cmcaroffino Loc: Sebring, FL

If weight is your only criteria just get a Nikon D3400 with the 18-55 lens for $450. Gives you the same quality pictures as your D500 and your lens will work on it.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I thought so too, when I took the RX10M3 for a spin last November. My wife got me the RX10M4 for Christmas. I think I'll keep her. And the wife too.

I do get much better images with my D810 and my collection of lenses. And the landscape performance is just OK with the Sony. But the majority of the images I've taken with them have not disappointed me in the least. Adn I like having the extra room in my baggage for other "stuff" and not having to carry 40lbs of gear.

miket22 Loc: Northern Massachusetts

I've had an RX10-IV for about 6 months and I just took it to Montana for our annual Yellowstone trip without the D7200 and all its lenses. It performed like a champ. No regrets at all. If you can afford it and the learning time(get Friedman's book) as someone suggested you'll be very happy. It's great to have all that range in you hands at all times.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I would avoid a large camera and lenses on such a trip. I seldom travel with a DSLR, although the results might be better. I bring my little Sony A6000, and I get acceptable pictures. You have to decide if you want to enjoy the trip and take pictures, or go on a photo tour, where that is the main focus. Not only your wife, but you yourself will get tired of the big camera, big lenses, and changing lenses after a couple of weeks.

OldTrojanFan

If you pay attention to the comments, every one of the posters who actually own the Sony are highly recommending it for what you are attempting to accomplish.
My situation was exactly where you are, the weight, range and quality make this an amazing choice as a travel camera. I have printed several 16x20 and 16x24 shots on my Canon Pro-1000 and they are excellent. I would go a step farther, and recommend you try shooting some "regular" landscapes, those where you aren't looking for any special lens effect, on full automatic--IMO the camera did an excellent job of selecting the choices.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

I just returned from a similar European trip. I was faced with a very similar dilemma. (Canon 5D MIII and 7D MII, 3 L lenses, ...) I purchased the Sony and am delighted with the quality of the images. The only downsides were:
1. I did not give myself sufficient time to learn and practice with the Sony.
2. It does not perform too well in low light - it might also be me.
3. It does have a short battery life - solved with three batteries.
4. I have difficulty holding steady beyond 400mm focal length - should have brought a monopod
I have no regrets with the decision to purchase it. I'm even considering selling my DSLR(s), lenses, ... I'm not jumping at that, but the convenience of not carrying 40 Lbs of "stuff" in a backpack,without sacrificing IQ is fantastic!!
If you jump - enjoy the ride.
Mark

rtryan

Just back from great trip to arctic with Sony RX10 M4. Go for it but as mentioned, practice a lot before trip, the menu is bit of a bear. I have the Spider black widow belt holster and love it for carrying the camera after years of tired shoulders and necks with previous heavyweights. Wouldn’t have low light be deciding factor. We had 4 nights of incredible Northern Lights. This from Sony wide open 6500 ISO, 1 sec hand held (well braced against wall :>)) But get comfortable and test as many different shots as possible. One negative is exposure comp dial on right top and too easy to accidentally change. Should have a lock option.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

I have the original RX10 and the RX10 IV and I love them but you have to understand the limitations of small sensor cameras to decide if one is what you would like. I personally have been disappointed in the high ISO performance, i.e., most shots above ISO 800 are nearly unusable (to me, depending on the subject and composition). For the best images I like to keep it well under 800 if possible. Specialized photography such as long exposure shots of the night sky (like Milky Way shots) are pretty much out as you have to keep the exposure time under 8 seconds with this size sensor (to prevent star trails) and that brings the ISO up so high that you barely can tell the stars from the noise (although that shot in the above post of the northern lights looks pretty good). Also while it works in some circumstances like at long zoom with close subject and distant background you may be disappointed in the amount and quality of Bokeh you can achieve with this size sensor if that is important to you.

So, with those limitations in mind and if you don't plan on making huge prints a trip to Europe could be a good place for a camera like this. The whole line of RX10 cameras are certainly fun and having that 24 to 600mm lens (on the III and IV) in such a light, easy to handle package is really convenient. I passed on the III and picked up the IV due to the much better auto focusing on the latter, mainly because I like to photograph wildlife a lot and birds in flight. For Europe you may want to also consider if you need that zoom range as the RX10 II (24 to 200mm) may be enough for that kind of trip and it is a few hundred dollars cheaper. It also, unlike it's longer zoom siblings, can be used at F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range and has a built in ND filter.

You may also want to consider renting one for the trip with one caveat. Sony menus take some time to get used to if you've never had one so you may want to take some time to learn to use them and set the camera up to your liking before an important trip.

markwilliam1

I agree with Mark! I recently purchased the RX10 M4. I can walk around all day hand holding this camera and never get tired. I also have the Sony a77ii and the Sony 70-400 G lens. Can’t go anywhere with this Very heavy system without a tripod. The RX10 blows it away with convenience, no changing lenses, incredibly sharp from 24-600mm f/4 max. edge to edge And Better image quality! What more could you want?

Rick0747

I strongly recommend the Sony RX10 mIV. I have used it exclusively on my travels and my wife loves that I don't have to stop to change lenses. Changing lenses is particularly inconvenient if you are with a group. Unless you are planning really large prints, the quality of the picture will not be significantly different than other camera. Take a few filters and enjoy the simplicity. The Sony has many options and let's one shoot in Raw and/or JPEG.

sergio

I exclusively use Sony RX10iv when I travel.

sergiohm

I would get the Sony, I took it on my trip to India (and also the D7200) and used it 95% of the time, the D7200 stayed at the hotel :-)

Now on my recent trip to Washington DC I took the Olympus OM-E-D-10 MIII and the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II Lens, and I enjoyed it immensely, I also took the Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75-300 which gets the same telephoto end of the RXIV, the problem is the 75-300 is very light and difficult to control (shake) at 300mm. You can get the Weather sealed package from Olympus:

OM-D E-M5 Mark II Body Black
M.Zuiko 14-150mm f4.0-5.6 II Lens Black
USB Cable
Shoulder Strap
Olympus Viewer 3 (CD-ROM)
Warranty Card
Instruction Manual
BLN-1 LI-Ion Battery
BCN-1 LI-ION Charger
FL-LM3 Flash

This package is $999 (that is a $700 savings over the RXIV, but you'd miss the 300-600mm range which you can get for $450 still a $250 savings).
I'd prefer this over the RXIV unless you really need the telephoto long range.

Good luck!

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

Stay with the D500; you know it, you are happy with the results. No time to try and master a new tool on holiday ! Suck it up, try carrying just two lenses instead. !

jims203 Loc: Connecticut

I left my D500 and heavy lens home on a 4 day trip to Boston and Cape Cod. A light weight table top Feisol tripod for long exposure night shots
Yielded excellent results at Top of the Hub - 52 floor of the Prudential Center. The camera is remarkable. Get it. You will wish you did it sooner.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1249619-REG/feisol_fett15m2_tt_15_mark_2_mini.html?sts=pi (Tripod) The glass window cut down on resolution but I was pleased just the same. 2 sec exposures on night shots. Thanks Mark for helping me make this decision.

(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

stevefrankel

Since I'm 75 and go on extended cruises and land tours at least twice a year, I've faced the same problem. It think the way to go is the Sony RX100-M6. It has essentially, the same one-inch sensor as the RX10 IV, a 24-200mm lens, and it weighs only 14-ounces and fits in your pocket. See the article in my Cruises & Cameras Blog, www.cruisesandcameras-blog.com. It's the ideal primary travel camera for you to use. Then, rather than getting soaked by selling off the Nikon D500, trade one or more of your huge lenses, for a light and fast Nikon fixed-lens I'd recommend a f1.8 or f2 that's 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, or 55mm, that together with your body will weigh slightly over 2-pounds and can serve as an ideal backup camera. Put the two cameras into a light bag such as the Tenba BYOB 11, and you'll have a 5-pound kit you can take around the world. Sell off your remaining Nikon lenses to pay for the Sony RX100-M6 and you'll be all set. -- Steve Frankel (Steve's the author of "Choosing Great Cameras for Cruises & Tours").
.