But if you stop fixating on what was lost, you realize what was gained:
The 24-200mm lens is an optical marvel. To fit a 8.3x zoom ratio into a body that is only 1.5 inches thick required aspherical elements, ED glass, and a lens barrel that extends like a mechanical symphony. At 24mm, it is sharp corner-to-corner. At 200mm, while there is some softness wide open, stopping down to f/5.6 yields images that rival entry-level mirrorless kit lenses. sony rx100 mark 6 cu
Sony realized that in the smartphone era, wide-angle night shots were being eaten alive by Google Night Sight and Apple Deep Fusion. A pocket camera could no longer compete in the dark. But a 200mm optical zoom? Phones still fake that with digital cropping. The RX100 VI offered true, mechanical, optical telephoto reach. What most reviews missed in 2018 was the under-the-hood processing upgrade. The RX100 VI inherited the BIONZ X processor with front-end LSI from the Sony A9 flagship. This is absurd. A pocket camera had the same processing engine as a $4,500 sports monster. But if you stop fixating on what was
At 200mm f/4.5, your ISO will jump to 3200 or 6400 very quickly. The 1-inch sensor handles ISO 1600 well. ISO 3200 is noisy. ISO 6400 is emergency-only. If your photography happens after 5 PM or indoors, buy the Mark V or Mark VII instead. At 200mm, while there is some softness wide
The pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF) also got a resolution bump. It’s not the OLED of the A7 series, but at 2.36 million dots, it is usable even in bright sunlight—something the rear LCD cannot always manage. When Sony launched the RX100 VI, they marketed it as “the ultimate travel compact.” But travelers were confused. Travel photographers usually want either low-light muscle (for evenings) or wide angles (for architecture). The RX100 VI offered neither of those excellently.
Then came the in June 2018. And Sony broke everything.