Sony Mirrorless: Will the Concepts Carry Forward?
See the in-depth review of the Sony RX1R / RX1 as well as The Future of Image Quality is Fixed-Lens Cameras.
Is there staying power at Sony to deliver a thoughtful evolution of successful designs into the marketplace? To fix the issues and improve the product aggressively? Or to put effort into a design of a sensible menu system? And to do all this coherently across a growing line of products?
Or will it be a series of experiments to see what “sticks”, without a commitment to address usability and quality issues, warranty issues, support issues, etc? Because a $2K or $3K camera needs a lot more depth of commitment and support over time. Nikon and Canon understand this.
The Sony RX1 appeared in the fall of 2012, so it has been out for about 16 months. Not very long in calendar terms, but relatively long in the digital camera market. A year later the RX1R appeared, which as readers know I really like (and it is free of shutter vibration issues, having a leaf shutter in the lens).
Which leads me to the “evolution” question: with the Sony A7R demonstrating that 36 megapixels can be a wonderful thing at full sharpness (no vibration image with a top-grade lens), where is the Sony RX2R model sporting that nifty 36 megapixel sensor? And where is an RX2R model with an 18mm and 24mm and 75mm lens? Or at least one of those options? The design concept is terrific; it has legs and I’d like to see it move forward. But nary a word from Sony, which is a pity given the appeal of the RX1R.