PIMP YOUR SONY RX1 MKII with these awesome accessories! (Video)

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PIMP YOUR SONY RX1 MKII with these awesome accessories!

I have to say, I love my Sony RX1R MKII. I loved the original, then the R and now the MKII is what I feel is the smallest body on the market with the most serious IQ and capabilities, IF 35mm is your thing. In other words, there is no camera that is this size or smaller that packs this kind of IQ, low light and full on potential. The Sony RX1 series has sort of a cult following as the ones who own it and use it seem  to truly adore it, and those who never did bond with it just sold them. But no matter how you look at it, the RX1R MKII, or any of the RX1 series of cameras can produce stunning results in the right hands.

I often get asked “what strap do you use” or “what bag was that in your last video” or “hey, what shutter release is that” or even “what grip are you using”. I get these questions very often, and this post is going to tell all of you exactly what I did to my Sony RX1R II to make it my own, and make it much more comfy to use.

I will show you two grips I love and recommend, the best soft release I have found to date (for ANY camera), the sun shade I chose for my RX1RII that is much more affordable than the Sony version as well as what strap I use when I use one on this camera. Usually though, I have it in a small bag and without a strap.

First, check out the video to see it all

Then, below, , check out these two grips for the RX1R Mark II (NOTE: These will NOT fit the old Mark I versions as the MKII body has changed ever so slightly)

FROM METRO-CASE.COM 

This for fitting sleek and functional grip is quite nice. When I attached it to my RX1RII I was pleased with the design, looks, the way it keeps me from pressing the video/movie button and the fact that it is compatible with ARCA SWISS style plates. It also adds a nice grip to the camera while looking like it fits in with the design of the Sony itself. It has a solid feel and construction and for most, this would be the perfect grip. Click the stats below to see more or order. Price is $89 direct at METRO-CASE.COM

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FROM J.B. DESIGNS

I LOVE LOVE LOVE JB Grips! The wooden materials and nice design mean my cameras always look unique and cool when a JB Grip is rocking it. While this look is not for everyone (some will prefer the sleek design above from METRO-CASE, but some will also prefer this all natural wood look as it really gives off a nice vibe and makes the camera look a bit old school, a bit different and it feels great in the hand. I love this grip because of the look, design and the way it feels on the hand. It is easy to remove, lets me have full access to memory and battery and can mount on a tripod. This JB Grip is $85 and available at AMAZON HERE!

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LENS HOOD

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I looked for a nice lens hood for my RX1RII and ended up buying THIS ONE from Fotodiox on Amazon. It is all metal, is squared off and looks perfect on the camera. Not much else to say about this as its a lens hood but it does the job, looks great, is all metal and while not dirt cheap, it is well worth the cost. You can see it at Amazon HERE.

SHUTTER RELEASE – Best release I have ever found!

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WOW! I stopped buying shutter soft releases quite a while ago. WHY? They always fell off. The screw in models fell off almost daily, and they would be lost forever. Then there were even some stick ons that would always fall off as well. I gave up. UNTIL NOW. Check these out guys and see me attach one to my Sony A7RII in the video above. These come in all sizes and all shapes and are attractive with a clean design. You can go with concave or convex and 10mm or 13mm. All kinds of colors to choose from and they are not expensive coming in at $9-$15

Check them out HERE.

STRAPS?

I have to say, I do not use a NECK strap with my RX1RII often, but when I do it is this one. I always love smaller leather straps, and this one is affordable and nice 😉

 but I do use this WRIST strap from LV Designs more often.

BATTERIES – SPARES and EXTRAS

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I must have 12 batteries for the RX1/RX100’s around here but most of them are cheap spares I bought from Amazon, along with a cheap dual charger that works amazingly well. The batteries can be found cheap HERE (Two for $12) and the charger I use is HERE Highly recommended! 

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12 Comments

  1. Steve: regarding the Lolumina (sp??) shutter release. In the video you mention you’d use a different size than 13mm if you were to do it again. I’m thinking of getting red, but what size would you recommend and why? Or, put differently, why would you prefer a size different from 13mm?

    • They recommend to use the same size as your shutter button but I went larger to 13mm and feel it is slightly too large, so I would use a 10mm instead for the RX1. But depends on the camera. For a Leica M I would use a 13. For a DSLR a 13, for an Oly E-M1 a 10, etc.

      • Steve: Thanks. I have the RX2 (RX1Rii seems way too long). At the Lolumina they make a big deal about being careful not to snag their release buttons. Realistically do you think there’s much chance of “snagging” in real life usage (as long as one is a reasonably careful person)?

  2. Steve, love your site… 2 questions… Do you know why there are no RX1R II’s available and was is it the light leak issue that created this void or was or is there another problem with the camera?
    – I’ve tried to order through your site but B&H and Amazon are both no goes currently

    – Next, i’d like to know if I can pimp an RX1R with a wireless setup to my iPad or Macbook Pro… I saw that nikon has a little wireless “do-hicky” you can plug in and I know TetherTool has their wireless deal but nobody seems to be able to answer this one for me.
    Inquiring minds want to know… Thanks

    • I have no idea why the RX1II is out of stock. I asked Sony about it and the answer I received was “We can’t seem to keep them in stock”. YET I never see them in stock. No idea. Aa for wireless, not 100%. Sony has play memories app but I do not think it allows you to shoot and trigger from it.

  3. Cool stuff, but kind of wondering….make an expensive camera more expensive, and more interestingly, making a small camera (one of it’s biggest features) bigger and heavier?

    • Yeah, I agree with this sentiment as it relates to the grip. I designed a 3D printed grip (& hood…) for the RX1 series that provides the benefit of a grip without the bulk of these designs. It isn’t perfect, but it’s a big improvement. Search ‘RX1’ on Shapeways if you want one…

      • That lens hood you made looks amazing. I just bought another but if it doesn’t work out I will certainly be buying yours.

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