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Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000

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Sony RX10 IV

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Sony RX10 IV
$1,598.00
or
BUY
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Panasonic FZ1000

20 MP | 1 CMOS Sensor

Panasonic FZ1000
$497.99
or
BUY
Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing RX10 IV and FZ1000, two Large Sensor Superzoom cameras from Sony and Panasonic. Both cameras have 20.0MP sensors but Sony RX10 IV's sensor is 1" sized whereas Panasonic FZ1000 has a 1 sensor. We can expect this to be a close match up because both models are ranked amongst the best in Large Sensor Superzoom cameras. Out of 9 cameras in this class, Sony RX10 IV is ranked #3 with an overall score of 77 and Panasonic FZ1000 is ranked #5 with an overall score of 76.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony RX10 IV Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-09-12
  • 20MP - 1" BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800
  • 24-600 mm F2.4-4.0 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3″ Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 24.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 960fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 1095g. 133 x 94 x 145 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III Compare

Panasonic FZ1000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-06-12
  • 20MP - 1 CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80-25600)
  • 25-400 mm F2.8-4.0 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 12 fps continuous shooting
  • 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 831g. 137 x 99 x 131 mm
    •

Panasonic FZ1000 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Number of Focus Points 315 vs 49 266 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution 1.440k dots vs 921k dots 56% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting 24.0fps vs 12.0fps 12 fps faster
Battery Life 400 shots vs 360 shots 40 more frames with a single charge
Headphone Port Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Focal Length - Wide 24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele 600mm vs 400mm 200 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom 25x vs 16x more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide 2.40 vs 2.80 faster lens at wide
Top LCD Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster shutter speed
Weight 831 g vs 1095 g 264 g lighter
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Flash Coverage 13.5m vs 10.8m 2.7m longer range
Price $498 vs $1,598 $1,100 cheaper
Selfie Friendly LCD Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
4K Photo Mode Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Wireless Connection Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization Optical vs Optical All the lenses are stabilized
Articulating Screen Yes vs Yes Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution 20 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
Continuous Shooting 24.0fps vs 12.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Microphone Port Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Tele 600mm vs 400mm Very good Telezoom
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection Yes vs Yes Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Dual-axis Electronic Level Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Smartphone Remote Control Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000. Sony RX10 IV is 4mm narrower and 5mm shorter than Panasonic FZ1000 but it is also 14mm thicker.

Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000.
Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000 Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FZ1000 is significantly lighter (264g ) than the Sony RX10 IV which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX10 IV
FZ1000
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX10 IV
FZ1000
Min
Average
Max
Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000 have 20.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony RX10 IV's sensor is 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) and Panasonic FZ1000's sensor is 1 (13.2 x 8.8 mm ).

Since Panasonic FZ1000's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Sony RX10 IV.

Below you can see the RX10 IV and FZ1000 sensor size comparison.

Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000 Sensor Size Comparison


Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000 Lens Specs Comparison

Sony RX10 IV features a 24-600 mm F2.4-4.0 25x zoom lens whereas Panasonic FZ1000 features a 25-400 mm F2.8-4.0 16x zoom lens.

Sony RX10 IV has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic FZ1000. At f2.40, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Sony RX10 IV has 200mm longer reach than the Panasonic FZ1000. Both cameras has a max aperture of f4.00 at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

RX10 IV
FZ1000
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

RX10 IV
FZ1000
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

RX10 IV
FZ1000
Fastest - Panasonic FZ1000 II
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

RX10 IV
FZ1000
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony RX10 IV for Portrait Photography
GOOD

Panasonic FZ1000 for Portrait Photography
GOOD
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Average sized 1 sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony RX10 IV for Street Photography
EXCELLENT

Panasonic FZ1000 for Street Photography
EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.40
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1 sensor
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Sony RX10 IV for Sports Photography
GOOD

Panasonic FZ1000 for Sports Photography
GOOD
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 24.0fps
Environmental Sealings
315 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
600 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f4.00
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
400 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f4.00
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony RX10 IV for Daily Photography
GOOD

Panasonic FZ1000 for Daily Photography
GOOD
RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
25X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
1095g
Body Thickness 145mm
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
16X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1 sensor
Medium size Body
831g
Body Thickness 131mm
Read the details

Sony RX10 IV for Landscape Photography
AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ1000 for Landscape Photography
AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ1000: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony RX10 IV and Panasonic FZ1000 scores compare:

Sony RX10 IV
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #3 out of 111 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #94 out of 1168 in all Cameras
Panasonic FZ1000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 111 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #111 out of 1168 in all Cameras

Sony RX10 IV has a higher Overall Score thanks to its better image quality and more features compared to Panasonic FZ1000. On the other hand the Panasonic FZ1000 beats Sony RX10 IV in two significant areas: Value for Money and Compactness.

If you are a price conscious buyer and looking for a small and relatively low priced camera where you can take everywhere with you, Panasonic FZ1000 is the right choice for you.
If you are after the better photographic performance with all the advanced features, definitely get the Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 IV
Sony RX10 IV
$1,598.00

Panasonic FZ1000
Panasonic FZ1000
$497.99

Panasonic FZ1000 vs Sony RX10 IV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Brand Sony Panasonic
Announced 2017-09-12 2014-06-12
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) SLR-like (bridge)
Price $1,598.00 $497.99
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1" 1
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area 116.16mm2 116.16mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 5472 x 3648 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 64 ISO 80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 315 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-600 mm (25x) 25-400 mm (16x)
Max Aperture F2.4-4.0 F2.8-4.0
Macro Focus Range 3cm 3cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3″ 3"
Resolution 1,440k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.7 0.7
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 10.80 m (at Auto ISO) 13.50 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 24.0 fps 12.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 1095g 831g
Dimensions 133 x 94 x 145mm 137 x 99 x 131mm
Battery Life 400 shots 360 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 64
DxO Color Depth not tested 22.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 517
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