Sony RX100 VII is a strangely powerful compact camera for creators

The Sony RX100 series was made for creative types – not just for those who aim for documentation. As such, they've embedded a whole lot of features that were made with product-makers in mind. The RX100 VII (DSC-RX100M7) is the latest in this line of compact, quick-shoot, autofocus cameras made to do everything a smartphone does, but better.

This camera has SLR features aplenty, a Single Burst Driving Shooting Mode, and an external microphone port. It's one of those machines where you buy intending to use ALL the features, then end up using one feature over and over again, forever.

One of those use-forever features is tracking focus assisted by predictive and recognition AI. With this technology, you'll be able to tap a person once, and have that person stay in focus basically no matter how they move, or where they move in your frame. Real-time Eye AF is employed here too – working with both humans and animals.

If you're a long-time Sony camera user and you've enjoyed the A9 and A6400's phase and contrast-detect AF points, you'll be glad to see them in the mix here once again. That includes 425 phase- and contrast-detect AF points – more than you could ever possibly need for a high quality always-in-focus end-product.

The crowning feature on the RX100 VII may well be in play thanks to the stacked CMOS image sensor and the newest-gen BIONZ X image processor. With these two pieces of tech, you'll be able to shoot black-out free at 20fps with both AF and AE. Both of these elements are calculated 60 times per second – significantly faster than shots are taken – so cross your fingers that means what we think it means.

Above you'll find a whole bunch of specifications for this camera, via SONY. Users will find this tiny camera available in or around August of 2019. At its release date, the camera will cost around $1,200, and it'll be available with bundles of accessories, a shooting grip, and other add-ons throughout its official support lifetime.