Upgrade Guide
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II→Sony RX100 III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Cyber-shot RX100 II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the RX100 III
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Generation1 year newer (2014 vs 2013)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (20MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | Cyber-shot RX100 II | RX100 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.3 | ||
| Street | +0.2 | ||
| Travel | +0.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.3 | ||
| Documentary | — | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Casual | — | ||
| Food | — | ||
| Macro | — | ||
| Architecture | +0.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Cyber-shot RX100 II | RX100 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | — | £275 used | |
| Released | 2013 | 2014 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 20.2MP 1-inch Exmor R BSI CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch CMOS | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 | Full HD 1080p/60 (XAVC S) | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 25 areas, face detection and tracking | 25-point contrast-detect AF, Eye AF, Lock-on AF | |
| Stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens) | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps (2.5fps with continuous AF) | 10fps (2.9fps with AF-S per frame) | |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~320 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 281g (with battery) | 290g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | None built in (optional FDA-EV1MK EVF on the shoe) | Pop-up OLED EVF, 1.44M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | 3.0" LCD, 1.23M dots, tilts 180° up | |
| Mount | Fixed 3.6x Zeiss 28-100mm equivalent f/1.8-4.9 | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD / Memory Stick slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See Cyber-shot RX100 II and RX100 III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the RX100 III against your specific genres — not just specs.
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