The RX100 VII is fantastic on paper. Amazing features of this camera are its compactness, 24-200mm lens, high-speed shooting, and most recent AF system. The experience of utilizing it is the one thing that isn’t wonderful. Although it still has a small, uncomfortable, and average sensor, this camera’s price has skyrocketed due to its extremely specialized abilities. Go get it if you absolutely require everything it offers; otherwise, you’ll be left wondering why all the hype.
Crucial Particulars
20MP 1 “-type stacked CMOS sensor with built-in Memory and phase detection
comparable to 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 zoom
Continuous shooting at 20 frames per second with complete autofocus and autoexposure and no blackout
“Single burst” mode at seven frames per second and 90 frames per second.
2.36M-dot retractable EVF with 0.59x equivalent magnification
3 “touchscreen LCD with 180° and 90° rotations
upscaled 4K UHD video (up to 5 min clips in standard temperature mode)
video with combined lens and digital stabilization
video at a high frame rate of up to 1000
WLAN with intervalometer, Bluetooth, and NFC
Structure and handling
extremely small and sturdy metal body
Lack of grip and little use of rubber
Control ring around lens declicked
The Sony RX100 VII looks just like the RX100 VI, and the metal body is just as sturdy as those of earlier generations. The RX100 design hasn’t altered much since the series’ launch back in 2012, save from a few small cosmetic changes.
When you consider the variety of functions Sony has crammed inside that tiny housing, not to mention that optic, it is amazing. The lack of a front grip and the little patch of rubber on the back plate, where the thumb rests, are two objections that can be leveled at the current model in the same way they were at its predecessors.
Due to its smaller size, it is less pleasant to hold than competing models like the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. You can, however, purchase an alternative grip if you feel the need for one.
The rear control dial on the RX100 VII, however, may be moved without the thumb constantly slamming into the edge of the LCD screen because it has a narrow profile and is flush with the back plate, giving it an advantage over some competitors. On such small bodies, this is frequently difficult, although in this case it only truly poses a minor problem if the LCD is slightly pulled away from the body.
A viewfinder with a display
With to its pop-up EVF and tilting screen, the RX100 VII excels when it comes to helping you compose your shots. Due to its double-hinged construction, the latter may be tilted 180 degrees forward for selfies or vlogging or 90 degrees downward for overhead shots. Its primary shortcoming is that it isn’t bright enough to function in bright sunshine. To help with this, there is a super-bright Sunny Weather menu setting; I’d put it to the My Menu.
It makes sense to turn on the camera and viewfinder at the same time. Sadly, pressing it down once again turns off the camera, which is unfortunate because you probably only intended to utilize the screen. Happily, this behavior can be turned off, but only after sifting through the menu to find “Function for VF closure” and setting it to “Not Power OFF.”
On the plus side, the viewfinder itself is excellent. Its 0.59x equivalent magnification provides a respectable sized view, and its 2.36 million-dot OLED is bright and clear. As opposed to the Canon G5 X II or the short-zoom RX100s, its design is significantly better because you don’t have to pull out the eyepiece once the EVF pops up or retract it before pulling the finder back down. Nonetheless, I still favor utilizing a finder that is permanently mounted and constantly accessible, such as those seen on Panasonic TZ series.
PERFORMANCE
The 1-inch sensor is slightly larger than the point-and-shoot and smartphone sensors, and the 24-200mm lens’ Zeiss label promises superior performance.
It’s not quite clear to you. The image quality is decent at short to medium zoom settings, but detail is surprisingly faint at full zoom. If stills photography is your primary interest, the RX100 Mark VII is a mediocre camera at a premium cost. It is incredibly quick at continuous shooting, but it’s hard to get overly enthused about this given that it isn’t the right size or form for sports and wildlife photography, and you can’t switch lenses. Outside of these two fields, it excels at catching the fleeting moments of life, but it does take some time to become familiar with the possibilities and locate them in the menus.
Although the autofocus tracking is quick and efficient, some subjects will still be able to evade it if they move a bit too quickly for it to keep up with them. If your subject is reasonably close, has well-defined eyes, and isn’t flitting around too quickly, the animal eye AF is eerily effective. Fast-moving animals may prove more challenging to capture than posed pets.
Conclusion
With the introduction of the Mark VII, which focuses on quicker, more practical burst shooting, enhanced auto-focusing, and the long delayed inclusion of a Mic port, the Sony RX100 camera series continues to develop.
There is presently no better alternative on the market than the Sony RX100 VII if you want a camera that is quick enough to film fast-moving objects, whether they be wildlife, sports, or just your kids.
