Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought the RX100 in its original configuration a few years ago when it first came out. I liked the camera from the outset and have taken more than a few pictures with it that I am really happy with. It is my choice for backing up my Nikon D4 or D800 when I can't deal with taking along two large DSLRs. I took a look at DXO mark and they rate the sensor the same as the sensor for my old D200 which may sound like damning with faint praise but the D200 was a workhorse and shot a lot of great stuff. I will say at the outset that I like the M3 a lot. I am happy I upgraded from the original but I think that if you have the M2 you may not need this update. The faster lens is a noticeable improvement. Indoor shots without flash at reasonable ISO's are much more feasible now. Updated 6/24/14 - I thought I would add a comment about a statement from the dpreview piece on the M3. Dpreview praises the cameras abilities and then go on to say that it is not "fun" to shoot with. I guess an old SX-70 may have been more fun with all the whirring and spitting of prints but beyond that I am at a loss. I have had great creative session with both the M1 and M3. In fact, one of my favorite things about the camera is that is so easy and transparent to handle. Pros: Articulating LCD - I think this is a huge improvement over the original RX100. The ability to easily shoot high or low angle pictures is a great advantage. I have always liked using compact cameras from the ant's eye view and this makes it a lot easier to do. Like most of the construction of the RX100m3, the articulating LCD feels well built but clearly this is not a ruggedized camera. Care must be taken with the flash, EVF and LCD or damage could result. Things don't feel cheap they just don't feel "battle ready" Picture Quality - I really like the output of the RX100M3. The pictures are sharp, vivid and relatively free of noise at moderate ISO settings. One of the big improvements in the area of low light is the enhanced widest aperture of the lens. One can pixel peep any lens into a corner (no pun intended) but Sony has done a very respectable job here. I will discuss this more later but by going with a fast, modest zoom with a nice wide end, Sony has created a more enthusiast oriented camera. As Robert Capa said, "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough." Zoom - As mentioned above the zoom range is modest. I just really like the ability to use 24mm equivalent at the wide end. The zoom speed is quite good. Again, I think it compares favorably to other high-end compacts that I have used. EVF - When I opened the EVF for the first time and look through it was terrible. Then I adjusted the diopter and it was beautiful. Seriously beautiful. This is my first EVF and I like it very much. I can see using it a great deal with this camera. Shutter - The shutters drops very quickly without any undue lag. I really like the burst mode on this camera with the shutter sounds turned off. It is a great way to get very natural candids of friends and family. Neutrals: Weight - The RX100M3 is noticeably heavier than the original. Noticeably but not significantly heavier. Yes, when you pick it up you are just a touch more cognizant of gravities pull but nowhere near the point where you would leave on the table because it's too heavy to deal with. When carrying and using the camera the extra weight never crossed my mind. Size - Certainly related to weight but also a function of adding goodies like the EVF and articulating LCD. I wear a lot of clothes with big pockets and I have never been one to just stuff a compact camera in a pants pocket on an ongoing basis. I have a very small Lowepro belt case for my original RX100 and the new one fits perfectly even with an extra battery tucked inside. The size and weight differences are certainly discreet. Added 6/22/14 The current implementation of the Fn button is very nice. I really didn't use this button in the past but now it brings up a very clear, easy to follow UI for the some of the most commonly accessed functions. I really like this feature. Added 6/22/14 I am growing very fond of the artificial horizon in the EVF. Despite 30+ years of photography I am still amazed how often in Lightroom I have to straighten the horizon. Maybe my head is just tilted. Whatever the cause, the artificial horizon really helps and as a result I am not losing any of the frame having to rotate in post. Cons: Menus - While the menu system on the M3 is improved and certainly better than the old NEX software it could still use improvement. My biggest complaint has to do with navigating between menu categories and sub-menus. To me the UI manipulation is not intuitive but is certainly workable. Functions - Marketing people are wonderful and I know scene modes and scene recognition must be important to some segment of customers but I am not in that demographic. I suppose there is little harm in all the bells and whistles but it is very funny that Sony includes both an Automatic and Superior Automatic mode. When does one say, "I don't want the superior results, let me kick this baby down to stinky normal Automatic mode." Items on which the jury is still out. Wi-fi - I know there are people who can't wait for the favorite camera to come out with built in wi-fi so it can't be dismissed. I would only say that thus far my experience with the RX100M3's wi-fi functions have been cursory and I will amend this review when I am able to be more definitive about my experience. Would I recommend this camera? For a lot of people yes I would. If you are an enthusiast this is a credible compact contender. If you are an ultralight traveller who likes good photos this is also a good choice. If you are thinking of some for an adventure vacation with water, snow, sand or surf, probably better to look at a ruggedized compact. Up until the RX100 all my compacts had been Canon's and they were great. I am happy with the move to Sony and believe I will be happy with the M3 for several years.