Upgrade Guide
Sony RX100 III→Sony RX100 VII
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the RX100 III. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the RX100 VII
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Burst rate20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) vs 10fps (2.9fps with AF-S per frame)
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Generation5 years newer (2019 vs 2014)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (20MP)
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StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
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 | RX100 III | RX100 VII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.6 | ||
| Street | +0.1 | ||
| Travel | +0.7 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.4 | ||
| Documentary | +2.2 | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Casual | +1.9 | ||
| Food | +1.0 | ||
| Macro | +0.5 | ||
| Architecture | +0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.3 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Fun & simple | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | RX100 III | RX100 VII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £275 used | £1,049 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2019 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 20.1MP 1-inch CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 20MP | |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 (XAVC S) | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion | |
| Autofocus | 25-point contrast-detect AF, Eye AF, Lock-on AF | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking | |
| Stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps (2.9fps with AF-S per frame) | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~320 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 290g (with battery and card) | 302g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Pop-up OLED EVF, 1.44M dots | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" LCD, 1.23M dots, tilts 180° up | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | |
| Mount | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / Memory Stick slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
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