Sony has finally unveiled the RX10 V, a superzoom compact camera that comes with a 24-600mm optical zoom lens and 20.1-megapixel 1-inch sensor. The design has been overhauled compared to the nine-year-old RX10 IV for a more modern look and adds faster speeds, an updated autofocus system and far better video specs. The catch is the $2,300 price, which makes this one of the most expensive compact cameras on the market.
As before, the RX10 V offers tourists, street shooters and others incredible reach thanks to the 9.1-210mm (24-600mm equivalent) f2.4-4.0 lens. The 20.1MP 1-inch stacked sensor appears unchanged and should deliver good-quality images, even in low light, with minimal rolling shutter distortion. It’s disappointing that Sony didn’t upgrade the resolution, though, especially considering the camera’s price. The new model also lacks the RX10 IV’s built-in flash.
The new model does have a new processor that improved burst speeds, though. It can now shoot at 30 fps with no blackout in electronic shutter mode, a nice upgrade over the previous model’s 24 fps shooting speeds. Sony also carried over a feature from its latest mirrorless cameras called “continuous shooting speed boost” that lets you instantly jump to the maximum burst speed to capture decisive moments.
Sony
Autofocus also got a big AI makeover to match the new A7 V. Rather than just humans and animals as before, it can detect the face, eye, head and body of humans, birds and animals, along with vehicles (cars, trains and airplanes) and insects (head and whole body). Thanks to a separate deep AI processor, it will keep tracking subjects even if they turn away, look down or move in an erratic fashion. AF and AE speed has also doubled to 60 fps for continuous tracking, and it now offers 575 AF points compared to 315 before, along with 70 percent sensor coverage.
Video gets perhaps the biggest upgrade, with 4K 60 fps 10-bit video (All-Intra, XAVC S, and XAVC HS formats) that uses the entire sensor width with no pixel binning for extra sharpness. That can be boosted to 4K 120 fps for super slow mo, at the cost of a slight crop, or 1080p at 240 fps. It also supports Sony’s S-Log3 for improved dynamic range and lets you import up to 16 LUTs to preview different “looks” ahead of time. Sony also improved the built-in stabilization so that it smooths video even when you’re walking with it.
The design was completely revamped compared RX10 IV’s bulbous, stodgy look. It’s now sleeker and more squared off to match the A7 V’s aesthetic and has a much larger grip. It comes with a full complement of manual controls including a joystick, three control dials, a control wheel and a new dual top dial (with a photo, video and S&Q selector), plus an AF-ON button for pro autofocus control.
Sony
Both the electronic viewfinder (EVF) and rear display get resolution upgrades to 3.69 million dots (up from 2.4 million dots) and 1.62 million dots respectively. However, the rear display only tilts and doesn’t flip out, so it’s not great for vlogging or selfies. Again, that’s a rather inexcusable omission considering the camera’s price.
Other features include a single UHS-II SD card slot, full-sized NP-FZ100 battery that delivers up to 630 shots on a charge, a micro HDMI port 3.5mm mic and headphone ports and a new high-speed USB-C port for charging and transfers. The RX10 V now supports live streaming at up to 4K 30 fps as well.
Now for the bad news if you’re interested in this new model. The RX10 V just went on pre-order for $2,300, a relative fortune for a 1-inch compact camera. If that price is in your wheelhouse, though, it does offer incredible zoom reach, shooting speeds and video capabilities.