I’ve been out shooting with the Sony RX100 VII, the latest in Sony’s high-end compact camera line. Here are some high-resolution photos I’ve taken with it to give a sense of how it performs in real-world shooting conditions.
When it comes to choosing a pocket-sized compact to take with me on my travels for when a DSLR or full-frame mirrorless is just impractical or too intrusive, my top two contenders usually come from Sony’s RX100 or Ricoh’s GR lines.
It’s not really an apples-to-apples comparison since they’re quite different in their feature sets and approaches. The cameras in the RX100 line cram in a lot more bells and whistles—things like zooms and tilting screens and boundary-pushing speed.
But one of the impressive things about the RX100 line is that those bells and whistles don’t come at the expense of image quality or usability. I’ve used several models in the series over the years, and they’ve always been excellent little cameras.
The latest model is the RX100 VII (also sometimes listed as DSC-RX100M7). I’ve been out shooting with it quite a lot lately to put it through its paces. I’ll post a detailed review separately, but in the hope it might be useful to readers trying to make their own decisions on which camera to get, below are some photos I’ve taken with it. I’ve also posted some high-ISO examples and a quick guide to its panorama features.
But first, here are some of the highlight features that have stood out for me when shooting photos with the RX100 VII:
Excellent Image Quality. Starting with the most important consideration for me, the image quality that’s coming out of the RX100 VII is excellent. I always approach small-sensor cameras like this with some trepidation, but there’s a good reason why Sony is leading the pack when it comes to sensors. The images coming out of this rival or beat those coming out of some current cameras with larger APS-C sensors. Sony has sensibly limited the ISO range available to a still-respectable 12800, so you can be pretty confident of not getting some nasty surprises when you get the images home to your computer display.
20MP images. The full-size images that come out measure 5472 by 3648 pixels (you can also choose different aspect ratios for JPG output).
24-200mm Optical Zoom. A more expansive zoom has been one of the additions of the last couple of models in the RX100 range. When you factor in the small 1.0″ sensor and convert the focal lengths to what the equivalents would be on a full-frame (or 35mm) camera, they come out to 24-200mm. That’s the optical zoom range—the one with the highest quality and the one I use most of the time.
But like some other recent compacts, like the recent HX99, there are digital zoom ranges beyond that. I’ve written in more detail on those, and posted some examples, on a page specifically on the zoom range of the RX100 VII. None of the images below are using digital zooms—only the optical zoom.
Fast. What I’m referring to here is speed of operation, not lens apertures.
Particularly with the larger Alpha series cameras, Sony has really been forging ahead with camera speed, and some aspects of that are now filtering down into other cameras in Sony’s range. It’s really showing on the RX100 VII, with unusually fast autofocus. And I also found the tracking to be especially good—something that leaves something to be desired on many other cameras.
There were other aspects of speed that I’ve liked about this camera. It has very fast burst shooting—up to 20 frames per second—and while the mechanical shutter is limited to a fairly slow 1/2000 sec, the electronic shutter can fire down to 1/32000 second. You obviously need a lot of light or a very high ISO—or both—but it opens up some fun and interesting creative possibilities.
Here’s a sampling of photos I’ve taken with the RX100 VII under various conditions. Hopefully, this gives a sense of how this camera performs in real-world shooting.
Some of these were taken in JPG-only mode. Most were shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom.
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₅₀₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 50mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₂₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 1250 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 3200 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed at 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₄₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 150mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₅₀₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₈₀ sec at ƒ/9. Zoomed to 36mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 8000 and ¹⁄₅₀₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 27mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₂₅ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 33mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₈₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 58mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 400 and ¹⁄₆₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 27mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 2500 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₈₀₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 8000 and ¹⁄₂₅₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 40mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 640 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/3.5. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 3200 and ¼ sec at ƒ/7.1. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 200 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 3200 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₆₄₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 153mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₅₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₆₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 800 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 6400 and ¹⁄₆₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 62mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 400 and ¹⁄₆₄₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 27mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 160 and ¹⁄₆₀ sec at ƒ/9. Zoomed to 57mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 250 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 250 and ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 127mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₂₅ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 320 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 10000 and ¹⁄₂₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 54mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 640 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/5.6. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₈₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 175mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₄₀₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 25mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₅₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 122mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 4000 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₅₀₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 109mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 80 and 0.8 sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 1000 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/5.6. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₄₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 66mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 43mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₅₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 12800 and ¹⁄₄₀₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 62mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 12800 and ¹⁄₁₆₀₀ sec at ƒ/3.5. Zoomed to 34mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 250 and ¹⁄₃₀ sec at ƒ/3.2. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₆₄₀ sec at ƒ/7.1. Zoomed to 142mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 3200 and ¹⁄₂₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/6.3. Zoomed to 83mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₆₄₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₃₂₀ sec at ƒ/4. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/7.1. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₈₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 129mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 200 and ¹⁄₂₀₀ sec at ƒ/11. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 6400 and ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 134mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 91mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₄₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 65mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 500 and ¹⁄₂₀₀ sec at ƒ/4.5. Zoomed to 200mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₅₀ sec at ƒ/8. Zoomed at 64mm (35mm equivalent). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Accessories for the RX100 VII
It’s possible to add filters to the RX100 VII, but you first need to attach the VFA-305R1 filter adapter kit as the front panel. You can then use 30.5mm filters. The kit also comes with a lens hood.
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I'm a professional photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. I've been shooting for 30+ years, and my my photos and time-lapse videos have appeared in a bunch of different publications from major newspapers to magazines and books, billboards, TV shows, professional sports stadiums, museums, and even massive architectural scrims covering world-famous buildings while they're being renovated. You can see some of my travel photography here and here.