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Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II

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Sony RX100

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

Sony RX100
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Sony RX100 II

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

Sony RX100 II
Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing RX100 and RX100 II, two Large Sensor Compact cameras by Sony. Both Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II cameras have 20.0MP 1" sensors.

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

Sony RX100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-08-28
  • 20MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 28-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3″ Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240g. 102 x 58 x 36 mm
    •

Sony RX100 II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-27
  • 20MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 12800 ( expands to 100-25600)
  • 28-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3″ Tilting Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 281g. 102 x 58 x 38 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Compare

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

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
Max ISO 25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Weight 240 g vs 281 g 41 g lighter
Color Depth 22.6 vs 22.5 higher color depth
Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100
Wireless Connection Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Battery Life 350 shots vs 330 shots 20 more frames with a single charge
Low Light ISO 483 vs 390 better High ISO performance
Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
Image Stabilization Optical vs Optical All the lenses are stabilized
Built-in Flash Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
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
Continuous Shooting 10.0fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
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
Max Aperture - Wide 1.80 vs 1.80 Fast lenses at wide
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-RX100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
Environmental Sealing No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II. Sony RX100 has the same height and width with Sony RX100 II. On the other hand, with a thickness of 36mm, it is 2mm thinner.

Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II.
Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II 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 is significantly lighter (41g ) than the Sony RX100 II which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX100
RX100 II
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX100
RX100 II
Min
Average
Max
Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II 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 and RX100 II sensor size comparison.

Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II Sensor Size Comparison


Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II 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 vs Sony RX100 II Lens Specs Comparison

Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II features 28-100 mm F1.8-4.9 3.6x zoom lenses so they have the same focal range and light collecting ability.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 28mm and have the same max aperture of f1.80 at this focal length. Both cameras have a tele angle reach of 100mm and have the same max aperture of f4.90 at this focal length.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100
RX100 II
Widest - Canon G1 X II
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100
RX100 II
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100
RX100 II
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100
RX100 II
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX100 and Sony RX100 II 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 for Portrait Photography
AVERAGE

Sony RX100 II 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony RX100 for Street Photography
GOOD

Sony RX100 II for Street Photography
EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Optional External Viewfinder
Read the details

Sony RX100 for Sports Photography
POOR

Sony RX100 II for Sports Photography
AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
25 Focus Points
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony RX100 for Daily Photography
GOOD

Sony RX100 II for Daily Photography
GOOD
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
240g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
4X Optical Zoom
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
281g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
4X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Sony RX100 for Landscape Photography
AVERAGE

Sony RX100 II for Landscape Photography
AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 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
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony RX100 vs Sony RX100 II: 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 and Sony RX100 II, 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 and Sony RX100 II scores compare:

Sony RX100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #36 out of 55 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #335 out of 1175 in all Cameras
Sony RX100 II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #27 out of 55 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #218 out of 1175 in all Cameras

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

Sony RX100
Sony RX100

Sony RX100 II
Sony RX100 II

Sony RX100 II vs Sony RX100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2012-08-28 2013-06-27
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type 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 25,600 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 160 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 100 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 28-100 mm (3.6x) 28-100 mm (3.6x)
Max Aperture F1.8-4.9 F1.8-4.9
Macro Focus Range 5cm 5cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3″ 3″
Resolution 1,229k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
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
Flash Range n/a 15.00 m (ISO Auto (W))
Max Flash Sync 1/2000s 1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 240g 281g
Dimensions 102 x 58 x 36mm 102 x 58 x 38mm
Battery Life 330 shots 350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 66 67
DxO Color Depth 22.6 22.5
DxO Dynamic Range 12.4 12.4
DxO Low Light ISO 390 483
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