It’s easy to see why people are impressed by the new Sony RX100 VII. I know I am. It’s not because of the things that were improved, but rather by the whole package. This tiny camera is a point-and-shoot with serious tech inside. For a family person, it can be the only camera he or she will ever need.
The previous generation already had the range needed to leave any ILCs at home when going on vacation. The new Sony RX100 VII now has the autofocus to handle the most difficult situations: fast action and daily video shooting. The new focusing system borrows a lot from the top of the range Sony A9. Put them side by side and you’ll realize why the RX100 VII should be considered a little wonder.
The tiny camera on the left can shoot the same 20fps with no black-out and has the same tracking capabilities as the most expensive mirrorless from Sony. It then leaps the A9 by adding the newly introduced video tracking autofocus (available only on the just announced Sony A7R IV), color profiles and unlimited video recording time.
Sony even added a microphone input, for the vloggers who want better audio quality. It doesn’t have a hot shoe or a cold shoe, as brackets are cheap and SmallRig makes wonderful cages for the RX line of cameras.
The Sony RX100 VII brings what enthusiasts want from a point-and-shoot: performance in a compact size. The price though reflects the amount of technology you’re getting. At $1200 it isn’t cheap by point-and-shoot standards. However, it may very well be the only camera with the only lens you’ll ever need.
PS: The Sony RX100 III Video Creator Kit costs $800. For that, you get a 1080p camera, a mini-tripod with a few controls, two batteries, and an SD card. What would you choose?
