Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV Review | Photography Blog - Chuyên Trang Chia Sẻ Kiến Thức Thời Trang Mới Nhất

Introduction

Let’s get straight to it. The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV is a bridge camera (super-zoom) in a league of its own. These all-in-one cameras are designed to cover just about every eventuality and we have not come across one before that does the job so effectively.

The camera pairs a 20.1MP, 1in sensor (which is very large for a bridge camera) with a 24-600mm f/2.4-4 lens. The versatile lens impresses us greatly. It has a decent minimum close focusing and the most useable telephoto settings in a bridge camera so far, thanks to its fast aperture, improved autofocusing and built-in image stabilisation.

You get a class leading 24fps high-speed shooting mode with full time AF, and the burst lasts for up to 10 seconds. No other DSLR, mirrorless or bridge camera matches that performance.

The RX10 IV shines in the video department too. You get slow motion videos at up to 1000fps, 4k videos with no pixel binning, plus microphone and headphone ports.

Wide angle landscapes. Macro. Long-telephoto wildlife. High-speed action. Filmmaking. There is very little that the RX10 IV cannot do.

Naturally, the RX10 IV sets you back a fair whack. We never thought we’d see the day that a bridge camera retails at £1,800. Other RX10 models aside, that price is more than 3x the nearest competition. But, as we say, the RX10 IV is no ordinary bridge camera. Let’s take a closer look.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV retails for £1799 / $1699.

Ease of Use

As the name suggests, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV is the fourth model in the RX10 series. For us, there have been marked improvements each time. This time around the overhaul has happened on the inside with faster processor and improved autofocus among other things. We’ll touch more on this later.

Where the RX10 III and RX10 IV are similar is on the outside. The cameras appear nigh on identical, being the same size and dimensions and featuring exactly the same lens.

Bridge cameras tend to be just like mini-DSLRs, like the Canon EOS 200D. However, the RX10 IV is one chunky exception – the extra bulk is needed to host the large sensor and fast aperture superzoom lens.

Weight and size-wise, we’d compare it more to a mid-size DSLR with compact 18-55mm lens attached. However, the RX10 IV is much more compact than a DSLR with comparable lens attached, such as the Tamron 18-400mm superzoom.

Front of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV does sit really well in the hand thanks to its large grip, while its signature faux-leather finish looks great. Its weather-sealed body is evidently high-end.

DSLR users will be right at home with the RX10 IV. The only really difference design wise is that the viewfinder and built-in flash sit flush in the body, making the RX10 IV shorter than a DSLR.

Most camera controls are at your fingertips. An exposure compensation dial commands prime spot next to your thumb, as does a rear control dial whose tiny form is consequently a little fiddly to rotate.

You get a top LCD plate which displays the key camera settings and can be illuminated for clear viewing in dim conditions.

Rear of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV

A primary concern in a superzoom camera is how well the zoom function of the lens works. In the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV you get two choices; the zoom switch on the camera body and the lens zoom ring itself. The two zooms operate at different speeds, yet both provide a wonderfully smooth and dampened zoom with no jumping. Further precision is added for smooth video zooming.

What has impressed us the most in the RX10 IV is just how useable the 600mm telephoto setting is. Most bridge cameras struggle at their telephoto settings. Yet here, the fast f/4 aperture, superb autofocus system and built-in optical image stabilisation ensure it’s possible to get sharp shots, even in low light. It’s mightily impressive.

Aperture is changed via the lens. The maximum f/2.4 value at 24mm decreases to f/4 when you hit 100mm, which is then maintained all the way to 600mm. Aperture values are changed by clicked 1/3EV values, though the ring can be set to click-less operation via a switch under the barrel.

We would like to have an ND filter built-in, which would make those wide apertures much more useable in bright light when shooting videos. The alternative is to buy a threaded ND filter, which attaches to the lens via the 72mm thread.

Top of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV

Mechanical shutter speed is limited to a maximum 1/2000sec. However, use the silent electronic shutter – which is ideal when you want to remain discreet – and the maximum speed is 1/32,000sec.

Image viewing wise, there is the through-the-eye electronic viewfinder with 2.359-million-dot resolution and a 3.0in LCD touchscreen with 1.44-million-dot resolution. If you’re anything like us, chances are you’ll use the viewfinder more often, especially when using the telephoto settings.

That’s not to discredit the LCD screen, which can be pulled away from the camera and then tilted up and down for low and high viewing, clear of the viewfinder eye cup.

There are other touchscreens out there that offer more touch control, but this screen has some useful features. Touch focus works well and we particularly like the Touch Pad AF, where you can select the focus point by a dragged touch, all while viewing the scene using the viewfinder.

Tilting LCD Screen

We need to spend a bit of time considering the overhauled autofocus system. It’s an on-chip (part of the stacked CMOS sensor) 315-point phase detection system that covers 65% of the frame.

You get face detection AF and more specifically Eye AF, with which you’ll get the eyes of your subject sharp in most scenarios.

Tracking AF works a treat especially in good contrast light. The Tracking AF points are tightly clustered around detected subjects. When in action during a sequence, they are displayed in green and continually track the subject, which is highly satisfying.

Sony claims the RX10 IV has the fastest AF in the world, being able to acquire a sharp focus in as little as 0.03sec. We can’t attest to these numbers from our testing, but certainly in high contrast light AF is essentially instant.

With great strides in AF here, we think the AF joystick as found in the Sony a9 and a7R III would be a great addition next time around.

Side of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV

AF is a little more limited in video recording mode. Also, the smooth focus transition at times almost goes a little too far the other way, shifting focus from one extreme to the other at pedestrian pace.

The impressive AF speed is backed up with Sony’s latest Bionz X processor which will shoot up to 24fps for around 10 seconds. No other camera can match this performance. Crucially, those images are processed pretty quickly too – you won’t have to hang around long before the camera is ready to go again.

Where we did experience lags is in the High Frame Rate (HFR) mode, where 250, 500 and 1000fps video sequences can be created. Of course the longest lag is after shooting a 1000fps sequence, where processing takes at least 30 seconds.

Otherwise, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV backs up those impressive headline features with a solid performance.

Sony’s in-camera menu system is complex. If you haven’t customised one of the buttons on the camera for the desired function, chances are you’ll be sifting through the menus for longer than you’d like to find said function. However, through My Menu it is possible to custom create a menu of your frequently used settings.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 20 megapixel
JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around
5Mb.

Sony’s RX10 series raised the bar in bridge cameras by including a 1-inch sensor, which is much larger than the 1.2/3in sensors used in other bridge cameras. Only Panasonic has followed suit, with its current model being the FZ2000.

The stacked 20.1MP 1in CMOS sensor in the RX10 IV is the same one as used in the Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 V. A larger sensor should make for better image quality, especially in low light. You should also get greater control over depth of field.

Really though it’s the 24-600mm f/2.4-4 lens that works the magic. It includes 18 elements in 13 groups, with 6 aspherical elements. The result is a camera that is extremely capable of making images with very sharp detail from centre to corner, at any setting of the 24-600mm zoom range. It’s quite remarkable for a camera like this.

For the sharpest results, we advise using the f/4 and f/5.6 apertures. Detail begins to soften at f/8 because of diffraction and we certainly would not use f/16.

We really feel the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV comes into its own when shooting at f/4 in the telephoto settings. It’s possible to get the sort of sharp images with blurred background that you would expect from a larger format DSLR or mirrorless camera.

The performance cannot of course match larger format cameras when shooting in low contrast light, but when the light is good the image quality is wonderful. That said, the fast f/4 aperture at 600mm lets in a lot of light, which is crucial when shooting in low contrast light.

Wildlife and sports photographers will be pleasantly surprised by the image quality when zoomed in, especially when this sort of image quality is backed up with those high-speed shooting rates of 24fps.

For maximum quality videos, what the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV does is condense 1.7x the necessary data for 4k, with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. The result is 4k videos at 100Mbps that look really sharp.

Noise

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV has an ISO 100-12,800 sensitivity range that can be extended down to ISO 64 and up to ISO 25,600 in the Multi Frame NR mode.

For sure, the cleanest looking images are at ISO 100. It is possible to make images with wonderful clarity from the centre of the frame all the way to the edges. There is softening in the corners, but truly it’s only slight at most.

With every step up the ISO range, there is a little more noise. When viewing images at 100%, you can see a small difference even between ISO 100 and ISO 200 and so on. However, images up to ISO 800 look clean and ISO 1600 is still very good.

Once above ISO 1600, the levels of noise jumps in greater amounts with each step all the way to ISO 12,800. That said, if you view images at 25% – which is typically the size they fit a monitor – detail is good even at these higher ISO settings.

It’s in the dynamic range where the more significant loss in detail occurs as ISO is increased. Brighten the same two images taken at ISO 100 and ISO 12,800 and the details in shadow areas show stark contrast.

At ISO 100, detail in shadow areas brightened up to 4EV still looks quite clean and noise free. However, brighten the same image at ISO 12,800 and a lot of the detail is not there at all. Whatever detail is there is very noisy and therefore smudged.

All in all, this is an excellent performance for a bridge camera.

JPEG
Raw

Focal Range

As far as bridge cameras go, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV has a moderate 24-600mm zoom range. That’s a 25x optical zoom which can be digitally extended. The current class-leading bridge camera has an optical zoom that reaches to 2000mm.

The real question though is just how far do you need to zoom in. We think 24-600mm covers the overwhelming majority of photography scenarios. Frankly, the performance of most bridge cameras that exceed 600mm leaves a little to be desired when pushed to their limits.

Ultimately, it is better to have a more useable telephoto setting, which is the case with the RX10 IV.

Lens Distortions

During our test we had all lens corrections switched off and shot in raw & JPEG format in order to truly see what lens distortions exist.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV’s control over fringing (Chromatic Aberrations) is respectable. We have found fringing in some high contrast detail, more so in the corners of wide-angle images. But the amount of fringing is nothing that cannot be corrected quite easily post capture.

We have been particularly impressed with the RX10 IV’s control over barrel and pincushion distortion. We expected much harder barrel distortion at 24mm, but it is largely absent. Likewise, at the telephoto settings where one might expect pincushion distortion, it’s hard to see.

As for light fall-off (vignetting), again the RX10 IV performs well. The most severe vignetting is when the lens is set to a mid-zoom and f/4, where there is a very gradual light fall off which begins from virtually the centre of the frame.

At the widest focal length, vignetting at f/4 is harder and more pronounced, but over a much smaller area in the very corners. All in all, vignetting is well controlled.

We have been very impressed when considering the RX10 IV’s control over fringing, vignetting and lens distortion.

Macro

With a larger sensor than other bridge cameras the macro capability of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV is not as good, but the minimum focus distance is still as little as 3cm from the front of the lens.

Taking a picture of the compact flash card to illustrate the macro setting was tricky because the lens gets close enough so as to block out most available light!

Night

With a larger sensor, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV performs better in low light than other bridge cameras (though we haven’t directly compared it to the Panasonic FZ2000).

Built-in optical image stabilisation enables slower shutter speeds of up to 4.5EV when shooting handheld and you should still get sharp shots. Slow shutter speeds equals more light intake equals better image quality.

With the camera mounted to a tripod, it is possible to shoot at shutter speeds as slow as 30 seconds or in bulb mode.

Optical Image Stabilisation

Worth its own section in this review, the Optical SteadyShot used in the RX10 IV provides what Sony claims is up to 4.5EV of effective stabilisation.

What you should be able to do is shoot handheld with shutter speeds as slow as 1/2 second when using the 24mm setting and still get sharp detail. By the same calculation at 600mm a shutter speed of 1/60sec should suffice.

We have taken images across the entire focal range during our test and these claims are true part of the time. Yes we have been able to get sharp images at 24mm and 1/2 second. We also have blurry images with these settings too. At 1/4sec, the hit ratio is much higher.

At 600mm, auto ISO selects a shutter speed of 1/250sec, with which sharp results come 100% of the time.

Scene Modes/ Picture Effect, HDR, Shooting modes

As is standard, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV includes a number of scene modes for those that want the camera to take complete control. There is also the usual Creative Style options to alter the colour rendition and vibrancy of images.

What is more noteworthy is the full menu of Picture Profiles, with nine presets that includes S-Log profiles. You also get the dynamic range optimiser and an auto HDR mode.

As for shooting modes, we were a little surprised that there is no time-lapse video mode, while intervalometer is also absent. You do however get sweep panorama.

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV camera, which were all taken using the 20 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We’ve provided some Sony RAW (ARW) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840×2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 34 second movie is 416Mb in size.

Download the sample movie

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840×2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 36 second movie is 432Mb in size.

Download the sample movie

Product Images

Conclusion

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV is in a league of its own. No other bridge camera handles and performs so well.

In this class, image quality is excellent. Detail at f/4 and f/5.6 is sharp from centre to corner across the majority of the zoom range. The RX10 IV really shines in its telephoto settings, where it is possible to make images at 600mm and f/4 with a lovely blurred background. Use shutter speeds as slow as 1/250sec and OIS ensures you’ll still get sharp results every time (unless the subject is a fast mover).

With those factors considered, the RX10 IV matches larger sensor DSLRs in this area. This is all backed up by an unmatched 24fps high-speed mode. We really can see wildlife photographers being very happy with the results, all from what is a comparatively small package.

Understandably you pay for the pleasure – this is more than 3x the price of other brand rivals and a mark up from its predecessor too. Yet, the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV could be all the camera you ever need.

Ratings (out of 5)

Design
4.5

Features
5

Ease-of-use
5

Image quality
4.5

Value for money
3.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV.

Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ82 super-zoom camera (also known as the DMC-FZ80) features a massive 60x zoom lens with a focal range of 20-1200mm. Other highlights of the FZ82 / FZ80 include a 3 inch LCD touchscreen, 4K movies, 10fps burst shooting, P/A/S/M modes, RAW support, a flash hotshoe and an 18.1 megapixel MOS sensor. Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ82 review now…

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 is a flagship super-zoom compact camera, offering a large 1-inch image sensor with 20 megapixels, 4K video recording, and a 20x zoom lens with a 26-480mm focal range. Priced at £1099.99 / $1199.99, read our expert Panasonic FZ2000 review to find out if this is the ultimate do-it-all camera…

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV from around the web.

trustedreviews.com »

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV is a premium all-in-one bridge camera with a 20-megapixel 1-inch sensor and a long-range 24-600mm equivalent zoom. Styled like a small DSLR, it costs £1799.

Read the full review »

techradar.com »

The Cyber-shot RX10 IV is Sony’s latest high-end bridge camera, aimed at the enthusiast who wants an advanced all-in-one camera that doesn’t compromise on performance.

Read the full review »

Specifications

Sensor

Sensor Type: 1.0-type (13.2mm x 8.8mm) Exmor RS CMOS sensor, aspect ratio 3:2
Number of Pixels (Effective): Approx. 20.1 Megapixels

Number of Pixels (total): Approx. 21.0 Megapixels

Lens

Lens type: ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* Lens, 18 elements in 13 groups (6 aspheric elements including AA lens)
F-number (Maximum Aperture): F2.4(W)-4.0(T)
ND Filter: –
Focal length (f=): f=8.8-220mm;Still Image3:2 f=24-600mm;Still Image4:3 f=27-650mm;Still Image16:9 f=26-630mm;Still Image1:1 f=31-760mm
Focus Range (From the Front of the Lens): AF (W: Approx. 3cm (0.10 ft.) to infinity, T: Approx.72cm (2.36 ft.) to infinity, f=250mm (35mm format equivalent): Approx. 140cm (4.59ft.) to infinity),
Focus range from the image sensor: AF (W: Approx. 18cm (0.59 ft.) to infinity, T: Approx. 92cm (3.02 ft.) to infinity, f=250mm (35mm format equivalent): Approx. 157cm (5.16ft.) to infinity)
Optical Zoom: 25x(Optical Zoom during movie recording)

Clear Image Zoom (Still Image): 20M Approx. 50x / 10M Approx. 70x / 5M Approx. 100x / VGA Approx. 380x
Clear Image Zoom (Movie): 4K: Approx. 37.5x;HD: Approx. 50x
Digital Zoom (Still Image): 20M Approx.100x / 10M Approx.140x / 5M Approx.200x / VGA Approx.380x
Digital Zoom (Movie): Digital Zoom Approx.100x
Filter Diameter: 72mm

Screen

Screen Type: 7.5cm(3.0type)(4:3) / 1,440,000 dots / Xtra Fine / TFT LCD
Adjustable Angle: Up by approx. 109degrees, down by approx. 41degrees
Display Panel (On Top): Yes

Display Selector (Finder/Lcd): Auto/EVF(Manual)/Monitor(Manual)
MF Assist Magnification: 5.3x,10.7x

Viewfinder

Screen Type/Number of Dots: 0.39-type electronic viewfinder(XGA OLED), 2,359,296dots
Field Coverage: 100%
Magnification: Approx. 0.70x with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m
style name=”sup”
-1
/style
(diopter) (35mm equiv.)

Eye Point: Approx.23mm from the eyepiece, 21.5mm from the eyepiece frame at -1m
style name=”sup”
-1
/style
(diopter) (CIPA standard)
Dioptre Adjustment: -4.0 to +3.0m
style name=”sup”
-1
/style
Brightness Control: Manual(5 steps) / Sunny Weather

Camera

Image Processing Engine: Yes (BIONZ X)
Steadyshot: Optical;Yes (Intelligent Active Mode, Optical type with electronic compensation, Anti Rolling type)
Focus Mode: Single-shot AF;Automatic AF;Continuous AF;DMF;Manual Focus
Focus Area: Wide (315 points (phase-detection AF), 25 points(contrast-detection AF));Center;Flexible Spot (S/M/L);Expanded Flexible Spot;Lock on AF(Wide/Center/Flexible Spot(S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot)
LOCK ON AF: Yes
Light Metering Mode: Multi Pattern;Center Weighted;Spot(Standard/Large);Entire Screen Avg;Highlight
Exposure Compensation: +/- 3.0EV, 1/3EV step
ISO Sensitivity (Still Image)(Recommended Exposure Index): Auto(ISO100-12800, selectable with upper / lower limit),100/125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/1600/2000/2500/3200/4000/5000/6400/8000/10000/12800 (Extendable to ISO64/80),Multi-Frame NR:Auto(ISO100-12800),100/ 200/400/800/1600/3200/6400/12800/25600
ISO Sensitivity (Movie): Auto:(ISO100Level-ISO12800Level, selectable with upper / lower limit), 100/125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/1600/2000/2500/3200/4000/5000/6400/8000/10000/12800
Minimum Illumination (Movie): Auto:2.4lux(Shutter Speed 1/30″)
White Balance Modes: Auto;Daylight;Shade;Cloudy;Incandescent;Fluor.: Warm White;Fluor.: Cool White;Fluor.: Day White;Fluor.: Daylight;Flash;C.Temp./Filter;Custom
WB Micro Adjustment: Yes
G7 to M7,57-step
A7 to B7,29-step
Shutter Speed: iAuto(4″-1/2000*) / Program Auto(30″-1/2000*) / Manual Exposure(Bulb, 30″-1/2000*) / Aperture Priority(30″-1/2000*) / Shutter Priority(30″-1/2000*);*At F8 or greater aperture value. Fastest limit at F2.4 is 1/1000.
Electronic Shutter: iAuto(4″-1/32000) / Program Auto(30″-1/32000.) / Manual Exposure(30″-1/32000.) / Aperture Priority(30″-1/32000) / Shutter Priority(30″-1/32000)
Aperture: iAuto(F2.4/F11) / Program Auto(F2.4/F16) / Manual(F2.4/F16) / Shutter Priority(F2.4/F11) / Aperture Priority(F2.4/F16)

Image Control: Contrast;Saturation;Sharpness;Creative Style;Color Space(sRGB / Adobe RGB);Quality(RAW / RAW&JPEG / Extra fine / Fine / Standard)
Noise Reduction: Long exposure NR:On/Off, available of shutter speeds longer than 1/3 sec.;High ISO NR:Normal/Low/Off;Multi Frame NR: Auto, ISO100-25600
Dynamic Range Functions: Off, Dynamic Range Optimizer (Auto/Level 1-5), Auto High Dynamic Range(Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure difference Level (1.0-6.0EV, 1.0EV step))
Shooting Mode: AUTO(Intelligent Auto/Superior Auto);Program Auto;Aperture Priority;Shutter Speed Priority;Manual Exposure;MR(Memory Recall) [body 3 sets / memory card 4 sets];Movie Mode(Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual Exposure);HFR Mode(Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual Exposure);Panorama;Scene Selection
Scene Selection: Portrait;Sports Action;Macro;Landscape;Sunset;Night Scene;Handheld Twilight;Night Portrait;Anti Motion Blur
Continuous Shooting Speed (maximum) (with max. recording pixels): Continuous Shooting Hi: approx. 24 fps, Continuous Shooting Mid: approx. 10 fps, Continuous Shooting Low: approx. 3.5 fps
Self-Timer: 10sec. / 5sec. / 2sec. / 3 or 5 consecutive shots with 10sec. 5sec. or 2sec. delay selectable / Bracketing shots with 10sec. 5sec. or 2sec. delay selectable
Drive Modes: Single;Continuous shooting(Hi/Mid/Lo);Self-timer;Self-timer(cont.);Cont.-bracketing ;Single-bracketing ;White balance bracketing ;DRO bracketing
Panorama (Shooting): Sweep Panorama
Picture Effect: Still Image:Toy camera;Pop Color;Posterization;Retro Photo;Soft High-key;Partial Color;High Contrast Mono.;Soft Focus;HDR Painting;Richtone Monochrome;Miniature;Watercolor;Illustration;Movie:Toy camera;Pop Color;Posterization;Retro Photo;Soft High-key;Partial Color;High Contrast Mono.
Creative Style: Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn Leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box
Picture Profile: off/PP1-PP9(Black Level, Gamma(Movie, Still, Cine1-2, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-Log3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset)
Focus Type: Fast Hybrid AF(phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF)
Number of Recognised Scenes: Still Image:Superior Auto: 44 / iAuto: 33;44

Flash

Flash Mode: Built-in, manual pop-up
Flash Type: Auto / Flash On / Slow Synchro / Rear Sync. / Flash Off /;Wireless(with optional compatible flash)
AF Illuminator: Auto / Off

Bracketing: Yes
External Flash Mode: Sony α System Flash compatible with Multi Interface Shoe, attach the optional shoe adaptor for flash compatible with Auto-lock accessory shoe
Flash Range: ISO Auto: Approx.1.0m to 10.8m (3.28 ft. to 35.43 ft.) (W) / Approx. 1.0m to 6.5m (3.28 ft. to 21.33 ft.) (T), ISO12800: up to Approx. 20.8m (68.24 ft.) (W) / Approx. 12.8m (41.99 ft.) (T)

Recording

Compatible Recording Media: Memory Stick Duo ;Memory Stick PRO Duo ;Memory Stick PRO Duo(High Speed) ;Memory Stick PROHG Duo ;Memory Stick Micro ;Memory Stick Micro (Mark2) ;SD Memory Card ;SDHC Memory Card(UHS-I) ;SDXC Memory Card(UHS-I) ;microSD Memory Card ;microSDHC Memory Card ;microSDXC Memory Card
Recording Format: Still Image:JPEG(DCF Ver.2.0,Exif Ver.2.31,MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format);XAVC S;AVCHD format Ver.2.0 compatible
Recording Format (Movie Audio): XAVC S:LPCM 2ch;AVCHD:Dolby Digital(AC-3) 2ch(Dolby Digital Stereo Creator)
Colour Space (Still): sRGB, Adobe RGB
DCF/DPOF: DCF/DPOF/EXIF/MPF

Still Image Number of recorded pixels (Image Size): Still Image:3:2mode:20M(5,472×3,648) / 10M(3,888×2,592) / 5M(2,736×1,824),4:3mode:18M(4,864×3,648) / 10M(3,648×2,736) / 5M(2,592×1,944) / VGA,16:9mode:17M(5,472×3,080) / 7.5M(3,648×2,056) / 4.2M(2,720×1,528),1:1mode:13M(3,648×3,648) / 6.5M(2,544×2,544) / 3.7M(1,920×1;16:9mode:17M(5,472×3,080) / 7.5M(3,648×2,056) / 4.2M(2,720×1,528)
HFR: Recording
NTSC/PAL Selector: [PAL] mode
XAVC S HD:50p 50M(1,920×1,080/250fps), 50p 50M(1,920×1,080/500fps), 50p 50M(1,920×1,080/1000fps) / 25p 50M(1,920×1,080/250fps), 25p 50M(1,920×1,080/500fps), 25p 50M(1,920×1,080/1000fps), NTSC/PAL Selector: [NTSC] mode
XAVC S HD:60p 50M(1,920×1,080/240fps), 60p 50M(1,920×1,080/480fps), 60p 50M(1,920×1,080/960fps) / 30p 50M(1,920×1,080/240fps), 30p 50M(1,920×1,080/480fps), 30p 50M(1,920×1,080/960fps) / 24p 50M(1,920×1,080/240fps), 24p 50M(1,920×1,080/480fps), 24p 50M(1,920×1,080/960fps)
Sensor Readout
Number of effective pixels
Quality Priority:240fps/250fps(1,824×1,026),480fps/500fps(1,824×616),960fps/1000fps(1,244×420)/Shoot Time Priority:240fps/250fps(1,824×616),480fps/500fps(1,292×436),960fps/1000fps(912×308)
Still Image Number of recorded pixels (Image Size) during Movie: 16:9mode:17M(5,472×3,080) / 7.5M(3,648×2,056) / 4.2M(2,720×1,528)
Proxy Recording: Yes

Interface

Input and Output Terminals: Multi/Micro USB Terminal , Hi-Speed USB (USB2.0), Micro HDMI,Microphone(3.5 mm Stereo minijack), Multi Interface Shoe, Headphones
NFC: NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible, One-touch remote, One-touch sharing
WI-FI: Yes(IEEE802.11b/g/n(2.4GHz band))

Interfaces: –
Bluetooth: Yes (Bluetooth Standard Ver. 4.1 (2.4GHz band))

Power

Power Source: DC7.2V(supplied battely) / DC5.0V(supplied AC Adoptor)
Battery System: Rechargeable battery pack NP-FW50
Power Consumption (Camera Mode): Approx. 2.2W with LCD monitor and approx. 2.4W with viewfinder
USB Charge/USB Power Supply: Yes (Shooting, Playback)

Battery Life(Still Images): Monitor:Approx. 400 / Approx. 200min., ViewFinder:Approx. 370 / Approx. 185min.
Battery Life(Movies actual shooting): Monitor:Approx. 75min., ViewFinder:Approx. 75min.
Battery Life(Movies continuous shooting): Monitor:Approx. 135min., ViewFinder:Approx. 135min.

Others

Playmemories Camera Apps: –
Shooting Functions: Eye AF;Face Detection;Face Registration;Still Image Recording (during movie recording);Smile shutter;Grid Line;Quick Navi;Digital Level Gauge (pitch and roll);WB Bracket;DRO Bracketing;MF Assist;Peaking;Zebra;Marker Display;Audio Level Display;Audio Out Timing;Step Zoom/Quick Zoom;TC/UB;Photographer Name & Copyright;ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed;PC Remote Controll;Zoom Assist;Focus Hold;Gamma Disp. Assist;[Mov]AF Track Sensitivity;[Mov]AF Drive Speed;Set File Name;Focus Range Limiter
Playback Functions: BRAVIA Sync(Control for HDMI);9/25-frame index view;Auto Orientation;Slide Show;Forward/Rewind (Movie);Delete;Protect;Motion Shot Video;Photo Capture;Automatic Image Rotation;Cont Shoot Grouping

TRILUMINOS Color: Yes
4K image output: Yes
Operating Temprature: 0 degrees C. – +40 degrees C. / 32 degrees F. – 104 degrees F.

Print

Print: Exif Print;PRINT Image Matching (PIM3)

Size & Weight

Dimensions (W x H x D): 132.5 x 94.0 x 127.4mm (from front of lens to monitor); 5 1/4 x 3 3/4 x 5 1/8 in. (from front of lens to monitor)

WEIGHT (CIPA COMPLIANT): Approx. 1095g (2lb 6.7oz.)(Battery and SDXC Card are included) / Approx. 1050g (2lb 5.1oz.)(Body Only)

What’s In The Box

Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-FW50
AC AdaptorAC-UUD12
Micro USB cable
Shoulder strap
Lens cap

Shoe cap
Lens hood
Eyepiece Cup
Instruction Manual

News

Sony today announced the new flagship model in its Cyber-shot RX10 series, the RX10 IV featuring the World’s fastest focus acquisition time. Featuring the World’s fastesti AF acquisition time of 0.03 seconds and up to 24 fps continuous shooting with full AF/AE tracking, 315 phase-detection AF points, and a versatile 24-600mm F2.4-F4 ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens; the Sony RX10 IV camera is equipped with a latest 1″-type 20.1-megapixel Exmor RS CMOS stacked image sensor. Additionally, for the first time in a Cyber-shot camera, the RX10 IV model employs High-density Tracking AF technology, which had only been previously available in a select few of Sony’s line of α interchangeable-lens cameras. Other AF improvements in the new RX10 IV camera include an enhanced version of the manufacturer’s Eye AF, Touch Focus and Focus Range Limiter. The AF-ON setting is also assignable, as well as multiple AF modes including AF-S, AF-C and AF-A, which can be easily adjusted based on user preferences and shooting situations. Furthermore, the new RX10 IV features Sony’s latest 3.0-type 1.44M dot tiltable LCD screen with Touch Focus and Touch Pad function – another first for the Cyber-shot RX series – for quick and smooth focusing operation; and an approximately 2.35M dot high-contrast XGA OLED Tru-Finder. Also capable of shooting 4K video, the Sony RX10 IV is also dust and moisture resistant, and Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth compatible. The camera will ship in October for approximately £1,800/€2000.

Sony Press Release

Sony’s New RX10 IV Combines Lightning Fast AF and 24 fps Continuous Shooting with Versatile 24-600mm F2.4-F4 Zoom Lens

World’s Fastest[1] AF Speed of 0.03 seconds[2], 24 fps[3] Continuous Shooting with full AF/AE tracking
315 focal-plane phase-detection AF points covering approx. 65% of the frame
ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm[4] F2.4-F4 Large Aperture, High Magnification Zoom Lens
4K[5] Movie Recording with full pixel readout without pixel binning

Sony today announced the new flagship model in its acclaimed Cyber-shot® RX10 series, the RX10 IV (model DSC-RX10M4).

Featuring the world’s fastesti AF acquisition time of 0.03 seconds[2] and up to 24 fps continuous shooting[3] with full AF/AE tracking, 315 phase-detection AF points that rivals those the fastest professional interchangeable lens cameras and an exceptionally versatile 24-600mmiv F2.4-F4 ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens, the new RX10 IV model delivers an unmatched combination of mobility and speed for imaging enthusiasts and professionals looking for the ultimate ‘all-in-one’ solution.

The impressive RX10 IV camera is equipped with a latest 1.0-type 20.1 MP[6] Exmor RS CMOS stacked image sensor with DRAM chip along with a powerful BIONZ X™ image processor and front-end LSI. These key components all work together to maximise overall speed of operation and performance, ultimately ensuring the highest possible image and video quality throughout the entire range of the 24-600mmiv lens.

Fast Focusing, Fast Shooting

A first for Sony’s RX10 series of cameras, the new RX10 IV model features a Fast Hybrid AF system that combines the respective advantages of 315 phase-detection AF points covering approximately 65% of the sensor and contrast-detection AF to ultimately enable the camera to lock focus in as little as 0.03 seconds[2]. This high speed focusing complements the extensive 24-600mmiv range of the lens, ensuring all subjects can be captured with precise detail and clarity.

Additionally, for the first time in a Cyber-shot camera, the RX10 IV model employs High-density Tracking AF technology. This advanced technology, which had only been previously available in a select few of Sony’s acclaimed line of α interchangeable lens cameras, concentrates AF points around a subject to improve tracking and focus accuracy, allowing even the most unpredictable subjects including fast-moving athletes and birds in flight to be captured with ease.

Other AF improvements in the new RX10 IV camera include an enhanced version of the popular Eye AF, Touch Focus and Focus Range Limiter[7]. AF-ON setting is also assignable, as well as multiple AF modes including AF-S, AF-C and AF-A, which can be easily adjusted based on user preferences and shooting situations.

An ideal complement to the AF system, the RX10 IV offers continuous high-speed shooting at up to 24 fps[3] with full AF/AE tracking, with an impressive buffer limit of up to 249 images[8]. With the significant improvements in processing power for the new camera, EVF display lag during continuous shooting has been substantially reduced, allowing shooters to capture the decisive moment with ultimate confidence. Also, for convenience during image playback, continuously shot images can be displayed in groups instead of individual shots.

The RX10 IV also has a high speed Anti-Distortion Shutter (maximum shutter speed of up to 1/32000 second) that reduces the “rolling shutter” effect commonly experienced with fast moving subjects, and can shoot completely silently in all modes, including continuous high speed shooting, when electronic shutter is engaged. A mechanical shutter mode is also available as well if required by the user.

ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm F2.4-F4 Lens

The 24-600mmiv ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens on the Cyber-shot RX10 IV camera features a large maximum aperture of F2.4-F4.0, helping it achieve outstanding image quality throughout the entire zoom range, all the way up to ultra-telephoto. It includes a super ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element and ED aspherical lenses to minimise chromatic aberration, and ZEISS® T* Coating to minimise flare and ghosting.

The lens also has built-in Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilisation that helps to reduce camera shake and image blur. When the feature is activated, it is equivalent to an approximate 4.5 steps shutter speed improvement.

Additionally, with a minimum focusing distance of 72 cm (2.36 ft) and 0.49x maximum magnification at a fully extended 600mm, the lens is capable of producing amazingly detailed tele-macro images.

Professional Video Capture

The new RX10 IV becomes the latest Cyber-shot RX camera to offer the advantages of 4K (QFHD 3840 x 2160) movie recording, with its Fast Hybrid AF system realising approximately 2x faster focusing speed compared to the RX10 III.

In 4K mode, the new RX10 IV utilises full pixel readout without pixel binning, capturing approximately 1.7x more information than is required for 4K movie output to ensure that all the finest details are captured accurately. The camera utilises the XAVC S™ [9] codec, recording video at a high data rate of up to 100 Mbps depending on shooting mode. Users have the option of shooting at either 24p or 30p in 4K mode (100 Mbps), or in frame rates of up to 120p in Full HD mode.

The new camera also has a variety of other professional calibre video features including Picture Profile, S-Log3/S-Gamut3, Gamma Display Assist, Proxy recording, Time Code / User Bit and more, as well as input for external microphone and output for headphone monitoring.

Super slow motion[10] video recording is also available, with an extended duration of about 4 seconds (in quality priority mode) and 7 seconds (in shoot time priority). This unique feature gives users the ability to choose among 1000fps, 500fps and 250fps frame rates and among 50p, 25p and 24p playback formats[11].

Upgraded Operation and Customization

The new RX10 IV features Sony’s latest 3.0-type 1.44M dot tiltable LCD screen with Touch Focus and Touch Pad function – another first for the Cyber-shot RX series – for quick and smooth focusing operation, and WhiteMagic™ technology, ensuring that LCD viewing is bright and clear in even the harshest outdoor lighting conditions. Additionally, it is equipped with an approx. 2.35M dot high-contrast XGA OLED Tru-Finder™, ensuring true-to-life image preview and playback functionality. Triple lens rings for aperture, zoom and focus are also available, with a completely quiet, smooth option for the aperture ring that is ideal for video shooters.

To enhance customisation, “My Menu” functionality has been added, allowing up to 30 frequently used menu items to be custom registered. Menus are colour coded for easier recognition and navigation, and a new Movie Settings menu has been introduced to improve the overall video shooting experience.

The RX10 IV is also dust and moisture resistant[12], and Wi-Fi®, NFC™ and Bluetooth® compatible.

Pricing and Availability

The new Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV camera will ship in October for approximately €2000. Full product details can be accessed here.

[1] Among fixed lens digital cameras with 1.0-type sensor. As of September 2017 press release, based on Sony research.

[2] CIPA standard, internal measurement, at f=8.8mm (wide-end), EV6.8, Program Auto, Focus mode: AF-A, AF area: Centre

[3] With “Continuous shooting mode: Hi”.

[4] 35mm equivalent

[5] 3,840 x 2,160 pixels

[6] Approximate effective MP

[7] Only when 35mm-equivalent focal length is within 150-600mm range

[8] With “Continuous shooting mode: Hi” and “Image quality: Fine

[9] A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format. UHS-I (U3) SDHC/SDXC card is required for 100Mbps.

[10] Sound cannot be recorded. A class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required.

[11] In PAL mode. Switch between NTSC and PAL using the menu.

[12] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample images taken with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV superzoom bridge camera.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV superzoom bridge camera.

Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840×2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 34 second movie is 416Mb in size.

Download the sample movie

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840×2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 36 second movie is 432Mb in size.

Download the sample movie

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