Sony a7R II, RX100 IV and RX10 II Roundup

This week Sony announced three brand new cameras that impressively add to their current full frame mirrorless and compact camera lineup: the Sony a7R II, Sony RX100m4, and Sony RX10m2. All three cameras are upgrades from existing models. The RX100 has been extremely popular with underwater photographers since it was released, and most video shooters have been keeping their eye on the a7R.

In this underwater photo and video review we will go over the specs of each camera and what is new from the previous model. We'll be doing in-water tests as soon as housing become available.

Jump to Camera:

a7R II     -     RX100 IV     -     RX10 II

Sony A7rII Specs

• 42MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor

• BIONZ X Image Processor

• 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization

• 399 Phase-Detect AF Points & 5 fps Burst

• Internal 4K XAVC S Video at 30 or 24 fps

• S-Log2 Gamma provides great dynamic range

• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC

• ISO 102,400 max

Sony a7R II Comparison with A7r

From the Sony press release:

The new α7R II interchangeable lens camera features the world’s first back-illuminated full-frame Exmor R CMOS sensor1, which realizes high resolution (42.4 MP approx. effective megapixels), high sensitivity (expandable up to ISO 102400)2 and high speed AF response up to 40% faster than the original α7R thanks to 399 focal plane phase detection AF points."

The Sony a7R II will ship in August 2015.

Sony RX100 IV Specs

• 20.1MP 1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS Sensor

• ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T lens (f/1.8 - f/2.8) with focal length 8.8 - 25.7mm

• Lens minimum focus distance: 0.17ft

• BIONZ X Image Processor

• Super Slow Motion Video (maximum of 40x)

• 4K Video Recording

• 16 frames per second burst shooting

• Front control ring (great for underwater settings adjustments

• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC

• 180 degree tiltable LCD screen

Sony RX100 IV Comparison with RX100 III

The major highlight (and upgrade from the RX100 III) of the new RX100 IV is the brand new Exmore RS CMOS sensor. This sensor is stacked with a lightning-fast DRAM memory chip, which reads image data 5 times faster than the older Exmor R sensor. The result is extremely fast electronic shutter capability, which allows for some of the new levels of performance we see above:  16 fps burst, 4K video, slow motion at up to 960 fps (40x super slow mo) and more.

The Sony RX100 IV will be available in July 2015.

Sony RX10 II Specs

While not as popular for underwater photography as the cameras above, the Sony RX10m2 is impressive for those wanting a nice all-in-one compact camera for their next dive trip. The long zoom range on the built-in lens is perfect for those topside opportunities, offering more versatility in shooting above water than the RX100 IV. Below are the RX10m2 specs:

• 20.2MP 1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS Sensor

• ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T lens (f/2.8) with focal length 8.8 - 73.3mm

• BIONZ X Image Processor

• Super Slow Motion Video (maximum of 40x)

• 4K Video Recording

• 14 frames per second burst shooting

• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC

Sony RX10 II Comparison with RX10

The major highlight (and upgrade from the RX10) of the new RX10 II is the brand new Exmore RS CMOS sensor. This sensor is stacked with a lightning-fast DRAM memory chip, which reads image data 5 times faster than the older Exmor R sensor. The result is extremely fast electronic shutter capability, which allows for some of the new levels of performance we see above:  14 fps burst, 4K video, slow motion at up to 960 fps (40x super slow mo) and more.

The Sony RX10 II will be available in July 2015.

Further Reading

• Sony RX100 III In-Depth Review for Underwater

• Underwater Settings for the Sony RX100 III

• Nauticam housing for Sony a7 II Announced