Obviously I love photography or I wouldn’t put as much time and money as I do into this hobby. That means it doesn’t take much for me to enjoy taking a photo. I’ve had a lot of cameras I enjoyed using. Up until two years ago my favorite camera was actually the one found on the iPhone, especially with the advent of the iPhone 7 and all those that followed. I still enjoy using my iPhone as a camera and a great many of the snapshots I take. The phone I’ve truly enjoyed more than any in a very long time, the Sony RX100 Mark 6. It’s a super compact super zoom with a 1” sensor that takes amazing images.

The camera isn’t a low light beast, my iPhone 12 Pro handle low light much better; but in good light or even decent light the Sony RX 100 rocks! It’s not an inexpensive camera; it’s actually more expensive than most of the current iPhone models. It though, like my iPhone, fits in my jacket pocket and is super easy to carry. When I’m ready to take great photos the Sony is ready too. It has a flip out screen, but I usually use the small viewfinder. Many don’t like it’s small size, but I find it quite usable and since the Sony is mirrorless what I see through the viewfinder is what I get in my image. The value in that most understand from their smartphone camera, but if like me your primary camera was a DLSR it was a massive change. In the end this camera allows me to capture wonderful images, like those below.

The Sony RX100 has come in many flavors over the past several years. Photography Life has a good breakdown of the differences and advances in the models. The Mark 6 brought the biggest change with the new super zoom lens. The Mark 7, the most current version, kept most of the same features but added updated autofocus borrowed from the latest A series cameras.

I own the Sony RX100 Mark 6. The Mark 7 actually came out a few months after I bought the 6. Is it a better camera, only marginally as simply the next iteration of the camera. It has the same lens, the same sensor and the exact same body. The processor is newer, allowing for the improved autofocus I mentioned earlier. The autofocus improvement is primarily in tracking and adds autoeye for humans and animals. If I were buying one today, I would get the Mark 7 even though you can get the Mark 6 for less money.

If you want this same design, but with better low light or maybe geared more towards video Sony has you covered. The Sony RX100VA is the RX100 Mark V with is 20-70mm zoom faster lens, so better in low light. Then Sony last year introduced a wrinkle in the RX100 lineup, the Sony ZV-1. Sony doesn’t call it an RX100, but if you look at it or use it you will immediately notice it’s heritage to the RX100 line as it uses the same lens in the RX100VA; yet the ZV-1 is chiefly aimed at those that want to shoot video.

I can happily recommend any of these cameras. They are for those truly into photography as a hobby. They are also great pocket cameras for the professional photographer in your life. All of them have full automatic modes as well as allowing for complete manual control. They have 20 megapixel 1” sensors that render great color and quality and you can also shoot in RAW or RAW+JPEG. All of them make very capable video cameras, but the ZV-1 is truly designed for the video enthusiast.

Below you will find the current pricing as well as some reviews of the RX100 Mark 6 and the RX100 Mark 7. Sony will probably release a Mark 8 at some point in 2021, and it seems likely it will very much be a hybrid camera like the current Mark 6 and Mark 7 and might even come with a newer sensor and some of the technology recently appearing on the Sony A7SIII and the Sony A7C. However, if you are looking for a great vacation camera and your smartphone just doesn’t give you the control and power you want, but you don’t want to lug a full frame or even APS-C camera around; then definitely take a look at the powerhouse yet tiny Sony RX100.

Current Pricing as of November 2020

Sony RX100M7: $1298
Sony RX100M6: $998
Sony RX100VA: $848
Sony ZV-1: $698

Reviews of Sony RX100M6 (Amazon Link)

Reviews of Sony RX100M7 (Amazon Link)