How many Megapixels does the Sony RX100 III have?

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III is equipped with a an one-inch sensor that offers an image resolution of 20 megapixels (MP), or 20 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 5 472 horizontal pixels and 3 648 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Sony RX100 III can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 20 MP?

The maximum print size of the Sony RX100 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Sony RX100 III to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
2.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
5.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
6.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
7.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
8.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
9.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
10.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
11.		Sony ZV-1 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.3	12.9	965	67
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the RX100 III was initially launched in May 2014 at a price of $799.

Check RX100 III offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

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