The Sony RX100 VI is the company’s latest addition to its popular RX100 line of compact cameras, and what really makes this new camera special is its superzoom lens. The Sony RX100 VI has a wide 24–200mm lens — ridiculous for a camera its size — and promises to provide significantly better magnification than the Sony’s previous best compact camera, the RX100 V, which has a 24-70mm lens.
The aperture is a little slower with the RX100 VI (f/2.8–4.5) compared the RX100 V (f/1.8–2.8), but the camera makes it up with a really fast autofocus. It has 315 phase-detect autofocus points and can shoot up to 24 fps with autofocus. For shooting video, the camera has capture speeds up to 960 fps, and up to 30fps for capturing 4K video. For the first time in a Sony’s compact series, the RX100 VI can also capture 4K HDR video.
The RX100 VI has the same one-inch sensor with a 20.1-megapixel resolution as its predecessor. It has also the same kind of retractable viewfinder, which can be flipped around so you can see yourself (great for vlogging and taking selfies). The difference is that, for the first time, the viewfinder is a touchscreen, meaning you’ll be able to quickly get the subject in focus by tapping on the screen. As Jacob Kastrenakes of The Verge points out, the Sony RX100 VI still lacks the microphone port that would elevate it being a truly great vlogging camera. Aside from that, the camera promises to be a great compact camera choice for anybody, especially those who value great zoom.
The camera will be expensive, however, running $1,200, which is $200 more than any other of Sony’s RX100 line at launch. The Sony RX100 VI will start shipping next month in July 2018.
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