Books: Got To Catch Them All!

The SAS PTA elementary book fair will be held from November 30 through December 2 from 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the elementary library. Click title to volunteer.

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2015-16 Annual Report

The year's report reflects many of the events and milestones, key academic indicators, new programs and instructional strategies in each division, the way that we steward our finances, and much more.

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Digital Citizenship Week

Digital Citizenship Week is here! Your child will have the opportunity to engage in activities that promote the use of technology safely, responsibly, and respectfully.

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Active Parenting Workshop Registration

Active Parenting is a six part program where each session builds on the previous workshop, facilitated by the elementary kindergarten to grade three school counselors.

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Hawthorne by Pennyfarthing

Pennyfarthing Homes brings a stunning new development to Vancouver’s West side. This amazing development will consist of 1-3 bedroom residences ranging from 680 sq ft to 1,433 sq ft over 7 storeys.

The Hawthorne is situated next to the lovely Queen Elizabeth park and just a short walk along Cambie will bring you to the Oakridge mall where you will satisfy all you shopping and dinning needs.

Pricing has not yet been determined.  Please register and join our VIP list to be one of the first to receive information

 

The post Hawthorne by Pennyfarthing appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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Gear of the Year 2016: DPS Wailer Tour1 Skis

Winter is coming. And that means I’ll again step into the bindings of my DPS Wailer Tour1 Skis, skin up a fine mountain, put down my heel and flow through the pow!

Picking my Gear of the Year isn’t easy: There’s a lot of equipment that comes over my table (happily a lot less this year) and while that alone isn’t what makes it hard, it’s those favourites which I have used for many years which make it difficult, as these favourites are always strong contenders for my Gear of the Year Award. But while I really love my Luna Sandals it is my DPS Wailer Tour1 Skis which I chose this year, because of two reasons: 1. They allow me to be more in the mountains and 2. They’re some of the lightest ski-touring skis on the market.

These skis (as well as the bindings, skins and boots) have accompanied me to Canada, South Tyrol, Austria, Finnish Lapland, Switzerland and Norway and I have stood almost 30 days on them. Thirty days in the wintery mountains, that’s pretty sweet in my book. Simply because in my book a day spent in the mountains is a day well spent. And if I can be active, skin up a mountain with good friends, smile together at the summit and then put down my heel to carve a fine line into the fresh powder, well, I can imagine few things which would be better in winter & which make me so happy.

I was skiing with my brother in South Tyrol and we went on a ski-tour while it was dumping snow. We were the only ones out that day, and as we reached that cabin down there, sat down in it and drunk some hot tea, we didn’t care that the summit would be some other 20 minutes of skining further up the mountain. We sat there, sweaty, smiling, munching a chocolate bar, and looking forward to ski down through that fresh powder.

I Switzerland Anselm, Willi and me wanted to complete the Graubünden Haute Route but conditions conspired against us. While this winter wasn’t particularly good the week we were in Switzerland the Avalanche Danger was so high that we weren’t able to do the complete Haute Route. That didn’t hinder us from having a grand time in the Swiss Mountains, staying with some fantastic hut wardens, skiing some great lines and feeling happy while standing on our skis.

The DPS Wailer Tour1 Skis are award winning skis which are Made in Utah, USA. They’re ultralight at 1.410 g per ski and 184 cm length, which is great when you’re having days with lots of ascent - the low weight is very energy saving. You’ll float through powder with a smile on your face and will be happy on spring crust - through stay off-piste as that’s the one thing they don’t really like (and weren’t made for). But powder, well, you’ll surf through it, make ace turns and throw up some cold smoke that you wish will never end.

So, that possibility - to surf through a meter of fresh snow and then skin back up to take a 2nd run - that’s why I love my DPS Wailer Tour1 Skis and that’s why they are my Gear of the Year. I’m sure they will allow me to collect a lot more of fine winter mountain skiing memories, and for that I am grateful.

If you want to experience the mountains in winter and float through the powder, buy a pair at evo, Backcountry.com, REI or Bergzeit.

Disclaimer: The skis were sent to me for free and DPS asked me to have fun with them. This did not influence the article as I maintain full editorial control of the content published on this site. There are affiliate links in this article. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.

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The Week In Review 253

“The wonderful things in life are the things you do, not the things you have.” ― Reinhold Messner

The Pleasure and Pain of the Climbing Life.

How to Contact Bloggers.

New lens family for the new era – interviewing Dr. Michael Pollmann from ZEISS.

I’ve been lying to all of you.

Important read for bloggers: Your Body Text Is Too Small.

Nalle Hukkataival talks 9A.

Awesome: The world’s largest Protected Marine Area will be created in the Antarctic. [German]

Ron looks at the Original MLD TrailStar vs. a Copy from China.

Pa’lante Packs is a new cottage and their Simple Pack is now available.

Nice article about the Innsbruck Nature Film Festival. [German]

PWR: An ecosystem of outdoor products using one power source.

Find out what are Andrew Skurka’s favorite backpacking blogs and websites.

Paul Robinson Loves to Fail.

10 Learnings from 10 Years of Brain Pickings.

Win an Geocaching-Guide book.

Listen in to the Adventure Photography Podcast.

Save 55% on the Black Diamond CoEfficient Hoody.

Be quick: 25% Off New Clothing & Gear from Marmot - 48 Hours Only!

Trip Reports

On foot and packraft through Siberia. [Spanish]

Frida enjoyed her trip to Svalbard.

Into The Mountains - Dolomites Vlog Day 2.

Join Mike on the Nootka Trail.

Trail Running Ticino’s Monte Zucchero.

Kathrin hikes on the South West Coast Path through Southern England.

Chongo By The Power.

Eisen & Lippincott.

A plea for more autumn hikes. [German]

Backpacking Photos from Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park.

Exploring the Estonian Taiga by bike.

Paulina spends a Weekend of Trad Leads.

Zion Rambling: You win some, You lose some.

Stefanie takes you through Spain’s Sierra Nevada. [German]

A weekend with The Junior Sherpa.

Meeting a Brown Bear on the Via Dinarica. [German]

The ten prettiest photos of Marika’s Nordkalottleden hike. [Finnish]

Gear Reviews

The best backpacking & climbing camera? In my opinion the Sony RX100 IV.

Suunto Spartan Ultra In-Depth Review.

A look at the Porcelain Rocket Albert.

From the AT to the PCT: Shifting Gear.

A comprehensive John Muir Trail Food And Resupply Guide.

Gear doesn’t always work as advertized: Montane Air Jacket.

Jake reviews the Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite Rain Gear.

If you enjoyed this post and would like more, why not support me with a coffee or two? I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this article to help finance the website. Additionally the Packrafting Store supported this post, too. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.

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Contessa at Queen Elizabeth Park – Spacious Cambie Corridor Presale Luxury Condos

Pure West Property Investment in partnership with GBL Architects is proud to bring you their new Luxury Development Contessa located in the very popular cambie corridor. This stunning development will feature a six-storey mid-rise building which will include 18 1-bedroom, 19 2-bedroom, and eight 3-bedroom condominiums. Sizes will range from 608 to 1,177 sq ft. There will also be 3 lane way townhouses. Located on the corner of West 37th enjoy the stunning views of Queen Elizabeth park and withing close proximity you will also have great shopping and dining options.

Be apart of an Amazing community and register now for more information and pricing.

 

The post Contessa at Queen Elizabeth Park – Spacious Cambie Corridor Presale Luxury Condos appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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School Finance 605: Student Demographics Part 2

School Finance 605

Student Demographics, Part 2

Several weeks ago, we shared demographic information about where SAS students come from (read Finance 603 here). We now move on to information about why SAS families are in Singapore, how long students stay at SAS, and where our families live.

What brings SAS families to Singapore?

Most SAS students are here because of a parent’s job. This year, 50% of SAS parents’ jobs are in one of three sectors: 25% in finance, 15% in manufacturing (semiconductors, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals), and 10% in information, communication, and technology. Another three sectors account for around 7% each: oil, gas, and energy; consumer goods; and professional services (accounting, consulting, law, relocation, and outsourcing). Compared to last year, slightly more parents now work in finance, while 2% fewer work in manufacturing. The other sectors, including oil, gas, and energy, have remained constant since last year.

Other sectors employing over 3% of SAS parents include SAS itself, government (including the U.S. embassy and navy), and higher education. Smaller numbers work in trade, shipping and logistics, hotels and entertainment, nonprofits, healthcare, property and architecture, food and beverage, and mining. Around 5% of SAS parents provided no data on employment, while 0.1% reported themselves self-employed.

How long do students stay at SAS?

The total time the average student spends at SAS, meaning the tenure of students who are leaving (including graduating seniors), was 4.5 years in June 2016. If we turn to the average tenure for current SAS students (assuming they stay through the current school year), we see this remains at 3.9 years. This number factors in our youngest students, who "bring down" the average because, of course, they can only have been enrolled at the school as long as there have been grades to serve them; a preschool student, for example, can only have been here one year.

Average years of enrollment

Looking at current students’ tenure by grade level, it is not surprising that tenure increases each year in the lower grades, hitting the overall average at grade 6. Middle and high school students’ tenures continue to rise, spiking to 6.5 years in grade 12. This indicates that many families make special efforts to keep their children at SAS through the socially and academically critical years before graduation. Currently, 7% of our total enrollment has attended SAS for ten or more years.

Average years of enrollment by grade

 

 

One interesting subset of SAS students that stays significantly longer than average is our group of Student Pass (SP) holders. These children, who make up 11% of SAS students, hold SPs instead of dependent passes, for three main reasons: they have come to Singapore primarily to go to SAS; they are staying here to continue at SAS after a parent’s job has moved on; or they are the children of Permanent Residents who do not themselves have PR status. Many students on SPs live here with one parent, or with a guardian. Current SP students’ average tenure at SAS stands at 6 years, compared with 3.9 years for all students, indicating that this group is particularly committed to remaining at SAS.

Student pass holders, 2016-17

  

How many students who started at SAS with my child will graduate with him?

Children who enter SAS in the younger grades will see many of their friends move away as they get older, but a few friends will remain right through to graduation day. This year, out of our senior class of 285, we have 23 students (8%) who started here in either the Early Childhood Center or kindergarten: three who enrolled in preschool, seven in pre-kindergarten, and 12 in kindergarten. A further 15 arrived in first grade and 24 in second grade, so over one-fifth of this year’s graduates will have been at SAS for ten years or more.

Of course, the later a student enters SAS, the more friends he will have who have been here the same amount of time or longer. And there is a positive aspect to our student body’s fluidity: many SAS students find that they become skilled at making new friends and more open, flexible and resilient as they go through life.

 

Where do SAS students live?

Our students live all over Singapore, with the largest concentration of SAS families in the area bounded by the PIE, CTE, AYE, and Clementi Road. This area includes neighborhoods near roads such as Bukit Timah, Dunearn, Newton, Stevens, Orchard, Tanglin, Grange, Holland, and River Valley, as well as the areas surrounding the American Club. The Woodlands neighborhood is also popular with SAS families, accounting for around 450 students. This number has declined since last year, and at 11% of students is lower than most people assume. Other areas with notable concentrations of SAS families include Sembawang, Upper Bukit Timah, Yio Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio, the ECP and West Coast Highway areas, and Sentosa.

2016-17 distribution of SAS families in Singapore

Each dot indicates a house, condo, or apartment building housing at least one SAS student

 

We hope that this article helps you more fully understand this year’s SAS community. As always, we welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions for future articles. Please send them to William Scarborough, Chief Financial Officer, at wscarborough@sas.edu.sg. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Fall seasonal makeover decorating tips

The phrase “it’s all in the details” has always been a staple to live by in life. Did Fall sneak up on you this year and leave you with no time or energy to invest in purchasing a new sofa? Yet despite that, do you still want to do a little something to spruce up that old set that’s been sitting in the living room for what feels like ages? As much fun and exciting purchasing new furniture and having the ability to keep up with the latest trends can be, it’s not realistic to live like that all the time. The time and energy it takes to take the time to invest in new furniture is a luxury that the today’s busybodies lifestyle doesn’t always allow for (perhaps if we could squeeze in an extra 20 hours into the week then we can revisit that idea).

Photo by Bright photography: Custom Sofa by Fabulous Furnishings, all pendant lights by Propellor & Wall Art by Lauren Mycroft.

Thankfully changing your environment doesn’t always have to be dramatic or complicated. If you have a good quality sofa set, the chances of you wanting to trade it in for a new one is not high until you get a few good years of use out of it. Re-upholstering furniture is a great investment when you know the frame is  great quality and worth the time and money. The fabric and cushions feel the most wear and can be affected by so many aspects of your daily life but when you re-upholster a piece, you instantly bounce back years into its lifespan.  The decision making process involved in re-upholstery is no easy task, we take the time to understand the type and frequency of use your piece endures to narrow down the best options for your needs and wants.

Armchairs Reupholstered in a beautiful white patterned velvet with refinished legs for Enviable Design‘s lovely client.

However sometimes you even want to go one step smaller in the size of change you want to commit to and that’s perfectly fine because life gave us toss pillows and slipcovers to mix things up whenever we wish! Investing in a great set of toss pillow inserts can go a long way for you. Once you determine the best size pillow for your furniture, you open up your space to endless options as toss pillows are the greatest accessory to your pieces and manageable with all budgets. If you like to play it safe and don’t stray far from neutrals, you can make any statement you want using bright bold colours and playful textures.

Storage doesn’t become an issue if you want to stock up on a few different options for the season, the best part is that you’re only switching out the pillow cover, the old one will fold up and go back on the shelf in the linen closet for the time being. That being said watch out for a some key factors such as making sure you order zippered covers and ensuring the zipper is suitable for the fabric type. There is nothing more frustrating than a flimsy small zipper on a heavy velvet cover which can potentially snag your insert and cause a tear… we’re guessing cleaning up feathers of off the floor is not your ideal evening?

Bold patterns and strong textures can change the overall look of the sofa.

Toss pillows might seem like a small detail but if you choose carefully, it can become the perfect accent that ties in all of your different elements and creates a unified, complete picture.

We can go on and on, slipcovers are multifunctional on their own, you can go big and slipcover the sofa in a complimentary colour to your armchairs or you can tone it down a notch and dress up the dining room chairs in a new colour scheme or playful pattern. But enough of us, we want to hear about your ideas, big and small, modest and daring, nothing is off the table when it comes to transforming the look of your home! We love hearing from you so feel free to add in your two cents on all this or if we’ve stirred up some desire and brought on burning questions, we are only an email or phone call away!

Stay tuned for next week, we hear fabric is up for discussion so grab your glass of wine, a cozy blanket and enjoy!

The post Fall seasonal makeover decorating tips appeared first on Fabulous Furnishings | Custom Furniture, Upholstery, Curtains & Blinds.

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The City of Lougheed

After years of planning, like Brentwood Mall before it, Lougheed Shopping Centre is about to go through a $7 Billion major rejuvenation and expansion. Over the next 20 years, the 40 acres in this prime Burnaby location bordering Coquitlam (effectively known as Burquitlam) will soon be home to 23 new towers in a master planned community which includes thousands of new homes, as well as over 300 new shops, and restaurants.

The Residents will be able to enjoy and experience a unique lifestyle within a community designed for livability.  The carefully designed streets will consist of lush green walkable boulevards, endless supply of shops, cafes, and restaurants.

Each neighbourhood to be phased into the development will be offer a unique character added into the previous neighbourhoods charm, as well as continue the pedestrian friends streets, plazas and storefronts. Tower 1, Neighbourhood 1 will consist of the first 500 units sold

 

•$7-billion master planned community

•23 towers at centre of Metro Vancouver
•300+ new shops and restaurants
•The Millennium and future Evergreen SkyTrain Lines—directly on site
•8 minute drive to Simon Fraser University

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The #1 Reason You Can’t Sell Your Product Or Service

 

 

 

Ever wonder why you can’t sell your product or service?

Wondering which training program or seminar would help?

Wanna learn the world’s simplest way to improve your sales ability?

 

 

Let’s start with the problem that is hindering your ability to sell.

YOU DON’T TRULY BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

If you did, it’d show through how you speak and how you act.  The charisma and passion would show.  But most people don’t show passion when they are trying to sell a product.  Most people aren’t even sure about the product themselves and so it shows.  

You say, 

 

But Gary, I do believe in my product…

 

Ok, maybe you do believe in your product but for some reason you’re not able to convey your passion to the other person.  Why is that?  

Maybe you believe in the product but you don’t believe in yourself which is the bigger problem.  

 

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

I’m a Christian and I believe that you were created by God.  I believe God sees greatness in every one of us.  I don’t believe God thinks we’re meant to be in inferior.  I’m not saying that you’re supposed to be suddenly competent in anything you touch.  

The post The #1 Reason You Can’t Sell Your Product Or Service appeared first on Gary Wong Realty Vancouver, BC.

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Blogger Communications: How to contact bloggers

Popular Bloggers get daily Emails that offer them to test, promote and try products & services, with the hope that we really like and write about them & let you, our readers know. Sadly the majority of these Emails are so poorly constructed and researched that it is time to give PR Agencies, shops and manufacturers a hint on how to talk with us.

This Email and post came about as a friend asked me for advice on how to contact bloggers. That friends runs a small company in Germany, I have met him several times in person and have used their products (they’re one of my favourites). It’s rare that I get an Email asking me - how should I contact you if I want to cooperate with you? The majority of Email writers assumes I have just been waiting for them and their AwesomeOutdoorProduct, not knowing it existed in the first place. I’ve studied at the University a Master’s Degree where I learned about doing my research, so if I dive into something I research that topic in-depth and try to know as much as possible about it. This is what I expect from people contacting me, too.

But back to that Email to my friend. Here’s what I told him, published in public so that other companies can up their game and also that fellow bloggers have something they can refer companies to when they receive a bad Email.

How to contact bloggers

As a company I only would cooperate with bloggers which have signed the Outdoor Blogger Codex. This are bloggers which work transparent, adhere to legal requirements and are honest to their readers. They’re also pretty good bloggers that write about authentic experiences and are not afraid to write if something was sub-par. Most of all these bloggers try to work as professionally as possible, even if their blog is only a hobby, which means partners can expect a certain level of professionalism.

So after you have browsed the Outdoor Blogger Codex and have found a blogger you think is a good fit, the important part starts: Research. Find out which Social Media Channels the blogger uses, if she was somewhere just on tour, what was her last Instagram Story, etc. The more you find out about the blogger before writing that first Email the better. Then it’s time to draft that Email which aims to make a good impression and offer something from which both parties can benefit. It could look something like this:

---

Hei Hendrik,

my name is XYZ and I work for AwesomeOutdoorBrand. While doing research about the topic of ski-touring in Lyngen I found your article and I thought your photos & story from that trip were really great. We, AwesomeOutDoorBrand, produce an GreatOutdoorProduct and would like it if you’d feel like taking it along on your next ski-tour and also test it as extensively and write about it as you did with Mention suitable & similar article or review.

We know that bloggers invest a lot of time and enthusiasm into their articles and we would pay you in addition to the GreatOutdoorProduct which you’re allowed to keep also XXX €£$, as you probably already have some GreatOutdoorProducts in your gear closet - but those one can’t eat, as we know. Of course you’d have full editorial control in your texts, and we love to also hear constructive critiscm - because even if we try to make a perfect product it might not suit you, and probably there’s always something that can be improved. Time-wise we would like to possibly read something in three to four months from you as it takes time to test equipment as in-depth as you do.

When the article is online and it fits our Social Media Guidelines we also would like to share it on our channels, as we’re sure our Fans would be curious to read what you think about our GreatOutdoorProduct. And if you love our GreatOutdoorProduct we also could talk about a long-term partnership, if we both have the feeling that we fit well together. I’m looking forward to hear from you and remain with

Happy trails,

*XYZ

The thinking that went into that Email

As bloggers we do like it if people read our articles, so referencing something we have published is a great opener. Just please really read the article and not just look for a suitable headline.

We get daily offers to test something, of which I delete 95% as they’re not on topic (I would not be able to credibly review something that doesn’t fit in with the topic of my blog). If one contacts a blogger make sure the topic is in lines with the blog’s - for me that’d be Outdoor Adventure Travel by fair means.

The payment for the work should be appropriate - that is generally everything from 150€ upwards. That might appear like a lot, but for a good review one might need three or more days - producing good photos, writing & researching the text, and testing the product in its intended environment.

Reach is important (you can see Hiking in Finland’s current Social Media Reach here) and it’s clear most companies want to reach as many people as possible. However, one should not rule out working with smaller blogs that maybe are just starting out - they can have an even better engagement as large blogs, and are a great possibility to maybe work with the Digital Influencer of tomorrow.

Also feel free to ask for the Mediakit - every good blogger should have one and if not should have no problem with sending you a current screenshot of Google Analytics or similar.

Of course one doesn’t need to offer something in the first Email at all, butt as many bloggers have a job, family and limited time it might be good to come directly to the point instead of asking for a Mediakit. After all there’s tools out there that lets one find out how many visitors a blog has and while these are not always accurate they give you an idea.

The Bottomline, if there’s one to this article, is to research before you contact, communicate on the same level with the person you’re writing to and treat their time as valuable. Nothing is more annoying than a copy & pasted, standardised Email which has nothing to do with what I do and wastes my time.

I’ll write more about the topic of how to cooperate with bloggers in the future, if you’re able to read German you might want to already read Erika’s post on these issues and also subscribe to the BlogChamps Newsletter (again, in German).

Got an utterly bad example of an Wanna-test-this? Email? Share it in the comments!

Disclaimer: I’m an owner at the Outdoor Blogger Network and have contributed to the Guidelines of the Outdoor Blogger Codex together with many other bloggers. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on blogger transparency.

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Sony RX100 IV Field Report

What camera do you use? is probably the most common question I am asked when out on a trip or when someone sees my photos, and an astounding expression is often the result when I show my Sony RX100 IV - a pocket camera. But because size & weight matter ever less in the fast evolving world of photography, the results of this small camera speak for it - be it here on the blog or in print magazines. A comprehensive Field Report.

tl;dr

The Sony RX100 IV is the camera you want to document your adventures when you prefer light weight, a small size and superb image quality.

What I want from a camera (and how I ended up choosing the RX100 IV)

Disclaimer: I bought the RX 100 IV myself and have no affiliation with Sony.

This blog started out about my backpacking trips in Finland & my journey to lighten up the load on my back when outdoors, and has morphed into what I call an Outdoor Adventure Travel Blog nowadays. But I remember my Ultralight roots in everything I start, from bikepacking to mountaineering, climbing and ski-touring. I have dabbled with big, heavy cameras, used M43s like the still superb Panasonic Lumix GF1, graduated to the Sony A7R full-frame camera, had a short affair with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and its successor and then just simply returned to what I consider the best camera for outdoor enthusiasts & photographers who are outside, the subject of this article, the Sony RX100 IV. I enjoyed its predecessor, the RX 100 III, but haven’t pulled the trigger on my RX100 IV till last year December, when I ordered it on Amazon.

Why did I buy the RX 100 IV? you might ponder, a valid question as do I own some other cameras too. Well, that’s where the ultralight thought comes up again. I wanted something that I can put in a pocket and is light. While I love the Peak Design Capture Pro I have been out a lot in weather which has been anything than sunshine & blue sky, and while I could add a Shell Cover I prefer to keep it simple. And what is simpler than putting your camera into the chest pocket of your hardshell? After this lengthy introduction, let me quote myself:

“I’m still looking for the *Eierlegende Wollmilchsau in terms of photographic equipment. It’s the camera which has only advantages, satisfies all my needs and is good enough for all my requirements”*:

• Print-quality photographs
• Nightshots possible
• Video capable
• Tiltscreen
• Long battery life
• Easy to use
• Lightweight
• Weatherproof

The Bad

Before delving into these points and others in detail, let me first highlight the disadvantages of the RX 100 IV:

• Only F11
• No hotshoe for a microphone or similar
• The Video Microphone is not good in real wind
• Included Flash in underpowered
• Menu is a bit unorganized and could be clearer
• No touch screen
• Tedious to switch focus point at times
• Back screen scratches easily
• No charger included
• Camera has sometimes difficulties with very bright or grey skies

Now lets look at these in a bit more detail.

Only F11. That might not seem like a big complaint, but for someone like me who loves sun stars F11 is often not enough. Add some clouds or something to the sky and you can pretty much be sure that the RX100 IV is gonna make it a glowing white ball in the sky. When the sky is clear, however, it does produce acceptable sunstars:

No hotshoe for a microphone or similar. I really, really, really wish Sony would have said We don’t need no underpowered flash in this camera, but lets put on a Hotshoe because honestly, for me this camera is aimed at professionals, videography and photography enthusiasts who have the accessories which would need a hotshoe. This goes hand-in-hand with the next two complaints:

The Video Microphone is not good in real wind and Included Flash in underpowered. Watch the underneath video and wait five seconds after the intro and see how useless the microphone is in real wind - and this is with wind cancellation et al. activated. If I would have been able to attach my beloved Rode VideoMic you could have understood me clear like in an empty studio, but so the wind is pretty much drowning me out completely. Also the underpowered flash is next-to-useless and I’d rather would not have it on the camera - I have NEVER used it - and have the possibility to attach a real flash via a hotshoe. I hope that in Version VI of this camera Sony will give it a Hotshoe, because that would make it even more versatile.

The Menu is a bit unorganized and could be clearer is something most camera manufacturers seem to have problems with if I read or watch reviews. It’d be nice to be able to create an own “My Menu” point where I could add these Menu points which are important to me so that I can access them fast instead of trying to find them in the buried Menu structure.

That there’s No touch screen is a problem if you want to again quickly navigate through the Menu, or, even more important, set the Focus point somewhere. Because it can be Tedious to switch the focus point at times as you a) need to be in the right Focus Mode and b) then need to push the button and then navigate it with the wheel to where you want it. With a touchscreen I ideally would put my finger where I want the focus to be and Voilá! I could shoot. So I often need to try very fast to switch the focus point when my subject is moving.

Lets stay with the back of the camera for one more moment, as the Back screen scratches easily. It’s purely optical - probably the protective layer on it - but it’s still a bit annoying. After all this is a 1.200€ camera, and you’d expect that the screen is scratch resistant - it is a pocket camera, after all.

What really has me scratching my head is why Sony did not include a charger in the package. You can buy one but it feels strange to spend almost 20€ on something that should be included. You can charge the battery otherwise via the included USB cable, but that also means you can not use the camera to shoot. This is a short-sighted and unfriendly customer policy which I really don’t like, and I hope the next RX100 cameras will come with a charger included.

Which bring me to the final complaint, and here we enter the technical capabilities of the camera. It sometimes has difficulties with very bright or grey skies aka Dynamic Range, or in layman terms: If there’s a dark foreground and a very bright background (or vice versa). While the Sony RX100 IV has a built in, electronic ND Filter which can help with making the image better, it only helps so much (and you need to remember to switch it on). Happily this is something I usually am able to fix in Lightroom and Photoshop afterwards as I always photograph in RAW. If you can’t fix it then images come out like this, though:

Which looks OK but you have no idea what’s happening in the foreground.

The Good

So, these are my complaints about the camera, which I hope Sony will fix in the next versions of this camera. Thus onwards to the positive sides of the RX100 IV, which really shine.

Print-quality photographs ✓

Besides Hiking in Finland I write for over a dozen of magazines and while that could be an excuse to splurge on a Full-Frame camera and some fancy lenses it really isn’t needed nowadays. The RX100 IV produces superb photos for print, with all the details and colours you’d want. Even if I was out on an assignment for clients I just stood by the fact that I have this wee camera and not a heavy DSLR to shot for them, and once they saw the images there never has been a complaint. I know that I am very lucky with my clients which are open-minded, and that sometimes you just have to show up with a DSLR to a gig to look the part, but as I usually work on my own I really don’t need to impress anyone with the size of my camera.

Nightshots possible ✓

I love me some pretty night shots. Standing out in the cold and dark, starring at the stars, maybe shivering a wee bit - that’s me feeling alive, small, happy and behind my camera, taking photos of these stars and Northern Lights. Or of impressive city scapes, like last December as I visited Arc’teryx in Vancouver. It sometimes feels a bit like hit-and-miss with the focus, but if the focus is spot-on then the tiny camera produces great images of nightscapes.

Video capable ✓

The Sony RX100 IV can shoot 4K Movies, which is the next step up from 1080 HD. It’s pretty heavy on the Memory Cards (you might want to bring a 128GB card or three) but if it is something you need you will be delighted to know it is possible. I shot at 1080 HD and that’s plenty good, too, and is a lot friendlier for data storage. You can see the MSR Access 2 Video above for an example of the camera’s video capabilities. I have to say that I find it annoying that Movies can only be recorded when the tiny red Movie button on the back is pushed AND the programme wheel is in Movie mode - if the latter is e.g. in Manuel mode you’ll get a warning on the screen. I would like that I also could start videos by push the shutter button, as that would make sense if the programme wheel is on Movies.

Tilt-able screen? ✓

While I always carry a tripod and a remote Selfies are a great way to be up-close in a photo, and for videos it’s very useful to see yourself when you’re filming. The screen on the RX100 IV can be tilted fully up which is great for Selfies and filming. It can be tilted around 45° downwards which makes it useful for shooting over your head, for example if you’re in a crowd and want to get a good angle from thw back

Long battery life ✓

Oh wow, the battery life. Is. AMAZING. When other reviewers complain about the poor battery life of the RX100 IV I can only wonder what they’re doing, but I took in winter, at -5°C outside temperature, 1.200 photos with the RX100 IV on the mountain and the camera’s battery was still half full. On the Dolomites trip this month I used one battery on average for three days and around 1.500 photos. These are amazing stats for me as I know that with a full battery in the camera and a back-up battery in the chest pocket of my baselayer I can be out a full day and shoot whatever comes my way without needing to worry to run out of juice. I even can browse the photos in the evening and send a shot or five via the in-built Wifi to my phone where I can edit it in the Lightroom and Photoshop Apps before uploading the days shot to Instagram. Seriously, the battery life is out-of-this-world and if you’re an occasional shooter you probably can go on a week long trip and shoot all you want to shoot without needing to worry that the battery runs out.

Easy to use ✓

One of the main reasons to get a small camera is that it is easier to use, especially for people that don’t want to dive into deep Menus. The Auto Mode on the RX100 IV is really good and I occasionally use it with great success - often indoors when the lightning is difficult, but also outdoors it produces very good images. You can put it on Auto Mode and give it a friend in the hand and he’ll be fine to take good photos. Pop-up the EVF if it’s bright out there and they will be able to compose the shot via it without problems.

Lightweight ✓

The camera without SD Card and battery is 262 g light, an original Sony battery weighs 24 g and the SD card is 2 g, which means the functioning camera weighs 288 g. I added a wee hand lop which weighs 3 g, so that brings it up to 291 g. Lighter is just using a phone camera (which are not even close as good as the RX100 IV, see further underneath) or no camera at all.

Weatherproof ✓

While Sony doesn’t advertize the RX100 IV as highly weatherproof it has been just that in my experience. I had it out in snow and rain storms - and because that’s when you’re getting the best photos I of course also had the camera out in that weather. It has no problems with getting wet, and even when moisture has collected on the lens and the extendable lens, I never had a failure on it. Sure, this all has been with care and I wouldn’t hold the camera under a waterfall, but for quick shots in the snow and rain the RX100 IV is more than enough weatherproof. I also don’t have a case for it - I 99% of the time carry it in my hand or chest pocket, so that’s all the weather protection it has had over the last ten months.

Another advantage is that the camera has an Electronic Viewfinder. This makes the camera look more like an old-fashioned film camera, which is really useful in street photography when you want to shoot people and not awaken the impression it’s a digital camera. Also for portraits I find the EVF great as it allows the subjects to take you more serious & relax while you’re behind the camera, instead of looking on a screen in front of you. It’s also so small that I can hold it in my hand and shot from the hip, or place it inconspicuously on a table and take a photo of a situation.

One thing I love is the possibility of sending via In-built Wifi photos from the camera to my phone, where I can edit it in Lightroom & Photoshop and upload it to Instagram. Gone the times where one needs to first upload everything to the Mac, then edit it there and then transfer it somehow back to the phone. The App and Wifi work great once set up, and is used often and with pleasure.

Where I’m already talking about my phone: How’s the Sony RX100 IV in comparison to the iPhone 6S? you might ponder. I bought the iPhone 6S (800+€) because I thought the camera in that phone finally has reached a level which is great. How wrong I was. Sure, the iPhone 6S is still lighter and smaller than the Sony camera, but there’s World’s between these two devices in photographic terms. I am very disappointed by the quality of the iPhone 6S photos as I expected a lot better quality, but especially in the above mentioned High Dynamic Range situations - think sunsets and sunrises - the iPhone 6S comes not even close in quality to what the Sony RX100 IV can do. The iPhone simply overburdened with a lot of photographic situations, and even if Apple tries to make us think otherwise - I wouldn’t spend so much money on an iPhone ever again.

Bikepacking with the Sony RX100 IV is great. I had it along on a few trips where I was riding tours for magazine stories, and capturing the environment & action while on the bike, hands on a handlebar, is still a bit different than hiking, ski-touring or climbing. I stored the camera in my Oveja Negra 1/2 Pack where it fitted in with all the other kit I have in there. It’s very easy to get out of there - with one hand! - and allows me to capture situations from the bike in around 15 seconds max. I also can fit in my tripod and remote in the 1/2 Pack, and can set things up in a minute or two, which is great for those photos where I + bike need to be completely in the frame. I have experimented with a few cameras on bikepacking & cycle-touring trips and the RX100 IV has been my favourite by far because it is so convenient to use when on (and off) the bike.

And at the end, still some words on durability. I now have the RX100 IV since December 2015 in use, and it has been with me on at least 14 trips where it has been in the cold, bumped against rocks while climbing, hiked in the sleet and snow of the Dolomites, endured 35°C in Greece and two trade fairs. I have shot well over 27.000 images with it in these ten months, and while it feels that it doesn’t start up as fast anymore as when it was new it still functions as great as on Day one. I expect that I’ll get another year or two of use out of this camera - although I am tempted to update to the RX100 V which was announced a couple of weeks ago as it fixes some of my complaints. But even if I don’t update, I think that a small camera like this one, which has seen so much use and the only “damage” it has taken are scratches on the back screen and some chipped paint, is speaking for the high quality of the Sony RX100 IV.

The Accessories

Accessories I carry along include always a second SanDisk Extreme 64GB SDXC Card, as they have an amazing price-to-quality ratio and the write speed of 90MB/ second is great for long bursts. 64GB can last for up to a week of being outdoors and a wee video in between. If I know I will shot more video or lots, and lots of photos, then I’ll take two or three extra cards along - at 30€ a card I consider them pretty affordable (I wish External Storage would be as cheap!).

My Velbon V-Pod is still usually along as I might want to take night photos, videos or need to be in the photo and have no-one around to take a photo of me. I also bought a Pixel RW221 Remote which is very good - you can be up to 100 m away and still operate the camera, which is great for all kind of photos.

And then I own three extra batteries and a charger for them. I bought two original Sony NP-BX1/M8 Lithium-Ion X Type Batteries and one Bundlestar battery as the latter was half the price. The Bundlestar battery feels like it usually last a bit shorter than the original Sony ones, but I haven’t tested this in-depth to see it. The Bundlestar battery works just fine, so if you’re on a budget and need more power take it. The charger I bought is the Charger for Sony NP-BX1 Bundlestar Baxxtar which seems to also be available under different names, usually costing around 16€ or double that with two batteries included.

The Bottomline

The Sony RX100 IV is not cheap - at almost 1.000€ it is amongst the most expensive pocket cameras you can find and chances are that you don’t need this good a camera. If you’re, however, a passionate photographer & outdoor enthusiast who likes to document his adventures and be able to possibly print large photos of them, then the Sony RX100 IV is worth considering. Also for professional photographers who want to go lighter or need a high-quality back-up camera the RX100 IV is worth a look, as it shots RAW and 4K Video.

With this cave-eat out of the way: This is the camera you want to document your adventures. When you’re heading out on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, like hiking a long trail, visit the Annapurna Basecamp or go ski-touring on Svalbard, then you want to have the Sony RX100 IV along to make photos of your adventure. Superb image quality with an impressive 16.0 FPS you can shot face-paced action like skiing, climbing and trailrunning, while the small size allows for shots from the hip for street photography. The EVF lets you operate the camera in the brightest sunlight without problems, and the colours and images this little ultralight camera produces are simply superb and often on-par with much larger & more expensive DSLRs. Did I mention how light and small it is and that I usually carry it in my chest pocket? This is the ultralight backpacking & climbing camera to rule them all.

This is the camera you want to document your adventures.

By the way: On my many trips with athletes which create images and videos for their own Social Media channels, the Sony RX100 IV (or an earlier version) is what they carry. I have friends who ski, climb, mountaineer and trailrun professionally, and like me they carry this wee camera along on their adventures, because they too consider it the best tool to create content for their Social media presences while not carrying too much weight.

Convinced and want to take a Sony RX100 IV along on your trips? Then buy one via one of these affiliate links: Amazon.com, Amazon.de or Amazon.co.uk.

More photos of the camera and its details on Flickr.

Sidenote: If you want a relative light weight camera with the absolute best possible image quality I would recommend getting a Full-Frame camera like the Sony A7RII with a great all-round lens. It is just that that combo costs you upwards of 5.400€ and weighs at least 1.511 g, which is more than five times what the RX100 IV puts on the scales. And honestly, unless you’re going to print A1 prints or larger you likely won’t need the power the A7RII has.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this article to help finance the website. You either can avoid them like hell or click them and buy gear via them to support me. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.

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