Sony RX10 V Digital Camera

What’s new?

The Sony RX10 V is the direct successor to the RX10 IV, featuring the RX10 series’ defining 24-600mm f2.4-4 ZEISS zoom lens, with updates to newer processing, autofocus, and video systems. The BIONZ XR processor and dedicated AI processing unit replace the RX10 IV’s BIONZ X and front-end LSI, bringing Sony Alpha's latest subject-recognition technology to the RX10 bridge camera format. Subject recognition is most useful at the long end of the zoom, where birds, aircraft, wildlife, and vehicles can appear small in the frame and are often difficult to keep in focus. AF coverage expands to 575 phase-detection points across 70.6% of the sensor, and burst shooting rises to 30fps with blackout-free viewing and 60 AF/AE calculations per second.

Sony has also expanded the RX10 V's video capabilities beyond the RX10 IV. The camera now records uncropped 4K60p, cropped 4K120p, and Full HD240p slow motion, giving users more flexibility when balancing resolution, frame rate, and playback speed. A higher-resolution electronic viewfinder provides a clearer view when tracking distant subjects, and the new 3:2 tilt touchscreen supports vertical shooting with an interface that rotates automatically to match the camera's orientation. UHS-II SD support, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, and 5GHz Wi-Fi also make transferring footage and stills quicker, bringing the RX10 series much closer to Sony's current Alpha cameras without changing the all-in-one concept that has defined the series from the beginning.

Sensor, processing and image quality

A 20.1MP 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor, BIONZ XR processor, and dedicated AI processing unit give the RX10 V the speed behind its 30fps blackout-free shooting, 4K recording, and Real-time Recognition AF. The stacked Exmor sensor supports fast data readout, while BIONZ XR processing manages colour, detail and file output during high-speed capture. Subject recognition is handled by the dedicated AI unit, allowing autofocus tracking to continue as the camera records bursts or video. These features give the RX10 V the processing power to maintain responsive burst shooting, autofocus tracking, and 4K recording across the full 24-600mm range.

In-camera output is more flexible too. JPEG and HEIF files provide ready-to-share results, while Lossless Compressed RAW and Compressed RAW give more latitude for editing. Sony’s D-Range Optimiser Level 8 helps lift shadow detail in high-contrast scenes, making JPEG and HEIF images more usable straight out of the camera. The newly implemented Soft Skin Effect applies selectable smoothing to portraits and video, helping reduce visible skin texture on recognised faces when enabled. The ‘Creative Looks’ function adds 12 adjustable colour and tone presets, so contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation, sharpness and clarity can be shaped before transfer or editing.

ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm f2.4-4 zoom lens

The integrated ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm f2.4-4 lens serves as a bridge between the RX10 range and Sony mirrorless cameras. This advanced lens offers wide-angle, standard, telephoto, and super-telephoto coverage without changing lenses, resulting in a single fixed-lens camera capable of capturing landscapes, birds, wildlife, aircraft, and safari subjects. Optical SteadyShot works through the lens to reduce visible shake, which is especially important when framing handheld at near-600mm focal lengths. The f2.4-4 aperture and long telephoto reach also support cleaner background separation, helping to isolate wildlife, portraits, and close-up details with smoother bokeh.

The same lens also works at close range. At the wide end, it focuses down to just 3cm and reaches 0.42x equivalent magnification, which suits textures, plants and small objects. At the telephoto end, it focuses from 72cm and reaches 0.49x equivalent magnification, giving macro-style framing with more working distance. This range allows the RX10 V to move from wide scenes to distant subjects and close-up details without changing optics or carrying a separate macro lens.

Real-time Recognition AF and speed

The RX10 V uses 575 phase-detection AF points across 70.6% of the sensor area, giving the autofocus system wide, dense coverage for subjects that move across the frame. The dedicated AI processing unit uses deep-learning recognition to identify humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains and aeroplanes. It can continue tracking subjects when they turn away, look down or change direction, which is useful when photographing subjects that may move unpredictably. The Spot XL feature provides a larger focus area for bigger subjects such as wildlife and vehicles, and Custom Focus Sizing lets users adjust the shape and size of the AF area.

Speed is also central to the RX10 V. The electronic shutter reaches 30 fps with blackout-free viewing, allowing photographers to follow the action without interruption to the display. AF/AE calculations run at 60 times per second, so the camera can continuously adjust focus and exposure in rapid succession. Continuous Shooting Speed Boost lets the burst rate switch between 30, 15, 10, and 5 fps, giving photographers higher speed only when the moment demands it. The dedicated AF-ON button separates focus activation from the shutter release, providing direct control over focus timing without half-pressing the shutter. This combination makes the RX10 V better suited to birds, wildlife, sports and aviation than a bridge camera built only around zoom range.

4K video and audio

The 24–600mm lens gives the RX10 V a wide-to-super-telephoto video range in a single camera, moving from establishing shots to tight wildlife or aircraft framing without changing the lens. Full pixel readout supports detailed 4K output, with uncropped 4K60p for standard motion and cropped 4K120p for smoother slow-motion work. FHD240p extends slow-motion capture further, giving very fast movement more visible separation in playback. Active mode image stabilisation helps control handheld shake, which is especially useful when recording at longer focal lengths. Auto Framing uses subject recognition to maintain composition during recording, helping keep a recognised subject positioned in the frame. Time-Lapse Motion condenses changes over minutes or hours into short clips, with intervals adjustable from 1 second upwards. S-Cinetone gives footage a finished colour profile with controlled skin tones and softer highlight roll-off straight from the camera. For grading, S-Log3 with S-Gamut3 or S-Gamut3.Cine preserves more tonal latitude, while User LUT import and Display LUT support let operators preview a selected look on-screen.

Digital audio is accessible via the Multi Interface Shoe. It supports 4-channel recording with compatible accessories, allowing microphones and adapters to connect directly through the camera body. A 3.5mm mic input and 3.5mm headphone output provide direct audio connection and monitoring, which is useful when recording interviews, narration or location sound without a separate recorder. During recording, Shot Marks let operators tag useful moments, making key clips easier to find during review. The REC tally lamp gives a clear visual confirmation that capture is active, reducing the chance of missed takes when working in front of or away from the camera.

Handling, viewfinder and connectivity

The RX10 V refines the RX10 IV’s handling for faster switching between stills, video and high-speed shooting. The Still/Movie/S&Q dial separates capture modes, while the AF-ON button directly activates the focus without relying on a half-press of the shutter. A multi-selector and two rear dials place focus-point movement and setting changes within reach of the right hand, helping adjustments feel more direct during field use. Three lens rings keep focus, zoom, and iris control on the lens barrel, giving the fixed 24–600mm lens a more tactile, manual feel.

The 0.5-type 3,686k-dot EVF offers a larger, higher-resolution view for following subjects at long focal lengths. Its 60fps and 120fps refresh settings let users balance display smoothness against shooting needs, and up to three custom information display presets allow different viewing layouts to be prepared in advance. The 3” 3:2 tilt touchscreen supports high, low and vertical angles with a vertical information layout that displays easier-to-read settings when the camera is turned upright.

UHS-II SD support improves card handling for bursts and higher-resolution video modes. USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C provides a faster wired connection for file transfer, charging and power supply. Alternatively, 5GHz Wi-Fi and the Sony Creator App support wireless transfer and smartphone control when working away from a computer. HDMI micro Type-D provides external video output, while the Multi Interface Shoe with Digital Audio Interface, 3.5mm mic input and 3.5mm headphone output give the RX10 V more complete options for audio and monitoring. For live use, the RX10 V offers 4K30p streaming via USB, wireless or wired LAN, sending a direct signal from the camera. This makes the long zoom range useful for demonstrations and nature-focused live content.

What’s in the box?

• 1 x Sony RX10 V Digital Camera
• 1 x Rechargeable Battery NP-FZ100
• 1 x Lens Cap
• 1 x Accessory Shoe Cap
• 1 x Lens Hood
• 1 x Shoulder Strap