Sony launches new RX100 VI with long zoom lens in South Africa

Sony has expanded its popular Cyber-shot RX100 series of premium compact cameras with the launch of the RX100 VI, bringing unmatched clarity and precision to images shot indoors and outdoors. The RX100 VI is the first RX100 model to include a high magnification zoom lens, as it packs in an impressive ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm F2.8 – F4.5 lens. The innovative new RX100 VI camera will be available at all key retail outlets in South Africa from November onwards.

This premium compact camera combines portability, flexibility, fast responsiveness and professional image quality, making it an ideal choice for capturing daily life, cityscapes, portraiture, sports, and wildlife. The camera boasts a one-inch stacked 20.1 MP Exmor RS CMOS image sensor with DRAM chip and an upgraded BIONZ X image processor with a front-end LSI that maximises processing speed and optimises image quality in all shooting environments.

The RX100 VI also features an efficient Fast Hybrid AF system with 315-point phase-detection AF points on the sensor that can acquire focus in as little as 0.03 seconds, the world’s fastest AF acquisition time for 1.0-type sensor cameras. It can also shoot at up to 24fps at full resolution with continuous AF/AE tracking and produces beautiful 4K video with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. Fumiatsu Hirai, Managing Director, Sony Middle East and Africa said: ‘Sony’s strength is that we develop all our own key camera components such as advanced image sensors, image processors, lenses and software algorithms in-house. The new RX100 VI is the latest in the premium compact RX series, with advanced capabilities that combine extensive zoom, professional image quality and the versatility for still image and video.

‘The sleek design and long zoom lens make it particularly useful for travel and lifestyle photography enthusiasts,’ he added. ‘Given the growing number of travel and lifestyle bloggers in South Africa, we believe this product will be a valuable addition to the premium compact camera segment, setting a new benchmark in performance, functionality and design.’ The RX100 VI’s high-powered zoom lens of both 24-70mm and 70-200mm focal lengths is achieved thanks to its unique design featuring two ED (extra-low dispersion) aspherical glass elements and eight aspherical lens elements including four AA (advanced aspherical) lenses.

It also delivers outstanding sharpness at all focal lengths and maintains a large aperture throughout the entire zoom range, ensuring portraits can be created with a beautiful background defocus, while fast moving subjects can be captured with crisp focus and no blurring. The lens also has built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation that is equivalent to a 4.0-stop faster shutter speed, helping prevent camera shake or blurry images even in a low-light conditions or at telephoto zoom range.

The new RX100 VI model features a Fast Hybrid AF system that ultimately allows the camera to lock focus in as little as 0.03 seconds. This innovative AF system combines the respective advantages of 315-point focal-plane phase-detection AF points that cover approximately 65 per cent of the sensor and contrast-detection AF. This high speed focusing complements the versatile 24-200mm range of the lens, ensuring all subjects can be captured with precise detail and clarity.

The RX100 VI is the first from the series to include Sony’s advanced High-density Tracking AF technology, which concentrates AF points around a subject to improve tracking and focus accuracy. The popular Eye AF technology is also available with approximately twice the tracking performance of the current RX100 series model. Further, the camera has LCD touch focusing and touchpad focus point control for users that would like to drag their fingers to ideal focus points of their choice. Complementing the AF system, the RX100 VI offers continuous high-speed shooting at up to 24fps with full AF/AE tracking, with an impressive buffer limit of up to 233 images. The display lag of the EVF has been substantially reduced compared to prior models, allowing shooters to capture the perfect image with ultimate confidence. Also, for convenience during image playback, continuously shot images can be displayed in groups instead of individual shots.

The RX100 VI also has a high speed Anti-Distortion Shutter (maximum shutter speed of up to 1/32000 second) that reduces the ‘rolling shutter’ effect commonly experienced with fast moving subjects, and can shoot completely silently in all modes, including continuous high speed shooting, when electronic shutter is engaged. A mechanical shutter mode is also available as well, if required by the user.

The pocket-friendly RX100 VI is packed with a variety of video capabilities that will satisfy even the most demanding video enthusiasts. With Fast Hybrid AF, the focal-plane phase-detection AF points ensures accurate focusing and tracking performance, even for the demanding focusing requirements of 4K movie shooting. AF drive speed and AF tracking sensitivity can also be adjusted via the menu system, giving shooters plenty of flexibility based on their focusing preferences. In 4K mode, the new RX100 VI utilises full pixel readout without pixel binning to ensure that all the finer details of 4K video are captured with minimal moire and ‘jaggies’.

For the first time in a Cyber-shot camera, the RX100 VI features 4K HDR compatibility thanks to its new HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile that offers an instant HDR workflow solution. Additional professional calibre video features include S-Log3/S-Gamut3, 120p Full HD mode, Picture Profile, proxy recording and more. The RX100 VI is able to record super slow motion video at either 240fps, 480fps or 960fps. The new RX100 VI is equipped with a high-contrast 2.35 million dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder with ZEISS T* Coating, ensuring true-to-life image preview and playback functionality. The EVF itself retracts in and out of the camera body based on user preference, and can be activated instantly by a single One-push Access button.

The RX100 VI has a touch shutter that can be activated by tapping the back LCD screen, a zoom lever with customizable zoom speeds and an LCD that can be rotated 180 degrees upward or 90 degrees downward for a variety of shooting angles for the creator. There is also a Monitor Auto OFF function that boosts the maximum number of still images by up to 30 per cent, and the camera is also Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth compatible.

The new RX100 VI is also a perfect companion for RX0, the all new type of camera that is ultra-compact, shockproof and waterproof. The RX0 is equally adept at shooting still images and filming video, or it can be used as part of a multi-camera set-up to create an inspiring series of images, videos and super slow-motion footage from a multitude of different perspectives. The popular RX100 V is the camera of choice for food photographers. Its 20.1 MP Exmor RS CMOS sensor coupled with the large aperture Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-70mm F1.8/2.8-F8 lens produces stunning images with crisp contrast. Similar to the RX100 VI, this camera is also equipped with a Fast Hybrid AF system with an AF acquisition at 0.05 seconds and world’s highest number of AF points on sensor with 315 points covering approximately 65 per cent of the frame. This camera can also shoot continuously at speeds of up to 24fps – the world’s fastest for a compact camera.

Meanwhile, known for its relatively fast zoom lens, the RX100 IV has a memory-attached 1.0-type stacked CMOS sensor and contrast detection AF system that allows locking in focus for 0.05 seconds. It is also packed with a Bionz X image processor and 4K video recording and slow-motion video at up to 960fps. The RX100 III camera features a Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F1.8-2.8 aperture lens for both wide panorama and perfect close-up shots. It also has a versatile, high-quality OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder with an impressive 1.4 million dot resolution, adding exceptional brightness and clarity to still images shot in low light conditions.