Upgrade Guide
Sony RX100 IV→Sony RX1
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the RX100 IV. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the RX1
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Resolution24MP vs 20MP (+4MP)
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 IV | RX1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | ||
| Street | -0.5 | ||
| Travel | -1.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.9 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | — | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Casual | -0.8 | ||
| Food | -0.2 | ||
| Macro | -0.3 | ||
| Architecture | -0.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.9 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | RX100 IV | RX1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 used | £336 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2012 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 20.1MP 1-inch CMOS | 24.3MP full-frame CMOS | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p (XAVC S), 1080p HFR up to 960fps, S-Log2 | Full HD 1080p/60 | |
| Autofocus | 25-point contrast-detect AF, Eye AF, Lock-on AF | 25-point contrast-detect AF with face detection | |
| Stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 16fps (5.5fps with AF) | 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame) | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~280 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 298g (with battery and card) | 482g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Pop-up OLED EVF, 2.36M dots | Optional EVF (FDA-EV1MK) or optical finder | |
| Screen | 3.0" LCD, 1.23M dots, tilts 180° up | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 | Fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / Memory Stick slot | Single SD / Memory Stick slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See RX100 IV and RX1 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the RX1 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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