Every new camera needs a unique selling point and with Sony's pocket-sized RX100 that is the holy grail of ‘DSLR quality in compact form'. Though the solid feel, aluminium build model resembles your average high-end snapshot from the outside, inside is a 20.2 megapixel sensor that at one inch is...

One of the largest image sensors to be found in a compact camera; high 20MP resolution; Full HD video with stereo sound; full manual controls and intelligent auto settings; solid aluminium construction and understated design

Very expensive for a pocket camera; backplate buttons are small enough to warrant fingertip precision; image quality not exact match for DSLR or system cameras offering even larger sensor for a similar cost

The 20.2 effective megapixel 1in sensor incorporating Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II is the advanced compact we'd most like to own if budget wasn't a prime concern. Alternatively we'd go for the ￡350 Fuji XQ1 if it was, or seek out an older first-generation Sony Cyber-shot RX100 - currently ￡250 cheaper...

Rock solid construction; Tilting screen and hot shoe; Excellent Carl Zeiss lens

Tiny back plate buttons; EVF costs extra; No handgrip

Last year's Sony RX100 has proven popular with both critics and consumers, becoming the top-selling premium compact camera at various points over the past 12 months. Here on TechRadar it won the title of best premium compact camera , beating the likes of the Canon G15 , Nikon P7700 and the Fuji X20...

A compact with heavyweight features yet a lightweight body. That's the proposition offered by Sony's good-looking RX100, which encases a larger than average one-inch CMOS sensor, enabling a plentiful 20.2 megapixel effective resolution within an aluminium chassis.

Palm-size compact that is reassuringly solid; Larger-than-average sensor and resolution given its proportions; Bright and fast lens; Ability to control functions via twist of the lens ring; Neatly incorporated pop-up flash.

Pricey for a compact without an interchangeable lens; Tiny rear plate buttons require fingernail precision

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 doesn't come cheap, but it looks great and produces consistently first-class stills. Low-light performance can't be faulted, colour reproduction is excellent and movies are crisp, with a well-captured soundtrack. This is the best compact you can buy right now.

Excellent stills; Impressive low-light results; Accurate colour reproduction; Large sensor; Movie mode; Wide aperture lens; Versatile control ring

Some wind noise on movies; Control ring can be a little slow; No bundled battery charging cradle; Extremely pricey

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II has a new 20.2 megapixel backlit 1inch CMOS sensor for improved performance, but how does it perform? Find out in our full review.

Excellent image quality; Compact; pocketable camera; Large backlit CMOS sensor; Dual axis electronic level; Flash hot-shoe accessory port; Tilting high resolution 3inch screen; Impressive noise performance; Wi-Fi connectivity

High price; f/4.9 at telephoto end; Little grip at the front; Buttons may be small for some

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II isn't a casual camera purchase. It touts itself as the big gun of the compact camera world, and with an asking price of ￡650 it's about as far removed from a back pocket change purchase as a compact can be. But we're still excited by this latest version of the RX100.

Excellent image quality; customisable lens ring glides with silky smooth motion; solid build quality; great WRGB LCD screen; can add viewfinder if desired; decent image quality throughout the range; small and pocketable body considering 1-inch sensor size; f/1.8 maximum aperture at widest-angle

Pricey; no built-in neutral density (ND) filter; f/1.8-4.9 maximum aperture range may feel limited at longer focal lengths; rear buttons are small; no focus-distance in manual focus; generalised focus area in low-light conditions; response time lags in menus; no physical AF/MF switch

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II is a premium compact camera aimed at the keen enthusiast photographer. The RX100 II offers an integrated 3.6x, 28-100mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* zoom lens with a fast aperture of f/1.8 at the wide-angle setting, a new 20.2 megapixel 1.0-type Exmor back-illuminated...

One of the side effects of the improvement in smartphone camera technology, and now genuine camera-smartphone hybrids like the Samsung Galaxy Zoom S4, is that manufacturers have looked to improve upon their advanced compact offerings.

New tilting screen is useful; Impressive build quality; Hot shoe accessory support; Large; 1-inch sensor

Short zoom range; No touchscreen

A compact with heavyweight features yet a lightweight body. That's the proposition offered by Sony's good-looking RX100 , which encases a larger than average one-inch CMOS sensor, enabling a plentiful 20.2 megapixel effective resolution within an aluminium chassis.