Wow, I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I shot this video! April turned out to be extremely busy in the Means To Travel household, and I ended up living out of a suitcase for 21 of the 30 days last month! I am super excited to see what May brings!

As I finished editing this video today, I glanced outside and chuckled because the weather is roughly the same as the day I filmed. It has been a very cold, rainy (sometimes snowy) springtime in Chicago, and the leaves have barely come back on the trees – even today!

On the day of filming, I was extremely excited to open my new Sony RX100 VI vlogging camera for you all to watch, in hopes that you’d enjoy sharing the journey. Personally, I find unboxing videos to be helpful when deciding whether to purchase a new, expensive toy.

In today’s video, I wanted to bring each of you frequent travelers along with me as I opened the Sony RX100 VI camera bundle that I purchased on Amazon, and test it out for the first time while comparing it to my iPhone X.

Here are several of the findings that I share in my video:

Portability:

I chose to purchase a small vlogging camera as opposed to a DSLR or high-end Sony mirrorless (like the one that my husband Derek owns that the video was shot on), because I wanted something lightweight and compact for my trips, yet still had a stronger performance than my current iPhone X. As noted in the video, the Sony camera’s length and width are more compact than my iPhone, but it is slightly deeper due to the need to fit both the lens and fold-out screen.

Image Stabilization & Auto Focus:

Additionally, by using side-by-side filming in this video, I found that the image stabilization may actually be better on my iPhone X while using my popsocket. However, the auto-focus on the Sony RX100 VI while filming is far superior to my iPhone. This is important because if you are filming a scene in motion, or if you are walking around during your travels, since ideally you want your video to focus as fast as possible in order to mimic the human eye.

Zoom:

This Sony camera would be useful to anyone who wants to improve the zoom capabilities on their travel camera without investing in a device that requires interchangeable lenses. The Sony has an 8x optical zoom, compared to the iPhone X’s 2x.

Dual Purpose:

The Sony RX100 VI is a helpful tool for any traveler who alternates between shooting video and stills, since it has 4K-quality video capabilities coupled with many of the default camera features that photographers know and love from Sony. The iPhone is also dual-purpose while featuring a front and back lens, so it can be a great resource for travelers who are not as advanced with camera settings.

Price:

The Sony camera and accessories bundle comes with a very steep price tag on Amazon – even more expensive than buying a new iPhone! It is the most expensive point-and-shoot camera on the market today. If you are truly in-market for an advanced yet compact travel camera, this may be the device for you. However, if you have been content with using your smartphone for all of your travel photography and videos thus far, it might not be worth the upgrade.

Sound Recording:

Lastly, as I’ve tested out the Sony camera over the last few weeks while traveling, the major flaw I find in day-to-day use is that there is no microphone jack for me to plug in an exterior mic – which is an issue if filming in windy or noisy areas.

For all travelers, adding anything new (and expensive!) into your suitcase requires weighing the pro’s and con’s. The Sony RX100 VI is not a camera for everyone, and should be considered a luxury add-on that improves upon the capabilities of your smartphone while you travel. As I mentioned in my smartphone vs. DSLR video a few months ago, spending money on an enjoyable, fulfilling trip is more important than bringing an expensive camera to capture your memories, because the experience itself is the most meaningful. With regards to this camera, I recommend you analyze your true needs as a traveler, and then make an informed choice based on the camera’s purpose and usage on your trips.

Happy travels!

Eliz

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