Sony of Canada Ltd. has announced a third-generation camera in its acclaimed Cyber-shot RX series of pocket-size enthusiast cameras. Like its predecessor, the new Cyber-shot RX100 III has a large 1"-type 20.1MP back-illuminated Exmor CMOS sensor; but the new model features a wider, faster lens, as well as an innovative pop-up electronic viewfinder.
The RX100 III gives up some telephoto reach on the long end of the lens' range for a wider view on the short end. Whereas the original RX100 and the RX100 II employed a 28-100mm (135 equivalent) lens, the RX100 III's lens has 135-equivalent focal length of 24-70mm.
The new camera's Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens is also significantly faster: f/1.8-2.8 compared to f/1.8-4.9. Not only does this improve light-gathering capability at the telephoto end, allowing faster shutter speeds and/or lower ISO settings, it allows for defocusing of backgrounds, so as to concentrate viewer attention on the primary subject. To enable shooting at wide apertures in bright settings, the lens has a built-in three-stop neutral-density filter.
A hallmark of all of Sony's RX-series cameras is the 1"-type sensor, which has four times the area of the 1/2.3"-type sensors used in many compact cameras. As a result, individual photosites are much larger, allowing for cleaner images, especially at high ISO settings. The 20.1MP sensor is paired with the same Bionz X image processor used in the full-frame Alpha 7 and 7R mirrorless cameras that Sony announced last fall.
The RX100 III's other major innovation is the OLED 1.4-million-dot electronic viewfinder that pops up from the left side of the camera, enabling rangefinder-type shooting. The range of motion of the 3" rear LCD has also been increased. It can be tilted upward 180 degrees, for self-portraits.
In addition to 20.1MP stills, the RX100 III can capture 1080p Full HD video. The camera is reads data from the entire sensor during video capture, reducing artifacts like moiré and false colour.
The RX100 III has built-in Wi-Fi, with one-touch pairing via NFC with compatible devices. Wi-Fi connectivity allows remote control from iOS and Android devices. Users can also image transfer of images and video from the camera to a smart device, and from there to social media. The RX100 III is the first RX-series camera that works with Sony's downloadable PlayMemories camera apps. These add functions like time-lapse shooting to the camera.
The Cyber-shot RX100 III will be available in Canada in June for $900 MSRP.