Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV

Camera to replace

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Sony RX100 III

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

$748.00

BUY from B&H PHOTO

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Sony RX100 IV

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

$898.00

BUY from B&H PHOTO

Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Large Sensor Compact cameras by Sony. Both Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV cameras have 20.0MP 1" sensors.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony RX100 III Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-05-15

20MP - 1" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800

24-70 mm F1.8-2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Tilting Screen

1440k dot Electronic viewfinder

10 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

120 fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

290g. 102 x 58 x 41 mm

Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II Compare

Sony RX100 IV Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-06-10

20MP - 1" BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800

24-70 mm F1.8-2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

16.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

960 fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

298g. 102 x 58 x 41 mm

Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Compare

Sony RX100 IV was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV

Battery Life	320 shots vs 280 shots	40 more frames with a single charge
Weight	290 g vs 298 g	8 g lighter
Price	$748 vs $898	$150 cheaper

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III

Continuous Shooting	16.0fps vs 10.0fps	6 fps faster
Viewfinder Resolution	2359k dot vs 1440k dot	63% higher resolution
Color Depth	22.9 vs 22.4	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	12.6 vs 12.3	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	562 vs 495	better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV

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
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
LCD Screen Resolution	1.229k dots vs 1.229k dots	Higher resolution screens
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Timelapse Recording	With Optional App vs With Optional App	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 24mm	Very good wide angle coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 1.80	Fast lenses at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.80 vs 2.80	Fast lenses at tele
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter	Yes vs Yes	Use larger aperture under strong light
Selfie Friendly LCD	Yes vs Yes	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
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-RX100 III and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV

External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV.

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV.

Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX100 III is 8g lighter than the Sony RX100 IV but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX100 III

RX100 IV

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX100 III

RX100 IV

Min

Average

Max

Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV have 1" sized 20.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the RX100 III and RX100 IV sensor size comparison.

Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV 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 RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV Lens Specs Comparison

Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV features 24-70 mm F1.8-2.8 2.9x zoom lenses so they have the same focal range and light collecting ability.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 24mm and have the same max aperture of f1.80 at this focal length. Both cameras have a tele angle reach of 70mm and have the same max aperture of f2.80 at this focal length.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 III

RX100 IV

Widest - Leica C-Lux

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 III

RX100 IV

Longest - Panasonic ZS200

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 III

RX100 IV

Fastest - Leica Q

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 III

RX100 IV

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

What types of Photography are Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV 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 RX100 III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony RX100 IV 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony RX100 III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX100 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony RX100 III for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX100 IV for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 16.0fps
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 280 shots
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony RX100 III for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX100 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
290g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Body Thickness 41mm
3X Optical Zoom
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
298g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Body Thickness 41mm
3X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Sony RX100 III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX100 IV 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
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV: 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 RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV, 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 RX100 III and Sony RX100 IV scores compare:

Sony RX100 III

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #22 out of 47 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #204 out of 1143 in all Cameras

Sony RX100 IV

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #15 out of 47 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #173 out of 1143 in all Cameras

Sony RX100 IV has a higher Overall Score than the Sony RX100 III and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

$748.00

$898.00

Sony RX100 IV vs Sony RX100 III Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV
Brand	Sony	Sony
Announced	2014-05-15	2015-06-10
Body Type	Large sensor compact	Large sensor compact
Price	$748.00	$898.00
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-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
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 ISO	125 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	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	25	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-70 mm (2.9x)	24-70 mm (2.9x)
Max Aperture	F1.8-2.8	F1.8-2.8
Macro Focus Range	5cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3″	3″
Resolution	1,229k dots	1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	1,440k dots	2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.59	0.59
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed	1/2000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	1/2000s	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	16.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	290g	298g
Dimensions	102 x 58 x 41mm	102 x 58 x 41mm
Battery Life	320 shots	280 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording	With Downloadable App	With Downloadable App
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	67	70
DxO Color Depth	22.4	22.9
DxO Dynamic Range	12.3	12.6
DxO Low Light ISO	495	562
	Report a correction	Report a correction