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Sony RX10 III

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III front
 
  • 20MP - 1" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 12800 (Push to 25600)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 24-600mm (F2.4-4.0) lens
  • 1051g - 133 x 94 x 127mm
  • Introduced March 2016
  • Succeeded the Sony RX10 II
  • Replacement is Sony RX10 IV
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
53
Imaging
52
Features
77
Overall
62

Sony RX10 III overview

Sony RX10 III is Sony's Large Sensor Superzoom camera first launched on March of 2016. It includes a 20 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1" size sensor with a peak resolution of 5472 x 3648.

Sony brought out this camera to upgrade the earlier Sony RX10 II (Read Full Comparison) and afterwards launched the updated Sony RX10 IV (Read Full Comparison) to upgrade this model.

The RX10 III comes in at #5 out of 9 in Large Sensor Superzoom cameras and all round #273 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can try out our Advanced camera search to get camera results based on your customized requirements.

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The following is a graph of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony RX10 III family

The Sony RX10 III comes with a history of related cameras. Underneath, you can look at all earlier and most recent models alongside key specifications.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10-IV front thumbnailSony RX10 IV
RX10 III vs RX10 IV
24-600mm
F2.4-4.0
20MP1"2017
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10-III front thumbnailSony RX10 III24-600mm
F2.4-4.0
20MP1"2016
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10-II front thumbnailSony RX10 II
RX10 III vs RX10 II
24-200mm
F2.8
20MP1"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10 front thumbnailSony RX10
RX10 III vs RX10
24-200mm
F2.8
20MP1"2014

Sony RX10 III Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of pros and cons of the Sony RX10 III based on factors which are often seen as essential in a camera.

amazing zoom range (24-600mm 25.0 x zoom)
builtin Top LCD display
comes with external microphone jack
comes with HDMI support
comes with headphone jack
decently wide (24mm)
environment proofing
exports RAW files
flash built-in
good MP (20MP)
good resolution screen (1,229 thousand dot)
great aperture at full zoom (f4.0)
great battery power (420 CIPA)
great video quality (3840 x 2160 resolution)
has manual focus
image stabilization (Optical)
NFC connectivity
quiet mode (1/32,000 seconds)
screen size is good (3")
screen tilts
sensor size is good (1")
supports face detection focus
supports tracking autofocus
very long zoom (600mm)
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
doesn't have selfie friendly display
missing Timelapse function
more heavy than others (1,051g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.4)
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Sony RX10 III Sensor features

The Sony RX10 III features the Bionz X processor chip. The dimension of the sensor on the Sony RX10 III is 13.2mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 116 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 5472 x 3648 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization since the latter can easily produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 20MP and features a native ISO range of 125 to 12800. The ISO can also be expanded electronically to 64 to 25600. RAW photos are supported which means that the user has more margin for error.

The picture underneath illustrates the RX10 III's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The RX10 III sensor comes with a crop factor of 2.7 and is highlighted in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III sensor size President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony RX10 III dimensions

Sony RX10 III weighs about 2.32 lb (1,051 grams / 37.07 oz) and the overall size of the camera is 133mm x 94mm x 127mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.0"). The weight of general Large Sensor Superzoom camera is 874 grams and the Sony RX10 III is weightier than its competitors.

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Down below is a shot of the Sony RX10 III next to a soft drink to help you have a sense of its size.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III dimensions scale

The top view under will illustrate the button arrangement on the RX10 III.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III topview buttons dials

Sony RX10 III Lens features

The RX10 III features a fixed lens with a focal range of 24-600mm making it a 25.0 x zoom which is significant and will allow you to zoom all the way in.

At it's widest 24mm, it offers an aperture of f2.4 which will be somewhat sluggish and not the best in low light situations and you may find it hard to capture good bokeh. You would also have to boost your ISO setting producing noisy photographs. For the long end, 600mm is fantastic zoom and comes with f4.0 which is fairly good and will let you keep higher shutter speeds.

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Sony RX10 III Connectivity

The RX10 III has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that consist of NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to send photos and at times change settings without connecting directly with the camera.

Many apps also stream a Liveview and press the shutter if you aren't near the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external display. A good number of cameras enable you to recharge the battery with the USB socket.

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Sony RX10 III Video features

The highest video resolution on the Sony RX10 III is 3840 x 2160 and it can save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S format. 2160p is a fantastic resolution for video recording. You can easily downsample to Full HD to get cleaner results. Beware of the huge file sizes and make sure you own good SD cards with good write speed. The camera does include both headphone and microphone jack making it especially useful while recording audio.

Photography Glossary

Sony RX10 III Weather Sealing

Sony RX10 III features environment sealing which makes it a fantastic choice to use for rough locations. This can be particularly helpful in case you are not sure about the elements you might encounter for outdoor photography.

Sony RX10 III Display and Viewfinder

The Sony RX10 III includes a 3 inch tilting display screen with a resolution of 1,229 thousand dots.

Please be aware that the display offers no touch support. The RX10 III also has a builtin Top LCD display so its possible to quickly view your settings.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III screen and viewfinder Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The View Finder specifications regarding Sony RX10 III are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 2,359 thousand dots
  • Coverage 100%
  • Magnification 0.7x

Viewfinders are rather useful for sunny outdoor situations which may make the camera display washed out and difficult to view.

Sony RX10 III Shutter features

Sony RX10 III has the ability to shoot continuously at 14.0 fps. The highest shutter speed is 1/2000s. The camera also includes silent electronic shutter of 1/32000s. Keep in mind that the electronic shutter may result in "rolling shutter" in some situations.

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Sony RX10 III Flash and Hot shoe features

Sony RX10 III includes both built-in flash plus external flash ability.

Sony RX10 III Autofocusing features

Sony RX10 III includes only Contrast Detect AF and is missing Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is more quicker & exact than Contrast Detect focusing. The camera includes Face detect which is helpful for taking photos of people.

The Sensor includes 25 focus points to select from. It also boasts Tracking AF for moving subjects. Sony RX10 III has the ability to use manual focus if required for low light situations or you need more accurate control on focus.

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Sony RX10 III Battery life

The battery power (NP-FW50) on the Sony RX10 III is made to last for 420 photos with respect to the CIPA standards making it higher than average when compared to its class. The typical Large Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 373. Sony RX10 III comes with the highest (420) battery life for this range of cameras.

Here is a collection of Large Sensor Superzoom cameras which have the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10-III front thumbnailSony RX10 III420 yesyesno
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Sony RX10 III for varying types of photography

The following graph gives a summation of the Sony RX10 III for varying types of photography. To see more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.

Sony RX10 III Portrait photography highlights

The Sony RX10 III has a rating of 71 which is above average, and means the camera is a fine pick to use for portrait images. Taking portraits favors greatly towards sensor resolution, support for RAW files and capability to work with off-camera lighting.

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focusing manually
decent MP (20MP)
decent sensor size (1")
provides face detect autofocus
supports RAW formats

Sony RX10 III Street photography information

Getting a nice rating of 64, the Sony RX10 III is a good option to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen tilts
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good sensor size (1")
saves RAW formats
weather proof
more heavy than competitors (1,051 grams)

Sony RX10 III Sports photography features

A very good sports photography rating of 70 indicates the Sony RX10 III is a respectable fit for taking photos of sports. A camera needs to have fantastic tracking and continuous shooting for sports photography.

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great zoom range (24-600mm 25.0 x zoom)
quiet shutter (1/32,000s)
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (20MP)
good sensor size (1")
comes with tracking autofocus
environment sealing
great battery pack (420 CIPA)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus

Sony RX10 III as a Travel photography camera

Portability is really crucial in selecting a camera for travel. All things considered, the Sony RX10 III gets a decent 55 for a travel camera which makes it fairly suited to purchase for your travels.

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great battery power (420 per charge)
environment sealing
decent MP (20MP)
has built in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
great reach (600mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
heavier than average (1,051g)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.4)

Sony RX10 III Landscape photography details

For anyone looking to purchase a camera for landscape pictures, the most vital aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony RX10 III and it's very good grade of 63 as a landscape camera is a good fit compared to it's competition.

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focusing manually
fairly wide (24mm)
good sized screen (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (20 megapixels)
decent sensor size (1")
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
good battery life (420 CIPA)
can't change lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.4)
missing Time Lapse function

Sony RX10 III as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera preferably should have a moving display screen, microphone port and if possible image stabilization. Considering all things, the Sony RX10 III is not really good as a vlog camera as it receives a lousy rating of 28.

Photography Glossary
pretty wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection focus
video resolution high (3840 x 2160 pxls)
does have external mic port
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.4)
screen isn't selfie friendly
heavier than competitors (1,051 grams)

Sony RX10 III Alternatives

If you need replacements to the RX10 III, here is a number of the highest rated cameras which fall into the category of Large Sensor Superzoom.

The diagram followed below gives you a bird's eye view of the RX10 III compared to it's top ranked rivals shown above.

There are a bunch of cameras you might regard as alternate options. To browse through a full comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III
Class
Large Sensor Superzoom
Introduced
2016-03-29
Body design
SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Powered by
Bionz X
Sensor size
1"
Sensor measurements
13.2 x 8.8mm
Sensor surface area
116.2mm²
Sensor resolution
20MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution
5472 x 3648
RAW pictures
Max native ISO
12800
Max boosted ISO
25600
Lowest native ISO
125
Lowest boosted ISO
64
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points
25
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
24-600mm (25.0x)
Max aperture
f/2.4-4.0
Macro focus distance
3cm
Focal length multiplier
2.7
Screen
Display type
Tilting
Display diagonal
3"
Resolution of display
1,229 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,359 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.7x
DXO scores
DXO All around score
70
DXO Color Depth score
23.1
DXO Dynamic range score
12.6
DXO Low light score
472
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30s
Highest shutter speed
1/2000s
Highest quiet shutter speed
1/32000s
Continuous shooting speed
14.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
10.80 m (at Auto ISO)
Flash settings
Auto, fill-flash, slow sync, rear sync, off
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
3840 x 2160 (30p, 25p, 24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p) ,1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
Max video resolution
3840x2160
Video file format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
1051 gr (2.32 lbs)
Physical dimensions
133 x 94 x 127mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.0")
Other
Battery life
420 photographs
Battery format
Battery Pack
Battery model
NP-FW50
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, continuous)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots
1
Retail cost
$1,398