Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsSo close to awesome, but I sent it back...
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2018
I'd probably have given 3.5 stars if I could since thus camera has a lot going for it. That said, I returned it after extensive testing.
Its competitor was a Nikon D7100 with pro glass (17-55 2.8). Unfair, of course, but I factored that in. The small sensor (big compared to some other bridge cameras but small in contrast to FX or even DX formats) produced noticeable artifacts and less color saturation than the Nikon (both captured in RAW), but I was able to get them acceptably close in post (I use Lightroom). Meaning I think the optics and capture system is good overall. I ran lots of side by side tests in full light, low light, high contrast situations, etc. Here are the reasons I returned the Sony:
Dynamic range - probably about half that of the Nikon. If you're not familiar with what dynamic range is, it's the range of light the sensor can capture. This is important since if you have both shaded and we'll lit parts in the frame, you want to be able to see both. I just couldn't get past the loss of range compared to a DX based camera.
And the primary reason (if I didn't have this problem I may have talked myself into keeping it) was focus under zoom. At max, or close to max zoom, using spot focus, the camera would seek focus constantly, sometimes never even acquiring it. Spot focus allows you to control what you're focusing on. It's the mode I use exclusively since I don't want the camera deciding what I want to focus on. Most advanced photographers shoot this way since it enables you to have complete control of the frame and what's in focus, even in a busy scene. My daughter was standing still about 15 feet away. We were indoors in medium light. The focus was extremely slow to acquire and unpredictable. Capturing moments requires a camera that has fast and reliable focus, and this camera failed in that area. I ran other tests with similar results.
Let me close by saying that I was fairly impressed with this piece of kit. It seems very well made, and it's so close to being a camera that will allow me to liberate myself from DSLRs and heavy lenses. But focus reliability is non-negotiable to me, so I guess I'll wait to see what comes out next.
