Compact ICM Camera With A Built In ND Filter - Sony RX100
The first time I stumbled across the Sony RX100 series of cameras was on a Youtube video where someone was trying out ICM for the first time and casually announced the tiny pocket camera they were using had a built in ND filter.
Wait... did this guy just say his camera had an ND filter built in?
I even played it again just to make sure I heard correctly.
Up until this point all my ICM photography had been done like most others, with a clunky DSLR/mirrorless, assorted lenses and separate Neutral Density filters. I hadn't even considered that a camera might have one built in, let alone a compact travel camera. Now I know the ND filter is included with these cameras primarily with video in mind, but can we use it with still images and ICM too?
This got me excited, as I had only recently been thinking ICM would be particularly well suited to a compact camera - something lightweight you could take everywhere and just whip out when the moment arises. I knew there and then that I had to try one of these cameras and researched every model in the line extensively.
It turns out only three models have the built in ND filter, the RX100 III, IV, and V(A). All three have the 24-70mm f1.8-f2.8 Zeiss Vario-Sonnar fixed zoom lens, which is a great range for ICM and most other types of photography too. So far so good.
(Note: Later models, namely the VI and VII, didn’t come with the ND filter so I took them off the list of considerations.
Vertical ICM on the street with the Sony RX100 IV
Function
When I looked closer at these three ND models I noticed they are all surprisingly capable cameras jam packed with technology for such a small form factor. Measuring roughly 10cm by 6cm, and fitting comfortably in one hand, they are full manual cameras with pop up viewfinders, pop up flash and 1 inch sensors.
Impressive for such compact cameras!
I suppose the first question we need to ask is whether the built in ND filter is strong enough to handle ICM exposures. Most of my ICM are between 1/3rd of a second and upto 1 second, and I can happily say the ND filter is strong enough to control the exposure. In full sun I sometimes need to drop the aperture and exposure compensation down a bit just to darken it further, but that's no problem and is easily done on the fly.
For even longer exposures, there's the option of attaching a magnetic Mag Filter to the lens which fits perfectly. This way you can extend the capabilities to long exposure light trails, waterfalls etc. Mag Filters are available here.
My next question was whether you could operate the zoom during an exposure - a technique often called zoom burst.
Unfortunately it is not possible. Although not totally unexpected from a compact zoom camera, it does limit some creative possibilities and is its biggest drawback for me. If you don't zoom burst during an exposure in your ICM, then this won't be a problem for you.
Being a Canon user, I have been spoilt.
Every decent camera I’ve had has a fully articulating screen that can be viewed from every angle and I think I got a little too used to that. The screen on the RX100 is like on many Sony and Fujifilm cameras, it can be tilted and even folded to face towards you in vlogging mode, but is limited and doesn’t protect itself by facing the body when not in use. After a short while I got used to it and realised that for ICM I don’t need so many viewing angles as it’s never on a tripod.
Again, just like with zoom burst, this won’t be a problem for everyone - if you favour the viewfinder over a screen, then it probably won’t matter to you at all.
If you prefer to take pictures with a viewfinder instead of looking at the screen, then you'll find the digital viewfinder here a joy to use. It's small but an unexpected and appreciated addition on such a small camera. It even has a diopter adjustment dial for those who wear glasses.
Operating the viewfinder on these models is a two part process, there is a switch on the side to pop the EVF up, then you have to pull the small screen towards you. This isn’t complicated, but it would be great if it was a one part process with just the side switch needed to use it, like on later RX100 models.
Customisation
The RX100’s are fully manual, yet sometimes it pays to use shortcuts and customise some settings so you can shoot efficiently.
Although I shoot ICM in full control Manual mode on my DSLR, I tend to shoot exclusively in S mode for ICM on this camera, just to capitalise on the 'run and gun' advantage this camera offers. This works particularly well for my street ICM where timing can be crucial. All I have to do is spin the dial to choose a shutter speed - the aperture, iso and ND filter are automatic.
This can be streamlined further by saving your most used configurations to the Memory Recall (MR) mode. I have MR1 set to 1/3rd of a second in shutter priority (S) for ICM, MR2 is my 200th of a second fully manual mode for quick snaps, and MR3 is 30th of a second for panning shots.
I also set the custom function button on the back of the camera to toggle the ND filter on and off, for the moments when the light is low and I can get away with ICM exposures without the need of the filter.
Which One To Choose?
From the outside the three models look pretty much identical, and the technological differences between the III, IV, V(A) are minimal for the most part, but here's a quick rundown of the main improvements Sony made in each model.
Although it could be argued that for strictly ICM, they all do the same thing, the improvements in sensor, autofocus and video could come in very handy for other photography projects if your budget allows.
When deciding which model is right for you I would suggest asking yourself what else you would use the camera for beyond ICM. If your intentions are solely ICM, then the mark III might be a great option. I opted for the mark IV as I like the 4k video quality for vlogging and capturing short form video content. I found it suited my needs and budget the best at the time, while being a nice middle ground in the three models.
Check out the current prices for the three ND filter models on Amazon here.
Conclusion
As much as I rave about using an RX100 for ICM photography, it is by no means a perfect solution - an occupational burden photographers are all too familiar with.
I wish we could zoom burst with it, the pull out screen is limited, and it has a smaller sensor. Although these factors won’t matter to every ICM photographer, they do to me, yet I still find the RX100 a compact and capable complement to my full frame set up.
All in all, the Sony RX100 ticks most boxes and serves as a fantastic pocket camera that I can take with me everywhere, shoot ICM or any other type of photography without the need for peripherals, and be more than happy with the results. That’s all I could ask for really.
Below is a selection of ICM pictures I have taken with my Sony RX100 IV.
