Yes I am really disappointed to see the score card of Sony RX10 III camera, However I am Sony RX100 series camera lover and While writing this post I also charging my RX100 IV camera with USB charger.
OLD is GOLD – Sony RX10 III scored 472 ISO low-light score on the other side Sony RX10 II score is 531 ISO. The difference is not so big but why negative? Customer is paying $300 extra for an upgraded version of a camera and they are not getting what they should.
Take a look at the DXOMark Report Card
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source DXO
optical zoom range of III version is greater, so more glass (lenses) is needed. More glass elements means less light gets to the sensor.
So no surprise this camera performs worse light sensitivity wise.
@Rainer Did You Know
Sony RX10 III wider aperture range is F2.4 and Sony RX10 II Wide aperture range is F2.8
That clearly means Theoretically RX10 III should perform better at wide shots compared to RX10 II.
DXO Mark Lab didn’t use tele-lens while performing a test of a compact zoom camera.
I am RX10 II owner and I don’t feel RX10 III is a real successor of RX10II when we compare sensor performance.
Sony RX10 III is not a successor of Sony RX10 II camera, Sony made it to compete with Canon G3X, Nikon DL Zoom.
@peter parker: Sony RX10 III has a wider aperture – at wideangle -, that’s true. But I guess the DXO guys will take a fixed f/6.3 or something for the comparison. Now there is the attenuation of light by the lenses, which is left.
Besides, there will be a measuring error, always.
Sony RX10 III does have a wider aperture, F2.4, at 24mm but as soon as the camera is zoomed to 25mm, F2.5 is the maximum aperture (27mm F2.8, 35mm F3.2, 56mm F3.5 and so on). When zoomed in at 100mm the maximum aperture is F4 and remains at F4 all the way through to the maximum zoom. Whereas the RX10 II lens has a constant aperture of F2.8 24-200mm making it a brighter lens. Hence the score.
What else do you expect from a crappy 1 inch sensor?!
If you want good low-light performance get a full-frame camera.
A used Sony A7S can be found on ebay for under £900.
https://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-Cybershot-DSC-RX10-III-versus-Sony-A7S___1084_949