Sony’s no slouch in the camera department, and the RX1 is proof again of the Japanese company’s ingenuity. It’s a compact camera with a full-frame sensor. Will wonders ever cease?

A full-frame sensor is usually reserved for SLR’s, so for a compact model to rock such power, clearly the camera gods must be having a laugh. There’s a 35mm, f/2.0, non-detachable lens and despite this lack of customisation, the RX1 is destined for the hand of professional snappers, especially with a street price of US$2799.

Other features we can spy in the image include a pop-up flash and controls dedicated to macro, exposure and aperture compensation. There’s no release date, but we can quietly guess that the RX-1 will appear in the fourth quarter of 2012.