The Sony RX1RII Announced! What I have been waiting for!

138 Comments

1. I would need AT LEAST a 200% increase in AF speed to even consider this. I only kept my RX1R for a week as the AF was just too painful (even compared to my original fuji x100).

2. PERHAPS some of you generational Sony users can help answer this question. I’m wondering if the in-stock, current model RX1R (with finder) will drop in price significantly??

   Has that been the case? I’d be happy with an RX1R for sure. I’ve never owned a full-frame sensor, but I’ve used most the various models at work over the years (from Nikon and Canon). Thanks in advance for speculating on that.

   I don’t know if I can hand-hold a camera capable of such resolution consistently. I shoot often in less than desirable light. This MKII is sure to be simply astounding. I’m floored by the RX1R alone.

3. I would love to own this Sony or a newer version of the A7 but I’m worried about Sony’s customer care and support, the reliability of Sony’s cameras, and their existing and low light capabilities. I’ve am a Fuji and Leica fan/user due to these cameras image quality, build/reliability and the companies customer support and service. I should also mention that both Fuji’s and Leica’s are user friendly.
   And..like many of the readers and contributors to this great forum, I can’t see any reason for change yet.
   Thank you Steve for your assistance and stay well.. I look forward to your full review and video.

   Howard

4. What I really want is a Fuji x100t with a Sony RX1 lens and full frame sensor. I have both cameras currently and it’s tough for me to get rid of the Sony because the IQ is amazing. Same point the x100t is a photographers camera and fun to shoot.

5. As an RX1 owner this is exciting. Personally, the RX1 has revolutionised the way I shoot for 1 reason. I take it with me because it is so compact and I lose nothing in terms of IQ!

   One thing I don’t get about Sony though is why are they always improving things in increments? I mean.. every camera they have released in the A7 system (and this one) has a 30% improvement in focus speed over the previous generation. The RX1’s biggest weakness is / was it’s rather sluggish AF and only a 30% improvement would still make it sluggish in comparison to most advanced systems. It smells more and more like Sony is keeping a few tricks up their sleeve for future generation cameras. If we invest heavily (as we do – this camera costs) one expects some future proof-ness. Something Sony lacks in is unfortunately just that!

6. Certainly this camera is something to get excited about. I just wish it had 5 axis, but you can’t have it all if size is the priority. With that said, I think we’re hitting an apex for digital imaging anyway. The future is computational photography with cameras such as the L16 to pave the way. I even wonder how the quality will be compared to something like this. It’s scarey to even consider the two in terms of output- but here we are.

7. Am I the only person that appreciates one thing from the old RX1? That is the accessory hinged electronic viewfinder. For street photography, being able to look 90 degrees down and photograph is so much more unobtrusive than looking straight at your subject matter. Add to that silent operation is fabulous. The slightly slow autofocus of the RX1 is only a matter of solving by technique, and preparedness. Maybe I appreciate looking down because I was such an avid Rolleiflex user in my past 🙂 I never see a reason to upgrade the RX1 – it was already perfect, but good on Sony for keeping it interesting.

8. I think the Leica “Q” is also a fantastic camera. What it boils down to is wether you prefer a 35mm or a 28mm lens view. If Gary Winogrand where still alive today, I’m sure he would buy a “Q”. So we have excelent Leica M substitutes in the 28 mm and 35mm range. Now all we need is an RX1 or “Q” with a 50mm fixed lens to make everybody happy.

   • I am holding off purchasing a camera, mostly for travel until ai get my hands on the RXR2. It will either be the Sony, or the Leica Q. Cannot say I am a fan of the Leica 28mm lens, but I don’t know if the difference to the Sony 35mm lens is enough for that alone to win me over. Leica kills on ergonomics. Sony on size, FF megapixels, and weight. If either had a 50mm fixed lens, the choice would be easy. Glad to see some competition in the market. Good luck!

     • I had the Q for an extended try-out. It did not make me wish to replace my original RX1… I found the Leica MMI lacking… I wanted to like it (as three-decade analogue M and two-decade analogue R user) but I could not… smaken verschillen, the Dutch say.

9. When I bought the RX1 when it first came out, I told everyone that “I would take this camera to the grave” meaning I would never need a better camera. It’s so small. The sensor is great. The size of the files are large enough to beat 35mm film in sharpness. The lens is fantastic . I forked out more C-notes to buy the electronic viewfinder. I found that the viewfinder kept slipping off so I made it permanent with a strip of “Gorilla” tape. I see no reason to upgrade. I know the automatic focusing isn’t that great, but it’s not bad. The manual focusing with the EVF is fantastic (to me). I really don’t like the looks of the bult in EFV of the new RX1- II. It seems kind of stupid that it pops up like a built-in flash. Sure the sensor is larger but I already blow up my photos to over 35 inches with a lambda printer (lambdas use 200 dpi), so I feel I don’t need a larger sensor. I don’t need a flip screen because I am a viewfinder kind of guy. Therefore I can still say with total conviction that the RX-1 will still accompany me to my grave. Enough is enough. Last year’s “best camera in history” doesn’t have to become obsolete with every new iteration. I use the RX-1 as my go-anywhere camera and as a backup to another main camera (Canon 5D family). Some day I’ll probably switch from canon to a Sony AR7 family body and lens kit, but my RX-1 will still remain as a real kick-ass camera to hang off my shoulder when I go for a walk, travel or go down to the local post office. With it I feel prepared for the “decisive moment”.

10. If looking to travel “fairly light” with a camera and a single autofocus lens, what trade offs make the most sense?
    – A7R2 with FE 24-70 f4
    – A7R2 with FE 35 f2.8 (or 28 f2)
    – RX1R2 with fixed 35 F2

    To narrow the comparison, perhaps just choose between either the A7R2 with the 35mm or the same focal length RX1R2.

    There are nuanced differences between the two cameras. However, for me the CRUX of the choice would boil down to whether the smaller size and weight of the RX1R2 would be worth giving up IBIS and a fixed viewfinder (assuming comparable autofocus for both cameras). Of course, one can fall in love with a camera, and then cost/benefit analysis is irrelevant.

    • Currently I have the A7R2 with FE 24-70 f4 (and love it). Rented the Z Loxia 35 and 50 on separate occasions over the summer. I find I shoot mostly in two focal lengths, 35 and 70. I loved the A7R2 35 Zeiss Loxia. Diff between the 28 on the Q and 35, while noticeable is not drastic. I am not intrinsically drawn to the super high megapixel of the RX1Ri. I have this sort of gut response that a 35mm on a 24 MP platform is ideal (for me). What I really want is to buy the Q AND the new RX1Rii and shoot both for 60-90 days and then pick one. Alas, no budget for either so I will thoroughly enjoy my Sony A7R2 and hopefully pick up the Loxia 35 as a permanent member of my kit in the near future.

11. Mind-blowing stuff.

    Probably the only camera that makes me want to replace my RX1R (mk1).

12. I am getting the feeling from the majority of posts here this RX1RII will suck. Lot of nagging. Seems many are complaining already. I too posted something earlier comparing it to the Q and the Sony does NOT win on many points. But C’mon, just maybe 2-3 years ago putting a 42meg back lit Full Frame sensor in a body this small,? with such an amazing bright, sharp lens with great micro-contrast and pop would have been a dream only. The fact that they now squeezed an evf into this thing (Hopefully very useable) is quite a feat. I am one of those who is considering this new Sony OR the Q but he Q s actually a lot larger than this RX1RII..lets not forget that. Now that I previously wrote some wins for the Q how about the fact that the Sony is MUCH smaller, the screen articulates, has incremental iso, All Sonys auto remap the sensor for hot pixels once a month another plus..and for many 28mm is just too wide. Anyway it’s nice to have another choice now for those like me that thought the ONLY camera to get in this quasi pocket-able Full Frame fixed lens arena, WAS the Q.
    You could buy a whole other camera for the $900 you will save OR you could actually put that money away for boring stuff we all need like…food, gasoline, electric etc, take a cheap vacation and take…PICTURES. 🙂 Guess it’s all good.

    • I have patiently waited for this camera for almost 2 years and had high hopes for it. I have used a friends RX1R several times and really enjoyed the picture quality but was never a fan of the body. Given the size of the lens, I felt the body could be made proportionately larger to accommodate a built in EVF and a pop-up flash, as well as incorporate sony’s IBIS. I wanted it to be weather sealed and have a classier looking body similar to the Leica Q or the Olympus pro. The current body looks and feels cheap to me. Unfortunately, I am very disappointed with this update which improved on the stellar insides but did nothing regarding the shortcomings of the body for me. I had money stashed away to buy when released and was expecting great things given the recent releases of the A7RII and A7SII. Epic fail for me and I am a Sony fan boy that now is considering the Leica Q. My first post after lurking years for years, thank you for the great site Steve, I have learned a lot from it!!!

      • Similar feelings. I prepaid for a q yesterday at a Leica store

13. I am not sure whether for 99%, 99.9% or 99.99% of users the Fuji X100 would be good enough. You can’t mount vintage lenses designed for 24x36mm film. Hence focal length and sensor size does not matter, but only the image quality you really need. For many users the larger sensors’ shallow depth of field is a challenge rather than a benefit.

    • To put it that way… I lend my RX1 with EVF to a colleague who had been owner of an X100S. After that weekend, the X100S was sold off very quickly, and the guy is now happy owner of an RX1R… the difference in image quality is _very_ significant, he say…

14. Weathersealed?

15. I just read a different take on the proposed 30% increase in AF speed, which leads me to believe Sony actually meant 30% faster AF than on any of there recent cameras, someone who had a quick test said it was very nippy indeed no lag – be interesting as its a deal breaker for me. On a different note Steve when do you think Sony will let you test it?

    • I will have a review unit soon, very soon. A7SII 1st, then RX1RII

      • Can’t wait for your review. The deciding factor will be AF speed for me too. Please check if the proposed 30% is peak vs peak performance. Thanks!

        • so you are taking pictures of some sport sevents?
          If so yo will need a longer zoom rather than the fixed sensor of the Sony?
          How much your pictures will change with the 30% AF increase…30% is a lot so assuming the current photos are ..not so good?

      • 2 reviews i am very much looking forward to 🙂

16. No IBIS, no chance.

    • agree, I’ll stick with a7 ii body

17. The shutter has only 1/2000 sec max., I believe??? I hope I am wrong. This is a bit less wow and fantastic then the usual over excited writings and comments of this site …

    • Stopped down it is faster. Measured at f/8 it is closer to 1/5000 sec.

      However, remember that this is a leaf shutter for which 1/2000 s is pretty fast already, specifically with an f/2 lens.

18. A bit of a disappointment for me .

    I was really looking forward to this release as I love large sensor fixed lens cameras and my favorite field of view is 35mm.
    However I was hoping that they would address the ergonomics of the last camera ( i owned the RX1) and integrate an EVF in a more traditional way . I have no doubt that this will be an outstanding image maker , but pop up EVF and poor feel in the hands compared to the leica Q ( IMO ) doesn’t inspire me to want to pick it up and take it out. Not to mention the ridiculously large file size it will produce eating up the storage on my mac

19. Will it give RAW in – what do they call it? intellectual zoom or what – in other words in crop mode x1.5 and x2? If so we will have 35/2 with about 40Mp, 50/2 with 24-25Mp and 70/2 with 16-20Mp! RAW! Wow! But I am afraid Aunt Sonya will not do such a favour because she is too greedy, from the marketing point of view. Alas.

    • They didn’t in the original version. The intelligent zoom/crop mode was only available in JPEG. Effectively all that’s happening is that the camera is cropping for you.

      • Yes, I know. But all Alphas 7* can make RAW in crop mode in spite of full frame (FE) lenses being mounted, and I suspect it is not just cropping, it is pixels interpolation from FF sensor. So there is no hardware and software reasons not to do it in RX1*. Only Sony’s marketing managers with their greediness.

        • Yes, this would make the camera more appealing.

          If the EVF turns out to be more usable than it looks like, AF is fast and prices drop below € 3000, I might give it a closer look – although it will not meet the low light performance, I am looking for.

20. I find this camera way more appealing then the A7 series. The previous version had great IQ in a small form factor. Will be interesting to see how the IQ compares to the Leica Q. I find the Leica Q’s rendering to be more appealing then the recent Sony’s, maybe this will buck the trend.

21. I’m curious. Is this a redesigned Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens? I ask because the marketing text says the lens is designed specifically for the sensor. This is a new sensor.

    It really makes not much difference, but I’m curious anyway.

    • I sure hope not! I’ve shot with a lot of 35mm lenses, and the one attached to the RX1 is simply stunning.

      • This looks interesting BUT though it’s $900 less than a Q…No image stabilization, Q has, maxes out at 1/2000 shutter Q goes to electronic after 1/2000, battery life? was never very good on the RX1s, no touch screen vs the Q, No grip vs the Q, Q has a faster lens. That said the RX1s had/have amazing IQ having a 42 meg sensor should be great for getting way closer once you crop. Sony color, Leica color? Tough decision. I’m sure it will be a great camera but it’s not a slam dunk in my opinion vs a Q in particular..Maybe focal length preference is the real difference as to which camera to get, Q vs RX1RII

    • It’s a good question. Possibly, Sony will say that both the old and the new sensor match the same lens perfectly.

      • i think its all about calibration.. the lens will still be the same

22. Looks amazing! Put me in the camp that wishes it had fewer megapixels.. I thought 24MP was more than enough in the original RX1.

23. No image stabilization???!!! Ball was dropped IMO. For this price I.S. is a must.

24. I would have kept the original jewel-like RX1 if the autofocus had been better. Is the 30% improvement (both speed and accuracy?) enough? We’ll have to wait and see Steve’s review. I am delighted to see this new camera appear and it looks to be lust worthy.

    As a super happy A7R2 shooter, there are a few considerations that might restrain my enthusiasm somewhat – at least for a while.
    1. It would not be quite as versatile as a second A7R2 body for event shooting and a second A7R2 body would have be identical handling – important when seconds count.
    2. For my type of shooting, IBIS helps quite a bit.
    3. I often do need different focal lengths.
    4. How good is the viewfinder experience?
    5. How good is the autofocus?

    Call me crazy, but I still want the new RX1R2.

25. Definitely an exciting camera. They made all the right improvements. The large 42 megapixel files do worry me a bit though. Will definitely slow down post processing, unless I upgrade my computer (which I don’t want to do right now). Wish they made it with the A7SII sensor, or a 24 megapixel sensor. Either would provide plenty of pixels for me.

26. It doesn’t seem like Sony has integrated a crop mode like there was on the RX1/R 1st generation, but I’m positive that this is something that could be added through a firmware update. What’s the best way to get them to release that update for future RX1R ii users like myself?

    • Coming from an original RX1 shooter, don’t plan on any firmware updates 😉

      • I really wish they would bring the uncompressed RAW files to the RX1, too.

      • As an RX1 owner Sony has screwed us with no firmware updates. Uncompressed RAW is NOT hardware based. It’s pure computing (write speed over image quality). As far as the AF goes, even a 5% improvement via a firmware update would be appreciated. Eye AF is not hardware based and could also be implemented via Firmware. SUPPORT YOUR EXISTING USERS SONY WITH FIRMWARE UPDATES THAT ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING!

27. Yep. That’s exactly what you could expect.
    That said, I have (and love my) RX1R and you can crop that thing WAY further than you’d think you could. Astonishing camera.

    • I believe that. People found that you could crop the M9’s files by quite a bit. Similar idea.

28. Another thought – I assume that the 40 mega pixel sensor mated with the superb lens will allow for extensive cropping thereby making it possible to produce 50mm 70mm focal length images brimming with detail and sharpness – Is that a fair assumption ? Adam

29. So two small but significant unanswered qestion:

    First, will there be any firmware update for the current model that fixes the blasted back focus issue? I’ve spent two years with mine thinking that the missed focus is either poor technique on my part or user error. It’s not though. The damn think does miss it’s target quite a bit and more so when used with the lens wide open.

    Second is whether all your existing accessories for the current RX1/RX1r will work with the new camera. It looks like they will; the Sony website is showing that things like the battery are the same across all models and since the lens is unchanged those attachments will obviously still work.

    I’ve got a Fotodiox grip for mine and that works so well; makes it really easy to carry in your hand, by your side.

30. Oops, I mean RX1s 🙂

31. Enjoying my A7R ii while waiting for my R1s arriving the soonest!

32. Why didn’t they just omit the low pass filter all together? From what I gather it has one but cancels it in off mode sone how, lke the nikon d800e am I right? Or does it work kind of like pentax’s version of low pass simulation, no filter just micro vibrations. Nice camera but so darned expensive.

    • There’s a good reason to have a variable AA filter. Sometimes if you’re shooting difficult subjects, it would help to be able to solve the problem immediately. I’m pretty sure it’s different than Pentax’s.

33. I was one of the first batch owners of RX1 years ago. This camera just unbeatable with its image quality and with so much character and soul, whuch is rare in digital camera era. I hope this mark 2 will be even better. And i just have one little wish is that the battery consumption can be better in this new version.

34. I’ve been waiting for this one hope it’s as good as it sounds are you going to NYC TO SHOOT IT STEVE

35. Hi Steve , Hope you feel better. This is great news – Do you think that the new sensor is likely to place the IQ on the same plateaux or above that of the Leica Q ?? Just a thought…. Adam

    • Well, I feel it will, easily. But can not say yet, so that is just a guess. The original RX1 is gorgeous with IQ, but lacked in AF speed and had no EVF. With faster Af and a built in EVF, this should be pretty amazing, along with the latest sensor tech from Sony. The size of this guy is tiny, yet packs a full frame punch.

36. How is Olympus a game changer in digital imaging? Pretty much same sensor tech for the last 5 years. No 4K video. Other than the convenience of size, they are hardly pushing the boundaries.

    • Olympus takes a small sensor and makes it do a lot. Small sensor means small lenses and, arguably, increased flexibility for adapted lenses. Having said that, APS-C is, IMO, the sweet spot for both compactness and quality.

      As for video: I understand that a lot of people make films as a hobby, but if you want video at the same quality as the RAW photos, you need a RED.

    • I think because they were the first weather sealed, shock proof, and ibis in mirrorless.

37. Seriously, who needs 42 MP in a fixed lens camera? You can’t see that many pixels on most monitors, including the 5k Apple retina monitor (~15 MP). The only advantage I could see would be if you want to really enlarge crops from your photos. Most other situations those extra pixels are just going to be dropped from the display, including most prints. What am I missing here?

    • With regard to megapixel count, I don’t print billboards, but the ability to crop is truly appreciated when using a fixed lens

    • I have similar question. What exactly do you gain with 42M except ability to make huge prints and crop?

      • When shooting pictures of kids, the ability to crop makes a huge difference. By the time I get close to my kid and compose the picture I want, he is usually doing something else.

        In addition, though, the extra pixels (seem to) give me some extra wiggle room to adjust lighting and contrast, apply sharpening, and reduce noise without making the picture look overcooked.

38. I’m really excited about this camera for travelers, especially if it is paired with a superzoom camera such as the RX100 II, or the Olympus 1s. That under 3-pound combo would all you would need for a trip around the world! Hopefully, Sony will add a 50% custom crop capability as a firmware upgrade at some time soon, that will provide users with a choice of using it at 35mm or 70mm at the press of a button; and possibly follow Nikon and Leica’s leads in some of their 35mm models of aways showing the crop setting marks on the EVF and LCD finder at all times.

39. Man, don’t know if someone mentioned this already, but i wish this had IBIS… that would have been the absolute perfect camera for me.

    • No IBIS No Silent Shutter No Sale

      • The leaf shutter is almost silent without the negatives of an electronic shutter. I’ve used the RX1 in music studio environments and producers said they couldn’t hear it.

        I’ll never question anyone’s desire for IBIS (love it on the a7RII) but with a 35mm lens and the high ISO performance of this sensor, most photographers will do just fine. I never felt like I needed it with the original RX1.

      • The list of cameras with IBIS and silent shutter is pretty short.

      • I, too, am sorry not to see IBIS in the new camera. My guess is that it would have required and increase in size. As far as shutter noise is concerned, the leaf shutter on my RX1 is as close to silent as you can get. Even I cannot hear it most of the time, and I have the camera up against my face.

40. Looks amazing – and certainly a strong contender against the Leica Q. Faster focusing and built-in EVF should seal the deal. Of course, I really hope they did something to weather-protect the body from dust bunnies? I had to send in my RX1R after a few months of ownership, and it came back clean as a whistle thanks to Sony service. A month or so later, it was showing bunnies closed down again. At least in the first version, the seal between lens and body is poor. You would think they would tweak this? This would be a deal-breaker for me. Regardless, IQ should be stunning – and 35mm is much more practical for street than Leica’s 28mm Q, which requires much closer subject engagement.

    • I agree, if they’d sealed it then I would buy one. Hard to blow the dust off the sensor when you can’t trake the lens off. Same goes for my Ricoh GR.

41. No dual card slots.

    • In a compact camera? I’m pretty undecided on this update as it strikes me as a bit half-hearted but I don’t think you will ever see dual card slots in a compact no matter how much it costs.

    • The camera packs a full frame sensor and Zeiss f2 lens and is still smaller than most APS-C mirrorless cameras with an f2 lens. I’d say every design decision is a compromise to make it smaller (hence the fact the had to remove the flash to add the viewfinder)… no chance of getting a second slot.

    • Dual card slots are rapidly becoming unfashionable even in pro-grade gear. D810 anyone? Leica M? And in-body flash memory is just silly, given the cycle limit…

42. It will be interesting to see how low a shutter speed you can shoot and still have a sharp image. No IBIS + 42mp = soft images due to camera shake

    • Someone worked out the mathematical formula on another website- it should be around 1/200s.
      No problemo with this sensor and its high ISO performance.
      (And that’s in reference to pixel level sharpness, zoomed in to 3x. At standard viewing, you won’t notice any pixel smearing at all).

43. You say there’s a pre-order option on BH, but I don’t see it on the page, just a notify when in stock button and a message saying they’re purchasable Nov 5th at 8am. Am I missing something?

    • They must have changed it right after, not the 1st time. Im sure it will be back up soon.

44. I wish they would introduce a 28mm version…

    • They did but it’s made by Leica and called the ‘Q’

45. I’m happy to see Sony introduce an upgraded RX1, but no thank you, I’ll stick with my Leica Q!

46. I own an a7rii. Technically, there doesn’t appear to be any advantage of the rx1ii over the a7rii and the size difference is pretty minimal. Is it appealing to people who don’t want the option of interchanging lenses, or am I missing something?

    • Size difference is not minimal at all.

    • If your goal is small and 35mm the the camera saves you more than $1000 compared to the A7Rii plus Loxia 35mm f/2. It is also smaller and has auto focus. I would like to have both cameras plus the Leica Q but my budget for cameras alas will not support any of them.

      • Not to mention this new(amazing) sensor aligned & calibrated to the lens will produce jaw dropping images.
        I wouldn’t be surprised if it produces the sharpest images ever seen.
        It should smoke the A7rII, regardless of which 35mm lens mounted on it.

    • I would second the notion that the size difference is not trivial. The RX1 was the perfect compact when it came to IQ and body size but it was getting a bit long in the tooth when you compared it to the operating speed and features of the newer alpha models.

      I still reach for it when I walk out the door and rely on the a7RII for longer or wider lens work. Well, I did – sold it this morning to a friend To make room for the RX1RII…

      That sale was not without regret. The RX1 remains a modern classic.

      • Agreed. There’s a photo online of the rx1 next to a Leica Q.
        The size difference is definitely not trivial.

    • Also there is no comparable 35 mm lens for the A7. Either big or slow or MF.

47. Next is… RX1s. 😉

    I would have preferred a ~18 MP high sensitivity sensor (and a 35/1.8 lens), instead. Makes more sense IMO (the good high ISO performance), on a camera like this. Design-wise(!) I don’t like the EVF, since it makes the camera look awkward and somehow as if built in poor quality. Although I never considered buying a Leica: they look better – actually like real cameras.

    Let’s at least hope Sony is not exaggerating EUR-prices, again!

    • that’s exactly what I was hoping too. Killer Low-Light ISO performance in a ultra small body.

      But this will stay a dream at this point. Also, it looks to me as they only made an “emergency”-release with the new RX1R II because Leica released the Leica Q a few months before. If the AF is not significantly better, I see no point in getting the new RX1R II. Apart from maybe being able to get high-res 50mm crop pictures.

    • I have to agree, an RX1S would be awesome, 42MP has no appeal to me but that low-light performance would have me taking out the credit card (even through I have a Leica Q arriving next week).

    • All that I wanted was 24MP with killer AF. The RX1 is otherwise splendid. As for the Leica Q, 28mm is too wide for me to use as a general purpose camera. I would bet that Leica chose that focal length mainly to differentiate the Q from the RX1. I do not doubt that the Lieca Q is a very fine camera, but when images from the RX1R II start appearing, people will see the difference.

      • Good point. The 28mm Leica Q is a very wide camera lens. My problem is will I be happy with it for any portraits, even though it crops to 35mm and 50mm? The Q reduces distortion, but it is still a 28mm. I will wait to see the results with this one.

        • Worth bearing in mind that the 35mm on the RX1 (and presumably the RX1Rii) is actually more like 31-32mm so the difference to the Q is actually pretty small.

          • I want to view the results of the Q vs the RXRii It appears that 40+ megapixels does make a difference, not only in megapixels, but in outcomes.

48. RIP Leica Q (2015-2015)?

    • Don’t be so sure, there is still plenty that might sway people one way or another:

      RX1Rii – Smaller, 42MP, High ISO (probably), 35mm, tilting screen, Sony sensor, Zeiss lens.

      Q – Handling, Interface, better EVF, IBIS, better MF, 28mm, it’s a Leica.

      AF speed we don’t know which will win but the Q is very very good whereas a 30% improvement on the RX1 would only be good.

      They are both full frame fixed lens cameras but the similarities almost end there and neither wins on all fronts.

      • The truth is that the AF on the RX1 is adequate for most purposes in good light. It is in low light that it really struggles. So 30% faster AF will make it more than adequate. What we do not yet know is how it will perform under dim lighting.

      • They said something similar — 30% improvement — about the AF from A7r to A7rII. It seems much more than that! I suspect that the 30% improvement applies to the contrast AF; but in fact your user experience is dominated by the hybrid AF (Phase/contrast) and together the performance is much more than 30% better IMHO. The Rx1rII has the 399 phase detection sites, so it should be the same..

      • The Leica Q made in Germany (better standards/quality) I think the new Sony is made in China?

        • I guess you need to return everything in your household that was made in China. And only keep items from Germany. Ha Ha just sayin 🙂

        • @Daniel Gautreau: As a German and a long-term (still) Leica owner, I can confidently state that Made In Germany is an over-rated nice-to-have, and not a necessity – and that even Leica does not always deliver flawless products or services.

          On the up-side – for me, they have _in the end_ always fixed the problems I encountered…

    • The Leica will still have a nicer looking design with better ergonomics (in my opinion), and slightly faster lens with different rendering (wouldn’t say one is definitely better, but the 2 lenses are different).

      But the Sony is tough competition indeed! (so was the original RX1(R) already)

    • You are right. I’ve never liked my Leica Q. It’s too big.

    • Well… At that price point, I’d rather add the difference and buy a Leica Q

      • totally different cameras.
        28 vs 35mm lens
        RX1 is 20% smaller and 25% lighter

        • … and in its RX1RII incarnation it has a significantly superior sensor…

    • Leica Q has a couple of things in its favour though. First it’s only 24mp, which you could argue for street shooting, candids and PP work that needs to be done quickly, is a better (more forgiving) option.

      Second its EVF is integrated in a much neater way and one that is less likely to go wrong. It’s also a higher resolution than the Sony (3.6m vs 2.4m).

      Third it has a touch screen (but OK it’s not tiltable)

      I’m not saying it’s a better camera, just that they have enough differences between them for the each consumers individual preferences to be met more neatly.

      I have the RX1r and have been close to swapping it out for something else because of the issues with the original’s autofocus. Each time I thought about it I concluded that what I really wanted was either a firmware update to the original or the mark2 version with that issue fixed. Now that it’s actually out, with a 42mp sensor, I’m actually wondering if the Leica Q is a better option even if I am tuned into the Sony’s 35mm focal length.

      • I am in your position. If the Leica Q had a 35mm or 50mm, then it would be done. But at 28mm, it is a stretch for one fixed length.

49. Just sold my RX1R to help fund this camera. The IQ should match if not best the top DSLR and medium format rigs available. EXCITING!

50. Steve, sucks that you can’t come to the gathering. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

    Steve, this is a great news. I just recently acquired leica m240. I’m loving the RF experience and the joy of owning leica is amazing so far. I only got a budget for the 50mm summicron for it.

    In the future, I’m thinking of going 28mm (not sure the 2.8 or 2.0) or 35mm, before finally ending it with 21mm. In your opinion, should I branch out now and get the RX1RII or just get 35 summicron? Or even better (budget wise) get 35 voigtlander f/1.2 mark II?

    Summicron is sharp and good but I’m needing something for low light/indoor events, and I was gonna go for 50 summilux but I realize that 35 can be more flexible if I can only choose 1 low light lens. 35 lux is too expensive for me, 28 is good but the summicron is around $3000-4000 and lux is even more and that’s very limiting for me as well. My choice is to go for 50 lux and sell the 50 cron or go with 35 voigtlander f 1.2 or this Sony (ISO performance can negate the need for f1.4 or below)

    Please give me your recommendation, this is the first time I’m trying RF and so far, what you said is true. No camera like it. I owe you for this moment that I can achieve because of your blog, otherwise I’d never even attempt to try to own one. I really hope the rumoured new Leica SL isn’t gonna make Leica M old news. Because I just started!

    Anyway, sorry for the long post, and please kindly give your thoughts.

    Thank you!

    PS: Also considering voigtlander 21 f 1.8 seems amazing. Have you reviewed that? If not, any plan to?

    • Easy – Voigtlander 35 1.7, the new one, under $1000. Its fantastic. Or Zeiss 35 1.4 ZM, slightly bests the 35 Summilux for $2100.

      • Wow I see.. thank you for your reply.

        Sorry steve but you tested the 35 voigt on Sony body, what kind of performance should I expect on leica body? Better, worse?

        Zeiss 35 f1.4 is very tempting indeed. As for the bokeh quality and the easier color out of the lens to be edited on PS/LR, which is it?

        BTW, Steve do you have a tutorial or lesson on how to edit leica m240 files to look like m9 or maybe just better compared to the one OOC? I’d buy that tutorial if you have it..

        Thanks again steve!

        • About the same, but with more resolution due to the Sony sensor.

        • show your pictures to your feriends…nobody, again nobody will see any difference between the cameras/lenses in practical application!
          Only pixel-pip idtiots (yes, they (we) shall be called that way) will some diffrences under 200000% magnification)

          • Haha, that’s correct. I guess I will still need to figure out how the color signature or something and see which I will like better then. I do wonder what if the lens is not calibrated properly though.. Where should I send the non Leica ones.

            O well.. I really hope the Leica announcement isn’t a departure from the “classic” historical M, I really hope they are keeping the M and makes it still exist in the market. After all I just got into the famous M world.. Will be very dissapointed if I can only enjoy it for a short time if it’s were to become an old news soon.

            Thanks for the reply!

51. No zoom? No thanks!

    • Nope, just like the original which has become a legendary classic already. Doesn’t need a zoom, if you want that go for a Leica X Vario 😉 This camera is going to be crazy good.

      • Agreed! This camera is going to be incredible!! The 35mm focal length is my favorite and I can do 80% of all my work with it.

      • “Legendary classic” is a bit of a stretch. It’s a great idea with incredible IQ but has terrible battery life, poor AF, and no integrated VF.

        • As does a Leica M9 but that is considered a legend already by those who shoot Leica. Many prefer the M9 to any other Leica digital. Doesn’t matter that the AF is slower or EVF, the RX1 was the only one of its kind until the Q 3 years later. I am thrilled to see this update.

        • Oh, I do think the RX1 is a classic–the first compact FF camera, a masterpiece of engineering and miniaturization, not to mention imagination. Despite its shortcomings, it is the camera that changed FF photography and led directly to the A7 series. The competition has yet to catch up.

        • CDN…..you are right!
          I have not been here for a while but…..nothing really changed!
          Some guys trying hard to provve that this (this means th ecamera in the possesion of the author) camera is the only one which an make great pictures! In practical application, when you show the effort to your friends and family, nobody really cares how much chromatic abberations this lens show up (most just do well this days), how much vignetting in the left corner you observed under 200% of amplification, etc.
          What really matters is the subjetc and composition!
          Several years ago it wa kind of a factor…now, with the technology involved it is not…majority of the cameras/glass used is good enought to make perfects pictures. Marketing just kills them all…they (vendors) “need” to design a more and more complex tools, wit have nothing to do with making simple , quality pictures,. Sony is one them…trying hard to develope even better “playstations” and glass to win stupid test when you measure 2300 lones of resolution against 2350 lines which do not matter at al for a great picture!

          Apologize for my poor language and several mistakes made….

          • Dude just go shoot with a Holga then. At the same time you don’t need to appreciate technology and the changing times. We ain’t living back in the 50’s no more.

          • kecajkerugo, your statement is just _off_. Have you ever used an RX1? I do have reasonable doubt…

            The RX1 has been an extremely competent camera with a few idiosyncrasies – most of them seem to have been sorted out in the RX1RII…

            To me, the RX1RII is more appealing than the A7RII…

      • It has got a zoom. They are attached to your pelvis (OK within reason)

        • The old saw about zooming with your feet is getting tiresome. Sometimes, it is not physically possible to do so. Moreover, when you change your distance to the subject, you change perspective, which may not be desirable. Zoom lenses are very versatile. Though I rarely use zooms myself, I think we should guard against being prime lens snobs.

    • No comprehension about the very essence of the RX1 series revolving around uncompromised performance utilizing a fixed prime lens? No(t) for you!

52. I know the viewfinder will be a crowd pleaser, but my personal preference goes to the small but-in flash of the previous version which comes handy (and seemed to make the camera cheaper).

    Curious to know how fast/slow the AF will be. While it will do the job in most situations, 30% faster than the RX1 still seems quite slower than other recent Sony full frames.

    In any case, glad to see Sony hasn’t given up on compact full frame bodies!

53. Very exciting news, would rather have this than an A7Rmk2 to be honest! If it has an easily implementable (like on a custom button) crop mode, you could have an 18MP 56mm f2 portrait option at the flick of a switch!…very appealing! shame about the IBIS but you can’t have everything!

    • I agree, but I already have the RX1R, thus I guess I’d better start at 55mm and crop from that… And there is the video. But again, the RX1RII must be a truly amazing camera, probably would be the best 35mm around.

    • None of the A7’s allow you to assign crop to a custom button or even addit to the quick Fn menu. So you always have to go into the menus to change it – very frustrating when it should be an easy addition to the other 40+ functions that can be assigned.

54. Looks great. If it were a 55mm, I would not buy the A7RII, but having the RX1R, it’s time to go longer…

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