The Sony RX100 has a New Feature called Illustration Mode. It has a low, medium, and high setting, but I prefer the high setting and used it for all the sample shots below. Medium tends to blend the natural photo to much for my liking and leaves a ghostly appearance in some photos. High mode creates a strong illustrated look with pretty much no realism left in the Photo.
I have no idea what kind algorithm Sony is using for their Illustration Mode, but I have never used any program that can convert photos into illustrations that works this good. Photoshop and Painter X, both have Auto Painting modes, but they always look cheesy and computer generated. The Sony DSC-RX100 does something totally different and it really looks cool in my opinion. In fact, I could not stop myself from shooting in illustration mode set to High, for most of the weekend 
It takes about 2-3 seconds to process the image into an illustration, and you have to wait for it to finish before you can take another shot. It’s worth the wait though as the results are truly artistic, colorful, and sharp!!
My Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Review >>
Sony DSC-RX100 Illustration Mode – Sample Photos
My Family is up from Texas and they are great when it comes to taking photos!! My Brother Dave owns an incredible Restaurant in Salado Texas called The Range, if your in the area!!
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
One of my favorite family photos to date!! I wish everybody was in it, but it’s a snapshot so you get what you can. The Sony Illustration Mode effect makes this photo even better in my opinion, and I may be alone on that 
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 – Around the house illustrations
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Sony RX100 using Illustration Mode on High
Trippy Restaurant Illustrations
We went to this crazy restaurant on Sunday and I took a bunch of photos as the colors were a popping!!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
The parking lot is a flow of colors.
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Pink Dumpster is always nice!!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Owners car?? The circles are actually coins glued all over the car.
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Outdoor seating is available and plentiful!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Inside was pretty dark and just as psychedelic looking!!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Chico was a 47 year old parrot that was in a cage next to our table. He bites!!
Chico – Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
And lastly drove on to find some ice cream as we were still a little hungry looking for more!!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
It was raining pretty hard on a lot of the drive as well!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
At the stop light in the poring rain I couldn’t help but notice the reflection in the puddle to my right. I love the way the camera renders the wet!!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
We found an ice cream stand!!
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Update: A few more of the dogs
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
And a Lilly that recently bloomed:
Sony RX100 Using Illustration Mode Set To High
My Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Review >>
Closing Remarks
The Sony RX100 is incredible powerful and this new Illustration Mode feature that Sony has come up with is incredible!! I can honestly say it’s one of the best in camera processing features I’ve ever seen and blows away even AutoHDR in it’s power and killer results. I don’t know how Sony made this mode looks so organically drawn, but it does no matter what I take a picture of. I included so many sample photos in this Article, because ever time I took a shot the results blew me away!
What is especially interesting to me about the illustration feature is how it blends the original colors with the illustration give it more realism, yet less colors. You can see this more on the close-up portrait shots of my Nephews. The skin tone blending in combination with the hair detail is awesome and compelling. The processing also takes out any noise that may be present as well as lens flaws like chromatic aberrations. It also balances out the image nicely with the correct contrast and saturation. Very impressive Sony!!
The illustrations also seem to have this organic look to them that I have never seen before in a painting or cartoon program. Mind you I don’t have that much experience with turning photos into cartoons  They actually look hand drawn to me!!
Also, be sure to check out the New Sony Alpha Forum >>
Jay
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Jay
About the Author
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Wow! This looks so totally awesome! I’m thinking of getting this camera just for this effect.
You know what would be really insane? If this effect was available with video. You could do Scanner Darkly like videos and that without having to hire a team of 50 animators for a year and a half.
Doh! You beat me to it! I should have refreshed my page before commenting
Miran,
Thanks for the comments, and I agree the effect is awesome!! Not available in video though as it takes a second to process each frame unlike normal photos. Perhaps in the future though!!
Jay
Can you record video in Illustration Mode?
Negative;)
Dude, you went Illustration Mode crazy! That’s a lot of samples in different lighting situations and it seems to handle all fine. Although I do wonder if we’ll be as enamoured of it in 12-months time when it’s as common as overdone instagram and hipstamatic effects.
Al,
It’s totally possible it will be a fad, but is HDR photography?? I really like the timeless feel it adds to the photo similar to a BW photograph.
I can’t get enough of it and find my self only wanting to use it just to see what the artistic rendition will be. It’s almost always good.
Will see I guess as it took a while for others to have the autoHDR feature like the Sony’s.
Jay
What restaurant? Looks like a fun place to visit.
I think it was called the Color Cafe, but I could be wrong
Jay
The dog picture, that looks so really really good, wow. I am hoping NEX-7 firmware update has the Illustration Mode feature
Thanks Derek I agree!!
Jay
you’re welcome:)