Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX0 II Digital Camera

This camera seems to have been released in great haste by Sony, possibly in an attempt to stop the loss of market share coming from GoPro. It's twice the price of the GoPro, but the size is a tiny bit smaller and the quality of the optics are make a noticeable difference in some cases. I have three of these units from B&H.Sony is relying on its customers to apply firmware updates, and it is getting difficult to comply with the restrictions Sony has put in place in firmware version 3.0. These updates are in part to "fix" the bugs that Sony failed to catch even in the initial manufacture, and to introduce features that can be accommodated by the unit's hardware. The latest firmware update shows that Sony is - as it has been since the 1970s in my experience - ... MoreThis camera seems to have been released in great haste by Sony, possibly in an attempt to stop the loss of market share coming from GoPro. It's twice the price of the GoPro, but the size is a tiny bit smaller and the quality of the optics are make a noticeable difference in some cases. I have three of these units from B&H.Sony is relying on its customers to apply firmware updates, and it is getting difficult to comply with the restrictions Sony has put in place in firmware version 3.0. These updates are in part to "fix" the bugs that Sony failed to catch even in the initial manufacture, and to introduce features that can be accommodated by the unit's hardware. The latest firmware update shows that Sony is - as it has been since the 1970s in my experience - somewhat aloof and out of touch with the customer base.The latest firmware revision 3.0 can only be applied with computers having a narrow range of operating systems. Doesn't Sony know that a professional needs to extend the life of equipment and operating systems in computers beyond a 6 to 12 month life? Not making the Firmware 3.0 update possible with Mac OS High Sierra is a major mistake. The Mac-applied 3.0 firmware can be updated only with computers running OS Mojave, Catalina and Big Sur, and get this, the firmware will NOT work with OS Big Sur if the computer running it uses the new M1 Apple Silicon processors, but will work only on the Intel variety new Macs running Big Sur. A similar narrow range of operation systems applies to Windows-based computers.I have known all of Sony's professional products to be of superior design, but not making it easy for those in the field to apply firmware updates is yet more evidence that Sony continues to have an arrogant and insular attitude towards the people whose purchases made Sony one of the richest of brands in the world. I would strongly advise Sony to issue an option, so the customer can, if needed, obtain firmware updates using the computer operating systems and hardware as was in use when the units were first manufactured. Alternatively, I would ask that Sony open up a program where owners can have Sony service centers to apply these updates for the customer, whenever a consumer asks it, and I believe it would do well for Sony in the public relations areas if the firmware update service would be offered free of charge.

I am a pro still photographer/cinematographer with a lot of high end Sony cinema gear. Ive purchased just about every Sony POV camera that they have released and one has been better than the next. The news of the RX0II release was very exciting so I pre-ordered one and had plans to order several more after some testing.The quality of the manufacture is wonderful. The menu system is not very intuitive and was pretty frustrating as I tried to get familiar with it the first couple of days but I worked through that.My first test run with the RX0II was mounted on an aircraft, using the same position and mount that Ive used all of my Sony 4K POV units on, and my GoPro Hero7 Black. I went over all of the settings and had stabilization activated. Anticipating a much ... MoreI am a pro still photographer/cinematographer with a lot of high end Sony cinema gear. Ive purchased just about every Sony POV camera that they have released and one has been better than the next. The news of the RX0II release was very exciting so I pre-ordered one and had plans to order several more after some testing.The quality of the manufacture is wonderful. The menu system is not very intuitive and was pretty frustrating as I tried to get familiar with it the first couple of days but I worked through that.My first test run with the RX0II was mounted on an aircraft, using the same position and mount that Ive used all of my Sony 4K POV units on, and my GoPro Hero7 Black. I went over all of the settings and had stabilization activated. Anticipating a much higher quality image from the 1 sensor and stabilization at least on a par with my several year old Sony POV cameras, we launched off for an hour of shooting. The results were beyond disappointing. If I pause the video I can see where the still image quality may be better than that on my existing units, but the video footage was completely unusable. I have not seen rolling shutter jello at this level in quite some time, just terrible. In fact, the footage was so bad that I thought that I had goofed up and not turned the stabilization on, but a quick check showed that I had.I suppose this camera would be fine for someone who wants a larger sensor small footprint camera that is tough, waterproof and easy to carry, but if the photographer/cinematographer has any applications that approach action camera shooting, I believe they will be every bit as disappointed as I was.I bought my first Hero 7 Black from B&H a few months back (and I have not been a GoPro fan over the years), its performance in all areas has exceeded my expectations. When the RX0II was announced I immediately thought that it would perform a level above the Hero7 due to the larger sensor, and it might in a slow or non-moving environment, but for a $700 sports camera, it is an epic fail.

While the first RX0 was revolutionary, there were still many limitations that made it a tough sell for many hobbyist photographers. In order to get the best results, it required a pro set up (external recorder for 4K, as well as an external monitor to actually see what you were recording, and a gimbal to stabilize the footage). I know this because I shot a short film using only the RX0. Sony gave me the new RX0II to test out and heres what I think.Not only does this update address those issues for hobbyist filmmakers, it adds a flip out screen, making it IMO the ultimate camera for an entirely new sector of creators: vloggers. It literally fits in your pocket, is protected against water, dropping (even crushing), etc. If you can a dual mount and a handle that puts ... MoreWhile the first RX0 was revolutionary, there were still many limitations that made it a tough sell for many hobbyist photographers. In order to get the best results, it required a pro set up (external recorder for 4K, as well as an external monitor to actually see what you were recording, and a gimbal to stabilize the footage). I know this because I shot a short film using only the RX0. Sony gave me the new RX0II to test out and heres what I think.Not only does this update address those issues for hobbyist filmmakers, it adds a flip out screen, making it IMO the ultimate camera for an entirely new sector of creators: vloggers. It literally fits in your pocket, is protected against water, dropping (even crushing), etc. If you can a dual mount and a handle that puts the mic off to the side, its still wayyyy lighter than even Sonys a6400, also great for vlogging.If you have a main camera, and want the ultimate camera B for travel content creation or vlogging (heck, even the photos Ive taken on the RX0 are legit), this is a must have in the tool kit. Squeeze it into a tight space, hang it out the window, take it underwater, it kind of does it all, now in 4K internally. Like I said the original had some setbacks, but this one is a no brainer.