Sony RX100 VI Review

July 24, 2018 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Cyber-shot RX100 VI takes Sony's popular range of premium compact cameras in a new direction thanks to the introduction of a 24-200mm, 8.3x zoom lens, which greatly expands its telephoto reach compared with previous models in the series that have all had a maximum zoom of 70mm. This means that the RX100 VI is now very much a travel-zoom camera, capable of covering every photographic subject from wide-angle landscapes to candid portraits.

That extra reach does come at a cost, however, in the form of a substantially slower lens - the maximum apertures offered by this new model are f/2.8 at 24mm and f/4.5 at 200mm, considerably slower than the Mark V's f/1.8 and f/2.8 settings.

Commendably, despite the huge increase in zoom range, you'd be hard pressed to tell the two models apart, with the new Mark VI only measuring a couple of millimeters thicker than the previous version, which continues in the range for the foreseeable future. To further support the new lens, Sony have improved the optical image stabilization system to offer 4 stops of compensation, which should help when hand-holding the camera at those new longer telephoto settings.

Other notable improvements to the Sony RX100 VI include a faster auto-focusing system that offers better subject tracking and the addition of the popular Eye AF mode, a touch panel LCD screen for the very first time on an RX-series camera, and an expanded tilt-angle screen which can be rotated 180 degrees upwards or 90 degrees downwards.

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is available now for around $1200 / £1150 / €1300.

Ease of Use

The biggest change to the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is the new 24-200mm lens, which extends the zoom range from 70mm on the previous model to a whopping 200mm. This makes the new camera much more versatile and capable of dealing with most photographic situations that you'll encounter. We'd now classify it as a bona fide travel-zoom camera, so the RX100 VI takes Sony's premium compact camera in a brand new direction, pitching it against the likes of rivals such as the very popular Panasonic TZ-series.

As we mentioned in the introduction, however, increasing the zoom range so drastically has meant that Sony have had to compromise elsewhere. The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is somewhat incredibly virtually the same size as the Mark V version, only being 1.8mm thicker and from the front looking exactly the same.

So the compromise has been made in the speed of the lens rather than the size of the camera, which offers much slower maximum apertures of f/2.8 at 24mm (compared with f/1.8 on the Mark V) and f/4.5 at 200mm (compared with f/2.8 on the Mark V). Sony have made a big play of pointing out that the new camera offers f/4 at 100mm, making it more effective for portraits, but it only offers f/4 at 70mm too, a whole stop slower than the Mark V. This is mitigated somewhat by being able to shoot at the longer focal lengths, but the new camera isn't as capable of producing such shallow bokeh effects as the previous model, certainly between 24-70mm anyway. So while some users will welcome the extra reach on offer, others will bemoan the slower lens, and the fact that it also lacks the built-in ND filter of its predecessor.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Front of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI continues to use a relatively large 13.2 x 8.8mm CMOS sensor as employed by previous models in the series. This is the same size as that used in the now-defunct Nikon 1 series compact system cameras and 4x as big as a typical compact sensor. Consequently the RX100 VI offers the same excellent image quality (for such a compact camera) as its predecessors.

On the back of the RX100 VI is a large 3-inch, 921-dot resolution LCD screen which can be tilted up to 90° downwards to shoot over crowds or up to 180° upwards for easier selfies. Somewhat disappointingly the resolution has actually dropped from the previous model, but the downwards tilt has been increased by 45°, making awkward shooting angles easier than before.

The major improvement to the LCD is the introduction of touchscreen functionality, somewhat amazingly for the very first time on an RX-series camera. As on the recent Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras, the screen can be used for some elements of operation, including operating the auto-focus whilst looking through the EVF or using the LCD screen, a feature that we've seen on several other high-end mirrorless cameras recently.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Rear of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI

Unfortunately Sony have once again stopped short of offering a full touchscreen experience - somewhat inexplicably, you can't use the menu system in this way, press the on-screen icons, or even scroll through images during playback, a la smartphones, although strangely you can double-tap images during playback to zoom in, then scroll around to look at the finer details.

A subtle but surprisingly important improvement has been made to the action of the pop-up EVF. On previous models, you had to press the Finder switch to pop it up, then pull out the eye-piece manually, but on this new version the eye-piece both extends and retracts automatically, greatly speeding up the operation of the EVF. Another new default feature is slightly less welcome - when you pop-up the EVF, by default the camera turns itself on, but it also turns itself off when the EVF is pushed down, something that thankfully can be disabled in the main menu system.

There's still no means of gripping the camera on the front, though, with just a small thumb-shaped lozenge on the rear, making the RX100 VI a little difficult to get to grips with, especially since its aluminum body is very smooth. Sony have recognised this, though, by selling the optional AG-R1 grip accessory, or you can purchase cheaper third-party versions, but we'd really like to see something integrated into the camera design, especially with the longer zoom range now on offer where stability is more crucial.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Tilting LCD Screen

The Sony RX100 V can shoot full-resolution 20 megapixel images at 24fps for up to 233 JPEG / 109 Raw images, an incredibly fast rate and very large buffer for what is after all a compact camera, especially as the 24fps rate is complete with AF/AE tracking for every single frame, rather than being locked at the first one.

Combined with the even faster and more accurate AF system, which now boasts an AF time of just 0.03sec, this makes the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI the best compact camera that we've ever used for taking pictures of fast-moving subjects, and indeed one of the best cameras full-stop, regardless of format. Being able to zoom to 200mm, instantly focus on the subject and then continuously track it whilst shooting at 24fps is an amazing achievement for any camera, never mind one that you can slip inside a pocket. The fast and effective Eye AF mode once again proves its worth for easily capturing great portraits, engaged by simply holding down the center button on the rear control wheel.

In addition to the NFC and Wi-fi connectivity offered by the previous Mark IV model, the new version now offers Bluetooth too. Somewhat inexplicably this can only be used to geotag your images in conjunction with your smartphone - you can't also transfer images automatically from camera to phone or control the camera with your phone, as on most recent Bluetooth implementations, instead relying on the rather clunky PlayMemories Mobile app for the latter functionality. So like the LCD touchscreen, Sony haven't really gone far enough in their implementation of what could have been a key new feature.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Pop-up Viewfinder

The RX100 VI can record video at Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution at 30/24fps for up to 5 minutes. The RX100 V utilises 5028x2828 pixels to create the UHD video, so that it effectively oversamples by 1.7x in each dimension, which should result in better quality footage and no field of view crop. Slow motion, high frame rate Full HD 1920x1080 sequences can be recorded at 240, 480 or 960fps for up to 4 or 7 seconds in duration via the dedicated HFR shooting mode. The RX100 VI now also features Sony’s S-Log3 Gamma curve which enables it to record greater dynamic range, providing you’re prepared to colour grade the recording in post-production, and a 4K Hybrid Log Gamma setting too.

Battery life continues to be poor though on this new RX camera, thanks to the continued use of the tiny NP-BX1 unit - you'll need to budget for several of these to get through a serious day's shooting. Also, there's still no Mic port, which sadly will continue to rule out the RX100 VI for more serious vlogging (or probably any vlogging at all).

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 20 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 8Mb.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II produced images of excellent quality. This camera handled noise well, which doesn't obvious until ISO 3200, and then progressively worse at the faster settings of ISO 6400 and 12800, an excellent performance for a small image sensor with such a high pixel count.

Chromatic aberrations were in evidence but were well-controlled, with limited purple fringing effects appearing in high contrast situations. The images were a little soft straight out of the camera at the default setting and require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can increase the in-camera sharpening level.

Macro performance is OK, allowing you to focus as close as 8cms away from the subject. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall exposure. The maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds allows the cameras to capture enough light for most after-dark situations. The Steadyshot anti-shake system works well when hand-holding the camera at slower shutter speeds.

The effective Dynamic Range Optimizer function extracts more detail from the shadow and highlight areas in an image, without introducing any unwanted noise or other artifacts. The High Dynamic Range mode combines two shots taken at different exposures to produce one image with greater dynamic range than a single image would produce. It only works for JPEGs and for still subjects, but does produce some very effective results. Sony's tried-and-trusted Sweep Panorama is still a joy to use. The Picture Effects quickly produce special looks that would otherwise require you to spend a lot of time in the digital darkroom.

Noise

There are 9 ISO settings available on the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and Raw formats.

JPEG Raw

ISO 80 (100% Crop)

ISO 80 (100% Crop)

iso80.jpg iso80raw.jpg

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg

ISO 125 (100% Crop)

ISO 125 (100% Crop)

iso125.jpg iso125raw.jpg

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg

Focal Range

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI's 8x zoom lens offers a versatile focal range, as illustrated by these examples:

24mm

focal_range1.jpg

200mm

focal_range2.jpg

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are just a little soft and ideally benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. Alternatively you can change the in-camera sharpening level.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

Chromatic Aberrations

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI handled chromatic aberrations very well during the review, with some purple fringing present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the examples below.

Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations 2 (100% Crop)

chromatic1.jpg chromatic2.jpg

File Quality

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI has 3 different image quality settings available, with Extra Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

Extra Fine (12.4Mb) (100% Crop) Fine (6.86Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_extrafine.jpg quality_fine.jpg
Standard (4.51Mb) (100% Crop) RAW (20Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_standard.jpg quality_raw.jpg

Macro

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI allows you to focus on a subject that is 8cms away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro

macro.jpg

Flash

The flash settings on the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI are Auto, Forced Flash, Slow Syncro, No Flash, with a Red-eye Reduction option in the Main menu. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Suppressed Flash - Wide Angle (24mm)

Forced Flash - Wide Angle (24mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

Suppressed Flash - Telephoto (200mm)

Forced Flash - Telephoto (200mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Forced Flash setting or the Red-Eye Correction option caused any amount of red-eye.

Flash Off

Flash Off (100% Crop)
flash_off.jpg flash_off1.jpg

Forced Flash

Forced Flash (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg

Red-eye Reduction

Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds in the Manual mode, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography.

Night

night.jpg

Steadyshot

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI has an antishake mechanism which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, we took a handheld shot of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with Shake Reduction turned off, the second with it turned on. As you can see, with Shake Reduction turned on, the images are sharper than when it's turned off.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length

Shake Reduction Off (100% Crop)

Shake Reduction On (100% Crop)

1/6th / 24mm antishake1.jpg antishake1a.jpg

Dynamic Range Optimizer

D-Range Optimiser (DRO) is Sony's solution to improve shadow detail in photos taken in contrasty light.

Off

LV1
dro_01.jpg dro_02.jpg
LV2 LV3
dro_03.jpg dro_04.jpg

LV4

LV5
dro_05.jpg dro_06.jpg

HDR

High Dynamic Range Optimiser (HDR) is Sony's solution for capturing more contrast than a single exposure can handle by combining two exposures into one image.

Off

1.0EV
hdr_01.jpg hdr_02.jpg
2.0EV 3.0EV
hdr_03.jpg hdr_04.jpg

4.0EV

5.0EV
hdr_05.jpg hdr_06.jpg
5.0EV
hdr_07.jpg

Picture Effects

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI offers an extensive range of thirteen creative Picture Effects.

Off

Toy Camera

picture_effects_01.jpg picture_effects_02.jpg

Pop Color

Posterization

picture_effects_03.jpg picture_effects_04.jpg

Retro

Soft High-key

picture_effects_05.jpg picture_effects_06.jpg

Partial Color (Red)

High Contrast Mono

picture_effects_07.jpg picture_effects_08.jpg

Soft Focus

HDR Painting

picture_effects_09.jpg picture_effects_10.jpg

Rich-tone Mono

Miniature

picture_effects_11.jpg picture_effects_12.jpg

Watercolor

Illustration

picture_effects_13.jpg picture_effects_14.jpg

Sweep Panorama

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI allows you to take panoramic images very easily, by 'sweeping' with the camera while keeping the shutter release depressed. The camera does all the processing and stitching and even successfully compensates for moving subjects.

Standard
panorama.jpg
Wide
panorama1.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony RX100 VI 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 RX100 VI 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 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 13 second movie is 168Mb in size.

This is a sample slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 960 frames per second. Please note that this 23 second movie is 144Mb in size.

Product Images

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI

Conclusion

The new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is a travel zoom camera par excellence, taking the RX-series in an entirely new direction with its 24-200mm lens and easily outperforming its main rivals thanks to all of its cutting-edge tech. It is very expensive, though, and also less attractive to more serious photographers thanks to the slower-aperture lens, so rather weirdly it may prove to have less wide-spread appeal than previous models in the range. Still, there are no other pocket cameras that are as technologically capable as the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI, so if you want the best compact camera that money can buy, this is currently it.

The new 24-200mm literally opens up a whole new vista, allowing you to capture everything from ultra-wide-angle landscapes to close-up candid portraits, all with a camera that you can carry everywhere in a trouser pocket or small bag. Being able to zoom to 200mm and shoot at 24fps with excellent auto-focusing, even of moving subjects, makes the RX100 VI even more versatile. The downside to the new lens is the inevitably slower maximum apertures, which results in noisier images as you have to shoot at higher ISO speeds.

There are a few other issues with the RX100 V, though, which also make it slightly less than perfect. Even if you can ignore the stellar asking price, which has reached a new high for the RX-series, the implementation of the new touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity both feel rather unfinished, while the 220-shot battery life is just too short for a camera that can shoot 24 frames per second. The resolution of the LCD screen has also dropped slightly, and the lack of an ND filter is problematic for shooting video in bright daylight conditions. We'd also really like to see Sony implement some kind of hand-grip, rather than relying on the extra purchase of an optional accessory.

Whether the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is the right compact camera for you ultimately comes down to the lens - some will love the extra reach, others will bemoan the slower apertures and lack of ND filter. And of course the eye-watering price will play a big part, too - $1200 / £1150 / €1300 buys you a decent mirrorless camera or DSLR with better image quality than the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI's 1-inch sensor, although obviously not the same portability. The fact that the Mark V version, with its faster 24-70mm lens, continues in the range at a more affordable price-point is also an important factor, and you should also take a close look at the Panasonic Lumix TZ200/100 cameras if you want a much more affordable, though less capable, travel-zoom camera.

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 3.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Sony RX100 VI.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III

The Canon Powershot G1 X Mark III is a small camera with a large sensor and a big price tag - is this the best pocket camera for the enthusiast? Find out by reading our in-depth Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III review...

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II

The Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II is a truly pocketable compact camera with a large 1-inch image sensor and 3x zoom lens. The G9 X Mark II also offers continuous shooting speed of 8.2fps in raw shooting mode, built-in wi-fi, NFC and now Bluetooth connectivity, 1080p HD video at 60fps with stereo sound, a 3 inch touchscreen LCD, and a full range of manual shooting modes. Read the World's first online Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II review now...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 is a new flagship travel-zoom compact camera for 2016. The TZ100 (also known as the Panasonic ZS100) offers a 20-megapixel 1-inch MOS sensor, 10x wide-angle zoom lens, 4K video recording, lens control ring, RAW file format, focus peaking, touchscreen control and an electronic viewfinder. Read our in-depth Panasonic TZ100 review now...

Panasonic Lumix TZ200

The Panasonic Lumix TZ200 is an extremely well-appointed premium compact camera, offering a mouth-watering array of photographer friendly features and a versatile 15x zoom lens, all wrapped up in a body that you can easily slip inside your pocket. Is this the best compact camera on the market? Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix TZ200 review, complete with full-size sample images and movies, to find out...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V offers the World’s fastest auto-focusing speed, the World's most AF points, and the World's fastest continuous shooting speed, for a humble compact camera. Is this enough to justify the $1000 / £1000 price-tag? Find out by reading our expert Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V review, complete with sample photos, test shots, videos and more...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony RX100 VI from around the web.

amateurphotographer.co.uk »

Now, with the RX100 VI, Sony has made perhaps its most significant change yet. In place of the 24-70mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 zoom used by the previous three generations, it’s added a considerably longer 24-200mm equivalent lens, albeit with a smaller maximum aperture of f/2.8-4.5.
Read the full review »

dpreview.com »

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC RX100 VI is the latest pocketable compact camera to feature a 1"-type image sensor. Unlike existing RX100 models, the RX100 M6 ventures into the do-everything/travel camera space, with the addition of a 24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 lens.
Read the full review »

techradar.com »

In many respects the RX100 VI is one of the best compact cameras out there. Certainly there's nothing else that can touch it when it comes to performance, while the images from the 20.1 megapixel sensor are excellent. But its strength is also its weakness, with some of the tech that's on tap – and which you're paying a premium for – feeling a little like a sledgehammer for cracking nuts.
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

Lens

Lens type
ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* Lens, 15 elements in 12 groups (8 aspheric elements including AA (advanced aspherical) lens)
F-number (Maximum Aperture)
F2.8(W)-4.5(T)
ND Filter
-
Focal length (f=)
f=9.0-72mm,Still Image3:2 f=24-200mm*,Still Image4:3 f=25-220mm*,Still Image16:9 f=24-210mm*,Still Image1:1 f=30-260mm* *35mm format equivalent
Focus Range (From the Front of the Lens)
AF (W: Approx. 8cm (0.27 ft.) to Infinity, T: Approx. 100cm (3.29 ft.) to Infinity)
Optical Zoom
8.0x
Clear Image Zoom (Still Image)
20M Approx. 16x / 10M Approx. 22x / 5.0M Approx. 32x / VGA Approx. 121x
Clear Image Zoom (Movie)
4K: Approx. 12x,HD: Approx. 16x
Digital Zoom (Still Image)
20M Approx.32x / 10M Approx.44x / 5.0M Approx.64x / VGA Approx.121x
Digital Zoom (Movie)
Approx.32x
Filter Diameter
Approx.32x

Screen

Screen Type
7.5cm(3.0-type)(4:3) / 921,600 dots / Xtra Fine / TFT LCD
Adjustable Angle
Up by approx. 180 degrees, down by approx. 90 degrees
Display Selector (Finder/Lcd)
Auto/EVF(Manual)/Monitor(Manual)
MF Assist Magnification
5.3x,10.7x
Touch Panel
Yes

Viewfinder

Screen Type/Number of Dots
0.39-type electronic viewfinder(OLED), 2,359,296dots
Field Coverage
100%
Magnification
Approx. 0.59x with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1(diopter) (35mm equiv.)
Eye Point
Approx.20mm from the eyepiece, 19.8mm from the eyepiece frame at -1m-1(diopter) (CIPA standard)
Dioptre Adjustment
-4.0 to +3.0m-1
Brightness Control
Auto, Manual(5steps)

Camera

Image Processing Engine
Yes (BIONZ X)
Steadyshot
Optical,Yes (Intelligent Active Mode, Optical type with electronic compensation, Anti Rolling type)
Focus Type
Fast Hybrid AF(phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF)
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)),Zone,Center,Flexible Spot (S/M/L),Expanded Flexible Spot,Lock on AF(Wide/Zone/Center/Flexible Spot(S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot)
LOCK ON AF
Wide (315 points (phase-detection AF), 25 points(contrast-detection AF)),Zone,Center,Flexible Spot (S/M/L),Expanded Flexible Spot,Lock on AF(Wide/Zone/Center/Flexible Spot(S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot)
Light Metering Mode
Multi Pattern,Center Weighted,Spot,Entire Screen Avg,Highlight
Exposure Compensation
+/- 3.0EV, 1/3EV step
ISO Sensitivity (Still Image)(Recommended Exposure Index)
Auto(ISO125-12800, selectable with upper / lower limit),125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/1600/2000/2500/3200/4000/5000/6400/8000/10000/12800 (Extendable to ISO80/100),Multi-Frame NR:Auto(ISO125-12800), 200/400/800/1600/3200/6400/12800/25600
ISO Sensitivity (Movie)
Auto:(ISO125Level-ISO12800Level, selectable with upper / lower limit), 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:2.9lux(Shutter Speed 1/30")
White Balance Modes
Auto,Daylight,Shade,Cloudy,Incandescent,Fluor.: Warm White,Fluor.: Cool White,Fluor.: Day White,Fluor.: Daylight,Flash,Underwater Auto,C.Temp./Filter,Custom
WB Micro Adjustment
Yes(G7 to M7,57-step)(A7 to B7,29-step)
Shutter Speed
Yes(G7 to M7,57-step)(A7 to B7,29-step)
Electronic Shutter
iAuto(4" - 1/32000) / Program Auto(30" - 1/32000) / Manual(30" - 1/32000) / Aperture Priority(30" - 1/32000) / Shutter Priority(30" - 1/32000)
Aperture
iAuto(F2.8/F11(W)) / Program Auto(F2.8/F11(W)) / Manual(F2.8/F11(W)) / Shutter Priority(F2.8/F11(W)) / Aperture Priority(F2.8/F11(W))
Image Control
Contrast,Saturation,Sharpness,Creative Style,Color Space(sRGB / Adobe RGB),Quality(RAW / RAW&JPEG ( Extra fine, Fine, Standard) / 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, ISO200-25600
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,Pet Mode,Gourmet,Fireworks,High Sensitivity
Continuous Shooting Speed (maximum) (with max. recording pixels)
Continuous Shooting Hi: approx. 24 fps, Continuous Shooting Mid: approx. 10 fps, Continuous Shooting Low: approx. 3.0 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,Still Image:Pop Color,Still Image:Posterization,Still Image:Retro Photo,Still Image:Soft High-key,Still Image:Partial Color,Still Image:High Contrast Mono.,Still Image:Soft Focus,Still Image:HDR Painting,Still Image:Richtone Monochrome,Still Image:Miniature,Still Image:Watercolor,Still Image:Illustration,Movie:Toy camera,Movie:Pop Color,Movie:Posterization,Movie:Retro Photo,Movie:Soft High-key,Movie:Partial Color,Movie: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-PP10(Black Level, Gamma(Movie, Still, Cine1-2, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-log3, HLG, HLG1, HLG2, HLG3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset)
Number of Recognised Scenes
off/PP1-PP10(Black Level, Gamma(Movie, Still, Cine1-2, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2, S-log3, HLG, HLG1, HLG2, HLG3), Black Gamma, Knee, Color Mode, Saturation, Color Phase, Color Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset)

Flash

Flash Mode
Auto / Flash On / Slow Synchro / Rear Sync / Flash Off
Flash Type
Built-in, manual pop-up
AF Illuminator
Auto / Off
Bracketing
Yes
Flash Range
ISO Auto: Approx.0.4m to 5.9m (1.31 ft. to 19.35 ft.) (W) / Approx. 1.0m to 3.1m (3.28 ft. to 10.17 ft.) (T), ISO12800: up to Approx. 12.4m (40.68 ft.) (W) / Approx. 7.0m (22.96 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),Movie:XAVC S,Movie:AVCHD format Ver.2.0 compatible
Recording Format (Movie Audio)
Still Image:JPEG(DCF Ver.2.0,Exif Ver.2.31,MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format),Movie:XAVC S,Movie:AVCHD format Ver.2.0 compatible
Colour Space (Still)
sRGB, Adobe RGB
DCF/DPOF
DCF/DPOF/EXIF/MPF
Still Image Number of recorded pixels (Image Size)
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(1,920×1,920) ,Sweep Panorama:Wide(12,416×1,856/5,536×2,160),Standard(8,192×1,856/3,872×2,160)
Movie Recording Mode (NTSC)
NTSC/PAL Selector: [PAL] mode AVCHD: 24M FX(1,920x1,080/50i) / 17M FH(1,920x1,080/50i), XAVC S 4K: 25p 100M(3,840x2,160/25p) / 25p 60M(3,840x2,160/25p), XAVC S HD:50p 50M(1,920x1,080/50p) / 50p 25M(1,920x1,080/50p) / 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/25p) / 25p 16M(1,920x1,080/25p) / 100p 100M(1,920x1,080/100p) / 100p 60M(1,920x1,080/100p), NTSC/PAL Selector: [NTSC] AVCHD: 24M FX(1,920x1,080/60i) / 17M FH(1,920x1,080/60i), XAVC S 4K: 30p 100M(3,840x2,160/30p) / 30p 60M(3,840x2,160/30p) / 24p 100M(3,840x2,160/24p) / 24p 60M(3,840x2,160/24p), XAVC S HD:60p 50M(1,920x1,080/60p) / 60p 25M(1,920x1,080/60p) / 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/30p) / 30p 16M(1,920x1,080/30p) / 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/24p) / 120p 100M(1,920x1,080/120p) / 120p 60M(1,920x1,080/120p)
HFR
Recording NTSC/PAL Selector: [PAL] mode XAVC S HD:50p 50M(1,920x1,080/250fps), 50p 50M(1,920x1,080/500fps), 50p 50M(1,920x1,080/1000fps) / 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/250fps), 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/500fps), 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/1000fps), NTSC/PAL Selector: [NTSC] mode XAVC S HD:60p 50M(1,920x1,080/240fps), 60p 50M(1,920x1,080/480fps), 60p 50M(1,920x1,080/960fps) / 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/240fps), 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/480fps), 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/960fps) / 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/240fps), 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/480fps), 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/960fps) Sensor Readout Number of effective pixels Quality Priority:240fps/250fps(1,824x1,026),480fps/500fps(1,824x616),960fps/1000fps(1,244x420)/Shoot Time Priority:240fps/250fps(1,824x616),480fps/500fps(1,292x436),960fps/1000fps(912x308)
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
Recording NTSC/PAL Selector: [PAL] mode XAVC S HD:50p 50M(1,920x1,080/250fps), 50p 50M(1,920x1,080/500fps), 50p 50M(1,920x1,080/1000fps) / 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/250fps), 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/500fps), 25p 50M(1,920x1,080/1000fps), NTSC/PAL Selector: [NTSC] mode XAVC S HD:60p 50M(1,920x1,080/240fps), 60p 50M(1,920x1,080/480fps), 60p 50M(1,920x1,080/960fps) / 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/240fps), 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/480fps), 30p 50M(1,920x1,080/960fps) / 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/240fps), 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/480fps), 24p 50M(1,920x1,080/960fps) Sensor Readout Number of effective pixels Quality Priority:240fps/250fps(1,824x1,026),480fps/500fps(1,824x616),960fps/1000fps(1,244x420)/Shoot Time Priority:240fps/250fps(1,824x616),480fps/500fps(1,292x436),960fps/1000fps(912x308)

Interface

Input and Output Terminals
Multi/Micro USB Terminal, Hi-Speed USB (USB2.0), Micro HDMI
NFC
NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible, One-touch remote, One-touch sharing
WI-FI
Yes(IEEE802.11b/g/n(2.4GHz band))
Interfaces
Yes
Bluetooth
Yes (Bluetooth Standard Ver. 4.1 (2.4GHz band))

Power

Power Source
DC3.6V(supplied battery) / DC5.0V(supplied AC Adaptor)
Battery System
Rechargeable battery pack NP-BX1
Power Consumption (Camera Mode)
Approx. 2.3W with LCD monitor and approx. 2.5W with viewfinder(CIPA standard)
USB Charge/USB Power Supply
Yes (Shooting, Playback)
BATTERY LIFE(STILL IMAGES)(CIPA)
Monitor:Approx. 240 / Approx. 120min., Monitor (When Auto Monitor off is set to 2sec):Approx. 310 / Approx. 155min., ViewFinder:Approx. 220 / Approx. 110min.
BATTERY LIFE(MOVIES ACTUAL SHOOTING)(CIPA)
Monitor:Approx. 40min., ViewFinder:Approx. 40min.
BATTERY LIFE(MOVIES CONTINUOUS SHOOTING)(CIPA)
Monitor:Approx. 75min., ViewFinder:Approx. 70min.

Others

Playmemories Camera Apps
-
Photo Creativity
-
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,Micref Level,Step Zoom / Quick Zoom,Self-portrait timer,TC/UB,Photographer Name & Copyright,ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed,PC Remote Control,Gamma Disp. Assist,[Mov]AF Track Sensitivity,[Mov]AF Drive Speed,Set File Name,Touch Shutter,My Menu
Playback Functions
BRAVIA Sync(Control for HDMI),9/25-frame index view,Auto Orientation,Slide Show,Forward/Rewind (Movie),Delete,Protect,Motion Shot Video,Beatuty Effect,Photo Capture,Rating,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)
101.6x58.1x42.8 mm(4 in. × 2 3/8 in. × 1 11/16 in.)
WEIGHT (CIPA COMPLIANT)
Approx. 301g (10.7oz.)(Battery and Memory Card are included) / Approx. 274g (9.7oz.)(Body Only)

Colour Options

black

What's In The Box

  • Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BX1,AC Adaptor,Micro USB cable,Wrist Strap,strap adapter,Instruction Manual

News

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI is a new premium compact camera with a 20 megapixel 1-inch sensor, 24-200mm zoom lens, 24fps burst shooting, the World's fastest auto-focusing of 0.03 seconds, and 4K vieo recording. The new Sony RX100 VI will ship in Europe in July priced approximately £1,150.

Sony UK Press Release

Sony’s announces RX100 VI that combines high magnification zoom 24-200mm, large aperture, world’s Fastest AF Speed in ultra-compact body

  • ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm[i] F2.8 – F4.5 Large Aperture
  • Compact body size of acclaimed RX100 series
  • World’s Fastest[ii] 0.03 seconds[iii] AF speed
  • 315 focal-plane phase-detection AF points covering approximately 65% of frame
  • 1.0-type stacked 20.1 MP[iv] Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor with DRAM chipand upgraded BIONZ X™ image processor and Front-end LSI
  • High-speed continuous shooting at up to 24 fps[v] with full AF/AE tracking
  • Optical image stabilisation equivalent to a 4.0-stop[vi] faster shutter speed
  • High Resolution 4K[vii] Movie Shooting with full pixel readout and no pixel binning plus 4K HDR[viii] for instant HDR workflow

Sony today announced another exciting model for their popular Cyber-shot RX100 series of compact cameras, the RX100 VI (model DSC-RX100M6).

The innovative new RX100 VI camera is the first of all the RX100 models to include a high magnification zoom lens, as it packs in an impressive ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mmi F2.8 – F4.5 lens yet doesn’t sacrifice the pocket-size portability, fast responsiveness and high image quality that has become the hallmark of Sony’s RX100 line-up. It’s extensive zoom, impressive image quality and versatility for both still images and video make it an ideal choice for capturing daily life, cityscapes, portraiture, sports, wildlife and everything in between.

The new model is equipped with a 20.1 MP 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor with DRAM chip and an upgraded BIONZ X™ image processing system with a front-end LSI that maximises processing speed and optimises image quality in all shooting environments. Additionally, the RX100 VI features an incredibly efficient Fast Hybrid AF system with 315-point phase-detection AF points on the sensor that can acquire focus in as little as 0.03 secondsiii, the world’s fastestii AF acquisition time for 1.0-type sensor cameras. It can also shoot at up to 24 fpsv at full resolution with continuous AF/AE tracking and produces beautiful 4Kvii video with full pixel readout and no pixel binning.

New High-Magnification 24-200mm Zoom Lens Plus Outstanding Image Quality

A first for Sony’s RX100 series of cameras, the new ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mmi F2.8 – F4.5 lens packs the power of both 24-70mm and 70-200mmi focal lengths into a singular compact design. This is achieved thanks to its unique design featuring two ED (extra-low dispersion) aspherical glass elements and eight aspherical lens elements includingfour AA (advanced aspherical) lenses. All pieces work together seamlessly to deliver outstanding sharpness from corner-to-corner at all focal lengths, maintaining the acclaimed image quality of the RX100 series.

The impressive new lens on the RX100 VI maintains a large aperture throughout the entire zoom range, ensuring portraits can be created with beautiful bokeh, fast moving subjects can be captured with crisp focus and no blurring, and much more. Additionally, the lens has built-in Optical SteadyShotTM image stabilisation that is equivalent to a 4.0-stopvi faster shutter speed, helping to prevent blur at slower shutter speed while shooting in low light conditions or at telephoto zoom range.

Lightning-Fast AF Performance and Shooting Speeds

The new RX100 VI model features a Fast Hybrid AF system that ultimately allows the camera to acquire focus in as little as 0.03 seconds.iii This innovative AF system combines the respective advantages of 315-pointfocal-plane phase-detection AF points that cover approximately 65% of the sensor and contrast-detection AF. This high speed focusing system complements the versatile 24-200mmirange of the lens, ensuring all subjects can be captured with precise detail and clarity.

Additionally, a first for the RX100 series of cameras,the RX100 VI includes Sony’s advanced High-density Tracking AF technology, whichconcentrates AF points around a subject to improve tracking and focus accuracy. Thepopular Eye AF technologyis also available with approximately 2x the tracking performance of the current RX100 series model.[ix]Furthermore, the camera has LCD touch focusing and touchpad focus point control for users that would like to drag their fingers to ideal focus points of their choice.

An ideal complement to the AF system, the RX100 VI offers continuous high-speed shooting at up to 24 fpsv with full AF/AE tracking, with an impressive buffer limit of up to 233 images[x]. The display lag of the EVF has been substantially reduced compared to prior models, allowing shooters to capture the decisive moment with ultimate confidence. Also, continuously shot images can now be played back in group on display instead of individually making it more convenient to review.

The RX100 VI 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.

Advanced Movie Capabilities Including 4K HDR

The pocket-friendly RX100 VI is packed with a variety of video capabilities that will satisfy even the most demanding video enthusiasts.

With Fast Hybrid AF, the focal-plane phase-detection AF points ensures accurate focusing and tracking performance, even for the severe focusing requirements of 4Kvii movie shooting. AF drive speed and AF tracking sensitivity can also be adjusted via the menu system, giving shooters plenty of flexibility based on their focusing preferences.

In 4Kvii mode, the new RX100 VI utilises full pixel readout without pixel binning to ensure that all the finer details of 4Kvii video are captured with minimal moire and ‘jaggies’.

For the first time in a Cyber-shot camera, the RX100 VI features 4K HDRviii compatibility thanks to its new HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile that offers an instant HDR workflow solution. Additional professional calibre video features include S-Log3/S-Gamut3, 120p Full HD mode, Picture Profile, proxy recording and more. The RX100 VI is able to record superslow motion[xi] video at either 250 fps, 500 fps or 1000 fps[xii].

Premium Design, Control and Convenience

The new RX100 VI is equipped with a high-contrast 2.35 million dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ with ZEISS® T* Coating, ensuring true-to-life image preview and playback functionality. The EVF itself retracts in and out of the camera body based on user preference, and can be activated instantly by a single One-push Access button.

A first for Sony’s RX series, RX100 VI has a touch shutter that can be activated by tapping the back LCD screen, a zoom lever with customisable zoom speeds and an LCD that can be rotated 180 degrees upward or 90 degrees downward for a variety of shooting angles for the creator. There is also a Monitor Auto OFF function that boosts max number of still images by up to 30%, and the camera is also Wi-Fi®, NFC™ and Bluetooth®compatible.

Pricing and Availability

The new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI compact camera will ship in Europe in July priced approximately £1,150.

[i] 35mm format equivalent

[ii] Along with the RX10 IV. Among fixed lens digital cameras with 1.0-type sensor. As of June 2018 press release, based on Sony research

[iii] CIPA standard, internal measurement, at f=9.0mm (wide-end), EV6.9, Program Auto, Focus mode: AF-A, Focus area: Centre

[iv] Approximate effective megapixels

[v] With "Continuous shooting mode: Hi"

[vi] CIPA standard, pitch/yaw directions, at 200mm (35mm format equivalent)

[vii] QFHD: 3840×2160

[viii] Connect to an HDR (HLG) compatible Sony TV via a USB cable to view HDR (HLG) movies

[ix] Compared to the DSC-RX100M5. Sony test conditions

[x] With "Continuous shooting mode: Hi" and "Image quality: Fine"

[xi] Audio recording is not available. A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required

[xii] In PAL mode. Menu allows switching between NTSC and PAL modes

First Impressions

We've just spent a couple of days shooting with the new Sony RX100 VI compact camera in Venice, Italy, at the official Sony Europe press event. Check out our detailed first impressions of using the Sony RX100 VI travel-zoom camera now...

Sony RX100 VI - Ease of Use

Sony RX100 VI

At first glance the Sony RX100 VI looks very much like the previous Mark V model (which continues in the range), closely resembling it in terms of size and control layout. The two cameras are actually identical in size when viewed from the front, with the new Mark VI only being 1.5mm thicker than than the RX100 V despite having a much longer zoom lens.

The new 24-200mm lens makes the VI much more versatile than previous RX models, covering a focal range that should keep most photographers happy. Sony were keen to stress that this is a camera that can cover most photographic situations, and after using it extensively for everything from wide-angle landscapes to candid portraits, we'd certainly agree with that assertion. The RX100 VI would make a great pocket companion to the excellent A7 III mirrorless camera.

In terms of aperture, the 24-200mm lens starts at f/2.8 and reaches f/4.5, very respectable considering the compact nature of the camera. It's comprised of 15 elements in 12 groups, 8 aspherical, 4 advanced aspherical and 2 ED, and every element moves when zooming, a unique feature (some elements stay still in most zoom lenses). It also maintains an f/4 aperture at 100mm, an important aim for Sony when designing the RX100 VI, whilst offering an improved 4-stop OIS system to held keep your image blur-free.

Sony RX100 VI

High sharpness and contrast are evident even in the corner of the image at 200mm, and the lens has an almost circular aperture from open aperture to f/11 at maximum telephoto. Finally, Clear Image Zoom, Sony’s clever digital zoom, is available to increase the focal length by 2x without too much degradation of the image quality.

The RX100 VI continues to offer incredible continuous shooting speeds considering its relative affordability. 24fps burst shooting is available complete with AF/AE tracking, just like on the Mark V, but the A7 III has a larger 233 JPG image buffer (109 Raw files).

Sony also claim that the RX100 VI can achieve a similar focusing hit rate to the flagship A9 compact system camera thanks to improved AF tracking. It actually uses that camera's AF algorithm, employing 315 phase-detection points along with Sony's excellent Eye AF mode. It offers 65% scene coverage and can focus in just 0.03 sec, 1.8x faster than the RX100 MK V (0.05 sec on the Mark V).

Sony RX100 VI

In practice the new AF system worked very well, both outdoors in bright sunlight and in more demanding low-light conditions, with the fast and effective Eye AF once again proving its worth for easily capturing great portraits, engaged by simply holding down the center button on the rear control wheel.

For video, the RX100 VI employs a Fast Hybrid AF system, using both phase and contrast detection together to offer much better subject tracking than previous models.

Sony RX100 VI

The Sony RX100 VI now offers a touch panel LCD, the first time on an RX-series camera. As with other Sony models that employ this technology, features include touch focus, even with selfies, touch shutter and faster image reviewing, although you still can't operate the menu system without using the camera's physical buttons. 

The VI has an expanded tilt angle LCD screen, increased from 45 degrees on the Mark V to 90 degrees, making selfies and awkward shooting angles a lot easier than before.

Battery life is still pretty poor though, thanks to the continued use of the tiny NP-BX1 unit - you'll need to budget for several of these to get through a serious day's shooting. Oh, and there's still no Mic port, which will rule out the RX100 VI for more serious vlogging.

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony RX100 VI camera

Sony RX100 VI - Image Quality

Sony RX100 VI

For stills photography, the Sony RX100 VI employs a 20 megapixel 1-inch sensor that was apparently developed 2/3 years ago, coupled with the very latest BIONZ X processor and front-end LSI borrowed from A9 camera. It offers a top ISO speed of 12800, starting at 125, and Sony claim that it has improved colours and textures, especially for skin tones, inherited directly from the A7 III.

We've already shot a gallery of sample images for you with a full production version of the RX100 VI which you can check out here, and we'll be bringing you even more full-size JPEGs and Raw files when we get our hands on a final review sample.

For video, the RX100 VI can record 4K movies (3840x2160 pixels) at 25/24fps, utilising a 4K full pixel readout with no crop factor, fast Hybrid auto-focusing and 4K Hybrid Log Gamma mode. It can also shoot 1080p footage and slow-motion 960ps video for up to 4 or 7 seconds, while  S-Log2 and S-Log3 profiles allow for colour grading in post-production.

You can find some 4K and slow-motion sample videos in our Sample Images gallery.

Take a look at some sample JPEG and Raw images and movies taken with the Sony RX100 VI camera

Sony RX100 VI - Early Verdict

The RX100 VI greatly expands the appeal of Sony's premium range compact camera to include a much wider variety of photographers and subjects, principally thanks to the 24-200mm lens, but also due to its excellent AF system when shooting both stills and video, all in a camera that's only 1mm bigger in size than its predecessor. If you need a faster lens then the Mark V continues in the range with its shorter 24-70mm, f/1.8-f/2.8 optic.

So what do you think of the new Sony RX100 VI? Leave a comment below...

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Sony RX100 VI premium compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony RX100 VI travel-zoom camera.

A gallery of hands-on photos of the new Sony RX100 VI travel zoom compact camera.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample images and movies taken with the new Sony RX100 VI compact camera, including the full ISO range. The Sony RX100 VI has a versatile 24-200mm lens, can shoot at 24fps for up to 233 shots with full AF/AE tracking, and offers the fastest auto-focusing of any 1-inch sensor compact camera.

A gallery of sample images taken with the new Sony RX100 VI compact camera.

Sony RX100 VI Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VI 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 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 13 second movie is 168Mb in size.

This is a sample slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 1000 frames per second. Please note that this 23 second movie is 144Mb in size.

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