Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have been waiting over a month for this camera and I am excited to say, "I LOVE IT!". Best quality I've seen on a COMPACT CAMERA. Even on some DSLRs I've tested out. I have been bouncing back ENDLESSLY between getting a Sony A7/r, an a6000, an RX1/r (yikes!), or this camera. Keep in mind that I am not a professional photographer. On we go... Since I'm upgrading from my iPhone, I didn't want anything too big or too drastic of a change. For me, I knew I would get frustrated with having to decide what kind of lens I want, bringing the lenses, etc. But I kind of wanted that same high quality look to the pictures I was taking...something you can no doubt get with a DSLR at half the price of this camera. So it's really up to your affordability and what you're willing to sacrifice in terms of the ability to change lenses or the ability to have something compact. If you want something a bit of both, I recommend getting the a6000. A camera I was very close to getting until I found out about the RX100M3. The a6000 is the same price as the M3 INCLUDING the lens. Some notes: WiFi: I used the WiFi a LOT with this camera. I used it while I waited in line at Disneyland and during down time at sporting events. I uploaded them quickly onto my Instagram/Flickr account. It's pretty easy to set up...just make sure to read the instructions carefully. You can select the pictures you want to send to your phone/iPad and it only takes a few seconds. VIEWFINDER/LCD: One of the only reasons I bought this camera over the previous RX100 models and the RX1/r is because the viewfinder is built in instead of buying an extra $400 accessory. The viewfinder is clear and almost exactly what you see when you take the picture. I kind of wish you were able to pull out the viewfinder a bit more because my cheek touches the screen and so my makeup ends up getting on it. BUT I was still able to see the LCD screen in broad daylight with no problem. So those of you who want the cheaper RX100s and don't really need a viewfinder...by all means get the previous models. It's not that different in terms of picture quality. And the LCD is almost perfect. I just wish it was touchscreen so I can easily navigate through the different tabs on the menu screen. But other than that, I love that you can flip it 180 degrees for selfies ;) MENU: As I said in the previous paragraph, I wish I was able to touch where I want to go instead of constantly clicking through the different tabs. But the menu is pretty self-explanatory. FLASH: The pop-up flash is useful instead of buying a flash like you have to do with the previous models . Haven't found a flaw with it yet. BATTERY: Taking about 50-100 shots a day and the battery was still halfway-3/4 full. I did notice that it drained the battery significantly if I did continuous action shots. HANDLING: There is no grip on this camera, so it might be hard for people with larger hands to hold this. Sony sells an attachment grip (really a sticker) that you can put on the front. It's about $15. But I'm kind of iffy on sticking something on an $800 camera. The weight of this camera is heavier than a usual compact, but I like that. Its a good balance for my hands. Sony does sell a leather jacket case for this camera for a whopping $85. Unfortunately, you can't use both the attachment grip and the case with this camera. QUALITY: I think I've already established how great the quality is on this camera. It's comparable, if not better, than some DSLRs out there. At 20.1 megapixels, this thing is a monster. In a good way. In the end, this camera gives me everything I want and more. Ever since I've had an iPhone, I've rarely used a REAL camera...besides my GoPro (is that considered real?). And I didn't want to lug around a huge DSLR either. Now that I have this camera, I know I'll be taking this everywhere I go. I'd recommend this to anyone whether they're a beginner or not. I know some people who already have DSLRs that will purchase this as a second camera because it's so compact yet the picture quality isn't sacrificed. If you're somewhat of a beginner like me and love to learn about how things work, definitely read up on apertures, shutter speeds, ISO, etc. You'll love your camera a lot more. Anyways, can't wait to start scrap booking! :) Side note: If you plan on taking video with this camera, you have to get the 64GB Sony memory card because it records in XAVC S format. They normally retail for about $145, but I was able to get it for half off for $73. On the box: "Use SDXC card of Class 10 or faster to take movies in XAVC S format." *Update 07/26/14 Took my camera on a recent trip to Hawaii. My review for the camera is still the same. If not, better. What I wanted to update you all on is the leather jacket case that Sony sells as well as the software I use to edit my photos. For the case priced at around $90 USD (including tax), I've got to say it wasn't really worth it. Since it was rainy and windy in Hawaii, I had to keep my camera in the case for most of my time. When I wanted to take pictures, it was a hassle to keep unbuckling the case from my camera and buckling it back on just so I can protect it. Just a tad inconvenient. I really do love the retro look of this case though. Just wish it was easier to take pictures with. You can unbuckle one part of it and let the top part case hang, but it would get in the way of my picture taking. I think I'd rather just buy a grip for this camera ($15), put on a camera strap, and just use a cheaper case for when I'm not using the camera. Also, buy a lens cap. If anyone has any suggestions for that, let me know! As for my photo editing software (need I remind you I am a beginner), I did the 30-day trial for Adobe Lightroom and I love it. Took a while to get used to, but that's what Youtube is for! I will definitely purchase it. If you want to take a look at my Flickr to see how my photos have turned out, here's the link: flickr.com/photos/lorealparis Let me know if you have any questions!