Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX1R II Review | 108 Data compared

The DPReview evaluation of the Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II highlights a 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor paired with a fixed Zeiss 35mm F2 lens, delivering exceptional image quality, high dynamic range, and improved autofocus in an ultra-compact body. Key physical enhancements include a retractable electronic viewfinder, a tilting LCD screen, and a unique variable optical low-pass filter, making it a powerful tool for high-end, discreet photography. Conversely, the camera suffers from significant compromises, notably abysmal battery life, a lack of ergonomic handgrip, mushy controls, and slow performance when handling large RAW files. Additionally, it lacks weather sealing, 4K video, in-body image stabilization, and direct AF point control, marking it as a niche, specialized device despite its high resolution.

The Amateur Photographer review highlights the Sony RX1R II as a premium, 42.4-megapixel full-frame compact, featuring an incredibly sharp Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 lens and a world-first variable optical low-pass filter. Pros include exceptional image detail, outstanding dynamic range, robust build quality, an integrated pop-up OLED viewfinder, and a tilting screen, making it a powerful tool for street photography. Conversely, significant drawbacks include the lack of built-in image stabilization (IBIS), making it sensitive to shake, along with poor ergonomics due to a lack of a substantial hand grip. The review notes a very limited battery life of around 220 shots and dated 1080p video capabilities without 4K support.

The Shutterbug review of the Sony RX1R II highlights its exceptional image resolution, achieving 5,059 out of 5,304 lines on technical tests and providing accurate color reproduction with fine textile detail. Additionally, the camera maintains superior noise control up to ISO 3200 (0.5%–0.79%) and offers an impressive 11.8 f/stops of dynamic range between ISO 50 and 800. Shutterbug.com Conversely, the analysis notes processing artifacts, specifically over-sharpening of high-contrast edges, along with higher base luminance noise compared to some full-frame SLRs. Furthermore, the camera's, otherwise stellar, dynamic range performance decreases significantly at higher ISO levels, limiting its peak exposure latitude to lower sensitivity settings. Shutterbug.com

The Sony RX1R II stands out as a highly compact full-frame fixed-lens camera featuring an excellent Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens paired with a 42.4-megapixel sensor. Key advantages of this camera include its remarkably small size, low weight, and a highly versatile tilting screen that aids in various shooting angles. Furthermore, its 35mm focal length suffers from less distortion compared to wider alternatives, and it boasts a massive ISO range spanning from 100 to 102,400. Its autofocus system is equally impressive, offering 399 AF points alongside Eye-AF capabilities. However, the camera is severely limited by a short battery life of only 150 shots per charge and a lack of optical image stabilisation (OIS). When compared directly to the Leica Q2, the Sony RX1R II provides a much more budget-friendly price tag. Despite its higher cost, the Leica Q2 offers significant advantages including faster autofocus, vastly superior video performance, a brighter f/1.7 aperture, and a robust, weather-sealed body. The Q2 also features UHS-II card support to eliminate buffer wait times, alongside a much stronger battery delivering 300 to 400 shots per charge....

The Have Camera Will Travel review highlights the Sony RX1R II as a highly portable, premium compact camera that pairs a 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor with a sharp, fixed ZEISS 35mm f/2 lens, resulting in exceptional image quality. Key advantages include the addition of a pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF) and a tilting LCD screen that enhance shooting versatility. Have However, the review notes significant drawbacks, including a slow startup time and a maximum mechanical shutter speed of 1/4000, which is limiting in bright light without a built-in ND filter. Furthermore, the camera lacks 4K video capability, and the rear screen is criticized for having a soft surface that scratches easily. Have

The Photo Review assessment of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R Mark II highlights it as an elite, premium compact camera featuring a high-finish metal body, a 42.4-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, and a fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 lens. Key upgrades include a retractable 2.4-million dot electronic viewfinder (EVF), a tilting 3-inch LCD, and a 399-point autofocus system with a unique variable optical low-pass filter for enhanced sharpness control. Conversely, the review notes significant compromises, including poor battery life, a lack of weather sealing, and an ergonomic design that lacks a substantial grip. At its AU$5,499 launch price, the camera is restricted by its fixed 35mm focal length and lacks 4K video recording capabilities.

The PCMag review highlights the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II as a 42-megapixel, full-frame powerhouse featuring an incredibly sharp fixed Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens and a world-first variable optical low-pass filter (OLPF) for adjusting anti-aliasing. Enhancements include a retractable EVF, a tilting rear screen, and built-in Wi-Fi, making it a high-resolution, compact option for photographers. However, the design involves tradeoffs, resulting in limited battery life, the omission of an external charger, and the removal of a built-in flash. Additionally, the camera exhibits some lens barrel distortion and features a somewhat uncomfortable manual focus switch.

The Sony RX1R II is a specialized premium compact camera designed to showcase Sony’s technical capabilities by housing a large 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor inside a highly portable body. It stands out by introducing a variable optical low-pass filter (OLPF), allowing users to manually toggle the filter on to combat moiré patterning or off to maximize fine detail capture. The camera keeps its classic fixed 35mm f/2 Zeiss lens—ideal for street and environmental portrait photography—while upgrading its performance with a 399-point hybrid autofocus system and the capability to record uncompressed 14-bit raw files. Design enhancements include a tilting rear screen and a clever, retractable electronic viewfinder that seamlessly hides inside the camera housing to preserve a sleek profile. The camera's primary advantages are its incredible resolution, compact form factor, and highly integrated retractable viewfinder. However, it suffers from several distinct drawbacks, including poor battery life, slow processing speeds, and a rear screen that lacks touch sensitivity. Crucially, the camera completely lacks optical image stabilization for still photos, which makes it less forgiving of camera shake given its demanding 42.4MP sensor. It...

In his review of the Sony RX1R Mark II, Steve Huff highlights the camera as an ultra-powerful, professional-grade tool capable of producing "Medium Format" quality images from a pocket-sized body. The prominent pros center around its remarkable technical performance, driven by a new backlit 42-megapixel full-frame sensor and a perfectly matched Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens. Huff praises its industry-leading dynamic range, exceptional color accuracy, and superior high ISO performance at night. Usability is also a major highlight; the camera remedies the previous model’s biggest flaws by introducing an integrated pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF), a tilting LCD screen, and a phase-detect autofocus system that is roughly 30% speedier. Additionally, it features a world-first adjustable anti-aliasing (AA) filter that lets photographers custom-toggle maximum image detail. However, the camera is not without its severe cons, with the worst offence being its "horrid" battery life. Because Sony chose to power this 42MP behemoth using the same tiny battery found in its older compact cameras, Huff notes that users must actively carry multiple generic spares to survive casual shooting. The camera's physical handling and menus...

The Imaging Resource Sony RX1R II Review highlights this premium, compact camera as a significant, high-performance upgrade over its predecessors, packing a massive 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor into a travel-friendly body. A major praise in the review is the addition of a bright, pop-up OLED electronic viewfinder and a tilting LCD screen, which drastically improve framing flexibility compared to the original fixed-screen models. The camera stands out for its spectacular image quality, featuring excellent dynamic range, superb low-light performance with high ISO detail in RAW files, and a ground-breaking variable optical low-pass filter that balances sharpness and moiré protection. Furthermore, the autofocus system received a major overhaul, inheriting 399 on-sensor phase-detect AF points that introduce highly capable continuous autofocus tracking. Despite these stellar upgrades, the review points out several distinct engineering compromises and usability drawbacks. A prominent downside is the camera’s buffer performance; while the buffer size itself is improved, the massive uncompressed RAW files result in agonizingly slow buffer clearing times that can take up to 36 seconds. Additionally, while the 3-inch LCD screen is bright and crisp, it completely...

The MPB review highlights the Sony RX1R Mark II as an ideal, lightweight (507g) camera for travel, featuring a 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor and a 35mm f/2 Zeiss lens that delivers exceptional low-light performance and high resolution. Its premium, compact design is paired with a highly responsive 399-point autofocus system. Key limitations for travelers include a notably short battery life necessitating spare batteries, the absence of in-body image stabilization (IBIS), and the lack of a touchscreen interface. Additionally, the camera is restricted to 1080p video, a single SD slot, and lacks 4K recording capabilities.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II is a compact, nearly pocket-sized digital camera that packs a high-resolution full-frame image sensor—the same one found in the Alpha 7R II—alongside a fixed large lens. A major highlight of this model is its integrated pop-up OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF), which allows the camera to maintain a remarkably small body design. Additionally, the camera features a rear LCD mounted on a hinge that can tilt up or down to assist with various shooting angles. Performance-wise, it handles low-light scenarios exceptionally well, showing no loss of fidelity through ISO 3200 and delivering highly usable Raw images with minimal noise even up to ISO 12800 and ISO 51200.