Sony RX100 V Image Quality

Given that they both share the exact same 1-inch sensor size, 20.1-megapixel resolution and BIONZ X image processor, you might expect the Sony RX100 V and its predecessor, the RX100 IV, to have identical image quality too. Even at base sensitivity, though, the RX100 V turns in the better performance of the pair. It's just slightly (but noticeably) crisper in the mosaic label and fabric swatches, and yet the sharpening haloes are no more prominent in the bottle crop than those of the RX100 IV. The newer camera also renders the color of the difficult pink swatch more accurately than did its predecessor.

The Sony RX100 V also shares the same sensor size and nearly-identical resolution with the 20.2-megapixel Canon G7X II. Despite that outward similarity, Sony's camera performs noticeably better at base sensitivity. In fairness to Canon, the G7X II has somewhat more modest sharpening haloes in the bottle crop. However, the Sony RX100 V's mosaic label and fabric swatches are crisper, and it better holds onto the fine thread pattern in the pink swatch which is largely lost by the Canon. The RX100 V also renders the color of the pink swatch better, and shows more contrast in the difficult red swatch.

The Panasonic LX10, too, shares the same 1-inch sensor size and 20.1-megapixel resolution as the Sony RX100 V. Once again, though, we have to give the nod at base sensitivity to the Sony, although its a close-run thing. Just as in the comparison with the Canon G7X II above, the Panasonic LX10 shows less prominent sharpening haloes in the bottle crop, but is also less crisp than the RX100 V in the mosaic crop. The LX10 does well with the thread pattern in the pink swatch, but renders the color as rather too cool. However, while contrast is a little lower than that of the RX100 V in the red swatch, the Panasonic LX10 renders its color more realistically, with lower saturation than the Sony.

And so we come to the first comparison with a camera that doesn't sport a 1-inch sensor. The Panasonic LX100 instead opts for a Four Thirds-format sensor with almost double the surface area of the imager in the Sony RX100 V, coupled with a much lower resolution of just 12.8 megapixels. At base sensitivity, this approach doesn't yield dividends, with the Sony RX100 V showing significantly more detail in the mosaic label and fabric swatches. The RX100 V again renders the color of the pink swatch much more accurately too, although the LX100 manages better with the color of the red swatch and has less prominent sharpening haloes.

Finally, we've decided to pit the RX100 V against an APS-C sensor-based camera, specifically the Sony A6300. Both cameras have the same list price, but the A6300 isn't going to fit in your pocket, and nor does it come with a lens at this price. However, if you can justify the added bulk and the cost of a lens or two, the Sony A6300's larger, higher-resolution 24.2-megapixel image sensor gathers significantly more detail in both the mosaic label and fabric swatches. And it does so without having to rely on as much sharpening as the RX100 V, leading to less prominent haloes too. The RX100 V does a much better job with the color of the tricky pink swatch, though.

But enough of the low-ISO comparisons. How does the Sony RX100 V perform as you crank up the sensitivity? At ISO 1600-equivalent, the Sony RX100 V's early advantage has been reduced. Noise levels are pretty similar to those of the RX100 IV, and like that camera, the RX100 V's noise reduction processing is a bit heavy-handed. That leaves a blotchy, mottled look for the mosaic label, and wipes out the thread pattern in the fabric swatches. The RX100 V does best its predecessor in terms of the color of the pink swatch, though, where the RX100 IV gives it a rather magenta hue.

With the sensitivity dialed up a bit, the Canon G7X II turns in a performance that's rather closer to that of the RX100 V, even if we'd still give a tip of the hat to the Sony. Both cameras are pretty similar on the noise and detail front, with the RX100 V perhaps having just a very slight edge. The G7X II's mosaic label doesn't look quite as mottled, but it has sacrificed more of the finer pattern between the dark mosaic tiles. Sony also does a bit better with the hue of the pink fabric swatch.

The Panasonic LX10 turns in a noticeably less noisy image than its Sony and Canon rivals at ISO 1600-equivalent, as you can see in the bottle crop. However, in doing so it has sacrificed even more of the fine mosaic label detail than the Canon did, and has lost almost all detail in the red fabric swatch as well.

It's once the sensitivity has been raised to ISO 1600-equivalent that the larger sensor size of the Panasonic LX100 starts to come to the fore, as you can see from its less-noisy bottle crop. Its resolution disadvantage has also been largely negated, with its larger pixels not so prone to noise as those of the Sony RX100 V, and hence a lesser degree of noise reduction needed. It still can't quite hold onto as much detail in the dark areas of the mosaic label but it's a close thing. Sony definitely does a better job with the fabric swatches, though.

Not surprisingly, the much larger sensor of the Sony A6300 puts it in a class of its own. Compared to all of these pants pocket-friendly (or coat pocket, for the LX100) cameras, the A6300 does better on almost every front. Noise levels are lower in the bottle crop, there's far more fine detail and none of the noise reduction mottling in the mosaic label. The A6300 is also the only camera that could hold onto the thread pattern in the pink fabric swatch, and also does better than the rest with the red swatch. Really, the only thing preventing a perfect score is that the RX100 V does a better job with the color of the pink swatch.

Finally, we come to ISO 3200-equivalent, and here the Sony RX100 V's noise reduction does a somewhat better job than that of its predecessor. Not in the mosaic label or fabric swatches, where detail has been lost about equally by both cameras, but in the bottle crop. The RX100 V's result is noticeable better here, with less of the mottled, noisy look shown by the RX100 IV.

Things are much closer between the Sony RX100 V and Canon G7X II at ISO 3200-equivalent. Both cameras show similar noise levels and retain similar amounts of detail in the mosaic label and fabric swatches. The RX100 V still has a slight edge, though, with more contrast in the pink swatch and just slightly more of the finest details in the mosaic label retained.

Panasonic's more aggressive noise reduction shows itself again at ISO 3200-equivalent. In the bottle crops, the LX10's image is noticeably less noisy. However, the Sony RX100 V's mosaic label, while itself rather mottled, is noticeably better than the blotchy, muddy label in the LX10's rendering. Sony still does better with the hue of the pink swatch, but in other respects the fabric swatches are pretty much a wash between the two cameras.

By the time we reach ISO 3200-equivalent, the Panasonic LX100's larger sensor and lower resolution are both really playing their part in keeping noise levels to a minimum. The LX100's bottle crop is much cleaner than that from the RX100 V. And while it is still just a little behind the Sony in terms of detail, it's only by a miniscule amount when one considers their difference in sensor resolution. Sony does still do a good bit better with the hue of the pink fabric swatch, though.

Lastly, we come to the Sony A6300. Here, there's simply a night and day difference: The APS-C sensor-based camera is better in almost every respect than its pocket-friendly sibling. The RX100 V does still do a better job with the hue of the pink fabric swatch, though.