Sony RX100 Mark III Review

Sony RX100 Mark III Review
I haven't owned a point-and-shoot camera in years. Since 2010, my point-and-shoot has been my iPhone. I suspect this is the case for a majority of the population. Flickr tends to agree; the top four most popular cameras are iPhones, and the fifth is a Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR.

As I concluded in my Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 review, smartphone cameras are so good these days it's practically pointless to invest in a separate point-and-shoot camera. Plus, your smartphone is always on you; a point-and-shoot is an extra device to carry around.



Smartphones may have displaced the low-end and even midrange point-and-shoot categories, but the high end remains a competitive market. Nikon's Coolpix A was almost perfect, fitting a DSLR-class image sensor into a pocketable form. If only it didn't cost $1,100.

Sony RX100 Mark III: Amazing Point-and-Shoot Comes at Hefty Cost:


The Sony RX100 Mark III is the follow-up to the RX100 Mark II, which was a follow-up to 2012's RX100 — a high-end, high-performance point-and-shoot that revitalized a category that many thought was on its way to extinction. At $800, the RX100 Mark III is on the pricier side, but I think the upgrades in performance and image quality justify it.

Tiny size, big power:

The industrial design of the RX100 Mark III hasn't changed drastically in three generations, which isn't a bad thing at all. It's a little thicker, and heavier than the two previous RX100 models, but it still fits perfectly well in a jacket pocket. And it's hardly noticeable in backpack or a purse (my girlfriend confirmed this).


But take a closer look and you'll notice all of the tiny, wonderful improvements Sony added inside and outside to make it the best point-and-shoot yet. The sharp 1.2-million-dot 3.0-inch display now flips up 180 degrees and includes a 3-second timer — for selfies, of course. And in addition to Wi-Fi, the RX100 Mark III also has built-in NFC for easier smartphone pairing.

The 20.2-megapixel image sensor is now backside-illuminated (BSI), the Bionz X processor mirrors the one on the fantastic Sony A6000 mirrorless camera, and the lens is now capable of even wider shots with a focal range of 24-70mm.

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Like virtually every camera these days, the RX100 Mark III can record videos at 1080p full HD resolution at 60p/30p/24p. Slow-motion enthusiasts will also appreciate the ability to record footage at 120 frames per second at 720p HD resolution.

The full HD video quality is good; my complaint isn't with that, but with how warm the RX100 Mark III gets when recording in the XAVC S (a high-resolution format that allows for longer recording times and less compression noise). It doesn't get hot enough to burn you, but it does get warm enough that you don't want to hold it for more than a few minutes.

Real-life clarity:

I've been thinking about what type of image quality and resolution most people actually need. One comment I keep hearing is: "I want DSLR-quality photos." One comment I keep hearing is: "I want DSLR-quality photos." What exactly does that mean? Do you want a camera that can take photos with great bokeh (blurry background)? Do you want a camera that gives you greater depth of field control?

Whenever I ask them to explain, these people tell me they just want sharp, beautiful-looking photos that look "professional." These general consumers are confused about what they want and need.

They think they need a DSLR to get stunning photos. But what they really want is a compact point-and-shoot that takes excellent photos without all the complexities of understanding apertures and shutter speeds.

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DSLR titans like Canon and Nikon want you to believe you must have a DSLR-sized image sensor (APS-C or full-frame) in order to get professional-looking photos. Of course they're going to tell you that; they want to sell more DSLRs.

While DSLRs will always have a place for serious photographers, the regular person doesn't actually want the bulk of a DSLR, nor do they care enough to invest time in understanding manual settings and acquiring extra lenses.

Sony RX100 Mark III Sample Shot:

Sony RX100 Mark III Sample Shot

A great photo is a great photo — period. A DSLR that can't focus in the dark is still going to take a terrible photo.

The RX100 Mark III is not a DSLR, or even a mirrorless camera, and it doesn't have a DSLR-sized image sensor. It has a 1.0-inch image sensor, which means it can't take in quite as much light as a DSLR. But as I mentioned earlier, when combined with the fast Bionz X processor and backside illumination, it takes amazing photos in virtually any scenario — and you don't need to know a darn thing about camera settings.

As you can see in the photo gallery (above), the RX100 Mark III takes beautiful photos that are sharp, have accurate colors and little image noise. The f/1.8 lens takes low-light photos like it's no big deal and the 24mm wide angle allows for a ridiculous amount of detail to be squeezed in.

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After shooting nearly 13GB worth of photos and selecting the best ones (with plenty of low-light photos), I showed the photos to some friends who fit the description above and they asked what mirrorless or DSLR camera I took them with. Their mouths dropped to the ground when I took the small RX100 Mark III out of my jeans pocket. They couldn't believe the image quality came from such a small camera.

Need for speed
Besides poor image quality, there's nothing I hate more than a slow camera. You know what I'm talking about: cameras that take forever to turn on, have a sluggish interface and autofocus systems that can't focus at all. It's stressful just thinking about it.

Thankfully, the RX100 Mark III is not a slow camera — it's quick to power on, its interface runs smoothly without lag and its autofocus system is fast. It's not A6000 fast, but it's super speedy for a point-and-shoot. And unlike the Nikon Coolpix A, it doesn't require 12-14 inches in order to autofocus.

I understand "fast" is something that's hard to define, because speed is a perception based on a person's patience. What's slow to me may be "fast" to my grandpa.

The RX100 Mark III is fast in that I didn't spend time fighting the camera and wondering why it missed a shot. The camera is so quick that I realized I was filling up my memory card faster than with any other camera because I was focused on taking great photos instead of wrangling with system slowdown.

The RX100 Mark III's speed just makes the camera so much fun to shoot with; a delightful experience that liberated me from worrying about incapable hardware and allowed me to explore new angles and experiment with more street photography.

Hidden dynamic duo:

The RX100 Mark III has its own Batman and Robin. At least, that's what I nicknamed them.

The retractable electronic viewfinder (EVF) that pops up at the flip of a switch on the left side of the camera is Batman. The SVGA (800 x 600 resolution) OLED EVF is a beast, and equally as sharp as the one on the Sony A6000. The EVF's Zeiss T* coating helps to combat reflections and enhance clarity pretty well, but it's not very good at resisting oils from my eyelashes. (Keep a microfiber cloth handy, because you're going to need it.)

The pop-up flash next to the EVF is Robin. Just like a sidekick, the flash complements the EVF; it can be pulled back with a finger and aimed upwards to create a bounce effect to scatter the lighting for a natural look instead of a harsh one.

Together, the EVF and the flash make the RX100 Mark III one of the most exciting point-and-shoots I've seen in years the EVF and the flash make the RX100 Mark III one of the most exciting point-and-shoots I've seen in years. It's not that other point-and-shoots don't have these features (or can't get them via accessory add-ons), but it's the way Sony integrated them into the camera. They're there when you need them, but retract when you don't.

When hidden from sight, the EVF is unobtrusive in a way the external EVF add-on for the RX100 Mark II never was. That, and the external EVF for the RX100 Mark II costs an extra $450 on top of the $650 for the camera. Even at $800, the RX100 Mark III is a helluva steal compared to the two-piece RX100 Mark II combo.

There's no hot shoe on the RX100 Mark III like there is on its predecessor, but I didn't miss it at all. A point and shoot doesn't need a hot shoe; that only compromises its compact size.

Battery life takes hit:

Of the three RX100 point-and-shoots Sony has released over the last few years, the RX100 Mark III has the worst battery life — 320 shots per full charge versus the 330 shots on the RX100 and 350 shots on the RX100 Mark II. A decrease of 30 shots sounds like I'm nitpicking, but the difference is real.

I brought the camera out on a couple of occasions when I knew I'd be out early in the morning and back at night. I ended up missing some really nice sunset shots mainly because the battery had died around 80-100 shots earlier. I averaged about 200-250 shots on a full charge, give or take a few instances of pairing my smartphone to the camera over Wi-Fi.

One of the reasons for the low battery life is the electronic viewfinder. When popped up, even if it's not in use, it's idling, waiting to detect your eye. I advise keeping it closed until you really need to use it.

Sony RX100 Mark III

Buying an extra battery ($50) isn't a big deal, but it's still an extra cost. It also stinks that the battery must be inside of the camera in order to charge via microUSB. Again, you can buy an external battery charger ($50), but that's just another cost. I'm not liking this trend toward charging the battery inside of the camera. Sony, let's drop this silliness already.

Worth the money, if you can afford it
My love for Sony cameras is a new one. Although I've admired Sony's digital camera designs for years, it wasn't until recently that I pulled the trigger and ordered the near-perfect A6000 mirrorless camera.

The RX100 Mark III has me questioning if I made the right choice. For the same $800, the RX100 Mark III offers the same electronic viewfinder (exact resolution and all) and the same user camera interface with Wi-Fi and NFC smartphone pairing. Although the RX100 Mark III's image quality is not quite as sharp as my A6000 and the autofocus speed isn't as fast, the difference is really negligible for daily shooting.

Ultimately, the RX100 Mark III won the spot in my messenger bag (or in my jacket pocket), day in and out, mainly because of its size. It's so small and versatile that I never considered not bringing it out in my bag.

I'm a firm believer that our gadgets shouldn't have to become larger in order to be more powerful. I've always paid a premium for smaller, slimmer and thinner devices that pack a ton of power. To me, that's proof of progress. The RX100 Mark III fits that philosophy perfectly: small, powerful and good-looking, but expensive.

If money is of no concern, the RX100 Mark III is a no-brainer. (And worth every penny, in my opinion.) And if you're on a budget, I'd say the original RX100 (now $500) is still a great camera with excellent low-light performance.

Sony RX100 Mark III ($800):


The Good

Pop-out electronic viewfinder • Incredible speed and image quality • Screen flips 180 degrees up for selfies

The Bad

Weak battery life • Gets extremely warm when video recording • High price

The Bottom Line:

The Sony RX100 Mark III is an amazing point-and-shoot with great imaging performance and speed. The inclusion of a retractable electronic viewfinder only sweetens the entire package. As great as the RX100 Mark III is, it's a bit on the expensive side.
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CAMERAS, GADGETS, MASHABLE CHOICE, MOBILE, POINT AND SHOOT, REVIEWS, SONY, TECH, Sony RX100 Mark III Review.

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