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Sony QX1

 
Sony Alpha QX1 front
 
  • 20MP - APS-C Sensor
  • " Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 16000
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 216g - 74 x 70 x 53mm
  • Released September 2014
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
90
Imaging
63
Features
48
Overall
57

Sony QX1 overview

Sony QX1 is Sony's Lens-style camera first introduced on September of 2014. It uses a 20 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 5456 x 3632.

The QX1 is scored #1 out of 4 in Lens-style cameras & all around #345 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. Remember to look at our Advanced camera search to find camera results based on your customized requirements.

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Below is a diagram of various criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony QX1 Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of good and bad points of the Sony QX1 based on aspects which are often viewed as important in a camera.

better than average battery (440 CIPA)
features face detection focus
great min ISO (100)
has built in flash
includes focus by touch
MP count good (20MP)
NFC connection
nice sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW files
switch lenses (Sony E mount)
touchscreen
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
you can focus manually
continuous shooting slow (4.0 frames per second)
doesn't have a selfie friendly display
does not have phase detect auto focus
external flash not possible
lack of image stabilization
more heavy than competition in class (216g)
no external microphone support
no HDMI out
no headphone support
no manual exposure
no Timelapse mode
screen is fixed
small screen (")
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Sony QX1 Sensor details

The Sony QX1 features the Bionz X chip. The dimension of the sensor in the Sony QX1 is 23.2mm x 15.4mm (APS-C). The 357 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 5456 x 3632 pixels at aspect ratios of 4:3 and 3:2.

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The CMOS sensor has 20MP and supports a native ISO range of 100 - 16000. RAW format is supported therefore the user has wider margin for error.

The graphic underneath shows the QX1's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The QX1 sensor has a crop factor of 1.6 and is presented in green.

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To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony QX1 dimensions

Sony QX1 is 0.48 lbs (216 gr / 7.62 oz) & has outside size of 74mm x 70mm x 53mm (2.9" x 2.8" x 2.1"). The weight of normal Lens-style camera is 173 gr so the Sony QX1 is more heavy when compared with various competitors.

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Underneath is a picture of the Sony QX1 next to a soft drink to help you get a sense of its scale.

Sony Alpha QX1 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will provide the button arrangement on the QX1.

Sony Alpha QX1 topview buttons dials

Sony QX1 Lens specs

The QX1 works with the Sony E mount and has 170 lenses to pick from. Below is some of the lenses we have in our collection which will work with the QX1.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Fujinon-MK-50-135mm-T2.9 lensFujinon MK 50-135mm T2.950-135mmf/2.8980g
Tamron-70-300-F4.5-6.3-Di-RXD-III-E-Mount lensTamron 70-300 F4.5-6.3 Di RXD III70-300mmf/4.5-6.3545g
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Zeiss-Touit-2.850M-Sony-E-NEX lensZeiss Touit 2.850M50mmf/2.8 290g
Venus-Laowa-25mm-F2.8-2.5-5X-Ultra-Macro-Sony-E lensVenus Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro25mmf/2.8400g
7artisans-12mm-F2.8-Sony-E lens7artisans 12mm F2.812mmf/2.8295g
Tamron-11-20mm-F2.8-Di-III-A-RXD-FE-Mount lensTamron 11-20mm F2.8 Di III-A RXD11-20mmf/2.8 335g
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Tamron-70-180mm-F2.8-Di-III-VXD-Sony-FE lensTamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD70-180mmf/2.8815g
Photography Glossary

Sony QX1 Connectivity

The QX1 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes

Cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth compatibility are able to be used wirelessly through smartphones. You can easily copy photos and oftentimes change camera settings without connecting directly to the camera.

Several applications even allow a Liveview and click the shutter in case you aren't near the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it can easily be attached to an external screen. Almost all cameras enable you to recharge the battery through the USB socket.

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Sony QX1 Video specs

The maximum video resolution in the Sony QX1 is 1920 x 1080 and you can capture in MPEG-4 format. 1080p resolution is an excellent balance in quality vs file sizes but FULL HD isn't going to give you any room to downsample. The camera doesn't feature a microphone or headphone port which means that you have got no control over the audio. It is perhaps best to consider an alternative model in case you need good audio for your video clips.

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Sony QX1 Weather Sealing

Sony QX1 doesn't include weather sealing so rainy conditions can easily affect the camera.

Sony QX1 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony QX1 houses a inch fixed display screen boasting a resolution of 0 thousand dots.

Additionally the display screen is touch friendly which means you can change focus points plus adjust settings using your fingers.

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The View Finder specs for Sony QX1 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are really useful in sunny outdoor situations which will make the camera display washed out and hard to see.

Sony QX1 Shutter specs

Sony QX1 continuous shooting rate is 4.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Sony QX1 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Sony QX1 has only built-in flash lacking external flash ability.

Sony QX1 Autofocusing specs

Sony QX1 has just Contrast Detect Autofocus & is missing Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot quicker & accurate when compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera boasts Face detect which is helpful for portrait photography.

The AF system boasts 25 focus points to select from. Sony QX1 has tap to focus. You are able to use your fingers in order to shift focus. Sony QX1 has the ability to use manual focus when required in low light conditions or you want to have more exact focus control.

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Sony QX1 Battery life

The battery (NP-FW50) in the Sony QX1 is made to last for 440 photos with respect to the CIPA benchmarks making it higher than average when compared to its class. The general Lens-style camera battery life is 265. Sony QX1 features the highest possible (440) battery life in this type of cameras.

Listed below is a number of Lens-style cameras that come with the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Sony-Alpha-QX1 front thumbnailSony QX1440 yesyesno
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Sony QX1 for various kinds of photography

The following chart presents a summation of the Sony QX1 for various kinds of photography. To check out more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.

Sony QX1 Portrait photography advice

The Sony QX1 has a rating of 66 which is nice, meaning that it is a respectable pick to use for portraits. Photographing portrait images favors heavily to sensor size, support for RAW files together with the capability to work with off-camera lighting.

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focusing manually
sensor resolution is decent (20MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
has face detection autofocus
saves RAW formats
manual exposure not available
no external flash support

Sony QX1 Street photography features

Having a above average rating of 69, the Sony QX1 is a respectable fit to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera offers a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.

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decent sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
includes touch to focus
no articulating screen
does not have image stabilization
more heavy than average in class (216 grams)

Sony QX1 as a Sports photography camera

A reasonable sports photography points total of 56 indicates the Sony QX1 is reasonably suitable for taking photos of sports. A camera should have great autofocus and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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megapixel count decent (20 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
better than average battery power (440 per charge)
max frames per second low (4.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
doesn't have phase detect auto focus

Sony QX1 Travel photography info

Size is super crucial in buying a camera for travel. In general, the Sony QX1 gets a above average 71 for a travel camera which makes it a fine pick to purchase for your vacations.

Photography Glossary
better than average battery pack (440 CIPA)
provides focus by touch
decent megapixels (20MP)
built-in flash
no Time Lapse function
heavier than competition in class (216g)
screen isn't selfie friendly

Sony QX1 Landscape photography factors

For those who are planning to choose a digital camera for landscape photography, the most significant factor will be image quality. The Sony QX1 with it's nice rating of 64 as a landscape camera is a respectable pick within the current marketplace.

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manual focus
change lenses (Sony E mount)
MP count decent (20MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW files
good battery (440 shots)
screen is somewhat small ( inches)
no manual exposure
lack of image stabilization
no Time Lapse mode

Vlogging with Sony QX1

A vlogging camera ought to offer a moving screen, microphone input and if possible image stabilization. Considering all the details, the Sony QX1 is just not suitable as a vlog camera as it gets a horrible rating of 32.

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touch screen
supports face detect focusing
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
no image stabilization
doesn't have microphone socket
more heavy than others in class (216 grams)

Sony QX1 Alternatives

If you are trying to find replacements to the QX1, below is a collection of the top rated cameras which fall in to the class of Lens-style.

The diagram underneath shows you a bird's eye view of the QX1 compared to it's top ranked rivals listed earlier.

These are some more cameras you might see as alternative options. To review a comprehensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Sony
Model
Sony Alpha QX1
Type
Lens-style
Released
2014-09-03
Physical type
Lens-style
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
Bionz X
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
23.2 x 15.4mm
Sensor surface area
357.3mm²
Sensor resolution
20 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 3:2
Full resolution
5456 x 3632
RAW images
Max native ISO
16000
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points
25
Lens
Lens mounting type
Sony E
Focal length multiplier
1.6
Screen
Type of display
Fixed Type
Resolution of display
0 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO All around score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed
1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate
4.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
4.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash modes
Off, auto, fill, slow sync, rear sync
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (30p)
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
MPEG-4
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
216 grams (0.48 pounds)
Physical dimensions
74 x 70 x 53mm (2.9" x 2.8" x 2.1")
Other
Battery life
440 shots
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-FW50
Self timer
Yes (2, 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage type
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, Memory Stick Micro
Card slots
1
Retail cost
$500