Introduction and features
Sony’s QX100 and QX10 digital cameras introduced a new and reasonably unusual concept into the market. They look like lenses that you would fit onto a camera body, but they actually have a sensor built in. They’re designed to attach to your smartphone and communicate with it wirelessly, meaning that the phone acts as the camera’s screen to compose your image.
It seems like a strange concept, but apparently they proved popular enough for Sony to take it one-step further and produce the QX1. Here we have an APS-C sized sensor and an E-mount so that you can change the lenses on the unit.
That sensor is a 20.1 million pixel back-illuminated CMOS device, the same kind as found in Sony’s range of compact system cameras. There’s also a Bionz X processor – the company’s most advanced and also found in top-of-the-line cameras such as the A7R.
To communicate with your phone there’s built-in Wi-Fi and an NFC chip. Images may be transferred to the phone or stored on a Micro SD card installed in the QX1. Unlike previous cameras in the QX range, the camera can now shoot in raw format. This means that photographers retain greater control over images in post-production than before.
Using a battery from the E-mount system, Sony claims that the QX1 is capable of shooting around 440 shots from a single charge. As you’re relying on your phone to control the camera, it’s worth noting that your phone’s battery life is also something to take into consideration. You can focus and shoot with the QX1 independently of a phone, but you won’t be able to see what you’re photographing.
Controls
Controlling the camera is achieved via the Sony PlayMemories app – a free download for both iOS and Android. There’s a couple of other third-party apps which allow you to use the camera with them, but with most of the popular ones, such as Instagram, you can’t.
The PlayMemories app brings a number of different shooting modes, but crucially full manual control isn’t available. Aperture priority and shutter priority are though, if you want to take the majority of control yourself. ISO sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 – 16,000. You can set this yourself in semi-automatic modes, if you like.
Shutter speeds of 1/4000ths of a second to 30 seconds are available – there is no bulb mode if you want anything longer than 30 seconds though. A number of different white balance settings are available.
Video
Video recording is also available at full 1080p and 30fps. A built-in stereo microphone captures sound. A built-in flash is included, with a guide number of four – there’s no way to add additional accessories, such as an external flash or viewfinder. Continuous shooting of up to 3.5fps (for up to 15 shots) is possible.
The camera comes supplied as standard with the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 power zoom lens that you’ll also find with most of Sony’s range of compact system cameras. There’s also a wide range of different optics available both from Sony itself and third party manufacturers.
A-mount lenses could also be attached via a mount adaptor, too. Clear Image Zoom is also available, a type of digital zoom that means you can boost the length of any lens attached by 2x – so the 16-50mm gives you 100mm at the telephoto end of the lens.
In order to attach it to your phone, there’s a detachable and flexible mount on the back of the camera. It can fit a variety of different phone sizes, but it wouldn’t be big enough to attach to a tablet. There’s also a tripod thread on the bottom of the camera.
Build Quality and Handling
At 74×69.5×52.5mm the XQ1 is only a little bigger than the Sony 16-50mm lens that it will be sold with as a kit (it will also be available body only). It also weighs just 216g, which makes it lighter than many traditionally styled cameras; the Sony A6000 for example is pretty compact but it weighs 285g (body only).
To look at the camera, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a standard lens. This perhaps makes it more appealing than a traditional camera if you’re trying to save on space.
The problem is, once a lens of pretty much any size is attached, using the unit attached to a smartphone makes it fairly unwieldy. Of course, most standard cameras have a fairly large grip to help your hand feel comfortable holding such a weighted device.
Now imagine strapping a lens to a completely flat back with no such grip, and you begin to get an idea of using the QX1 in such a fashion. The problem only gets worse the larger the lens you attach to it.
Few buttons
As you don’t set controls via the camera itself, buttons are few and far between on the QX1. There’s an on/off switch, a button to activate the built-in flash and a shutter release button. If you’re using the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, you’ll also find a switch on the lens barrel for controlling zoom.
You don’t need to use the shutter release button on the camera as you can release the shutter via the PlayMemories app, but it’s there if you want a more traditional way to shoot – or perhaps if you’re using the camera untethered. You will need to use the physical flash button to make the flash pop-up though.
Although there’s no screen for composing available, there is a very small panel which shows you the remaining battery life. If you don’t have a memory card installed, there will be an icon with a line through it to indicate this.
Using the QX1 with an NFC-enabled phone or tablet is the most satisfying as you’ll simply need to tap the two devices together at the relevant point to connect them.
If you don’t have the PlayMemories app installed already, this process will be started by the connection. Once you do, the app will load automatically. There’s a slight lag of a couple of seconds, making it slower than the average camera to start-up, making this less than ideal if you’re trying to capture a fleeting moment.
If on the other hand you only have a Wi-Fi device (such as an iPhone) then you’ll need to hook up the camera via Wi-Fi. You’ll find the password you need to enter behind the battery flap, but once you’ve connected once, the phone should remember the password.
Once connected you’ll need to launch the PlayMemories app. This is very definitely slower than the average camera and can prove a little frustrating.
PlayMemories updates
Sony has updated the PlayMemories app to give more control over certain settings. To switch between different shooting modes, simply tap in the corner of the screen. Here you’ll find options for two automatic modes along with Program Auto and the two more advanced choices, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority.
Along the bottom of the screen will be displayed the shooting parameters; each of these you can tap and change (depending on the shooting mode you’re in). For instance, while in aperture priority, you tap the aperture value, then drag your finger across the screen to set the value.
The shutter speed will be displayed but you won’t be able to change it – you’ll find the opposite when shooting in shutter priority. It’s a similar process for altering exposure compensation and ISO sensitivity.
Tapping a tool icon allows you to change some other settings, including white balance, focus mode, image quality and so on. You can’t choose a different metering mode.
To set autofocus point, you simply tap the appropriate point on the screen that you want to use. You can also zoom in and out using the app, as well as fire off the shutter release. If you like, you can set it so a tap of the screen both focuses the lens and fires off the shutter release.
Performance
Sony cameras have been impressing us with their performance for some time, so in terms of image quality alone I had no reason to believe that the QX1 would be anything other than great.
Once again, my expectations were met and I’m pleased to report that JPEG images straight from the camera have lovely bright and vibrant colours.
There’s also a good level of detail represented by the APS-C sized sensor. Both in terms of colour and detail, these images go way above and beyond what a smartphone is capable of – as you would expect.
The camera’s multi-segment metering system does a good job of producing accurate exposures in the majority of conditions. As always, you might feel you need to dial in some exposure compensation when photographing something high contrast – it’s a shame that you can’t change metering modes, though.
Automatic white balance does a fairly decent job overall, erring slightly towards warmer tones when faced with some artificial lighting. As you can change this setting it’s not too much of a problem if the camera is really struggling with yellowish tinges. Usefully, you can also set your own white balance.
Noise performance
Including the Bionz X processor on this camera should mean that noise performance is very good – and thankfully it is. Shooting images at ISO 3200, it’s hard to spot noise when viewing images at normal printing and web sizes.
Given the nature of how you shoot with this kind of camera, you might be a touch more generous towards the quality since you’re likely to only be sharing at web sizes. But even examining at 100% reveals there’s a low amount of noise and a good amount of detail resolved at this high level.
For now, Adobe Camera Raw doesn’t support the raw format files from the QX1, but you can download (free) Sony’s Image Data Converter to work with the files.
Comparing an equivalent raw format file with the JPEG image reveals that the in-camera noise reduction is fairly heavy handed, with a decent amount of speckling visible in the raw files. This is good if you want to apply your own to control the amount of detail retained.
Lens performance
The kit lens supplied with the camera is a decent all-round performer (you can buy it body only if you already have your own Sony lens, which is useful if you already own a Sony compact system camera). The zoom range gives you good flexibility, providing a nice wide-angle and a useful enough telephoto optic.
It’s certainly much better than the digital zoom of most smartphone cameras anyway. There’s no macro mode, but of course you could always buy a dedicated macro lens if you wanted to photograph detailed closed-ups.
One of the main benefits of the Bionz X processor should be operational speed. Unfortunately, with the QX1 you are tied to how fast your phone is. I have tried the QX1 with both an iPhone 5S and a Sony Xperia Z2, and on both occasions there has been a fairly perceptible lag between the shot being taken and it appearing on the screen, thus making shot to shot times very slow indeed.
If you’re shooting a long exposure, be prepared to wait for a lot longer than the exposure time. A 30-second exposure actually took the camera and phone working together over one minute to display, for instance.
Normally at this point in a review, we might mention digital filters. Sadly, there are none to be found in the app, so if you want to get creative with your shots, you’ll either have to edit photos after they have been taken (such as via Instagram) or use one of the few apps that allow you to use the mounted camera instead of the inbuilt phone camera. The former is at least pretty straightforward as the image is already transferred across to your phone, ready for sharing and working with.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Sony QX1, we’ve shot our resolution chart.
For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
JPEG
Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.
ISO 100, Score: 28 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 200, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 400, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 800, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 1600, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 3200, Score: 24 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 6400, Score: 22 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 12800, Score: 20 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 16000, Score: 22 Click here for the full resolution image
Raw
ISO 100, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 200, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 400, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 800, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 1600, Score: 26 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 3200, Score: 24 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 6400, Score: 24 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 12800, Score: 22 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 16000, Score: 22 Click here for the full resolution image
Noise and dynamic range
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
JPEG signal to noise ratio
Raw signal to noise ratio
JPEG dynamic range
Raw dynamic range
Sensitivity and noise images
JPEG
Full ISO 100 image, see the cropped (100%) versions below.
ISO 100 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 200 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 400 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 800 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 1600 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 3200 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 6400 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 12800 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 16000 Click here for full resolution image
Raw
ISO 100 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 200 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 400 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 800 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 1600 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 3200 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 6400 Click here for full resolution image
ISO 12800 Click here for the full resolution image
ISO 16000 Click here for full resolution image
Sample images
Colours directly from the camera are bright and punchy, while the camera’s automatic metering system does a good job of producing accurate exposures. Click here for the full resolution image.
Detail is resolved well by the camera’s 20.1 million-pixel APS-C sized sensor. Click here for the full resolution image.
At the widest point of the supplied kit-lens, the 35mm equivalent of the focal length is 24mm, allowing you to capture a wide angle of view. Click here for the full resolution image.
At the telephoto end of the optic, you have a 75mm equivalent focal length, which is reasonably flexible. Click here for the full resolution image.
You can use lenses such as the 50mm f/1.8 lens to isolate the subject from the background for a DSLR style look – with the image instantly transferred to your phone. Click here for the full resolution image.
There’s also a macro lens available if you want to take detailed close-ups. There’s no macro function available when using the standard kit lens. Click here for the full resolution image.
Out of focus areas are rendered very nicely by the QX1. Click here for the full resolution image.
When shooting in low light at high sensitivities such as ISO 3200, there’s a decent amount of detail kept, while noise appears to be fairly low when viewing at normal printing and web sizes. If you examine at 100%, you can see a bit more noise, but it’s generally kept to a minimum. Click here for the full resolution image.
Verdict
The QX1, like the other QX cameras in the range, is a difficult one to score.
On the one hand, it produces great images which are easily comparable to those from a ‘normal’ compact system camera or APS-C format DSLR. On the other hand, actually using the camera is fiddly and unwieldy, making you less likely to want to use it in the first place.
While the QX10 was a cheap and fun addition to your smartphone, which gave you the added benefits of a digital zoom, using the QX1 seems a little incongruous. Surely most people who want this kind of quality, the ability to change lenses and shoot in raw format will invest in a ‘proper camera’?
Although using the camera mounted to your phone is pretty unrewarding, where it is a lot more useful is when mounted to a tripod or in a different location. But, then again, this is something you can also do with many Wi-Fi/NFC enabled cameras.
It would be nice to see more apps allowing you to use this camera (Instagram, for instance) as though the PlayMemories app is fairly well featured, there’s not much available for creative photographers.
Thankfully, Sony has upgraded the app to allow you to shoot in raw format and semi-automatic controls. I’m not entirely sure why full manual mode hasn’t been made available though; it seems like a bit of an oversight.
The supplied kit lens is a good all-round performer and there are now a decent range of different lenses available for the E-mount. Even Zeiss lenses are availabile.
Although it seems unlikely that anybody buying this camera as a standalone unit will go on to purchase further lenses, those who already own E-mount lenses may find it appealing to know that they can use those lenses with a smaller camera. Then again, maybe they won’t.
While battery life on the camera itself is good, you’re tied to how well the battery on your smart device performs – which as many know all too well can be less than admirable.
At least if you were using a standalone camera and your phone battery died you’d be able to carry on shooting. While technically you can with this, not being able to see what you’re composing makes it unlikely that you will.
We liked
This is a really interesting concept from Sony, and it shows that the company is thinking of different ways for photographers to enjoy its products. While I’m not entirely sure that it has pulled it off entirely, it’s nice to see the company experimenting and innovating.
Images are good straight from the camera, while being able to shoot in raw format gives you the scope to work with your cameras later down the line.
We disliked
Sadly, attaching any kind of lens, even if it’s small, makes the lens unit fairly unwieldy to use on your flat smartphone. Trying to hold the smartphone and the lens at the same time isn’t the most comfortable. You find yourself missing the larger grip of a standard camera – especially if you’re used to using a Sony compact system camera. This is especially true if you attach larger lenses to it, though it’s not too bad if you’re using it on a tripod.
Verdict
Once again, Sony has produced a camera that is very capable in terms of image quality. Colours are fantastic, and the amount of detail resolved and performance in low light are particularly admirable. However, it’s not something I can see selling in droves, even to those already equipped with a range of E-mount lenses.
On the plus side, it’s cheaper to buy this than many similarly specced Sony CSCs, so if you’re tempted by the quality of an APS-C sensor and can get around the drawbacks of having to use your phone to compose an image, this could be an appealing prospect.
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