Sony RX10 III vs HX400V

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2016 and February 2014. Both the RX10 III and the HX400V are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on an one-inch (RX10 III) and a 1/2.3-inch (HX400V) sensor. The RX10 III has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the HX400V provides 20.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony RX10 III		Sony HX400V
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-600mm f/2.4-4.0		24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3
20 MP – 1" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (64 - 25,600)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (210k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1229k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
14 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
420 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
133 x 94 x 127 mm, 1051 g		130 x 93 x 103 mm, 660 g

Check RX10 III offers at
ebay.com
Check HX400V offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V? 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 RX10 III and the Sony HX400V. 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony HX400V is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Sony RX10 III. Moreover, the HX400V is substantially lighter (37 percent) than the RX10 III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the RX10 III is splash and dust resistant, while the HX400V does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

Concerning battery life, the RX10 III gets 420 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the HX400V can take 300 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The power pack in the RX10 III can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic FZ2500	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
8.		Sony RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
9.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The HX400V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 67 percent) than the RX10 III, 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony RX10 III features an one-inch sensor and the Sony HX400V a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the HX400V is 76 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 5.6. The sensor in the RX10 III has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the HX400V offers a 4:3 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the HX400V offers a slightly higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the RX10 III. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 2.41μm for the RX10 III). Moreover, it should be noted that the RX10 III is much more recent (by 2 years and 1 month) than the HX400V, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the HX400V has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 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 RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
2.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
3.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
4.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
5.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
6.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
7.		Panasonic FZ2500	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
8.		Sony RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
9.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
10.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
11.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
12.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
13.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
14.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
15.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
16.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the RX10 III provides a higher video resolution than the HX400V. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the HX400V is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration 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 HX400V (2359k vs 210k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony RX10 III, the Sony HX400V, 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 RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
7.		Panasonic FZ2500	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Sony RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
10.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	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 HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the RX10 III, but is missing on the HX400V is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 III 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 RX10 III and the HX400V have zoom lenses built in. The RX10 III has a 24-600mm f/2.4-4.0 optic and the HX400V offers a 24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the RX10 III and HX400V provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the HX400V has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX10 III offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the RX10 III and the HX400V write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The RX10 III supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the HX400V 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-RX10 III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V 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 RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Panasonic FZ2500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Sony RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RX10 III has a microphone port, which is missing on the HX400V. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the HX400V has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the RX10 III and the HX400V have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX10 III was replaced by the Sony RX10 IV, while the HX400V does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the RX10 III and HX400V can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX10 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX400V Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony RX10 III and the Sony HX400V? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging 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 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 210k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 921k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 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/2.8).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (420 versus 300) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the HX400V launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 391g or 37 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (67 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the RX10 III is the clear winner of the match-up (19 : 7 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 RX10 III and the Sony HX400V 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 RX10 III or the HX400V. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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 RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic FZ2500	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
8.		Sony RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	1,699	amazon.com
9.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	699	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
11.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? 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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