Sony RX10 IV vs RX100 III

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2017 and May 2014. Both the RX10 IV and the RX100 III are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony RX10 IV		Sony RX100 III
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-600mm f/2.4-4.0		24-70mm f/1.8-2.8
20 MP – 1" sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (64 - 25,600)		ISO 100-12,800 (80 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1440k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
24 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
400 shots per battery charge		320 shots per battery charge
133 x 94 x 145 mm, 1095 g		102 x 58 x 41 mm, 290 g

Check RX10 IV price at
amazon.com
Check RX100 III offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony RX10 IV and the Sony RX100 III. 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX100 III is considerably smaller (53 percent) than the Sony RX10 IV. Moreover, the RX100 III is substantially lighter (74 percent) than the RX10 IV. It is worth mentioning in this context that the RX10 IV is splash and dust resistant, while the RX100 III does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

Concerning battery life, the RX10 IV gets 400 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the RX100 III can take 320 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 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 would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 RX10 IV	133 mm	94 mm	145 mm	1095 g	400	Y	Sep 2017	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic FZ2500	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
7.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
8.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VII	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	302 g	260	n	Jul 2019	US$ 1 199	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The RX100 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 53 percent) than the RX10 IV, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an one-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the RX10 IV and the RX100 III have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the RX10 IV is much more recent (by 3 years and 3 months) than the RX100 III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The RX10 IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 64-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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 RX10 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	408	63
2.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
4.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
6.		Panasonic FZ2500	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
7.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
8.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
9.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
10.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
11.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70
12.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
13.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
14.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
15.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
16.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
17.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the RX10 IV provides a higher video resolution than the RX100 III. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the RX100 III is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the RX10 IV offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the RX100 III (2359k vs 1440k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony RX10 IV and Sony RX100 III 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 RX10 IV	2359	Y	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
6.		Panasonic FZ2500	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
8.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
9.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 VII	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	Y	1/2000s	90.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the RX10 IV, but is missing on the RX100 III is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 RX10 IV 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).

Both the RX10 IV and the RX100 III have zoom lenses built in. The RX10 IV has a 24-600mm f/2.4-4.0 optic and the RX100 III offers a 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the RX10 IV and RX100 III provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the RX100 III has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX100 III offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the RX10 IV and the RX100 III write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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-RX10 IV and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III 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 RX10 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Panasonic FZ2500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 VII	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the RX10 IV has a hotshoe, while the RX100 III does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The RX10 IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the RX100 III has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the RX100 III was succeeded by the Sony RX100 IV. Further information on the features and operation of the RX10 IV and RX100 III can be found, respectively, in the Sony RX10 IV Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX100 III Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony RX10 IV or the Sony RX100 III – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k vs 1440k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.59x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1229k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (24 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (400 versus 320) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 3 months of technical progress since the RX100 III launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III:

• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/2.4).
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 133x94mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 805g or 74 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (53 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in May 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the RX10 IV is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 6 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 RX10 IV and the Sony RX100 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the RX10 IV or the RX100 III perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 RX10 IV	5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2017	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic FZ2500	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
7.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
8.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 VII	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	5/5	Jul 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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