Sony has unveiled the RX10 V, the long-awaited fifth generation of its popular RX10 bridge camera series, bringing the latest AI-powered autofocus technology from its Alpha mirrorless cameras into an all-in-one package designed for wildlife, sports, travel and everyday photography.
The RX10 series has always occupied a unique place in the camera market, offering photographers an enormous zoom range without the need to swap lenses. That formula remains intact with the RX10 V, which pairs a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm equivalent f/2.4-4.0 lens with a 20.1-megapixel 1-inch stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor and Sony’s latest BIONZ XR image processor. The result promises the image quality enthusiasts expect from Sony’s premium compact cameras while delivering the flexibility of a 25x optical zoom that stretches from landscapes to distant wildlife.
The headline upgrade is undoubtedly the addition of Sony’s AI-powered Real-time Recognition AF. Borrowed from the company’s latest Alpha cameras, the dedicated AI processing unit recognises humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains and aircraft, while an Auto mode intelligently selects the appropriate subject. Human pose estimation technology also enables reliable tracking when a person’s face is obscured or turned away from the camera, making it particularly useful for sports and action photography.
Performance has also received a substantial boost. The RX10 V can shoot blackout-free bursts at up to 30fps with full autofocus and auto exposure tracking, while AF and AE calculations are performed up to 60 times per second. Sony says this allows the camera to keep pace with fast-moving wildlife, birds in flight and sporting action, making it one of the fastest bridge cameras currently available.
Video specification has also been brought firmly up to date. The camera records 4K footage at up to 120fps for high-quality slow-motion capture and includes Active Mode stabilisation for smoother handheld footage. Sony has also included professional filmmaking features including S-Cinetone, S-Log3, user-importable LUTs, Auto Framing powered by AI subject recognition, digital audio support through the Multi Interface Shoe and Shot Mark for extracting still images from video.
The RX10 V also benefits from several welcome usability improvements. Sony has redesigned the controls using the same philosophy as its Alpha mirrorless cameras, while the electronic viewfinder has been upgraded to a larger 3.68-million-dot Quad-VGA OLED panel offering 0.78x magnification. The rear LCD has similarly been improved to a 1.62-million-dot display, making composition and image review considerably more detailed.
Battery life also sees a significant improvement thanks to the use of Sony’s NP-FZ100 battery, delivering up to 630 still images per charge—around 50% more than the previous model. Combined with weather-resistant construction, Wi-Fi connectivity, USB-C, live streaming support and compatibility with Sony’s Creators’ App, the RX10 V is clearly designed as a complete imaging solution for photographers who value versatility over interchangeable lenses.
For readers considering alternatives, Camera Jabber’s buying guides covering the best bridge cameras and wildlife photography cameras provide useful context on where the RX10 V sits in today’s market. Likewise, our wildlife photography technique guides and sports photography tutorials offer practical advice on getting the most from a camera with this kind of reach and autofocus capability.
Sony RX10 V specifications
Product type: bridge camera with integrated zoom lens.
Sensor: 20.1MP effective 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor.
Lens: ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm equivalent f/2.4-4.0 with 25x optical zoom.
Image processor: BIONZ XR.
Autofocus: AI-powered Real-time Recognition AF with subject detection and Real-time Tracking.
Continuous shooting: up to 30fps blackout-free with full AF/AE tracking.
Video: up to 4K 120p recording with S-Cinetone and S-Log3 support.
Viewfinder: 3.68-million-dot Quad-VGA OLED EVF with 0.78x magnification.
Dimensions: approximately 132.5 × 94.0 × 145.0mm.
Weight: approximately 1,095g including battery and memory card.
Sony RX10 V price and availability
The official UK price is £2,200, Euro price is €2,500 and a US price has not been officially announced. The Sony RX10 V will be available to pre-order from 9 July 2026. Please keep an eye on their website https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/cyber-shot-compact-cameras/dsc-rx10m5 for more details.
