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Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II Comparison

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Sony RX1R

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1R
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Sony RX1R II

42 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1R II
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Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing RX1R and RX1R II, two Large Sensor Compact cameras by Sony. Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Sony RX1R has a 24.0 MP and Sony RX1R II has a 42.0 MP resolution. Sony RX1R was introduced to market in June 2013 and Sony RX1R II was launched in October 2015. As you can see, RX1R is 2 years older than RX1R II. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony RX1R Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-26
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3 Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Sony RX1R II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-10-13
  • 42MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 50 - 25600 ( expands to 102400)
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5.0 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 507g. 113 x 65 x 72 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Battery Life
270 shots vs 220 shots 50 more frames with a single charge
Weight
482 g vs 507 g 25 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
35.65µm2 vs 20.43µm2 74% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
42 MP vs 24 MP 75% more pixels
Color Depth
25.8 vs 25.0 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.9 vs 13.6 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
3204 vs 2537 better High ISO performance
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Anti Alias Filter Simulator
Yes vs No Turn on Anti Alias filter effect to minimise Moire
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam

Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 42 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 1.229k dots High resolution screens
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 2.00 Fast lenses at tele
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Focal Length - Wide
35mm vs 35mm No real wide angle coverage
Focal Length - Tele
35mm vs 35mm No Tele reach
Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony RX1R has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries). Sony RX1R II has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 72 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.83″) and weighs 507 g (1.12 lb / 17.88 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II. Sony RX1R has the same height and width with Sony RX1R II. On the other hand, with a thickness of 70mm, it is 2mm thinner.

Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II.
Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX1R is 25g lighter than the Sony RX1R II but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX1R
RX1R II
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX1R
RX1R II
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

On the other hand, Sony RX1R II features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Sony RX1R has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to RX1R II.
Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II: Sensor Comparison

Sony RX1R has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Sony RX1R II has a 42.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ X processor.

Sony RX1R II's sensor provides 18MP more than Sony RX1R's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another similarity between these two cameras is that both Sony RX1R II and Sony RX1R sensors lack anti-alias (Low-Pass) filters. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the RX1R and RX1R II sensor size comparison.

Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II Cameras


Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that RX1R II has a better overall score of 97, 6 points higher compared to RX1R's score of 91.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony RX1R 91 25.0 bits 13.6 Evs 2537 ISO
Sony RX1R II 97 25.8 bits 13.9 Evs 3204 ISO
Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II Lens Specs Comparison

Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II features 35 mm F2.0 Prime lenses so they have the same focal reach and light collecting ability.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 35mm and have the same max aperture of f2.00 at this focal length. Both cameras have a tele angle reach of 35mm and have the same max aperture of f2.00 at this focal length.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
RX1R II
Widest - Canon G1 X II
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
RX1R II
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
RX1R II
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
RX1R II
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony RX1R for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R II for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Street Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R II for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R II for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX1R II for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
507g
Body Thickness 72mm
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R II for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 42.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sony RX1R vs Sony RX1R II: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony RX1R and Sony RX1R II scores compare:

Sony RX1R
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #11 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #177 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Sony RX1R II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #2 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #63 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony RX1R II is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony RX1R in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Sony RX1R. Otherwise, Sony RX1R II is the better camera overall.

Sony RX1R
Sony RX1R
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Sony RX1R II
Sony RX1R II
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Sony RX1R II vs Sony RX1R Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2013-06-26 2015-10-13
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 855.62mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 42 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 7952 x 5304
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 25 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 35 mm (1x) 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F2.0 F2.0
Macro Focus Range n/a 14cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3 3
Resolution 1,229k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic and Optical (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.74x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/4000s 1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 482g 507g
Dimensions 113 x 65 x 70mm 113 x 65 x 72mm
Battery Life 270 shots 220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 91 97
DxO Color Depth 25.0 25.8
DxO Dynamic Range 13.6 13.9
DxO Low Light ISO 2537 3204
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