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Sony RX1

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 front
 
  • 24MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 35mm (F2.0-22.0) lens
  • 482g - 113 x 65 x 70mm
  • Revealed February 2013
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
79
Imaging
69
Features
57
Overall
64

Sony RX1 summary

Sony RX1 is Sony's Large Sensor Compact digital camera first announced on February of 2013. It comes with a 24 MegaPixel, CMOS Full frame sized sensor and has a max resolution of 6000 x 4000.

The RX1 comes in at #20 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras & over-all #249 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. You should use our Smart camera search to find camera rankings based on your customized factors.

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Below is a chart of different factors used in the rating system.

Sony RX1 history

The Sony RX1 has a history of related digital cameras. Listed below, you can find all earlier and most recent models alongside main specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX1R-II front thumbnailSony RX1R II
RX1 vs RX1R II
35mm
F2.0
42MPFull frame2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX1R front thumbnailSony RX1R
RX1 vs RX1R
35mm
F2.0
24MPFull frame2013
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX1 front thumbnailSony RX135mm
F2.0-22.0
24MPFull frame2013

Sony RX1 Pros and Cons

Below is a list of advantages and disadvantages of the Sony RX1 based on aspects which are generally considered essential in a digital camera.

above average high ISO (25,600)
above average minimum ISO (100)
fast maximum aperture (f2.0)
flash built-in
good resolution screen (1,229 k dots)
has HDMI socket
has microphone socket
high flash sync (1/4,000s)
includes face detect autofocus
includes tracking focus
large sensor size (Full frame)
megapixel count decent (24MP)
screen size is good (3")
supports RAW files
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
you can focus manually
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
does not have a selfie friendly screen
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
fixed screen
focal length is fixed (35mm)
lack of headphone socket
lack of Timelapse function
low fps (5.0 frames per second)
more heavy than competition in class (482 grams)
no image stabilization
not so great battery pack (270 CIPA)
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Sony RX1 Sensor specifications

The dimension of the sensor on the Sony RX1 is 35.8mm x 23.8mm (Full frame). The 852 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 6000 x 4000 pixels and aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9.

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The CMOS sensor has 24MP and gives a standard ISO range of 100 to 25600. RAW format is saved which means that you have wider room to maneuver in post.

The graphic underneath shows the RX1's sensor dimensions in comparison to other popular sizes. The RX1 sensor has a crop factor of 1 and is outlined in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 sensor size President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony RX1 dimensions

Sony RX1 weighs in at 1.06 pounds (482g or 17.00 ounces) & has exterior size of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8"). The weight of typical Large Sensor Compact camera is 396g and the Sony RX1 is weightier in comparison with various competitors.

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Underneath is a picture of the Sony RX1 alongside a soft drink to help you get a feel for its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 dimensions scale

The top view under will provide the button layout on the RX1.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 topview buttons dials

Sony RX1 Lens specifications

The RX1 provides a fixed lens and it has a constant focal length of 35mm which means you do not have the ability to zoom.

At the widest 35mm, it comes with an aperture of f2.0 which will be excellent for low light occasions and getting good bokeh. It would also allow you to choose a much lower ISO in order to get better images.

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Sony RX1 Connectivity

The RX1 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that incorporate NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can be used wirelessly via smartphones. You are able to send images and oftentimes adjust camera settings with no need to connect physically to the camera.

Certain applications even stream a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external screen. Most cameras enable you to charge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Sony RX1 Video specifications

The max video resolution on the Sony RX1 is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in MPEG-4 and AVCHD file format. 1080p resolution provides a good balance in video quality vs file sizes but 1080p will not leave you with any room to downsample. Although the camera contains a microphone jack, it is sadly missing a headphone jack which means that you won't be able to keep an eye on your audio levels.

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Sony RX1 Weather Sealing

There is no environment proofing for the Sony RX1 so you need to be careful in wet and dusty situations.

Sony RX1 Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony RX1 comes with a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 1,229k dots.

Please be aware that the display screen has no touch support.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 screen and viewfinder Photography Glossary

The View Finder specs for Sony RX1 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Electronic and Optical (optional)

Viewfinders can be pretty beneficial in sunny outdoor situations which might make the camera screen washed out and very difficult to see.

Sony RX1 Shutter specifications

Sony RX1 has the ability to shoot continuously at 5.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Sony RX1 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Sony RX1 comes with both built-in flash along with external flash support. The max flash sync is 1/4000 seconds.

Sony RX1 Autofocus specifications

Sony RX1 comes with just Contrast Detect Auto Focus & is missing Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier and precise in comparison with Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera comes with Face detection which makes it helpful for portraits.

It comes with 25 focus points to pick from. It also features Tracking Auto Focus for things that move. Sony RX1 can use manual focus if needed in low light or you need more accurate focus control.

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Sony RX1 Battery life

The battery pack (NP-BX1) for the Sony RX1 is designed to last for 270 images with respect to the CIPA benchmarks which is lesser compared with it's competitors. The usual Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U offers the maximum (450) battery life in this kind of cameras.

Listed below is a listing of Large Sensor Compact cameras that come with the highest battery life:

Sony RX1 for different styles of photography

The following illustration presents a outline of the Sony RX1 for different styles of photography. To look at more, check out the specific section underneath.

Sony RX1 Portrait photography advice

The Sony RX1 receives a rating of 81 which is fantastic, and means the camera is a awesome choice to use for portrait images. Shooting portrait images favors greatly towards sensor size, support for RAW files along with the option to use external flash.

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you can focus manually
high flash sync (1/4,000 seconds)
decent sensor resolution (24MP)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
includes face detection autofocus
supports RAW formats

Sony RX1 Street photography details

Having a very good points total of 66, the Sony RX1 is a good fit for street photography. A very good street photography camera comes with a fine balance of image quality and portability.

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sensor size is big (Full frame)
supports RAW files
above average high ISO (25,600)
no articulating screen
lack of image stabilization
heavier than competition (482g)

Sony RX1 as a Sports photography camera

A modest sports photography points tally of 53 suggests the Sony RX1 is relatively appropriate for photographing sports. A camera needs to have good autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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megapixel count good (24MP)
large sensor size (Full frame)
features tracking focus
can't change focal length (35mm)
slow fps (5.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
bad battery power (270 per charge)
has no phase detect auto focus

Travel photography with Sony RX1

Weight is really critical when buying a camera for travel. Overall, the Sony RX1 gets a nice 62 as a travelling camera which is a good fit to take with you on your vacations.

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resolution is good (24 megapixels)
flash built-in
fast max aperture (f2.0)
missing Timelapse mode
bad battery life (270 CIPA)
more heavy than competition in class (482 grams)
display isn't selfie friendly

Landscape photography with Sony RX1

For those who are planning to buy a digital camera for landscape photos, the biggest factor is going to be image quality. The Sony RX1 and it's above average score of 64 for a landscape camera is a fine choice compared to its competitors.

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has manual focus
very good max aperture (f2.0)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
decent sensor resolution (24MP)
great sensor size (Full frame)
very good ISO range (25,600)
saves RAW files
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
fixed focal length (35mm)
lack of image stabilization
bad battery (270 per charge)
no Time Lapse recording

Vlogging with Sony RX1

A vlogging camera really should posses a moving screen, microphone input and if possible IBIS. Considering all the details, the Sony RX1 is just not suitable as a vlog camera as it delivers a bad rating of 34.

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great maximum aperture (f2.0)
comes with face detect focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
has microphone support
screen isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
more heavy than competition in class (482g)

Sony RX1 Alternatives

If you are in the market for replacements to the RX1, below is a collection of the highest scored cameras which fall within the class of Large Sensor Compact.

The line chart here shows you a bird's eye view of the RX1 vs it's top scored competitors mentioned earlier.

Following are several cameras you might look at as alternatives. To read a comprehensive comparison, go to the "compare" link.

Photography Glossary

Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Type
Large Sensor Compact
Revealed
2013-02-19
Physical type
Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor measurements
35.8 x 23.8mm
Sensor surface area
852.0mm²
Sensor resolution
24 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution
6000 x 4000
RAW images
Highest native ISO
25600
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points
25
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
35mm (1x)
Highest aperture
f/2.0-22.0
Focal length multiplier
1
Screen
Type of screen
Fixed Type
Screen size
3"
Screen resolution
1,229k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen tech
Xtra FineTFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic and Optical (optional)
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
93
DXO Color Depth score
25.1
DXO Dynamic range score
14.3
DXO Low light score
2534
Features
Min shutter speed
30 secs
Max shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
5.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
6.00 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Max flash synchronize
1/4000 secs
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 25, 24 fps), 1440 x 1080 (30, 25 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 25 fps)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
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
482g (1.06 pounds)
Dimensions
113 x 65 x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8")
Other
Battery life
270 images
Battery type
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-BX1
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
Single
Launch cost
$2,798