The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 series is a high-end compact camera part of the wider Sony RX series. It started with the DSC-RX100, announced on 6 June 2012,[1] and is part of the Cyber-shot RX line of digital cameras made by Sony. Seven annual generations have been released so far until 2019, all equipped with a one-inch 20-Megapixel image sensor and rotary knob around the lens. Filming at up to 1080p (Full HD) at 60fps is supported by the first three generations, the third additionally with 720p at 120fps, and up to 2160p (4K) at 30fps and 1080p at 120fps high frame rate video since the fourth.
| Camera Name: | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 |
| Sensor Type: | Exmor CMOS sensor |
| Sensor Maker: | Sony |
| Recording Medium: | Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed), Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card |
| Vidrecord: | US: AVCHD 2.0, MP4, Video Mode: AVCHD: 28M PS (1920×1080, 60p) / 24M FX (1920×1080, 60i) / 17M FH (1920×1080, 60i) MP4: 12M (1440×1080, 30 fps) / 3M VGA (640×480 30 fps) UK: 1920×1080 50p Approx. 28 Mbps) (AVCHD), (1920×1080 50i Approx. 24 Mbps) (AVCHD), 1920×1080 50i Approx. 17 Mbps) (AVCHD), 1440×1080 30 fps Fine Approx. 12 Mbps) (MP4), 640×480 30 fps Approx. 3 Mbps) (VGA) |
| Lens: | Non-interchangeable Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens |
| Focus: | Single-shot AF (AF-S) / Continuous AF (AF-C) / Direct Manual Focus (DMF) / Manual Focus AF Modes: Multi point AF (25 points) / Center weighted AF / Flexible spot / Flexible spot (tracking focus) / Flexible sport (face tracking) |
| Exposure: | Exposure/metering |
| Flash: | Pop-up, tiltable |
| Frame Rate: | US: 60p, UK: 50p |
| Shutter: | iAuto (4-1/2000) / Program Auto (1-1/2000) / Manual (Bulb, 30-1/2000) / Aperture Priority (8-1/2000) / Shutter Priority (30-1/2000) |
| Shutter Speeds: | 10 fps at 20.2 MP |
| F-Numbers: | Focal Length (35 mm equivalent): Still 16:9 29-105mm / Still 4:3 30-108 mm / Still 3:2 28-100 mm / Still 1:1 36-127 mm / Movie 16:9 29-105 mm (Std), 33-120 mm (Active) / Movie 4:3 36–128 mm (Std), 41-146 mm (Active) |
| Shutterrange: | 1/2000-30" and BULB Mode |
| Viewfinder: | None |
| Rearlcd: | 3 in. (7.6 cm) / 1,229k dots TFT (3:2) |
| Battery: | Lithium-ion NP-BX1 |
| Dimensions: | 4 in. × 2 3/8 in. × 1 7/16 in. (101.6 mm × 58.1 mm × 35.9 mm) |
| Weight: | 8.5 oz (240 g) with battery |
The original RX100 was named as the "European Advanced Compact Camera for 2012–2013" by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA)[2] and one of the 'Best Inventions of 2012' by TIME.[3]
In June 2013, Sony unveiled a new edition of the camera called the RX100 II.[6] New features included:
On 23 July 2013, Swedish luxury camera manufacturer Hasselblad announced the 'Stellar', a compact camera based on the DSC-RX100, incorporating a wooden or carbon grip. On 1 November 2013, Hasselblad announced another three cosmetic variants of the camera, named the Stellar Special Edition. On 26 November 2014, Hasselblad announced the Stellar II based on the DSC-RX100 II.
The Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III was released in June 2014.[7] The camera had a new Bionz X processor, as used in the Sony Alpha 77 II, and a new Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens (24-70mm (35mm equivalent), 1.8-2.8) giving a wider angle of view (while curtailing the maximum equivalent focal length from 100mm to 70mm).[8] Unlike its predecessor, the RX100 II, it does not have Sony's multi-interface hotshoe (limiting flash photography to the small built-in unit), but includes a pop-up OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF).[9] The DSC-RX100 III has customizable functions. The viewfinder and rear LCD can be set to different displays. The RX100 III can be set manually with shutter speed and aperture fixed, but with Auto ISO (sensitivity) giving the correct metered exposure.[10]
See main article: article and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV. In June 2015, Sony released the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV.[11] Like its predecessors, it has the same 1.0-type ("1-inch") 20.2 megapixel CMOS sensor and ISO up to 12800. The RX-100 IV can now record 4K video in XAVC-S format with frame rates up to 24, 25, and 30 fps. However, due to extreme write speed and processing power, it can only record 5-minute 4K shots to prevent any serious damage to the camera.[12] It also features Slow-mo video recording and can capture up to 960 fps for NTSC mode and 1000 fps for PAL mode.[13]
On 6 October 2016, Sony announced the RX100 V.[14] In this update, Sony improved the performance of the camera claiming the world's fastest auto focus, the world's most auto focus points, and the world's fastest continuous shooting for a compact fixed-lens camera.[15] Sony's claim of fastest auto focusing speed is that the camera can lock in focus in as little as .05 seconds. Sony increased the number of focus points taken per shot to 315, and also improved continuous shooting performance enabling up to 150 continuous shots to be taken at the full 20.1 megapixels at 24 frames per second.
Following the release of the RX100 VI, an updated version of the RX100 V called the RX100 VA was released with improvements such as an increased buffer and processor.[16]
On 5 June 2018, Sony announced the RX100 VI.[17] [18] In this iteration, Sony introduced a new ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mmi 2.8 – 4.5 lens zoom lens. In addition, Sony once again improved the auto focus performance, improving the auto focus speed to .03 seconds.[19] Other performance improvements in continuous shooting and 4K motion video were also made.
On 25 July 2019, Sony announced the RX100 VII.[20] [21] [22] New features include unlimited video duration (previously) and a 3.5mm TRS stereo minijack for connecting an external microphone (previously none).
| Model | RX100 | RX100 II | RX100 III | RX100 IV | RX100 V | RX100 VI | RX100 VII | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announced | 6 Jun 2012 | 27 Jun 2013 | 28 May 2014 | 10 Jun 2015 | 6 Oct 2016[23] | 5 June 2018 | 25 Jul 2019 | |
| Sensor | 20.1Mpx Exmor CMOS 13.2mm x 8.8mm | 20.1Mpx Exmor R BSI-CMOS 13.2mm x 8.8mm | 20.1Mpx Exmor RS Stacked BSI-CMOS 13.2mm x 8.8mm | |||||
| Processor | Bionz | Bionz X | ||||||
| Lens focal length | 10.437.1mm (Equiv. 28100mm, 4.813.2) | 8.825.7mm (Equiv. 2470mm, 4.87.6) | 9.072mm (Equiv. 24200mm, 7.612.2) | |||||
| Lens max aperture | 1.84.9 | 1.82.8 | 2.84.5 | |||||
| Shutter speed | 30 ~ 1/2000 sec | 30 ~ 1/32000 sec | ||||||
| Max continuous shooting | 10 frames/s | 16 frames/s | 24 frames/s | 20 frames/s | ||||
| Video record format | MPEG-4, AVCHD (28 Mbit/s) Full HD | MPEG-4, AVCHD (28 Mbit/s), XAVC S (50 Mbit/s) Full HD | MPEG-4, AVCHD (28 Mbit/s), XAVC S (100 Mbit/s) 4K video | |||||
| Video duration limit | (RX 100 IV: 30 min Full HD, 5 min 4k) | |||||||
| Video sampling | Line skipping | Full-pixel readout | ||||||
| Slow motion video | No | Yes (240, 480, 960fps) | Yes (250, 500, 1000fps) | |||||
| Professional video edit | No | Picture Profile w/CineGamma, Timecode, Userbit | ||||||
| Custom minimum shutter speed at Auto ISO | No | Yes | ||||||
| AF points | 25 | 315 | 357 | |||||
| AF type | Contrast Detect | Phase Detect | ||||||
| Flexible spot with lock on AF | No | Yes | ||||||
| Continuous eye-AF | No | Yes | ||||||
| LCD | 3 inch fixed | 3 inch tilting (+90/-40 deg.) | 3 inch tilting (+180/-45 deg.) | 3 inch tilting (+180/-90 deg.) | ||||
| EVF | No | Optional | Built-in | |||||
| Hot shoe | No | Multi-Interface | No | |||||
| Built-in ND filter | No | 3-stops | No | |||||
| Microphone input | No | Yes | ||||||
| WiFi and NFC | No | Yes | ||||||
| Battery-life (CIPA standards) | 330 shots | 350 shots | 320 shots | 280 shots | 220 shots | 240 shots | 260 shots | |
| Weight | 240g | 281g | 290g | 298g | 299g | 301g | 302g | |
| Dimensions | 102 x 58 x 36 mm | 102 x 58 x 38 mm | 102 x 58 x 41 mm | 102 x 58 x 43 mm | ||||