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Verdict
If you look at the spec sheet for the RX100 VI alone, it pretty much wipes the floor with most of its compact-sized rivals. We don't think there's a more advanced or better specified compact camera out there at the moment.
The trouble is that accessing some of these features, and the wealth of options available, can be a little fiddly. With relatively few body-mounted controls and limited customization options, the RX100 VI can be a bit frustrating to use on occasion. The addition of a touchscreen certainly alleviates some of these frustrations, but compared to more modestly priced rivals like Canon's PowerShot G7 X Mark II and Panasonic's Lumix ZS200 / TZ200, it still feels a bit labored.
The absence of a built-in microphone port is also disappointing, as this could make the RX100 VI a phenomenal vlogging camera; that said, you'd struggle to find another pocket-sized compact that features a built-in mic port.
Going back to the positives, the much greater zoom range opens up a much broader range of subjects, while the fact that the new camera is only 1.8mm thicker than its predecessor is incredibly impressive. Factor in the blistering 24fps burst shooting and highly sophisticated autofocus system and the RX100 VI is an incredibly versatile pocket camera.
Should you buy one? In many ways this is one of the best compact cameras out there – certainly, when it comes to performance there's nothing else that can touch it, while the images from the 20.1MP 1-inch sensor are excellent. But the RX100 VI's strength is also its weakness, with some of the tech that's on tap – and which you're paying a premium for – feeling a little like a sledgehammer for cracking nuts.
Competition
