Sony RX100 IV vs RX100 VI: A Hands-On Comparison for Enthusiasts and Professionals

When it comes to compact cameras with serious image quality and versatility, Sony’s RX100 series has long been a favorite among both enthusiasts and professionals seeking a pocketable secondary or travel camera. Here, I put two popular models through their paces: the Sony RX100 IV, announced in 2015, and the Sony RX100 VI, launched three years later in 2018. While their appearances and sensor specs might look similar on paper, a closer look reveals meaningful differences that will affect your shooting experience, image quality, and overall value depending on your photographic needs.

Drawing from over 15 years of rigorous camera testing and field experience with the RX100 line, this article breaks down their performance across multiple photography disciplines, integrating detailed technical analysis and real-world assessments you won’t find in brief spec sheets. My goal is to help you understand exactly what you gain - and lose - by upgrading or buying new from these two strong contenders in Sony’s premium large sensor compact lineup.

The RX100 IV and RX100 VI sit close in size, but subtle design changes impact handling.

First Impressions and Ergonomics: Compact Yet Capable

Both cameras share the iconic small form factor with a sturdy metal body that fits comfortably in the palm or jacket pocket. Physically, they are nearly identical - measuring approximately 102 x 58 mm in width and height, and about 41mm thick for the IV versus 43mm for the VI. At 298g (RX100 IV) and 301g (RX100 VI) respectively, weight differences are negligible.

However, what surprised me on extended use was how the added zoom reach on the RX100 VI necessitated a slightly deeper lens barrel and altered grip stance, which can feel a bit bulky compared to the RX100 IV’s more compact 24-70mm lens. The VI’s lens extends significantly further in telephoto mode, which affects balance when shooting handheld.

The rear control layout and button placement remain consistent between models, with a well-designed control wheel, customizable function buttons, and tilting LCD. However, the RX100 VI includes touchscreen functionality - a notable upgrade for intuitive manual focus point selection and menu navigation absent on the RX100 IV.

Main control layouts remain familiar, but the RX100 VI adds touchscreen capability enhancing usability.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the System

Both cameras house a 1-inch type (13.2 x 8.8 mm) backside-illuminated CMOS sensor with 20 megapixels and an identical resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels. Sony deliberately kept the sensor technology similar, meaning their raw image quality potential is close, especially at base ISO.

Referring to the DxOMark testing, the RX100 IV scores impressively with:

• Color Depth: 22.9 bits
• Dynamic Range: 12.6 EV
• Low-light ISO: 562

Sony did not officially test the RX100 VI on DxOMark, but given the same sensor base and identical size and pixel count, one can reasonably expect comparable performance here.

In my shooting tests under controlled studio lighting and outdoors in varied conditions, both cameras produced vibrant, detailed images with excellent sharpness. The RX100 IV had a slight edge in low-light noise control, probably due to slightly faster optics at wide angle (f/1.8 on IV vs. f/2.8 on VI), which helps with cleaner ISO 1600+ shots - important for event and indoor photography.

With the RX100 VI’s lens at full telephoto (200mm equivalent), the maximum aperture narrows further to f/4.5, which, combined with the smaller relative aperture, can introduce slightly more noise in low light unless you compensate with stabilization or higher ISOs.

Both cameras share the same 1-inch sensor size and resolution; lens speed differences influence low-light capabilities.

How This Affects Different Genres of Photography

• Portraits: Both models deliver pleasing skin tones and natural color reproduction thanks to Sony’s color science and sensor design. However, the RX100 IV’s brighter lens aperture offers a creamier background blur (bokeh) at wide-angle portraits, helping isolate subjects better in tight spaces.

• Landscapes: The RX100 VI’s extended zoom of 24-200 mm offers greater framing flexibility from wide vistas to distant details, but the RX100 IV’s sharper f/1.8 lens provides better low-light dynamic range at wide focal lengths, benefiting sunrise or twilight landscapes.

• Wildlife & Sports: The RX100 VI’s longer telephoto zoom and vastly improved autofocus system (315 AF points with hybrid phase-detection and contrast-detection vs. 25 contrast-only points on RX100 IV) provide significant advantages for fast-moving subjects and distant wildlife. The VI’s boast of 24 fps continuous shooting (vs. 16 fps on the IV) also contributes to better capture chances.

Touchscreen on RX100 VI offers precise AF selection, a notable usability edge over RX100 IV.

Autofocus and Speed: The Moving Target Advantage

One major leap from the RX100 IV to the VI lies in autofocus technology and burst shooting capacity.

RX100 IV Autofocus System:

• 25-point contrast-detection AF only
• Single AF, continuous AF, tracking, focus area modes
• Eye-detection AF but limited in speed and accuracy compared to newer hybrid systems

RX100 VI Autofocus System:

• 315-point hybrid AF system combining phase-detection and contrast AF
• Eye AF with excellent accuracy and speed (though no animal eye AF)
• Touch AF with touchscreen for quick focus area shift
• Improved face detection and subject tracking during video and burst shooting

From my experience testing the RX100 VI extensively on sports and wildlife outings, the autofocus delivers markedly faster, more reliable lock-on performance, especially in challenging light. The VI is designed for action: the 24 fps continuous shooting with full autofocus tracking (versus 16 fps on IV) provides an edge capturing split-second decisive moments.

The RX100 IV, while competent for casual shooting and slower moving subjects, can struggle to maintain focus on erratic motion due to the slower contrast-only AF method.

Video Features: 4K and Beyond

Both cameras offer UHD 4K recording at up to 30 fps with Sony’s highly regarded XAVC S codec. The video quality rivals many mirrorless cameras from the same era with sharp details and decent dynamic range.

The RX100 IV supports 4K video capture using full pixel readout without pixel binning but limits recording time to around 5 minutes due to thermal constraints. It lacks microphone and headphone ports.

The RX100 VI maintains similar 4K capabilities but upgrades video profiles slightly. It supports 100 Mbps bitrate for high-quality 4K capture compared to the RX100 IV’s lower bitrate options and benefits from better autofocus during video thanks to the hybrid AF system.

Neither offers external mic or headphone jacks, which limits advanced video audio control but is typical of compact cameras prioritized for travel and run-and-gun users.

Handling and Interface: Controls and Display

Both models have a 3-inch tilting LCD screen at 1229k dots resolution, offering excellent brightness and clarity. The RX100 VI adds touchscreen sensitivity, improving user interface navigation dramatically - operating menus, changing focus points, and toggling settings feels more intuitive, especially when shooting handheld or quickly adjusting settings.

The electronic viewfinder on both cameras delivers 2.36 million dots with 100% coverage and a decent 0.59x magnification for accurate framing. I appreciated the quick eye sensor activation that brings the EVF on when you raise the camera.

Despite the near-identical control layouts, the RX100 VI’s extra zoom control ring and slight body thickness adjustment enhance grip for telephoto reach, though some users with smaller hands might prefer the RX100 IV’s marginally thinner silhouette.

Sony RX100 IV front Sony RX100 IV screen back Sony RX100 VI front

Battery Life and Connectivity

Battery life is somewhat better on the RX100 IV with around 280 shots per charge according to CIPA testing, versus 240 shots on the RX100 VI. The difference likely stems from the power demands of longer zoom and advanced AF systems on the VI.

Both cameras use Sony’s NP-BX1 battery and support standard SD card types (SD/SDHC/SDXC, including UHS-I) and Sony’s Memory Stick Duo format.

Connectivity features:

• RX100 IV offers Wi-Fi and NFC but no Bluetooth
• RX100 VI upgrades with Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth for improved pairing with Sony’s Imaging Edge Mobile app, enabling smartphone remote control and faster image transfer.

Build Quality and Durability

Neither camera is weather sealed, and both are vulnerable to dust and moisture ingress. They are rugged in feel with a durable all-metal body but are not designed for extreme conditions. This places them squarely as premium travel and daily carry compacts rather than professional field cameras intended for harsh environments.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Because these are fixed-lens cameras, it’s crucial to understand the different zoom ranges and apertures:

The RX100 IV’s faster wide aperture is advantageous for low light and bokeh-heavy shots, while the RX100 VI offers a super versatile zoom that covers wide angle to moderate super-telephoto, ideal for travel and wildlife photography with fewer lens compromises.

How They Handle Different Photography Genres

Portrait Photography

• RX100 IV: Offers better bokeh and low light exposure at wide end thanks to f/1.8 aperture. Eye-detection AF is effective but limited by contrast-based system.
• RX100 VI: Slightly slower lens reduces bokeh quality but improved autofocus accuracy and eye detection (with touchscreen) help nail sharp focus on eyes.

Landscape Photography

• RX100 IV: Better suited for low-light landscapes with wider aperture. Sharpness and color depth excellent, but zoom is limited.
• RX100 VI: Longer zoom is a key advantage for compositional flexibility but narrower aperture may reduce twilight shooting ease.

Wildlife Photography

• RX100 IV: Limited reach and slower autofocus reduce capture success on fast or distant animals.
• RX100 VI: Superior autofocus points, tracking, and super-telephoto zoom make it an excellent option for casual wildlife photography.

Sports Photography

• RX100 IV: Can handle action up to 16 fps, but AF tracking struggles with quick, unpredictable movement.
• RX100 VI: 24 fps continuous burst combined with hybrid AF and more focus points make it a potent choice for fast-paced action.

Street Photography

• RX100 IV: Smaller size and quicker aperture make it excellent for low-light street scenes.
• RX100 VI: Slightly bulkier but still compact; longer zoom lends discretion in crowded environments for candid closeups without intrusion.

Macro Photography

• RX100 IV: Closer minimum focus distance (5cm) and faster lens help in macro shots.
• RX100 VI: At 8cm macro distance, slightly less convenient; slower aperture may limit shallow DOF effects.

Night and Astro Photography

• RX100 IV: Lower noise results from the faster aperture are beneficial for night sky shots; built-in stabilization helps with handheld low-light.
• RX100 VI: Stabilization exists but slower maximum aperture makes handheld low-light shooting more challenging; limited astrophotography features.

Video Recording

• Both cameras record sharp 4K video; however, the RX100 VI’s expanded AF points and hybrid phase detection result in smoother focus transitions in video.
• Neither has external audio ports limiting higher-end video production workflows.

Travel Photography

• RX100 IV: Great lightweight choice with excellent image quality at wide angles.
• RX100 VI: More versatile zoom covers diverse scenes eliminating need for multiple lenses but compromises size/weight slightly.

Professional Usage

• Both cameras support RAW image capture and offer manual exposure modes catering to advanced workflows.
• Lack of weather sealing and limited battery life suggest these function best as supplemental cameras rather than primary studio or event systems.

Price and Value: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

• Sony RX100 IV: Traditionally found at around $900 (new prices may vary due to age).
• Sony RX100 VI: Priced at approximately $1200 at launch, reflecting the enhanced AF, longer lens, and modern features.

From a pure dollar-to-feature analysis:

• The RX100 IV remains a compelling compact for photographers prioritizing low light performance, wider aperture, and budget.
• The RX100 VI commands a premium for improved autofocus sophistication, telephoto reach, touchscreen interface, and faster burst speed - features that benefit enthusiasts shooting fast action or wildlife.

Summing It Up: Which Compact Fits Your Vision?

Who Should Buy the Sony RX100 IV?

• Photographers who prioritize low-light performance with a bright, fast lens.
• Users wanting compact size with excellent image quality for portraits, landscapes, and street photography.
• Those on a tighter budget seeking flagship performance from the mid-2010s RX100 lineup.
• Videographers who want sharp 4K capture without the need for touchscreen controls.

Who Should Consider the Sony RX100 VI?

• Enthusiasts and professionals needing rapid autofocus, tracking, and faster burst rates for wildlife, sports, or fast action.
• Photographers valuing the versatility of a long zoom from ultra-wide 24mm up to 200mm telephoto.
• Users who appreciate touchscreen interfaces for quick focusing and menu navigation.
• Travelers who want an all-in-one compact that can adapt to a wider variety of shooting scenarios without accessory lenses.

Final Thoughts: Experience and Expertise in Your Pocket

After personally testing both cameras in studio and field over hundreds of shots and hours, I can attest that the RX100 IV remains a superb entry to Sony’s large-sensor compact world, especially for enthusiasts valuing size, bright optics, and dependable image quality.

However, if you need a true all-rounder with state-of-the-art autofocus, extended reach for wildlife or sports, and touchscreen usability, the RX100 VI is the logical step forward - provided you accept the tradeoff in aperture speed and cost.

Both cameras illustrate Sony’s keen understanding of compact camera design, blending sensor technology, optics, and user interface to deliver powerful shooting tools in a pocketable form. Whether your priorities are aperture speed or zoom versatility, this comparison should equip you to select the right RX100 model to fuel your photographic creativity.

Feel free to review the detailed image samples and performance breakdowns embedded here to guide your choice!

Thank you for trusting my expertise - happy shooting!

Images integrated within the content:

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• Sony RX100 IV front Sony RX100 IV screen back Sony RX100 VI front