For most of you who have followed my blog, you should know that I wrote for Techgoondu as well. For my own blog I usually reserve it for my straight answer Singlish style. Basically suka suka writing style but want to be straight to the point.
So here’s what I think about the RX100 IV – The Mark IV shouldn’t even be introduced in the first place.
Why? The two key improvements, the slow-mo video and the electronic shutter speed of 1/32000 of a second with a 16fps (speed priority) are used specifically for sports. With such a short telephoto reach (70mm for the full frame talk), the only subject I would think about are babies, kids and dogs (fur kids you know?).
Unless you are really that keen in shooting your kids in slow-mo John Woo style with flying pigeons then yes the RX100 IV is certainly up for the task or to shoot your dog drying itself after a dip into a body of water. You can see the pigeon and your kid fraying their arms so poetically and the drops of water just oooozzeee off the dog. Oh cool definitely!
BUT how many times you would shoot bursting balloons? Seriously how many times would a point-and-shooter do such shots in the span of say 2 years?
And then there’s this EVF. Why do the pop up and pull routine every time I want to use the EVF? Wouldn’t adding another 1 inch to the height just solve the problem of housing the EVF and yet provide a much better grip for the user to hold the camera to? What gives? Why be complicated for the sake of complication? Look chio, look sophisticated? By the time I pull the EVF out, the model already become a old hag.
Keep your money if you have the RX100 III and certainly you will do well if you keep the RX100 II too! No EVF? Find a camera that do have it ready to be used and can have it much cheaper.
Yes the image quality is superb for a 1-inch sensor and I have no doubt about it. Quite honestly I super enjoy using it during Bromo to the point I wonder why I bring my mirrorless! If landscape is your thing then the depth of field of the 1-inch sensor is very useful although 24mm is a bit restrictive. Of course you can use the Panorama feature but it is at best, half baked.
Still it is a good shooter but please don’t pay silly money for it. For now I still go for the version II because the version III and IV’s EVF is just asking to be spoilt (maybe I am clumsy lah!). But EVF to me is an essential but seriously the III was already too expensive, never mind the IV.
Here’s my test shots album from the RX100 IV