Sony RX0 vs ZV-E10

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 and the Sony ZV-E10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2017 and July 2021. The RX0 is a fixed lens compact, while the ZV-E10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an one-inch (RX0) and an APS-C (ZV-E10) sensor. The RX0 has a resolution of 15.4 megapixels, whereas the ZV-E10 provides 24 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 ZV-E10
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
24mm f/4.0		Sony E mount lenses
15.4 MP – 1" sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
1.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
5.5 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
240 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
59 x 41 x 30 mm, 110 g		115 x 64 x 45 mm, 343 g

Check RX0 offers at
ebay.com
Check ZV-E10 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 and the Sony ZV-E10? 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 and the Sony ZV-E10. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The ZV-E10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the RX0 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony ZV-E10 is considerably larger (204 percent) than the Sony RX0. It is worth mentioning in this context that the RX0 is splash and dust resistant, while the ZV-E10 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.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX0 has a lens built in, whereas the ZV-E10 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the ZV-E10 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the RX0 gets 240 shots out of its Sony NP-BJ1 battery, while the ZV-E10 can take 440 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 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, 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.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	US$ 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
3.		Panasonic ZS100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
5.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
8.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 699	amazon.com
10.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
14.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	US$ 999	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony RX0 features an one-inch sensor and the Sony ZV-E10 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the ZV-E10 is 216 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the ZV-E10 offers a higher resolution than the RX0 (15.4MP), but the ZV-E10 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 2.74μm for the RX0) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the ZV-E10 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 10 months) than the RX0, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony ZV-E10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the ZV-E10 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 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 ZV-E10 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony ZV-E10 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many 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"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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 ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
3.		Panasonic ZS100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
4.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
5.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
6.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
7.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
8.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
9.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
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 RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
14.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
15.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
16.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
17.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
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 ZV-E10 provides a better video resolution than the RX0. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the RX0 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The RX0 and the ZV-E10 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony RX0 and Sony ZV-E10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
2.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Panasonic ZS100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
5.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
7.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
9.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
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 RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/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 ZV-E10 has a touchscreen, while the RX0 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, 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 RX0 writes its imaging data to micro SDXC or Memory Stick Micro cards, while the ZV-E10 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0 and Sony ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Panasonic ZS100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	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 RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the ZV-E10 has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The RX0 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

The ZV-E10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the RX0 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the RX0 was succeeded by the Sony RX0 II. Further information on the features and operation of the RX0 and ZV-E10 can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX0 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony ZV-E10 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sony RX0 or the Sony ZV-E10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX0:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the ZV-E10 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (59x41mm vs 115x64mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the ZV-E10).
• 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).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2017).

Reasons to prefer the Sony ZV-E10:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
• 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 control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• 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 (922k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 5.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 240) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the RX0 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZV-E10 is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 Sony RX0 and the Sony ZV-E10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the RX0 or the ZV-E10. 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 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	Street Price
1.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	US$ 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
3.		Panasonic ZS100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
5.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 749	ebay.com
8.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 699	amazon.com
10.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
14.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 999	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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