Take a camera everywhere - Sony QX100

You all know I like to take photographs, I guess that may even be why you're here, on my blog... I'm not "cameraist" and I don't care how I capture - obviously if I'm shooting for someone, I need to meet that client's needs, but if it's just for me - hand me something convenient and easy to wrangle... 

Sony DSC-QX100 for under Five Hundred big ones..

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Sony Australia sent me the QX100 to use and abuse, I've had it for just over a month now and, despite initial "will this fit my lifestyle / workflow" I've come to love it enough to take it everywhere with me. 

I tend to pop it into a thinkTank "Little Stuff It" and slip that into whatever bag I'm taking on the day - I always take a bag. That's just me. 

It's a funny size in that, if you're not taking a bag it can be a bit annoying unless you have something like the Peak Design Cuff, which is mostly permanently attached to mine, means you can just have it on your wrist, or with a Leash, you can sling it / whatever. Use 'pollock' at checkout for 10% off... (Or don't, that's cool too) .....but when do you ever leave the house with some kind of bag?  

One thing I see a LOT of on the www is people posting photographs of people with larger, pro cameras, but taking a photo with their phone... There's a reason for that folks - it's because we all want to share - immediately - if we're inspired by something or want someone to see something right away... The QX100 bridges that gap effortlessly...

Do you need to use it with a phone? No, and that's one of the things that "ups the game" for me, with the QX100... I can turn it on and use it as a camera without the phone - I can control zoom and shutter and that's it... There's a little window to check the battery level, too. Sorta refreshing, actually... Like my old Pentax but without any viewfinder at all - just what your eye and hand think, and you add that 'anticipation' back in - what shots did I nail, what did I muff... You won't know until you get home!

You stick the QX on a tripod / boom / light stand via the standard tripod mount and you can stick it wherever you like... Including above the trampoline...

 

Seb and his toys on the trampoline - birds eye via Sony QX100

The QX has really upped the quality of images I can use instantly on my iPhone, too... I can ask the QX to import a 2mb file into my phone as it shoots, leaving the full res (20mp) on the camera's babySd card. 

It has a great movie mode, too, though this is reduced to 720p from the 1080 resolution possible in camera.

The Sony QX has turned into something I use daily and happily suggest people add one to their digital arsenal.. What I'd like to see in future updates - RAW image processing and a little more control over manual modes (or, the addition of a manual mode) though, the auto modes included are pretty good.