DxO (yes, the company best known for creating a rating system for cameras) has just released what seems to be the world's most powerful compact camera. Available today you can now pick up this incredible device that includes a 20.2-megapixel 1-inch CMOS sensor, 32mm fixed lens, and an outstanding f/1.8 aperture for perfect low light conditions. I have to admit, in my first week testing out the camera this might be one of the best compact cameras I have ever used and here are my first impressions.
The DxO ONE connects directly to your iPhone or iPad delivering stunningly sharp images especially in low light conditions. It's small enough to fit in your pocket and can be paired with an intuitive app that has automatic and full-manual controls. As primarily a mobile shooter and also a freelance photographer, I can easily see this as my go-to choice when just out and about. The images that I have captured so far have been absolutely stunning and I hope to keep pushing the limits with the low light capabilities and come back with a full review later this month.
Some more of the features include a high-quality six-element aspherical lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, DxO's proprietary "super raw" format, and of course the live screen viewfinder on the Apple device of your choice. One other huge plus for me is the seamless integration with Apple iOS to save JPG to your mobile device as well also having the option to save raw files to the internal micro SD card, and it even has tethering capabilities. This is becoming one of the easiest and most enjoyable mobile cameras I have shot.
The price comes in at $599 and also includes DxO SoftwarePro for editing as well as a series of film presets not too similar to the ever so popular VSCO film packs. The DxO ONE can be ordered now through their web store.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTBceEoyUKM
What do you think? Does this type of camera have a place in the super saturated market of photography and can it pave way for more on-the-go shooting in a compact form factor? Does it stand out as something you as a professional or part-time shooter would grab? So far some of the quick reviews online have seen this as a truly great camera for mobile shooting and highlights its compact size to make it stand out from the rest of the market. I look forward to doing a full review of this camera over the next few weeks to put its low light capabilities, iOS app, and sharpness to the test.
[via DxO]
I'd like to get my hand on one of these. I can't tell if this is a good idea or not.
Haha! I kid you not this is now my favorite camera and has not left my bag/pocket since I got it. The face detection is ridiculously good and it does work without being connected to the phone just as long as its set to automatic or the exact settings you need in manual of course. If you can get your hands on one do it! I've got a contact there! Ha
The thing takes some incredible shots while on the go and the 1.8 is solid!
If you can hook me up with a review copy I'd love to check it out.
I had pre ordered it, only to later realize it's connector won't fit through most iPhone cases (I use the OtterBox). Having to take the case off my iPhone every time I want to take a picture is a... problem. Then I also thought of... why you'd actually need an iPhone? It's got its own sensor, lens, storage, and battery. So the $800 iPhone is only needed to view the photos during and after capture. Seems like they could've integrated a small, high resolution flip-up LCD instead.
Ultimately, like you - I don't know if it's a good idea.
I always keep a battery case on my phone so I would have to take that off every single time I wanted to use it.
I've only had a handful of times where the battery life on my phone was an issue and needed a battery pack. I always have one of those super fast charger deals I can plug my phone into while I am out and about walking or shooting full day campaigns for clients. Maybe its me and the cases are all so damn bulky. Ha
I'm what some call a heavy iPhone user and have never used a case on my phone in the 5+ years I have had one. It doesnt feel the same and I have yet to find a case that adds anything other than more bulk to an ever shrinking form factor which I kinda enjoy. That said I had no issue with it not connecting between cases. Maybe if you paired this with one of those cases that 'breaks' half way through the case by the port to plug it in and go quickly? Not sure how durable those cases are though. The camera itself is incredible though, so far I have seen some incredible image quality espeially in low light. I wouldnt let the case alone be the reason you dont get one but I see the issue you have.
I was incredibly skeptical -- INCREDIBLY. But the more I read about it and hear about it, the more intriguing it sounds. I don't even care whether or not it connects to your phone...as a standalone or otherwise, I'm just thinking of it as a more-than-decent compact camera...which is what is certainly seems it's turning out to be...
Dude, its pretty freaking sweet! The price is on the high side but what camera has ever been released at a price point that someone agreed with? The image quality and sharpness espeially in low light is outstanding. It does work without the phone but the settings need to be exact in manual or it needs to be put in auto mode. I have yet to play with video but it does 1080.
Agreed on the price comments. But the point is, if it's a great point-and-shoot for the most part (or great for what it does, etc.), then it's priced fairly. Those promo shots look FANTASTIC. Okay, so they're promo shots. But still....
This does look nice and portable but one thing I cannot understand is how this camera with a 1 inch sensor gets a DxO score of 85 while a full frame sensor on my new Canon 5DSr only gets a 87. I am very confused with the scoring. Based on scores alone it would seem like this camera's sensor is almost as good as Canon's latest 50mp sensor. Well I saw this picture on their website and it looked like the score was 85. When I clicked on the link the score was only 70. Makes me feel a little better.
Yea, so when this was first announced they had the score at 85 which made a lot of people grab attention to it but it was funny to see the score of their own camera beat out everyone else. Ha! I have to admit the camera is pretty solid and I can easily get shots printed at any size with the super raw file size format they have.
I think that score is for their super RAW where the camera takes multiple exposures.
I have yet to check out the super raw files but very interested in seeing how those turn out in the right settings.
With a few adapters (wide and tighter..) it could grab all the adventure photography market.
Unless you need to print very large, this could do the trick while in nature!
If they can do it, that would be a bigger game changer to have options like that. Right now that is a solid focal length for all around shooting and every day stuff so it makes sense.
I'd like to see this head to head with the sony rx100 cameras. Nice sample images.
I'm not familiar with that camera but this thing seems on paper to be much more appealing because I can pair it with the phone and share instantly.
See...sharing is a nice feature for those that want that...but I just wouldn't share a raw image in most cases... I at least want to touch up a little bit....so I'm not sure I'm interested in the phone sharing stuff -- just as a camera, which is where the rx100 supposedly is exceedingly good. So yeah, I'm curious, too, Justin.
You can't edit raw files on an iPhone. It transfers only the JPG files. I usually edit in an app like VSCO and then post anyway. It's nice to keep the social alive while on the go with incredible quality.
I wifi connect the rx100 mk2 to my phone for sharing. It isn't symbiotic like the DxO camera, but it fits my needs when I'm out and about.
I am doing that same thing currently with an EyeFi SD card. Works really well right now with a cam that is not wifi connected.
It is definitely something I would like to check out, but doubtful that it's something I would pay that much for. Of course I also wouldn't pay that much for a point and shoot. It's just not in the budget when I can spend it on something I would use more for professional work. And this doesn't seem like something I would use in that application.
Just like the Olympus Air, the lack of removable battery makes this dead in the water for me.
I'm fine with the battery not being removable. It charges via the cord like most devices and will last a few years with no issues.
Yeah it charges by cord, but how much time does it take to charge it up via USB? Considering you only get 200 shots per charge is kinda of a major down sided. (the Oly Air gets around 320, which is better, but again, its the charging time in between).
At that size I highly prefer to carry a m4/3 camera or a Ricoh GR would also be a great option.
This combo just won't be as quick, it's still a smaller sensor and the connection through the port makes it a piese of e-waste once they switch to USB-C. Not to mention that people like to switch phones and this one is just compatible with the iPhone. The Olympus & Sony attempt of such a thing is more flexible and future proof in my opinion.
Especially at that price ... it's E-M10 II / Ricoh GR territory.
Worlds smallest 1" camera? That can't be true. The combination of that thing and the attached iPhone is definitely larger than the Panasonic CM1 SmartPhone which has also a 1" sensor without having to attach anything.
https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/...
Good call. I'm guessing with claims like this they look at overall device cubic measurement. In this case the phone must have slightly more per the whole device. The ONE is crazy small!
Hey Andrew, are the images above ones you took or supplied by DxO? I'm always a bit sceptical of manufacturer supplied sample images. :P
Those are all supplied by DxO. I am going to do a full review and image analyzation of shots in the next few weeks. This thing is pretty solid, sure its got its quirks and issues but its a damn good camera for on the go from what I have noticed playing with it the last week. I will be sure to test the hell out of the shots espeically the super raw feature it has. Those sample shots look unreal right now! I am also very skeptical of man shots.
How is this better than the Sony ILCE-QX1 which has interchangeable lenses and can take a speedbooster?
https://youtu.be/Rz-9ThFyhdg
I want one for my travel stuff
I am going to shoot you and Lee's name to the contact at DxO. See if I cant get you guys at least a sample to play with. Would be cool to see what you guys think espeically you with the travel you are doing. So far I am really digging this thing for the on the go moments. Seriously the best little thing to add a solid amount of quality in a small form factor.
I've been excited about trying it out. I use my iPhone for all of my travel and bts pics when I'm not using my Phase One
And this, kids, is the endgame of a long chess game called "How to move from software to hardware".
The only reason why they have been rating cameras and lenses all these years is so that they would be believed when they released a camera of their own giving it an incredible rating.
This is how real advertising works.
Very smart thinking from the CEO.
I have seen some big companies make this exact move and fall flat on their faces. Yes this device has its flaws but overall I am finding it to be a pleasant alternative to a larger DSLR or even a mirrorless in some cases.
Great Idea but the execution is lacking in my opinion, there are just too many cons...
- You need an iphone 5 or 6. (Android smartphones?)
- The camera relies apparently on the battery of the Iphone 5 and 6 which isn't the best already for its initial purpose (the smarphone) and now powering the DxO Camera on top of that...not very reliable compared to a canon dslr battery that allows you to shoot all day for example.
- It blocks the lightning port, so let's say you'd want to set it up with a battery charger to fix the battery problem you couldn't.
- If you already owe a DSLR or mirror-less cameras with nice lenses with way more features this becomes just a gadget.
- The price makes it impossible to overlook all the previous mentioned cons and buy it just as a small cool gagdet for the few times when you wouldn't feel ridiculous for leaving your expensive Dslr gear at home.
I want this. I'd use it on an iPhone 6 plus. Oh man...I need it before Iceland!!!!
This is an interesting camera that produces images of impressive quality for the sensor size. However, I feel like in order for it to be competitive for what it is it would have to be like...$300...If it was about the price of a GoPro I'd probably buy one, but at this price I just don't see the point when I can use my Fujifilm X100S that is probably more versatile and doesn't require me to drain my phone battery.
Right, I think the price point could squeeze in at around $350 and do so much better. It all depends on the manufacturing of the product though I guess. It does have its own battery that does NOT use the iPhone battery at all. So no worries there. I am seeing about 300-400 shots can be taken with JPG + RAW turned on without an issue before the battery completely dies.