All-in-one bridge cameras that feature fixed zooms covering an extensive focal range have their benefits and the RX10 IV is a sublime example. One moment you can be shooting landscapes at the wide end of the zoom and the next you can be filling the frame with distant subjects thanks to its extensive telephoto reach that extends to 600mm. Its agile focus system keeps apace with erratic and fast moving subjects in good light and you can expect its 1in stacked-CMOS sensor to return detailed stills as well as crisp 4K video thanks to full pixel readout and no pixel binning. An SLR-design and effective optical image stabilisation makes handheld use a doddle.
‘The RX100 VII is a powerhouse by compact camera terms. It shares similarities with its RX100 VI predecessor, but takes performance up a notch with its 1 inch stacked CMOS sensor and reworked Bionz X processor providing faster focusing, real-time tracking and real-time eye AF. Combine this with 20fps burst shooting and a fast start-up response and you’ll rarely, if ever, miss a shot. With an ingenious pop-up electronic viewfinder, tilting rear screen and microphone socket, it’s as accomplished as trouser pocket-friendly cameras come. It’s only let down only by the same issues as the RX100 VI, namely poor battery life, fiddly controls and an slippery body’.
Fujifilm has been refining its X100 series of fixed lens compacts over a decade and the X100V is their best yet by quite a margin. Its classic styling is easy on the eye and is complimented by an APS-C size sensor that delivers images of exquisite quality. The lens produces sharper results than its predecessors at close focus distances and its two-way tilting touchscreen folds flush to the body. Weather sealing (requires use of the weather-resistant kit) and a raft of other refinements combine to make it a perfect jacket-pocket partner for day trips and adventures away. Compacts don’t come much more desirable than the X100V.
The X100V is a highly attractive fixed lens compact that merges classic camera design with the same powerful sensor and processor combination used by Fujifilm’s fabulous X-T4. It trumps its predecessors with a superb two-way tilting touchscreen, a redesigned lens that’s sharper at its maximum aperture and advanced weather resistance using a weather-resistant kit. What we love about the X100V more than anything is the way it inspires you to get out and shoot. It’s ideal for times when you want a camera you can just grab and go with, plus by choosing it in black you’re more likely to fall under the radar of others around you.
Sony’s sixth member in the RX100 series punches well above its size and weight. How Sony has managed to squeeze an 8x zoom (equivalent to 24-200mm) in a body that’s barely larger than its RX100V predecessor is a remarkable achievement. It’s a travel zoom in every sense - the kind that can be taken anywhere to record special moments and memories in great detail, while offering one of the hastiest focusing responses of any camera you can slip in a trouser pocket. As technologically advanced as it is, measly battery life, small buttons and a slippery body let it down slightly.
