The adage that good things come in small packages is not always true. In fact, it is rare in the world of gadgets. But take a look at the RX 100 IV, Sony's latest high-end shooter for those who love their cameras cute and compact, and you realise that sometime this old idiom is the best way to describe what you are holding in your hands.
But there is more to it. The old saying that "small is fun" too sticks well to the Rx 100 IV. The fourth camera in Sony's venerable RX 100 line is fun to use, cute to look at and is extremely versatile. It is one of the perfect cameras anyone can own. The problem, however, is with the own part because like most good things, it is rather expensive. It costs a cool Rs 69,990.
Willing to spend that much on a camera? Confused between a RX 100 VI or a DSLR? Read on, we have all the answers.
What is it?
We have already explained that the RX 100 VI is a camera -- actually a compact camera that looks good and performs well. But let's take a better look at it and see what Sony is offering consumers in terms of camera hardware with the RX 100 IV.
The RX 100 IV is not a DSLR camera. It is not even a mirrorless camera. Actually, there is no mirror inside it so you can call it mirrorless but unlike other mirrorless cameras it lacks two things: a large image sensor and ability to use different lenses.
The RX 100 IV comes with a 1-inch image sensor that can click 20-megapixel images. The size of the sensor is small compared to what you get in a DSLR camera, even the ones that cost Rs 30,000. But let's not go by the looks or specifications. In a while we talk about the special sauce inside the RX 100 IV. This image sensor in the RX 100 IV is paired with a small lens that -- fortunately -- doesn't have a fixed focal length. Instead, in terms of full frame sensor, it has an effective focal length of 24-70mm. Now, 24-70 is the focal length that, and this is something any pro photographer will tell you, is almost legendary. It is the focal length that pros use for their everyday work and camera companies always reserve their best lenses for this focal length. So, it is good to see that the RX 100 IV offers mainstream consumers access to focal length that pros often use.
The lens in the Rx 100 IV has been sourced from Zeiss (good) and has a maximum aperture of F1.8 (fantastic). On paper, this lens, which is fixed in the camera, ticks all the right boxes. It is also very compact and when retracted doesn't add much to the camera's main body.
The RX 100 IV also comes with an electronic viewfinder, which we found a little troublesome to use. Though that doesn't matter much because the smaller size and weight of the RX 100 IV anyways make it a poor camera to be used with a viewfinder. The viewfinders work best on a DSLR camera where you get the classic two-handed grip built into the shooter. Instead, on the RX 100 IV the best way to compose an image is through the screen on the back, which is tiltable. The hinges in the screen feel solid and smooth. It is also a bright and vibrant screen (good). On the right side of the screen you have an array of buttons and on the top you have more buttons -- including shutter release and the clickwheel through which you can select the modes.
The camera also packs in a flash, which pops out, supports Wi-Fi connectivity and comes with the rechargeable battery.
So far so good, but what about the build quality. Glad that you asked. Build quality is one area where you realise that this camera means business. And it has to, after all it is asking consumers a fairly hefty price for what it offers. The camera has a body made of metal. It is solid. It feels solid and though it didn't slip out of our hands we were fairly certain it could survive mild bumps etc with ease. The overall build quality and finishing is top notch.
The Rx 100 IV is smaller than even a mirrorless camera and hence fits into hands with ease. It can also be easily slipped into a jeans pocket, although carrying it in a jacket or coat pocket is more comfortable. In terms of looks it doesn't flaunt any retro or slick looks like some of the Fijifilm cameras do, but with its left and right side expertly curved, it is not bad.
What can it do?
Let's answer this question in a few simple words: It can do wonders!
We talked about the secret sauce in the RX 100 IV. That sauce is the lens. Sony is making RX 100 series cameras for a while and it has finally perfected the way to get most out of that 1-inch image sensor. On its own this sensor is good but paired with the lens that is inside the RX 100 IV it becomes utterly fantastic.
The results that RX 100 IV provides are gorgeous. In good light, the RX 100 IV shoots images that are sharp, even near corners, and have very good contrast and colours. The focus doesn't match the speed of a DSLR camera, but it is not shabby at all. In most circumstances, the RX 100 IV has no problem in identifying the right focus areas and then clinching a sharp shot.
The hallmark of a good camera is how well it performs in low light and this is one area where the RX 100 IV is a champ, largely due to its sharp and bright F1.8 lens. The focus system is competent enough in low light and the bright lens ensures that even on dimly-lit streets you will capture images that display what your eyes are seeing, instead of churning out a blurry mess that most compact cameras can manage. When the going gets really tough, when the light is so low that even the F1.8 is not much of a help, bumping up ISO gets the job done. Despite its small sensor we found that the RX 100 IV handles ISO range like 1600 and 3200 with ease and without showing much noise in the photos. This is truly phenomenal performance!
Of course, you can get similar performance from a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. But not with the bundled lens that these cameras come with. Instead to get the RX 100 IV like performance you need to get a good and bright lens and often these lenses, even for small mirrorless cameras, cost nearly Rs 1 lakh. The lens in RX 100 IV doesn't have the fixed aperture. But the good bit is that even at the effective focal length of 70mm, you have F2.8 aperture available, which is the same that professional 24-70mm lenses from Nikon and Canon offer.
A combination of good image processing, sharp and bright lens, and a capable image sensor helps RX 100 IV shoot brilliant images in almost all circumstances. Whether you are trying to click the sunset or your local band performing at the pub near your house, the RX 100 IV gets the job done. For those who need finer control on how the images look, the camera offers RAW mode.
And yes, lest we forget, the RX 100 IV can also record some neat looking 4K videos and once again, due to its awesome lens it is easy to get that blurry effect in the videos that makes them look really slick.
Are we saying that RX 100 IV is flawless?
No, we are not. No gadget is flawless and the RX 100 IV, even though it is good, has some flaws. But in the grand scheme of things, these are minor flaws. Our biggest grouse with the RX 100 IV is its buttons placements and menu settings. The RX 100 IV works best when you use it on the auto mode (ain't that great?). As soon as you put it on the manual mode, the buttons and settings come into the picture. It's not that the camera is not up to the challenge because it is. But changing aperture settings, ISO, shutter speed, metering etc takes more time compared to how you can change them on a DSLR camera. The buttons are small and many settings have been hidden inside the menu.
For people who are used to the utterly fantastic DSLR camera controls, using manual mode on the RX 100 IV feels a bit of chore. Yes, you get used to it in a while but overall, the ergonomics could have been better.
Another not so good point is the battery life. Compared to a DSLR camera, the battery life is downright bad in the RX 100 IV. Though compared to a mirrorless camera, it is respectable. This means when you are travelling and clicking hundreds of photos daily, you will have to recharge the battery daily.
So, should you buy it or not?
The answer to this questions depends on several factors. But before we go into details, let's say this: If you are looking to get a camera that will help you click awesome photos with minimum fuss, even in scenes where your expensive smartphone camera clicks a blurry mess, get the RX 100 IV. It is an all-rounder, a general-purpose camera that excels at making photography fun.
That said, let's break it down.
Buy the RX 100 IV if you are not very tech savvy and find the DSLR cameras intimidating.
Buy RX 100 IV if you are looking for one camera to rule them all. With its excellent lens, this camera can tackle all sorts of scenes with ease. Low light, good light... the RX 100 IV works wonders in every scene. To get comparable quality from a DSLR camera, you will have to lug around a backpack with a big camera and big lenses in it.
Buy RX 100 IV if you like small cameras.
On the other hand, there are also some good reasons not to buy the RX 100 IV. It uses a fixed lens so if you are looking to shoot those ultra-wide landscape photos, this is the not best camera. For that, you will do better to pick a mirrorless camera or a DSLR camera along with an ultra-wide lens. Yes, the whole set-up will be quite expensive, but then that is how the game is. Similarly, if you shoot wildlife, macro shots of butterflies, sports etc that require big zoom lenses, the RX 100 IV is not for you.
In simple words, the RX 100 IV is not for pros. For pros, only the pro gear will do. But then pro gear is expensive and requires skills to operate. RX 100 IV is for aam janta. It is for people who don't want to carry one kilogram full-frame camera along with another one kilogram 24-70mm lens in their backpacks.
If you want to take up photography as a profession or serious hobby and dream of chasing tigers with your camera, the RX 100 IV is not for you. But if you just want to have a camera that gives you splendid photos while you go about your life, partying, travelling and working, like the aam janta does, the RX 100 IV is one of the best cameras you can buy. Yes, even with its price tag of Rs 69,990.
Check higher resolution image samples from RX 100 IV here: Sample 1 , Sample 2 , Sample 3 , Sample 4 , Sample 5 , Sample 6 , Sample 7 , Sample 8 , Sample 9 , Sample 10 , Sample 11 , Sample 12 , Sample 13 , Sample 14 , Sample 15 .
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Source: Sony RX 100 IV review: One camera to rule them all
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