Nikon D7100 vs Sony RX10 III

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Nikon D7100 vs Sony RX10 III

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APS-C 366.6mm²
24.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D7100 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D7100.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 600.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10 III.
Compare Sony RX10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D7200
Compare D7100 vs D7200

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 IV
Compare RX10 III vs RX10 IV

Compare NIKON D7200 vs SONY RX10 IV

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Differences

Nikon D7100 advantages over Sony RX10 III

Less expensive
$849 vs $1398*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.92 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 2.1 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
D7100 test data on DxO Mark RX10 III test data on DxO Mark

1,256 vs 472 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

950 vs 420 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
76 mm vs 127 mm
Thinner
More pixels
24.1 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos

Sony RX10 III advantages over Nikon D7100

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
14.2 fps vs 5.8 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
44 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.0 fps vs 5.3 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
29 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter

User reviews

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Read D7100 User Reviews

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Kit with 18-140mm Lens

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Buy the Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 III

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Review Excerpt

Solid, ergonomic body design; Stunning, highly detailed photos, thanks to 24.1MP sensor upgrade and removal of optical low-pass filter; Cool 1.3x crop mode extends reach to nearly 2x the full-frame equivalent; Records Full 1080p HD video at up to 30fps with full-time AF; Many pro-level features packed into a consumer-friendly body at reasonable price.
Shallow buffer that hampers continuous burst shooting; AF slightly slower than average for its class; No real-time aperture control while in Movie mode (among other quirks); More noticeable moire patterns and aliasing artifacts (but only found when shooting fabrics with strong, distinct patterns).
Read our Nikon D7100 Review

Versatile all-in-one replacement for a DSLR or mirrorless camera; Great handling and build; Excellent image quality; Spectacular zoom reach; Swift performance with generous buffer depths; Extremely capable video capture; Comprehensive remote control; Quick-and-easy image sharing
Extremely expensive for a fixed-lens camera; Fairly heavy for fixed-lens camera; Somewhat soft in the corners at wide-angle or tele; Noise reduction intrudes at higher sensitivities; No built-in ND filter; Not as fast when shooting raws; Slow buffer clearing
Read our Sony RX10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 70D

Nikon D7100

Canon 70D

$745
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$1149
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Canon 70D

Sony RX10 III

Canon 70D

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1149
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Canon 70D

Compared to Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

$745
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Pentax K-3

Sony RX10 III

Pentax K-3

$1398
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Pentax K-3

Compared to Nikon D7200

Nikon D7100

Nikon D7200

$745
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$1016
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Nikon D7200

Sony RX10 III

Nikon D7200

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1016
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Panasonic FZ2500

Nikon D7100

Panasonic FZ2500

$745
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$899
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Sony RX10 III

Panasonic FZ2500

$1398
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Larger lens aperture

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Panasonic FZ2500

Compared to Sony RX10 IV

Nikon D7100

Sony RX10 IV

$745
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$1698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 IV

$1398
1 inch

Less expensive

$1698
1 inch

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony RX10 IV

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