Would You Buy This Camera?

Amin

Hall of Famer
rx50.png
Note: This camera does not exist. But I wish it did.


-18.3mm (50mm equivalent) f/1.2 optically stabilized prime lens
-Similar size to RX100 (slightly thicker).
-Same sensor, AF, display as RX100
-$650 street price

Let's call it the RX50.

Would you buy it?
 
I wouldn't buy a 50mm equivalent "prime compact", too limiting for my taste. A 35mm equivalent would be interesting.
A 10mm (28mm equivalent) f2.8 lens, this sensor and the Ricoh GRD control system would be lovely though.
 
50/1.2 would be interesting. You'd have to stop down for sharpness, but fast when you need it. 50mm is my preferred focal length. Might buy it.
 
In a heart beat. But then my favorite carry-camera is my Ricoh GRD. so using a fast prime lens is familiar and happy to me :)
 
I'd generally prefer a 35mm equivalent but was thinking that 50 would basically give unprecedented DOF control in this (size) class of camera.

Would be interesting for sure, and I would definitely buy it.

A year or two ago, this would have been considered impossible to make. However, the LX3, S90, and RX100 have each taken a step beyond was had been done in terms of speed for a given body size and format size, so I believe this concept RX50 to be possible.
 
Definitely. But I preferred a 40mm equivalent focal length (a slight trade off between dof control and versatility) and it should have at least the option to use an external OVF.
 
I'd generally prefer a 35mm equivalent but was thinking that 50 would basically give unprecedented DOF control in this (size) class of camera.

Would be interesting for sure, and I would definitely buy it.

A year or two ago, this would have been considered impossible to make. However, the LX3, S90, and RX100 have each taken a step beyond was had been done in terms of speed for a given body size and format size, so I believe this concept RX50 to be possible.

You're absolutely right about that, Amin. And, as we all know, everything's a trade-off and compromise. But I still think 35mm would be far more useful for general use. Yes, you'd have more depth-of-field control with a 50, but it's just a bit too tight for my personal tastes.

It's funny. Your recent purchase of a Voigtlander Bessa had me looking at them today - and thinking about optimal focal lengths if I had one lens only. I loved 35mm on film cameras. I was seriously considering picking up a Bessa L zone-focus camera but the only screw-mount lenses still available for it were too wide (15 and 21). I wouldn't go wider than 25 on a general-use film camera.
 
yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Gordon
 
I'm on a bit of a 50mm kick of late. Between the Bessa and 50mm Nokton and my Pana Leica 25 being all but crazy glued to the OM-D, it's how I've been rolling for a few weeks now.

In a heart beat. But then my favorite carry-camera is my Ricoh GRD. so using a fast prime lens is familiar and happy to me :)


yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.


Gordon


Lili and Gordon - thanks - because of your replies, I don't feel like such a loonie :D.
 
Probably yes. But a 35mm equivalent would make it a definite yes.

A 35mm equivalent would be interesting... A 10mm (28mm equivalent) f2.8 lens, this sensor and the Ricoh GRD control system would be lovely though.

Definitely. But I preferred a 40mm equivalent focal length...

nope, would need to be a 35 or 28, then yes...

...I still think 35mm would be far more useful for general use. Yes, you'd have more depth-of-field control with a 50, but it's just a bit too tight for my personal tastes.

I'd definitely consider a 35mm f1.4 IS version of this.

I know nothing of development costs, marketing, etc, but posts like these make me wonder what would happen if Sony were to release a whole series of RX cameras with prime lenses across a range of focal lengths: Eg RX20, RX24, RX28, RX35, RX50, RX85. I bet a lot of folks would pick two or even three of them over the option of an interchangeable lens camera system. I'd personally pick either the combination of an RX35 and an RX85 or maybe just an RX50.
 
24mm 1.2 with a viewfinder for me. Going that wide, I wouldn't care for IS. Between this and the 35mm on the X100, I would be set for life (or till I get a 645D). But seriously, I would be done with small compacts with these two.
 
what about a neat 24-35-50mm stepzoom lens? :-D
Not sure if it would actually make it easier to create a high quality "zoom"-lens that way, but I've always been intrigued by the concept of having three quality primes in one :)
 
I barely ever use my 50ish equivalent lenses on my system cameras - would never buy a camera limited to that. In the film days, I used em because it was all I had. Once good wide angles were available at reasonable prices, I was done with 50s.

Put a 24 or 28 in it and add a focus/distance scale in the manual focus and I'm there. In fact, if Sony had put any sort of distance scale in their MF display, I'd buy the RX100 - probably already would have. As is, I won't.

-Ray
 
Back
Top