Sony RX1 vs ZV-E10 II

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 and the Sony ZV-E10 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2012 and July 2024. The RX1 is a fixed lens compact, while the ZV-E10 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a full frame (RX1) and an APS-C (ZV-E10 II) sensor. The RX1 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the ZV-E10 II provides 25.6 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony RX1		Sony ZV-E10 II
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
35mm f/2.0		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Viewfinder optional		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1229k dots		3.0" LCD – 1036k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
270 shots per battery charge		610 shots per battery charge
113 x 65 x 70 mm, 482 g		115 x 68 x 54 mm, 377 g

Check RX1 offers at
ebay.com
Check ZV-E10 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 and the Sony ZV-E10 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony RX1 and the Sony ZV-E10 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The ZV-E10 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the RX1 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony ZV-E10 II is notably larger (6 percent) than the Sony RX1. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the RX1 nor the ZV-E10 II are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX1 has a lens built in, whereas the ZV-E10 II is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the ZV-E10 II and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the RX1 gets 270 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 battery, while the ZV-E10 II can take 610 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	115 mm	68 mm	54 mm	377 g	610	n	Jul 2024	US$ 999	amazon.com
3.		Leica X Vario	133 mm	73 mm	95 mm	680 g	450	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 849	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
7.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony RX1 features a full frame sensor and the Sony ZV-E10 II an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the ZV-E10 II is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the ZV-E10 II uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ XR) than the RX1 (BIONZ X), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the ZV-E10 II offers a slightly higher resolution of 25.6 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the RX1. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 5.96μm for the RX1). However, it should be noted that the ZV-E10 II is much more recent (by 11 years and 9 months) than the RX1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The ZV-E10 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony ZV-E10 II are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the RX1 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the ZV-E10 II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2429	86
3.		Leica X Vario	APS-C	16.1	4928	3272	1080/30p	23.4	12.7	1320	78
4.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
5.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
6.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
7.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
8.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
9.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
10.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
11.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
12.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
13.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
14.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
15.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
16.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the ZV-E10 II provides a better video resolution than the RX1. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the RX1 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The RX1 and the ZV-E10 II are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the RX1 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-EV1MK. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony RX1 and Sony ZV-E10 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	none	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Leica X Vario	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
7.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
8.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
10.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The RX1 has one, while the ZV-E10 II does not. While the built-in flash of the RX1 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the ZV-E10 II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the RX1 and the ZV-E10 II write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The ZV-E10 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the RX1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 and Sony ZV-E10 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Leica X Vario	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the ZV-E10 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the RX1 does not provide wifi capability.

The ZV-E10 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the RX1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the RX1 was succeeded by the Sony RX1R. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Sony website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Sony RX1 better than the Sony ZV-E10 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1:

• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 1036k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the ZV-E10 II requires a separate lens.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

Reasons to prefer the Sony ZV-E10 II:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ XR vs BIONZ X).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (610 versus 270) out of a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 9 months of technical progress since the RX1 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZV-E10 II is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony RX1 and the Sony ZV-E10 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the RX1 or the ZV-E10 II perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 999	amazon.com
3.		Leica X Vario	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 849	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
7.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
8.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
16.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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