An Essay on Technology: Shoot "Point-And-Shoot", supported by a review of the Sony RX100 VII.
Size really does matter. This is Sony’s point-and-shoot, compact camera, the RX100 VII, next to some large and small things. In this case, smaller is what’s delivered, and deliver it does.
I made a post three weeks ago claiming that we should put down our phones, and pick up a camera when it comes to capturing a moment.
I hate taking photos and video with my phone. The image quality sucks, often the composition sucks too, and most of the time I can’t remember where they are on my camera roll because there’s so much in it (important documents, memes, random screenshots). This post serves as a follow up to the philosophy I established in response to my complaints of phoneography. This is largely going to be a review of Sony’s “point-and-shoot” (aka compact camera) offering, the RX100 VII. I only had it for two weeks, but I put it through its paces. I aim for this post to also demonstrate how capable, and how easy it can be to capture moments with the clarity and eloquence an actual camera is meant to deliver.
I’ll skip out on sharing the specs sheet of the RX100 as I believe that this camera, along with most cameras made nowadays, can produce quality that’s good enough, especially good enough to beat out any iPhone image. The most I can say about it’s technical specs is that it has a 1-inch sensor that’s packed with similar features from Sony’s full frame professional cameras, the A7III and the A9. This pocket sized camera can shoot 4k video in S-LOG, as well as up to 960fps 1080p, and is capable of shooting RAW photos with a 20 fps burst. It can do the above, among other things, as well as doing it notably all with Sony’s great, and reliable auto focusing system. This camera is simply the best in its class.
So many choices!
Before I begin, I have to mention that there are other, more affordable cameras within it’s pocket-sized class.
They won’t have all the technology Sony has to offer, but they give the tools to get the job done. Panasonic and Canon are the usual suspects, and Ricoh, Fujifilm, and Leica are the higher end, fixed lens contenders that Sony usually gets pitted against. So, there are actually a ton of compact cameras on the market right now. The biggest pro to them in comparison to a phone camera is that they have lenses that come in an array of focal lengths (24-720mm from Panasonic’s ZS80 for example), fast apertures (2.8 being a fast standard across the board), and have optical quality engineered by the best of Leica, Zeiss, and Canon. They also come equipped with manual functionality, intelligent automation, user customizability, and RAW imagery.
I bought Ekin an Instax and she shoots a lot with it! As for the RX10 (right image, camera to the far right) I think it’s a beast of a camera. Most wild thing about the newest model is that it has a 24-600mm focal length.
So which one is the best, or which one should be purchased?
That’s for you, or someone else to decide. My needs are different. For me, I would not spend less than $200, nor more than $500 on a point-and-shoot. I follow a simple financial philosophy, as I think there should be with any purchase really. In the most practical way, any more money spent should be on moving towards an interchangeable lens system, mirrorless in the case for compactness, or at least the best of the best for the compact camera category. The Sony RX100 VII is retailing around $1,299, but its older models can be bought used, and in good condition for as low as $300. Any less money spent should be on other areas of interest, like food, traveling and other hobbies. An alternative could also be to buy a modern film camera, like an Instax, and purchase film for it. There are also bridge cameras, which are becoming incredibly better, but the only noteworthy one I can mention is Sony’s RX10 IV as it has the same sensor of the RX100 VII, yet provides even more photographic possibility.
What I love about a “point-and-shoot”
I really love how a compact camera comes off to people.
Video of me climbing Baby Nat’s V6 captured on the RX100 by my friend Anthony.
It’s small, fits in a pocket, and carries the title of being a “point-and-shoot.” People don’t change their ways like how they might with a big DSLR in their faces. They become self conscious wall-flowers, or the next top model. Though it enables some sort of professionalism, as well as the potential for crafting a scene, I prefer to do it with less manipulation. I would even extend this sentiment to whenever a phone camera is taken out. Internet vitality, or intimacy in some cases, is what I think of when people photograph a moment with their phones. Social media is just a tap away from the camera roll. It’s the reason why people say, “Do it for the gram,” and “Worldstar!" The space and experience shifts, so I try to keep it as candid as possible. Shooting with a compact camera is reminiscent to the nostalgia of disposable cameras—or at least the days of embarrassing mirror pics, and unflattering group photos taken with the family Coolpix/Cybershot.
People also don’t go, “How do I use this thing?” It’s a point and shoot! Move the dial around and watch what happens on the screen in all of its live, electronic viewing. Nowadays, most cameras are capable of shooting fully manual, with forgiving RAW processing. If I were to hand over the camera to someone on, or even off, auto mode, then I won’t have to worry about exposure so much. This means no moment is lost to poor exposure.
The best camera in my pocket is no longer my phone, it’s an actual camera.
This means I treat taking a photo as it should be. I make changes to the lighting, the depth of field, and the composition. Whether it be me sticking my eye to the electronic view-finder for calculated composition, or even a quick selfie at arms length, my shots not only look better, they feel better. Maybe I’m shallow for sounding like I’m trying to preach “take better photos,” which is a valid argument. But I would go on to say that I’m not trying to take better photos, I’m trying to take better care of remembering this moment. I have a powerful imaging device that allows me to get exactly what I want without the faulty behind-the-scenes processing.
What I love about Sony’s point and shoot
It shoots fast.
I don’t really care for fast, hence my baggage with phone photography, but being able to capture my dog running at a point where his ears are at its apex, how could I not? There’s a difference from shooting at a faster rate versus capturing a moment fast. Another example would be like shooting a wedding ceremony. I need to get the bride and groom having their kiss, and missing that moment is crucial in telling of their love story. I can time the moment to the best of my ability, but I’m only human. I could be getting the shot once I press the trigger, but I could be a second too early or too late from an image that’s far more powerful than what I got. That extra burst frame rate that Sony offers is clutch in a moment like that—it’s clutch in a moment like trying to photograph my dog at his cutest, other dogs at their most vicious, or even the crux of a climb.
Even in lowlight, and with a huge object filling up the frame Remi’s eye is in sharp focus,.
The autofocus is ridiculously reliable.
It’s a blessing and a curse really. I never cared so much for my photos to be in pin-point focus, at least not until I got my hand on a camera with Sony’s engineering. I mostly manual focused until not too long ago. Going off of the previous paragraph, the burst shooting I would do with my dog required fast autofocusing so that every frame would be clear as he moved closer to me. I know we all love seeing a dogs wet nose, hanging tongue, and beautiful eyes! Autofocus matters, to an extent I would warrant, because nailing focus is not incredibly easy. From a technical perspective, the eyes in portrait photography is most telling of a scene. If they are out of focus, something else likely is, which means the story the subject is supposed to be telling might fall short in its delivery. Coming from Canon’s DSLR system, autofocus always had to be set with some sort of manual manipulation. I won’t go to too much further detail, but what I will say is that Sony’s newer cameras are engineered with face and eye recognition, meaning they were programmed to register figures in a scene. This is contrary to the typical contrast, and point based focusing systems. They are so good at it because they’ve been working on the technology for a while, and have years of experience that put them in front of leaders like Canon and Nikon.
What I hate about “point-and-shoot,” and the Sony.
I don’t have much to hate about these kind of cameras nowadays. If it were 2010, then I would have a much different opinion considering phone cameras weren’t too far from being compared to the like.But I’ll play Devil’s advocate.
I hate that they aren’t seen as professional,
despite some having professional level technology, and especially because making images is all about the storytelling aspect (whether it be narrative or aesthetic), not the camera itself. I’ve shot some of my favorite photos with them, and am considering printing them large because of how much I like them. I guess this isn’t so much a negative for the camera, but a negative for people and societal expectations.
Point-and-shoot is made for shadow selfies!
Kinda cute, but ugly honestly. There’s accessories to pimp it out, but I’m not about it for a camera that’s $1,000+.
I hate that the Sony is too hard to hold.
There’s no grip to it, and given that it’s a camera with outstanding quality, I want it to feel of that outstanding quality. I’m not asking for a Leica or a Fujifilm knock off, but at least add some grip tape if a robust one can’t be added. In Sony’s defense, there is an optional grip that can be bought, but it comes at a cost. A $15 grip might not seem much, but the camera is already over the $1,000 price point. What’s worse is that I couldn’t fit my neck strap onto it, so I was stuck with a non-locking wrist strap. I do like how it’s thick, and that it has a beautiful view finder, but I didn’t really like holding this camera because it felt like holding a phone at times.
The images on the Sony is hard for me to work with.
Dynamic range is actually quite good considering it’s a 1 inch sensor. So much can be recovered in raw, especially the shadows. But even then, I think most of my photos came out on the darker end with some green tinting. Even post-processing was tough. Once I would fix the exposure, colors became the next big problem. The colors would also be too washed out, or contrast became an issue for the exposure. I know that Sony has had problems with color, and have only recently made a massive change to their sensor, so the case might be different in the future. I might very well just suck at post processing, and so be it if that’s true. Coming from Canon, I have always been spoiled with great colors. Now that I’m shooting Fujifilm, color really is becoming more of a big deal for me.
This camera—a point-and-shoot camera—enabled various experiences for me.
I was able to slow down a moment, and cherish it through careful composition. I was able to remember and relive those moments with clarity, of the digital image, as well as of my memory. I was able to take casual home photos with it, while also being able to use it like a painters paintbrush. It’s easy to say that I can do all the above with a phone camera, but it doesn’t really cut it for me. I do contradict myself in that I still take photos with my phone, but I do so with the intent I’ve been professing. I maintain such a strong position because without intention, my images mean nothing. I’m stubborn in that case, but I veer towards shooting photos and video on a camera because that’s what they were made for.
The immediacy that phone cameras present through computational photography and artificial intelligence, as well as the uninviting ergonomics of the user experience, is a threat to the process of capturing and remembering a memory. Maybe I’m old school, maybe I’m trying to live in my own ideal world, maybe I’m a snob. So be it, but as long as my philosophy puts me on track to living my best life, then I’ll keep on keeping on.
I leave you with some of my favorite photos I’ve taken with this point-and-shoot camera. Click on a photo to see it in larger resolution.
