I have been using Sony cameras for quite some time. My main workhorse was my Sony A7 iii. Over the years of carrying a lot of equipment, I purchased a Sony rx100 Vii and a Sony rx10 iv. Now a days it seems I use these two camera exclusively and my photographs seem to be as good as if they were show with my A7 iii. I shoot street and nature most of the time. I guess I just wanted some peoples opinions on these camera and have discovered what I have. Or if anyone has any comments on this topic.

I have a Nikon D7000, D810, D850, RX100 VII and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Never use the D7000. The 13Pro Max is always with me and the imagery is not bad and often more than good enough. The D810 and D850 are both outstanding, but I must plan ahead when, where, and what I am shooting. I have over a dozen pro glass lenses for the cameras. Now, the RX100 VII (M7) fits in my pocket or in a nifty belt pouch and is a great grab and go camera. Its IQ is very good and suitable for most applications. The list of features is long and it takes a bit of learning to get the most from this fine camera.

For over two years, Sony has indicated that the M8 will be released soon. If it does, I'll buy one; however, I don't think the M8 will ever be available. What more can the M8 include or improve over the M7 that would make it a game changer? More pixels, faster processor, wider zoom range, hot shoe??? 20 Mpixels, 8.3x zoom, 64 (boosted) to 12,800 ISO, connectivity of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC, EVF, touch screen, and so on? What can Sony add to make the M8 a must have camera?

If I could have just one camera, the RX100 VII would be the be compromise.

I still have my HX50 (ancestor of HX99). When I travel I put in my rear right pants pocket or the cell phone holster that I found that fits it perfectly. The tiny sensor has limits and I do miss both raw shooting and a VF. I also keep in my my bag under the ɑ6500 with large lens. It really takes almost no extra effort or room compared to my cell phone and can actually zoom quite well. It can't really do big blowups but I almost never print anyhow.

My bigger Sony cameras (RX10m4, ɑ6500) make better pictures but I would never leave it home for any trip. I have carried it into places where cameras are not actually allowed. I have attached an example. It was taken at dusk while walking to a place in Australia (Phillip Island) where a rare, tiny penguin is viewed from a bunker as they come ashore. Photos are not allowed because people cannot be trusted to keep their flashes off. This picture did not violate the rules but I was not allowed to carry a normal camera from the parking lot to the bunker. The best camera is the one you are allowed to have with you.

For those who are familiar with Sony EXIF, note the Brightness Value which is around 5. Ten is normal daylight. So it was five stops darker than Sunny 16. The equivalent lens length on this shot was about 650 mm.

I've been interested in the RX10 IV because of the excellent reviews it's received. I recently compared it with my Panasonic FZ300 at 1200 mm effective focal length. The Sony was slightly better, but not much. I'm not sure it's worth 4 times the price. Also, there is a gotcha: Sony puts the wrong value in the EXIF field for Focal Length in 35 mm Film. Like the FZ300, it can double the effective focal length in generating the JPEG image, but it always shows 600 mm when it does so. The FZ300 shows an accurate effective focal length all the way to 1200 mm.

I've been interested in the RX10 IV because of the excellent reviews it's received. I recently compared it with my Panasonic FZ300 at 1200 mm effective focal length. The Sony was slightly better, but not much. I'm not sure it's worth 4 times the price. Also, there is a gotcha: Sony puts the wrong value in the EXIF field for Focal Length in 35 mm Film. Like the FZ300, it can double the effective focal length in generating the JPEG image, but it always shows 600 mm when it does so. The FZ300 shows an accurate effective focal length all the way to 1200 mm.

Thank you for your reply. I do give Sony an edge for quality; at four times the price, I would hope so. The focusing on the FZ300 is very fast, whether or not it does what the Sony A series does. I've found the fZ300 excellent for wildlife. It can take burst shots at 30 frames per second while focusing. However, I find this unnecessarily fast and prefer to use 6 frames per second most of the time for animals and other moving subjects. For me, the fatal flaw in the Rx10 is that it provides wrong information on the effective focal length.