Just a few days after the G7X Mark III has been announced, Sony is going toe to toe with Canon and announcing their new high-end compact, the Sony RX100 VII.
Sony RX100 VII – What’s In For Video?
Actually, a lot! As an RX100 V owner (still using it for my Youtube Tutorials) I skipped the Mark VI because it was a very disappointing iteration and still had the 2 biggest flaws of the RX100 series: no mic jack and huge overheating problems with 4K and slow-motion.
With the Sony RX100 VII, it looks like Sony learned the lesson, and put everything on the table, to make this camera the most versatile compact money can buy. The new stacked 1-inch CMOS sensor is giving you the new eye-tracking AF, which is perfect for your casual talking head Vlog video. And the photographer in you will love this feature to follow any fast-moving subject, to bust shots (20 fps continuous shooting) with full autofocus and no blackouts. The lens (24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5) didn’t change, but in combination with the new autofocus system, this is definitely going to be the new benchmark in this size category. Unfortunately, just like the predecessor, this lens is not leaving enough space for an ND filter. So if you’re planning to use this camera outside for vlogging or burst shooting your kids’ soccer game from the sideline, you’ll have to adjust with the shutter and aperture.
Specs:
- 1″ stacked-CMOS sensor with phase detection (20MP)
- 24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 zoom
- 20 fps continuous shooting with full autofocus and auto-exposure, and no blackout, 90 fps single burst mode
- 2.36M-dot EVF with 0.59x equiv. magnification
- 3″ touchscreen LCD (180° up / 90° down)
- up to 5 minutes UHD 4K video in standard temperature mode
- Combined lens and digital ‘Active’ stabilization mode in video
- built-in Intervalometer
- Wi-Fi with Bluetooth & NFC
Buckle Up, Instagram Shooter!
As a nice addition, Sony even put in some neat functions to create compelling imagery for your Instagram account, as the camera can now detect when you are holding it upright (vertical mode) and actually baking that into the metadata. No manual rotation anymore in Premiere Pro! Plus new aspect ratios (1:1 / 4:3) are clearly geared towards those, who want to step up their Instagram game a little bit. That plus an external mic (like a Rode Videmic) and your Instagram Story is going to see a whole new level of (video) quality.
Conclusion: One (And A Half) Flaws
I almost feel like I have to apologize to Sony. After calling the RX100 V the “perfect pocket cinematographer” I was more than disappointed with the next iteration (RX100 VI). Now with the seventh generation, it looks like Sony did their homework and did everything to cater both, the photo and video enthusiast. And it’s almost perfect! The new sensor isn’t overheating as much as before and finally, we are seeing a mic jack. Another nice detail is that the intervalometer for timelapse shots is now included. In previous models, you had to buy an additional app for the camera.
However, I’m not sure if someone who wants to buy a pocketable camera and/or is just starting a Youtube channel would shell out a whopping 1100$ for a compact, no matter how good it is. Plus given that the direct competitor, The Cano G7X Mark III is significantly cheaper. That hefty price tag could be the only reason for this camera to not be a big hit. Also, an ND filter might be something you’d be missing big time when shooting in bright sunlight.
Overall the Sony RX100 VII is a close to perfect compact camera. If you have the budget and don’t mind the missing ND filter you are looking at probably the best compact camera ever built!
