Expert review of the Sony CyberShot DSC-RX100 VII
Sony CyberShot DSC-RX100 VII
Pros
- You can take detailed photos with the light-sensitive, 1-inch sensor.
- With the aperture ring, you can easily adjust the aperture while photographing.
- Thanks to the tiltable screen, you can easily record vlogs.
Cons
- If you have large hands, the compact design will feel less comfortable in your hand.
First impression
The camera has the same design as its predecessors. Thanks to the compact design, the camera doesn't feel as comfortable in my hand. The advantage of a small camera is that you can easily fit it into your pocket. The model has a 180-degree tiltable screen, which is easy for selfies and vlogs. You can also use the viewfinder on the left side of the camera. Because I look through the viewfinder with my left eye, the camera is in the way a little.
Detailed photos and videos
With the advanced, 1-inch sensor, you can take detailed photos and videos. The light-sensitive sensor allows you to use the camera in locations with poor lighting, like a dense forest. The textures of objects are clearly visible on the images. When you zoom in on the photos, the pixels are visible. You can record videos in 4K resolution. You can also easily record vlogs with the 180-degree tiltable screen. Via the touchscreen, you can easily focus on yourself.
Easy controls with aperture ring
What I really like about the RX100 VII, is the aperture ring on the lens. You can use it to quickly and easily change the aperture when you take photos in manual mode. To adjust the shutter speed, you can adjust the dial next to the screen. The camera doesn't have a touchscreen to adjust the settings, which I think is a disadvantage. You can only choose a focus point by tapping the screen.
Large zoom range of 24-200mm
You can capture various objects because of the large zoom range of this compact camera. The optical zoom makes the lens slide out, which means you won't lose image quality while zooming in. This allows you to take photos both of a landscape or a macro photo of a flower or insect. If you want to photograph moving objects, you can use the burst mode. You can choose the number of fps yourself, 90, 60, or 30. These images are merged to 7 sharp photos. This mode supports both JPEG and RAW files.
Capture activity moments sharply
The camera has a fast autofocus system with Eye AF. This is especially useful if you like to take portrait photos. I took a photo of a colleague and the closest eye became sharp right away. You can change this if you want, by tapping the other eye. This function doesn't just work with people, but also with animals. When your object moves, the focus system will accurately track your object thanks to Real-time tracking. That way, you can photograph an athlete or animal.
Conclusion
The aperture ring is a great advantage of the camera in my opinion. This makes the camera very easy to control if you adjust the settings manually. Thanks to the tiltable screen and the external microphone jack, the camera is suitable for recording professional-looking vlogs. The compact design doesn't feel very comfortable in my hand. The camera doesn't have an ergonomic design either. I'm happy with the image quality. You can see a lot of detail, but the pixels become more visible when you zoom in.
