The Sony RX100 is the first real premium compact camera from the brand. Has it been worth the wait? Find out in the What Digital Camera Sony RX100 review.

Large sensor and the results it delivers; lens; build quality and size

It's a touch pricey compared to rivals

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 is a pocket-sized compact with a large 20.2 Megapixel sensor, a 3.6x Carl Zeiss optical zoom, and a 3 inch LCD screen with 1.2 million pixel resolution. It has a bright f1.8 maximum aperture (when zoomed-out), 10fps burst shooting, RAW recording and 1080p HD video.

Big sensor; pocketable compact form factor; Programmable lens control ring; 10fps full-resolution burst shooting; Shallow depth of field; Raft of stacking modes

Rear control wheel not customisable; Digital zoom can't be disabled in movie mode; No built-in memory and lack of 'No card' warning

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 ($649.99 direct) is the point-and-shoot camera that many an enthusiast has dreamed of. It's got an image sensor that's the same size as the mirrorless Nikon J1 and a 3.6x zoom lens that opens up to f/1.8 on the wide end, all packed into a camera that can slide into your...

Large image sensor; Superb image quality, even at high ISOs; Fast lens; Customizable controls; Large, extra-sharp LCD; Virtually no shutter lag; Raw shooting support

As expensive as some D-SLRs; No EVF option, GPS, or Wi-Fi; Limited zoom range; In-camera battery charging only

The Sony RX100 is a very impressive camera that is capable of producing some great-looking shots with lots of detail and a good colour spread. If you're looking for a decent mid-entry compact digital camera, the Sony RX100 offers enough features to make it worth your while.

Too often in the world of compact cameras, the phrase " DSLR -quality image" is bandied about on marketing materials, retail boxes, and even the written words of reviewers like us. It's paired with qualifiers like " DSLR image quality in your pocket ," and most of the time, doesn't actually apply to...

DSLR -style images with depth of field; Phenomenal sharpness; Extensive manual control

Main control ring needs improvement

For those looking for a back-up camera for when the DSLR is too bulky or inconvenient, Sony has produced a truly great camera that should also appeal to anybody wanting to trade up from a mobile phone or budget compact camera.

With the advent of smartphones the compact camera has become about as contemporary as a Walkman. The next step? Being relegated to Urban Outfitters as a hipster's novelty purchase.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is the point-and-shoot camera that many an enthusiast has dreamed of. It's got an image sensor that's the same size as the mirrorless Nikon J1 and a 3.6x zoom lens that opens up to f/1.8 on the wide end, all packed into a camera that can slide into your back pocket.

Given the sensor size the the solid performance of the RX100, I can't see a better point and shoot camera on the market right now. The RX100 is fast and produces extremely solid images for a camera that easily fits in your pocket.

Sony's Cyber-shot RX100 is a high quality and solidly built compact camera designed for advanced amateur photographers. Its unusually large 1-inch CMOS sensor and the bright 28-100mm F1.8-4.9 Carl Zeiss lens provides very good image quality even in low light.