Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Review - Review 2022

Sony's RX10 serial has delivered premium image quality in a fixed-lens, bridge camera design since its introduction. The fourth edition, the RX10 4 ($one,699.99), upgrades the prototype sensor to include stage detection focus, so it can shoot at up to 24fps while tracking subjects. That'southward a big plus for sports and wild animals photographers who want to pack light—the photographic camera has 600mm reach. Information technology delivers image quality that'south better than superzooms with small sensors, and also offers best in course capture speed and autofocus. Not everyone needs this type of power, however, and y'all tin can salve a few hundred dollars without sacrificing prototype quality past opting for our Editors' Choice RX10 III. Simply if you don't mind paying some actress money for boosted speed, the RX10 IV is worth the premium.

Design

The RX10 Iv ($1,598.00 at Amazon) is about physically identical to the RX10 III. Information technology'southward designed in a bridge style—the body is similar in size and shape to an SLR, but the lens is integral to the design rather than interchangeable. It measures 3.vii by 5.ii by 5.7 inches and weighs two.4 pounds. The trunk is black, with a mixed polycarbonate, condom, and metal exterior and an internal magnesium alloy chassis. Information technology's a weather-sealed design, with plenty protection to utilise in rainy or dusty environments without worry.

The fixed lens is the same 8.eight-220mm (24-600mm equivalent) f/2.4-iv pattern used by the RX10 Iii. It'due south tied for the longest in the class—the RX10 3 uses the same i, and the Catechism PowerShot G3 X sports a 24-600mm f/2.8-v.half-dozen zoom, dimmer and slower to focus than the RX10 IV. To get an idea of the range of the 24-600mm zoom, take a await at the image below: the left one-half is 24mm and the correct half is 600mm, a tight shot of the full moon.

Other superzooms have longer designs, like the 65x Canon PowerShot SX60 HS. But they utilize smaller prototype sensors and narrower apertures. The RX10 Four uses a 1-inch sensor design with a surface surface area that'due south four times that of the i/ii.3-inch designs used in more affordable bridge models.

In add-on to the 25x zoom ratio, the lens doubles equally a capable macro. Information technology focuses to 1.2 inches at the wide angle and to 2.four anxiety when zoomed all the way in, good enough for 1:two magnification. There's a focus limiter switch on the barrel; when turned on it disables macro capture, but focusing on subjects farther than 10 feet (three meters) away. Information technology speeds focus when photographing distant subjects.

Optical stabilization is rated to 4.5 stops by CIPA and I found it to work a little bit better than that. I was able to capture consistently well-baked images at 1/13-second when shooting at 600mm, ameliorate than 5 stops of compensation. The lens doesn't have an integrated neutral density filter (included in the shorter zooming RX10 and RX10 II). If you're a fan of long exposure photography, or want to continue your video shutter speed lower to maintain a traditional shutter bending, you'll desire to invest in a set of 72mm ND filters to attach to the front end of the lens when needed.

In addition to the limiter switch, the butt has a focus hold push; when held in it prevents autofocus from activating. The lens itself has a physical aperture ring; it can be set from f/2.four through f/sixteen in third-terminate increments or to plough freely without detents. Knurled metal zoom and manual focus rings are likewise on the barrel. The zoom band can be set to make minor adjustments or step zoom to the 24, 28, 35, 50, 70, 85, 100, 135, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600mm positions.

The focus adjustment toggle rounds out the front end controls. Information technology can be set to AF-S (Single), AF-A (Auto), AF-C (Continuous), or DMF (Straight Manual Focus) modes. AF-A switches betwixt unmarried and continuous focus based on the scene, and DMF allows you to override autofocus at whatever fourth dimension using the manual focus band.

Upward top, starting at the left, is the Mode dial. It turns freely, without whatsoever sort of locking mechanism. The hot shoe is centered behind the lens and pop-up wink; y'all'll want to remove the lens hood when shooting at 35mm or wider with the flash, as the hood tin create a shadow at the bottom of your prototype.

The mechanical flash release is but to the right, in a row of buttons that as well includes the top LCD backlight control, and the programmable C1 and C2 buttons. Behind the row you'll find the monochrome information LCD and a defended EV adjustment punch with 3rd-stop adjustments from -3 to +3 EV. The shutter release (threaded then y'all can utilize a mechanical release cable), zoom rocker, and On/Off switch are at the top of the handgrip.

The Card push button is at the meridian left corner of the rear plate, to the left of the EVF eyecup. Record and the rear command bicycle are to the right of the EVF. The AE-L and Fn buttons are just below the wheel, in betwixt the LCD and thumb residuum, and there's a flat command dial with a center button and 4 directional press controls below the 2 buttons. Play and Delete/C3 buttons round out the rear controls, below the flat punch.

All of the C buttons are programmable, as are the right, down, and left directional presses on the flat command dial. Pressing Fn launches an on-screen overlay bill of fare, too customizable, with boosted control options. Sony's menu system is quite extensive, and not perfectly organized, so it is worth it to spend some time setting up the camera to customize its controls and Fn bill of fare to conform your needs. There'due south also a customizable My Menu page, a good place to put commonly used functions and then y'all don't have to scroll through dozens of menu pages to observe the 1 you lot want to adjust.

The LCD is a 3-inch, 1,440k-dot panel with bear upon back up. Information technology'southward bright and precipitous, and tilts up or down, merely information technology doesn't swing out from the body or face all the style forward. That's a shame when you consider how good of a video camera the RX10 IV is.

Touch functionality is besides limited. You can tap to set a focus point, just y'all can't navigate menus via impact. Sony does include Touch Pad focus adjustment. When the camera is to your eye you lot tin slide your finger across the LCD to motility the agile focus point. It works, only non as well equally a defended focus control.

The electronic viewfinder is big, brilliant, and sharp. Information technology boasts a 0.7x magnification factor, an OLED design, and a ii,359k-dot resolution. At that place's an heart sensor, so it turns on and off automatically every bit you bring the camera to your eye, and Sony has eliminated the sensitivity event that plagued the first two RX10 ($698.00 at Amazon) models; information technology'south difficult to accidentally trigger the eye sensor with your trunk, and information technology doesn't work at all when the screen is tilted out.

Connectivity and Power

The RX10 IV includes Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi. It can pair with Android and iOS devices in order to transfer images or videos or for remote control. Epitome transfers are quick—the camera resizes images to 2MP to speed things up—simply video transfer, specially if you're shooting at 4K, can take a while, even when using a top-end smartphone.

Physical connections include the multi-interface hot shoe, which can conform an external flash or Sony's XLR audio adapter, 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks, micro HDMI, and micro USB. The battery charges in-photographic camera via USB; Sony doesn't include an external charger with the RX10, just a cable and a USB-to-AC adapter. The included battery is good for about 400 shots using the rear LCD, 370 shots with the EVF, or upward to 75 minutes of video per CIPA standards, which should get y'all through a full day of shooting. Simply if you want to invest in a spare battery, it's wise to buy an external charger at the same time—that way you tin use the RX10 IV as y'all recharge the spare battery, or accuse ane in-camera and one out of camera at the same time.

The memory card slot is on the right side, separate from the bottom-accessible bombardment compartment. It's a single slot with support for SD, SDHC, SDXC, and Retention Stick Duo formats. Its speed rating tops out at UHS-I, and then you tin can't take advantage of the speed offered past the latest ultra-fast UHS-Ii SD cards.

Performance and Autofocus

Considering its lens has to extend to starting time shooting, the RX10 IV is a little slow to power on, focus, and capture an image—information technology takes nearly 2.three seconds to do so. That's par for the course for a superzoom camera. But its autofocus system is very speedy, locking on nigh instantly when shooting in brilliant light, and managing a 0.4-second focus lock in very dim atmospheric condition.

And it'southward the autofocus organization, and burst rate, that actually set the 4 apart from the RX10 III ($1,398.00 at Amazon) . While you can shoot JPGs at 14fps and Raw images at 8fps with the III, the 4 ups the burst rate to a staggering 24fps, even in Raw format, and adds on-sensor stage detection for better subject tracking.

Meet How We Test Digital Cameras

Shooting fast-moving action—a soccer lucifer for case—is something you tin can do more finer with the RX10 IV than with the 3, even if shooting at 24fps is an overkill for many subjects—and can fill up up your memory card more apace. You can still take advantage of the faster focus system when dialing the burst charge per unit down to a more than reasonable 10fps past setting it to medium instead of loftier.

The shooting buffer is large enough to concur 105 Raw+JPG, 106 Raw, or 228 JPG shots when shooting at 24fps. Clearing it to a retention card does take some time—70, l, and 75 seconds respectively, when paired with the fastest UHS-I card nosotros had, rated at 95MBps. I wish the slot was UHS-Two, which could cutting buffer clear times by a third, as you tin't commencement recording a video if there are whatever images left in the even so buffer.

You have some different options in terms of focus area. The default setting is Wide, which covers well-nigh 65 percentage of the sensor with phase and dissimilarity detection points. Yous can couple this with EyeAF (you'll need to plough information technology on in the carte du jour; I mapped information technology to the rear center push to match the operation of Sony's a7 and a9 mirrorless camera family) for the best results when photographing people. Information technology will try and detect and focus on your field of study's optics, and falls back to standard face up detection if information technology can't identify an eye.

You can override the Wide area by tapping on the rear screen; it changes the focus mode to Flexible Spot, which only looks for focus in a small area of the frame. You can also set the camera to employ the Flexible Spot at all times (with Small, Medium, and Large options available for the spot size), Center signal only focus, or Lock On Flexible Spot. The latter is only available in Continuous focus mode; it identifies the subject nether the spot you lot select and tracks it as it moves through the frame. In any focus fashion, pocket-size green dots dance in the viewfinder to permit you lot know what the photographic camera is focusing on.

I tend to apply the Wide focus area when shooting with the RX10 IV, in combination with EyeAF when photographing people. The camera does a good job picking the focus betoken, only of class there are times when you desire to control it completely. Using the Touch Pad AF function to move the focus area around works, just I don't think it'southward equally responsive as it should be. It tin accept a few swipes to move the point from the correct to left side of the frame. Yous can opt to prepare it Absolute positioning, which means that tapping to the left of the touch area (configurable via the menu) moves the point to the left immediately, only I found that even more frustrating to use than the default Relative manner.

I'd love to see Sony add together a dedicated focus joystick control to the body, as information technology has with its latest total-frame mirrorless cameras. It would become a long way to improving this ane attribute of performance. Perhaps we'll encounter it in the inevitable RX10 V.

There'due south besides a bit of a drawback for dedicated sports shooters, depending on which sport y'all cover. Basketball game photographers, for example, will likely find the power zoom lens to be a bit of a downer. Fifty-fifty when set up to its faster performance mode, information technology takes much longer to adjust than you would with a mechanical zoom SLR lens. If you're sitting under the net and a actor is driving toward you for a layup or dunk, it'due south harder to go along them tightly framed than it would exist with an SLR lens—you're better off shooting a bit wide and cropping later if you want the whole sequence. Keep this in mind if you need to change the focal length quickly and regularly when capturing sports or similar action.

Epitome Quality

The 20MP ane-inch image sensor is about four times the concrete size of the sensors used past near superzoom cameras. It measures xiii.ii past viii.8mm, for a surface area of 116mm². To put it in more perspective, that'southward about a 3rd of the size of the APS-C sensor you find in consumer SLRs.

I used Imatest to analyze its performance when capturing images at various ISO settings. The RX10 4 has a native range of ISO 100 through 12800, with low extended settings available at ISO 64 and eighty. ISO 25600 is supported, simply only when using Multi-Frame capture and blending.

When shooting JPGs at default settings the photographic camera keeps noise nether ane.5 percent through ISO 3200, near what we expect from this sensor type—the 20MP 1-inch design is used in many premium compact models, including competing options from Canon and Panasonic. But only Sony has this stacked design with on-sensor phase detection.

At that place is certainly some dissonance reduction going on to cyberspace these results. To my middle, images shot through ISO 800 are perfectly crisp, with no prove of noise reduction or grain. At ISO 1600 the very tiniest details of our test prototype lose some crispness, simply are still distinct. In that location'southward some visible smudging at ISO 3200, and so these lines first to run together a chip. The smudge effect is more pronounced at ISO 6400, but still fine for web resolution and smaller prints. It gives way to a more blurred wait at the top standard setting, ISO 12800.

If you opt to shoot in Raw format you can go squeeze more clarity out of photos at higher ISOs. At that place'south more grain in shots captured at ISO 1600 than with a JPG, only details are clearer. That holds true as speed ramps upward; details are notably crisper in the ISO 3200 Raw image. Noise cuts into epitome quality at ISO 6400, and then you lot get a grainier prototype with a little chip more particular than the JPG, every bit is the case at ISO 12800.

The RX10 Four has a brighter lens than many other supezooms. It captures more light at every equivalent angle of view when compared with the Catechism G3 Ten (f/ii.8-5.6) and small sensor SX60 HS (f/three.4-half dozen.five) ($259.99 at Amazon) . Merely the lens isn't simply brilliant, it'south too really precipitous.

At 24mm f/2.4 it scores 2,362 lines per picture elevation on a center-weighted sharpness examination. Almost of the frame meets or exceeds the average score, although edges (1,809 lines) autumn behind. They all the same match the i,800 lines we want to encounter at a minimum from a 20MP photographic camera, notwithstanding. Narrowing the aperture improves edge quality—they show i,986 lines at f/2.8 and ii,345 lines at f/4. The boilerplate also improves—2,601 lines at f/ii.8, 2,925 lines at f/iv, and 2,856 lines at f/5.6. Later on that diffraction sets in and limits epitome quality; you lot should avoid shooting at f/11 (one,852 lines) and f/16 (i,215 lines) when possible.

At 50mm the maximum aperture has narrowed to f/3.2. Sharpness is strong, 2,803 lines, with edges that aren't far behind (ii,559 lines). You get a fleck more resolution at f/four (2,912 lines) and f/v.vi (ii,836 lines). Image quality drops at f/8 (2,502 lines), f/11, (ane,809 lines), and f/16 (i,206 lines).

By 100mm the lens has narrowed to f/4, but prototype quality doesn't take a step back. We see two,839 lines on average, with excellent operation from center to edge (ii,632 lines). There's not much change at f/five.6 (2,843 lines) or f/viii (ii,573 lines), but we meet a big driblet at f/eleven (1,768 lines) and f/16 (1,203 lines).

We see very similar performance at 200mm and 300mm. At f/iv and f/5.half dozen the lens resolves almost 2,800 lines on boilerplate with strong quality from edge to edge. Narrowing to f/8 drops the resolution to about 2,500 lines, and we see just 1,750 at f/11 and 1,200 at f/sixteen.

At that place'due south a dip in edge operation at 400mm f/4 (1,618 lines), but the average remains very good (two,390 lines). Stopping downwards to f/5.half-dozen improves the overall score to 2,589 lines, and y'all still get adept results at f/8 (2,334 lines). Skip f/11 (ane,682 lines) and f/xvi (1,174 lines).

Results aren't that far off at 500mm. At f/4 the average score is two,433 lines, with better edge quality (1,828 lines) than at 400mm. The story is about the aforementioned at f/5.vi. At f/8 we go better edges (2,037 lines) and a strong average (2,356 lines), before diffraction kills clarity at f/eleven (1,710 lines) and f/xvi (1,145 lines).

Zooming all the way in to 600mm does take its toll. At f/four the lens scores 2,121 lines on boilerplate, but edges are weak (i,480 lines). Stopping downwards to f/5.half dozen improves the periphery (i,861 lines) and average (2,405 lines). Edges are better at f/viii (one,931 lines), simply at that place's a hitting on the average score (2,241 lines) as centre resolution drops a bit. Again, f/11 (1,549 lines) and f/16 (one,082 lines) are best forgotten almost.

You lot don't accept to worry about baloney or darkened corners. The RX10 4 applies corrections to both Raw and JPG images to remove both. Near Raw converters will recognize the corrections, although you may be forced to make them yourself if yous stray too far from Lightroom or Capture I.

Overall the lens is an excellent performer, better than one with a bright design and 25x zoom ability has any correct to be. Just that'south what yous expect from a camera that costs this much. Yous can get the Canon G3 X for a lot less money, but its lens doesn't hold up as well when zoomed all the fashion in, nor does it capture equally much light. (And the G3 X is plagued by slower autofocus, making action shots hard.)

Video

The RX10 series has always been capable for video, even with the first model that was released in the 1080p era. Every iteration since so has supported 4K capture. The IV captures 4K footage at 24 or 30fps, with your choice of threescore or 100Mbps XAVC S pinch. If you're happy with 1080p you tin capture video at 24, xxx, 60, or 120fps at bit rates ranging from 16Mbps (to relieve infinite on the card) through 100Mbps (for best quality), also in XAVC Due south. There are also AVCHD options available, even though the format isn't widely used in 2022.

It'south not just near resolution. The RX10 Four adds SLog3 to its laundry list of moving picture profiles (the RX10 III supports SLog2). Shooting in a log format reduces contrast, then more than dynamic range is preserved in your video. But it requires you lot to utilise a color grade using software to make the footage look skilful—if you're a pro who knows how to color correct, y'all're familiar with the process.

In add-on to pro-level video profiles, the RX10 4 supports an external microphone. Vloggers and travel videographers will be happy with an on-camera shotgun microphone connected via 3.5mm. But for more serious work you lot can buy Sony'southward $499 XLR addition and connect a balanced microphone.

The camera can likewise go beyond 120fps if yous demand slower slow-motion. Information technology has an HFR setting on the Mode dial—High Frame Rate. You lot tin prepare it to record footage at 240, 480, or 960fps and to play back at 24, xxx, or 60fps, giving yous a varying range of slow downward. I'm a big fan of 240fps at 24fps, a 10x event. At that place are a bevy of options for HFR, including when to start the prune and the quality of the capture—the high quality mode captures four seconds of existent life, and the lower quality option extends that to seven seconds.

All HFR is output at 1080p quality, but not all 1080p is created equal. The 240fps looks the sharpest, and the 960fps is a fleck soft and besides cropped. You also need a ton of light to shoot at 960fps—the camera needs to employ at least a 1/960-second exposure for each frame in order to reach that speed.

There are a couple of caveats for using HFR. One, the camera needs to buffer footage before it can kickoff recording. Y'all can start the buffering process well in accelerate of starting the video, simply focus and zoom are locked in one case the buffering starts. Second, and most annoying, is the amount of time that information technology takes to render the video. If you lot are shooting at 240fps and playing dorsum at 24fps, a full clip is near 45 seconds—which is how long it takes to save the movie file to the card.

The biggest downside to HFR is the amount of fourth dimension information technology takes to render out a video. Later on you lot've captured your slow seconds of video you need to look a total 45 seconds while the camera renders the footage. If yous're shooting at 960fps you can wait for more than than ii and a one-half minutes for the video to be ready when shooting in high quality mode. When it'due south processing you can't use the camera for anything else, although you tin can cancel at any time.

But, for the correct scene, the effect is worth the wait. And you can always shoot at 120fps 1080p in standard mode for a more modest slow-motion outcome without the stringent requirements of HFR capture.

Conclusions

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 Iv is the almost feature-filled, and most expensive, variation of the camera yet. It keeps the same 24-600mm f/ii.4-4 lens as the RX10 Three (at present priced around $ane,400), but adds on-sensor stage detection for quicker focus and a staggering 24fps outburst capture charge per unit, even in Raw fashion. It goes beyond what other span cameras can do, delivering a zoom range that covers all but extreme telephoto shooting, 20MP of resolution, and the image quality of a 1-inch sensor, which is beyond what smaller sensor cameras can deliver.

It wraps it all upwardly in a tough, weather-sealed trunk, with a crisp EVF and tilting touch on LCD. Video features are also strong, with both crisp 4K capture and extreme slow-motion at 1080p available. The RX10 IV is the finest span camera money can buy.

But it takes a lot of money to buy it. In that location's no doubt it is more fully featured than the RX10 Iii, but it doesn't replace it in Sony's lineup. We continue to recommend the RX10 3 to most photographers searching for a high-stop bridge model. It is more than than enough camera for most purposes, and costs $300 less. But if you're not equally sensitive to cost, or shoot subjects where an improved burst rate and focus system will come in handy—typically sports and wildlife—spend the extra money on the RX10 4.

Best Camera Picks

• The Best DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras for 2022
• The Best Bridge Cameras for 2022
• The Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras for 2022
• The Best Instant Cameras for 2022
• More Camera Reviews
• More from Sony

Camera Production Comparisons

• Nikon D7100 vs. Nikon D7200
• Nikon D500 vs. Nikon D750
• Sony Alpha 5100 vs. Sony Alpha 6000
• Canon EOS 6D vs. Canon EOS 5D Mark III
• Sony Alpha 6000 vs. Sony Blastoff 6300

Further Reading

• Canon vs. Nikon vs. Sony: Choosing the Right Photographic camera System
• Raspberry Pi's $l 'High Quality Photographic camera' Supports Interchangeable Lenses
• How to Use Your Catechism DSLR as a Webcam
• Canon Details Upcoming EOS R5 Mirrorless Photographic camera
• Pinnacle Design to Donate Showtime Round of Travel Tripod Profits to Charity

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/cameras/20035/sony-cyber-shot-dsc-rx10-iv-review

Posted by: wakefieldthedis1939.blogspot.com

Share this post