Sony RX0 II vs RX100 II

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2019 and June 2013. Both the RX0 II and the RX100 II are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. The RX0 II has a resolution of 15.4 megapixels, whereas the RX100 II 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 RX0 II		Sony RX100 II
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24mm f/4.0		28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
15.4 MP – 1" sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 80-12,800		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
1.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
5.5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
240 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
59 x 41 x 35 mm, 132 g		102 x 58 x 38 mm, 281 g

Check RX0 II price at
amazon.com
Check RX100 II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony RX0 II and the Sony RX100 II. 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 RX100 II is considerably larger (145 percent) than the Sony RX0 II. Moreover, the RX100 II is substantially heavier (113 percent) than the RX0 II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the RX0 II is splash and dust resistant, while the RX100 II does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the RX0 II is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the RX0 II gets 240 shots out of its NP-BJ1 battery, while the RX100 II can take 350 images on a single charge of its NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
4.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	799	amazon.com
5.		Sony RX100 VII	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	302 g	260	n	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
6.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
7.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	amazon.com
9.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
11.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	649	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 RX0 II was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the RX100 II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an one-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the RX100 II offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 15.4 MP of the RX0 II. This megapixels advantage translates into a 14 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the RX100 II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 2.74μm for the RX0 II). Moreover, it should be noted, that the RX0 II is much more recent (by 5 years and 8 months) than the RX100 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Sony RX100 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX100 II 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 RX0 II are 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for good quality, 19.2 x 12.8 inches or 48.8 x 32.5 cm for very good quality, and 16 x 10.7 inches or 40.6 x 27.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the RX0 II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the RX100 II 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
2.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
5.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
6.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
7.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
8.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
9.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
10.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
11.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
12.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
13.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
14.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
15.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX0 II provides a higher video resolution than the RX100 II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the RX100 II is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The RX0 II and the RX100 II are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the RX100 II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-EV1MK. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony RX0 II, the Sony RX100 II, and comparable cameras.

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 RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
2.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	Y
5.		Sony RX100 VII	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	Y	1/2000s	90.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
12.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The RX100 II has one, while the RX0 II does not. While the built-in flash of the RX100 II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 RX0 II only has 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 RX100 II is equipped with a zoom lens, while the RX0 II comes with a built-in prime. The RX100 II has a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 optic and the RX0 II offers a 24mm f/4.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the RX0 II provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the RX100 II, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX100 II offers the faster maximum aperture.

The RX0 II writes its imaging data to micro SDXC or Memory Stick Micro cards, while the RX100 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The RX0 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the RX100 II cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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-RX0II and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II 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 RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Sony RX100 VII	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the RX0 II has a microphone port, which is missing on the RX100 II. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The RX0 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the RX100 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the RX100 II was succeeded by the Sony RX100 III. Further information on the features and operation of the RX0 II and RX100 II can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX0 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX100 II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Sony RX0 II or the Sony RX100 II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0II:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More compact: Is smaller (59x41mm vs 102x58mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 149g or 53 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 8 months of technical progress since the RX100 II launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 15.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/4.0).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 240) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2013).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (12 points each). 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 before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 RX0 II and the Sony RX100 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the RX0 II and the RX100 II in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
4.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	799	amazon.com
5.		Sony RX100 VII	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	5/5	Jul 2019	1,199	amazon.com
6.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
7.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	amazon.com
9.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
11.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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