Point-and-shoots aren’t the only cameras making a comeback. “Bridge” cameras, hybrid shooters resembling a DSLR with a long built-in zoom lens, are back again, too.
Case in point: Sony’s new RX10 V. The $2,300 camera is the successor to the RX10 IV, which hadn’t been upgraded since 2017. As people tire of the super-HDR-ized “iPhone look” of their phone cameras, Sony has dug into its vault to refresh the bridge camera with modern features.
Why would you choose the RX10 V over an interchangeable-lens camera? For starters, the 24-600mm lens with f/2.4-4.0 aperture has a long-ass zoom. Long enough to shoot decent photos of athletes from the nosebleeds in a stadium. A 600mm lens isn’t groundbreaking on its own, but one that’s built into a body that only weighs 2.4 pounds is noteworthy. Compare that to a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens that weighs 6.7 pounds without any camera attached to it, and you can see why the RX10V may be the better one to haul around.
Of course, the tradeoff is resolution and, perhaps, low-light performance. While there are plenty of interchangeable-lens cameras with more resolution, the RX10 V has a smaller 1-inch sensor than most APS-C or full-frame image sensors. The smaller image sensor also means low-light photography won’t be as clear.
Where the RX10V might edge out some interchangeable-lens cameras is with its fast autofocus. Sony says the camera uses an AI processor to recognize “humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains, and airplanes” to keep them in focus. Thank god, Sony’s not shoving generative AI into any of its cameras yet.
Other features worth highlighting: a quad-VGA resolution OLED electronic viewfinder, a 3-inch touchscreen that tilts out, slo-mo video recording in 4K resolution at up to 120 fps, and support for the NP-FZ100 battery, which Sony claims will last up to 630 shots (a 50% increase compared to the RX10 IV).
If you’re looking for a travel camera with a long zoom, the RX10 V might fit the bill. It’ll also mean your backpack is lighter. It’s available starting today.
