Sony QX100 Lens-Style camera — Review

The Hardware

When first unpacking the QX100 I was fairly surprised at how small the device was, taking into consideration all of the features and functionality that has been crammed into this lens body. One key concern that I have discussed with family and friends while reviewing the QX100 is the portability of the camera, as the QX100 may be too big to carry around in most pockets. Alternatively for me I wasn’t too fussed over the physical size of the camera, as the camera can be easily carried around in a backpack, handbag or messenger bag for quick access when you may want to attach it to your Smartphone.

When people think of a compact camera, it is not unusual to expect the device to have a screen so that the user can easily view what they are taking a photo of or recording. With the QX Lens-style cameras, most of the hardware controls that you would generally find on a compact camera have been removed. As the QX Lens-style cameras are controlled via the user’s Android or iOS Smartphone, these controls and the camera’s viewfinder are accessible via the PlayMemories Mobile app.

Build Quality

My first thoughts on the build quality of the QX100, is that it does feel like a well manufactured device. The outer shell of the camera feels solid and fairly well pieced together. The microSD slot and USB port are covered by a simple plastic flap, though it doesn’t feel as though this cover will break after a couple of years of general wear and tear. When moving the camera around, you can feel a slight movement within the body of the camera. This is nothing to be worried about as the QX100 does contain In-lens Optical stabilisation.

The fine focus ring on the QX100 feels as though there is a slight amount of resistance while turning the ring, this means that the user can make slight responsive changes to focus on certain objects. The shutter button and zoom slider also feel as though they are well made, fortunately these don’t feel as though they will break if the user was to press too hard.

Included with the QX100 is a mount to attach the camera to any Android or iOS Smartphone, I have tested this attachment mount with My Xperia Z1 and a Galaxy note 2 which work really well providing you don’t have a flip cover on. When attaching the camera to the phone, I noticed there is a gap where you can pull the phone back and forth a bit in the mount, this is primarily done so users can use a Smartphone of practically any size.

Operating System

Out of the box the camera will not have full 1080p video recording, adjustable ISO control or shutter speed priority functionality, therefore it would be a good idea to update to the latest firmware as soon as possible to be able to use these features.

Unfortunately to use the QX100 with your Android or iOS Smartphone, you do need to have the PlayMemories mobile app installed on your phone. While using the PlayMemories app to control the QX100 I found the app to work relatively well, although there was the rare occasion that I noticed a few performance issues where the app would freeze for a couple of seconds.

The PlayMemories app will also only display photos and videos that have been taken with the application, therefore if you decide to take photos without having the camera connected to your phone, these photos can only be accessed by connecting the camera to a computer.

Photos taken with the QX100

QX100 specs

• 20.2MP Exmor R Image Sensor
• F1.9 Carl Zeiss Lens with 3.6x Optical zoom
• In-lens Optical Stabilisation
• NFC and Wi-Fi
• micro SD Card Slot
• 630mAh rechargeable battery
• Dimensions: 62.5mm x 62.5mm x 55.5mm
• Weight: 179g

Overall the QX100 is a great compact lens-style camera which is capable of taking high quality photos and videos, while being controlled by any Android or iOS Smartphones. Yes there may be a few downsides such as limited portability due to its physical size, though this can be resolved fairly easy by carrying the camera around in a bag or a backpack. The connectivity between the camera and a Smartphone is fairly reliable and responsive, although you may find the occasional performance glitch due to the wireless connection. For those who need to capture a certain moment and don’t have the time to connect their camera to a Smartphone, the QX100 is also capable of capturing photos independently.

I have had a number of people ask me while I have been reviewing the QX100, why would you need a separate camera that can be connected and controlled via a Smartphone? The answer to this is fairly difficult, as there are a number of SLR and compact cameras out on the market at the moment which have very similar connectivity features to the QX range. Not to mention some high-end Smartphones that can also take similar quality photos. So why would someone who is moderately into photography choose the QX100 over a similar compact camera or even a SLR? The QX lens-style cameras weren’t designed to be a replacement for compact or SLR cameras, though these cameras are more focused on improving the type of photography that users can take with their smartphones.

Ideally the QX100 was designed to capture SLR quality photos and videos in a device that is practically the same size as a lens from a compact camera. For me, I can see myself using the QX100 a lot as it is a simple, easy to operate camera that I can take practically anywhere in a backpack. Though at $599 for the QX100 from Sony Australia, it is easy to see why this camera is not on a lot of christmas shopping lists. Although if you’re not too fussed with having as many fancy features (e.g. aperture priority, higher MP sensor), the QX10 may be a reasonable alternative at the more affordable price of $279.

Thankyou again to Jamie from Sony Australia for allowing me to review the QX100.