Sony RX100 IV Review

Over the past few years, the Sony RX100 series of compact cameras has garnered praise from both industry experts and average consumers. These cameras have found favor as a model that can be easily tucked into a pocket or purse when the user does not wish to carry a DSLR or CSC around at all times.

The RX100 IV (also known as the DSCRX100M4 by specific dealers) has been superseded by the RX100 V and the RX100 VI since this article was initially published. The newest camera is, in many respects, identical to the RX100 V; nevertheless, it boasts even more impressive performance, including a more sophisticated autofocus mechanism and the ability to shoot at a rate of 24 frames per second. Despite this, the RX100 IV is an excellent camera that captures stunning photos, records fluid 4K video, and has exceptional overall performance.

It is now the fourth generation of this popular compact camera, and rumors have been circulating about the Mark IV being the compact that will outperform every other agreement that has ever been manufactured. Of course, this is an audacious claim, but one that is supported by some pretty impressive specifications.

Sony RX100 IV Build Quality

The design of the RX100 series has not seen much change in the past from Sony, and the same can be said for this iteration of the camera: the only discernible difference between the Mark IV and the Mark III is the marks that are located on the top plate.

The RX100 IV is a satisfyingly compact camera considering the (relatively massive size of its sensor), and it is small enough to fit snugly within a jacket pocket or a cargo pocket. It also has a tilting touchscreen to control the camera remotely.

To turn the camera on, you may either use the on/off button on the top of the device or the switch on the side to release the pop-up viewfinder.

After pushing the viewfinder up from its housing, you must pull it back to activate it. This is the same technique as is used with the Mark III. It would be convenient if this were an automated procedure you might anticipate seeing in a camera that costs as much as this one.

Sony RX100 IV Viewfinder

Setting up the Wi-Fi capabilities is a short process, and once you’ve typed the password into your smartphone, it’s even quicker. Additionally, if you have an NFC-enabled device, all you have to do to couple the camera and gadget are touch them together.

Using the Smart Remote app on your smartphone, you can take control of the camera from a distance. This software allows you to change various settings, including ISO, aperture, exposure compensation, focus point, and zoom.

Sony RX100 IV Performance

The Mark IV delivers an outstanding performance par with earlier RX100 cameras. JPEGs taken directly from a camera provide bright and vivid images with colors that are accurate to life and have the ideal degree of saturation for most topics.

If you want to experiment with alternative styles, you may pick from various Creative Styles, such as Vivid, Landscape, and Portrait; nevertheless, the Standard setting gives results that are entirely acceptable in most scenarios.

Images captured at the lower sensitivity levels of ISO 100-400 reveal a great deal of fine detail in their subject matter. Photos viewed at typical print and web sizes keep an impressive level of detail up to ISO 6400; quality isn’t quite as good at ISO 12800, but it’s still possible to make a decent-looking A3 print. Fact starts to be lost gradually as you move up the sensitivity range when looking at the images at 100%, but this does not occur when looking at the pictures at typical print and web sizes.

There is no apparent banding in photographs shot at higher sensitivities beginning at about ISO 6400; nonetheless, chroma noise, often known as colored speckling, is visible when equivalent raw image files are compared with JPEGs, even though there is no noise reduction performed to the primary image files.

You may use custom noise reduction to eliminate the speckling while keeping a bit more detail than the JPEG shows, provided that you are okay with keeping some noise in the image. This is provided, of course, that you are willing to keep some noise.

Sony RX100 IV Image Quality

As has been customary for the RX100 series, Sony has developed a product capable of creating some breathtaking photographs, and it is not an exaggeration to assert that the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV is the most competent model to date.

JPEG photographs have a gratifying level of punch and vibrance, and the ability to utilize a variety of Creative Styles provides you with decent alternatives for photographing different scenes.

You can acquire useable photographs up to an ISO setting of 6400, and the detail is faithfully reproduced over the whole sensitivity range. If you don’t mind a little bit of noise in your photographs, you may even argue that ISO 12800 is outstanding, which is a valid statement.

The automatic white balancing function works well in various lighting settings, including those created by artificial light sources. As is customary, a wide range of additional settings for a more precise white balance is offered if you want them.

Leaving the camera set to multi-purpose metering will often provide decent exposures, and scenes with a lot of contrast do not easily trick the RX100 IV.

You may also use the DRO Optimiser to assist in balancing out photographs; however, you should exercise caution when using it at its maximum (Level 5) level because it tends to make images with an HDR-like appearance.

The high-definition video recording in either 4K or 1080p produces images of good quality, while the ability to experiment with slow-motion video is entertaining. However, it is essential to note that if you use the option for 1000 frames per second, the video quality will suffer, and you won’t be able to play it back at a big scale.

Sony RX100 IV Specs

Body type	Compact
Body material	Aluminum
Sensor
Max resolution	5472 x 3648
Other resolutions	3:2 (3888 x 2592, 2736 x 1824), 4:3 (4864 x 3648, 3648 x 2736, 2592 x 1944), 16:9 (5472 x 3080, 3648 x 2056, 2720 x 1528), 1:1 (3648 x 3648, 2544 x 2544, 1920 x 1920)
Image ratio w h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	20 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	21 megapixels
Sensor size	1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)
Sensor type	Stacked CMOS
Processor	Bionz X
Color space	sRGB, AdobeRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 125-12800
Boosted ISO (minimum)	80
Boosted ISO (maximum)	25600
White balance presets	9
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Optical
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Extra fine, fine, standard
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3, DCF v2.0)Raw (Sony ARW v2.3)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.)	24–70 mm
Optical zoom	2.9×
Maximum aperture	F1.8–2.8
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive View.
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	Yes (3.8x)
Manual focus	Yes
Normal focus range	5 cm (1.97″)
Macro focus range	5 cm (1.97″)
Number of focus points	25
Screen/viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,228,800
Touch screen	No
Screen type	WhiteMagic TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	0.59×
Viewfinder resolution	2,359,296
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/2000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/32000 sec
Exposure modes	AutoProgram AutoAperture PriorityShutter PriorityManual Exposure
Scene modes	PortraitSports ActionMacroLandscapeSunsetNight SceneHandheld TwilightNight PortraitAnti Motion BlurPet ModeGourmetFireworksHigh Sensitivity
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash Range	10.20 m (at Auto ISO)
External flash	No
Drive modes	SingleContinuousSpeed priority continuous self-timer (single, continuous)Single/continuous bracketingWB bracketingDRO bracketing
Continuous drive	16.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±3 (3 frames )
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Resolutions	3840 x 2160 (30p, 25p, 24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p/60i/24p), 1280 x 720 (60p/30p/24p/120p), 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Format	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI with uncompressed 4K/30p output)
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n with NFC
Remote control	Yes (wired or via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	NP-BX1 lithium-ion battery & USB charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	280
Weight (inc. batteries)	298 g (0.66 lb / 10.51 oz)
Dimensions	102 x 58 x 41 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.61″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	No
GPS	None

Sony RX100 IV Verdict

The image quality produced by the RX100 IV is outstanding, and arguably, it is the finest that can currently be obtained from a camera of this size—that which is not trivial. The price, on the other hand, is a significant deterrent. Unless it is significantly reduced, it seems unlikely that many amateur photographers will be eager to spend their money on the camera.

Even though Sony has made some noteworthy advancements in picture quality and operating speeds, there are still enough flaws to make this a less-than-perfect compact, particularly in light of its offered price.

However, deploying it is still a little fiddly; it would be great if Sony could devise a way to automate this process. Nevertheless, the collapsible EVF is excellent, and increasing the resolution has made it even better to use than on the Mark III.

Sony RX100 IV FAQs