For a long time, bridge cameras with big zoom lenses performed in unsatisfying ways, turning out long-range images that made you wish you had bought a full-fledged DSLR instead. Sony changed that with the original RX10, which solved the problem by pairing the zoom lens with a large 1-inch sensor. The Sony RX10III is the third iteration of that groundbreaking camera.
Looking to establish itself as the big dog in the category, the camera ups the ante with a new lens that more than triples its predecessor’s 8x optical zoom, raising it to a whopping 25x (24mm to 600mm). That’s an insanely versatile zoom range that, along with the lens’ f.2.4 to f.4 maximum aperture, should make this a viable camera for a whole variety of shooting subjects in different settings.
The Sony RX10III pairs that new lens with a 1-inch 20-megapixel CMOS sensor and the outfit’s BIONZ X image processor, giving it an ISO range of 100 to 12,800, a 960fps super-slow-motion mode, and a 14fps continuous shooting mode, among a whole load of talents. It can also shoot 4K video at up to 30 fps with full pixel readout and no pixel binning, making for a seriously capable UHD camera. Since long lenses typically raise stabilization issues, it also comes with the latest Optical Steadyshot image stabilization tech, ensuring all those long-range photographs come out without all the annoying blur. Features include an anti-distortion shutter, advanced moviemaking functions, a 3-inch LCD around the back, and an OLED electronic viewfinder.
Slated for availability in May, the Sony RX10III is priced at $1,500.
