Sony HX90V vs RX10 IV

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2015 and September 2017. Both the HX90V and the RX10 IV are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (HX90V) and an one-inch (RX10 IV) sensor. The HX90V has a resolution of 18 megapixels, whereas the RX10 IV provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony HX90V		Sony RX10 IV
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-720mm f/3.5-6.4		24-600mm f/2.4-4.0
18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)		ISO 100-12,800 (64 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (638k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1440k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		24 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
360 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
102 x 58 x 36 mm, 245 g		133 x 94 x 145 mm, 1095 g

Check HX90V offers at
ebay.com
Check RX10 IV price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V 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

The physical size and weight of the Sony HX90V and the Sony RX10 IV are illustrated 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 considerably larger (111 percent) than the Sony HX90V. Moreover, the RX10 IV is substantially heavier (347 percent) than the HX90V. It is noteworthy in this context that the RX10 IV is splash and dust-proof, while the HX90V does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

Concerning battery life, the HX90V gets 360 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
4.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
5.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
6.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
7.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
8.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
9.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The HX90V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 75 percent) than the RX10 IV, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony HX90V features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony RX10 IV an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX10 IV is 314 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.7. The sensor in the HX90V has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the RX10 IV offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 20MP, the RX10 IV offers a higher resolution than the HX90V (18MP), but the RX10 IV nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 1.25μm for the HX90V) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the RX10 IV is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 4 months) than the HX90V, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the HX90V has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony RX10 IV implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX10 IV 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. The corresponding values for the Sony HX90V are 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm for good quality, 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm for very good quality, and 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The RX10 IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 80-12800. 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.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
2.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
3.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
4.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
5.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
6.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
7.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
8.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
9.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
10.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
11.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
12.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
13.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
14.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
15.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
16.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the RX10 IV provides a better video resolution than the HX90V. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the HX90V 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 IV offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the HX90V (2359k vs 638k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony HX90V 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.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The RX10 IV has a touchscreen, while the HX90V has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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, the RX10 IV is one of those camera that have an additional 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).

Both the HX90V and the RX10 IV have zoom lenses built in. The HX90V has a 24-720mm f/3.5-6.4 optic and the RX10 IV offers a 24-600mm f/2.4-4.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the HX90V and RX10 IV provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the RX10 IV has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX10 IV offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the HX90V and the RX10 IV write their files to 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V 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.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RX10 IV has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The HX90V does not feature such a mic input.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the HX90V has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The RX10 IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the HX90V has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the HX90V was succeeded by the Sony HX99. Further information on the features and operation of the HX90V and RX10 IV can be found, respectively, in the Sony HX90V Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX10 IV Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony HX90V or the Sony RX10 IV – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 133x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 850g or 78 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (75 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2015).

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 18MP), which boosts linear resolution by 7%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 638k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (24 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.4 vs f/3.5).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (400 versus 360) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the HX90V launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX10 IV is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 8 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Sony HX90V and the Sony RX10 IV place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the HX90V or the RX10 IV. 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.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	379	ebay.com
4.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	499	amazon.com
5.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
6.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
7.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
8.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
9.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check HX90V offers at
ebay.com
Check RX10 IV price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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