Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII Review

October 16, 2019 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The original Sony RX100 made its debut back in 2012, at the height of the digital camera market, and seven years later the 7th iteration,the Sony RX100 VII, has arrived. 2019 is a very different place in terms of camera sales, though, so is there still a place for the compact camera when smartphones are so ubiquitous?

Sony certainly seem to think so, at least at the high end of the market, with the RX100 VII following hot on the heels of 2018's RX100 VI model. The 2019 edition retains the core specs of its predecessor - 20 megapixels, 24-200mm zoom lens, pop-up electronic viewfinder and a touchscreen LCD - but made it much faster.

The Sony RX100 VII has a newly developed 1.0-type stacked CMOS image sensor with a DRAM chip and the latest BIONZ X processor, the latter being the same processor used by the Alpha A9 mirrorless camera.

Consequently the RX100 VII can auto-focus in just 0.02 sec with a hybrid 357-point focal-plane phase-detection AF and 425-point contrast-detection AF system.

It offers 90fps single burst shooting or a still very impressive 20fps with black-out free continuous AF/AE, again just like the Alpha A9.

Real-time tracking and real-time eye AF for both humans and animals has been added, along with 4K movies through full pixel readout without any pixel binning and the welcome addition of a 3.5mm microphone jack for vloggers.

The new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII is available now priced at around $1300 / £1200 / €1300, a slight increase on the launch pricee of the RX100 VI.

Ease of Use

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

The Mark VI version of the venerable RX100 camera series ushered in a rather radical change in approach with the adoption of a much longer 24-200mm lens, making it much more of a travel camera than its Mark V predecessor with its more limited 24-70mm zoom.

The new Sony RX100 VII sticks with the same 8.3x, 24-200mm lens and external design as the RX100 VI - the only change is the very welcome addition of a Mic socket for vloggers. Otherwise you'd be very hard-pressed to tell the two cameras apart when looking at them side-by-side, from any angle.

Instead, Sony have focused their development efforts for the 2019 edition of the RX100 on making it faster, with a new sensor, processor and auto-focus system onboard, making it much better suited to photographing fast-moving subjects such as sports, wildlife and your kids.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII's 8.3x Zoom Lens

Lens

Going back to the Sony RX100 VII's lens just for a moment - it's still the same 24-200mm optic as on the Mark VI, 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).

As a result, the older, cheaper RX100 V is still worth considering if you value faster maximum apertures over the greater zoom range of the VI and VII versions, for example if you do a lot of hand-held shooting in low-light or you love producing shallow bokeh effects in your photographs.

ND Filter

The Sony RX100 VII also again lacks the built-in ND filter of the Mark V, something that we'd hope to have seen addressed in this latest update.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII In-hand

Image Sensor

As you'd expect, the Sony RX100 VII continues to use a relatively large 13.2 x 8.8mm CMOS sensor as employed by previous models in the series.

New for the 2019 update, though, is the type of sensor that the RX100 is now using. This is a newly developed 1.0-type stacked CMOS image sensor with DRAM storage, with the key word in that sentence being "stacked".

This is the same sensor technology employed in the flagship Alpha A9 mirrorless cameras, which can shoot as 20fps with no blackout during each frame thanks to also using the same stacked sensor technology.

Burst Shooting

Consequently the RX100 VII offers the same very impressive 20fps bursts shooting mode with black-out free continuous AF/AE as the Alpha A9, an incredibly impressive feat for what is after all just a compact camera.

Watching the Sony RX100 VII shoot at 20fps with continuous live view and continuous AF/AE tracking is pretty incredible, and one of the key reasons for buying this camera. It slightly slower than the 24fps offered by the Mark VI, but more usable thanks to the blackout free nature.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
Top of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100

90fps Mode

And if that isn't fast enough for you, there's even a headline grabbing 90fps frame rate available, albeit with a number of significant caveats.

Firstly, there's no pre-buffering option, so your timing has to be spot on to capture the precise moment, especially as the Sony RX100 VII can only record a measly 7 RAW shots at that lightning speed.

Secondly, the camera locks the exposure and the focus point at the first frame, so it's not really suitable for faster-moving subjects.

You can also slow the mode down to 60 or 30fps if you don't need 90fps, again only for 7 shots though.

Auto-focus System

Alongside this increase in shooting speed is the introduction of a new AF system that features technology again adopted from the Alpha mirrorless camera range, namely Sony’s latest Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF, and which now boasts an AF time of just 0.02sec, a whole 0.01 sec faster than its predecessor.

They work in just the same incredibly effective way as on the Alpha range, so if you've previously used a recent Alpha camera, you won't be surprised by how well the Sony RX100 VII can lock onto and track a moving subject, be it a human being or an animal.

You will still be surprised though that a compact camera like this one is as capable as much larger, more complex mirrorless one. One slight caveat is that you can't zoom the lens while AF is engaged, limiting the camera's suitability for some subjects.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
Tilting LCD Screen

LCD Screen

On the back of the Sony RX100 VII is the exact same 3-inch, 921-dot resolution LCD touchscreen as on the MK VI camera, which can be tilted up to 90° downwards to shoot over crowds or up to 180° upwards for easier selfies.

But once again Sony have stopped short of offering a full touchscreen experience. 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.

You still can't use the menu system in this way, though, 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.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
Pop-up Viewfinder

Viewfinder

The Sony RX100 VII also has exactly the same pop-up viewfinder as its predecessor, with the eye-piece both extending and retracting automatically, greatly speeding up the operation of the EVF compared to versions older than the Mark VI.

Grip

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 Sony RX100 VII 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 on offer where stability is more crucial.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
The New Mic Port

Video Recording

The Sony RX100 VII continues to offer 4K Ultra HD video recording at 3840 x 2160 resolution at 30/25/24fps, but now with the added benefits of longer recording time of up to 30 minutes (standard clip time is still 5 minutes), eye-detection AF while filming, the new Active SteadyShot option for for both 4K and Full HD video which combines with the lens stabilisation system, and the addition of the vertical video format for use on smartphones and Instagram.

MIC Input for Vlogging

This version of the RX100 is also the first to feature a 3.5mm analogue input to connect an external microphone, found on the right-hand flank of the camera, something that has long been missing from this series of cameras. There's no accessory port to mounting a mic, though, so you'll ideally need to use a bracket or a lapel mic.

NFC, Wi-fi and Bluetooth

The Sony RX100 VII offers the same NFC, Wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity offered by the previous Mark IV model.

Somewhat inexplicably Bluetooth can still 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 feature.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII
Bottom of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100

Battery Life

Battery life at 260 still shots continues to be poor on this new RX100 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, especially if you intend to make full use of the camera's lightning fast shooting speeds.

Memory Card Slot

The Sony RX100 VII continues to use a UHS-I slot, rather than the faster UHS-II standard, which makes it slow to clear its buffer when taking advantage of the camera's shooting speed.

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.

Noise

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

JPEG Raw

ISO 64 (100% Crop)

ISO 64 (100% Crop)

iso64.jpg iso64raw.jpg

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 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 VII'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 VII 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 VII 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 (12Mb) (100% Crop) Fine (6.28Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_extrafine.jpg quality_fine.jpg
Standard (4.31Mb) (100% Crop) RAW (19.9Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_standard.jpg quality_raw.jpg

Macro

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII allows you to focus on a subject that is 8cms away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle.

macro.jpg

Flash

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

Night

night.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII 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 VII 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 25 second movie is 308Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 25 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 256Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 50 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 132Mb in size.

This is a sample super slow-motion movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 1000 frames per second. Please note that this 21 second movie is 132Mb in size.

Product Images

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Conclusion

The Sony RX100 camera series continue to evolve with the launch of the Mark VII, which focuses on faster, more usable burst shooting, improved auto-focusing and the long overdue addition of a Mic port.

If you want a camera that's fast enough to shoot fast-moving subjects - wildlife, sports, or just your kids - and small enough to fit inside a coat pocket, then there's simply no better option currently on the market than the Sony RX100 VII.

The addition of the new stacked sensor with its DRAM memory makes burst shooting much more usable than on the VI version, thanks to now being blackout free, which makes it much easier to follow the action. the 90fps shooting mode may grab all the headlines, but it's the revised 20fps mode that really deserves the attention.

As does the addition of the Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF technologies, which have also been trickled down from Sony's Alpha range of mirrorless cameras. The Sony RX100 VII shares the same tenacious ability to quickly lock-on to and track almost any fast-moving subject, and if it can detect a human or animal's eye, even better. Seeing this technology in action on such a small camera is a real eye-opener (excuse the pun!).

The final major new feature for 2019 is the new 3.5mm Mic port, which for the first time makes it possible to record quality sound on the RX100 series, something that vloggers in particular will find appealing. We just don't know why it's taken Sony so long to add this.

There are still some notable drawbacks to this camera - the lack of an ND filter restricts shooting in very bright light, the touchscreen interface is still too limited, and battery life continues to be poor - but ultimately the new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII is the best RX100 camera ever, and the best compact camera currently available on the market.

5 stars

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

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII.

Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

The new Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II is a premium compact camera that's clearly been re-designed to take on the all-conquering Sony RX100 series of cameras whilst offering some class-leading features of its own, including a longer zoom lens, touchscreen interface and bigger grip. Discover what's new in our Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II review, complete with full-size sample images and videos...

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III

Canon's PowerShot G7 X Mark III is a brand new compact camera that offers a lot of bang for your buck, for both stills photographers and vloggers alike. Find out just what the latest generation of this camera is capable of by reading our in-depth Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III review, complete with full-size sample JPEG and Raw images...

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...

Sony RX100 VI

The new Sony RX100 VI is the most technologically capable compact camera on the market, but is it the right travel-zoom camera for you? Find out by reading our detailed Sony RX100 VI review...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII from around the web.

dpreview.com »

The Sony RX100 VII is the company's latest pocketable 1" sensor compact. It uses the same 24-200mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 lens as its predecessor but features a more capable, easier-to-use autofocus system.
Read the full review »

cameralabs.com »

The Sony RX100 VII is a high-end compact designed for travel, action, video and vlogging. Successor to the RX100 VI, it shares the same 24-200mm f2.8-4.5 zoom as well as essentially the same body with a touch-screen that can angle up to face you and small but detailed viewfinder that pops up and pushes back down again in a convenient single action.
Read the full review »

digitalcameraworld.com »

On paper, the RX100 VII is amazing. Its size is amazing, its 24-200mm lens is (sort of) amazing, its high-speed shooting is amazing and its latest-gen AF system is amazing. The only thing that’s not amazing is the experience of actually using it. This is still a cramped and awkward little camera with an average sort of sensor, but with some highly specialised skills that push its price way up into the stratosphere. If you definitely need everything it does, go for it, but otherwise you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about.
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 lens)
F-NUMBER (MAXIMUM APERTURE)
F2.8(W)-4.5(T)
ND FILTER
-
FOCAL LENGTH (F=)
f=9.0-72mm
ANGLE OF VIEW (35MM FORMAT EQUIVALENT)
84deg.-12deg.30min.(24-200mm)
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

Screen

SCREEN TYPE
7.5cm(3.0type)(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), 2,359,296 dots
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 (STILL IMAGE)
Optical
STEADYSHOT (MOVIE)
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 (357 points (phase-detection AF), 425 points(contrast-detection AF)), Zone, Center, Flexible Spot (S/M/L), Expanded Flexible Spot, Tracking (Wide/Zone/Center/Flexible Spot(S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot)
OBJECT TRACKING
Yes (Tracking)
EYE AF
[Still images] Human (Right/Left Eye Select) / Animal; [Movie] Human (Right/Left Eye Select)
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(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
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
iAuto(4" - 1/2000) / Program Auto(30" - 1/2000) / Manual(Bulb, 30" - 1/2000) / Aperture Priority(30" - 1/2000) / Shutter Priority(30" - 1/2000)
ELECTRONIC SHUTTER
[Single Shooting] iAuto (4" - 1/32000) / Program Auto(30" - 1/32000) / Manual(30" - 1/32000) / Aperture Priority(30" - 1/32000) / Shutter Priority(30" - 1/32000);, [Continuous Shooting/Single Burst Shooting] 1/8 - 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, 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, Pet Mode, Gourmet, Fireworks, High Sensitivity
CONTINUOUS SHOOTING SPEED (MAXIMUM) (WITH MAX. RECORDING PIXELS)
[AUTO/Electronic Shutter] Continuous Shooting Hi: approx. 20 fps, Continuous Shooting Mid: approx. 10 fps, Continuous Shooting Low: approx. 5.0 fps, Single Burst Shooting Hi: approx. 90fps, Single Burst Shooting Mid: approx. 60fps, Single Burst Shooting Low: approx. 30fps [Mechanical Shutter] Continuous Shooting Hi: -, 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 / Single Burst shots with 10sec. 5sec. or 2sec. delay selectable
DRIVE MODES
Single, Continuous shooting, Single Burst Shooting, Self-timer, Self-timer(cont.), Cont.-bracketing, Single-bracketing, White balance bracketing, DRO bracketing
INTERVAL REC
Yes (1-60 sec. interval, 1-9999 shots, AE lock/AE tracking(High/Mid/Low))
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-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
[Still Image]:Superior Auto: 44 / iAuto: 33, [Movie]:44

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
[XAVC S(100Mbps)] SDXC/SDHC Memory Card (UHS-I U3 or higher); [XAVC S(60Mbps/50Mbps)] SDXC/SDHC Memory Card (Class 10 or higher); [AVCHD/Still image] Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick Micro, Memory Stick Micro(Mark2), SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Card (Class 4 or higher), micro SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Card (Class 4 or higher)
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, 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)
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: [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)
MOVIE RECORDING MODE (PAL)
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)
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
Yes(1280 x 720(Approx.9Mbps))

Interface

INPUT AND OUTPUT TERMINALS
Multi/Micro USB Terminal, Hi-Speed USB (USB2.0), Micro HDMI, Microphone jack (3.5mm Stereo mini jack)
NFC
NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible, One-touch remote, One-touch sharing
WI-FI
Yes(IEEE802.11b/g/n(2.4GHz band))
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. 2.1W with LCD monitor and approx. 2.3W with viewfinder(CIPA standard)
USB CHARGE/USB POWER SUPPLY
Yes (Shooting, Playback)
BATTERY LIFE(STILL IMAGES)(CIPA)
Monitor:Approx. 260 / Approx. 130min., Monitor (When Auto Monitor off is set to 2sec):Approx. 310 / Approx. 155min., ViewFinder:Approx. 240 / Approx. 120min.
BATTERY LIFE(MOVIES ACTUAL SHOOTING)(CIPA)
Monitor:Approx. 40min., ViewFinder:Approx. 40min.
BATTERY LIFE(MOVIES CONTINUOUS SHOOTING)(CIPA)
Monitor:Approx. 70min., ViewFinder:Approx. 70min.

Others

PLAYMEMORIES CAMERA APPS
-
SHOOTING FUNCTIONS
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 (Display: Off/On) (Level: High/Mid/Low) (Color: Red/Yellow/Blue/White), Zebra, Marker Display, Audio Rec Level, Audio Level Display, Step Zoom / Quick Zoom, Self-portrait timer, TC/UB, Copyright Info, ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed, PC Remote Controll, Gamma Disp. Assist, [Mov]AF Tracking Sensitivity, [Mov]AF Drive Speed, Set File Name, Touch Shutter/Touch Focus/Touch Tracking, Touch Pad, My Menu, My Dial
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
TRILUMINOS COLOR
Yes
4K IMAGE OUTPUT
Yes
OPERATING TEMPERATURE
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) (APPROX.)
101.6 x 58.1 x 42.8 mm(4 in. x 2 3/8 in. x 1 11/16 in.)
WEIGHT (CIPA COMPLIANT)
Approx. 302g (10.7oz.)(Battery and Memory Card are included) / Approx. 275g (9.8oz.)(Body Only)

What's In The Box

  • Rechargeable Battery Pack (NP-BX1), AC Adaptor, Micro USB cable, Wrist Strap, Strap Adapter, Instruction Manual

News

The new Sony RX100 VII achieves new levels of performance in a compact camera by utilising technologies developed for Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera, the Alpha 9.

The Sony RX100 VII will ship in August 2019 priced at approximately €1,300 / £1,200 / $1,300.

Sony Press Release

Sony Brings New Level of Power to Premium Compact Camera Line-up with introduction of the RX100 VII; Alpha 9 performance in your pocket

• Newly developed 1.0-type stacked 20.1 MP  Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor with DRAM chip and latest generation BIONZ X™ image processor

• Alpha 9-level speed performance with up to 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second  and 20fps  blackout-free shooting  with AF/AE tracking

• World leading  357-point focal-plane phase-detection AF + 425-point contrast-detection AF with world’s fastestv 0.02 sec  high AF speed

• Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals  

• ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm  F2.8 – F4.5 Large Aperture High Magnification Zoom Lens

• New ‘Single Burst Shooting’  Drive Mode at up to 90fps  speed

• Pro-level movie functionality including 4K  HDR (HLG)  , Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for movie shooting, 4K Active SteadyShot™, Vertical-position data recording for movies and integrated microphone jack 

Sony today announced a new addition to its award-winning series of RX cameras with the launch of the RX100 VII (model DSC-RX100M7). Utilising technologies developed for Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera Alpha 9, the RX100 VII achieves new levels of performance in a compact camera, in both stills and movie shooting, inspiring the user to feel confident that they are armed with professional-level power in their pocket for spontaneous shooting in everyday life. 

The RX100 VII is powered by a newly developed 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and the latest generation BIONZ X image processor. This combination delivers new levels of autofocus performance and achieves speed breakthroughs that have previously only been seen on the Alpha 9. Flexibility of shooting is ensured by a ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mmviii F2.8-4.5 high magnification zoom lens, making the RX100 VII a versatile choice for all types of shooting scenarios and users, from photo enthusiasts to professionals.  

New Standard for AF Performance in a Compact Camera

The RX100 VII offers a world leadingv 357 focal-plane phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points. In addition, thanks to a newly optimised lens drive control, world’s fastestv 0.02 secvi AF acquisition time is realised. A major leap in AF/AE tracking performance during continuous shooting  means the camera performs AF/AE calculations up to 60 times per secondii and captures fast moving action at 20fpsiii with AF/AE tracking, ensuring that each moment is shot with swift and accurate focus. 

In addition, the image sensor realises blackout-free shootingiv for a completely live view, even when continuous shooting at 20fpsiii; the same experience as the Alpha 9. The RX100 VII also debuts a new drive mode, Single Burst Shootingix, for capturing the perfect high-speed shot at up to 90fpsx in JPEG/RAW format utilising the anti-distortion shutter. ‘Single Burst Shooting’ix allows the photographer to frame fast moving action and shoot as if taking a single shot but the camera will actually deliver 7 still images, taken at 90fps, 60fps or 30fps, so the user can select the perfect moment.

For the first time in a compact camera, the RX100 VII introduces advanced ‘Real-time Tracking’ and ‘Real-time Eye AF’ capabilities. ‘Real-time Tracking’ utilises Sony’s latest algorithm including artificial intelligence-based object recognition to ensure that subjects can be captured with excellent accuracy, even via the touch panel on the rear screen. ‘Real-time Eye AF’, the latest version of Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology, employs AI-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF for both humans and animalsvii, and allows the photographer to concentrate exclusively on composition . 

Movie-Making Marvel

The compact and lightweight characteristics of the RX100 VII (approx. 302g / 102mm x 58mm x 43mm ) mean it can always be carried around and can be mounted in places that larger cameras cannot. But its small factor belies a multitude of pro-level movie-making capabilities perfect for on-the-go shooting such as vlogging:

- 4K in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in high bit rate XAVC S™xi 

- Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for video

- 4K Active SteadyShot that is 8x more effective than 4K Standard SteadyShot  

- Integrated Microphone input  

- Hybrid Log-Gamma (HDR) / S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Log3, S-Gamut3/S-Log3 

- Compatibility with ‘Movie Edit add-on’ from the ‘Imaging EdgeTM’ mobile application for movie stabilisation and editing

- Vertical-position data recording for movies  

- Interval Shooting  for stunning time-lapse videos

- Super Slow Motion  recording at up to 1000fps 

- 180-degree flip screen for ease-of use whilst vlogging

“The RX100 VII sets new standards for both photography and videography in a compact camera and we are confident that its phenomenal speed and AF capabilities will be very well received by customers,” said Yann Salmon Legagneur, Director of Product Marketing, Digital Imaging, Sony Europe. “Users will feel the reassurance that that they have the power of an Alpha 9 in their pocket, in compact form, so they can trust this camera in any given situation.” 

Shooting Grip Kit for Vloggers

A simple vlogging setup with an external microphone is made possible with the Shooting Grip Kit (DSC-RX100M7G). The kit includes an RX100 VII, Shooting Grip (VCT-SGR1) which allows for easy recording and zooming right at your fingertips, Bracket with Accessory Shoe to attach the Microphone, and two Rechargeable Battery Packs (NP-BX1) .

New Jacket Case for the RX100 Series

Sony has also introduced a new leather-look body case for the RX100 series (LCJ-RXK) which includes a lens jacket and shoulder strap to protect the camera from bumps and shocks. It provides easy access to the microphone jack and USB terminal which enables charging and image transfers without the need to remove the case. Available in Black or Beige.

Pricing and Availability

The RX100 VII and LCJ-RXK will ship in Europe in August 2019 priced at approximately €1,300 and £1,200 and €85 respectively. 

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

First Impressions

We've spent some time shooting with the exciting new Sony RX100 VII compact camera. Here are our initial first impressions...

With the new RX100 VII, Sony are promising to deliver Alpha A9 levels of speed and AF performance inside a much smaller camera. Let's take a detailed look at what the new model has to offer...

Resolution

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

The RX100 VII has a newly developed 1.0-type stacked CMOS image sensor with a DRAM chip and the latest BIONZ X processor, as featured on the Alpha 9 and A7R III/IV full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Take a look at some full-size Sample Images to see just what the RX100 VII is capable of.

Auto-focusing

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

There are 357 AF phase detection points, with 68% frame coverage in total.

The RX100 VII can auto-focus in just 0.02 sec, making it the World's fastest fixed-lens compact camera with a 1-inch sensor when it comes to auto-focusing.

Burst Shooting

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

The RX100 VII offers 90fps single burst shooting - yes, 90fps - with the AF point and exposure locked at the first frame, or a still very impressive 20fps with black-out free continuous AF/AE, just like on the flagship Alpha A9. There are also "slower" 60fps and 30fps rates available if 90fps is too fast for you.

Also, interval shooting is now available on the RX100 series for the first time.

Video

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

The RX100 VII is no slouch when it comes to video recording, although it still lacks 10-bit recording and 4K/60p.

It offers 4K movies through full pixel readout without any pixel binning, oversampling from 14 megapixels to 8 megapixels (1.7x), with real-time tracking and real-time eye AF for both humans and animals, both features taken from the flagship A7R IV camera.

Other key improvements to the RX100 series video include enhanced Active SteadyShot image stabilisation for 4K video, claimed to be 8x more effective than on previous models, and the welcome addition of a 3.5mm microphone jack.

If that wasn't enough, you can also now record and edit movies in the vertical orientation for IG TV and other social networks that use this format.

Ergonomics

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Just like its predecessor, the RX100 VII still has a pop-up electronic viewfinder, a touchscreen LCD that can be flipped up by 180-degrees and down by 90-degrees, and a versatile 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 zoom lens.

Pricing

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII will be available in August priced at £1300 / 1300 Euros / $1300.

Accessories

There's also a new jacket case, the LCJ-RXK, which allows you to charge the camera, flip the screen and access the terminals without having to take it off.

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony RX100 VII premium compact camera, including every single menu screen!

A gallery of hands-on photos of the new Sony RX100 VII 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 taken with the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII premium compact camera, including the full ISO range from 64-12800. The Sony RX100 VII is a new premium compact camera with a 1-inch image sensor.

Sample JPEG and Raw images taken with the Sony RX100 VII premium compact camera.

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII 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).

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