Leaked Sony RX1 Fits a DSLR in Your Pocket (rumor)

[Helen B]

snip
I don't get the target market for this? -snip- Pro's won't use it....why would they.

Actually, I think that pros will use it if it meets image quality and usability expectations. As for the cost, compare it to a single Leica M lens - the 35 mm Summicron (an f/2) is $400 more than the RX1.

I see that Sony have also announced a full-frame video camera with the same sensor (it's in the RX1 and the A99) for less than $4000 (B&H list it, but haven't priced it yet).

 

[bhop]

(Sorry if it's been mentioned already..but)
Speaking of the lens, Carl Zeiss lenses are not slouches.. I think that's part of the reason of the high price. The M-Mount Zeiss Biogon 35mm f/2 sells new for around $1100 on its own. Sonnar lenses have their own fans as well... Don't get me wrong though, I still think the price for this camera is pretty ridiculous.

 

[Derrel]

Regardless that Sony has been having tough times lately (I think they will bounce back) their products are good within their market.

I don't think Sony is just going to go belly up. You might not buy a walkman in the future, but they will continue to sell products that are profitable, and cut those which aren't.

Sony hasn't turned a profit since 2008...yeah...the bounce-back is due...wait for it, wait for it...any day now! Nobody thought KODAK would go belly-up either....I mean look, they shed divisions and products, slimmed down, trimmed fat, and...made it to Chapter 11 bankruptcy!!! Woo-hoo!

 

[fjrabon]

Again, I get that this thing does have applications. And sure, I'd be plenty excited to get one in the mail. But, it just seems to be a weird product for a company like Sony to come out with. They could sell hundreds of these. They'll be big with a couple of street pros and wealthy street hobbyists. And while in some ways it is in a class all of its own, it will have to thoroughly CLOBBER the fuji XPro1 for working pros to adopt it as their street camera (which it should do, but they will compete for sales, even though this is full frame) and a lot of the wealthy hobbyists are just going to prefer Leicas because of the name brand factor. If Leica came out with this thing, nobody would even bat an eye, but that's part of the problem, a wealthy hobbyist isn't going to buy a Sony over a comparable Leica M, even for slightly less money, they're going to pay the extra and get Leica printed on it instead of Sony. It's the same reason people pay hundreds of dollars more for basically identical Leica DLux over the Lumix LX series.

Perhaps this is just the early flagship version of the line and Sony will soon be releasing a more 'consumer friendly' version, but given their management, really, who knows?

 

[usayit]

Speaking of the lens, Carl Zeiss lenses are not slouches.. I think that's part of the reason of the high price.

Is it really? or just another branding job? See Panasonic lenses with Leica branding....

In the current markets, I think a fixed lens high end camera is not going to compete very well. In the past, it would simpify and shrink the packaging. Today, we have plentiful choices of similar sizes WITH interchangeable lenses. Street shooters vary in focal lenght choice; 24, 28, 35, 50.... with a fixed lens of 35mm you are bound to alienate at least some...

One of the issues Sony had with NEX was its choice of lenses... is this a good solution?

 

[bhop]

Is it really? or just another branding job? See Panasonic lenses with Leica branding....

In the current markets, I think a fixed lens high end camera is not going to compete very well. In the past, it would simpify and shrink the packaging. Today, we have plentiful choices of similar sizes WITH interchangeable lenses. Street shooters vary in focal lenght choice; 24, 28, 35, 50.... with a fixed lens of 35mm you are bound to alienate at least some...

One of the issues Sony had with NEX was its choice of lenses... is this a good solution?

Good points.

 

[mjhoward]

The lens hood will only set you back $179!

 

[sapper6fd]

For 2.8k? Hahahahahahahahaha

no

Just like almost every other Sony Product out there. R&D costs need to be paid. But before they get a chance the product tanks... Betamax, MemoryStick, Minidisc, ATRAC, BluRay... Wait, they finaly had a hit with Bluray. My bad! Well one out of six aint too bad!

 

[fjrabon]

For 2.8k? Hahahahahahahahaha

no

Just like almost every other Sony Product out there. R&D costs need to be paid. But before they get a chance the product tanks... Betamax, MemoryStick, Minidisc, ATRAC, BluRay... Wait, they finaly had a hit with Bluray. My bad! Well one out of six aint too bad!

Yeah, too bad that Blu-Ray was more of a collaborative effort and they dont get very much money from the actual licensing fees, because in general their blu-ray players don't sell particularly well (aside from the PS3)

 

[mjhoward]

Yeah, too bad that Blu-Ray was more of a collaborative effort and they dont get very much money from the actual licensing fees, because in general their blu-ray players don't sell particularly well (aside from the PS3)

Every PS3 is sold at a loss, so don't count those dollars!

 

[rexbobcat]

Every PS3 is sold at a loss, so don't count those dollars!

I don't care, I'll take it over the Xbox any day XD

 

[fjrabon]

Yeah, too bad that Blu-Ray was more of a collaborative effort and they dont get very much money from the actual licensing fees, because in general their blu-ray players don't sell particularly well (aside from the PS3)

Every PS3 is sold at a loss, so don't count those dollars!

Oh, I know. I was just saying that they do sell decently well, even though they don't make the company any money.

 

[Derrel]

"Carl Zeiss" lenses. By Yashica.... Errm....by Kyocera....ummm...by Cosina! Carl Zeiss is the name of a long-dead dude. "Zeiss" lenses are now made by Cosina, which has long, long been a maker of some of the cheapest, tinniest "Nikon" OEM products EVER made, like the "Nikon" FM-10... As usayit mentioned, this is a massive "Branding" thing going on here.

One of the most hilarious things is the line of "Zeiss" manual focus lenses, retailing for $1,000-$1899 or so, with the flimsiest, cheapest, squeakiest, crappiest lens caps made since Kalimar entered the $2.99 aftermarket lenscap biz back in the 1980's...I looked at multiple Zeiss ZF lenses a couple months ago in-store, and the lens caps were an utter JOKE! Just the cheeziest, thinnest, ugliest, crappiest caps one can even IMAGINE! If you ever get the chance, check it out. It's like a BMW with the sideview mirror held on by duct tape, right from the factory!

I loved the comment, "Sony could sell hundreds of these things." lol

 

[fjrabon]

"Carl Zeiss" lenses. By Yashica.... Errm....by Kyocera....ummm...by Cosina! Carl Zeiss is the name of a long-dead dude. "Zeiss" lenses are now made by Cosina, which has long, long been a maker of some of the cheapest, tinniest "Nikon" OEM products EVER made, like the "Nikon" FM-10... As usayit mentioned, this is a massive "Branding" thing going on here.

One of the most hilarious things is the line of "Zeiss" manual focus lenses, retailing for $1,000-$1899 or so, with the flimsiest, cheapest, squeakiest, crappiest lens caps made since Kalimar entered the $2.99 aftermarket lenscap biz back in the 1980's...I looked at multiple Zeiss ZF lenses a couple months ago in-store, and the lens caps were an utter JOKE! Just the cheeziest, thinnest, ugliest, crappiest caps one can even IMAGINE! If you ever get the chance, check it out. It's like a BMW with the sideview mirror held on by duct tape, right from the factory!

I loved the comment, "Sony could sell hundreds of these things." lol

Yep, to me that's the weirdest part of this whole thing. If they're trying to ride the relatively obscure Zeiss name, they're going to completely be undermined by the Sony name.

It's like if a Carrol Shelby edition Hyundai came out for $200,000

 

[unpopular]

I think this is the only lens review which spends this much attention to the lenscap.

Derrel, did you forget to take your Aricept?

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Are Mexican-made BMW's not really BMW's because they're made by a bunch of beaners? Are Zeiss lenses not really Zeiss because they're made by a bunch of chinks? I can't help but feel that these arguments of inferior Asian-made Zeiss glass is inherently racist.