The Sony RX10 IV is a Fixed-lens Handheld Camera That Can Take Some Incredible Action Shots

Sony has been doing some terrific work with their mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, but they haven't forgotten about their fixed-lens lineup. The RX10 is getting a refresh today with the announcement of the RX10 IV, which adds some pretty impressive autofocus and continuous shooting features to what was already a pretty impressive handheld camera.

With the RX10 IV, Sony improved on the sensor developments they made with the RX10 II and the lens improvements they made with the RX10 III. The RX10 IV once again has a 20.1 MP Exmor CMOS 1.0″ stacked image sensor with their DRAM chip, the processor used to boost continuous shooting and slow-motion performance. The sensor is paired with Bionz X image processing and a fixed f/2.4-f/4 24 – 600 mm Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens with extra-low dispersion. This year's camera has 315 phase-detect autofocus points.

That lens will enable some incredible macro and zoom shots, even when taking dynamic shots. The camera is ideal for taking pictures of auto races, nature, or sports — especially if you're not in a place to set up a tripod. As usual, Sony has added their optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which combined with the speed of the processor and lens allows for crystal-clear shots of high-speed targets. It can take stills at 24 frames per second for up to 249 frames, so if you desperately need to get a shot, it's a camera you should be able to rely on.

If you're opting for macro shots instead of snapping far-off high-speed events, the camera boasts a minimum focus distance of 72 cm, so you can get up close and personal with your subjects.

The RX10 IV has an autofocus lock speed of 0.03 seconds, allowing it to keep up with that high-speed action and create sharp stills. That also helps the camera take some great video. The camera can record in 4K at 24p or 30p and up to 120p in 1080p resolution, with slow-motion capture up to 960p possible at lower resolutions for up to seven seconds. Sony also says the camera does full pixel readout during recording — not only does it not do pixel binning, it actually oversamples by 1.7x to create the final 4K images. As before, you can expect pro features like S-Log3/S-Gamut3, Gamma Display Assist, too.

The RX10 IV also features a backside touchscreen, an XGA OLED viewfinder, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Sony is packing all of this into a handheld camera that weighs about two pounds. The end result, once again, looks like a wonderful camera for pros who need a reliable, lightweight camera that can take razor-sharp handheld shots. And it is definitely for pros, considering the $1,700 price tag! If it fills a gap in your camera bag, the RX10 IV should be available sometime in October.

Source: The Sony RX10 IV is a Fixed-lens Handheld Camera That Can Take Some Incredible Action Shots