Six years always with me. Along with the Olympus xz-2, the best compact. Each was purchased for 269 euros with SD cards included. Lightweight, with excellent image quality and satisfactory zoom at 100mm at the far end. Along with a small tripod, you can achieve excellent image results even in the most difficult conditions. Okay, mobile phones have evolved significantly, but they still can't match the performance of a one-inch sensor, even if it's a first-generation Rx 100.

I will not forget the purchase proposal from a well-known merchant in the center of Athens who told me: I kept it when it was first introduced at 600 euros, and since then, no matter how many models have been released, it remains my favorite super compact camera. It is therefore the best value for money in its category.

As for the disadvantages, I should mention the absence of a flip screen compared to newer models, but here I want to emphasize that it increases the thickness and weight, having also worked with the RX 100 Mark II. It also does not have such a wide angle in the wide (starting from 28mm).

Its JPEG is good, but nothing special. I believe that the Olympus xz-2 has better image quality in JPEG files.

And one last thing, it slips a lot and in combination with its small size, it is not easy to use, especially for users with large hands.

I give it 5 stars not because it has no disadvantages, but because these are justified solely by its size. Since its size is what initially attracts the buyer, it is unfair to say that it is not good because of the implications of its small dimensions.
Most of its features have been mentioned by previous reviewers, so I will mention other observations. Specifically:
First of all, I have been using exclusively DSLRs for many years (not even the phone) and my main system is a Nikon full frame with 6 top lenses. This alone, I think, is enough to understand how necessary the existence of an ultra-portable solution is for someone who loves photography but does not compromise on the indifferent result of mobile phones. The rx100 was a gamble for me to see if I could settle for such a small camera. And it won hands down, so much so that within a week I am already planning to switch to the mkIII not only for its extra features but also to see how much better this miraculous little machine can be!
Since the day I bought it, I have not stopped taking photos since I always have it with me and it has the ability to capture (almost) everything. It is VERY important for someone to have a good camera with them everywhere and always, especially if they do not have much free time for photo outings! It definitely cannot handle fast subjects as its af-c is on the verge of problematic - or at least I am concerned about how it behaves (and from what I saw on the internet, it concerns many people). On the other hand, I do not know to what extent a more advanced AF system could fit into such a small package, but I know for sure how much one has to spend on DSLRs and lenses to achieve excellent results. In any case, this, along with its small battery and difficult grip, are its disadvantages that I believe are due to its small size. Beyond that, the only truly negative thing is its stabilization which is practically non-existent in photography. Nothing, as if it does not exist (and this also concerns many users). Fortunately, having been used to shooting with 2-3 kg of DSLR+lens, this seems like a toy to me and I can easily take steady shots. I am not particularly interested in video, but for example, the iPhone 6 has much better stabilization.

Let's move on to the positives. Where does one start and where does one end? I could not imagine shooting jpgs from the camera. With this beast, the only reason to shoot raw is to save photos taken in very difficult conditions or to do bracketing and advanced hdr processing, or to change the lighting. Note that it already takes hdr with a very good result, but the hdr always needs adjustment in detail to not be noticeable. Moreover, in jpg mode it offers a plethora of filters, many of which are irrelevant to me, BUT I am stuck with 2-3 (high contrast B&W, toy camera_warm, miniature) which I used in post-processing and now I don't even need to open my PC! However, the most pleasant surprise was that the automatic white balance works exemplary so far and I can say with greater accuracy even than my ff DSLR, even in the difficult lighting of incandescent bulbs that most cameras cannot handle at all! With the rx100, the deviation is quite small, so I don't bother thinking about raw+correction in post.
Also positive is the zoom range, which with an equivalent of 28-100mm can cover a wide range of subjects and distances. However, the 1.8-2.8 of the mkIII is more tempting, although the shorter tele end is a bit of an issue.
In terms of other lens characteristics, there is distortion at the wide end when shooting raw, but it magically disappears as soon as the file is imported into Lightroom, without any user correction. I don't know how this happens. I didn't notice any vignetting. The detail-sharpness in close-ups is very good, but there is some ghosting where the unobstructed part of the photo begins. Ghosting is something that can be found in lenses that are as valuable as this camera or even more expensive ones. It is worth noting that the camera can focus close (~5cm) ONLY at the wide end of the lens. Otherwise, it requires more than half a meter of distance to achieve focus. A major advantage is the ability for manual focus, but I would have liked the focus ring to have a much shorter travel distance, as it is excessively large and sometimes requires complete rotations.
It is already known that the lens closes at f/4.9 at the tele end, so it cannot be considered a disadvantage. With this range, it couldn't be more open and still maintain these dimensions. It is also a bit annoying that it cannot zoom in and out in fixed steps, and one may need to adjust it several times or move forward and backward to achieve the desired frame.
In terms of functionality, if someone has large hands, they will have difficulty. Even I, with average-sized hands, am afraid that it will slip out of my hands at some point, so I have already ordered the Sony grip sticker, as well as a second battery and a screen protector for its fantastic screen. The buttons are small and fully customizable, but personally, I didn't need to change anything as the most important settings can be easily accessed from them. I only shoot in manual mode, so I simply added the ability to switch from the central button from AF to MF. Another pleasant surprise for me, coming from a DSLR, is that when changing settings, you can see the changes in real time on the screen.
The menu is a bit messy, but I hope it will become more familiar over time. However, compared to Nikon's, it didn't seem too cluttered to me. Since we are talking about functionality, let me mention one more thing. Unfortunately, when shooting raw+jpeg, there is no option to choose one of the filters for the jpeg. It's a shame, as it would be very useful to have at least one version of our photo ready.
The price of €350 that it currently costs seems like a bargain for what it offers, and in the used market, it can be found for even less, as this model has been widely sold. Not knowing its durability over time and the build quality, which seems good for a compact camera, I would recommend choosing a device within warranty if one intends to consider used ones. The prices of new ones in Greek stores are very good, and I will definitely turn to them again for the mkIII.
I won't bore you any longer. Thank you to anyone who had the patience to read everything, and I hope I helped someone make their decision. I highly recommend it without reservation to every photography enthusiast and anyone who wants maximum quality/portability.

I have it for a few days. The initial impressions are very good. As positives, I would mention its portability, as well as the 1-inch sensor and lens with a maximum aperture of f-stop 1.8. Additionally, it has the ability for full manual mode despite being compact.

With the NR setting on medium, at ISO 800 and approximately 50% zoom (on a 1080p 24-inch screen), I notice a slight decrease in detail and some luminance noise. When we reach ISO 3200, the luminance noise becomes noticeable even in a simple full-screen fit (around 25%), but it is not at unusable levels, and most importantly, chroma noise is not visible. At ISO 6400, however, there is some of everything :P while detail decreases significantly. However, even at this ISO, it may be okay for small prints and definitely good for web. And if you play with raw files, you can greatly improve the situation (I saw a big difference). The higher ISOs of 12800 and 25600 that it reaches with multiframe NR are not usable in my opinion. In video, it goes up to ISO 3200, where you can see quite a bit of noise, but it is tolerable (at least for my video requirements).

Now let's talk about the lens. I didn't see any distortions, it was quite sharp, and very bright as it goes up to 1.8. Unfortunately, the f-stop increases quite quickly as you zoom (at 1.3 zoom, it is already at f-stop 2.8). Also, its wide angle is not that... how should I put it... "wide" :P as it only goes up to 28mm. However, such a lens, combined with the price of the camera and its sensor, is amazing.

We praised it enough, time for criticism. The stabilization system is mediocre at best. You can still get quite a few blurry photos even at 1/30 in wide angle. At first, I even thought that the stabilization wasn't working, but when I was in telephoto (zoomed in), I noticed the difference. The shortest time I have with a 50-50 success rate in wide angle (always with calmness and a good grip) is at a speed of 1/10, while with another camera with stabilization, I had the same result at 1/5 (always with the same focal length).

In summary, an excellent camera, impeccable price, and super portable. It loses one star due to the mediocre stabilization, so calculate that you will need approximately double the speed compared to other better systems. If you want to take higher quality photos, you have two solutions.
1. With a difference of about 50 euros, you can go for a mirrorless camera with a much larger sensor (like the a5000), which, with its lens attached, is quite bulkier (losing portability => won't fit in a small bag/pocket). Of course, for low-light photos, to get better results than the RX100, you may need an additional 200 euros for a lens, as whatever you gain from the sensor, you will lose from the aperture of the kit lens (of course, a large aperture in such a sensor will result in even more loss in depth of field).
2. You can go for another high compact camera with a price difference of over 100-150 euros.

Therefore, for this price and this portability, there is no other choice.

I have it for 9 months....now 24/2/16......(+) for the money, size, and capabilities, it is top-notch. The lens at full aperture 28mm at 1.8 is worth every penny, bright and high-quality. It doesn't need anything cheaper, it has everything in a small size, then you can go for a DSLR....(-) the program is a bit unstable, and be careful with the flash and battery door, but it doesn't have any significant issues.

Now it's 30/09/16, I have taken many photos, as well as printed them, very good, you can see its limits, it doesn't do everything, but again, you don't need anything cheaper, and in terms of characteristics, it's the same. I rarely needed the zoom, usually, I need from 28 to 70, that's where you start, although I would go for the rx2, the money is enough, you gain portability. A small issue with the stability of the lens, I solved it with the 2-second self-timer...then I think you go for FM, I believe that all the intermediates will be mediocre, you want a good portable like this one here and then, specialization...finally, I would give it 4.5 stars...

I have had the RX100 for about 1 and a half months and I consider it one of the best electronic purchases I have ever made. The photos are incredible and the videos are also very good in quality, even if I don't use them much. Despite having previously bought an SLR, I have now forgotten about it and left it to gather dust on a shelf (okay, it's in a case :P). The small Sony camera can literally perform at the level of an entry-level SLR with a kit lens, and I'm not just saying that. It has a bright lens and a wide-angle and capable zoom in such a small package... it's like Sony has broken the laws of known physics.

Although it's my first time dealing with RAW, I saw that you can extract more detail compared to JPEG, especially in low light.

Its only drawback is that the lens darkens abruptly when using the zoom (the price to keep the package compact), but it's still better than the competition.

The price is now at an acceptable level and there are no excuses. I'm not saying the new MK3 model is better, but at twice the price, the difference in quality is not as significant.

I highly recommend it as the king of pocket cameras. It's like having an SLR with you at all times. We're talking about a 1" sensor, period. ...Anyone who doubts it should search for some samples on Flickr or other photography sites.

+ Important tip/magic trick: In specific RAW converters like DXO Optics Pro (possibly others, but not Lightroom), in the lens correction settings, if you disable automatic cropping, you can add an additional 2-3 mm width to the lens. It goes from around 28mm to about 25mm, and you can produce photos with an aspect ratio of approximately 16:10.

..::UPDATE 8-2-2021::..
They still sell it and even from €249.00 ???
I'm not surprised. We're talking about a beautiful tool!

I've had it since 2014 and it has made me look good on all my vacations, trips, or just photo outings!
Even now, as we speak, it's in EXCELLENT condition, as if I just took it out of the box.
From the beginning, I put it in Sony's genuine leather case and I also installed the genuine Sony tempered glass screen protector. I take care of it like a baby.
I remember spending around €500 for all of this, but it's worth every last euro.

Don't think about it anymore, buy it!!!
It's clearly better than any mobile phone, even if they try to put 1000 megapixels in phones. They will never reach the quality of a good camera.
After all, everyone has their own specialty, right?

It's a camera for life!
..::END OF UPDATE::..

I wanted a good camera capable of replacing my mobile phone's camera. After a detailed search and after reading reviews on forums and opinions from experts, I decided to spend a little more and get the RX100. I'm not a photographer or an expert. However, with this camera, I want to learn everything about the science of photography. And that's because with a camera of such a small size that fits in my pocket, I can do everything! Besides the amazing photos you will be able to capture, the crystal-clear full HD videos, and the unlimited possibilities you will find in the menus and submenus, (here I should note that the camera has a built-in user guide for beginners with instructions and tips for good photos), you will also find a device that is so well-made, sturdy, made of aluminum that gives a sense of security and luxury. The lens of the RX100 caught my interest from the beginning when I saw the Carl Zeiss logo on it, a logo that I trust. The screen can beautifully display photos and videos, with perfect viewing angles, realistic colors even under sunlight. The battery has left me completely satisfied, averaging over 300 photos per charge. I have nothing negative to say about the RX100 at the moment. If you want quality photos that come close to professional ones and you are willing to spend a little more, buy it and I believe you won't be disappointed.