Retro-look camera for bigger budgets

The Life: The Sony DSC-RX1 is a camera designed for someone with more money than expertise.

The Sony DSC-RX1 is priced at Dh12,999. Antonie Robertson / The National

The Sony DSC-RX1 is a camera designed for someone with more money than expertise. The sort of person who wants a unique camera that will take stunning photographs without the need to enrol in a photography course.

This is no point-and-shoot camera, but nor is it a DSLR, so the hefty Dh12,999 (US$3,539) price tag places it out of reach of most users. It is a handy tool for a professional photographer wanting a second, smaller and more compact camera.

The RX1 is a 24MP camera with a fixed 35mm Car Zeiss Sonnar T* full-frame lens that is incredibly capable and takes beautiful shots.

Frustratingly, with any fixed-lens camera, you cannot zoom in or out.

If you want a close-up, you have to get up close to the object or the face you are photographing. Where this is not possible, or awkward, you will have to make the necessary changes later, a time-consuming process for someone who wants to just point and shoot.

This can be very constricting unless you're after one certain look all the time. It is not for someone who will want variety and different focal lenses to push their photography. The RX1, which has a large sensor and an ISO range of 100-25600, takes excellent lowlight photos. It has a full range of manual control modes as well as automatic settings and autofocus.

It also supports full HD video with a choice of 50p/60p or 25p/24p frame rates.

The camera lacks a touchscreen, so you'll have to make do with toggles and buttons. With its retro look, Sony has drawn from older-style cameras for an almost vintage feel.

The pop-up flash, leather case and thumb grip and slot for an optical viewfinder gives the camera a sturdy look and feel.

It comes equipped with a range of accessories including a leather carry case and an 8 gigabyte memory card.