Sony RX0 vs RX100

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2017 and June 2012. Both the RX0 and the RX100 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. The RX0 has a resolution of 15.4 megapixels, whereas the RX100 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		Sony RX100
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
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 125-12,800		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
1.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5.5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
240 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
59 x 41 x 30 mm, 110 g		102 x 58 x 36 mm, 240 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100? 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 Sony RX0 and the Sony RX100 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size 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 is considerably larger (145 percent) than the Sony RX0. Moreover, the RX100 is substantially heavier (118 percent) than the RX0. It is worth mentioning in this context that the RX0 is splash and dust resistant, while the RX100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the RX0 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the RX0 gets 240 shots out of its Sony NP-BJ1 battery, while the RX100 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic ZS100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
6.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
7.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
8.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
9.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	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 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. The RX100 was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the RX0 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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 offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 15.4 MP of the RX0. This megapixels advantage translates into a 14 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the RX100 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). Moreover, it should be noted, that the RX0 is much more recent (by 5 years and 2 months) than the RX100, 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 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX100 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 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-RX0 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. 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	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
2.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
4.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
5.		Panasonic ZS100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
6.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
7.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
8.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
9.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
10.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
11.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
12.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
13.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
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 (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The RX0 and the RX100 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. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony RX0 and Sony RX100 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 RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
2.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Panasonic ZS100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
7.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) 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 has one, while the RX0 does not. While the built-in flash of the RX100 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 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 is equipped with a zoom lens, while the RX0 comes with a built-in prime. The RX100 has a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 optic and the RX0 offers a 24mm f/4.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the RX0 provides a wider angle of view at the short end than the RX100, but less tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX100 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The RX0 writes its imaging data to micro SDXC or Memory Stick Micro cards, while the RX100 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The RX0 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the RX100 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-RX0 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 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	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Panasonic ZS100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

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

Both the RX0 and the RX100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX100 was replaced by the Sony RX100 II, while the RX0 was followed by the Sony RX0 II. Further information on the features and operation of the RX0 and RX100 can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX0 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX100 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Sony RX0 better than the Sony RX100 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• 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 130g or 54 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 file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• 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 2 months of technical progress since the RX100 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 15.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• 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 (330 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.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the RX0 emerges as the winner of the contest (12 : 9 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 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 and the Sony RX100 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 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 RX0 or the RX100 perform in practice. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic ZS100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
6.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	699	amazon.com
7.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
8.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
9.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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

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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