Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 review

SONY RX10 IMAGE QUALITY

The RX100 II gave some of the best photos we’ve ever seen from a compact camera, so it came as no surprise to see similar results here. Noise was virtually imperceptible at low ISO speeds, and the sharp lens and accomplished JPEG engine produced photos that could easily be mistaken for an SLR’s output. Processing RAW files in Adobe Lightroom 5 gave a further boost to the fidelity of fine details and wide-reaching control over colours, but this camera’s JPEG output is more than up to scratch.

Details here are razor sharp – not bad for a 20-megapixel sensor sat in front of a bright f/2.8 lens

Comparing JPEG and RAW output (processed in Lightroom 5) reveals that a little more precision is available in RAW files

The 24-200mm (equivalent) focal length range gave far greater flexibility to frame shots than most SLRs’ and CSCs’ kit lenses allow. Meanwhile, the constant f/2.8 aperture delivered a shallow depth of field for telephoto shots that helped subjects stand out from the background. Best of all, the constant aperture let us zoom in without the risk of rising noise levels. F/2.8 captures four times more light than f/5.6, and this advantage more than made up for the smaller sensor compared to rival cameras with Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensors.

The extended zoom range is extremely useful for composing shots…

…but it’s the f/2.8 aperture that really makes the difference. There’s a fair amount of noise in this ISO 6400 shot, but rival cameras would have had to use much faster ISO speeds, or risk blurring the picture with slower shutter speeds

Direct comparisons with the Panasonic G6 at a 197mm (equivalent) focal length demonstrate how the RX10’s brighter lens is more significant than the G6’s bigger sensor. Both cameras are set to shutter priority, 1/200s, but the G6 is forced to use a much faster ISO speed to compensate for its darker aperture, and that pushes its noise levels up

The difference is even more pronounced indoors, even at a relatively modest 50mm (equivalent) focal length

With a lack of headline-grabbing specs and a price just shy of £1,000, it’s hard to imagine people queuing up to buy the RX10. However, on the simple issues of zoom range and image quality, we’re hard pressed to think of a more capable camera at this price. The Canon 700D and 18-135mm lens costs around £750, while the Panasonic G6 with 14-140mm lens costs around £650. All three cameras have broadly similar (35mm-equivalent) focal length ranges, and their sizes and weights aren’t wildly different. The RX10 trails slightly behind the 700D for image quality in wide-angle shots, but it maintains that quality as it zooms in in subdued light, whereas the others deteriorate significantly. Constant-aperture lenses are available for SLRs and CSCs but they’re limited to 3x and 4x zoom ranges and cost from around £500 to over £1,000.

Of course, SLRs and CSCs have the flexibility of being able to swap lenses for all sorts of specialist uses. Attach a cheap f/1.8 prime lens to an SLR and it’ll beat the RX10 hands down in low light, albeit without the luxury of a zoom. However, a bag full on lenses isn’t always practical when travelling, and it can get very expensive. For dependable image quality across a generous zoom range without the hassle of changing lenses, the RX10 is in a class of its own. The fact that it’s brimming with luxurious features makes that little bit easier to justify the high price.