Vlogging culture is on the rise all across the world. Every camera producer is grabbing this market and releasing something that specifically caters to the needs of vloggers and enthusiasts.
RX0 II is one such camera from the industry leader Sony. Though this camera is marketed and released under the action camera category, it works more perfectly for vlogging in general than action photography.
Sony RX0 II Review
Sony RX0 II has been one of the top-notch cameras ever since it appeared on the market. Many recognized reviewers referred to this camera as the direct competitor of GoPro’s Hero series action cameras.
But is this compact little gadget worth the money and all this hype is well-deserved? Here is the crux of our hands-on experience with the Sony RX0 II to bring you an honest review of the device.
All-important details you demand to apprehend about this unique action camera are cited here, covering all the salient features.
Sony RX0 II – for action photography hunger
Sony RX0 II stands in the premium price class costing almost the same or more than the latest GoPro action cameras releases. But honestly, this camera is loaded with bundles of remarkable features, making it worth investing money in it.
Sony RX0 II works the best for vlogging mainly due to its flip-up screen, which aids in framing the vlog, remarkably exceptional audio and video quality, and unique ability to separate the subject from the background.
Though it is the best camera for vlogging, that doesn’t mean that it does not work well when fulfilling the general job description of an action camera. It is loaded with all the features that an enthusiast needs to cater to his action photography needs.
RX0 II comes with internal 4K video recording with in-body electronic stabilization, full pixel readout and no pixel binning, 180 degrees up and down to 90 degrees flipping LCD screen, improved color reproduction for human skin, a closer focusing distance of 20cm, and lot more.
Design
The physical dimensions of this tiny rugged camera are 2.3 x 1.6 x 1.4″ / 59.0 x 40.5 x 35.0 mm, and it weighs just 4.7 ounces – perfect for carrying it around outdoors.
We didn’t find any noticeable difference in terms of design compared to its predecessor Sony RX0 I. Both of these devices are each other’s and standard GoPro designs alike. The build is premium quality and feels rugged but smooth in hands.
And with this one, forget about the worries of damaging your action camera during your adventures. It is entirely waterproof to 33 feet, drop resistant to 6.5 feet, completely dust-proof, and crush-proof against the weight of sound 200 kilograms.
The most noticeable feature in the camera’s build is its tilting screen that can go 180 degrees up and down to 90 degrees. This is one of the reasons it is attracting more vloggers. The screen is bright and vibrant and shows the same results under bright sunlight, even underwater.
RX0 II comes with a 24mm fixed wide-angle lens, the same lens as its predecessor. Go Pro hero 07 has almost the same lens, but this camera features a 1-inch image sensor (offers 15.3MP stills), which is a lot bigger than the GoPro’s 1/2.3-inch sensor (12MP) making its results better than any other camera.
This action camera features a microphone port, a micro USB port for charging, and mini HDMI out to an external recorder for clean 4:2:2 4K videos, and some buttons for different settings at the side of the screen.
Video Performance
Sony RX0 II can record Ultra HD 4K30 videos and Full HD videos at up to 120 fps. These videos are recorded internally to a memory card. The highest setting of the camera is the highest quality setting of 3840×2160 at 25 frames per second.
All the videos are recorded with a full pixel readout of the sensor and no pixel binning. Due to this, the footages are relatively more significant, but the details in the footage turn out excellent every time.
During our experimentation, the video of just 23 seconds turned out to be 276Mb in size. RX0 II can be attached to an external recorder for uncompressed 4:2:2 video, but that’s usually not possible every time you are shooting outdoors.
For video shooting, there is an Electronic SteadyShot image stabilization which works just fine. Even in extreme shooting situations, i.e., cycling or hiking, the videos still turn out crisp and steady.
Still images
All the cameras in this category feature a lot smaller image sensors which means lower maximum resolution the camera can support.
The image results are marvelous. The larger sensor enables more depth of field control. It promises to produce improved image quality, particularly in low-light settings where traditional action cameras with relatively smaller sensor sizes generally struggle.
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It supports both RAW and JPEG format.
Images quality is perfect in every way, but one thing we couldn’t shake from our mind is that there is no image stabilization for still images. Electronic-image stabilization works only for video shooting.
Autofocus
RX0 II does feature an Autofocus system, but the more one goes into its nerdy details, the more disappointing it turns out.
For starters, the camera AutoFocus brings greeting results on the camera but only when it is working. Sony RX0 II lacks a continuous autofocus system. The autofocus locks when you start recording and stays at the same spot unless you finish the recording.
If you want to shift the focus on another subject or actual subjects get closer or further away, the camera is still locked on one focal point, which may often result in footage where the subject is blurred.
Many reviewers assumed that the larger sensor in the tiny camera body is the reason behind the trade-off, but the larger sensor doesn’t mitigate the fact that AF-C is absent.
Battery life
Sony RX0 II uses a standard 700mAh battery.
The official manual of Sony RX0 II states that the camera can give around 35-40 minutes of the uninterrupted video shoot or 240 single shots. Still, every time, the camera gave more average than this. In ideal situations, it can give up to 55 minutes of continuous shooting time before turning off.
Sony RX0 II App
Sony’s Imaging Edge Mobile App compliments Sony RX0 II operations pretty ne-plus-ultra.
The camera can be remotely controlled partially using the Play Memories App, which includes basic exposure adjustments. The smartphone’s partial control allows to speed up essential camera management and remove live views on the display.
Both Android and iOs support the Application.
Sony RX0 II Specifications:
- Dimensions: 2.3 x 1.6 x 1.4″ / 59.0 x 40.5 x 35.0 mm
- Weight: 4.13 oz (Body Only), 4.66 oz (Body with Battery and Memory)
- Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, 3.7 VDC, 700 mAh
- Sensor Type: 1″ CMOS Sensor
- Focal Length: 7.9mm
- Fixed Focus: No
- Media/Memory Card Slot: Single Slot: microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC
- Video Format 3840 x 2160p at 23.98/29.97 fps (100, 60 Mb/s XAVC S)
- 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/29.97/60/120 fps (100, 60, 50, 25 Mb/s XAVC S)
- 1920 x 1080i at 50/60 fps (24 Mb/s AVCHD)
- Slow Motion Mode 240 fps Recorded at 1676 x 942p
- 480 fps Recorded at 1676 x 566p
- 960 fps Recorded at 1136 x 384p
- Audio Format Dolby Digital AC3
- Shutter Speed: 1/32000 Second (Photo)
- Exposure Modes Modes: Intelligent Auto, Manual, Memory Recall, Movie, Programmed Auto, Superior Auto
- Continuous Shooting: Up to 16 fps at 15 MP for up to 129 Frames (JPEG)
- Self-Timer: 2, 5, 10 Sec
- Remote Control: VCT-SGR1 Shooting Grip (Optional)
- Image Stabilization: Digital
- Shockproof Rating: 6.5′ / 2.0 m
- Waterproof Depth Rating : 33.0′ / 10.0 m (Camera)
- IP Rating: IP68
- Built-In Mic: Yes
- Built-In Speaker: No
- Built-In Light/Flash: Light – No
- Wi-Fi: Yes, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
- Tripod Mount: 1/4″ – 20
- Inputs connector: 1 x USB Micro-B 2.0
- Outputs connector: 1 x Micro-HDMI (Type D)
- Microphone Input: Via Dedicated Port
Pros:
✔ Exceptional images result
✔ UHD videos
✔ Tilting screen
✔ Good audio quality
✔ Dust/water/crush/fall-proof
Cons:
❌ No continuous Auto-focus system
❌ On a very pricer side
Conclusion
Sony RX0 II is loaded with multiple substantial characteristics, durable performance.
If you are ready to invest in an expensive action or a vlogging camera, this one is the perfect option for you. <– Affiliate Link 🙂
