The Sony RX100 III is a bargain buy – just beware this compact camera's compromises

The Sony RX100 III, as a member of the Cyber-Shot family, is one of the most enduring compact cameras around – despite being released over a decade ago, in 2014.

Despite its age, though, and thanks to a distinct lack of modern compacts on the market, the Sony RX100 III is still highly soughtafter among those looking for the convenience of a point-and-shoot camera.

However, with four successors in the product line, is the Sony RX100 III still worth buying in 2025 – especially compared to powerhouses like the RX100 VII?

In my opinion, yes, the Sony RX100 III is still a very capable little compact – though you need to be aware that with its age come some compromises… but a couple of advantages as well.

Sony RX100 III core camera tech

The image sensor that powers the whole thing is a 1-inch, 20.1MP sensor – the same resolution as all its successors, so you're still getting great image quality.

The main difference is in the makeup of that sensor. The Sony RX100 III's is back side-illuminated, enabling it to overachieve when it comes to noise and low light performance. However, every RX model that followed had a stacked sensor – which improves the readout speed.

This means that, while the Sony RX100 III can rattle off shots at a brisk 10fps pace, later cameras can achieve bursts of 24fps and even 90fps (the latter in the very specific Single Burst Mode of the VII). Honestly, though, 10fps is more than enough for the kind of action you might shoot with a compact camera.

Video is another area where the the Sony RX100 III's sensor shows its age, as it doesn't shoot 4K – though does shoot FullHD 60p and offers a 120p slow-motion option. Again, while I'm not sure that anyone is looking at an 11-year-old camera for vlogging purposes, FullHD is still enough for most everyday purposes – and is still the norm for the likes of YouTube and TikTok.

Really, the only area that the sensor lags behind in a meaningful way is the autofocus. The Sony RX100 III was the penultimate model to use a contrast detection system – and only a 25-point one, at that. The RX100 V and onwards used a hybrid system that also employed the more advanced phase detection technology, with hundreds more AF points to boot.

Autofocus is still functional in the III, but is definitely the main area where the camera shows its age.

Sony RX100 III lens and screens

The zoom range is where the single biggest difference lies between the this camera and its successors. The Sony RX100 III features a standard 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 zoom – which is a practical and eminently useful range. Indeed, many DSLR and mirrorless camera users often shoot with a standard zoom lens alone.

However, the RX100 VI and VII both moved to the a more expansive 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 zoom lens – adding an incredible amount of reach that makes them much more versatile cameras for travel photography and vacations. To me personally, this would be the only reason to opt for a newer model over the III – though my everyday cameras either have a 24-100mm or 28-84mm lens, so the zoom on the III is enough for my needs.

The other key differences lie in the rear LCD screen and the pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF). All the cameras in the range have a 3-inch rear screen, which on the Sony RX100 III has 1.23 million dots and can tilt 180° upwards (for selfies) or 45° downwards (to shoot from the waist) – but it is not a touchscreen.

Again, the RX100 VI and VII shake things up by adding touch control (though it's limited to moving focus points, and can't navigate menus) and the ability to tilt a bit further down to 90°, though the resolution is reduced to 921,000 dots. The EVF is more hi-res, though, jumping to 2.36 million dots from 1.44 million on the III.

Is the Sony RX100 III still worth buying?

For my money, the Sony RX100 III is still fantastic at what it does. The limitations are that it doesn't shoot 4K, its zoom range isn't as impressive and its autofocus system is a little slower.

As an everyday snapper, though, it does a great job. Its 1-inch, 20.1MP sensor is larger than the one in all but the very best camera phones and gives you much better image quality. I don't really miss 4K, given that phones are a better option for video than most cameras anyway.

The only reason I'd go for one of the other RX100s is the longer zoom range, but really that's something that's nice to have rather than an essential for me; you appreciate it, on that one day on your vacation when you want to photograph a faraway monument or a bird sat in a tree, but other than that the 24-70mm range is good for 80% of what I end up shooting.

Given how much more affordable it is than its later siblings, the Sony RX100 III offers a great bang-for-buck ratio – though bear in mind that these Cyber-Shots were always overpriced, so you're almost certainly going to get better value elsewhere.

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