Sony RX10 V Review: $2,300 for the Most Capable Superzoom—With Familiar Caveats

The Sony RX10 V costs $2,300 and does something no interchangeable-lens camera can match: deliver a 24-600mm f/2.4–4 Zeiss zoom in a single sealed body. After eight years of refinement from the original RX10, PetaPixel’s review finds a dramatically improved camera—with some of the same unresolved problems.

Why the Superzoom Category Still Has a Market

The superzoom compact has a specific buyer: wildlife photographers, travel shooters, and videographers who want everything in one carry-on-legal kit. For that audience, the RX10 V doesn’t compete with other compacts—it competes with the cost and bulk of a mirrorless system plus multiple telephoto primes. At $2,300, the question is whether it delivers what a Sony a7 IV with a 200-600mm attached can’t.

The answer is primarily: portability, simplicity, and video. The RX10 V fits in a large camera bag or carry-on without negotiation. There’s no lens switching, no system weight to manage, and no separate telephoto to budget for.

What Makes It Different

The RX10 V’s redesign addresses the body criticism that followed earlier versions. The grip and control layout now match Sony’s Alpha series professional bodies—joystick included. Video is where it genuinely leads the category: 4K120p (with crop), 4K60p full-width, and 4:2:2 10-bit All-Intra recording. Reviewers called the video output ahead of competitors “by a country mile.” A 575-point autofocus system covers 71% of the frame, and Sony’s subject-recognition modes handle people reliably in good light.

The 24-600mm f/2.4–4 Zeiss reach remains the camera’s signature differentiator. At the short end, f/2.4 provides a meaningful low-light advantage over competitors. At 600mm, it covers wildlife distances that require very expensive glass on any mirrorless system.

The Catch / Who It’s For

Eight years of development and Bionz XR processing still haven’t resolved the RX10’s persistent weaknesses. Low-light performance degrades meaningfully above ISO 1600. Autofocus reliability drops sharply on small, fast-moving subjects—birds in flight, erratic wildlife—which is precisely where a wildlife zoom should excel. Sony also omitted Pre-Capture, a feature available on other Bionz XR cameras, and the mechanical leaf shutter caps usable aperture at f/8 above 1/1000s.

For photographers who need clean high-ISO files or reliable tracking on erratic subjects, an interchangeable-lens system remains the stronger choice. The RX10 V is available at B&H Photo with an estimated August ship date.

Source: PetaPixel

Content created with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.