With the Sony RX10 III, shutterbugs will enjoy a “not-so-compact” compact digital camera. But it’s more than just a larger camera as it has a 1-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor that is paired with an f2.4-4 24 to 600-millimeter lens.
The Sony RX10 III Defines the Term “Zoom Camera”
The Sony RX10 III is the 3rd camera in the line of RX10 units. The first RX10 was first launched in October of 2013 and it was the first of its kind that has a big 1-inch imaging sensor that is mated to an 8.3x 24 to 200-millimeter f/2.8 zoom lens. At that time, it has more zooming power than other 1-inch compact cameras. However, Panasonic did not let the idea of being beaten in the zoom camera race sitting down as they soon released the Lumix FZ1000. Panasonic’s contender has basically double the zoom performance of what Sony had on offer at that time. Even though the RX10 II was released after that, and although it had some boost to its performance, it still had the same lens.
With the RX10 III, Sony is planning to put the game one step further once more and in their favor. Aside from its unparalleled zoom lens, there are other features that clearly make it a powerhouse of a zoom camera. To start, it has high-speed video capture in which photographers will be able to catch up to 960–frames-per-second shooting for when slow-motion video clips are needed. It also has a 14-frames-per-second continuous-shooting speeds with a fixed exposure.
It also has an electronic shutter that can go up to 1/32,000 second to assist in rolling shutter artifacts. It also uses this for when using an f/2.4 aperture under bright conditions. Speaking of shooting conditions, the shutter design is made for silent shooting. Therefore, if you’re a type of street photographer, this helps you take shots of your subjects without getting noticed as much. The lens can also focus as close as 3-centimerters at its widest end at 72-centimeters at the telephoto end.
Just like the Sony RX10 and RX10 II, the Sony RX10 III is dust and moisture-resistant. It has a tilting display at its back as well as a high-resolution OLED viewfinder. As for the lens, it now has three control rings to allow for direct control over the zoom, focus, and aperture. The camera also has a focus-holding button (just like a DSLR has) that will allow you to focus-lock on your subjects for better compositions.