Sony A6000 versus Sony RX10 III

The Sony Alpha A6000 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2014 and March 2016. The A6000 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX10 III is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (A6000) and an one-inch sensor. The A6000 has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the RX10 III provides 20 MP.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A6000 and the Sony RX10 III is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the A6000 – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX10 III is considerably larger (55 percent) than the Sony A6000. It is noteworthy in this context that the RX10 III is splash and dust-proof, while the A6000 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX10 III has a lens build in, whereas the A6000 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can find an overview of optics for the A6000 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. 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 generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color depth than smaller pixels 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A6000 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX10 III an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX10 III is 68 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 24MP, the A6000 offers a higher resolution than the RX10 III (20MP), but the A6000 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 2.41μm for the RX10 III) due to its larger sensor. However, the RX10 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 2 years and 1 month) than the A6000, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the A6000 provides substantially higher image quality than the RX10 III, with an overall score that is 12 points higher. This advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the RX10 III provides a better video resolution than the A6000. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the A6000 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the RX10 III offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A6000 (2359k vs 1440k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A6000, the Sony RX10 III, and comparable cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the A6000 and the RX10 III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A6000 was replaced by the Sony A6300, while the RX10 III was followed by the Sony RX10 IV.

Summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A6000 and the Sony A6000? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6000:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (12 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (4000/sec vs 2000/sec) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 133x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2014).

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

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 1440k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Has a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 922k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 11 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the A6000 necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (420 versus 360) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology build-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the A6000 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX10 III emerges as the winner of the match-up (10 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A6000 or the RX10 III handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites. You can find the full text of the reviews, respectively, at cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when refering to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, please send me an email, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.