Sony RX10
- 20MP - 1" Sensor
- 3" Tilting Screen
- ISO 125 - 12800 (Raise to 25600)
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 24-200mm (F2.8) lens
- 813g - 129 x 88 x 102mm
- Revealed March 2014
- New Model is Sony RX10 II
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
58 Imaging
51 Features
76 Overall
61
Sony RX10 overview
Sony RX10 is Sony's Large Sensor Superzoom digital camera initially launched on March of 2014. It features a 20 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1" size sensor with a peak resolution of 5472 x 3648.
Sony released the newer Sony RX10 II (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to upgrade this model.
The RX10 stands at #9 out of 9 in Large Sensor Superzoom cameras & all-around #296 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can try out our Smart camera filter to get camera rankings based on your customized criteria.
Here is a diagram of various criteria used in the scoring system.
Sony RX10 history
The Sony RX10 has a history of related cameras. Here, you can see all past and current models along with main features.
F2.820MP1"2014
Sony RX10 Gallery
You can view the RX10 from several angles in the gallery underneath.
Sony RX10 Pros and Cons
Here is a checklist of upsides and downsides of the Sony RX10 based on features which are usually seen as necessary in a digital camera.
Sony RX10 Sensor information
The Sony RX10 is run by the Bionz X chip. The spec of the sensor in the Sony RX10 is 13.2mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 116 mm² sensor is able to resolve 5472 x 3648 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera features Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter can lead to cropping.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe BSI-CMOS sensor has 20MP and includes a standard ISO range of 125 - 12800. The ISO can be widened digitally to 80 - 25600. RAW format is supported so you have more margin for error.
The image underneath shows the RX10's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The RX10 sensor has a crop factor of 2.7 and is pointed out in green.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created ImagesTo get an idea of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.
Sony RX10 dimensions
Sony RX10 weighs 1.79 lb (813 gr or 28.68 ounces) & the overall size of the camera is 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0"). The weight of general Large Sensor Superzoom camera is 874 gr so the Sony RX10 is very similar when compared to its competitors.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsHere is a image of the Sony RX10 alongside a soft drink so you can get a feel for its size.
The top view under will show the button arrangement on the RX10.
Sony RX10 Lens information
The RX10 is equipped with a built-in lens with a focal range of 24-200mm giving it a 8.3 x zoom which isn't really ideal however it will probably be helpful in certain circumstances.
At it's widest 24mm, the lens features an aperture of f2.8 which will be fairly sluggish and not great for low light conditions and you might find it hard to get good bokeh. You would also have to increase your ISO setting which results in noisy shots.
Sony RX10 Connectivity
The RX10 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- NFC Yes
- HDMI Yes
Cameras that include NFC and Bluetooth compatibility can easily be used wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to send images and in some cases change settings without connecting straight with the camera.
Certain apps also stream a Liveview and press the shutter in case you aren't close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it could be hooked up to an external screen. A good number of cameras enable you to charge the battery using the USB port.
Sony RX10 Video information
The highest video resolution in the Sony RX10 is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in MPEG-4 and AVCHD file format. 1080p resolution provides a good balance between video quality and file size but FULL HD will not give you any room to downsample. The body does come with both headphone and microphone jack making it pretty valuable while recording audio.
Sony RX10 Weather Sealing
Sony RX10 has environment sealing which makes it a fantastic candidate for use during tricky places. This is particularly handy whenever you are not sure about the elements you might encounter during outdoor photography.
Sony RX10 Screen and Viewfinder
The Sony RX10 features a 3" tilting display screen with a resolution of 1,290k dots.
Sadly the display screen isn't a touch screen. The RX10 also comes with a Top screen so you're able to quickly view your settings.
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD CardsThe View Finder details for Sony RX10 are below:
- ViewFinder Electronic
- Resolution 1,440k dots
- Coverage 100 percent
- Magnification 0.7x
For sunny outdoor situations that make the camera screens washed out and difficult to see, viewfinders can be quite valuable.
Sony RX10 Shutter information
Sony RX10 continuous shooting rate is 10.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/3200 seconds.
Sony RX10 Flash and Hot shoe information
Sony RX10 features both integrated flash as well as external flash ability.
Sony RX10 Autofocusing information
Sony RX10 features only Contrast Detect AF & does not have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot faster and exact than Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera features Face detection which makes it useful for portrait photography.
The Sensor features 25 focus points to select from. Sony RX10 can use manual focus when needed during low light scenarios or you require more accurate focus control.
Sony RX10 Battery life
The battery power (NP-FW50) for the Sony RX10 is designed to last for 420 shots with respect to the CIPA specifications making it higher than average for its class. The typical Large Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 373. Sony RX10 III has the highest (420) battery life within this class of cameras.
Underneath is a collection of Large Sensor Superzoom cameras that come with the best battery life:
Sony RX10 for various categories of photography
The following bar chart presents a summation of the Sony RX10 for various categories of photography. To see more, scroll to the specific paragraph underneath.
Sony RX10 as a Portrait photography camera
The Sony RX10 has a rating of 70 which is very good, meaning that it is a respectable option to use for portrait photography. Taking portrait photos leans heavily to sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos plus the capability to utilize off-camera lighting.
Sony RX10 Street photography advice
Having a above average score of 72, the Sony RX10 is a very decent fit to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera gives a fine balance of image quality plus portability.
Sony RX10 Sports photography information
A nice sports photography rating of 67 means the Sony RX10 is a good pick for taking pictures of sports. A camera should have fantastic focusing and continuous shooting for sports photography.
Sony RX10 Travel photography highlights
Weight is super critical in selecting a camera for travel. Over-all, the Sony RX10 gets a reasonable 58 for a travel camera which makes it relatively adequate for your trips.
Landscape photography with Sony RX10
For those who are planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photos, the most important factor is going to be image quality. The Sony RX10 with it's very good score of 63 for a landscape camera is a fine choice amongst it's competitors.
Sony RX10 as a Vlogging camera
A camera for vlogging preferably should posses a articulating screen, microphone input and preferably IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Sony RX10 is just not acceptable for vlogging as it delivers a horrible score of 30.
Sony RX10 Alternatives
If you want alternatives to the RX10, below is a number of the top scored cameras which fall within the category of Large Sensor Superzoom.
The line graph below provides you a bird's eye view of the RX10 versus it's top ranked competitors shown previously.
Following are several cameras you might look at as alternatives. To read a complete comparison, go to the "compare" link.