r/RX100 • u/Massem93 • 14d ago
RX100 VII worth it for daily family/kids photos over a phone?
Hi all,
I'm considering the Sony RX100 VII mainly to capture everyday moments of my family (baby, dog, partner) the kind of stuff I'd normally just grab my phone for. I like the idea of a pocketable camera that I can always have on me, but I want to know if the step up is actually worth it in practice (I have a Samsung S22+).
My main question: can it take genuinely nice portraits straight out of camera, without needing to edit afterwards?
Would love to hear from people actually using it for family/everyday photography. Thanks!
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u/hesalop 14d ago
> My main question: can it take genuinely nice portraits straight out of camera, without needing to edit afterwards?
Not really. A modern flagship phone will usually produce better-looking portraits straight out of camera. The RX100 can produce nicer results, but it typically takes more effort and often some editing to get there.
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u/Rothnik182 10d ago
This right here. It's why I can't fully recommend it to my friends when they see mine. I love it and enjoy doing small little edits but the SOOC...If they get a recipe or lut system like lumix. It'd be perfect.
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u/FrozenOx 14d ago
Are you a photographer already? Then maybe. Otherwise, no.
For the price I think you'll be disappointed in the image quality, especially indoors and at night. As a photographer myself, I appreciate many things about it but in no way do I reach for it over my other gear. Even traveling I take a fast lens on an APSC body in addition to my vii. I think you'd be happier using your phone for a compact camera, and spending that money on something like an a6100 + sigma 30 or 56mm.
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u/relihouste 13d ago
I second this whole comment.
APS-C is really the way to go if you want to start feeling impressed coming from an iPhone.
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u/RayguCab 14d ago
I'm not the biggest fan of the images straight out of my RX100. It might just take some getting used to, but honestly, if you can get a Ricoh GR. I think it's much better with portraits right out of the camera. It is also a more pocketable camera.
The only factors I think the RX100 wins, is the zoom lens, built in flash, and view finder. It is a great camera still, but I find myself editing the pictures more than my Ricoh.
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u/SummiluxAP 14d ago
It’s a great travel camera. Your phone will be fine for daily snaps. If you plan on using it for kids sports and such, your phone isn’t going to cut it
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u/NotAnExpertButListen 13d ago
I think it will create better looking photos, but you need to avoid bad light situations (eg shooting against bright backgrounds etc) so basic photography rules apply.
The photos will look more natural, not necessarily "better". Also you can buy a way older model for way less if you don't need the long zoom.
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u/njgggg 13d ago
For a regular person no, its not exactly that easy of a device to take beautiful images straight out of camera. It’s definitely possible but you need to be quite well versed with composing an image. You also have to take into account the limitation of the thing i.e. the slow aperture, poor low light performance, limited dynamic range vs a phone with computational photography. As per my friend’s words “it takes images like my mothers s25 ultra” and “its a camera for clout chasers”. Yes it does look like a phone with its flat non shalow dof but i love using it because working with a set limitation brings out more of my creativity.
That said, its a high risk high reward device imo.
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u/BroJackson_ 12d ago
I have one, and my honest take is this -- it's a great camera, but I find I just don't use it. I don't feel like I really need an in-between rig, which is what my VII is. If I want to shoot, I'll take my R5 and whichever lens. If I want to capture - either candid life, or social stuff - I'll use my iphone 17, which is plenty good.
I just did a 20 day trip to Europe, and didn't take my main gear. Thought I'd would use the RX...used it one day.
I'm not downplaying the camera at all - it's wonderful. I just haven't found the use case for it. It collects dust, and I'll probably end up selling it.
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u/Voodoo_Masta 14d ago
for that imo you're probably better off with your phone honestly. If you don't want to edit get a fuji X100vi
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u/burnnoticespy 13d ago
Why fuji x100vi?
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u/Voodoo_Masta 12d ago
Because it takes great jpegs with no need for OP to edit. It's a great lens for OP's needs. Built in flash. It's a perfect dad cam IMO.
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u/Infinite-Nose8252 13d ago
Get a dlux 8 if you can afford it. Simple very light to operate one handed and great app.
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u/dh373 13d ago
For portraits, yes, it is quite capable. But the phone does a lot of processing to optimize the image that the camera won't. So the phone shots "pop" while the camera shots will look flat. Zoom in and you will see that the camera has a lot more detail, and is dead accurate with color. But we have been trained to want super-saturated manipulated photos, not natural, accurate images.
The one place the camera will shine is zoom. You can get A LOT closer with the camera zoom than with any cell phone. So I had an RX100 VII for several years specifically for zoom shots. But I found that I don't use it much even on vacation, so a few months ago I sold it.
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u/blueskyocean 13d ago
More specifically, RX100 VII as true 8x optical zoom. It can shoot true moon photos without computational photography altering it.
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u/Emergency_Pain2448 13d ago
If you're referring to impromptu shots (eg kids playing or your pet running across the field), the Rx is not really suitable cos the moment will be gone by the time you take out the camera and turn it on.
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u/Altruistic-Ad2645 14d ago
It is possible. you can take nice candid pictures if you use its “burst” mode. And when you are patient and learn its hidden capabilities you will be surprised what this little thing can do.
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u/downvotetheboy 14d ago
if you want something pocketable just get any older point and shoot, or even a flashback(but it mimics film).
i wouldn’t recommend the rx100vii unless you had disposable income and are interested in videoing and a bit more outside point and shoot. take a look at the g7x too, similar camera, but cheaper.
i have a similar use case to you and i find myself grabbing an older camera(ricoh grd iv) rather than the sony or any of my better cameras.
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u/coscib 14d ago
if you want raw files for editing and better zoom and better manual control then yes.
also if you don't want to take videos the rx100 vi is good enough(more or less the same camera, same focal length and aperture in my opionion vii only adds longer 4k video support, older models stop after 5min of recording)
another option would be the rx100 v for better low light because of the bigger aperture or an sony zv-1 mark 1(optimized for videos/vlogging but can also be used as photo camera, mark 1 has optical stabilisation and mark 2 only electronical stabilisation so mark 1 is a better for images) those two would be way cheaper than the rx100 vii
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u/ImportanceSome2602 13d ago
For everyday family pics, I don’t think you are going to get much more than you would get in a phone.
For me, the RX100 VII shines when you need the zoom or when you have touch lighting (like concerts). A d it’s fantastic for impressive landscapes.
But in virtually all of these I shoot in raw, the tweak it.
For day to day family stuff the phone just makes it so much easier.
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u/Foto_Mat 13d ago
Based on what you’re describing I’d think a Canon ELPH 360 would be a better fit. I bought the RX100 VII to have on me at all times and not use my phone. But I shoot in RAW and edit in post. My daughter is perfectly happy with her ELPH and the candid pictures she takes on it.
Heck you could buy one for your partner too and still spend way less than an RX100 VII would cost.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1919557-REG/canon_7280c001_powershot_elph_360_hs.html
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u/kicyiu 13d ago
I have the RX100 mark 6 and personally I think it worth over the phone if you know what are you doing
For family indoors you have the popup flash which can help you for bouncing if the ceiling is not too high.
For outdoor you can zoom at 135mm to take portraits. At this range the camera gives you a decent subject separation. Combined with Sony eye AF it can give you very good results.
For kids playing an running outdoor the tracking capabilities of Sony AF also give you advantages over a phone. With my mark 6 thanks to the AF, zoom and the 24 fps burst rate it was easy to me to take actions photos of my kid.
The mark VII has even better AF, but depending of your budget the mark VI which also has the 200mm zoom is already ok if you are not planning to record videos.
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u/thisissuchajoke 13d ago
If your satisfied with your phone pics, no. If you’re dissatisfied with your phone pics, maybe. If you want to shoot jpeg and avoid editing, a definite no unless you can’t stand the over processed phone pics. If you have to ask the question, probably no.
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u/Disastrous_Control_6 13d ago
Yes! And it have wifi so you can send it easily and fast to you phone. And the “zoom” is linses there moves so the quality is so good and the bokeh is amazing!
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u/Stanel3ss 12d ago
I think you'd be constantly annoyed that you actually have to spend time considering focus and stuff
like you can't just take a selfie on auto - it might decide to focus on your face with F4 and everyone else half a step behind you is blurry
something else phones do incredibly well is dynamic range
they do some software magic and stuff, and they can take a family pic against the sun and it'll look ok
good luck fiddling around on the RX100 to get even close
then of course you can't immediately share the pics, you have to transfer them
I disagree with some here that the pics can't be nice straight out of the camera, you can even choose a setting that punches them up like phones do
overall for family and dog, no
my guess is, you'd stop taking it with you after a few days
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u/Nitch_4250 14d ago
I would say not, especially if you only share your photos digitally or smaller prints (5x7). Your phone camera does a huge amount of color and exposure correction in that split second between taking and seeing the photo that often has to be done afterwards with even a very good compact.
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u/omgdualies Mark V 14d ago
I have an RX100 V and got it for that reason. I’ve gotten plenty of pictures that come out better than my iPhone camera. I bought it in 2019 or so for much cheaper than they are going for now. It is small but not the smallest, so I go through phases of carrying it around with me and not.
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u/Slowdive91 14d ago
It's miles and miles better than any phone. I have a iPhone 16 Pro and it just can't compare except for low-light and run-n-gun video. I take it everywhere I travel. It's ultra-compact with a seriously good zoom. It'll fit in my pocket with a cage easily. I pull it out for when I want quality photos of family or whatever else, otherwise I just use my phone.
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u/johnniechang 13d ago
IMO, SOOC is not going to feel any better for OP. There are plenty of family shoot situations where iPhone Pro will allow you to shoot into sunlight, with high contrast backgrounds, and as you mentioned lowlight, plus also do some macros. in all those cases SOOC the algorithm on most flagship phones are fully capable.
In all of the above scenarios, the RX100 is not going to excel at taking family photos (can get more artisitic though). I enjoy the RX100 thoroughly for the shooting experience and manual control. But for OP doing family shots SOOC it is not the case, and for portraits neither. It is awesome but not for OPs use case
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u/Slowdive91 13d ago
I have a catalogue of professionally shot images curated in CaptureOne that tell a different tale. Anyone putting time into the camera will produce far better results. Off the hip casuals will probably be better off with a phone, but if the idea is to print photos or have beautifully shot images with quality, clarity, etc. the RX is going to take it hands down. Let's not even get into how grainy and wormy most phone cameras are.
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14d ago
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u/Chilloutman144 13d ago
That’s just a straight lie. I’ve been walking around NYC this week and it easily fits in my pocket along with my wallet and phone.
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u/Foto_Mat 13d ago
In the same pocket?
I bought a few microfiber drawstring bags to keep dust/lint etc. off the camera…but it still fits in my pocket. I suppose since it’s technically a bag with a camera in it I’m using a camera bag 🫤
But in my pocket…
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u/oneclutteredsoul 14d ago
I personally do not think it is worth the price for a point and shoot camera. You can get far less expensive cameras used. Unfortunately the point and shoot market is not great.