A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Sony RX100 Comparison Review

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is a fixed lens compact camera that was officially introduced in June 2012 and is equipped with an one-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 20 megapixel.

camera

Is the Sony RX100 a good camera? The RX100 has a Camera Elo of 1596. This rating puts the RX100 below average of all travel zoom compact cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (one inch cameras), the RX100 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Sony RX100 is more than 11 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2012.

Headline Specifications
Sony RX100
Fixed lens compact camera
28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
20 MP, 1" Sensor
1080/60p Video
ISO 100 - 6 400 (100 - 25 600)
no viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0 LCD, 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second
330 shots per battery charge
102 x 58 x 36 mm, 240 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

ad

Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Sony RX100 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Sony RX100 vs credit card front
RX100 versus credit card top view
RX100 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony RX100 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

scroll hint
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 RX100 102 mm 58 mm 36 mm 240 g 330 n Jun 2012 649ebay.com
2.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 206 g 235 n Jan 2017 529ebay.com
3.
 
Canon G9 X 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 209 g 220 n Oct 2015 529ebay.com
4.
 
Sony RX100 V 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 299 g 220 n Oct 2016 999ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A5100 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 283 g 400 n Aug 2014 549ebay.com
6.
 
Sony RX100 III 102 mm 58 mm 41 mm 290 g 320 n May 2014 799ebay.com
7.
 
Sony RX10 129 mm 88 mm 102 mm 813 g 420 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Sony RX100 II 102 mm 58 mm 38 mm 281 g 350 n Jun 2013 749ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-5R 111 mm 59 mm 39 mm 276 g 330 n Aug 2012 749ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-5N 111 mm 59 mm 38 mm 269 g 460 n Aug 2011 699ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-C3 110 mm 60 mm 33 mm 225 g 400 n Jun 2011 599ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
padding

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony RX100 was launched in the US market at a price of $649. 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.

logo
Check RX100 offers at
ebay.com

Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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.

The Sony RX100 features an one-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony RX100 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Sony RX100 sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

scroll hint
Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony RX100 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.612.439066
2.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.912.552265
3.
 
Canon G9 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.512.349563
4.
 
Sony RX100 V 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.812.458670
5.
 
Sony A5100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.812.7134780
6.
 
Sony RX100 III 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.412.349567
7.
 
Sony RX10 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.912.647469
8.
 
Sony RX100 II 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.512.448367
9.
 
Sony NEX-5R APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i23.713.191078
10.
 
Sony NEX-5N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i23.612.7107977
11.
 
Sony NEX-C3 APS-C 16.0 4912 3264720/30p22.712.2108373
padding

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The RX100 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the RX100 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony RX100 and comparable cameras.

scroll hint
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 RX100none n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Canon G9 X Mark IInone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 8.2/s Y Y
3.
 
Canon G9 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 6.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Sony RX100 V2359 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 24.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Sony A5100none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
6.
 
Sony RX100 III1440 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Sony RX101440 Y3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Sony RX100 IIoptional n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Sony NEX-5Roptional n3.0 / 920 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
10.
 
Sony NEX-5Noptional n3.0 / 920 tilting Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n n
11.
 
Sony NEX-C3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
padding

One convenient feature of the RX100 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

ad

Connection 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-RX100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

scroll hint
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 RX100-stereo / mono--micro2.0---
2.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
3.
 
Canon G9 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
4.
 
Sony RX100 V-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
5.
 
Sony A5100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
6.
 
Sony RX100 III-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
7.
 
Sony RX10Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
8.
 
Sony RX100 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
9.
 
Sony NEX-5RYstereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
10.
 
Sony NEX-5NYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony NEX-C3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
padding

The RX100 has a zoom lens built in (10.4-37.1mm f/1.8-4.9), which, in full frame equivalent terms, provides a focal length range from 28 to 100mm. The camera is, hence, ready to shoot, while remaining more compact in size than an interchangeable lens camera with an optic that offers similar focal length and aperture specifications.

Further information on the features and operation of the RX100 can be found in the free online Sony RX100 Manual or on the Sony support site.

ad

Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the RX100 in practical situations. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

scroll hint
Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony RX1005/5+ +..78/1004/55/5 Jun 2012 649ebay.com
2.
 
Canon G9 X Mark II4/5..4/575/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2017 529ebay.com
3.
 
Canon G9 X3.5/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2015 529ebay.com
4.
 
Sony RX100 V4.5/5+ +..83/1004/54.5/5 Oct 2016 999ebay.com
5.
 
Sony A51004.5/5+....4.5/55/5 Aug 2014 549ebay.com
6.
 
Sony RX100 III5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 799ebay.com
7.
 
Sony RX105/5+..80/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Sony RX100 II5/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 749ebay.com
9.
 
Sony NEX-5R........4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2012 749ebay.com
10.
 
Sony NEX-5N3/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2011 699ebay.com
11.
 
Sony NEX-C33/5+ +..74/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2011 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

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.

logo
Check RX100 offers at
ebay.com

Sony RX100 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the RX100.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Sony RX100?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Sony RX100 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Sony equipped the RX100 with the BIONZ X image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony RX100?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony RX100?

The RX100 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Sony RX100 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

Which battery does the Sony RX100 use?

The camera gets its power from the NP-BX1 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~
    loader
    ad
    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Sony RX100
    Camera Type Fixed lens compact camera
    Camera Lens 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
    Launch Date June 2012
    Launch Price USD 649
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format 1" Sensor
    Sensor Size 13.2 x 8.8 mm
    Sensor Area 116 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 15.9 mm
    Crop Factor 2.7x
    Sensor Resolution 20 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5 472 x 3 648 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 2.41 μm
    Pixel Density 17.18 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6 400 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 66
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.6
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 390
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type No viewfinder
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1229k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/2000s
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support no
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash no Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type NP-BX1 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)330 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 102 x 58 x 36 mm
    (4.0 x 2.3 x 1.4 in)
    Camera Weight 240 g (8.5 oz)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

    You are here Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Sony RX100 Review