Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX100 a Quick First Impression

I was lucky enough to have the fine folks as Sony hand-deliver me a Sony Cyber-shot, DSC RX100 camera last Friday. It was rushed to me for my Father's Day TV Segment on NBC's Today in New York, Picture Perfect Summer. It is a pre-production model with beta firmware that should be available for sale mid-July.

The specs on the camera are quite impressive for a "point-and-shoot" camera. It has a large 20.2MP, one-inch sensor (the same as a Nikon J1, but with more megapixels), and a myriad features typically found in a Sony NEX like sweep-panorama, HDR, 13 pre-set scene modes, and full manual control. It has a standard DSLR-type rotary dial that allows choice of shooting modes and a customizable control ring on the lens that may be used to manipulate certain camera functions like aperture, focus, and zoom.

My first thought when I held this camera was, "It's a piece of jewelry." This tiny shooter (smaller than a Blackberry Bold) exudes quality. An all-aluminum body with controls that snap, a Zeiss T* f/1.8 28-100mm zoom lens and tight lines and seams that even the best German car would be jealous of. As I used the camera, a second thought came to mind: "This guy is a game-changer." The Sony RX100 just seems like a pint-sized NEX5. Its controls, speed, and overall feel are extremely similar. And speaking of speed, this camera shoots and displays the image on the super-sharp LCD so quickly, a few times I didn't realize the camera had even taken the picture.

As previously mentioned, this is a pre-production model, so it's not uncommon that there were some bugs in the software. Some photos I took were a bit over exposed, but the sharpness and detail of the large 20MP images was astounding. There is no reason not to expect Sony to have these minor kinks  worked out by the time of its release in July.

Can a camera be perfect? Other than a flash that is positioned to pop-up into the left index finger and a tiny video button that is hard to press, the camera is as close to perfect as it gets. Running a camera store gets you very few perks, but one I will definitely take advantage of is to be Unique Photo's very first customer for this hot piece of Sony jewelry.

NJ Devils Keys to a Game 6 Victory in the Stanley Cup Finals

Well, now that the NJ Devils have made it a series.... 

What are the keys for the Devils to win game 6 in LA?

1. Improve the offensive attack. SOG and scoring chances in game 5 were dreadful. We scored on a bad mistake by Quick and a lucky bounce for Sal. We generated way more scoring chances in games 1-3 and did not score. While Marty has worked hard all series, Quick took a rest game 5. 

2. Forecheck. It did not exists in game 5 and the Kings brokeout and rushed up the ice into our zone way too easily. Are we too tired to forecheck? If that is the case we need to figure something else out. TRAP ANYONE?

3. Score on the PP.  Calling Zach Parise... I told everyone before game 5 that in order to win Zach needed to score and we needed to score on the PP. And there ya go. Devils will win the series if they can score on the PP. Kings are very strong 5-5 and we have lost our advantage there that we have had on every other team this year.

4. Don't lose Williams and Carter. Richards looks tried so we need to focus and never lose Williams and Carter on the ice. They are getting way too many chances

5. To over use the overused phrase, "Our best players need to be our best players." Travis Zajac, Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuck (excused for injury), we need you guys to get some points. The Devils magical 4th line isn't going to with this one for the Devils.

6. Coach Deboer, it maybe time to put some fresh legs in. Watching a slower-every-game Volchenkov get skated around is going to burn us. How about Harrold? he played so well and has speed. Fayne has struggled this series too. What about Josephson? Anyone think sitting an injured Kovy for Josefson might be a bold but worth-it move?

7. Play 2 defenseman at the points on the Power-Play. It saved us game 5 from getting scored upon short-handed. Kovy is not well enough to play the point and the Kings pressure so well. We have trouble keeping the puck in the zone so why not? We have yet to score a controlled PP goal. This seems like a no-brainer.

8. We need to have the greatest goaltender to ever play, to be in net for us. Oh wait, we do. Yes, Marty needs to continue to be marvelous. 

DeBoer will probably do none of this and the Devils will win. That's why I watch games from the stands and not the bench.

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