Sony QX1 Review

Name: Sony Alpha QX1
Brand: Sony

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Main Features

20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 16000

" Fixed Type Screen

4.0fps continuous shooting

and FHD at 30fps Video Recording

Built-in Wireless

216g. 74 x 70 x 53 mm

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Sony QX1 Overview

Launched in September 2014 , Sony Alpha QX1 is a 20.0MP Lens-style camera with a APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Sony E (NEX) lens mount.

Sony QX1 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Sony QX1 is a member of Sony's Lens-style class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

Sony Lens-style Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Sony QX30 Compare	2014	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	10.0 fps	68 x 65 x 58mm	193g
Sony QX1	2014	20.0MP - APS-C	4.0 fps	74 x 70 x 53mm	216g
Sony QX100 Compare	2013	20.0MP - 1-inch	fps	63 x 63 x 56mm	179g
Sony QX10 Compare	2013	18.0MP - 1/2.3-inch	fps	62 x 62 x 33mm	105g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
Sony QX30 vs QX1 vs QX100 vs QX10

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sony QX1 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Sony QX1 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

NFC Connectivity

and FHD at 30fps Video Recording

Touch Screen

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

16.000 Max ISO

25 Focus Points

216g Light Body

Flash Sync Port

Remote control with a smartphone

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Buy Sony QX1 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Sensor shift Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Built-in Viewfinder

No External Viewfinder Option

Small LCD Screen ( ")

Low Screen Resolution ( 0kdots )

Low Battery Life: 440 shots

No Environmental Sealing

Report a correction

Sony QX1 Physical Specs

Sony QX1 weighs 216 g (0.48 lb / 7.62 oz) and has external dimensions of 74 x 70 x 53 mm (2.91 x 2.76 x 2.09″). Considering that the average weight of Lens-style type cameras is 173g, Sony QX1 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 53mm, it has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

Lens-style Cameras

Sony QX1

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Thickness Comparison

Lens-style Cameras

Sony QX1

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Here is the front and top view image of Sony QX1 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony QX1 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony QX1, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Sony QX1 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Sony QX1 with its main competitors:

Sony QX1 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs QX1	Thickness	vs QX1
Sony QX100 Compare	179g	37g lighter	56mm	3mm thicker
Sony QX10 Compare	105g	111g lighter	33mm	20mm thinner
Sony QX30 Compare	193g	23g lighter	58mm	5mm thicker
Sony A6000 Compare	344g	128g heavier	45mm	8mm thinner
Sony a5000 Compare	269g	53g heavier	36mm	17mm thinner
Fujifilm XQ1 Compare	206g	10g lighter	33mm	20mm thinner
Sony A7 III Compare	650g	434g heavier	74mm	21mm thicker
Sony a5100 Compare	283g	67g heavier	36mm	17mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Sony QX1 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Sony QX1 Lens Mount and Lenses

Sony QX1 has a Sony E (NEX) lens mount and currently there are 172 native lenses available for this mount. Sony keeps on adding new lenses to its E and FE mount selection and third party lens manufacturers also offer lot of good options. Thanks to its very short flange focal distance, choices of adapting lenses from other mounts are almost limitless. Sony also sells an adapter (Sony LA-EA4) which lets A mount lenses to be used with functionality including AF with E mount cameras.Metabones and Fotodiox also offers adapters which makes use of full range of Canon EF lenses with Auto Focus on E mount cameras.

Sony QX1 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 35 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization.

Weather Sealed Lenses for Sony QX1

There are 87 lenses with weather sealing for Sony QX1 but bear in mind that QX1 body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Sony QX1 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony E (NEX) Mount Lenses for Sony QX1

Model	Focal Length equiv.	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS	36-360mm	35mm FF	780gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T	36-105mm	35mm FF	426gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS	82.5-315mm	APS-C / DX	345gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS	105-300mm	35mm FF	840gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T	52.5mm	35mm FF	120gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS	105-450mm	35mm FF	854gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 50mm F1.8	75mm	35mm FF	186gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS	24-75mm	APS-C / DX	116gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Sony QX1 Lenses page for more detailed lens search.

Sony QX1 Sensor and Photography Features

Sony QX1 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5456 x 3632 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 3:2. QX1 has a native ISO range of 100 - 16000 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Sony QX1 is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Canon M6 MII with its 33.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony QX1 vs Canon M6 MII or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sony QX1's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Sony QX1 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Sony QX1 LCD

Sony QX1 has a Fixed Type -inch LCD screen with a resolution of 0k dots. At only ", the screen is on the smaller side and 0kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

Unfortunately Sony Alpha QX1 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

QX1 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Sony QX1 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Sony QX1 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n with NFC) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. With its NFC feature, QX1 can communicate with devices such as smartphones which are also equipped with this technology by simply touching each other.One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our QX1. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

Sony QX1 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Sony QX1 Battery

Sony QX1 is powered by NP-FW50 battery which provides a battery life of 440 shots according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Lens-style type cameras is 265 shots, Sony QX1 has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Lens-style Cameras

Sony QX1

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Sony QX1 is the longest battery life Lens-style camera in our database. The closest competitor in this class is Sony QX10 with its 220 shots battery life. Check the comparison of Sony QX1 vs Sony QX10 or take a look at Longest battery life Compact cameras list.

Sony QX1 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony QX100 Compare	1920 x 1080	200shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony QX10 Compare	1440 x 1080	220shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony QX30 Compare	1920 x 1080	200shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony A6000 Compare	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony a5000 Compare	1920 x 1080	420shots	Yes	No	Yes
Fujifilm XQ1 Compare	1920 x 1080	240shots	Yes	No	No
Sony A7 III Compare	3840 x 2160	610shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sony a5100 Compare	1920 x 1080	400shots	Yes	No	Yes

Sony QX1 Video Features

With Sony QX1, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30p fps and save in and MPEG-4 formats. Full HD resolution of Sony QX1 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

QX1 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a None speaker. On the other hand, Sony QX1 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Lens-style camera with external microphone connectivity, consider or in a similar price range.

Sony QX1 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Sony QX1 can shoot continuously at max speed of 4 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately QX1 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Sony QX1 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 25 points to choose from.

Sony QX1 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Sony QX1 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sony QX1 in 5 different photography areas.

This camera is not rated yet!

Sony QX1 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sony QX1 compares with other Lens-style cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sony QX1 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sony QX1

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony QX1 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Sony QX1 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Sony QX1 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Sony QX1's price range.

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Sony QX1 Conclusion and Scores

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sony QX1

Does the Sony QX1 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sony QX1 have RAW support?
Does the Sony QX1 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sony QX1 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sony QX1?
What is the Sensor Size of Sony QX1?
is the Sony QX1 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sony QX1 have Touch Screen?
Does the Sony QX1 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony QX1?
What is the Weight of Sony QX1?
What are the Dimensions of Sony QX1?

Sony Alpha QX1 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sony
Model	Sony Alpha QX1
Announced	2014-09-03
Body Type	Lens-style
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony E (NEX)
Focal Length Multiplier	1.5×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	"
Screen Resolution	0k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	4.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash Modes	Off, auto, fill, slow sync, rear sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	23.2 x 15.4 mm
Sensor Area	357.28mm²
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5456 x 3632
Max Native ISO	16,000
Min Native ISO	100
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
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (30p)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	216g
Physical Dimensions	74 x 70 x 53mm
Battery Life	440 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NP-FW50
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2, 10 secs)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, Memory Stick Micro
Storage Slots	1