Nikon Z30 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon Z30 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon Z30 was introduced in June 2022 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 was introduced in March 2014. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon Z30 Highlights

      • 20.9 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 100 - 51,200 Native ISO
      • 209 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 1,040k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 2 h 5 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 Highlights

      • 20.2 MP 1-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 125 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • 25 Focus Points (25 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 1,440k dot Tilting Screen
      • 1,440k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon Z30 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10.

      PROS

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   125 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/3200 sec
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Price
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.2 Megapixel
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   DxO Overall Score - 69
      •   Weight - 813 g (1.79 lb / 28.68 oz)

      Advantage of Nikon Z30

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon Z30 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10.

      Nikon Z30 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
      Cheaper $710 (body), $850 (w/16-50mm lens), $1050 (w/16-50 & 50-250mm lenses) vs $1299.99/£1049
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20.9 Megapixel vs 20.2 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 125
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 209 vs 25
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Screen Type Fully Articulated vs Tilting
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/3200 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
      Average Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
      Higher USB Speed USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Lighter 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) vs 813 g (1.79 lb / 28.68 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon Z30.

      Advantage of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 over Nikon Z30.

      Nikon Z30 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
      Sensor Type CMOS vs BSI-CMOS
      Higher Native ISO 51,200 vs 12,800
      Higher Boosted ISO 204,800 vs 25,600
      Max Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 vs 5472 x 3648
      Image Stabilization vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 1,440k dot
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Viewfinder vs Electronic
      Built-in Flash vs
      Headphone Output vs
      Longer Battery Life 330 shots vs 420 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon Z30 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
        Video Capture
        High Native ISO51,20012,800
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        HDMI Output Micro Micro
        Built-In Wi-Fi
        Environmental Sealing
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Nikon Z30 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
        No Built-in GPS
        Short Battery Life330 shots420 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon Z30 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 have 3.0" screens with 1,040k dot and 1,440k dot resolutions respectively. Nikon Z30 has a Fully Articulated screen which makes it selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has a Tilting screen which makes it very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Nikon Z30 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

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      Nikon Z30 with Fully Articulated and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 with Tilting screen


      Electronic Viewfinder on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 1,440k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Nikon Z30.

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30 features a 20.9 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 369 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 51,200 and expands to 100 - 204,800 in boosted mode. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 features a 20.2 megapixel 1-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 13.2 x 8.8 mm and a total area of 77.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 125 - 12,800 and expands to 80 - 25,600 in boosted mode.

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.

      Photography Features

      Nikon Z30 is equipped with EXPEED 6 processor and can take pictures up to 5568 x 3712 resolution. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 is equipped with Bionz X processor and can take pictures up to 5472 x 3648 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4864 x 3648, 5472 x 3080, 3648 x 3648, 3648 x 2736, 3648 x 2592, 3648 x 2056, 2544 x 2544, 2736 x 1824, 2592 x 1944, 2720 x 1528, 1920 x 1920, 640 x 480 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Nikon Z30

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Nikon Z30. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.

      Image Stabilization on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi

      Cameras have built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac/b/g/n 2.4/5 GHz on Nikon Z30) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Nikon Z30

      Nikon Z30 has a built-in Bluetooth (version 4.2) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      NFC on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. Nikon Z30 has a Micro HDMI and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Nikon Z30 comes with EN-EL25 battery pack with battery life of 330 shots and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 comes with NP-FW50 battery pack with battery life of 420 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon Z30 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon Z30 has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon Z30, and up to 1/3200 sec on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. Nikon Z30 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Nikon Z30 has Hybrid phase-detection/contrast AF system with 209 focusing points and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has 25 focusing points. Nikon Z30 has detection range from -4.5 to +19 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Nikon Z30 ranges from -4 to +17 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Nikon Z30 and ±3 range on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Nikon Z30 and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10.


      Flash

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 10.20 m and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Shoe Mount. Nikon Z30 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec on Nikon Z30.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon Z30 body has dimensions of 128 x 74 x 60 mm (5.04 x 2.91 x 2.36") and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 body has dimensions of 129 x 88 x 102 mm (5.08 x 3.46 x 4.02"). Nikon Z30 weighs 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 weighs 813 g (1.79 lb / 28.68 oz).

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      128 mm

      74 mm

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      129 mm

      88 mm

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      74 mm

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      88 mm

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      60 mm

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      102 mm

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      Size comparisons of Nikon Z30 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      Nikon Z30 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      GOOD
      82
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      79
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      72
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      70
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      GOOD
      83
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      82
      •   Small Sensor
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      GOOD
      82
      •   Small Sensor
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 813 g (1.79 lb / 28.68 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      GOOD
      81
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 813 g (1.79 lb / 28.68 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon Z30 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 and give them scores of 77 and 74 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      OVERALL
      77
      OVERALL
      74

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      GOOD
      75
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.2 Megapixel
      •   125 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 69

      Photo

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      GOOD
      75
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/3200 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps

      Video

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      POOR
      46
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080

      Focusing

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   25 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      GOOD
      77
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,440k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 1,440k dot

      Connectivity

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      EXCELLENT
      94
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      EXCELLENT
      90
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon Z30

      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      GOOD
      70
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 813 g (1.79 lb / 28.68 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 420 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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