Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV vs Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V — Which Is Better?

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV and Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V are pocket compacts with a fixed lens and an electronic viewfinder. They share the same 102 x 58 x 41 mm body, and their weights sit one gram apart.

The V arrived a year after the IV, in 2016, with far faster autofocus coverage and burst shooting.

The RX100 V is the stronger pick for fast, erratic subjects. Its autofocus covers 315 points against 25 on the IV, giving far more framing freedom when you follow a running child or a darting pet. Its 24 fps burst, up from 16, also catches peak action moments.

Each camera records 20 megapixel images on a one-inch CMOS sensor, so prints and heavy crops start from the same pixel count. Both also offer in-body stabilisation and a 1/2000 second maximum shutter. The IV alone adds an expanded ISO setting down to 80, useful for wide apertures in bright light.

For slow motion, the RX100 V doubles the maximum video frame rate to 120 fps against 60 fps on the IV. That speed stretches a splash into far longer, smoother footage. Both share a 4K maximum recording resolution, and the V adds AVCHD and XAVC S options alongside the shared MPEG-4 and MOV.

The IV's 60 fps maximum still gives useful slow motion at standard speeds. Neither camera offers a built-in intervalometer, so timelapse work needs external triggering.

The RX100 IV offers touch control on its 3-inch LCD for tapping a focus point or swiping through images, while the RX100 V's TFT LCD has no touch input. The IV also supports Bluetooth alongside Wi-Fi, while the V offers Wi-Fi alone. Both screens tilt for overhead and low-angle framing.

Both cameras include a built-in flash, and both omit GPS and weather sealing. Without GPS, neither body can geotag travel photos on its own.

The RX100 IV has the endurance edge, rated at 280 shots per charge against 220 for the V, both with the same NP-BX1 battery. Neither camera charges over USB, so both need the external charger.

Each has a single card slot, but the supported cards differ. The IV takes UHS-I compatible SD, SDHC and SDXC cards plus Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo, so fast SD cards run at UHS-I speed. The V takes SD, SDHC and SDXC plus a broader Memory Stick Duo range.