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Sony QX10

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 front
 
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • " Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1440 x 1080 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 105g - 62 x 62 x 33mm
  • Announced September 2013
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
96
Imaging
43
Features
34
Overall
39

Sony QX10 summary

Sony QX10 is Sony's Lens-style camera first revealed on September of 2013. The camera uses a 18MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4896 x 3672.

The QX10 places at #4 out of 4 in Lens-style cameras and over all #733 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. Please check our Smart camera finder to see camera rankings based on your custom criteria.

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Here is a chart of specific factors used in the rating system.

Sony QX10 family

The Sony QX10 is part of a family of products. You can read the complete range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-QX30 front thumbnailSony QX30
QX10 vs QX30
24-720mm
F3.5-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-QX10 front thumbnailSony QX1025-250mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2013
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Sony QX10 Pros and Cons

Below is a list of pluses and minuses of the Sony QX10 based on criterias that are normally regarded as useful in a camera.

above average minimum ISO (100)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
features face detection focus
good resolution (18 megapixels)
great reach (250mm)
has touchscreen
in built zoom lens (25-250mm 10.0 x zoom)
lighter than competition (105 grams)
NFC connectivity
quite wide (25mm)
supports focus by touch
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
display is not selfie friendly
does not have phase detect auto focus
does not have RAW support
focusing manually not possible
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of external mic socket
lack of HDMI socket
lack of headphone socket
lack of manual mode
lack of Time Lapse recording
low res video (1440 x 1080 pixels)
max zoom aperture not good (f5.9)
no external flash support
no shutter priority
screen does not articulate
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
small sensor (1/2.3")
terrible battery life (220 per charge)
tiny screen ( inch)
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Sony QX10 Sensor specifications

The size of the sensor in the Sony QX10 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can capture 4896 x 3672 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter can easily lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 18 megapixels and supports a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. Sadly, RAW photos are not supported which means that you have less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below displays the QX10's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The QX10 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is shown in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 sensor size Europe Approves Revolutionary AI Legislation

To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony QX10 dimensions

Sony QX10 weighs about 0.23 lbs (105 grams or 3.70 oz) and features exterior proportions of 62mm x 62mm x 33mm (2.4" x 2.4" x 1.3"). The weight of average Lens-style camera is 173 grams so the Sony QX10 is less heavy when compared to other rivals.

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Listed below is a pic of the Sony QX10 alongside a softdrink to help you to have a feel for its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 dimensions scale

The top view below will provide the button arrangement on the QX10.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 topview buttons dials

Sony QX10 Lens specifications

The QX10 has got an inbuilt lens featuring a focal range of 25-250mm making it a 10.0 x zoom which is not amazing however it is likely to be invaluable in certain scenarios.

At the widest 25mm, the lens provides an aperture of f3.3 which will be quite slow and not very good in low light occasions and you will struggle to capture a shallow depth of field. You will probably also need to increase the ISO leading to noisy pictures. For the tele end, 250mm is amazing zoom and comes with f5.9 making it quite sluggish and you may need to use slow shutter speeds.

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Sony QX10 Connectivity

The QX10 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You can transfer pictures and at times alter settings without connecting straight to the camera.

A few applications even allow a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI out, it can be attached to an external monitor. The majority of cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Sony QX10 Video specifications

The highest possible video quality in the Sony QX10 is 1440 x 1080 and it can shoot in MPEG-4 format. 1080p is low by today's standards. You really should shoot for a minimum FUll HD quality for good video. The camera does not offer a mic and headphone jack which means you have got little control over your sound. It is probably a better idea to consider a different camera in case you want good sound in your video clips.

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Sony QX10 Weather Sealing

Sony QX10 does not include environment proofing so rainy conditions might damage the camera.

Sony QX10 Display and Viewfinder

The Sony QX10 houses a " fixed display screen supporting a resolution of 0k dots.

Additionally the display screen is touch friendly which means that you can easily set focus point and adjust settings with your fingertips.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 screen and viewfinder AI-made Images of Food Appear More Delicious Than Real Photos

The ViewFinder specs regarding Sony QX10 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are really handy during bright outdoor conditions which might make the camera display washed out and hard to view.

Sony QX10 Shutter specifications

The highest shutter speed is 1/1600 sec.

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Sony QX10 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Sony QX10 has got neither built-in flash nor external flash support.

Sony QX10 Autofocusing specifications

Sony QX10 has got just Contrast Based Autofocus and doesn't have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is more snappier and accurate when compared to Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera boasts Face detect which makes it handy for taking photos of people.

Sony QX10 has touch to focus. You are able to use your fingers in order to adjust where you focus. Sony QX10 lacks manual focusing. Manual focusing ability is useful during low light or you want more accurate depth of field control.

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Sony QX10 Battery life

The battery life (NP-BN,) for the Sony QX10 is designed to last for 220 clicks according to the CIPA benchmarks making it lower when compared to its competitors. The average Lens-style camera battery life is 265. Sony QX1 offers the best (440) battery life within this kind of cameras.

Following is a listing of Lens-style cameras having the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Sony-Alpha-QX1 front thumbnailSony QX1
QX10 vs QX1
440 yesyesno
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-QX10 front thumbnailSony QX10220 noyesno
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Sony QX10 for varying kinds of photography

The following bar chart provides a rundown of the Sony QX10 for varying kinds of photography. To learn more, go to the specific paragraph below.

Portrait photography with Sony QX10

The Sony QX10 gets a points tally of 37 which is dreadful, meaning that it is not really very good for portrait photos. Taking portrait photos leans heavily to sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos in addition to the ability to use external flash.

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MP count good (18MP)
includes face detection autofocus
manual focus not available
manual mode not possible
no external flash support
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format

Sony QX10 as a Street photography camera

Having a above average rating of 68, the Sony QX10 is a very decent fit to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera provides a perfect balance of picture quality and portability.

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image stabilization (Optical)
features focus via touch
lighter than others in class (105g)
screen does not articulate
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files

Sony QX10 Sports photography highlights

A dreadful sports photography rating of 38 suggests the Sony QX10 is not really very good for photographing sports. A camera should have excellent tracking plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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built in image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count good (18 megapixels)
no shutter priority mode
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
not so great battery pack (220 CIPA)
lack of phase detect autofocus

Travel photography with Sony QX10

Portability is super critical in picking a camera for travel. In general, the Sony QX10 gets a nice 69 for a travelling camera which makes it a respectable fit to buy for your vacations.

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lighter than others (105g)
features focus via touch
good MP (18MP)
decently wide (25mm)
long reach (250mm)
doesn't have Timelapse function
terrible battery life (220 shots)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)

Sony QX10 Landscape photography factors

For anybody who is looking to pick a camera for landscape photography, the most vital aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony QX10 and it's dreadful score of 39 as a landscape camera is not really very good within the current market.

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quite wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (18MP)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
screen is small (")
lack of manual mode
sensor is small (1/2.3")
no RAW files
bad battery pack (220 shots)
no Time Lapse mode

Sony QX10 Vlogging info

A vlogging camera should offer a moving display screen, microphone input and if possible image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Sony QX10 is not really very good as a vlog camera as it gets a dreadful rating of 34.

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reasonably wide (25mm)
screen is touchscreen
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detection autofocus
lighter than competitors (105g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
low video resolution (1440 x 1080 pxls)
no external microphone socket

Sony QX10 Alternatives

If you need replacements to the QX10, below is a number of the highest scored cameras which fall in to the family of Lens-style.

The diagram below provides you an overview of the QX10 compared to it's top ranked competitors shown previously.

These are some more cameras you might look at as alternatives. To review a complete comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10
Type
Lens-style
Announced
2013-09-04
Physical type
Lens-style
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
18 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution
4896 x 3672
RAW format
Highest native ISO
3200
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Cross type focus points
0
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
25-250mm (10.0x)
Largest aperture
f/3.3-5.9
Macro focusing range
5cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Resolution of display
0k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display technology
Depends on connected smartphone
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
4s
Fastest shutter speed
1/1600s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
no built-in flash
Flash settings
None
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
1440 x 1080 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution
1440x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
105 gr (0.23 pounds)
Physical dimensions
62 x 62 x 33mm (2.4" x 2.4" x 1.3")
Other
Battery life
220 photos
Type of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
NP-BN,
Self timer
Yes (2, 10 secs)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, Memory Stick Micro
Card slots
1
Price at release
$250