Nikon Z30 vs Sony RX10 IV

The Nikon Z30 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2022 and September 2017. The Z30 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX10 IV is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (Z30) and an one-inch (RX10 IV) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z30		Sony RX10 IV
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		24-600mm f/2.4-4.0
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 100-12,800 (64 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1440k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		24 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
128 x 74 x 60 mm, 405 g		133 x 94 x 145 mm, 1095 g

Check Z30 price at
amazon.com
Check RX10 IV price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z30 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z30 and the Sony RX10 IV is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX10 IV is notably larger (32 percent) than the Nikon Z30. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX10 IV has a lens built in, whereas the Z30 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the Z30 gets 330 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL25 battery, while the RX10 IV can take 400 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z30	128 mm	74 mm	60 mm	405 g	330	Y	Jun 2022	EUR 799	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 1 799	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	EUR 7 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	EUR 999	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic G110	116 mm	83 mm	54 mm	352 g	270	n	Jun 2020	EUR 649	amazon.com
14.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	EUR 1 599	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	EUR 749	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon Z30 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX10 IV an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX10 IV is 69 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 20.7MP, the Z30 offers a slightly higher resolution than the RX10 IV (20MP), but the Z30 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 2.41μm for the RX10 IV) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the Z30 is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 9 months) than the RX10 IV, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Z30 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Nikon Z30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the Z30 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the RX10 IV uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z30	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	13.9	2230	86
2.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
4.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1991	84
7.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
8.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
9.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
10.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
11.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
12.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
13.		Panasonic G110	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.2	1391	76
14.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
15.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
16.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the RX10 IV has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Z30 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon Z30 and Sony RX10 IV along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon Z30	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	2360	n	3.5 / 2780	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Panasonic G110	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/500s	10.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the RX10 IV, but is missing on the Z30 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z30 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Z30 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX10 IV uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z30 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon Z30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic G110	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

Both the Z30 and the RX10 IV are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The RX10 IV replaced the earlier Sony RX10 III, while the Z30 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the Z30 and RX10 IV can be found, respectively, in the Nikon Z30 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX10 IV Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon Z30 or the Sony RX10 IV – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon Z30:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (128x74mm vs 133x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 9 months of technical progress since the RX10 IV launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (24 vs 11 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the Z30 necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (400 versus 330) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2017).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Z30 emerges as the winner of the contest (14 : 11 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z30 and the Sony RX10 IV place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Z30 or the RX10 IV perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z30	4/5	..	4/5	86/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2022	EUR 799	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 1 799	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	EUR 7 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	EUR 999	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic G110	4/5	..	4/5	78/100	4/5	4/5	Jun 2020	EUR 649	amazon.com
14.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	EUR 1 599	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	EUR 749	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check Z30 price at
amazon.com
Check RX10 IV price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Check Z30 price at
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