Sony RX100 III Camera Announced

Sony has announced the new Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III advanced compact camera, an update to the RX100 II.

The RX100 III features a wider 24-70mm equivalent Carl Zeiss lens, with a brighter f/1.8-2.8 aperture range, and built-in pop-up electronic viewfinder. It has a 20.1 megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R 1inch CMOS sensor, 4K still image output and 50 Mbps Full HD movies with XAVC S support. 

It also has a 3inch tilting LCD screen that flips forwards, making it easy to take selfie photos. The camera features built in Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, as well as introducing Sony PlayMemories Apps, so that you can download and add additional features to the camera. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

Read our Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III Hands-On Preview. 

From Sony: Loved by photographers who value serious imaging and extreme portability, the popular Cyber-shot RX100 family has an exciting new addition.

Crafted in tough, travel-friendly aluminium for lightness and appearance, the Cyber-shot™ RX100 III builds on the acclaimed reputation of its predecessors. An uprated lens and speedy image processor are complemented by a retractable OLED Tru-Finder with ZEISS T* coating, enhanced movie features and a 180-degree tilting LCD – all in a stylish fixed-lens camera that’s truly pocket-sized.

Brighter and wider than before, the ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F1.8-2.8 lens captures everything from expansive landscapes to soulful portraits. Thanks to a large F2.8 maximum aperture at its telephoto end, subjects stand out crisply against smooth background bokeh. The lens’s impressive light-gathering power also allows faster shutter speeds to freeze fast-moving subjects. A built-in 3-stop (1/8) Neutral Density filter gives even more creative flexibility with sun-drenched exteriors or intentionally-blurred shots of moving water.



Another eagerly awaited addition to the Cyber-shot RX100 III is its high-contrast retractable OLED Tru-Finder which  offers bright, detailed viewing with the camera held to your eye. The viewfinder’s optical surfaces include a ZEISS T* coating that dramatically reduces reflections and delivers exceptional corner to corner clarity. There’s also a handy eye sensor that automatically switches between viewfinder and monitor display.

From detail-packed stills to vibrant Full HD movies – everything’s beautifully clear thanks to the new camera’s 20.1 effective megapixel 1.0-type back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor. Far larger than the sensor in regular compact cameras, it’s the key to breathtaking stills and video with beautiful background defocus effects.

Offering excellent low-light sensitivity and low noise, the sensor is complemented by Sony’s latest-generation BIONZ X processing engine. Three times faster than its predecessor, it powers detail reproduction technology for natural reproduction of fine textures, diffraction reducing technology for enhanced quality at small apertures and area-specific noise reduction that maintains clarity in dimly-lit regions of indoor and night-time shots.



The speedy BIONZ X processor also powers exciting new video features. In a Cyber-shot™ first, the RX100 III now supports the efficient XAVC S format. Based on the professional XAVC standard, it records stunning Full HD video footage at up to 50 Mbps with minimal artefacts and noise – even with busy, movement-packed scenes. Want to capture every nuance of that golf swing, tennis serve or ballet leap? HD footage can be recorded at 100 fpsi in XAVC S mode for silky smooth slow motion replays via an application like Sony’s PlayMemories Home application.

Handheld video footage is even more of a pleasure to watch with Intelligent Active Mode that minimises the effects of camera shake. Frame analysis technology and 5-axis stabilisation are combined for the first time in the RX100 series, ensuring steadier movies even when captured when moving.

A newly-added 4K still image output allows photo viewing on 4K TVs.  High-resolution images can be transferred via HDMI or Wi-Fi, with support for Triluminos Colour assuring opulent tones and textures on compatible BRAVIA TV models.

Despite its diminutive size, the camera inherits several movie functions from Sony’s professional camcorders. There’s a clean HDMI output, allowing Full HD footage to be stored on an external recorder. ‘Zebra’ patterning on the LCD and in the viewfinder helps identify the brightest areas in a scene, and dual video recording simultaneously stores small MP4 format files alongside top-quality AVCHD /XAVC S files.

Selfie fans will welcome the articulated 3.0-type Xtra Fine LCD that now flips up 180 degrees for effortless arm-length portraits and is also very useful for shooting from either high or low positions.

Making its debut in the RX100 family, the PlayMemories Camera Apps boost your photo experience with a growing range of free and paid-for apps. It’s easy to enhance your photography with a choice of creative effects and filters, utilities and more. The integrated NFC/ WiFi connectivity ensure an easy customer experience.

Enthusiasts will value uprated manual control possibilities to help craft the perfect image. Functions can be assigned to the new custom button or control wheel to suit individual shooting styles. The control ring and function button are also customisable for easy access to frequently-used settings.

Read our Sony Cyber-shot RX100 III Hands-On Preview. 

For more information, take a look at the Sony website.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Specifications

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