jky
Well-known
So I'm here in Barcelona... while in a fitting room, the camera slips out of my bag & drops onto the floor (about 40cm). I look down, pick it up, hold it up to the light & see 2 small dents on the top left housing & on the flash. No big deal I thought - I'm not worried about cosmetic blemishes... so I turn it on & the lens extends.
Great!
Well... not quite...
...the lens extended & then starts moving erratically as if I'm zooming in & out. It stops. I press the shutter &... NOTHING. I look at the rear display & it says something like "turn the the camera off"...
So, I try again.... same as above.
Yes, I know I should have secured it more (actually I thought I did, but there was enough room for it to find its way through the flap), but BUSTED after approximately a 1 ft drop?!?
C'mon!
My cameras are never abused, but they're not babied either, but really... 40cm?
The only camera that was even close to looking inoperable is my LX3 - this I had slammed onto rocks hard in order to keep myself from falling into the Singapore River. Dented with something rattling inside it still works flawlessly! *Anecdotal I know*
...unfortunately, it's enough to sway me away from any Sony p&s out there...
Bites.
Great!
Well... not quite...
...the lens extended & then starts moving erratically as if I'm zooming in & out. It stops. I press the shutter &... NOTHING. I look at the rear display & it says something like "turn the the camera off"...
So, I try again.... same as above.
Yes, I know I should have secured it more (actually I thought I did, but there was enough room for it to find its way through the flap), but BUSTED after approximately a 1 ft drop?!?
C'mon!
My cameras are never abused, but they're not babied either, but really... 40cm?
The only camera that was even close to looking inoperable is my LX3 - this I had slammed onto rocks hard in order to keep myself from falling into the Singapore River. Dented with something rattling inside it still works flawlessly! *Anecdotal I know*
...unfortunately, it's enough to sway me away from any Sony p&s out there...
Bites.
back alley
IMAGES
stone floor?
sorry to hear your troubles...
sorry to hear your troubles...
Unfortunately, they aren't designed to be dropped onto stone from any height. Hard to blame Sony on this...
Pioneer
Veteran
Oh, please don't tell me I can't drop my cameras anymore.
I have been dropping cameras for 40 years and now you tell me this!! Oh great!!
:bang:
I have been dropping cameras for 40 years and now you tell me this!! Oh great!!
:bang:
willie_901
Veteran
Bad luck... what a disappointment.
Maybe Sony can help you out.
Maybe Sony can help you out.
kshapero
South Florida Man
Kind of a universal law: If you drop your camera, it may break. Best way to prevent this is, is to not drop your camera. works every time. sorry in any case.
wogg
Established
Certainly, the case design of this camera doesn't make it bouncy in the way that the robust GRD body is. I use it for the IQ, because it is such a huge leap from GRD, but I pray that Ricoh will do something with this sensor. You know the GRD4 would have come up smiling from that fall.
RX100 software/button ergonomics aren't bad, surprisingly good for the real estate. But the physical ergonomics and shell design are too dainty and weak for 650$. Mine's got scratches and worn paint on the edges, and I baby it like crazy. Must be that the sensor and lens cost 600$ (which performance would attest), because the machining is worth less than 50$.
I sold the Fuji X10 for this camera for reasons of slight IQ edge and much better pocketability, but the X10 could win a boxing match with the Rx100 with one arm tied back.
RX100 software/button ergonomics aren't bad, surprisingly good for the real estate. But the physical ergonomics and shell design are too dainty and weak for 650$. Mine's got scratches and worn paint on the edges, and I baby it like crazy. Must be that the sensor and lens cost 600$ (which performance would attest), because the machining is worth less than 50$.
I sold the Fuji X10 for this camera for reasons of slight IQ edge and much better pocketability, but the X10 could win a boxing match with the Rx100 with one arm tied back.
Interesting. Most reviewers think the build quality of the RX100 is top notch. It certainly isn't plastic.
It's is not new in the digital age. I had a contax t2 that I dropped twice and each time it stopped working. Compacts don't take falls well. The good thing is that you should be able to get it repaired for around $200 or so I would think.
Thardy
Veteran
"Turn the camera off". I've seen that message before. 
jky
Well-known
Nope wasn't blaming Sony. Pure user error I know. just surprised at how fragile this things is...
I'm not a chronic camera dropper, but I will admit to having p&s slip out of pants, etc while it's laying on a bed or sofa.
Next time, I'll make sure to bring a patch of carpet around with me to soften the blow.
gavinlg
Veteran
Welcome to the world of retractable lenses. Every single retractable lens camera I've ever owned has broken in some way. Last one was a ricoh GRD. Didn't drop it, didn't mistreat it, just stopped extending and focussing properly. Retractable lenses are a bad design compromise.
jky
Well-known
Don't quite agree with this... my lx3 & lx5 have gotten dinged here & there - ie: slipping out of clothing, running after my kids and having it swing & hit something. They've both come out operable.
A friend had a couple GRDs over the years & those are incredibly tough cameras by his account.
BMacW
Established
I used my rx100 in the rain with no problem. Although I just realized that the flash hinges are are rusted now (so I won't do it again) but the camera is still rocking hard.
pkreyenhop
Established
Thanks for posting this! You have saved me a bundle. I was playing with a the rx100 today and thought: what a nice camera - it's a shame that the lens is retractable. Your post reminded me of all the problems I had with retractable lenses in the past...
pvdhaar
Peter
Some cameras are tougher than others..
My Nikon P5100 fell out of my jacket pocket when I swung the jacket over my shoulder. That was a drop on stone much worse than from 1ft. Body was gnashed and scratched, camera still worked without flaw.
btgc
Veteran
Sorry mate, but I agree to simple wisdom "cameras, especially compacts, don't hold impact well".
For this reason I'm buying shock-and-water proof compact for my wife and kid as they aren't as careful with cameras as I can be. And even then I have dropped them. Sure this isn't reason to stop using hi-tech cameras which aren't made shock-proof, but then we all will die, so camera life also is finite.
For this reason I'm buying shock-and-water proof compact for my wife and kid as they aren't as careful with cameras as I can be. And even then I have dropped them. Sure this isn't reason to stop using hi-tech cameras which aren't made shock-proof, but then we all will die, so camera life also is finite.
jky
Well-known
Yes simple wisdom.
Perhaps my expectation for a $700 p&s was a little high?... (given I've had tougher point and shoots in the past)
That Oly TG1 is looking mighty fine now
jarski
Veteran
I was chronic dropper of small gadgets like point and shoots or phones. solution was cases, and more robust gadgets still, some near-gravity-taking-over situations have happened, but only near. knocking wood..
still, some near-gravity-taking-over situations have happened, but only near. knocking wood..
btgc
Veteran
Well, rather oriented to wrong direction. You paid $700 for technology, lens and features not for durability.
It's like $30,000 car - you get more fuel economy than performance. Buy $300,000 and surprisingly, you'll get worse fuel efficiency (at first look).
The price don't reflect directly durability of camera unless it's designed being such. But then you get durable camera with slightly lower image IQ compared to regular camera of similar specs and price because of compromises in design. There's no free lunch, unfortunately.