There are many reviews about how the camera works. I’m more interested in how I can work with the camera. I only ever keep a camera if it does not intrude on my process and vision. Maybe that sounds easy but many a good cameras have found their way to the selling block. The GRD4 after setup gets out of the way and does not intrude on my vision. I can work even with one hand and I never have to think about the camera settings.
Technicalities
The RX100 after setup, works much in the same way. I am a street shooter so my preferences may be different from someone doing landscapes or portraits. I want as much Depth Of Field in focus as I can get. So normally I would work at f5.6, f8.0, f11. This would give me from under 2′ to infinity. That’s where my images live and always have. So if there is no focus scale, how do we determine Hyperfocal Distance? Go here…. Use .011 as the COC, (Circle Of Confusion). Use the actual focal length and you will find the distances you need.
So without the scale, we have to improvise and use our body as a measuring device. Here’s what I do. For f5.6 I put the camera so that it rest on the bridge of my nose. I am 6′ tall. At the bridge the camera is 5.3′ from the ground. I then use the left button to use AFS and 1/2 press the shutter to get focus lock to the ground. Immediately, press the left button to go to MF mode. The camera is now at Hyperfocal Distance for f5.6. I use my belly button to get f8.0.
Of course you set the camera up to toggle AFS/MF on the left button, right….I thought so. I use the Center button to do MF assist. Now using “A” mode, we can control the AF point and not have to focus the camera until you want to. It’s very fast this way. Almost as fast as the Ricoh but not yet…..
This camera needs the Franiec Grip. Mine was shipped today and I will post about the hold at that point. I won’t get into Image Quality yet as we can only do Jpegs. For me that’s a waste of time other than testing. I will say that the Jpegs do dook very good. I’m sure the Raw files thru Light Room will be outstanding. Not as gritty as the GRD4 but nice.
Street handling
I think it may be time for me to explain what I do with a camera. I am a street shooter, always was and always will be. I am not a candid portrait shooter. A street shooter must be versed in all facets of photography. You never know what will come your way on the street. Maybe you’re seeing a cityscape and all the sudden, you glance right….your pulse picks up, you try to control your breathing because you see a scene developing in front of you that you know, you must capture. You know it’s a good image.
Maybe you see a face you can’t resist and you want to do a portrait…. You are mostly a B&W shooter and yet you must be prepared for the next time a color image calls to you.
What I’m getting at and how it relates to the RX100 is, a street shooter must be at the ready. It takes a special breed of shooter to be able to work this way. A portraitist does portraits and really doesn’t need be concerned with things on the street. A landscape shooter may not be excited to do a portrait or a macro, or close-up work, etc.
So as a street shooter, we need a camera that can keep up with the developing scenes on the street and not intrude on our vision. The camera MUST let the shooter be free and just work without having to make changes etc.
So far the RX100 is developing into the kind of camera that can do that. It is not an easy task and only a few really are up to the struggle. The Ricoh GRD4 is the king in this area. The RX100 will be a good partner camera for the GRD but not replace it as king. Maybe a Prince.
What are the requirements for a camera to cut it in my work. First and foremost is interface. I also include handling as part of interface. Set up and easy of adaptability are second. Sure, sometimes a camera takes some time to get the right setup. After that, how it responds to the shooter and how the shooter responds to the camera are what counts. You can not fight with a camera and expect to get any results you can live with. The camera should not be a cause of aggravation. You need to be relaxed out there. Aggravation belongs somewhere else but not with you on the street.
The RX100 is a very adaptable camera. Well a week or so has passed and I’m still smiling. The RX100 has passed everything I wanted to throw at it. Of course this means that it works for the street. There are 2 main types of shooters that I deal with. The first is the consumer and I won’t address any issues in that area. The second and most important to me is the Street Shooter. The camera works for this person. Here’s how.
The RX100 needs a setup like any other camera. It’s best not to think about any other camera when trying to define what your setup should be in this camera. I have the Control Ring set to Zoom. If we turn the control ring, then we see a display of the focal length. As we turn the ring, the focal length changes and we see on the screen what FL we are at. This camera displays…28, 35, 50, 70, and 100mm. So why would anyone use the ring, which is slower than the button on top? Good question.
Street shooters like to zone focus or better yet use Hyperfocal Distance. Using the top button will change the FL but you don’t get a FL display. You just see the lens change. The importance of this is…. seeing the FL, we can then set the lens to any marked FL. Perhaps we want to work with a 35mm. Well, it’s easy to do with the control ring. As soon as you press the Fn button, the control ring changes to the preset setting you desire.
How to do Hyperfocal Distance with the RX100?
Another good question. There is no focusing scale. We have to work this out. Street Shooters are very ingenious and will overcome any situation that gets in our way. Here’s what I do. I set the left button on the rear dial to toggle between AFS/MF. This way I can go from AFS to MF in a flash of a second.
I will explain how to find a distance but first the reason behind my choice on the Left button. If we point the camera and hit the release with a 1/2 press, the camera does it’s AF and very fast and very accurate. If I hit the Left button right away, then that distance is locked in until I hit the Left button again, to go back to AFS. Come on….wake up…you get it? I have Focus Peaking and Color set to OFF. We don’t want flashing colors on our screen when we are working…… Be careful of the center button, it will magnify the image if you hit it. Don’t panic…. just hit the 1/2 press and it stops.
Personal Distance Firmware Update.
It seems the engineers have a sense of humor.There is no scale in the camera.They may indeed do a firmware update in the future but until then, we need to update our firmware in our brain.
5.6 5.85′ Eyes
8.0 4.14′ Breastbone
11.0 2.94′ Waist
Using a tape measure or any device you have to measure, get a distance from the ground to the top of your head. You can see from the above, I have measured and set a distance on my body to reflect that distance. I hold the camera lens down and film plane to the desired body part, then hit AFS. This focuses the camera to that distance and then quickly hit the left button, the camera is now set at the Hyper Focal Distance for the fstop I set. Remember that your distance of acceptable focus is 1/2 of the HD. So it should be easy to see that at f8, we are good from approximately 2′ to infinity.
{The Ricoh GRD4 does not require this operation as it has “Snap Focus” and is very accurate and easy to set.}
If we are working at say f8, and using A mode, then we can basically not pay attention to the camera except for the screen. This now brings us to another important issue. What Mode should we be using? To maintain the DOF, there are two. First is the “A” mode that we set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed according to the ISO. The 2nd is “M” mode where we set the Aperture and the Shutter speed and the camera watches as we try to find correct exposure. The camera is lazy at this point because we must set the ISO, the 3rd part of exposure. So now we have 2 camera things to be concerned with while working. This is an issue and an easy fix.
It starts to become an intrusion on vision. What happens is….we are working a scene and as we start to frame in our mind, the mind says…Yo, what exposure are you thinking about? I like to say….Yo mind…leave me alone, the camera has me covered. Unfortunately, the RX100 doesn’t. Here’s why. If I’m at f8, I know I’m good from about 2′ to infinity. I want that…I see the light is not strong but very interesting and the shutter speed needs to be around 1/250 due to movement.
If I’m in M mode, it’s an easy thing to set the 2 BUTT….what about ISO? Man, this is a problem. I have to look at the camera and change the ISO until I get the right exposure I want with the 2 FIXED ELEMENTS OF EXPOSURE. This means time away from framing. Even if we use A mode, then the camera sets the shutter speed ad we set the Aperture and ISO. Well, cameras have a way of playing games, oh yeah. If I set ISO 400, f8 maybe the camera will give me a shutter speed that will stop motion. Maybe not.
The solution is to ave Auto ISO in M mode. The RX100 has Auto ISO but not in M mode. The GRD4 has it with a choice of shutter settings. If we had Auto ISO in M mode, then we could set the camera to f8 1/250 and the camera is now working with us again by setting the ISO without intruding on our vision. (Sony, please read and understand this. I am not an engineer but I am a photographer and this camera needs this feature to be taken seriously).
Everything else on the camera is pretty much self-explanatory. I like the flash. There are some shooters complaining about not having a button for the flash. Break my heart. I keep the Right control button to flash. If you cycle thru the menu by hitting the flash button, you’ll see the options to use the flash. I used Fill. As soon as I hit the 1/2 release, the flash poped up and was ready. It takes around 3 seconds to cycle the flash. It’s very evenly exposed as the meter balances the ambient light with the flash. If you use a finger to pull the flash back gently against the top and hold it there, you get a bounced flash.
The Fn button is cool. You can configure the settings you want quick access to. Very handy.
I have no interest in posting about IQ. There’s much to read on forums. It’s not a concern to street shooters. We know the camera has great IQ. I will post a few images that found me on the street.
A few things including the screen.
On a few forums there has been chatter about the camera in negative ways. Sure, it’s not perfect, what is? I am concerned with those of you whom want to work the street with this camera. The screen has been rated as low in some people’s eyes. You may notice I said people and not shooters. Here’s the scoop out there. The screen is your SPC (Single Point of Contact) with your image. It is that important that you can see from most angles and in any light condition.
The RX100 like most Sony cameras does not disappoint. It has a very nice bright contrasty, sharp screen. Yeah, yeah…I know I know….what about in bright light. C’mon, you’re a street shooter aren’t you? Go to the menu, find screen brightness and then there is a setting called…”Sunny”. Oh my…. if Moses saw this, there would be another commandment for all cameras. The screen gets so bright that in any light, even backlighting with the sun on the screen, you can frame and even see the settings. Try it, it’ll change the way you see….. well, it’ll be easier to see at any rate.
The AF System.
I’m not getting into the engineering part of the AF system. I’ll just say that if works very fast and very accurate. Even in low light with some contrast, the camera locks accurately and moderately quick. I would like a smaller AF Target Box and maybe in a future firmware Sony will make me and a few others happy.
The Body
I strongly recommend the Franiec Grip. Richard makes for many cameras what the engineers saw as not needed. His grips are life savers in more ways than one. The body is designed for the street. It is very slick with the buttons just at the perfect location and height that street shooters need. There’s been more chatter from people again about the rear dial. They say that it’s easy to move things. Well, rubbish. I work my cameras long and hard and I have not had a single accident yet. I will try to make an accident tomorrow on the street but I’ll actually have to try. Get an LCD protector. I have a Giotto’s that works fine. It’s made from Shott Glass and is very handsome. That’s it my friends. I hope you find the images that are looking for you out there. I also hope you find them with the RX100 because that’s a great street machine.
Please feel free to comment positive or negative. You will not rattle my cage. I will answer any question about anything I can if asked. Oh, I’m hitting 63 in Oct and have been on the street making photos for almost 50 years.