The Sony RX100 series has long been one of the best compact cameras available, mixing a one-inch sensor with a pocketable design. But the most recent model in the series, the Sony RX100 VII, will be six years old in just a few months, the longest Sony has gone without updating the series since it first launched in 2012. It’s a concerning delay that has some fans wondering, will there even be a Sony RX100 VIII?
Unlike flagship smartphones, cameras don’t typically see annual updates – it's not uncommon for them to see updates every two or even four years instead. But up until the Sony RX100 VII, the series has always bucked that trend. After the first in the line was announced in the summer of 2012, updates followed every year like clockwork all the way through the RX100 IV in June 2015. The RX100 V launched slightly more than a year later, in October 2016. Two years passed before the RX100 VI, then Sony went back to an annual update with the RX100 VII in June 2019.
But this summer, the Sony RX100 VII will turn six, a disconcerting deviation from the trend. While some outlets called for a new version before the end of 2024, that deadline came and went without rumors of another launch date. The camera is currently listed as out of stock on Sony’s website, but is still available from some retailers.
The delay in updates comes as compact cameras are starting to regain momentum. However, the category's decline several years back means that fewer manufacturers are launching new models – and some have even shuttered the factories where compacts were made. With the limited availability – and cameras like the unexpectedly popular Fujifilm X100VI hard to find – many are instead turning to used cameras, despite many of the popular retro models like the Canon G7 X series housing outdated technology.
The Sony RX100 VII’s 20MP 1-inch sensor and 20fps bursts were so innovative at the time that those specs don’t feel terribly outdated. I don’t really think the series needs an update every year, but going more than five years starts to feel a bit concerning. I’d love to see more refined controls, USB-C charging and the big one: weather-sealing. What good is a camera designed to be small enough to take everywhere if you can’t take it out in the rain and snow? My other request I suspect will certainly go unanswered: a lower price point for the $1,200 / £1,000 camera.
Will the Sony RX100 VII see an update, or fall by the wayside like the Canon G7 X series or the Fujifilm X10? It's unsurprising for a major brand to stay quiet about when or if a new model is coming; but it starts to be a bit more worrisome when even the rumor sites are quiet. Here’s to hoping Sony is just getting better at keeping secrets and we’ll be surprised with an update in 2025.
You may also like…
Browse the best compact cameras or the best cameras for travel. And if you want a compact that is weather-sealed, check out the best waterproof cameras.
