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

Sony's original RX1 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.

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

Sony's RX1R II is one of the best compact cameras money can buy

Superb 42-megapixel full-frame photos; First-ever variable optical low-pass filter; Outstanding built-in viewfinder; Fast prime lens; Compact size

No built-in image stabilization; Lacks 4K video support; Expensive

When it first launched at the end of 2012, the Sony Cyber-shot RX1 was a camera like no other. Its full-frame sensor and fixed 35mm lens made it a distinctive shooter for the high-end market.

Huge scale images; that Carl Zeiss lens is great and produces superb bokeh at f/2.0; great aperture and focus controls; built-in electronic viewfinder that is retractable if you want to hide it

Poor battery life; auto white balance sometimes off; not the fastest of autofocus; close-up focus limitations; high ISO limitations (uneven gradients beyond ISO 1600); some barrel distortion

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;

The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is the latest in the company's line of compact, fixed-lens full-frame digital cameras. It inherits the same basic body shape and ZEISS 35mm F2 lens as its predecessors, the RX1 and RX1R, but almost everything beneath the surface has been changed or revamped.

Released in mid-November 2015, Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R Mark II is a fixed-lens compact camera with capabilities that match many of Sony's more sophisticated mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is the world's smallest full-frame camera, featuring a 42MP sensor, fixed ZEISS 35mm F2 lens, pop-up electronic viewfinder and excellent autofocus system. It promises absolutely excellent image quality in a package that fits into your coat pocket, but so-so handling, large file sizes, a clunky user interface and short battery life will turn off some users.

Those who demand ultimate image quality wherever they go, and appreciate a solid camera with lots of external controls.;

Cold weather photography (bring a spare battery), action or video shooting;