Did the RX1 really need more resolution? Maybe not, but we're not going to sniff at any camera that's rocking a 42MP full-frame sensor, let alone one you can squeeze into a pocket. Just about. Sony's other tweaks are excellent, though.

Simply sublime image quality; Genuinely useful upgrades over the original RX1; Outstanding build quality

Seriously expensive; Battery life could be better; Autofocus feels slow against cheaper competition

Sony's original RX1 ( at Amazon) was a groundbreaking camera when it was announced in late 2012. We'd seen fixed-lens digital cameras with large APS-C image sensors before, but none with a full-frame sensor. That's still rare—the new RX1R II ($3,299.99) is only the fourth model to sport one, if you count the RX1 and RX1R ($2,799.99) as different models. The RX1R II offers some compelling reasons to upgrade—the same high-resolution image sensor found in the Alpha 7R II ($1,298.00 at Amazon) and an integrated electronic viewfinder chief among them. But it's not a camera that stands alone in the market; our Editor's Choice award stays with the larger, more expensive Leica Q (Typ 116) ($8,988.00 at Amazon) and its wider, faster lens. DesignThe RX1R II's ($3,298.00 at Amazon)  fixed lens design puts it into the compact camera class, but at 2.6 by 4.5 by 2.8 inches and 1.1 pounds it's not a pocket-friendly option like the svelte Ricoh GR II ($904.95 at Amazon) (2.5 by 4.6 by 1.4 inc...

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II puts an incredible high-resolution full-frame image sensor and fixed lens into a form factor that's almost pocket friendly.

Compact design; Full-frame 42-megapixel image sensor; Sharp 35mm f/2 lens; Excellent picture quality; Variable OLPF filter; Integrated pop-up EVF; Tilting rear display; 1080p120 video; Wi-Fi

Lens shows some barrel distortion; Limited battery life; Doesn't include external battery charger; Uncomfortable focus select switch; Omits flash

Simply sublime image quality; Genuinely useful upgrades over the original RX1; Outstanding build quality;

Seriously expensive; Battery life could be better; Autofocus feels slow against cheaper competition;

Overkill for most, with a few flaws, but that doesn't stop us wanting one - the RX1R II is a phenomenal luxury compact camera.

The Sony RX1R II takes what made the original so remarkable -- compact size, full-frame sensor and stunning image quality -- and takes it up to a new, even more impressive level.

Excellent image quality; Extremely high resolution; Surprisingly good high ISO performance; Outstanding dynamic range; Handy variable low-pass filter; Fast phase-detect AF; Built-in EVF

Fixed, single focal length lens; Poor battery life; No built-in flash; No touchscreen LCD; Slow buffer clearing; No 4K video; Expensive

The Sony RX1R II is a high-end compact camera with an integral lens that features a full-frame sensor with a very high resolution of 42MP, comparable in some ways to a classic rangefinder camera or the Leica Q system.

Three years are a long time for any camera model to be refreshed but Sony believes the Mark 2 version of its RX1R compact is well worth the wait as it turns up this year. Is it?

On Wednesday, at a small press gathering in New York City, Sony unveiled the impressive new RX1R II, the much-anticipated followup to the compact, full-frame RX1R released in 2013.

Although the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX1RM2 Premium Digital Still Camera is quite expensive at over $3,000, it would make a great purchase for anyone wanting to dive fully into professional photography without all of the guesswork.

The original Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX1 was more important than you might think. Despite being a niche product and, at the time of release, probably also an experiment, it opened up the floodgates to more full-frame mirrorless products that the company would introduce later on.