Why does Sony RX100 meet the requirement?

[Hong]

Sorry for this rudimentary question. I am a newbie and have read a lot of comments here about Sony RX100.

According to Alamy’s rough guide to digital cameras, "Alamy recommend using cameras with four thirds sensors as a minimum requirement", Sony RX100's 1" sensor size is smaller than four-thirds. All the posts about RX100 I have read here do not suggest it has a sensor size issue. Is Sony RX100 an exception in this regard?

[Hong]

Thank you for the tips.

I tried Wi-Fi with my previous Sony HX50V a long time ago and it was too slow to be practical. I usually connect HX50V with a USB cable and the camera becomes a drive. 

I originally wanted to see if RX100VII's Wi-Fi connection was fast enough to be practical. 

I think I will deal with RX100VII the same way. When I connect it to my PC, it becomes USB Drive (D)

 

[gvallee]

I also used to always use a card reader but three events made me change my ways:

 

1. My card reader got crushed and dented in my overloaded photo bag. A new XQD card reader was extremely expensive.

2. I once pushed back the card a little too hard in the camera, the pins were not completely aligned, it bent the pins and it was the end of the camera (Nikon D2Xs)

3. Constantly removing the memory card and replacing it in the camera, combined with tropical weather, heat and humidity, caused wear and tear of the card. The corner of the plastic frame of the card broke and remained stuck in the camera. Cost me a packet to extract the broken bit from the camera.

 

So now I use a cable to download from each camera (Nikon, Sony, GoPro). I looked into Wifi for the Nikon D4 but it was too complicated, the camera is too old now.

 

I appreciate that the above is only for my situation/habits/travel, it does not apply to everyone.

 

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

My process is pretty much the same.  I have a different file and folder naming convention but I do what suits my sort of work.  Yes, to using a card reader and formatting in camera! Using the camera's WiFi is super problematic, at least when I have tried with Sony or Nikon.

I wasn’t sure if I am a Luddite & no one else does it how I do it, so nice to know I’m in great company! To me, if something works, I don’t go after the newest thing when what I’m doing ain’t broke. Life is simpler that way.

[Ed Rooney]

 

I shoot with one of my three Sony RX100s about 98% of the time. I have a 5-star QC rating so I'm close to perfect . . . or maybe I'm living in a world of confusion. 

[Bryan]

16 hours ago, Hong said:

I bought RX100VII and Alexander White's book. The exciting journey has just started. I cannot figure out how to transfer media files to a computer via Wi-Fi. PlayMemories has been deprecated, so White's book's section about how this task is no longer valid. Could any veteran offer a tip on this?

I just hook it up using a USB cable, simple and effective. 

[spacecadet]

5 hours ago, gvallee said:

I also used to always use a card reader but three events made me change my ways:

 

1. My card reader got crushed and dented in my overloaded photo bag. A new XQD card reader was extremely expensive.

2. I once pushed back the card a little too hard in the camera, the pins were not completely aligned, it bent the pins and it was the end of the camera (Nikon D2Xs)

3. Constantly removing the memory card and replacing it in the camera, combined with tropical weather, heat and humidity, caused wear and tear of the card. The corner of the plastic frame of the card broke and remained stuck in the camera. Cost me a packet to extract the broken bit from the camera.

 

So now I use a cable to download from each camera (Nikon, Sony, GoPro). I looked into Wifi for the Nikon D4 but it was too complicated, the camera is too old now.

 

I appreciate that the above is only for my situation/habits/travel, it does not apply to everyone.

 

Fair advice, I've had an SD card casing crack. Though superglue got me home I did replace it. Likewise a scare with the pins in my previous camera. The card reader in my all-in-one PC also occasionally decides to plug, but not play.

[Allan Bell]

I do everything through USB on the little Sony.  Make sure you have USB Mode Mass Storage selected in the menu to transfer images to computer. When finished turn off mass storage mode but leave USB cable connected to charge up battery.

 

Even so I still carry a spare battery with me JIC.

 

Allan

 

[wiskerke]

Nowadays I always use a fast external card reader. New laptops don't have internal SD card readers anymore. Last time I decided against including a n internal reader into my desktop also, because it's a lot quicker to switch an external one. Which I already have. The speed is about the same anyway. The drawback: one more item on the packing list.

I have never used wifi or direct cable except to see if it would work. Of course it did, but it was much too slow for me. Also I like to be able to have my cameras at the ready. Like wise I always use multiple external battery chargers for my RX100's and my old A7R2.

In the old days I had CF cards bend pins inside big Canons, but never had SD card slots go bad. An SD card has gone into the laundry and survived, but I managed to crack two. Just as I sometimes break my glasses in two or get holes in my shoes. (Not to mention total the odd car.)

 

wim

[Betty LaRue]

3 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

Nowadays I always use a fast external card reader. New laptops don't have internal SD card readers anymore. Last time I decided against including a n internal reader into my desktop also, because it's a lot quicker to switch an external one. Which I already have. The speed is about the same anyway. The drawback: one more item on the packing list.

I have never used wifi or direct cable except to see if it would work. Of course it did, but it was much too slow for me. Also I like to be able to have my cameras at the ready. Like wise I always use multiple external battery chargers for my RX100's and my old A7R2.

In the old days I had CF cards bend pins inside big Canons, but never had SD card slots go bad. An SD card has gone into the laundry and survived, but I managed to crack two. Just as I sometimes break my glasses in two or get holes in my shoes. (Not to mention total the odd car.)

 

wim

In 20 years, I have never had any issue with using an external card reader.

Also, I never trip on something & fall. That doesn’t mean a throw rug won’t trip me up tomorrow. That’s called living & accepting nothing is 100%.

[MDM]

 

53 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

In 20 years, I have never had any issue with using an external card reader.

 

 

Same here until recently. I guess Murphy's Law was formulated with me in mind.  I always used to use a card reader but very recently I managed to get a very expensive high speed CF Express card stuck in an expensive card reader. The card reader is made of metal and has a locking device on it which somehow jammed with the card in it. I have no idea how this happened - it just did. After some pulling, pushing and lots of swearing, I managed to get the card out although it had chipped slightly with the effort. So I put it back into the camera to see if it would work. It does work perfectly at full speed but it is now jammed in the camera. It won't budge and I don't want to force it lest I damage the camera.

 

As long as it continues to work it's ok for now. I'm not intending to sell the camera in the foreseeable future. The card and reader are under warranty so I am going to contact the manufacturer tomorrow and see if they can do anything but I don't hold up too much hope for a solution. Anyway I am now just uploading by USB-C direct to the computer and intend to continue to do that indefinitely. Much safer - I mean what could possibly go wrong?

Edited May 12 by MDM

[Michael Ventura]

25 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

In 20 years, I have never had any issue with using an external card reader.

Also, I never trip on something & fall. That doesn’t mean a throw rug won’t trip me up tomorrow. That’s called living & accepting nothing is 100%.

 

Same.  Never had a card reader fail in 20 years, as well.   I have, however, tripped and fallen and, in the process, broke an arm.  Failure is indeed possible!!!  Ha!

[Phil]

30 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

Nowadays I always use a fast external card reader.

 

Yes - same here.   WiFi too problematic and also a long time ago I found using a cable from camera to computer to be slow.

 

I put my camera's SD cards in my SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C reader to quickly copy the files off to a folder on computer.

[sb photos]

On 09/04/2024 at 22:09, Gervais Montacute said:

The only thing you need to remember about the Sony RX100 is basically not a lot of good in low light. Other than that, they're good.

 

Very true. I have the RX100M7. You have to be cautious opening shadows too far, especially at higher iso's. A few weeks back my RX100 coped very well photographing the exterior of a kosher butchers, but I gave up trying the open the shadows so the inside of the shop was viewable. Went back recently with a D750, no trouble other than being asked why I was photographing a Jewish shop during heightened tensions. I can't make quick adjustments on the RX100 due to the Sony menu system. A DSLR with a bigger sensor and external controls can tackle everything. I have used my RX100 to shoot static protests when not carrying my Nikon D750's or D500's, and it's better than my first generation RX10 that is semi retired now, sometimes just used for HD video. Depending upon how much you shoot, you will likely need an extra battery as they don't last long. I have 6 non Sony batteries that are acceptable. Hong, you should enjoy using the RX100.

Edited May 12 by sb photos

[gvallee]

Just now, Allan Bell said:

I do everything through USB on the little Sony.  Make sure you have USB Mode Mass Storage selected in the menu to transfer images to computer. When finished turn off mass storage mode but leave USB cable connected to charge up battery.

 

Even so I still carry a spare battery with me JIC.

 

Allan

 

 

I do exactly that.

 

[wiskerke]

6 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Even so I still carry a spare battery with me JIC.

+1.

Make that +3 with 2 cameras.

Plus a power bank for the phone, because although it sucks, shooting via wifi opens up many possibilities. But eats batteries.

 

wim

Edited May 12 by wiskerke
link added

[Phil]

2 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

Plus a power bank for the phone, because although it sucks, shooting via wifi opens up many possibilities. But eats batteries.

 

wim

 

 

On occasion I've used my cell phone power bank with my RX-100 - handy little battery packs.

[NYCat]

Yes to extra battery........and a battery charger so as to not have to open that little tab on the side of the camera that is so breakable. I find the RX100vii uses up the battery a lot faster than the original one. If I was going to be shooting a lot for a long time I'd bring more than one extra battery

 

Paulette

[Betty LaRue]

4 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

Same.  Never had a card reader fail in 20 years, as well.   I have, however, tripped and fallen and, in the process, broke an arm.  Failure is indeed possible!!!  Ha!

A funny story. Yeah, haha.
Nearly two years ago I was at my daughter’s house for a 4th of July celebration. People were sitting on the front porch steps watching the guys race motorized cars. I needed to go in the house briefly & threaded the outer edge of the steps that were available left over from sitting people.  Made it ok. Coming back down, with about 8” available to step on, I was somewhat walking tilted to the side so my hip wouldn’t hit anyone.  I lost my balance & started to fall sideways into a flower garden with stones. I gasped. My grandson heard, turned and covered 20 feet in a flash as I landed in the garden on one leg but  tilted sideways & ready to crash to the ground. He caught me & saved the day. This was only 6 months after my extensive back surgery, so no screws were ripped loose.
I called him my hero.

[John Mitchell]

11 hours ago, Bryan said:

I just hook it up using a USB cable, simple and effective. 

 

As usual, parsimonious minds think alike. I too use a USB cable. It can be a bit slow, but then I'm decidedly "low volume", especially these days, plus I'm not in a rush. I've never been able to figure out how to upload using WiFi with my Sony cameras.

[sb photos]

7 hours ago, NYCat said:

Yes to extra battery........and a battery charger so as to not have to open that little tab on the side of the camera that is so breakable. I find the RX100vii uses up the battery a lot faster than the original one. If I was going to be shooting a lot for a long time I'd bring more than one extra battery

 

Paulette

 

When buying my third party batteries I chose the options where the batteries came with chargers. I have 2, one supports 2 batteries, the other 3. I also notice if the batteries are left unused for some time they do self discharge a little. Always best to put in the chargers before taking them with you and observe the LCD charge levels, leaving them in for a top up if required.

[Betty LaRue]

3 hours ago, sb photos said:

 

When buying my third party batteries I chose the options where the batteries came with chargers. I have 2, one supports 2 batteries, the other 3. I also notice if the batteries are left unused for some time they do self discharge a little. Always best to put in the chargers before taking them with you and observe the LCD charge levels, leaving them in for a top up if required.

I got a 3 battery charger recently myself & do what you said. Only one time I ran out of battery & didn’t have an extra.  I’ll never do that again because I felt rotten to be so dumb. I don’t shoot hundreds of pics when I go out & usually what’s in the camera fully charged is enough. Apparently my battery was half depleted without my realizing it.

[Gervais Montacute]

On 12/05/2024 at 15:18, sb photos said:

 

Very true. I have the RX100M7. You have to be cautious opening shadows too far, especially at higher iso's. A few weeks back my RX100 coped very well photographing the exterior of a kosher butchers, but I gave up trying the open the shadows so the inside of the shop was viewable. Went back recently with a D750, no trouble other than being asked why I was photographing a Jewish shop during heightened tensions. I can't make quick adjustments on the RX100 due to the Sony menu system. A DSLR with a bigger sensor and external controls can tackle everything. I have used my RX100 to shoot static protests when not carrying my Nikon D750's or D500's, and it's better than my first generation RX10 that is semi retired now, sometimes just used for HD video. 

 

Yes the sensor in the RX100 is small and the lens at whatever focal length is being used (on the zoom) isn't ever wide or fast enough for low light. It's too slow. In good light there's obviously no problem. It's not the same thing with a big FF Nikon 750/800 with a fast lens. That's in another league for low light shooting for the opposite reason to the little Sony.

[sb photos]

On 16/05/2024 at 20:03, Gervais Montacute said:

 

Yes the sensor in the RX100 is small and the lens at whatever focal length is being used (on the zoom) isn't ever wide or fast enough for low light. It's too slow. In good light there's obviously no problem. It's not the same thing with a big FF Nikon 750/800 with a fast lens. That's in another league for low light shooting for the opposite reason to the little Sony.

 

That's why today in London I'll be shooting with D750's and F2.8 lenses to suit today's expected overcast light. The RX100 stays at home.

[Allan Bell]

De-Noise in LrC works wonders with Sony "Not so fast" lenses.

 

Allan

 

[Betty LaRue]

2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

De-Noise in LrC works wonders with Sony "Not so fast" lenses.

 

Allan

 

Yes it does.