New Camera, SONY RX100

SCENE mode - PET

Taken in low-light indoor.

With only 8watts soft yellow bulb
at room's semi-shaded corner.

Took these 3 shots under 1 minute
of Tatiana moving around that area on bed.

SCENE mode - PET - MOVIE

Took a still shot while taking the video above.

My new camera is finally here; after a long, hassle-filled online purchasing and the incompetency of my local courier service! And 'bout time!

The low-light condition shooting is incredible! 1 inch sensor is a whole planet of difference, I say! I am most pleased and impressed by the stills/movies quality and multitude of control settings packed into this camera. A camera which, even for my female hands, finds it ridiculously small! I cannot believe such capabilities can come in such a small package. My fluffy brain is still registering that fact. It has been almost 16 years since my last good camera, a film based Rollei so pardon my shocking Hokkien, Jin ei si sibei su-ei (small), jiah ho ka'k (switching back to English) EASY lo! Still, it is too small for a camera. I have problem holding it with one hand and fumbling where to stabilise the camera with my (left hand) finger. Ya, finger. Even that has no comfortable space for me to do it.

BACK-STORY : The need for upgrade

Paying premium pricing for my HTC One X then was for the camera. But after having to sent the phone back for service the third times in a year, time to find another gadget for taking decent photos. I wasn't too comfortable with the newer Android phones pricing for that little upgrade I will be getting.

My current camcorder is also incapable to take low-light condition well. Hubby and I will be going for our Aurora Borealis hunting this winter. Another reason for an upgrade. I am NOT going to spend my time setting up, adjusting and looking at the event unfolds through a small lens or digital viewfinder. I am just going to prop it on a tripod, pointing the cam at the sky, sit on the deer fur carpet on snow, enjoy a warm cup of hot cocoa and watching the sky with my head on hubby's shoulder.

So, I found QX100, releasing soon! I thought it will be a nice addition because I don't need to pay premium prices for a phone. I can keep the same camera hooking up to multiple devices at any time. I can hook it up to my tablet as well to my friend's devices easily. I can also change my devices at ease, knowing the built-in cameras no longer play the factor for choosing a compromised unit for a premium price. So, my first plan was getting the Nexus 4 after price dropping when the Nexus 5 released, pair it with this wireless Camera Lens on the go.

Then, I learnt about RX100, which QX100 is inspired from. The more I learnt about RX100, the more I found its worth. I'm starting to see the limitation QX100 will bring. Especially when HTC sent me my 3rd new HTC One X with Android 4.2.2 this time. I have no need for new phone and RX100 is starting to make more sense and dollars for my usage. Especially its movie mode. Been watching a bunch of samples from online users. It fits.

Forget about DSLR. Portability is number one for me since I am on the go a lot when I want to shoot stills/films. Decent quality is good enough. I am not going back to my teen years of lunging around the SLR set of tripods, lens, etc just to take stills in my own country and Singapore. Those are for college times when traveling is scarce. When I do travel, I don't want to travel behind the lens and miss out on the travel itself. No constant fear of spoiling an expensive, heavy equipments on the go nor being stolen while on tripod.

Final Decision

So, it is set. RX100 from the best pricing seller in Malaysia. Keeping watch at the release of RX100 II in Malaysia so I can get a reduced pricing of RX100. In Mid-November, the decision is firmed. Found two good deals online. For shipping and item pricing, Malaysia is the lowest!

The Purchasing and Delivery

To save the PayPal fees plus foreign currency exchange loss, +Kenneth Loke decided to purchase using his Sweden's bank debit card (or PayPal) from the Malaysia's online shops. Only two are selling the package at an almost similarly low prices - first seller with camera+16GB SDHC card+case / second seller with camera+8GB SDHC card+case. Both selling at MYR1650 excluding shipping and payment method charges.

The first best deal was long-winded and failed transaction. After e-mailing them several times to make sure the stock is available, our payment and shipment terms are accepted, seller's web cart failed several attempts over 3-4 days of slow (troubleshooting) replies. I gave up dealing with this bunch of half-hearted boons. They are charging 3.++% card payment charge and MYR10 for shipping.

The next seller is offering the unit packaged with a smaller SDHC card but for the same price as the first. Card payment charges at 2.++% and MYR8 for shipping. After making sure our payment method and shipment arrangement are accepted by seller, we proceed the online payment. Payment went through without issue. The debit was immediately reflected in our bank statement. But it took the seller almost 4 days to tell us he needs another document from us because it is PayPal's term for our case - billing and shipping addresses are different. We did ask before online payment and seller said a-okay.

Unlike credit or charge card, you don't get registered address reflected on e-statement. Seller wants a copy of that prove to state the PayPal account used for payment has a valid billing address as written.

HELLO! PayPal already did verification on its users for that before we can even start payment using this method, isn't it? And it doesn't help that PayPal doesn't shows it has our billing address verified with the full card number attached online. No screenshot to aide what the seller wants from us, innit?

The best we can do is attached a screenshot of our bank debit card number attached to the registered name used for payment being tally. That was only when we logged into the Sweden's online banking, of which the debit card was used for this payment via PayPal. Good thing seller accepted that and finally willing to send out the item. I called and he did says he has accepted the payment. Just that PayPal requires the document before he can delivers. HUH? You got the money but what? Cold, hard cash was deducted from our saving account already but you what?

The overnight delivery within Malaysia will be done through Pos Laju. On the morning I was to accept the delivery, my neighbour is already blocking the main entrance to my street with their wedding event. From my bedroom window, I caught a glimpse of Pos Laju's van. He didn't turns into the gateway from my back alley to get onto my main street! I did tracking online and for two mornings back to back, it stated the item is dispatched out for delivery but by evening, the tracking will indicates the item is unable to deliver due to (sentence was cut off like that).

On 3rd day, I called and was given an issue ticket by their main service hotline. I told them the whole situation I wrote above. They promised to have it sent to me today. I even requested seller to sort it out for me with their chosen courier service used for this delivery. Seller just coldly replied me to call Pos Laju's hotline with the tracking number.

At the end of 3rd day failed delivery, I'm pissed. E-mailing to Pos Laju is futile. No reply. Reading other unanswered complains from users in Pos Laju's Facebook Page, I dropped that medium to contact.

On 4th day, I've finally gotten the phone number of Pos Laju's Johor Bahru from a friend! I decided to call them directly about all these craps. When I was about to call, the phone rang.

It is the courier man in charged of this delivery. He is stuck nearby. Not knowing how to get to my main street from where he is. I asked him to stays where he is, I will walk to him. So, finally, I got the item and after briefing through the settings on camera for 10 minutes, I shelved it for now.

Only on the third to fourth day I started testing and using the camera. I'm liking it. Easier than I first thought. I guess once you know camera settings, even after two decades or so, the principle is the same as the SLR in my teen years. It still uses term like ISO, EVP, bracket, etc. Phew...

Note: All stills and movies are without editing. Video was stitched, added transition effects, text and music with Cute Cut Pro.

Workflow

Stills and Movies taken on SONY RX100
Transfer to iPad Mini using camera's USB cable >> Lightning to USB camera cable for iDevices.
Edit on iPad Mini using Cute Cut Pro, saved to Camera Roll (Album).
Upload to YouTube using Capture.
Using File Hub to transfer imported camera files to Local Files.
Using File Hub's WiFi Transfer to transfer all files to Acer A500.
Transfer files from Acer A500 to external hard drive with USB cable.

SCENE mode - ISO
Same bedroom lighting condition as above BUT darker.
The minimal natural light from closed curtain
window earlier is completely gone now.