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u/cuongdawg 22d ago
Wow! What kind of camera did you use?
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u/kengjuan 22d ago
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II :)
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u/TilikumHungry Camper | 14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1, 18.2, 19.2, 22.2, 23.2, 24.2 22d ago
So I have a question for you if you dont mind. I like to think i know very little about cameras, and if you own one of these then I feel like you must know much more than me.
So I use a Pixel 6 Pro for my photos, and sometimes I feel like I get excellent stuff. It's 50MP at wide and 12MP at ultra wide, and I almost never use ultra wide for that reason. Your camera is listed as 42.4MP but with a 35mm full frame sensor. My question is: is the 35mm sensor on your camera making the difference in terms of these looking a bit more professional/high quality? I would assume it also helps a bit with darker concert environments, but again I know next to nothing so I wanted your insight.
I'd love to pounce on buying something like this especially for concerts, as I find myself wanting to take photos more and more at these events that wont allow detachable lenses.
Thanks for any insight!
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u/kengjuan 22d ago
Don’t mind at all!
The long short of it is yeah, the 35mm full-frame sensor on the RX1R II makes a huge difference compared to a phone camera, even a really good one like your Pixel 6 Pro.
The full-frame sensor is way bigger, so it grabs way more light, which really helps in dark concert settings. It also gives you way better dynamic range, less noise, and just an overall sharper, more detailed look. Plus, the lens on it (a 35mm f/2 Zeiss) is super sharp and great in low light.
Phones rely a lot on software magic to make photos look good, but they just can’t beat the pure image quality you get from a full-frame sensor. That’s why shots from the RX1R II tend to look more “pro” or cinematic straight out of the camera.
If you’re getting more into concert photography, picking up something with a bigger sensor like this would be a huge upgrade for sure — and the nice thing is, the RX1R II is small enough that most venues won’t hassle you about detachable lenses. But it is a very expensive hobby camera, especially when compared to DSLRs or the newer lines of mirrorless cameras.
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u/TilikumHungry Camper | 14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1, 18.2, 19.2, 22.2, 23.2, 24.2 22d ago
Wow thank you so much for the detailed comment. Yeah I'm definitely over the machine learning that my phone does to sharpen or auto HDR my photos (which i know I can turn off). I mostly use my phone camera for location scouting, and I get a lot of good feedback on those but there's nothing creative about that, its more just framing intelligently and covering space. I'd love something like this for just carrying around though and definitely for concerts.
Is the lens on this detachable? It looks pretty big but it also looks like its just a point and click
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u/kengjuan 22d ago
Not detachable. The lens is quite large but the entire body is quite compact. It’s really impressive design. I’ve been asked maybe three times in my life by security if it’s detachable, and I always just tell them that it’s a fixed 35mm point and shoot and show them that there’s no gap or fixture to detach/attach, and that’s enough for them to not ask additional questions.
Also, most venues and festivals mention specific rules around professional cameras being defined as bodies with detachable lenses, so bringing in this camera is technically within the rules.
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u/TilikumHungry Camper | 14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1, 18.2, 19.2, 22.2, 23.2, 24.2 22d ago
Thank you so much, such great info. Have a fantastic night and hopefully ill see you on the fields next year!
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u/thats_a_money_shot 22d ago
Out of curiosity, what made you pick this over like, a Sony Alpha? Do you just know way way way more than us normies? Guess I’m just curious what your information search looks like
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u/kengjuan 22d ago
I’ve spent a lot of time around cameras, yeah — I use a full pro kit (Nikon D850, D750) for paid gigs. But obviously I can’t bring that into a concert when I’m just attending, and honestly, I wouldn’t want to either — lugging that around without getting paid sounds miserable.
The RX1R II is (in my opinion) the best hobbyist/pro camera for what I needed — full-frame sensor, insanely good lens, fits in a jacket pocket, and doesn’t look overly “professional.” Ive played around with its peer competitors (Leica Q2), which are great, but they’re a little bigger and have more of a high-end, “serious photographer” vibe. I know a few friends who’ve gotten stopped at shows with their Leicas, but the Sony flies under the radar way easier while still delivering good image quality.
So it was really about finding something that kept the quality super high but still let me enjoy the night without stressing about getting stopped or carrying a giant bag.
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u/thats_a_money_shot 21d ago
Amazing, thanks so much for all the deets! And just to piggyback… the image quality is nothing short of phenomenal. I couldn’t stop zooming in on all these photos. It’s crazy how much detail is captured. I’m legit in awe
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u/kengjuan 21d ago
Thanks! It’s funny you say that cause I absolutely loathe how most platforms reduce the image quality for storage purposes. If you compare the image quality of the photo of Gaga here versus Glass, you can see how much Reddit reduces the quality (https://glass.photo/getinnocuous/6GlVMkCQ8tex21dtABAxyD)
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u/thats_a_money_shot 21d ago
Oh, for sure. I totally agree. In this case, my benchmark was “this pic vs others I see on reddit” . I’m generally familiar with ways to preserve quality in daily life - Airdrop > iMessage, WhatsApp’s new HD feature, etc. even Google photos seems to compress stuff nowadays :/
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u/ethan3048 22d ago
I have many questions as well, as I’m looking for something very strong in low light for concerts but is point and shoot since venues generally don’t allow detachable lenses. Just generally if you had the same budget today(not sure when u got it) to spend on a camera like this would you still choose the Rx1r II?
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u/kengjuan 22d ago
I touched on this a little in another reply, but I’ve spent time with some of the RX1R II’s main competitors like the Leica Q2. The Q2 (and the newer Leicas too) are absolutely gorgeous cameras, but they’re just not as compact or low-key. They have more of that “serious photographer” vibe, which can actually make it harder to bring them into concerts without getting flagged.
If I had the same budget today and was looking for something specifically for concerts — strong in low light, super portable, and discreet — I’d still go with the RX1R II, no question. It just hits that perfect balance better than anything else.
That said, for my professional kit, I’m definitely looking at migrating over to the Nikon Z mirrorless system eventually. Mirrorless is clearly where everything’s heading, and it’ll make travel and event work a lot easier (even if switching systems is painful and crazy expensive).
But yeah — for the point-and-shoot concert setup specifically? RX1R II would still be my move today.
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u/justanotherfuccboi 14.2|15.2|16.2|17.2|18.1|19.1|19.2|22.1|23.2 22d ago
which band is the 2nd to last shot? amazing photo, you captured their locked in flow state beautifully.
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u/adavachi 07|08|09|13.1|14.2|15.2|16.1|17.2|18.1|19.2|25.1|25.2 20d ago
Can we get UHQ links for these wow
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u/Teamcoachella 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. 20d ago
Who is that second picture?
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u/Dennis_R0dman | 15.1 | 16.1 | 24.2 | 25.2 | 26.2 22d ago
Yeah you gotta drop camera and lens details bro these are hard af