance of the lens was as expected for a long-range integrated zoom designed for a 1-inch sensor. The highest resolution was recorded with the 13.7mm setting (equivalent to 35mm in 35mm format) between f/3.5 and f/4.  

      Edge softening was present at all focal length settings, most noticeably with the shorter focal lengths and wider apertures. Diffraction began a slow assault upon resolution from about f/4 on, with a rapid plunge between f/11 and f/16, as shown in the graph of our Imatest result below.

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       Lateral chromatic aberration remained within the negligible band for all aperture and focal length settings, as shown in the graph of our Imatest result below. We found no evidence of coloured fringing in test shots. Presumably it’s corrected automatically since no manual correction is present in the camera’s menu.

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       The dynamic range recorded in shots was better than average, as shown in the sample images below. However, enlarging JPEGs to 100% revealed JPEG artefacts, which were most noticeable along high-contrast edges.  

      Bokeh in close-ups was variable, although it was smooth with wide apertures as long as there were no bright highlights in the background. Bright highlights were usually rendered with hard edges and dark halos.

      Auto white balance performance was similar to the RX10’s. Shots taken under incandescent lighting were partly corrected, while shots taken with fluorescent lighting and flash were virtually cast-free. The pre-sets slightly over-corrected for both incandescent and fluorescent lighting but manual measurement delivered a neutral colour balance in both cases. In-camera adjustment on each colour axis (G/M and A/B) is provided for tweaking images as you shoot and white balance bracketing is available.

      We carried out our timing tests with a 64GB Lexar Professional SDXC UHS-II card, which has a Class 10 speed rating and read/write speeds of 300 MB/s.  This is the fastest card in our collection and provides the speed and capacity needed for XAVC S movie clips.

      Like other Sony cameras, each time a new memory card is inserted, the camera checks the Image Database, which can take several seconds if the card was used previously in a different camera. This delays the start-up time.

      The average start-up time when the card had been used previously in the camera was 1.6 seconds, which includes the time taken to extend the lens to the 8.8mm (24mm) position. Capture lag ranged between 0.1 seconds at the widest angle to 0.15 seconds at the telephoto position. It was totally eliminated when shots were pre-focused. Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.4 seconds without flash and 3.6 seconds with.  

      With Speed Priority continuous shooting mode the review camera recorded 43 Large/ExtraFine JPEGs in 2.7 seconds in the burst mode before pausing. With ARW.RAW files, the buffer memory filled at 30 frames, which were recorded in 3.4 seconds. The buffer memory also filled after 28 RAW+JPEG pairs, which were captured in 3.3 seconds. The only indicator of how long it took for the buffer memory to clear was when the stabiliser indicator on the screen stopped flashing, which occurred between 40 seconds and a minute after the end of each burst.

      In the normal continuous shooting mode, the camera recorded 53 Large Extra Fine JPEGs in 7.6 seconds before slowing down. Processing this burst took roughly two minutes from when the last frame was captured.

      Conclusion
       Like its predecessor, the RX10 Mark II packs a lot into a relatively compact camera body and is worthy of consideration by anyone who wants a premium, long zoom camera with a larger than average (12.8 x 9.6 mm) sensor and 4K movie recording capabilities. Add in features like raw file capture, an f/2.8 maximum aperture across the zoom range, plenty of user-adjustable controls and superior build quality and it’s a model to be reckoned with.

      But, at an RRP of AU$1899 it’s the most expensive model in its class. Rivals like Panasonic’s DMC-FZ1000 and Canon’s PowerShot G3 X have RRPs closer to the AU$1000 level and, although they may lack some of the   RX10 II’s features, they offer some differences photographers may prefer. The table below compares all three cameras.

       

      Canon PowerShot
       G3 X

      Panasonic FZ1000

      Sony Cyber-shot RX10 Mark II

      Body materials

      Magnesium-alloy

      Polycarbonate plastic

      Magnesium-alloy

      Weather-resistant

      Yes  

      No

      Yes

      Sensor (effective resolution)

      20.2MP BSI-CMOS

      20.1MP High Sensitivity MOS Sensor

      20.2MP stacked CMOS sensor with DRAM chip

      Sensor size

      13.2 x 8.8mm

      Sensitivity range

      ISO 125-12800

      ISO 80-25600

      ISO 100-25600

      Lens
       (35mm-equ.)

      24-600mm
       f/2.8-5.6  

      25-400mm f/2.8-4.0

      24-200mm
       f/2.8

      Zoom magnification

      25x

      16x

      8.3x

      Closest focus

      5 cm

      3 cm

      13 cm

      Max. Continuous shooting

      5.9 fps

      9.5 fps

      14 fps

      Viewfinder

      Optional
       EVF-DC1

      0.39-type EVF, 2,359,296 dots

      AF system

      Contrast-detection

      Shutter speeds

      30 – 1/2000 sec + Bulb

      60 – 1/4000 sec + Bulb (mechanical); 1-16,000 sec (electronic)

      30 – 1/3200 sec + Bulb (mechanical);   1-32,000 sec (electronic)  

      Monitor

      Tilting 3.2-inch sRGB PureColor II G with 1,620,000 dots

      Free-angle 3-inch TFT with 921,000 dots

      Tilting 3-inch, Xtra Fine/ TFT LCD 1,228,800 dots

      Touch screen

      Yes

      No

      Video options

      MPEG-4 H.264
       1080/60p/50p/30p/25p/24p; 720/30p, VGA/30p
       Stereo

      MP4 – 4K /25p; FHD @ 50p/25p, HD @ 25p, VGA @ 25p; AVCHD – FHD @ 50p/50i,24p/25p

      XAVC – 4K/25p; FHD @ 100p/50p/25p; AVCHD – 1080p @ 50p/50I/25p; MP4 -1080p @ 50p/25p, 720p @ 25p

      Connectivity

      USB, mini HDMI, DC-In, Wi-Fi/NFC, 3.5 mm jacks for mic and headphone

      USB, micro HDMI, DC-In, Wi-Fi/NFC 2.5 mm jack for remote, 3.5 mm jack for mic

      USB, micro HDMI, DC-In, Wi-Fi/NFC, mic and headphone jacks, remote control jack

      Battery capacity (CIPA rated)

      300 shots/charge

      360 shots/charge

      400 shots/charge

      Dimensions (wxhxd)

      123 x 77 x 105  mm

      136.8 x 98.5 x 130.7 mm

      129.0 x 88.1 x 102.2 mm

      Weight with battery

      733 grams

      831 grams

      813 grams

      MSRP ($AU)

      $1299  

      $1199

      $1899

       

      SPECS

       Image sensor: 13.2 x 8.8 mm stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with 21 million photosites (20.2 megapixels  effective)
       Image processor: BIONZ X
       A/D processing:14-bit uncompressed raw/ 12-bit compressed raw
       Lens:  Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 8.8-73.3mm zoom lens (24-200mm in 35 mm format)
       Optical design: 14 elements in 11 groups (7 aspheric elements including AA lens)
       Zoom ratio: 8.3x optical, up to 126x digital (VGA size)
       Image formats: Stills ““JPEG (Exif 2.3), ARW.RAW, RAW+JPEG; Movies ““ XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4
       Image Sizes: Stills ““ 3:2 aspect: 5472 x 3648, 3888 x 2592, 2736 x1824; 16:9 aspect: 5472 x 3080, 3648 x 2056, 2720 x 1528; 4:3 aspect: 4864 x 3648, 3648 x 2736, 2592 x1944; 1:1 aspect: 3648 x 3648, 2544 x 2544, 1920 x 1920; Sweep Panorama: Wide – 12416 x 1856 / 5536 x 2160; standard – 8192 x1856 / 3872 x 2160; Movies: XAVC S – 4K at 3840 x 2160 at 100M/60M 25p, 1920 x 1080 at 100M/60M 100p, 50M 50p/25p; AVCHD – 1920 x 1080 at 28M, 24M, 17M:   MP4 at 1920 x 1080 at 28M, 16M 50/25 fps, 1280 x 720 at 6M 25 fps
       Shutter speed range: 30 to 1/3200 seconds plus Bulb
       Self-timer: 1, 3 or 5 consecutive shots with 10sec. 5sec. or 2sec. delay selectable
       Image Stabilisation: Still Image: Optical SteadyShot, Movie: Intelligent Active Mode, Optical type with electronic compensation, Anti Rolling type
       Exposure Compensation: +/- 3.0EV in 1/3EV steps
       Bracketing: AE – 3 frames in 0.3EV steps, WB and DRO bracketing available
       Focus system/range: 25-point High-Speed AF   with Direct Drive SSM motor; range 3cm to infinity (wide) or 30 cm to infinity (tele)  
         Focus  modes: Single-shot AF, Continuous AF, Direct Manual Focus, Manual Focus
         Focus area settings: Wide (25 AF points), Centre Weighted AF, Flexible spot (S/M/L) with tracking focus or face tracking
         Exposure metering: Multi-segment, Centre-weighted average, Partial and Spot  
       Shooting modes: Superior Auto, iAuto, Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Movie, HFR, Panorama, Scene Selection (Night Scene, Night Portrait, Portrait, Landscape,   Handheld Twilight,   Anti Motion Blur, Sports Action, Macro, Sunset), Memory Recall (1,2,3)
       In-camera effects: HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Partial Colour, Soft High-key, Water Colour, Posterisation, Retro Photo, Soft Focus, High Contrast Monochrome, Illustration
       ISO range: Auto (ISO100-12800, selectable with upper / lower limit), Manual: ISO 100-12800 in 1/3EV steps plus extensions to ISO 64/80 and ISO 25600 (via Multi-Frame NR)
       White balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (x4), Flash, C.Temp./Filter, Custom
       Flash: Built-in pop-up flash
       Flash modes/range (ISO auto): Auto/ Flash On/ Slow Synchro/ Rear Sync./ Flash Off/ Wireless(with optional compatible flash); range: ISO Auto: Approx. 1.0m to 10.2m
       Flash exposure adjustment: +/-3 EV in 1/3EV increments
       Sequence shooting: Max. 14 frames/second
       Buffer memory depth (based on tests): 44JPEGs, 29 raw files, 27 RAW+JPEG
       Storage Media: Single slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC or Memory Stick Pro Duo memory cards; UHS-1 compatible
       Viewfinder: 0.39-type XGA OLED with 2,359,296 dots, 100% FOV, 0.7x magnification, approx. 23mm eye point, -4 to +3 dpt adjustment
       LCD monitor: Tilting 3-inch Xtra Fine/ TFT LCD screen with 1,228,800 dots, brightness adjustment of 5 steps plus Sunny Weather setting
         Interface terminals: Multi/Micro USB Terminal, USB 2.0, Micro HDMI, external microphone IN (3.5 mm stereo jack), Multi-interface shoe, headphone jack
         Connectivity: Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band); NFC (Forum Type 3 Tag compatible), one-touch remote, one-touch sharing
         Power supply: NP-FW50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 400 shots/approx. 180 minutes of video per charge  
         Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 129 x 88.1 x 102.2 mm
         Weight: Approx. 770 grams (without battery and memory card); 813 grams with battery and Memory Stick Pro Duo card

       

      TESTS

       Based on JPEG files

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       Based on ARW.RAW files converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Capture One for Sony software

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      SAMPLES

       

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      Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.  

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      Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
       

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       Auto white balance with flash lighting.  

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      ISO 64, 30-second exposure at f/2.8; 18mm focal length.
       

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      ISO 100, 25-second exposure at f/3.5; 18mm focal length.
       

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      ISO 800, 10-second exposure at f/3.5; 18mm focal length.
       
       

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      ISO 3200, 5-second exposure at f/5; 18mm focal length.
       

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      ISO 6400, 3.2-second exposure at f/5.6; 18mm focal length.
       

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      ISO 12800, 2.5-second exposure at f/7.1; 18mm focal length.
       

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      Flash exposure at ISO 64; 1/50 second at f/2.8; 68mm focal length.
       

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      Flash exposure at ISO 100; 1/50 second at f/2.8; 68mm focal length.
       

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      Flash exposure at ISO 800; 1/50 second at f/2.8; 68mm focal length.
       

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      Flash exposure at ISO 3200; 1/50 second at f/2.8; 68mm focal length.
       

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      Flash exposure at ISO 6400; 1/80 second at f/2.8; 68mm focal length.
       

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      Flash exposure at ISO 12800; 1/160 second at f/2.8; 68mm focal length.
       

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      8.8mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1000 second at f/5.6.
       

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      73mm  focal length, ISO 100, 1/320 second at f/5.6.
       

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      Digital zoom; 73mm  focal length, ISO 100, 1/320 second at f/5.6.
       

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      Clear Image zoom; 73mm  focal length, ISO 100, 1/400 second at f/5.6.
       

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      Close-up at  73mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/3200 second at f/2.8.
       

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      Close-up showing haloing around bright highlights; 73mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/2500 second at f/2.8.
       

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      Low-light close-up at 73mm focal length, ISO 3200, 1/1000 second at f/4.
       

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      73mm  focal length, ISO 100, 1/640 second at f/7.1.
       

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       Crop from the above image at 100% enlargement showing no coloured fringing but visible JPEG artefacts.
       

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      73mm  focal length, ISO 64, 1/250 second at f/5.6.
       

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       Crop from the above image at 100% enlargement showing JPEG artefacts. The Auto DRO setting was used for this shot.
       

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      73mm  focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/8.
       

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      73mm  focal length, ISO 80, 1/640 second at f/6.3.

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      73mm  focal length, ISO 6400, 1/1000 second at f/2.8.

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      68mm focal length, ISO 5000, 1/400 second at f/4.

       

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       Still frame from XAVC S 4K video clip; 25p 100Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from XAVC S 4K video clip; 25p 60Mbps.

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      Still frame from XAVC S  FHD  video clip;  100p 100Mbps.

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      Still frame from XAVC S  FHD  video clip;  100p 60Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from XAVC S  FHD  video clip; 50p 50Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from XAVC S FHD video clip; 25p 50Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 50i at 24Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 50i at 17Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 50p at 28Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 25p at   24Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from AVCHD Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 25p at 17Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from MP4 Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 50p 28Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from MP4 Full HD (1920 x 1080) video clip; 25p 16Mbps.
       

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       Still frame from MP4 HD (1280 x 720) video clip; 25p at 6Mbps.
       

      Rating

      RRP: AU$1899; US$1300

      • Build: 9.0
      • Ease of use: 8.7
      • Autofocusing: 8.9
      • Image quality JPEG: 9.0
      • Image quality RAW: 9.2
      • Video quality: 9.0

       

       

      Buy