Sony Rx1r Iii Review: Waiting 10 Years To Be Underwhelmed

The RX1R III is an unthinkable camera, tin of capturing stunning photos. However, for thing Sony waited astir a decade to update and is charging $5,100 for, it besides feels for illustration a missed opportunity. First, nan RX1R III is astir $2,000 much costly than its predecessor. Plus, it’s missing a fistful of features nan institution really should person included for it to clasp its ain against different high-end compact cameras, including Fujifilm’s X100VI and GFX100RF, arsenic good arsenic nan Leica Q3 family. I emotion nan RX1R III, but I wish it was easier to recommend.

Image value and autofocus

New to nan RX1R III is simply a 61-megapixel full-frame sensor Sony first introduced alongside nan A7R IV backmost successful 2019. It mightiness beryllium an aged component, but having truthful overmuch solution successful a camera I could transportation everyplace felt for illustration cheating.

What hasn't changed is nan solid connected nan RX1R III. The camera still has nan aforesaid fixed 35mm f/2.0 Zeiss lens that debuted connected nan original RX1R successful 2012. With past models, autofocus was often an issue, but it turns retired nan Zeiss lens wasn't to blame. It was nan focusing algorithms connected nan older cameras.

Like nan A7R V, nan RX1R III comes pinch Sony's flagship Bionz XR image processor and a dedicated spot for AI-assisted taxable detection. At first, I was skeptical of nan RX1R III's autofocus capabilities since nan camera doesn't travel pinch a joystick to make it easy to group a attraction constituent manually. As it turns out, it doesn't request one. The autofocus connected nan RX1R III feels magical, acknowledgment to its taxable tracking. The 7 different nickname modes offered by nan RX1R III screen astir of nan things I for illustration to sprout — including people, pets and birds — and getting nan camera to fastener onto a taxable was simple. All I had to do was property and clasp nan caller "AF-ON" button. The camera tin beryllium configured to prioritize circumstantial subjects, but I recovered that wasn't basal to do; I could delegate focusing wholly to nan camera.

All of that brings maine backmost to nan RX1R III's Zeiss glass. I cognize immoderate group will beryllium disappointed Sony didn't adhd a caller lens, but I'm a instrumentality of nan decision. For me, nan characteristic of that lens has ever been portion of nan entreaty of nan series, and it's my favourite facet of nan caller model.

With Sony's 61MP sensor down it, nan Zeiss optics tin seizure photos pinch a awesome magnitude of item without ever emotion objective aliases overly crisp for illustration pinch galore of nan company's G Master lenses. The champion measurement I tin picture nan rendering is that it's Leica-like pinch beautiful, creamy bokeh. With nan correct light, nan RX1R III tin nutrient images that look almost painterly, and reviewing nan photos I snapped pinch it, they're among immoderate of nan champion I've captured successful nan 10 years I've been shooting.

At nan aforesaid time, I deliberation Sony deserves in installments for greatly improving nan colour subject of its JPEGs. The institution has agelong offered fantabulous RAW support, but nan older I get, nan much I admit a camera that tin nutrient awesome images pinch minimal editing. With nan RX1R III, Sony has delivered that. The camera offers a full of 12 JPEG profiles pinch six civilization slots. Two of nan default profiles, Film 2 and Film 3, are borrowed from nan FX3, and connection calming, muted tones that are a bully opposition to nan much vivid colors Sony is typically known for.

As for video, there's not overmuch to say. The RX1R III tin seizure 4K footage astatine 60 frames per 2nd and 1080p clips astatine 120 fps. That said, arsenic I'll get to successful a moment, Sony's caller exemplary is missing immoderate features that would person made it a competent video camera. As things stand, I deliberation it's only suited for capturing location videos you don't scheme to stock pinch nan world.

Design and handling

The first clip I looked done nan RX1R III's viewfinder, I thought Sony had sent maine a defective unit. The redesigned EVF is now built into nan apical near of nan camera, but nan institution seems to person pulled nan surface from nan parts bin, arsenic it only offers 2.36 cardinal dots of resolution. For context, nan A7R V has a 9.44-million-dot OLED EVF, while nan older A7R IV has a 5.76-million-dot screen. It's jarring going from nan caller rear-panel LCD and viewfinder. It besides feels cheap. A $5,100 camera should see a top-of-the-line EVF.

The viewfinder is not nan only portion of nan RX1R III that near maine confused astir what Sony was thinking. There's nan rear surface I conscionable mentioned, which is some amended and worse than nan 1 before. On nan 1 hand, it offers astir double nan resolution, acknowledgment to its 2.36-million-dot panel. On nan different hand, it's nary longer articulating, which feels for illustration a awesome measurement backmost since it makes shooting candid shots from nan hep a batch harder. And hide astir vlogging aliases taking selfies.

Separately, Sony hasn't weather-sealed nan III. Again, that's a characteristic I'd for illustration to spot connected specified an costly camera. Thankfully, artillery life is improved, pinch nan RX1R III supporting Sony's larger NP-FW50 batteries. I could comfortably get a time of shooting retired of nan latest exemplary if I was bully astir powering disconnected nan camera erstwhile I wasn't utilizing it.

I could place each nan complaints I mentioned if Sony had conscionable added in-body image stabilization (IBIS). When I reviewed nan Fujifilm X100VI past year, that characteristic unsocial felt transformational. More than conscionable improving image quality, it made nan X100VI into a camera that could sprout successful astir immoderate light. I understand Sony apt wanted to support nan III mini and light, but again, $5,100 is simply a batch to salary to not person a characteristic that galore high-end cameras offer.

Wrap-up

I've mentioned a fewer of nan RX1R III’s competitors successful passing, but now I deliberation it makes consciousness to see wherever Sony's caller camera fits successful nan market. Most group shopping for a premium compact camera will astir apt commencement their hunt pinch nan X100VI. If you tin find 1 successful stock, it's importantly cheaper than nan RX1R III, coming successful astatine $1,800. Sure, you're forgoing a full-frame sensor for a smaller APS-C sensor. But for astir people, I deliberation that's a adjacent tradeoff, particularly erstwhile nan X100VI besides offers IBIS, an articulating screen, an optical viewfinder and Fujifilm's fantabulous colour simulations.

If you want nan largest imaginable sensor, I'd reason Fujifilm's GFX100RF, which has a medium-format 100MP sensor, makes much consciousness — moreover pinch each of its faults and a price increase coming astatine nan extremity of nan month. There are besides nan Leica Q3 and Q3 43 to consider. At $6,735 and $7,380 respectively, some are much costly than nan RX1R III, but travel pinch nicer displays, IBIS and Leica glass.

Like I said astatine nan start, I wish nan RX1R III was easier to recommend, but it occupies a unusual abstraction wherever it's not needfully amended aliases different capable from its rivals. Inflation and Trump's tariffs apt tied Sony's hands to a degree, but nan institution could person still made nan caller exemplary much compelling by avoiding immoderate of its questionable creation decisions.