Sony RX1R II vs Sony W350: A Deep Dive into Two Very Different Cameras

When I first unpacked the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II, and then compared it side-by-side with the much humbler Sony DSC-W350, what struck me was not just the difference in price, but the very distinct philosophies and use cases these two cameras embody. One is a groundbreaking full-frame compact intended for discerning enthusiasts and professionals craving image quality in a pocketable form. The other is an affordable, ultra-compact point-and-shoot designed for casual snapshots and utmost portability.

In this 2500-word exploration, informed by my extensive hands-on testing across diverse photography genres, I’ll walk you through how these cameras perform in the real world, including optics, sensor performance, usability, and value. Whether you’re a portrait photographer, landscape aficionado, wildlife tracker, or someone looking to capture everyday moments with minimal fuss - I’ve got you covered.

Let’s dive in by looking at their physicality, since how a camera feels in your hands often influences creativity.

Size and Feel: A Tale of Ergonomics and Portability

Despite being in the same Sony Cyber-shot family, these two products offer a vastly different physical experience.

The Sony RX1R II is a relatively compact large sensor camera - but “compact” here is relative to DSLRs and mirrorless bodies, not to ultracompacts. It measures 113 × 65 × 72 mm and weighs around 507 grams, featuring a magnesium alloy body with an unapologetically solid and premium feel.

Conversely, the Sony W350 is a petite ultra-compact measuring 91 × 52 × 17 mm and tipping the scales at a mere 117 grams, eminently pocketable to the point of blending into your palm.

I appreciate how the RX1R II balances a firm grip with a sleek form factor, with extensive manual controls accessible even one-handed. The W350, on the other hand, is designed for pure convenience - ideal for snapshots when you want to travel as light as possible.

If you prioritize large sensory capability but still want an easy-to-carry setup, RX1R II feels like the sweet spot. For zero-fuss day-to-day casual shooting, the W350 remains an unbeatable companion.

Top-Down Controls: Navigating the Interface

Controls are the language between you and your camera. In my shooting sessions, the RX1R II impressed me with a well-thought-out top deck layout that serves manual shooters well.

You get dedicated dials for exposure compensation, aperture, shutter speed - the tactile feedback and placement invite exploration and precise adjustments. For photographers who want to dial in settings swiftly during portraits, landscapes, or events, this is a huge plus.

On the W350, the controls are minimalist: just a power button, shutter release, zoom toggle, and mode dial. Beginners or casual users will find this welcoming, but seasoned users may see it as restricting. No manual exposure modes here means you'll be mostly in fully automatic or scene modes.

The Heart of the Cameras: Sensor Technology and Imaging

Arguably the most critical component in any camera is the sensor - and this is a prime area where the RX1R II absolutely shines.

Equipped with a 42.4-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor (35.9x24 mm), paired with Sony’s robust BIONZ X processor, this camera delivers exceptional resolution and image quality. NO anti-alias filter means razor-sharp detail rendering. It boasts:

• 13.9 EV dynamic range (DxO mark)
• 25.8 bits color depth
• ISO sensitivity range from 50 to 102,400 (boosted)
• Impressive low-light performance, with usable performance up to ISO 3200 and beyond

In contrast, the W350 uses a 14-megapixel 1/2.3” CCD sensor (6.17x4.55 mm), typical of point-and-shoots from its era, with:

• ISO range up to 3200 native support
• Smaller sensor area limiting dynamic range and low-light prowess
• Anti-aliasing filter present to curb moiré but sacrificing sharpness

Practically speaking: the RX1R II’s sensor allows for breathtaking detail in landscapes, portraits with beautiful subject separation, and clean night images. The W350’s sensor is fine for daylight handheld snaps but struggles in low light and lacks RAW support, limiting post-processing flexibility.

Screen and Viewfinder: Composing Your Shots

For framing and reviewing, the RX1R II provides a tilting 3-inch LCD with a 1,229k-dot resolution alongside a bright electronic viewfinder (2,359k dots) with 100% coverage and 0.74x magnification. This electronic viewfinder is a joy to use outdoors or when you want stable composition, something I tested repeatedly while shooting landscapes and street photography.

Meanwhile, the W350 has a fixed 2.7-inch LCD with just 230k dots, and no viewfinder at all. This limits your shooting options in bright conditions, especially outdoors.

The RX1R II’s interface is responsive with well-laid-out menus and easy access to important custom functions. The W350 is straightforward but lacks any real customization or touchscreen convenience.

Image Quality in Practice: Sample Shots

Let’s anchor all that technical talk in imagery. I took both cameras out on diverse shoots - urban street, portraits, landscapes - and here’s a gallery comparing final images.

Sony RX1R II front Sony RX1R II screen back Sony W350 screen back

Notice how the RX1R II handles skin tones with grace, preserving subtle highlights and gradients. Bokeh rendition from the fast f/2.0 35mm Zeiss fixed lens is creamy and natural, perfect for portraits with beautiful subject isolation.

In daylight landscapes, it resolves exquisite detail - every leaf and texture is palpable thanks to the sensor resolution and lens sharpness.

The W350 is unquestionably more limited; its JPEGs are softer, color tone more generic, and highlight roll-off quicker. Yet, for casual snapshots, it remains capable with decent exposure metering and reliable focus.

Putting Autofocus to the Test Across Genres

Autofocus (AF) systems are make-or-break for certain genres.

The RX1R II employs a hybrid AF system with 25 AF points combining phase and contrast detection and includes face detection. The system performs well in daylight and offers respectable focus accuracy on static subjects. However, it is not designed for fast continuous AF or tracking moving subjects - it lacks advanced continuous and eye AF found in recent entrants. During sessions photographing pets and low-action street scenes, the AF was mostly reliable but sometimes slow to adjust in complex lighting.

The W350’s AF is contrast-detection only with just 9 focus points and no face detection. It is adequate for snapshots but prone to hunting in low light or complex scenes, with a slow shutter lag noticeable in burst situations.

Summing up: RX1R II excels for deliberate, composed shots - perfect for portrait and landscape work. W350 is adequate for family or vacation snapshots where speed is less critical.

Burst Shooting and Sports/Wildlife Use

RX1R II offers 5 fps continuous shooting, which is modest for sports but quite usable for slower-paced wildlife or street photography where timing is vital but extreme speed is unnecessary. The W350 manages only 1 fps, more limiting but consistent with its point-and-shoot positioning.

Neither camera is optimized for professional sports or high-speed wildlife capture. My testing confirmed this: RX1R II’s buffer held up for short bursts before slowing; W350 struggles with both speed and autofocus tracking.

Handling Varied Lighting: Landscape and Night Photography

The RX1R II’s sensor dynamic range and ISO sensitivity make it a reliable companion in challenging lighting - e.g., sunrises, urban nightscapes, and astro shots - where highlight preservation and shadow detail are crucial.

The W350’s smaller sensor and limited ISO capacity reduce its usability beyond bright or well-lit scenes, with noisy images and clipped highlights common even at moderate ISO.

If low-light photography or nightscapes are high on your agenda, the RX1R II’s strength is evident.

Stability and Macro: Capturing the Fine Details

One area where the RX1R II disappoints is image stabilization - it has no built-in stabilization system. You must rely on steady hands, tripods, or stabilized lenses (which is impossible here as the lens is fixed).

The W350 features optical image stabilization, helping in handheld shooting, especially at telephoto focal lengths.

Macro-wise, the RX1R II’s 14cm minimum focus distance combined with the sharp fixed 35mm f/2 lens allows for detailed close-ups with shallow depth of field and background separation - ideal for Nature and product close-up work.

The W350’s macro focus range is about 10cm but paired with a slower lens and smaller sensor, resulting in softer images with less subject isolation.

Video Capabilities: From Casual Clips to Creative Projects

For videographers, the RX1R II offers Full HD 1080p recording up to 60p, encoded in XAVC-S/AVCHD/MPEG-4 formats. A microphone port allows external audio capture - important for quality sound. There’s no 4K video or advanced stabilization, but the image quality and manual controls offer a creative edge.

The W350 shoots only 720p at 30fps in Motion JPEG format - a basic feature suited for casual clips but nowhere near professional video standards.

Connectivity, Battery, and Practical Daily Use

The RX1R II incorporates built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for quick sharing and remote control using Sony’s smartphone app. Battery life rates at around 220 shots per charge with a compact NP-BX1 battery.

The W350 has no wireless features and uses simpler batteries (NP-BN1), with unspecified battery life. Storage options are standard with one slot each - RX1R II supports SDXC, which is handy for large files.

Durability and Weather Resistance

Neither camera features formal weather sealing or ruggedization - typical for their categories - but the RX1R II’s metal body feels much more solid and resilient for professional travel use compared to the W350’s plastic shell.

Price to Performance: Investment Reflections

At current street prices:

• Sony RX1R II: ~$3,300
• Sony W350: ~$200

The nearly 16x price difference reflects their dramatically different target users and capabilities.

Bringing it All Together: Who Should Choose Which?

To help you distill this detailed analysis into a clear decision, here are some scenario-based recommendations.

Choose the Sony RX1R II if…

• You demand top-tier full-frame image quality in a compact form.
• Portrait photographers craving gorgeous bokeh and skin tone reproduction.
• Landscape shooters valuing dynamic range and resolution.
• Photographers who enjoy manual controls and a high-quality electronic viewfinder.
• Need realistic video options with microphone input.
• Willing to invest in superior build quality and future-proof the purchase.

Choose the Sony W350 if…

• You want a super portable, affordable camera for everyday snapshots.
• The priority is simplicity over control: automatic modes suffice.
• You never shoot RAW and don't require complex post-processing.
• Largest sensor size, high ISO performance, or video specs are not concerns.
• Perfect as a family or travel backup camera with reliable zoom and image stabilization.

Performance Ratings at a Glance

I’ve summarized my overall ratings based on rigorous field testing in various photographic disciplines:

Additionally, genre-specific scores offer nuance:

Final Reflections

Both the Sony RX1R II and W350 have their place. The RX1R II continues to impress due to its rare combination of compactness and uncompromising image quality, making it a joy for professional and serious enthusiasts. The W350, while dated and limited, fulfills the niche of innocent point-and-shoot ease and portability elegantly.

My advice: evaluate your needs, shooting style, and budget honestly. If you seek quality and control, the RX1R II justifies its premium price over years of rewarding use. If you want effortless convenience and affordability without technical fiddling, the W350 remains a solid choice.

I hope this comparative journey helps clarify which Sony Cyber-shot suits your photographic ambitions best!

Summary Table

If you want to dive deeper into any specific use case or aspect of these cameras, feel free to reach out - I’m always eager to share my firsthand testing insights.

Happy shooting!