With smartphones satisfying many folk’s photography needs these days, companies that develop dedicated cameras are being forced more than ever to ship new products with compelling features and designs. Sony is one of these companies and despite growing pressures, its latest release shows it is far from throwing in the towel.
Being touted as the ‘world’s smallest and lightest’ premium ultra-compact camera, the Sony RX0 II is a truly impressive piece of tech. Its tiny form-factor sports a 15.3 megapixel sensor that’s capable of shooting 4K video. A rugged external shell contributes to water, dust, shock, and crushproof ratings.
An impressive follow-up
The Sony RX0 II is a worthy upgrade to its 18+ month old predecessor. We covered the original RX0 release and were quick to call out its impressive 1-inch sensor but were disappointed that it was not capable of recording 4K footage. While Sony resolves this qualm, it’s still not quite up to par when compared to recent smartphones as it can only shoot 4K at 30fps.
Outside of this disappointment, the Sony RX0 II is a very respectable camera. It’s able to shoot Super Slow Motion video at up to an 1,000 fps, which is impressive considering that GoPro’s flagship HERO7 Black can only capture 240fps.
Additionally, the Sony RX0 II can withstand water submersion up to 10 meters, drops from 2 meters, and crushing forces reaching 440-pounds. Content shot on the Sony RX0 II can be quickly downloaded to smartphones when using the Imaging Edge Mobile app.
“With its 1.0 type sensor, Zeiss® lens and multi-camera capability all packed in a compact waterproof body, the original RX0 was designed to enable new forms of creative expression,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Products and Services Americas at Sony Electronics.
Pricing and availability
Although it cannot be ordered yet, Sony revealed its RX0 II Camera will cost $699.99. The company plans to ship its refreshed ultra-compact camera sometime next month. A specific date was not provided, but interested parties can sign up to be notified about its release on the RX0 II’s landing page.
As for where you’ll be able to pick up the new Sony RX0 II camera, it will be initially sold in North America at several authorized dealers. It appears that B&H made the list with pre-orders beginning there on March 28th. It seems reasonable that a product listing will show up at Amazon around the same time.
9to5Toys’ Take
While I enjoy shooting video with my drone, the footage is generally lackluster since I tend to be rather casual during the process. A large part of this is because I typically play it safe. With a durable solution like the Sony RX0 II, there’s a good chance I’d be more creative and that’s exactly what the company is going for.
This seems to be a solid approach to a market that is constantly being pressured by what newer smartphones are capable of. The only caveat is getting consumers to spend $700 on a secondary device, but it’s understandable for such high specifications clock in at this price point.
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