Sony just revived it’s RX10 V bridge camera with a built-in massive zoom lens
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Sony released the last version of its all-in-one camera, the RX10 IV, all the way back in 2017. Released today, the new Sony RX10 V pairs the series’ signature 24-600mm equivalent ZEISS zoom with Alpha-grade AI autofocus for $2,299.99, shipping in August.
There isn’t much competition left in the bridge camera category, which is made up of cameras with attached zoom lenses that mimic the experience of a DSLR or mirrorless model. It’s a lot of lens and a ton of features in a relatively compact package.
Sony RX10 V $2,299.99
The Sony RX10 V covers 24mm wide-angle to 600mm super-telephoto through a single ZEISS F2.4-4.0 zoom, backed by AI subject recognition and 30 fps blackout-free shooting. It ships in August for $2,299.99, and preorders are open at B&H and Adorama. We’re working on getting one in for a full review.
What nine years changed inside the RX10
The RX10 V’s ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens keeps the formula the series settled on back in 2016: 24-600mm equivalent coverage at F2.4-4.0 with built-in optical stabilization. That range runs from wide landscapes to close-up shots of a heron across the pond, and it focuses down to roughly 3 cm at the wide end for macro work.
Inside, a 20.1-megapixel 1-inch stacked Exmor RS sensor now feeds a BIONZ XR processor, the same engine that runs Sony’s current Alpha bodies, plus a dedicated AI processing unit for subject recognition. While the 1-inch sensor is still smaller than a full-frame, or even APS-C sensor, it’s large considering the sweeping zoom range the lens offers.
Handling borrows from the Alpha side too. The button layout and grip mimic Sony’s mirrorless bodies, and the RX10 V takes the same NP-FZ100 battery as the A7 series, rated for approximately 630 shots per charge. Sony says that’s roughly 50 percent more than the RX10 IV managed.
Recognition autofocus aimed at birds and ballfields
Real-time Recognition AF identifies people, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains, and airplanes, and an Auto mode figures out which one you’re pointing at so you’re not digging through menus at the exact moment a hawk shows up. It’s similarly intelligent with human subjects to help differentiate between athletes and fans in the stands.
The electronic shutter fires blackout-free bursts at up to 30 fps while the camera runs up to 60 autofocus and autoexposure calculations per second, so the viewfinder never freezes while you pan with a bird leaving a branch. A Continuous Shooting Speed Boost function bumps the burst rate mid-sequence when the action peaks.
4K 120p video and a bigger viewfinder
This is a big upgrade area. The RX10 V records 4K at up to 120p, good for 5x slow motion after processing, and Active Mode stabilization steadies handheld footage at the long end of the zoom. S-Cinetone color works straight out of the camera, while S-Log3 and support for 16 user LUTs leave room for anyone who grades their own footage.
The 0.5-inch OLED viewfinder packs approximately 3.68 million dots at 0.78x magnification, sharp enough to confirm focus on a distant subject in bright sun. A dust- and moisture-resistant body, dual-band Wi-Fi, and 4K 30p live streaming over USB-C round out the practical upgrades.
Pricing and where the RX10 V lands
The RX10 V costs $2,299.99 in the US and $2,899.99 in Canada when it arrives in August. That’s about $600 more than the RX10 IV’s roughly $1,700 launch price, though nearly a decade of camera-market inflation absorbs some of the sting.
Direct competition is thin. Nikon’s Coolpix P1100 reaches an absurd 3,000mm equivalent for around $1,100, but it relies on a far smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor that struggles once the light drops. Panasonic’s FZ1000 II is the closest 1-inch rival at under $900, and it tops out at 400mm and dates back to 2019. Outside of Sony’s own lineup, nothing currently pairs a 1-inch sensor with 600mm of reach.
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