Sony DSC-W170

The camera is so good it is versatile enough to suit an ambitious beginner, experienced enthisiast and even the professional needing to take occasional pictures on-the-fly.

The Sony RX-100 is designed as a high-end compact that caters for good quality point and shoot as well as more serious photography on the go. This is the pefect camera for producing memorable images or even for occasional professional use. It really is that good.

Sony have married a huge sensor to a prime style lens which is why it has limited zoom options. Apart from this, it is a compact that is way ahead of its peers and takes amazing photos equal or close to that of SLR cameras. It may have a limited zoom but the combination of lens and sensor is designed for non-distance photography.

The image quality is exceptional on night shots and equals that of using a low apeture prime lens for night shots on a DSLR. In normal lighting conditions, i believe the images equal that of low to mid-range DSLR's and only out-done by larger more high-end cameras in that group. As for its own peers, the RX-100 simply is a game-changer in what a compact camera can achieve and the competition will be inspired to catch up on this beautiful device.

The 1080p 60 frames per second video is also excellent quality and uses a stereo mic. I found the video capabilities so good that it matched dedicated high-end 1080p camcorders. I even think a professional video-maker could use footage from this device without compromising a final video production edit.

There are few downsides. It is worth a price premium but slightly overpriced at the moment. If you see it as an investment and cannot wait it is still worth the outlay but others should wait a few months. I like the capability to charge the camera with a micro-usb lead linked to a PC or even some 5 volt mobile phone chargers. However it would have been better packaged with an external charger dock too at this price. Overall, none of these cons are deal-killers.

It is an expensive compact but in my opinion it is a sound investment if you want to take high-quality pictures with a pocketable camera. A recommended buy and a sign that Sony can still deliver on product design and engineering.