Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 IV with 0.03 second autofocus and 25x optical zoom (DSC-RX10M4)

The RX10 Mk 4 is an excellent bridge camera and might be the best all-around camera ever. I bought the Panasonic FZ2500 a few weeks ago and also the Sony RX10IV. I got tired of reading reviews which one was the best and decided to compare them side by side. IMHO the Panasonic is a distant camera. It has more function buttons than you can use. It has all the buttons and excellent thoughtful planning. I think the word is that the ergonomics of the camera are excellent, other than they should have placed the battery a little further from the tripod. The weight is just superb compared to the RX10IV and I don't care if it has less aluminum magnesium than the RX10IV! Now let's talk about things that make me a little angry, yes the Panasonic FZ2500 has a time lapse and 3 {I made a mistake, I think there are 6 settings} settings for the built in nd filters. The RX10 series has done this before and no longer does. I feel like Panasonic is saying, "Here, let me try to serve you with the best possible bridge camera I can build" and Sony is saying, "Well, I'll take out your filters and your lapse of time, but if you're lucky and another bridge later I'll give it to you if you have more jingle in your pocket." I bought Alexander White's book and on p. 88 he talks from the use of the DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) on the RZ10IV.It can replace dn filters and uses the contrast of 3 or more photos and stacks them together, thus equalizing the bright and dark points in the photograph.It is called HDR (High Dynamic Range) and solves some of the problems that a neutral density filter would do on photos, but I don't think it works for the video part of the camera, I'm not sure yet. The book also talks about 3 or 4 remotes that can be purchased and discusses the Vel wireless remote. lo Shutterboss III which does the most things. You can set up a series of indefinite series of shots. You can set intervals between shots of 100 hours minus one second for time lapse photo intervals. If you decide to get it, you need to specify the model of the Sony Multi terminal. I heard that Sony Enterprise was badly hit by the earthquake a few years ago and it was very important to keep the RX10IV running well. I have a feeling the removal of some accessories on the RX10 series has a lot to do with it. They had to make a quality product, but they also had to make a profit margin to get Sony out of the underbelly. Just guess. I look forward to its great success for many years to come. What a great camera, but it's a shame they had to remove a few accessories. I bit the bullet and bought the RX10IV or the Mark four and sent the Panasonic back. How many non-professional reviewers have written that they've tried both cameras side-by-side? I have! The Mark 4's lens and processor win the award, and it's nothing short of amazing. Sony has made improvements to the menu, although the camera is heavier than the FZ2500, it is water and dust resistant. The Panasonic is not. The Zeiss lens on this camera is so good! I am 74 years old and I think this camera could very well be the last camera I will buy. However, if the Panasonic FZ2500 had that same lens, I would have bought the Panasonic. I've been buying Panasonic bridge cameras for a while and own the FZ200 and FZ1000, both are very good cameras. I must have had one of the better Panasonic FZ2500's because this one had a very good lens. The only reason for me to buy the FZ2500 would be for its outstanding video capabilities. As it is, I can take my ultra high definition videos on my FZ1000 and convert them to 8 megapixel stills. they would present three similar products, one being good, the next being better, and the next being best. I would rate the Panasonic FZ2500 as very, very good, and the Sony RX10IV as the best. January 8, 2018: Now that I've had this camera for about 3 months I have to admit it's the best camera I've ever wrapped in my hands and I have a closet full of Canon cameras and Minolta with a bag full of lens. I'm an amateur but it's a lovely camera! Together with the Zeiss lens, I think it's the best all-around camera in the world. Good photo shoot! Rick I think anyone who has never seen the RX10IV at its best should check out the U-tube and pullup: Sony RX10IV 4k Sample Video All-real-world & Lab Testing Footage by Jay Sony Apha Lab. He takes 4K video with his RX10 camera. It has zoom shots of geese on a lake. These zoom shots are spectacular. These zooms don't stop at 600mm, but just like the energizing bunny keeps going back and forth, up to 100x. I watched these videos and I cried, I was so jealous. IMHO videos like these will eventually cause the ILC to disappear. Update 03-07-2019 Final note: Sony has a problem with organizing their cameras. They don't do as well as Canon cameras. I try to say the right words to express what I'm trying to say. There should be an easier way to scroll through their various program topics to make it easier to find out what the camera does. Again, Alexander White's book is a God sent book for the RX10Mk4. It's a complicated camera and once you understand the system it will do just about everything the camera does with good reason and more. It's a wonderful camera but it's complicated and Sony has always struggled to make its cameras less complicated and easier to use. At the bottom of the screen, the Sony RX10MK4 camera has a one-inch sensor that slows the camera down a bit in low-light situations. I love this camera but it's easy to forget what you learned with this camera it has so many complicated things to learn being a 75 year old man like me. Rick