A pop-up viewfinder, versatile LCD screen and wider zoom are just some of the RX100 III benefits
In the face of plummeting compact camera sales caused by the boom in smartphones, many of which stream off Sony's own production lines, Sony launched the RX100 premium compact camera in the summer of 2012. Unusually for a compact, that original RX100 has proved a sales success and even remains on sale today, alongside the RX100 II launched last year and now the brand new RX100 III unveiled today.
A big little sensor
The original appeal of the RX100 was it's relatively large 1 inch CMOS sensor. It's large by compact camera standards; 3-4 times larger in area than typical compact cameras, delivering better noise and dynamic range performance plus better potential for creative limited depth of field. However, a one inch sensor is half the area of a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless system camera sensor and eight times smaller than a full frame sensor. Nevertheless the RX100 has earned a reputation for good image quality. The RX100 III should strengthen that reputation thanks to the implementation of Sony's latest Bionz X image processor and the introduction of a new 2.9x 24-70mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* zoom lens. This is shorter in the zoom X-factor compared to the older 3.6x 29-105mm equivalent lens but arguably more versatile with the significantly wider angle capability.
Pop-up electronic viewfinder
Perhaps the biggest development with the RX100 III is the addition of a pop-up electronic viewfinder. This is a 1.4 million dot OLED device with very good resolution but it's a bit weird holding the camera to the right and peering into the finder above the top of the camera on the left. However, the importance of a viewfinder for many potential buyers is very high and will certainly widen the appeal of the RX100 III. To deploy the EVF you need to push a catch on the side of the camera and with the EVF popped up you must then pull the eyepiece back. It is a little fiddly. As the EVF uses the space previously used by the pop-up flash in the RX100 II the flash has been moved to the centre of the top-plate and that means the flash/accessory shoe has had to go. That's fine if you only used the shoe for the optional EVF, but could be an issue if you want to use a bigger attachable flash.
Versatile LCD screen and app compatibility
A big change is the new tilting LCD screen. Unlike that on the recent Sony Alpha 6000 mirrorless system camera the RX100 III screen can tilt, forward for selfies and down for the over the head viewing. Despite this mechanical complexity, there doesn't appear to be much impact on the size and weight of the camera. However, Sony is still not moved to provide a touch screen for the RX100 III. Sony has now harmonised its user interface style across most of its camera ranges and so if you happen to have an Alpha system camera, for example, the look and structure of the RX100 III menus and functions will no longer be alien. On top of that Sony has endowed the RX100 III with PlayMemories Camera App compatibility. These are smartphone-style apps you can download to extend the feature set of your camera. Some are free while others are chargeable. But unlike with many smartphone apps, there is no option for ad-subsidised apps. You need a compatible Android or iOS smartphone or tablet in order to download and install apps although the camera itself can connect directly to your Wi-Fi network to share photos in selected social media sites.
Improved image processing
The Bionz X image processor enables some image quality improvements to be added, including so-called diffraction reducing which sharpens up the image. You can shoot at up to 120p (NTSC) or 100p (Pal) HD video and we managed to confirm that PAL and NTSC are selectable although the camera re-boots when you do this.
Early conclusion
Our initial conclusion without yet having had the opportunity of shooting with the RX100 III is that the design is amazing for such a tiny camera. A touch-screen would have made it possibly the ultimate compact camera but even as it is it's very close to that accolade.
Pictures
Below is a gallery of pictures we took of the RX100 III at our briefing on the new camera.
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